BOOK BLITZ/REVIEW: The Haunting Season by Michelle Muto

Today I am excited to be participating in a Book Blitz promotion hosted by Xpresso Book Tours, featuring The Haunting Season, by one of my favorite indie authors, Michelle Muto. You might recall a couple of days ago, I gave you a teaser from the book, and today I'm going to share with you more goodies about the book, my review, and an international giveaway for an eBook copy of The Haunting Season!

Pub Date: December 2012, Dreamscapes, Ink 

Genre: NA Paranormal/Ghosts
Source/FTC Disclosure: I purchased my copy of this book. I was in no way compensated for this review and my opinions are my own. This Book Blitz & Giveaway are sponsored by XPresso Book Tours and the author.

Be careful what you let in…

Siler House has stood silent beneath Savannah’s moss-draped oaks for decades. Notoriously haunted, it has remained empty until college-bound Jess Perry and three of her peers gather to take part in a month-long study on the paranormal. Jess, who talks to ghosts, quickly bonds with her fellow test subjects. One is a girl possessed. Another just wants to forget. The third is a guy who really knows how to turn up the August heat, not to mention Jess’s heart rate…when he’s not resurrecting the dead.

The study soon turns into something far more sinister when they discover that Siler House and the dark forces within are determined to keep them forever. In order to escape, Jess and the others will have to open themselves up to the true horror of Siler House and channel the very evil that has welcomed them all.

MY THOUGHTS
Earlier this year, I became acquainted with Michelle Muto's books thanks to an indie author event that I attended in a nearby city. I read one of her books before going and it was such a pleasure to meet and talk with her -- she was very generous with her time and so sweet. If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you might recall that I really enjoyed her YA books, The Book of Lost Souls and Don't Fear The Reaper -- you can click on the titles to see those reviews. When the opportunity presented itself to be a part of a Book Blitz for The Haunting Season, naturally I jumped at it! This book is very different from Muto's other works... For one thing, it is classified as New Adult, not to mention it is in the Horror genre -- much, much darker and creepier than her other paranormal stories.

I'm actually kind of torn with this review. On the one hand, I loved the horror aspect -- the story was deliciously creepy. I've actually not read a lot in the genre, though I've seen a few horror movies over the years. I love the adrenaline rush of being scared and believe me, this was a book that I could not read in the dark. Seriously, I actually read a good portion of it during the day because of the major creep-factor. The setting in Savannah is just perfect for a haunted house story, as well. But then on the other hand, I was kind of turned off by the romance storyline. I didn't find it particularly believable and was surprised at how much it overtook the story. A large part of the focus is on Jess and Gage, not to mention the story is told from their points of view, but I found Allison to be a much more interesting character and wish that Bryan had been developed a little bit more than he was. Even the strange Dr. Brandt and the role he played would have benefited from a little more time in the spotlight. Nevertheless, the story moves right along and I found myself on the edge of my seat (literally AND figuratively speaking) watching the shocking events unfold.

Though classified as New Adult (which I knew going in), in many ways The Haunting Season read more like YA. I'm not sure how to elaborate other than to say it simply had a YA feel to it. And truly, even with the sex scene (which wasn't overly graphic) and some occasional strong language, I would probably consider this a mature YA read at most. Recalling my reading tastes at the time, I think this is a book that I would have really enjoyed when I was in high school, though I can certainly appreciate the horror element now, as well. Fans of the horror/haunted house genre will love this book for what it is, but for me, the romance served as more of a distraction to the story, rather than adding to it. I confess I prefer Ms. Muto's aforementioned YA books to The Haunting Season, but there are many out there who love this one, so I encourage you to check out the book's Goodreads page for more reviews, and be sure to enter my giveaway for an eBook copy below!

GIVEAWAY
I'm excited to be able to host a giveaway for one (1) ebook copy of The Haunting Season. The contest is open internationally and ends at midnight on Thursday, May 16th! There are lots of ways to enter -- just use the Rafflecopter form below!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Muto lives in northeast Georgia with her husband and two dogs. She loves changes of season, dogs, and all things geeky. Currently, she’s hard at work on her next book.

Author Links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

EXTRAS
Here's something fun -- the playlist Michelle Muto created for The Haunting Season!

