THE VIRGINITY MISSION by Cate Ellink - Review

The Virginity Mission

By: Cate Ellink

RELEASE DATE: 06/2013
GENRE: EROTIC
IMPRINT: ESCAPE PUBLISHING
PAGINATION: 76

Source: Netgalley

An erotic new adult romance about old insecurities, new beginnings, and the things you can get up to in a tent…

It’s lust at first sight when Mac sees Jason shirtless and sweating on the back of a truck. Jason is the army sergeant assigned to support the six week scientific expedition that Mac is participating in, and might just be the perfect candidate for another journey of discovery that Mac is desperate to undertake — sex.

Fraternisation between students and staff might be strictly prohibited, but everybody knows fruit always tastes better when it’s forbidden.

Review:

Sometimes the quest to lose your virginity can be more difficult than hiking to the highest peak in the Rainforest, at least it is for Mac. This was a great short story and while it’s about Mac wanting to lose that pesky virginity, there is so much more to it!

I love the way Jason helps Mac learn so much about herself. It’s more of a story of self-discovery than anything else. While she thinks losing her virginity will be the biggest accomplishment of this adventure she’s undertaken, she slowly learns that sometimes, the journey is more important.

There is a great message about how one’s environment can shape their personality without even realizing it. Jason is more than just a fling. He pushes Mac to push herself. To be daring and discover who she is and what she wants. The trip is a complete eye opener for her, and while Jason plays a huge role in her transformation, even she doesn’t see how much of herself she’s found until she returns home.

The Virginity Mission, while short and enticing, will challenge readers to question themselves. To take a serious look at their personality and actions and say, why am I the way I am? The Virginity Mission is a little Australian gem of a story that will captivate your heart and challenge your spirit to test the confines of your own experiences. 

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Photo from Escapte Publishing

About the Author

Cate Ellink became intrigued by the erotic when her grandfather used to pass books to her father saying, “Don’t let the girls read page X.” Although her mother and sisters never bothered to chase those pages, Cate always did. Invariably, her imagination was better than what she read. While pursuing a career in science, Cate amused herself by writing about ordinary events and giving them an erotic twist. It’s taken more than a few years to bravely expose her mind to the public. While the events in her stories may have occurred, it’s highly likely that her imagination is far more exciting than the reality. Cate lives near the beach in NSW with her long-suffering husband. This is Cate’s first novella. She has two short stories published.

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Early Review: THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOW by Robin Wasserman

THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOW

AUTHOR: Robin Wasserman
PUBLISHER: Random House Children’s Books
IMPRINT: Alfred A. Knopf BFYR
PUB. DATE: April 10^th, 2012
CATEGORY: Fiction – Juvenile
SOURCE: Netgalley

One girl is determined to find the truth and avenge the dead.

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

My Thoughts:

This book was incredibly impressive! The storyline, the characters, and the history were impeccable, and I could not put it down. I’m actually having a difficult time putting how I feel about this book into words. I’m trying very hard not to just sit here and gush about it, because I really want to convey how I loved every aspect of THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOW.  It’s complicated; every part of it, but in an incredibly good way. So, I’m going to attempt to lay it out without stepping all over myself in excitement. So, here it goes.

The Story:

The attention to detail was amazing, in both the historical and fictional aspects. Everything was so well developed that I felt like I understood everything Nora did and why she didn’t understand some things.  The complexities of some plots often cause confusion for some readers; however, the complexities within The Book of Blood and Shadow, though numerous, were so well developed, explained, and executed, that I found the confusion limited to the things Nora found confusing. The history was intricately and seamlessly woven into the fiction, and the past was fascinating. I’m not usually a history buff, but the Voynich manuscript and the historical locations and events were amazing. The Latin ingrained in the story was intriguing, and the Elizabeth letters, though fictional, were fantastic and well written! The imagination behind the Lumen Dei and the societies associated with it, the Hledacˇi and Fidei Defensor, was incredibly imaginative and the histories behind them were detailed and believable. I would not have been able to separate fact from fiction without the details being provided.** I also loved how part of the story was set in Prague, and there are several historical locations visited. The setting really added to the story and made it memorable.

