Cover Reveal: ACCA (Angelbound Origins #3) by Christina Bauer!

Hello happy readers!  Today I am showing a first look at the cover for a new Angelbound book: Acca!  Now if you don't know I just adore this series so I'm stoked for this book to arrive!  So check it out this new cover with me and take a moment to get caught up with the series thus far!  I've reviewed every book so if you want to see my thoughts click the title: Angelbound, Scala, Armageddon, Maxon, and Portia. 

Acca
Christina Bauer
(Angelbound Origins, #3)
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication date: December 13th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

In just one week, supernatural warrior Myla Lewis must discover enough evidence to send the evil House of Acca to prison… or she’ll end up in jail herself, along with her fiancé, Prince Lincoln. No pressure.
To gather proof, Myla and Lincoln go undercover at an all-girl’s high school on Earth. Lincoln acts as the new gym teacher; Myla becomes the school’s least popular transfer student ever. To stop them from getting the goods, Acca releases Hell on Earth. Literally. Good thing Myla and Lincoln aren’t afraid of a tough fight. This one promises to be the hardest yet. After all, who ever said high school wasn’t hell?

Goodreads / Amazon

Previous books in the series:

Author Bio:

Christina graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School with BA's in English as well as Television, Radio, and Film Production. Her day job is in marketing for companies like Microsoft, Cisco, and Zerto. Back in the go-go 90′s, she founded her own software start-up, Mindful Technologies. Christina believes that, upon close examination of Tolkien's text, it's entirely possible that the Balrog was wearing fuzzy bunny slippers.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Quanta by Lola Dodge

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

Quanta by Lola Dodge

Out:  10/16

From Goodreads:

Just because Quanta can see the future doesn't mean she can change it.  She's spent most of her life imprisoned, feeding her captors information to keep herself alive, but she's finally reached the endgame and her death creeps closer by the moment.

The son of two senators, Altair Orpheus leads a life of privilege that provides the perfect cover for his side job:  working with the rebel Shadow Ravens to undermine the ruling Seligo government.  Everything is running like clockwork until he crosses paths with Quanta.  As he watches her deftly maneuver through life in the perverse prison, his plastic heart melts.  A jailbreak would be suicide, but Tair is willing to sacrifice everything to give her a chance at happiness.

Now Quanta senses a terrifying new future brewing.  She and Tair are bound together, but every image of them kissing, snuggling, and acting knee-weakeningly happy is balanced by a much darker possibility.  They'll be picture perfect together, but only until time rips them apart.  How can she follow her heart when she's seen how their love plays out?

My thoughts:

                Duh!  Ink Monster book is auto-buy.  Seriously though the first book in The Shadow Ravens, Cipher (review), was pretty darn good and I'm excited to see where this one goes.  It was described as each different author telling a different heroines POV as they all move towards the same goal, like the Avengers.  Different heroes get their own movies but come together as a team.  First love the Avengers so high point for reference there.  Also this just sounds great.  A prisoner because of something she can't control, fighting to stay alive, and romance.  Doomed as it may seem.  I can't wait to see what develops between Tair and Quanta and how she decides to move forward with her knowledge.  Plus they always have such pretty covers!

                That’s one I’m waiting on.  What are you waiting on?  Share in the comments below!

~Top Ten Tuesday~ Auto-buy Authors!

               Hello everyone!  It’s Top Ten Tuesday time.  If you don’t know Top Ten Tuesday is just how it sounds, a topic is picked and we put our Top Ten for that in a post and share and check out everyone’s answers.  Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke andthe Bookish.

The top today is a Freebie:  Top Ten Auto-buy Authors!

Richelle Mead - So many amazing series and one of the few on this list I haven't yet had the pleasure to me (hoping to change it at YALLfest this year!) I just love the different worlds she creates and brings to life.

P.C. Cast - I got into the HoN series when I got back into reading again and just couldn't stop the humor she weaves through her story where I just suddenly snort with laughter or have to put it down because wow that was just wow I need a tissue I'm cry laughing. I also adore the way she mixes the different gods and goddesses in her series.

Maggie Stiefvater - Can we just say cover love.  I fell in love with Shiver by the cover and then knew with the way she writes that I would read anything she put out.  She is also a fascinating person who wears so many different hats but is still totally down to earth and hilarious.  

