Audiobook Review: Lost Rider by Harper Sloan

---

Lost Rider
Coming Home #1
Author: Harper Sloan
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Romance
Released: April 25th 2017
Review Source: Simon Schuster Audio

Maverick Austin Davis is forced to return home after a ten-year career as a rodeo star. After one too many head injuries, he’s off the circuit and in the horse farming business, something he’s never taken much of a shine to, but now that it’s his late father’s legacy, familial duty calls. How will Maverick find his way after the only dream he ever had for himself is over?

Enter Leighton Elizabeth James, an ugly duckling turned beauty from Maverick’s childhood—his younger sister’s best friend, to be exact, and someone whose heart he stomped all over when she confessed her crush to him ten years back. Now Leighton is back in Maverick’s life, no longer the insecure, love-stricken teen—and Maverick can’t help but take notice. Sparks fly between them, but will Leighton be able to open her heart to the one man who broke it all those years ago?

This may be my first Harper Sloan book, but it definitely won’t be my last. Lost Rider follows two souls that were meant to always be together and their journey finding their way home. Makerick the rodeo king left town as soon as he possibly could. He wanted nothing tying him back home, other than his brother and sister, and if that meant shattering a girl’s hope and dreams then he would have to do it. Even if it hurt like hell to do so. Leighton, heart broken by the crush of her life, decided to make some changes after some life altering events, they may have helped in the time, but never enough to mend her broken heart over the one that got away. But what happens when the one that got away moves back? Can she actually get over the hurtful things that were said? We’re they truly meant to be?

Lost Rider has been one of my favorite audiobooks so far this summer, I know it just started, but it was a good way to start it that’s for sure. I was completely enthralled from the very beginning. I couldn’t wait to get back in my car to listen and I hate driving. I even made my husband listen to it, poor guy. The angst between these two and their love/hate relationship in the beginning was the best! Leighton was one tough chick and if I were Makerick I would’ve been shaking in my cowboy boots. I may not be a fan of country music, but I am most definitely a fan of country boys. My only small grievance with this book was the relationship seemed to move a little too fast for my taste, but I guess when you’ve known and loved the same person over a decade, it doesn’t seem fast. More like a long time coming. Sloan also gets you really excited about what’s going to come up in the next books as well, I can’t wait to see Quinn, Makerick’s sister and Leighton’s best friend get knocked on her butt with love. And then Makerick’s brother, hello, give me that book now please. Sloan has badass men, and tough chicks in this series and that is something I have really come to love when reading a romance. I don’t need a damsel in distress, I need a badass chick just looking for an equal, someone to make her stronger than she already is and Sloan delivered.

For any cowboy lovers, romance cravers, and anyone inbetween, Lost Rider by Harper Sloan is the book for you. Count me in as a forever fan. I’ve already added all Sloan’s books to my already mile long TBR list.

Audiobook Review: Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole

Dead of Winter
Arcana Chronicles #3
Author: Kresley Cole
Narrator: Emma Galvin
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia | Fantasy
Listening Length: 9 hours and 58 minutes
Released: January 6th 2015
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

Heartbreaking decisions. Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, The Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.  

Uncertain victory. Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a frozen and perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on The Lovers and the vast army they command. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them once and for all may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

Two heroes returned. There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first?

I re-listened to Poison Princess and Endless Knight before shoving my ear buds in and losing myself in Dead of Winter’s audio book for the first time. I've read and listened to this series so many time as it’s one of my all-time favourites, and the audio versions never get old.

Dead of Winter was a great audio addition to the series. Emma Galvin, the narrator, has been come a familiar voice to me through this series and she suits this series perfectly. How she portrays everyone, specifically Evie, Jackson, Matthew and Aric is on point and I find myself connecting to the series all the more because of Emma’s narration.

Listening to the audio was just as exciting as the first time I read the book. Jack makes me fall more in-love with him every time I revisit this series, and in the audio books, he melts my heart. I may just be madly in-love with him. I'm a sucker for Jack's accent, and also Aric's because they're so well done. So it's understandable for me to be partial to the audio books where I can actually listen to the hotness rather than just read it. It adds more dimension. *sighs happily*

The progression in Dead of Winter is almost shocking. In a good way. Jack's character really shines here, we see him blossom into the person he was always meant to be, and a better side of him is shown. However, he still has his issues. Jack wouldn't be Jack if he didn't, but I don't hold them against him. He's still learning, and I understand why he does what he does. The majority of the time it's to protect Evie.