Goodreads Book Page

Purchase from Amazon

Purchase from Barnes & Noble

Review: The Shadowy Horses

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I first stumbled across Susanna Kearsley last year, when I read The Winter Sea, quite some time after Sourcebooks re-released it. And I will freely admit it, I was totally drawn to that book by its cover and once I read it, I found myself saying "must read ALL the books by Susanna Kearsley!!!" But much to my shame, this is the first time I am actually writing a review of one of Kearsley's books and it is long overdue!

I love, love, LOVE Kearsley's works, whether they are time slip stories or simply tales that take a look back at a certain time and place in history. While not a true time slip novel, like The Winter Sea and The Rose Garden, The Shadowy Horses almost had an almost magical quality to it. I found myself completely lost in the pages of this book and thanks to Kearsley's beautiful, descriptive writing style, I felt like I was right there, witnessing everything happen.

As is typical with Kearsley's stories, there is a lovely romance that builds throughout the book. And though she does not send a character back in time, instead we meet a centuries-old ghost and a boy who is part of a line of men with the second sight. I think because there is just a hint of the paranormal, it allows you to believe that maybe, just maybe this story could be real. I also loved the Scottish setting!

If you enjoy historical fiction, time slips, or even just fiction with a hint of romance, I think you would greatly enjoy The Shadowy Horses and any other of Kearsley's books.

*Read in January 2013 and originally reviewed at Goodreads. View all my reviews

Series Review: The Hollow by Jessica Verday

Title: The Hollow
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: September 2009, Simon Pulse (HC)
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis (from BN.com)

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead?and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

Title: The Haunted
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: August 2010, Simon Pulse
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis (from BN.com)

An impossible truth. An impossible love.

After a summer spent reclaiming her sanity and trying to forget the boy she fell in love with—the boy who must not exist, cannot exist, because she knows that he is dead—Abbey returns to Sleepy Hollow, ready to leave the ghosts of her past behind. She throws herself into her schoolwork, her perfume-making, and her friendship with Ben, her cute and funny lab partner, who just might be her ticket to getting over Caspian once and for all.

But Abbey can never get over Caspian, and Caspian has no choice but to return to her side, for Caspian is a Shade, and Abbey is his destiny. They are tied not only to each other, but also to the town of Sleepy Hollow, and to the famous legend that binds their fates—a legend whose dark truths they are only beginning to guess....

Title: The Hidden
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: August 2011, Simon Pulse
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased from BN.com
Rating: 2 stars

Synopsis (from BN.com)

Abbey knows that Caspian is her destiny. Theirs is a bond that transcends even death. But as Abbey finally learns the full truth about the dark fate that links her to Caspian and ties them both to the town of Sleepy Hollow, she suddenly has some very hard choices to make. Caspian may be the love of her life, but is that love worth dying for? 

My Thoughts

I opted to lump my reviews for Jessica Verday's The Hollow series into one review, since I decided to re-read the first two books before finally finishing the series while on vacation last week. And, quite honestly, I'm not sure I could bring myself to write three individual reviews for these books. I think I might be in the minority when I say that for me, the series started out much stronger than it concluded.

While it seems to rate lower among other readers, I actually really enjoyed Verday's debut, The Hollow. In my opinion, basing the story off of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was a refreshing premise in the vast offering of YA Paranormal books. Verday opens each chapter with quotations from Irving's book, which really made me want to pick it up again. While I admit that Abbey and Caspian might be a little annoying, I did find myself completely wrapped up in their story. Something else that I found interesting and different: Abbey's hobby as a perfumer. I thought that added to her overall character, not to mention showing how smells really become a part of our lives and memories -- I could certainly identify with that. The side plot pertaining to Kristen's secret was a little contrived, but none of these flaws curbed my enjoyment of The Hollow.

The fast-paced ride continues in the second book in the series, The Haunted. Just when Abbey has nearly convinced herself that she imagined her ghosts and shades, when she returns home it is almost as if her summer away never even happened. It was nice to have some more focus on Ben this time and a little less Caspian, even though we all know how it's ultimately going to end. We also see more of Katy and Nikolas (minor spoiler - they're from the original story of Sleep Hollow) this time and start to get a glimmer of just what is going on with Abbey, why she can see these people no one else can, and just what part she is supposed to play in it all. With that, the story gets a little darker this time, as well.