Jennifer L. Armentrout (J Lynn) - I fell in love with the Lux series and just knew I had to read more by her.  I own several of her books, though I am still making my way through them because, seriously, this woman can put out some books.  Between two names I'm constantly buying a new book of hers and trying to catch up.  But they are all so different and fun I like the game!  

Sarah J. Maas - Do I really need to explain.  I jumped on the Throne of Glass bandwagon last year and OMG is all I can say.  It's amazing and then she came out with another series and it also blew me away so whatever she does I'll read. 

Cassandra Clare - The Shadowhunter world is amazing.  I'm so glad when she started this that she knew she had many different series to tell in the same world.  Each one is fun and I just love how some of the characters overlap.   

Ink Monster - Technically it's a publisher but the authors work together and have several series that are just amazing so anything they put out I buy!  Christina Bauer & Aileen Erin They are amazing.  I am so glad I found them on NetGalley because this series I have re-read a few times.  Just the best.  

Rainbow Rowell - I own all of her books, though I've only read two thus far but they were amazing and I've heard just as many good things about the others and I'm dying to see for myself.  

Marie Lu - I marathoned the Legend series after it took me a while to start them and I just loved the whole set up and world.  They were also rather short and quick reads.  Then when she had a new series coming out I knew I had to try it as well.  Now The Rose Society is one of my most anticipated books!

Krystal Wade - I discovered her on NetGalley with her first series and I was just in love.  Cover love.  Story love.  OMG the Wilde's Fire series is just...amazing!  She's also an amazing person as well and I finally got to meet her in person at UtopYA this year, kind of the reason I found out and went lol.  She also has other books along with a creepy take on a fairy-tale retelling and another in the works!

Cursed Book One of the Beholder Series ~ Cover Reveal

                Hello happy readers!  Today I am working with Xpresso Book Tours and Ink Monster to spread the word about a new series they are putting out by Christina Bauer and share the cover release.  The book is Cursed and it is book one in the Beholder series. Cursed is set to release on March 29th 2016 and is listed as a Fantasy, Romance, YA.  I am beyond excited for the new series, I have such high hopes because thus far I LOVE all three series they currently put out.  They all have amazing kick ass female characters that you love from the start.  First things first let's show you that beautiful cover, this is a cover reveal after all:

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo

                Beautiful cover aside.  To wet your whistle further here is the synopsis of Cursed:

Although Elea's the most powerful necromancer in history, she's spent most of her nineteen years imprisoned in the Midnight Cloisters.  Enchanted manacles keep her unique brand of soul magick in check.  While the guards and initiates seem contented to torment her, the Cloister's Mother Superior is obsessed with finding a safe way to destroy Elea, both body and soul.

Escape seems impossible until a handsome hunter named Asher offers to help.  Elea takes a chance and soon develops feelings for the mysterious stranger.  However, Asher may not be who he claims.  Then again Elea may not be, either…

Goodreads / Ink Monster / Twitter / Facebook

                That sounds pretty amazing don't you think?  I do.  If I haven't said it enough I'm ready for this book.  Christina Bauer has written another series from Ink Monster that you may have seen me gushing over before, Angelbound, and that is only the first in the series with another set to come out in October.  Christina also graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School with a BA's in English as well as Televisions, Radio, and Film Production.  Her day job is in marketing for companies like Microsoft, Cisco, and Brainshark.  She even founded her own software start-up Mindful Technologies back in the go-go 90's.  Christina believes that, upon close examination of Tolkien's text, it's entirely possible that the Balrog was wearing fuzzy bunny slippers. 

                I want to thank Ink Monster and Xpresso Book Tours for letting me take part in this exciting announcement.  I'm ready for this book.  If you are interested in any of the other books they have out, I just so happen to have reviewed each and every one of them!  I was serious when I said I LOVED them.  I'll like them with their titles. 

Angelbound Series: Angelbound, Scala, Armageddon, Maxon

Alpha Girl Series: Becoming Alpha, Avoiding Alpha, Alpha Divided, Bruja
The Shadow Ravens Series: Cipher  

Maxon- Angelbound series continues moving forward. 4th book or stand alone.

Maxon makes dragon scales and a tail
look sexy!

                The other day I happily announce the release of two books that continue two different series I am in total love with.  I discussed Bruja but today I’d like to discuss the other new release by Ink Monster, Maxon by Christina Bauer.  I received and ARC from the publisher, Ink Monster, and NetGalley for my thoughts.  Mostly just advance copies because they’ve been pre-ordered on my Amazon account since October 2014. 