The Characters:

The characters in The Book of Blood and Shadow are, well, amazing and so are the relationships between them.  Nora, the main character and narrator, is extremely intellectual. She translates Latin texts at a college for fun, and I love that the narration is so in character. The word choices for her reflect her level of education and her interests in Latin. I could clearly see how her past affected her present and how the relationships she had were affected by it as well. So overall, she is an extremely well developed character, and I felt so close to her that I wanted to cry with her even when she wouldn’t allow herself to do so. I felt her every pain, loss, and betrayal, and when she was alone I felt alone. It was truly amazing. After a while, I could even tell when she was lying to herself, and only seeing what she wanted to see. It was heartbreaking and eye-opening at the say time.

There are four other characters of significance (in my opinion). The first two are Nora’s best friends Chris and Adriane. These three have been inseparable since they first met, and their relationships to each other are as complex as the plot while at the same time as simple as can be. I don’t want to give any part of the story away, so I will just leave it at that, but this relationship is an aspect of the plot that was very important. There’s also Max, Chris’s best friend, and Nora’s boyfriend. He’s one of the most complex characters in the story. He’s the group transplant that makes Nora no longer the “3^rd wheel” but he doesn’t exactly fit in seamlessly. And he’s just as vague about his past as Nora is, which seems to suit her just fine. Max’s motivations and actions are a huge source of mystery and unease, and his devotion to Nora is, well interesting.

The fourth character, and perhaps my favorite, is the mysterious Eli. I don’t want to give away his role in the story, but he quickly became my favorite. His diverse skills, questionable family background, and ability to show up at the best and worst of times was surprising. And the relationship he develops with the group and his interactions with minor characters along the way left me, along with Nora, questioning his every move. He seems to play the role of Nora’s protector, but that’s supposed to be Max’s role. The developments among the group dynamics become complex and problematic; relationships are challenged, betrayals are confirmed, and lives are never the same.

Overall:

A creepy tale of murder, betrayal, history and mystery, that will mesmerize and entrance teens and adults alike.

**Details regarding the fictional and historical aspects (including plot and characters) provided by the author in the Afterword of the book.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ROBIN WASSERMAN is the author of the Seven Deadly Sins series, Hacking Harvard, and the Skinned trilogy, which bestselling author Scott Westerfeld called "spellbinding." She has a master's degree in the history of science, and is fascinated by Renaissance philosophy, religion, magic, science, and the interplay among them. She lives in Brooklyn.

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Early Review: THE OBSIDIAN BLADE:The Klaatu Diskos Book 1 by Pete Hautman

The Obsidian Blade: The Klaatu Diskos: Book 1
Author: Pete Hautman
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pub. Date: April 10, 2012
Category: Fiction – Juvenile: Action & Adventure/Sci-Fi
Source: Netgalley Digital ARC

Kicking off a riveting sci-fi trilogy, National Book Award winner Pete Hautman plunges us into a world where time is a tool-and the question is, who will control it?

The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished-only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear.

Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing-one right on top of the roof-hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he's launched on a time-twisting journey-from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker's actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever.

My thoughts:

This was an interesting read for me. I feel like I need to let the story continue to sink in. I just closed the “cover” (it was actually an e-ARC through Netgalley) of The Obsidian Blade, and I’m focusing on processing everything I just read. For me, the story changes drastically from the beginning of the book to the end and to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It took some time for the story to really get started. The first half of the book is world and character building, which for me, was a little drawn out. However, the storyline is complex and intricate, and after getting into the second half of the book, I realized that all the build-up was necessary, albeit slightly boring.

Now, you might be thinking, “huh?” Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. I would even recommend it, especially for young teen boys. I think it’s an excellent and engaging read for them that would get their minds working. And the idea behind the story is a good one. The main character is a teen guy (13-17), and I think Tucker will appeal to male teen readers.

The second half of the book was much more interesting and engaging. The different “worlds” for lack of a better term, were varied and vastly different, yet had a common thread that intricately wove them together by the end of the book. The time travel and Sci-Fi aspects of the story were creative and original as was the background of the “diskos” and Klaatu, although it was somewhat confusing. But since this is the first book in a series, I would imagine that more information on both of these topics will forthcoming.

In order to tell the story and provide more background information on different aspects of the storyline, the book often jumps to random characters and experiences. This was confusing for me, although it did often provide significant insight into why and how certain events and processes happen in later parts of the book. Also, some of the subject matter, including the crucifixion and religious radicalism caused me some concern. However, I haven’t yet come to a conclusion as to how I feel about the way these subjects are portrayed. I feel like I need more information that will most likely (hopefully) be provided in the later books of the series. As far as re-reading this book goes, if I decided to read further into the series, I think I would definitely re-read The Obsidian Blade. In a re-read, I usually pick up on things I missed during the first read, and I will definitely need to brush up on the confusing storyline so I don’t start out confused in the second book. So a re-read is a possibility.