As for everyone else: Evie's still the same girl at heart but I wouldn't mess with her. She's seriously kick ass with her arcana powers. In book 4, we're definitely going to see her with her full powers unleashed, something she's been holding back to avoid hurting people. And Aric, I'm still undecided with him. I love that we get to see him more in Dead of Winter, and I can't fault his presence. After lifetimes of loneliness, the company he has is treasured and he's blossoming into a better version of himself.

And as I write this review, I'm listening to Dead of Winter for the second time because I can't get enough of it.

You can read my book review for Dead of Winter here.

Listen to an excerpt from Dead of Winter audio below:

Audiobook Review: Crash by Lisa McMann

Crash
Visions #1
Author: Lisa McMann
Narrator: Allyson Ryan
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Supernatural | Paranormal
Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins
Released: January 8th 2013
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio

Summary: (from goodreads) If what you see is what you get, Jules is in serious trouble. The suspenseful first in a series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy. Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.

The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more shesees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.

In this riveting start to a gripping series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann, Jules has to act—and act fast—to keep her vision from becoming reality.

This audio book came to me at the right time. I usually take a long time in finishing a audio book because I don't have a lot of opportunities when to listen to the book undisturbed. So when I had to drive in a single day over 7 hours, I popped in Crash and finished it in one day. The long boring drive, all the sudden was now very entertaining. I didn't want to stop and fuel or take potty breaks because I wanted to keep listening to the audio book. Allyson did a great job portraying the characters in this books. Her voice didn't annoy or sound bland to me. Listen to clip HERE.  

Lisa McMann is an author I once said I would read anything she prints. Lisa is very well known for her Wake Trilogy and Cryer's Cross. So when I heard about Crash, I was game to read it or in this case listen to it. Once again I was reminded why I love to read Lisa's books. Her stories have this edge to them, that just grab you. In Crash, Lisa blends paranormal/supernatural elements with a realistic/contemporary atmosphere. So if you are a fan of contemporary but don't like paranormal, you will still enjoy this book. Its like I mentioned, the elements are very well blended. Lisa keeps us the reader on our toes, trying to figure out what's to come. In Crash think Romeo and Juliette but with pizza . OK its more than that, but you have forbidden love, mystery and thrills. 

Crash is the story of Jules. Jules' life is centered around her family's business. They own a pizzeria and live above it. Jules also has to drive the pizza truck to school everyday, its not very flattering. Not that it really matters because the person that has Jules heart, she cant have. Sawyer is Jules' Romeo, why Romeo? Well because Sawyer's happens to be the son of Jules' family business rivals. Each family owns a pizza place in the same town and have been at war for a very long time. So when they were young both sides of the family prohibited them from becoming friends and definitely not a couple. Everything sounds normal so far, because who hasn't been told not to date a boy before by their parents. Well thing is Jules has this problem, Jules sees visions. Yes you read right, she can see visions and when I say see, these visions are not in her mind. Jules visions replay for her on billboards, TVs, windows, ext... Pretty much any flat surface will replay the vision Jules sees. Her vision is horrible and heartbreaking. She keeps having to witness a scene and always body bags at the end. The visions become more and more detailed with time and she is crushed with who gets hurt. Jules has to decided if she speaks up and breaks her family's wishes. It turns out that when you prohibit someone from seeing each other, life has a way to bring them together. Jules will stop at nothing to save what she loves.

What I really loved about Crash was how Lisa's gave having visions a new twist. I loved the unexpected ending. The Romeo and Juliette modern feel to the love story. I also liked all of Jules comments/phrases, they were LOL and cheesy. 

Grab this book, be it in paper or audio, you will love it. I cant wait for book 2 to know what next after the ending in Crash. 

Audiobook Review: Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Silence
Hush, Hush #3
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
reader: Caitlin Greer
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Paranormal/Angels
run-time: 9 hrs 39 mins
Released: October 4th 2011
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) The breathtaking conclusion the New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga! The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They’ve overcome the secrets riddled in Patch’s dark past…bridged two irreconcilable worlds…faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty, and trust…and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in each other, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they’ve worked for—and their love—forever...

So, after the major cliffhanger at the end of Crescendo, I was chomping at the bit to get to Silence.