                So as I mentioned Maxon is the fourth book in the Angelbound series, so there will be some spoilers from the previous books as usual. The review for the previous book, Armageddon, can be found here. It takes place several years after the previous book and can be read as a stand-alone, though I highly recommend reading the whole series because it is amazing and gives you an even deeper appreciation for some of the smaller characters in the book.

                Maxon focuses on our twenty-two year old prince who is still haunted by the past abduction as a child.  He plays it off and keeps his life focused on two main activities hunting/killing demons and seducing women.  He just wants to live his life as it.  Problem is he’s stalling out and the thrills from both are not doing it for him anymore and having part lust and wrath demon in him that’s saying something.  That is until he meets Lianna, who’s beautiful and just his type but she’s also a fighter.  She has her own dark history and she is dealing with some problems of her own with the elementals.  As our Prince Maxon helps Lianna with her problems he starts to wonder if he has found someone real.

Lianna in Thrax form!
From the Maxon blog.

                Okay that is a simplified version for sure.  There is way more happening and never a dull moment.  Something new was the dual POV.  We have chapters from Maxon and Lianna, which really flushed out the characters as well as the story each having different area of expertise.  We also get to learn about a different area.  We know about the Thrax, the quasi-demon, Purgatory and Hell but this time we learn about the elementals.  They are pretty wicked.  What was hinted at as vague knowledge comes full force with Lianna.  The opening of the world’s together. 

                Maxon is a warrior and part wrath demon like his momma and as mentioned Lianna is also a fighter so we are not lacking in the action department.  There are lots of battles and fights that use a combination of magic and straight up warrior skill.  We mostly learn about water and air elementals, but to see them play against one another was completely new and exciting to learn about.  Maxon also has the awesome ability to control lightening…yep bad ass.  Plus he has dragon scales on his arm making it like built in armor and a super nifty tail that is a huge asset in battle.  Basically it adds up to a lot of action and different fighting techniques you can easily visualize. 

                Action is a check but it would be missing so much without some romance.  Oh yes it has that as well, so double check.  Lianna and Maxon have an initial attraction as two attractive people do but as they get to know one another the dynamic changes naturally and blossoms into something so sweet it will make anyone swoon.   Maxon is our semi brooding playboy prince who has some past issues to work through who has never allowed himself to really care for a member of the opposite sex aside from family.  Lianna herself has some romance issues in her past and present to deal with and knows very well of Maxon’s reputation with the ladies.  Watching as they work together and get to know more about one another it just heats up the kindle screen.

Dragon on cover = Awesome!

                Best thing about the book?  It surprised me.  In a good way, clearly.  I normally have things figured out but I admit there were aspects I didn’t see coming at all until right there.  I always love that in a book.  I really enjoyed Maxon as the series continued and is moving along in the time line and progressing the story.  We still see glimpses of some of our favorite characters from the first couple books which makes me want to re-read them all.  Also just like the other series, because Ink Monster is awesome like that, they already have the next book in the series listed and set for October, Portia.  Isn’t the cover beautiful?  Come on it has a dragon on it…just saying easy win.  I can’t wait for more and from the description, which is a spoiler for this one fyi, we have another jump forward.  Never a boring moment in the Angelbound world.

Rating: 5 Lighting Bolts

Bruja: An Alpha Girls Novel with a new POV to fall for!

Amazon / B&N / BAM

                Hello happy readers!  Today is a wonderful day in the book world.  End of Days by Susan Ee is now officially out.  If you haven't entered my giveaway yet, I suggest you head on over for a chance to win a free paperback and some awesome temporary tattoos.  That's not all.  Today many more books came out, two of which I'm beyond excited about.  Both are forth books in their respective series, Maxon by Christina Bauer and the one I'll be discussing today, Bruja by Aileen Erin.  I received and ARC from the publisher, Ink Monster, and NetGalley for my thoughts.  Mostly just advance copies because they’ve been pre-ordered on my Amazon account since October 2014.  

                Jumping right in, Bruja is the fourth book in the Alpha Girl series, my review of the previous book Alpha Divided can be seen here.  As such there are spoilers for the first three books ahead, it’s unavoidable, so be warned.  If you haven’t read these books yet, what is wrong with you?  You should totally go right now and marathon these books.  Just saying I adore them!  Now if you are caught up, or like to be spoiled, let’s discuss Bruja. 