Overall, I would recommend The Obsidian Blade to Sci-Fi and time travel fans, as well as teen boys, probably not as a first read for reluctant readers though. So I’m giving this one 3.5 stars. It’s not one of my favorites, but it was a good read.

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EARLY REVIEW: SPELLCASTER (SPELLBOUND #2) by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellcaster (Spellbound book 2)

Author: Cara Lynn Shultz

Publisher: Harlequin

Imprint: HarlequinTEEN

Publication Date: March 27, 2012

Source: Netgalley

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

Review:

This is a great sequel! For starters, Emma’s strength really shows and develops, and she becomes such a strong female character that I almost have to put her up on a little pedestal.  Sure, she has her flaws and insecurities, but they just make her that much more real. That being said, Brendan finally has to get over his hero complex. Not that it’s a bad thing, but he’s forced to acknowledge and give in to Emma’s strong and valiant nature. Her protectiveness.  And that protectiveness kicks in when Brendan’s past comes back to bite them both in the butt. There were little hints given in Spellbound that really flourish and develop into serious, and again life threatening, issues for the soul mates.

One thing I really liked about Spellcaster was that it was darker than Spellbound. While Anthony’s motivations were hateful and vengeful in Spellbound, the intentions of the new threat are truly evil, and this time, the evil has magic on its side. The dark magic and intensely vengeful witch is one thing Brendan can’t protect Emma from. She has to protect herself. She has to find the strength and power within herself to protect them both. And her witchy powers are finally developing. There’s a lot of spell casting (hence the title), and some interesting results. And since the evil witch has help from someone inside Vince A, Emma needs all the help she can get. With possession, dark magic, evil curses, and knife wielding attackers, the stakes are higher than ever.

As much as I love Brendan and Emma, my favorite character by far is Angelique. And I got a VERY happy surprise in Spellcaster. Two, yep two, sections from Angelique’s POV! This had me very excited, because her personality is so different from Emma’s, and I loved seeing her reaction toward Brendan first hand. The relationship between the two is so interesting, and the scenes that involved just the two of them were intense and revealing. It was definitely one of my favorite, if not the favorite, parts of Spellcaster.

So, overall, an excellent read! If you haven’t read Spellbound yet, you can read my review and find buy links HERE to get ready for Spellcaster’s release on March 27^th.

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EARLY REVIEW: STARTERS by Lissa Price

Title: Starters
Author: Lissa Price
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Imprint: Delacorte BFYR
Publication Date: March 13th, 2012
Hardcover: 352 Pages
Format: E-Galley
Source: Netgalley for review

A major book for spring 2012—Starters is the first in a high-concept, two-book, futuristic thriller teen project by newcomer Lissa Price—a tremendous bestselling author in the making. Every major publisher wanted this book on their list.

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson.

It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

Book trailer

Review:

Wow! I’m so impressed with this one! There are so many dystopian/futuristic novels out there right now, and Starters definitely made an impression. The story was well thought out, creative, and so original in this market inundated with copycat outlines and underdeveloped plots. I was hooked from the very beginning and was astounded by each event.

But most impressive of all was that it was believable. In a world where life expectancy has reached well into the triple digits and “spore” warfare has decimated the population and killed everyone between the ages of 18-60, I never once felt, “Oh, yeah right. That could never happen.”  The story world is so well defined, and I can easily see how our future could become this world. The war, the politics, the division between the rich and the poor, the young and the old; it was so intriguing and captivating to see today’s problems magnified in a future world.

I would highly recommend this book to those of you who enjoy futuristic, dystopian novels, but if you don’t think this sounds like your kind of read, I strongly urge you to give Starters a chance. Its originality, strong characters, and fantastic storyline won’t let you down. I will definitely be purchasing a copy, and I’m already anxiously awaiting the second novel!

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PORTRAIT OF A STARTERan e-original short story
Feb 14, 2012

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EARLY REVIEW: SHOOTING STARS by Allison Rushby

Shooting Stars

Author: Allison Rushby
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Imprint: Walker Children’s Books
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Category: YA Fiction
Source: Netgalley

 ************************

Behind the flashing lights, the camera reveals all . . . even love.