I was so NOT expecting the opening of this book and was actually quite frustrated by it. Nora is found in a cemetery all by herself. She does not know how she got there, who put her there, or any other part of her life during the last few months for that matter. We then learn that she disappeared without a trace in June but has no memory as far back as April which she deduces does not quite add up. Included in her missing memories are ALL things Patch! I seriously wanted to throw my cd player across the room. All I could think was, wow, all of that work and everything they have been through for her to now NOT remember ANY of it. Love is a

powerful thing though because although she has no memory of Patch, deep down Nora knows that she knows him, she may not trust him, but she knows there is something there.

Seriously, could this girl’s life get any weirder? While Nora is trying to get her life and memories straightened back out, she finds out that her Mom is now dating Hank Millar. OMG! Of all of the fish in the sea, she is dating Marci’s Dad!!!!!!!!!! Just shoot me! No Really, shoot me! Poor Nora, I really felt for her in this book but I am glad to say that Scott really stood by her and helped her put some of the pieces together. This story has more than one twist and turn and the ups and downs my emotions went through made me feel like I was on a ride at Delphic but, with that said, I really enjoyed this book. Becca’s writing just keeps me on my toes, there is definitely NEVER A DULL MOMENT.

Patch, my poor, poor Patch. I just wanted to grab this Angel and hug him ( I actually wanted to do a little more than that, but . I missed having him around as much as in the other books of this series.

Narration:

As usual, Caitlin Greer gives life to the characters I have grown to love. Strong enunciation and all. It’s funny because what drove me crazy in the very beginning of this series feels more like home as the series goes on.

Audiobook Review: Above and Beyond by Sandra Brown

Above and Beyond
A Classic Love Story
Author: Sandra Brown
Narrator: Jack Garrett
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) LETTERS OF LOVE The letters Kyla sent to her husband, Sergeant Richard Stroud, stationed a world away, spoke of a love that stretched across the ocean and held the young couple together. But when tragedy ended their marriage too soon, Kyla was left a widow with a newborn son. And Richard left behind only a metal box filled with his wife's declarations of love.

Trevor Rule had been Richard's best friend. Returning home from military duty, he carried with him the letters Kyla had sent. And with each one he read, he fell more in love with the gentle, passionate woman who had penned them. Now he needs to convince Kyla of his feelings, and that they both have the right to be happy, to move past the tragedy of Richard's death.

But Trevor is harboring a secret, one with the power to destroy the love he is trying so hard to protect.

Being a huge supporter of military families and the life of sacrifice that they live, I was hooked by this story from the first line. I always fear for my guys when they get deployed and leave behind their families, especially those with pregnant wives. I pray for a safe return and for them to be blessed with the chance to hold their unborn babies upon their return.

In Above and Beyond, Sandra Brown writes about the reality of life when that loved one does not return from deployment because the worst has happened, he’s lost his life.

Kyla Stroud is the pregnant wife of Army Sergeant Richard Stroud. While she is in the hospital giving birth to their son, Richard is involved in an explosion at the US Embassy in the Middle East that takes his life and mortally injures his best friend, Trevor Rule aka “smooch”. When Trevor comes to, he is given all of Richard’s letters from Kyla by mistake. So what does he do? He reads them, and finds himself falling in love with the woman who wrote them.

Every line in this book sucked me in more and more. At times I wanted to jump through the story and tell Kyla to stop being such a butt and let Trevor in. At other times I wanted to sit down with Trevor and tell him get his head out of butt and be honest with Kyla if really wants a life with her.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My only issue was that after all of the build up with the relationship and Trevor’s fear of Kyla finding out the secret of his connection to her dead husband, when it finally hits the fan, the outcome just seemed a bit rushed.

Narration:

Jack Garrett narrates this story and it was kind of funny because sometimes he sounded like Casey Kasem from America Top 40 and then he would get all manly and seductive and I just wanted to take him home. Being a man narrating a romance novel I was a little worried that he would not be able to carry the female voices well, but he nailed it.