                We pick up pretty much where Alpha Divided left off.  Unlike the previous books we don’t follow Tessa’s POV, but instead her cousin Claudia De Santos.  She did some not so good things previously with the best of intentions and now she has some making up to do for herself and others.  Her old cover has splintered between those still with Luciana and her dark magic ways and the few like herself who have chosen to fight with the wolves.  War is coming either way but the wolves need help to counter Luciana’s dark magic.  The best theory thus far lies in ancient magic.  Magic Claudia must go on a journey to find what has been lost for ages.  She must travel to Peru and search for what the Inca mages left behind.  Of course she’ll need a guide there to help her and keep her safe, Lucas, a wolf who gets under her skin.  Top it all off with your former arranged fiancé to be us still lingering around wanting what he was promised and you have a whole lot of interesting and amazing story.

                So I admit not being in Tessa’s head was a bit weird for me at first.  Seeing how someone outside the wolf community sees and interprets Tessa and Dastien together was interesting.  Claudia has a lot going on both around her and inside.  She is torn up with the feels for her past decisions and all that hangs on her in the future.  She has a lot to process.  She’s only ever known coven life and now she’s thrust into a new world.  I liked being there for the ride.  The way she reacted to things around her, the wolves, the bond between mates, and her own feelings of jealousy and such about that.  I liked her moments of weakness and uncertainty, but even more I liked that she mostly made rational decisions based on thinking things out.  That’s hard to find sometimes with the right emotional connection.

So so beautiful.

                Let’s not neglect to mention the new wolf in the story, a whole pack really, but one in particular.  Lucas.  He and Claudia have a connection of sorts from the start and it’s so cute the way they play off one another.  He is sweet and gentle with her not pushing her to talk more than she is willing.  It seems to be a trait of many wolves.  Where can I find one?  Even with everything going on and staying focused on task, romance and attraction can still find you when you least expect it.

                I liked the journey the story takes you on.  We are sent to a new country to follow Claudia as she searches for a way to save so many.  She has a lot on her plate but she is also traveling for the first time and seeing a new location, somewhere exotic like Peru, through the eyes of someone like that makes me want to pack my bags and book a trip.  Especially if there will be a pack of hunky wolves there to protect and guide me.  Just saying HUGE perk.  With the quest, the adventure, the peril, the action, I got a total Indiana Jones vibe going from this.  I don’t want to give away too much and ruin the story. 

                In case it's unclear I give Bruja, like the other books in the series, 5 Stars!  I implore you all to check out this series if you haven't done so already.  I am stoked for the next installment and want it to be October so I can have it.  Ink Monster has also released the cover to the next book for us to salivate over.  Check it out, Alpha Unleashed.  So again Bruja and Maxon came out today May 12th and are available now, I'll have my full Maxon review up soon.  As always share your thoughts in the comments.  What did you think of seeing the story through a new POV?  What was your favorite part of the quest?  Click follow and stay tuned for more fun reviews, giveaways, and the like. 

Rating:  5 Stars

Angerlbound: Armageddon- Hell Yeah!

Goodreads / Amazon

                Two days back to back!  This one is a bit late but had a bit of an injury on the hand which makes this a tad bit more difficult, but I can manage.  As promised, today I’m reviewing the other book to release yesterday for Ink Monster, and that is Armageddon the 3^rd book in the Angelbound series written by Christina Bauer.  I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and Ink Monster for my honest review.  There will be spoilers for the first 2 books in her and again, if you haven’t started the series yet I highly recommend it.  If you want to check out my reviews of Angelbound or Scala click the titles then come back.  Also, the first book in the series is also in a bind-up with Becoming Alpha.  

                So I went into this book with no information on what it was about.  I didn’t look at the synopsis or anything.  I knew it was book 3 in a series I love and had Myla on the cover looking all bad ass in her fighting suit and her dragon tail ready for action.  Once I was a few pages in I did go back and read the start which cleared up my confusion.  This book skips ahead and takes place 5 years from where Scala left off.  Once confirming I hadn’t missed anything important, like a novella, in there somewhere I was good to go once more.     We pick up the story with Myla and Lincoln married and splitting their time between Purgatory and Thrax, after all they are King and Queen.  They also have a little boy named Maxon, yes it looks like Myla’s inner lust demon was finally let out on Lincoln.  Things have been relatively good and drama free but Myla needs to put her fighting suit back on and fight her biggest battle yet, in Hell.  She'll face Armageddon, The King of Hell, himself when he kidnaps her son.  A war between the after-realms is emanate and will likely result in millions of lives lost.  So Myla devises her own plan, a small attack team to rescue her son and avoid war.