And then we get to the third book, The Hidden. Sadly, this book diminished my overall opinion of the series, though again it seems I'm in the minority as the ratings are generally higher for this book. In a way, it was almost too short -- tying up the various loose ends actually deserved at least another couple of chapters. I was very disappointed with how suddenly Verday wrapped up the story, but it is difficult to explain what was wrong without completely giving it all away. Suffice it to say that while perhaps the resolution wasn't totally out of left field, it was introduced so suddenly and put to bed so quickly that it left me wondering what the heck happened. I almost felt cheated, if that makes sense. And frankly, it was all too neat and tidy to fit in with the rest of the story. I'm a sucker for happily ever after, but this time happily ever after seemed like the easy way out somehow, it's difficult to explain.

Based on individual ratings of 4 stars for both of the first two books and 2 stars for The Hidden, my ultimate rating is:

Review & Giveaway: Forgotten Dreams by Alexia Banks

Title: Forgotten Dreams
Author: Alexia Banks
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pub Date: TODAY! August 6, 2012, Crimson Romance
Format: eBook
Source: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review your debut!

Synopsis

Itching for adventure, Miami private investigator Shane Connelly heads for Swan Creek in North Carolina wine country. But she quickly discovers it’s anything but the perfect spot to while away the summer months. Her country home turns out to be a burned out hovel that she suspects is haunted. Discouraged, she plans to head home when a handsome stranger arrives at her doorstep. Before she can beat a trail off the mountain, Shane and her dashing neighbor Jesse are inexplicably drawn together as they dodge bullets, unearth ghosts, and unravel a dark town secret. In the end, Shane realizes it's not the high altitudes that are making her head spin, but her brooding lover with the penetrating dark eyes.

My Thoughts

At just 128 pages on my Nook Simple Touch, Forgotten Dreams is a pretty quick read that is easy to get into, so I finished it easily in one sitting. Therein lies my problem with this book. The story has SO MUCH potential but there wasn't quite enough detail to truly do this book justice. The characters are great -- what little we are able to see of them. Shane is a fiery redhead who isn't afraid to speak her mind and be herself, especially after she ditches her painfully dull boyfriend. Jesse is equal parts tough guy and sensitive sweetheart and it just so happens his mother also presents an interesting character of whom I think we see far too little throughout the story.

Seriously, it's really impressive just how colorful the characters are, given that this is such a short book. Multiple character development across the broad spectrum of a story is often a shortcoming with debut authors, but not a bit with Alexia Banks. If only the plot could have been as intricately drawn and fleshed out a bit more, we would have a seriously awesome read on our hands. But realistically, I understand that you can only provide so much detail in a book of this length. I'd love more of a backstory on the ghost and even Shane, herself -- more than what we see in her nightmares, anyway, which is certainly an intriguing way to learn about Shane, I must say. And let's face it, you can't properly build a relationship between two people in such a short read. Such a hot romance deserves a little more build-up and suspense. While Shane and Jesse not unexpectedly start off on the wrong foot, I wish there had been more time to make the transition to what their relationship ultimately became.

I also have to say that I would have loved to see more of the paranormal element in the storyline. There are big chunks of the story that drift away from it and I think the ghost story could have become more central to the plot than it ultimately did. There were times I was deliciously creeped out -- especially reading this late at night, but that momentum kind of died off soon after the various ghost sightings, which led me to forget that this was supposed to be a paranormal romance.

Bottom line, I think it can and should be considered a big positive that I truly wanted to be able to read more of this story. Yes, I did lower my rating because I felt like important details were missing with respect to key elements of the storyline. If you are looking for a quick read with some steamy romance, ghostly elements, and a splash of humor, you should definitely give Forgotten Dreams a try. It is a worthy debut that I hope brings the promise of more (and longer!) books from this author.

So have I intrigued you? Would you like to win an ebook of Forgotten Dreams? Well, be sure to enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter just below the rating. And below that are even more goodies in celebration of Forgotten Dreams Release Day!

My Rating
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Alexia Banks talks about Forgotten Dreams:


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Review: The Reckoning

Title: The Reckoning (Darkest Powers #3)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: April 2010, HarperCollins Publishers
Hardcover, 391 pages
Book source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Synopsis

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.
Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

My Thoughts

I finished this book up a couple of nights ago and my first thought was about the mixed feelings I had towards this third installment of the Darkest Powers series. On the one hand, I am curious to find out where the story is going. (And yes, I said, "going". More on that later...) On the other hand, the first, oh probably, two thirds of the book seemed to focus primarily on Chloe and what boy she was going to pick, Simon or Derek. I had already realized from the second book that she had some serious leanings towards Derek so I really wish she could have figured it out a little faster. That way, there could have been greater focus on the meat of the story: what the Edison Group has done, genetically modifying supernatural children and their powers. Instead it felt like the entire point was the budding romance between Chloe and Derek. Hence, the mixed feelings. I do enjoy a bit of romance, but when there are other serious issues that need some attention it is frustrating to wait so long to read about their progress and/or resolution.