Audiobook Review: The Marriage Trap by Jennifer Probst

The Marriage Trap
Marriage to a Billionaire #2
Author: Jennifer Probst
Reader: Madeleine Maby
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
run-time: 7hrs 6 mins
Released: October 2nd 2012
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio
Available: Amazon

<blockquote>Summary: (from goodreads) To satisfy his late father’s wishes, hot and single billionaire Michael Conte must find a bride—someone who will fit into his traditional family back home in Italy—and fast, so his engaged sister will be allowed to wed. With no intention of being tied down, Michael “proposes” to fiery, free-spirited photographer Maggie Ryan: if she will play the part of his fiancée during her trip to Milan for a photo shoot, he will keep away from her married best friend, Alexa, and stop making Maggie nuts with their too-close-for- comfort flirtations. But once in Italy, sexual tension sparks the hottest no-strings- attached arrangement on any continent. Could marriage be the most enticing trap of all?</blockquote>

So, I'm outing myself! These books are my guilty pleasure...I love the "little bit naughty, little bit nice" writing style of Jennifer Probst. These books with their quirky heroines, beautiful men and steamy scenes are just plain fun to read. I usually catch myself smiling, panting and laughing out loud, when I am reading them. The Marriage Trap was no different....I thoroughly enjoyed it!

In this second book, Maggie Ryan has possession of the silly spell book that her best friend Alexandria (heroine of book 1, The Marriage Bargain) swears helped her to find and marry the man of her dreams. As a successful photographer, Maggie seems to have it all on the surface but lately she seems to keep focusing on what she doesn't have, a committed relationship that might someday lead her to the perfect marriage with children. So after a few drinks and feeling a little buzzed, Maggie thinks, "why not try that silly love spell?" So she grabs a piece of paper and makes the required list of all the qualities she craves in a man. She builds the small required fire, recites the required mantra and then burns the list, as required, with the help of tequila (not required but a definite plus!)
Michael Conte is a beautiful Italian billionaire who is running the family business and living his perfect life alone in the U.S. He stepped into the role as head of the family and business when his father passed away. He has since always put his family, still living in Italy, first. Taking care of his strong willed yet traditional mother and three sisters was a deathbed promise to his father that Michael has no intention of breaking. This latest "crisis" call from his sister must be handled immediately. His mother refuses to let his sister marry the man of her dreams as long as her brother remains unmarried. The solution is clear: Michael needs a bride asap. When Michael finds out through a mutual friend (Alexa) that Maggie is heading to Milan for a photo shoot, he thinks he has found the perfect answer. The catch is getting Maggie to agree to his crazy plan. He wants to take her home and introduce her to his family as his "fiancee" and if he can have her in his bed during the deception, so much the better!

Maggie has a price for her participation: She wants to keep Michael away from Alexa (Maggie's best friend, who is married her brother). Maggie is attracted to Michael but is convinced he really wants her friend, even at the expense of her marriage. So Maggie agrees to Michael's deception with his promise to stay completely away from Alexa. But Maggie can't seem to push back her overwhelming attraction to Michael and when they arrive in Italy and start sharing the bed as a married couple the sexual tension is off the charts. The steamy "almost" love scenes are hot but, like a bucket of cold water, chaos ensues as Michael's mom wants to re-do the wedding within the week with the family present. Maggie emotions get all mixed up as she is embraced by and starts really feeling like part of the family. She is shocked when she realizes that she has done the unthinkable...she has fallen in love with her fake husband. Michael is also fighting his desires as he comes to term with the fact that Maggie is everything he never new he wanted. These two had me laughing out loud as they misunderstood and misjudged each other one minute and couldn't keep their hands off each others body the next.

The question that keeps you turning the pages is: Will Michael and Maggie get out of their own way long enough to reach out for "happily ever after"?

Jennifer Probst writing style makes for a very enjoyable read. The Marriage Trap is a feel good book that will have you picking it up again to read (or listen) as a refresher when the next book in the series is ready for release. Fun and funny, hot and steamy all rolled in to one.

Audiobook Review: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Crescendo
Hush, Hush #2
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Reader: Caitlin GreerReading Level: YA
Genre: Paranormal/Angels
Run-time: 9 hrs 31 mins
Released: October 19th 2010
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's archenemy, Marcie Millar.
Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Path hadn't been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him—despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperately searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything—and everyone—she trusts.

Where to begin…I love that this story takes us into Nora’s past to see what really happened to her father. Crescendo being the second book in the series picks up a month or so after Hush Hush leaves off.

We meet a new character in this book, Scott Parnell. He is an old friend of Nora’s and her mom goes out of her way to get Nora to make Scott feel at home. Unfortunately, there is something seriously wrong with his behavior. While she is trying to figure him out and keep her distance she keeps having issues with Patch. Just when you think she would be secure in their relationship and his love for her, he starts becoming very distant and secretive. All the while her sworn enemy Marcie Millar seems to be moving in on Patch.