                Armageddon is another quick read from Ink Monster.  They are wonderful at packing a story full of all the good things but keeping the pacing moving along without a single slow spot so you sit down to read and get up when it's finished.  I love reading about Myla, she is such a kick ass character, literally she used to fight in the arena!  Now she has her Scala powers, and the power that comes from being a Queen of the Thrax and the daughter of the president of Purgatory.  She is also part fury demon and a mother and you don't mess with a mothers child and not deal with her wrath.  There is a lot going on in the story and at first the 5 year skip made me sad, so much stuff we missed, but then after thinking about it, doing this they had a different story to tell instead of risking any repeating.

Next book already has a cover!

                So there is plenty of non-stop action going on in the story, given.  There is also a new emotional attachment.  Myla and Lincoln are parents, which means carving out alone time for themselves between their busy schedules.  There is still great chemistry between those two and they are able to bring out the best in one another.  The plot of this story is fast paced and you are drawn quickly into the world once more, trying to figure out how Armageddon plans to get his hands on Myla and Lincoln's son and then how to get him back without playing into a trap. 

                I give this book 5 Igni easily and can't wait for the next one to come out.  If you like quick reads with great characters that get your heart racing, action, and suspense check out the Angelbound series. 

Alpha Divided...Need I say more.

Goodreads / Amazon

                Okay so today is a very exciting day, we have 3 great books coming out.  I’ve been talking about this for a while now, including the bind up that was released earlier this week that holds book 1 in The Alpha Girl series.  Books out today are Cipher which I reviewed here; Armageddon (Angelbound #3), which I’ll review tomorrow; and the book I’m going to be reviewing today Alpha Divided.  I was lucky enough to receive all three of these book ARC’s from NetGalley and Ink Monster.  So check them out today.  If I didn’t mention, Alpha Divided is the 3^rd book in the Alpha Girls series so from here on out there will be spoilers for the previous two books.  Kinda hard to talk about book 3 at all without out them, so be warned. For my original reviews for Becoming Alpha and Avoiding Alpha click on the title.

                Alpha Divided picks up pretty much just where Avoiding Alpha leaves off.  Tessa is still trying to figure out her life and the consequences that they are still working through from book 1.  The same thing that started it all, Tessa meeting Dastien and him biting her and turning her into a werewolf.  Since then she has fought vampires, learned she was supposed to lead a witch coven before the whole werewolf thing, broken a curse to save a friend, and fought her own issues to be with her true mate.  Things are even looking up, Tessa and Dastien will have a wonderful full moon ceremony to officially bind them and also make their case stronger.  That is until the local coven crash the party and throws down an ultimatum, give Tessa back to the witches or face war with the witches.  There is no good choice.  Tessa doesn’t want to cause a war but she also knows she can’t make the coven happy.  She’s a werewolf now and her place is as an Alpha in the pack, not part of the coven she is sure practices dark-magic.  She may not have the different sides of her life figures out yet but one thing Tessa is sure of, Dastien.  So a life where they are parted isn’t in the card.  Tessa must walk a delicate line to help save as many lives as possible.

Such pretty covers

                This book has a lot going for it just with that alone.  It ramps up the relationship feels for sure.  The connection that Tessa and Dastien have is so strong and beautiful.  They have to face some pretty tough things and the reader, along with Tessa, finds out just how strong the bond is.  We also get a look inside the coven, and a closer look at the darkness there.  Tessa is by no means happy with the current situation but she is determined to help out where she can and as consolation prize she gets to learn some more about her past, her family, and oh yeah her bruja side. 

                The series as a whole flows so easily, I read through it in one sitting.  I devoured the book and didn’t put it down until the end, where I got my heart broken that I have to wait for more about Tessa and Dastien.  Their connection is a main focal point for the series thus far, at least for me, but in this we get to see how other react to it.  We’ve been surrounded by other pack members who understand the whole dynamic even when Tessa didn’t.  Now she has to explain it to the coven and it becomes clear it wasn’t an accident or a purposefully slight against the coven.  You also have the connection she has to her family, as she uncovers the past truths and digs deeper into the world she was meant to lead.