Meet Josephine Foster, or Zo Jo as she’s called in the biz. The best pint-sized photographer of them all, Jo doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get that perfect shot, until she’s sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett—teen superstar and the only celebrity who’s ever been kind to her—at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat in Boston. The money will be enough to pay for Jo’s dream: real photography classes, and maybe even quitting her paparazzi gig for good. Everyone wants to know what Ned’s in for. But Jo certainly doesn’t know what she’s in for: falling in love with Ned was never supposed to be part of her assignment.

Review:

I expected this to be a relaxing, fun read, and it totally was, but I didn’t expect it to have any real depth or address any serious issues. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that in a bad way. I like fun, laid-back reads as much as complex, in-depth, controversial reads; I just didn’t expect this one to be too serious. However, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the issues and topics that came up. From losing family members, to moral and ethical values, Shooting Stars reveals that everyone has problems, even though they may not be obvious.

Getting a look at the life of a teenage paparazzo was intriguing, and curiously enough, I got completely sucked into the story. It was an interesting concept. The complications caused by getting to know “the mark” or star in this case, the symbiotic relationship between the paparazzi and celebrities,  and the act of getting paid for “dirty” work were just the beginning. The focus of family relationships plays a major role, and who can’t relate to a dysfunctional family and/or overbearing parents.

Overall, this one was a good read. A nice vacation from the fantasy and dystopians of late. A little deception, a little betrayal, a little love… what more could you ask for?

** 3.5 Stars: While I do not think this would be a book I'd pick up more than once, it was definitely one I enjoyed and would recommend.

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REVIEW: HALFLINGS by Heather Burch

Synopsis:
After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with. A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

Product Details:

Title: Halflings (Book 1)

Author: Heather Burch

Format- E-galley

Publisher- Zondervan

Release date- January 2012

Source- Publisher through Netgalley

Review:

I was pleasantly surprised with this read. I have to admit; when I first read the synopsis I was concerned it was going to be just another “fallen angel” type story. Not that there is anything wrong with those, I like them. I was just really hoping to get something a little different. Well, I wasn’t disappointed! I plowed through the book in a little over 24 hours. If I didn’t have to eat, sleep, or work for a living I would have never put it down!

The Lost Boys are descendants of the offspring of fallen angels and humans. They are outcasts in Heaven and on earth and can only achieve redemption by completing journeys to save humans assigned by the Throne. The dynamics of the “family” were very interesting. A guardian and 3 Lost Boys.

The story grabbed me from the very beginning with an attack. Who doesn’t love some action?! And there is plenty of action in Halflings. But there’s also a little bit of a love triangle. Raven and Mace both have some feelings for Nikki, but there are some serious consequences to come as well.  

When I came to the end I was like, “Wh--? NO! You can’t end like that! NO, NO, NO!” (imagine foot stamping and fist shaking) I have no doubt that when you read it, you feel the same way. However, there’s good news! Yep, you got it! This one’s gonna be series! So I’m totally excited for the next book. I’m really looking forward to seeing where the series goes. Especially when it comes to that little love triangle.

A fabulous read that I will definitely share and read again!

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REVIEW: REPLICATION: THE JASON EXPERIMENT by Jill Williams

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

When Your Life Is Not Your Own

Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky.

Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars.

As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.

Product Details:

Title: Replication: The Jason Experiment

Author: Jill Williamson

Format- E-galley

Publisher- Zondervan

Release date- January 01, 2012

Source- Publisher via Netgalley

Review:

Human cloning. It’s a fascinating subject to me, and Replication fascinated me from the very first page. Scientific research always sparks controversy, and cloning is an EXTRA controversial topic; so when I heard about Replication I was curious. I wondered how cloning would be approached for a YA audience. What better way than to have hundreds of teenage boy clones hidden in a secret Alaskan lab? Martyr’s voice captivated me. The author did a fantastic job of developing a character who had never seen the outside world. When Martyr narrated and spoke, I really believed his innocence. I believed him when he called a cat “dog” and a moose “horse,” because of his limited education. I sympathized with him. He was real to me. I love characters that really come alive, and Martyr is now one of my favorites. On the other side of the story, Abby narrates from her POV. She’s a fierce protector, which I love in female characters. And her dedication to helping those around her is admirable.

One of my favorite things about the story is that is doesn’t shy away from the religious aspect of the controversy. In fact, it’s a central aspect of the book. I love that! I don’t think the topic of human cloning, even if it is in a fictional story, can be addressed without looking at both the general ethics and the religious aspect.

Overall, it was a great story, and I really enjoyed it.

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