Unfortunately because the plot of the book was not advanced as much as I would have expected, I did not feel this book lived up to its predecessor, The Awakening, which I really thought might be taking the series to a new level. Events certainly got moving in the last third of the book, but everything was crammed in to so few pages that everything just felt rushed in order to finish this book. Don't get me wrong--the last several chapters were certainly page-turners and I still want to know what is going to happen, but I sincerely hope the pacing and focus on developing the major plot-line is addressed in the next book. One thing I have enjoyed is relatively good character development with each book, and Armstrong certainly doesn't disappoint with The Reckoning.

For anyone expecting this book to completely wrap up the story and answer all of your questions, don't get your hopes up too high. Everything I have seen refers to the Darkest Powers as being a trilogy, but I don't see how there would not be another book to continue the story, with all the loose ends I see dangling out there. If there isn't another book, I must say The Reckoning provides a very unsatisfying conclusion to the trilogy. And if there is indeed a fourth book coming out, I have every intention of continuing the series to see what happens to Chloe and her friends.

My Rating:

Other reviews of The Reckoning:

Em's Bookshelf ~ Today's Adventure ~ Love Vampires

Tales of a Ravenous Reader ~ Juciliciousss Reviews ~ The Story Siren

Sarah's Random Musings ~ Alaine - Queen of Happy Endings

Insert Book Title Here

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see a link to your site here, please leave a comment with the link to your review!

Review: The Awakening

Title: The Awakening
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Paranormal
Pub Date: April 2009, HarperCollins Publishers
Hardcover, 368 pages
Book Source: purchased from BN.com

Synopsis

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl — someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment — not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends — a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch — and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying. 

My Thoughts

Unlike the first book in Armstrong's Darkest Powers series, I thought The Awakening was pretty fast-paced from the beginning. The characters are growing and developing much more in this book, but the plotting still feels a little shaky and all over the place. Nevertheless, I am anxious to see how this story unfolds and wraps up in the third book, The Reckoning, which is due out in April.

This book finds Chloe learning more about the Edison Group and the experiment they have been performing on children with supernatural powers. Not only does this storyline focus on Chloe and her friends' quest to discover the truth about the Edison Group, but Armstrong also gives us a glimpse into the dark and difficult life for kids on the street. The two characters who probably grow the most during this stage of the adventure are Chloe and Derek, both discovering what they are capable of and trying to understand how they can control their respective powers. Even Tori shows us what she is capable of (though still obnoxious as ever), and together, all four of them, Simon included, make a smart and resourceful team.

If you enjoyed The Summoning, I think I can safely say that that you will enjoy The Awakening, perhaps even more than the first book. I know I did, and I am looking forward to finding out how Armstrong wraps this story up in The Reckoning.

My rating:



Other reviews of The Awakening:

Darque Reviews ~ Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

Karin's Book Nook ~ Just Blinded Book Reviews ~ Steph Su Reads

Today's Adventure ~ The Book Obsession ~ KD's Library

Wrighty's Reads ~ Tales of a Ravenous Reader ~ The Story Siren

The Eclectic Reader ~ Reverie Book Reviews

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see a link to your review here, please leave a comment with the link to your review and I will add it to the list!

Review: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker

Title: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker
Author: Leanna Renee Hieber
Genre: Fiction, Paranormal, Gothic
Pub Date: August 2009, Dorchester Publishing Company
Mass Market Paperback, 324 pages
Book source: Received for review from the author (Many thanks!)

Synopsis

What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Hidden in the dark heart of Victorian London, the Romanesque school was dreadfully imposing, a veritable fortress, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met its powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadows, of the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She saw simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gift. This arched stone doorway was a portal to a new life, to an education far from what could be had at a convent-and it was an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death...

My Thoughts

While I initially had some difficulty getting into this story, by the time I was a couple of chapters into it, I could not put the book down. Well, unfortunately, I did HAVE to, but I didn't WANT to. The title is so very appropriate, as well--this truly was a "strangely beautiful tale." There is no better way to describe it!