There are so many twists and turns in this book, it was hard to keep my emotions in check. I spent the majority of the book frustrated with Patch and Nora and wanting to smack one or the other. I know that teenagers actually don’t make sense in their relationships a lot of the time especially when one of them is insecure in the relationship, but I was going insane on this emotional roller coaster. Vee, who I thought was a bit annoying and self centered in the last book, proved to be a true friend in this one. Regardless of what I thought of her in Hush Hush, she really does care about Nora and ultimately is always there when Nora really needs her.

Overall this was a great book. I did not like it as much as Hush Hush, but maybe it’s because I just want Patch and Nora to be happy and this book was more about testing their relationship while Nora got the answers she so desperately needed. I can’t wait to hear what Becca has waiting for us with Silence. She never ceases to amaze me. She always sucks me in with her beginnings and leaves me dying for the continuation at the end.

The Narration:

Caitlin Greer was the narrator on this book. I like Caitlin for the most part, but I have to say that during the first book there was something about the reading that bothered me a bit and I just couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was. After listening to Crescendo, I finally pin pointed my issue with her narration, although I like her overall because she makes the characters very believable, she over enunciates sometimes and it just grated my nerves a bit. The funny thing was it took me two books to realize that was my problem so maybe it’s just me. As always, Simon & Schuster did a wonderful job producing this audio. There weren’t any obviously editing issues and the sound was nice a clear.

Audiobook Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Poison Princess
The Arcana Chronicles #1
Author: Kresley Cole
Readers: Emma Galvin & Keith Nobbs
Reading Level: YA
Run-time: 12 Hrs 36 mins
Genre: Paranormal/Post Apocalyptic
Released: October 2nd 2012
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) An apocalyptic event has destroyed Evie’s hometown and killed her mother. What makes it worse? Evie’s prophetic visions predicted it all—but she wrote it off as one of her freakish dreams. Now Evie teams up with a wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux. They are forced to leave town on a road trip heading to meet Evie’s maternal grandmother. Meanwhile, Evie is coming to terms with the fact that she has special powers—powers that have revealed themselves to her slowly.

The mythology of the story is inspired by Tarot cards. Evie is the personification of the Empress Tarot card, the genesis of her abilities. Along the way, she and Jack meet teens who have taken on the powers of other Tarot characters. It seems an ancient prophesy is being played out, and these teens have been tapped to reenact the battle.

I am a huge fan of Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series which is an amazing award winning series for adults. I looked forward to reading this first book in her Young Adult series, Poison Princess, The Arcana Chronicles. She definitely did not disappoint! I have re-read her Immortal series numerous times and I will now add Poison Princess, along with the rest of the stories to follow in The Arcana Chronicles, into my "hurry, hurry, I want the next one to be published" section!

Fifteen year old Evangeline "Evie" Greene has it all. She lives the privileged life of the wealthy in her small town and enjoys the popularity that comes with her position as cheerleader and girlfriend to the hunky captain of the football team, Brandon. The summer before her sixteenth birthday Evie starts having dark and terrifying hallucinations of widespread death and destruction that she tries to process and understand by sketching out her visions it graphic detail. These sketches, found by her mother, land her in a mental institution for the summer. She is allowed to return to school at the beginning of the new school year but secretly the hallucinations continue to plague her. She has also drawn the unwanted attention of a new student, the good looking but clearly bad boy, Jackson, who has transferred in to the wealthy school district from a much poorer area. As Evie's life becomes a balancing act of school, Brandon's teenage desires, Jackson's (sometimes) unwanted attention along with her mothers wary looks and her best friend Mel's questions, Evie starts to believe that these visions may in fact actually be premonitions of the future and she feels pushed to her breaking point. The story flashes between present day as Evie has taken shelter in Arthur's home (at this point we don't know who he is, only that he is evil) and the past (as Evie's story unfolds to Arthur).

She explains that hiding her visions had become almost impossible prior to the horrific Flash of light that eliminates almost every fresh water source, annihilates all things green and wipes out almost the entire human race. Those few humans left, find themselves turned in to blood drinking zombies or unwillingly drafted in to the service of crazed, power hungry militia that gather up the few surviving females to rape and/or keep as slaves. She struggles internally with guilt that she didn't trust her own visions and save her loved ones that, unprotected from the Flash, are reduced to piles of ash. In this new post apocalyptic world there are a few "chosen" people who are given powers that mirror an image found on cards in a tarot deck. The 22 trump cards of the deck, called the Major Arcana, are distinctly symbolic, depicting scenes and characters from ancient times. Evie is the Empress card and we discover her powers as the story progresses. She finds that her blood can bring forth plant life from the new barren landscape. But as she embraces her power she finds that she can also use her gift as a weapon and for protection. When no one Evie loves is left alive, she is forced to team up with Jackson in an effort to make her way to her grandmother. Resurfacing memories of lessons taught to her by her grandmother, when she was a child, convince her that only her grandmother has the knowledge to guide her.

As Evangeline and Jackson attempt to make this journey they are forced to team up with each other to defeat life threatening obstacles. Evie is reluctant to trust herself or Jackson, and is constantly undermining their alliance with her mistrust. Her reluctance to embrace her powers fully causes additional problems when they encounter other Arcana wielding powers much more evolved and she realizes she must learn to accept who she is in this new world. This part of the book gets frustrating as you are pulling for Evie to "step up" and in to her role as Empress. But she comes around in her own time as she realizes that she should have trusted her instincts all along.

The French Cajun dialect that Jackson uses really made his character for me. I don't usually think of characters this age as being sexy but Jackson changed all that. He has had a tough life that has aged him. His dark and angry personality begs to be pulled in to the light and you keep hoping all along that Evie will be the girl to do this. Selena (another Arcana) has plans of her own for Jackson and her interference casts doubt about the direction of Jackson's affection. Matt and Finn are two other Arcana that join the group during the journey. Each providing interesting and action packed twists and turns. I really loved everything that these secondary characters contribute to the story. The cliff hanger ending has me enthralled waiting for the next book. Put this book on your must read list!

Audiobook Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush
Hush, Hush Saga #1
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Reader: Caitlin Greer
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Paranormal/Angels
Run-time: 8 hrs 55 mins
Released: October 13th 2009
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Nora Grey is responsible and smart and not inclined to be reckless. Her first mistake was falling for Patch. Patch has made countless mistakes and has a past that could be called anything but harmless. The best thing he ever did was fall for Nora. After getting paired together in biology, all Nora wants to do is stay away from Patch, but he always seems to be two steps ahead of her. She can feel his eyes on her even when he is nowhere around. She feels him nearby even when she is alone in her bedroom. And when her attraction can be denied no longer, she learns the secret about who Patch is and what led him to her, as well as the dark path he is about to lead her down. Despite all the questions she has about his past, in the end, there may be only one question they can ask each other: How far are you willing to fall?

I don’t know where to start with this review. I Loved it! The story had me at “God spared not the angels that sinned”. What a great story. Becca knocked this one out of the park and Caitlin Greer made this story so easy to believe and want to be a part of. I started this book first thing in the morning and as soon as disk 8 was finished playing, I jumped straight onto the Internet to purchase the sequel Crescendo. As is usually the case with Simon & Schuster Audio, the audio was done very nicely, there was no wonky background noise and Caitlin did an all around great job at switching character voices. I’m definitely a fan of Caitlin’s work.

Hush Hush is based on a world where Fallen Angels and their half human children (Nephilim) are in a constant battle.

Nora is your average teen girl in high school. She goes through all of the normal high school drama and then some. The book starts out in the past, and I mean way past, as in 1565 France. We get a small taste of why the immortal Nephilim are so resentful of the fallen angels. Then we jump right into a present day classroom where Nora, her best friend Vee and the rest of the class are made to switch seats so that they are no longer lab partners and instead are forced to sit next to people that they don't know so well. Nora's new lab partner is Patch, Hotness incarnate. Can I just say that if I was not very happily married and Patch was real, not a fictional character, I’d totally stalk him! Oh, yeah, back to my review. Anyways, Patch is Dark and mysterious and not so nice at first.

Against her better judgment, Nora finds herself wanting to be with Patch but there are so many strange, and borderline scary, if not downright dangerous things happening to Nora. How is it that so much can possibly be going on with one normal teenage girl? She is normal right? (well, I’m not going to spoil it for you). Even weirder, how is it that Patch is always around, coincidence? You’ll have to read it to find out. WARNING: This book and so far the series in general, is very addictive and may cause wonderful dreams of dark and sexy angels. Did I just say that? Thank you Becca for making want to read about more than just Vampires and werewolves.