To begin, Hieber's writing is really quite lovely--she has a way with words that is enjoyable to read. There were frequently dialogues of subtle wit that I appreciated, and at many times the writing was lyrical. It may not always be consistent, but the writing is generally very good. Add to that a story that was ultimately gripping and fascinating, and I think you have an all-in-all great read. Here we have a paranormal story dealing more with visions and ghosts, coupled with a brewing romance that really spurred me along while reading. Honestly, I was probably more interested in how the romance would turn out than the rest of the story, and perhaps that's why I have to admit that I'm still not quite sure how the paranormal elements all managed to resolve themselves. I'm thinking a re-read will be in order sometime down the road.

I enjoyed the characters, though I did often get annoyed with Percy Parker's self-pity (to be fair, it was very in line with her character). In the end, however, she came into her own, much to my satisfaction. All of the members of The Guard (headed by Alexi) are unique and have their own personalities that tend to stand out. Overall, I thought Hieber developed and presented her characters very fittingly into the story. I think that lovers of mystery, the paranormal, or romance would enjoy this book. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is the first in a series, and I definitely look forward to reading the next story!

My rating:



Other reviews of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker:

Lurv a la Mode ~ Romance Book Wyrm ~ Stacy's Place on Earth
Darque Reviews ~ Babbling About Books, And More!
The Discriminating Fangirl ~ The Tome Traveller's Weblog

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see a link to your site listed above, please leave a comment with the permalink to your review!

Review: The Summoning

Title: The Summoning
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: July 2008, HarperCollins
Trade Paperback, 390 pages

Synopsis

She sees dead people--and they see her.

Chloe Saunders used to have a pretty normal life. But that changed on the day she met her first ghost. Locked up in Lyle House, a group home for troubled teens, she finds out that there's more to the home's teen residents than meets the eye. Will Chloe be able to uncover the dangerous secrets of Lyle House... or will its skeletons come back to haunt her?

My Thoughts

I'm going to be honest here. I did not really get into this book until the last third of it or so. The rest of it just didn't hold my attention for some reason. However, that last third was so good that I am determined to continue reading this series.

There are several things I appreciated about this story--its premise, the focus away from the usual vampires and fairies while still being paranormal, the dynamic between the "troubled teens" and the Lyle House employees... At the same time, I found it rather unbelievable that Chloe would not realize or would simply deny that she was seeing ghosts, when it was pretty obvious what was going on. Overall, the characters could have used a bit more development, though obviously some were fleshed out more than others (Chloe and Derek, for example). The writing is generally good, though at times I found myself wishing it was more descriptive and captivating.

What really saved this book for me, though, was a big plot twist towards the end. Honestly, I never get tired of them although I know some people do. And with The Summoning, I really didn't see it coming. By the way, I should mention that I regret not having The Awakening right here to start, as the first book does end with quite the cliffhanger. All-in-all it was a pretty good read (not great, for me) but I see a lot of potential and I hope to pick up the story again soon with the second book. One other random note: I really love the cover of this book!

My rating:



Other reviews of The Summoning:

Graeme's Fantasy Book Review ~ A Book Blogger's Diary
Darque Reviews ~ Teen Book Review ~ Just Blinded Book Reviews
Em's Bookshelf ~ J. Kaye's Book Blog ~ Reader Rabbit ~ Tez Says
Becky's Book Reviews ~ Book Review Maniac ~ Garden of Books
The Compulsive Reader ~ Unmainstream Mom Reads
Wendy's Minding Spot ~ The Book Obsession ~ The Eclectic Reader
And Another Book Read ~ The Page Flipper ~ The Story Siren
Ceridwen's Book Lounge ~ KD's Library ~ Karin's Book Nook
A Patchwork of Books ~ WORD for Teens ~ Ink and Paper
Reality Bites... Fiction Does it Better ~ I Heart Monster

Have you reviewed this book but don't see a link to your site above? Leave a comment and let me know!

Review: The Fetch

Title: The Fetch
Author: Laura Whitcomb
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult
Pub Date: February 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Hardcover, 380 pages

Synopsis

Calder is a Fetch, a death escort, the first of his kind to step from Heaven back to Earth.The first to fall in love with a mortal girl. But when he climbs backwards out of that Death Scene, into the chaos of the Russian Revolution, he tears a wound in the ghost realm, where the spirits begin a revolution of their own.

My Thoughts

I thought the premise behind this book was original and very intriguing, but the additional description of "a supernatural romance" was a little far-fetched, until you reach the last third of the book, perhaps. Even then, I think it's a stretch to call this story a romance. Once I realized I was reading about the Romanov family and another take on the story of Anastasia I was further interested in how Whitcomb was going to spin this tale.

Unfortunately, while the premise is excellent and the characters were relatively well-painted, the story was a bit disjointed at times and often difficult to follow. This mainly occurs when Calder is experiencing occasional flashes of memories of his Earth life. One minute I was reading about his journey with Alexis and Ana, and the next I was confused as to what was going on. While Whitcomb's writing is pleasant, it just didn't hold me to the story the way I hoped it would. While Calder and his two charges had an adventure that took them literally around the world, once they reached their ultimate goal and final destination, the end of the story fell a bit flat to me. It was almost as if everything was wrapped up too quickly and too neatly. Overall, it was a good read, just not the exciting book I was hoping for.

My rating:

Other reviews of The Fetch:

Presenting Lenore ~ Look At That Book ~ The Book Muncher
Readings of a Teenage Tree ~ Sharon Loves Books and Cats
T.V. and Book Addict

If you have reviewed this book and don't see your link above, please leave a comment and I'll add your link to the list!

REVIEW: The Maidenstone Lighthouse by Sally Smith O'Rourke

Genre: Fiction, Ghosts

Pub Date: September 2007, Kensington Books

Format: Trade Paperback, 224 pages

Source/FTC Disclosure: I purchased my copy of this book. I was in no way compensated for this review and my opinions are my own.

Nestled in a coastal inlet a few miles north of Newport, Rhode Island, Freedman's Cove is known for its superb seafood, its postcard-pretty waterfront, and its exquisite Victorian homes-a legacy of the town's past as a summer resort for wealthy families. Manhattan antiques appraiser Susan Marks inherited one of these ornate mansions from her great aunt. After suffering a devastating loss, she retreats to Freedman's Cove to nurse her grief.
Three months have passed since the corporate plane piloted by Susan's lover, Bobby Hayward, disappeared at sea, but still Susan dreams nightly of his safe return. Her days are filled with memories of Bobby's mischievous blue eyes, his sensual touch, and the sheer zest for living that he imparted to every moment of their time together.
Amid the bracing sea air and familiar surroundings of the town where she spent happy childhood summers, Susan starts to recover her peace of mind-until she awakens one night to see an ethereal figure standing at her window. More curious than afraid, Susan is immediately intrigued by the ghost of this sad and beautiful young girl who gazes out at the Maidenstone Lighthouse. Delving into the story of her ancestor's tragic death brings Susan into contact with Dan Freedman, a local historian and famed artist who was once the town's teenage rebel. But even as the hours spent with Dan awaken Susan's hope that she could someday find love again, the startling truth behind a century-old mystery emerges to shed a beacon of light on dangerous shadows in Susan's own past and in her present.

MY THOUGHTS

So, as I mentioned in my Friday Finds post, I happened across this book while browsing the stacks at BJ's. They had loads of books on my TBR list, one of which I picked up (The Hunger Games), but what caught my eye was the beautiful cover of this book, so I read the cover and my interest was piqued. I'd never heard of the title or the author, and when I got home and searched the blogging sites I read, there were no reviews to be seen.

I really enjoyed reading this book. O'Rourke's writing style is pleasant and flows easily, which is exactly what I needed since I'm still a bit foggy from being sick most of the week. I was caught up in the story very quickly--who doesn't like a ghost story?--and I had a hard time putting the book down. Actually, there is more to this book than just the ghost story, but I don't want to give away too much because I would risk spoiling it. Let's just say the last several chapters prove to be very intense!

I also liked the way O'Rourke handled Susan's two men in her life--Bobby (disappeared and presumed dead), whom Susan had basically fooled herself into believing was the perfect man, and Dan, who truly was the perfect man--for her, I mean, naturally he had his own flaws. It was a very realistic portrayal of her relationships--luckily, in the end she found someone who was everything she wanted, rather than someone whom she had built up to be everything she wanted because that was what she wanted to believe and wanted to have. (I hope that made sense, I plead a fuzzy head from the cold if it doesn't!)

All-in-all I thought it was a great escapist read, made even better by the fact that had I not been browsing BJ's, I likely never would have come across it! A ghost story/mystery from Susan's family's past, an emerging mystery in Susan's current life, and a love story with a happy ending. Now I've got to get my hands on O'Rourke's first book, The Man Who Loved Jane Austen--I like the sound of that!