I don’t want to give any more away, I want you to go into it unspoiled and ready for the feels and the action.  Aside from the having to wait part at the end, I am in complete love with this book as I have been with the series so far.  It holds a magical combination of fast paced action, mystery, witty dialog, and of course the romance makes it a winner.  I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying this book.  It had me so worked up at parts where I had to set the kindle down and lean over it because I was scared I’d squeeze my poor kindle too hard waiting for what would happen next. 

All 3 available today!

Alpha Divided is available today so check it out.  Again if you’re new to this series I highly recommend it, 5 Stars.  The first book of the series is also in a bind-up with Angelbound which I mentioned a few days ago, here, so feel free to take advantage of that deal as well.  Also out by our talented Aileen Erin is Cipher, and Armageddon by Christina Bauer which I’ll be reviewing tomorrow to check back then!

1 Great Bind-Up with 2 Fantastic Books!

Amazon

                Hello blog peoples!  I'm coming at you with another short and sweet post.  Coming up in the next couple of days I'll be bringing you detailed reviews of 2 different books both 3rd books in their respective series by the wonderful publishers at Ink Monster.  These books are Armageddon in the Angelbound series and Alpha Divided  in the Alpha Girl series.  Now I bring this up because a bind up of book 1 for both series Angelbound and Becoming Alpha cleverly titled Angels & Alphas is now available and currently for only $0.99.  That's way cheap for 2 great books in 1!  So here is a brief preview to help entice you:

                Becoming Alpha by Aileen Erin

Tessa doesn't realize that kissing the wrong guy in her new Texas town could land her in far more trouble than she ever imagined.  Like being forced to attend St. Ailbe's Academy, a secret boarding school for werewolves.  Even if the wrong guy did accidentally turn her into one of "them," Tessa can't help her growing attraction to the mysterious Dastien Laurent.  But when vampires attack St. Ailbe's and her visions pinpoint an enemy in their midst, Tessa realizes that boy drama and her newfound canine tendencies might just be the least of her problems.  Click here for my full review.

  

                Angelbound by Christina Bauer

Eighteen-year-old Myla Lewis is a girl who loves two things:  kicking ass and kicking ass.  She's not your ever day quasi-demon, half-demon and half-human, girl.  For the past five years, Myla has lived for the days she gets to fight full-blodded demons in Purgatory's Arena.  But when the demons start to act weird, even for demons, and the King of Hell, Armageddon, shows up at Myla's school, Myla knows trouble is coming with a capital T.  Things heat up when Myla meets Lincoln, a super-sexy half-human and half-angel demon hunter.  But what's a quasi girl to do when she falls for a demon hunter?  With a love worth fighting for, Myla may just shake up Purgatory.  Click here for my full review.

Coming Soon

                So there you have it.  Two books in one for a crazy cheap price to get you started on the series.  Plus a bonus chapter of their newest book in a brand new series I reviewed a few weeks ago, Cipher.  I'll have the reviews for the latest books coming Tuesday when they release so stay tuned.  

New Series! The Shadow Raves: Cipher

Ink Monsters little logo...isn't it cute.

                Hello everyone I have some exciting news.  I have a bunch of book reviews coming soon to share with you.  And one of my dear friends who is pretty hilarious and unique has decided to take me up on my offer and is considering doing a guest post here and there at her fancy which is something to look forward to.  While we work on the details of that I’ve got lots of books and reviews to do as well, a few ARC’s and new releases.  First of which is going to be the first book in a new series put out by Ink Monster, Cipher.  Cipher is the first book in The Shadow Raven series but as I understand it will have a different author on their team, two of which are on my favs list already, writing a full length store in the tale but different novellas in the time between.  See Ink Monster is different as they collaborate and put out books in the series, even if it's just a shorter novella type store, every 6 months or so, meaning less waiting for us impatient readers.  The first book in The Shadow Ravens series, Cipher, is written by Aileen Erin who writes the Alpha Girls series I have been reading and reviewing.  Also side note the next one in that series should be out soon as well.

Amazon Goodreads

                Today though is all about the new series and that starts with Cipher.  In the future world with enhanced DNA where people can become super powerful, super smart, to name a few even immortal, not ever helix is good.  Where a helix would show pride and enhancements, those marked with a red helix are marked with a death sentence, unstable DNA.  Cipher is one of those lucky ones with unstable DNA, which might explain why she can manipulate electricity.  When she was only eight years old she made the mistake of letting her ambitious uncle know what she was and that got her parents killed and put her on the run.  She's been running for the past 12 years but is tired of running and hiding and wants more than to just survive.  She wants her life back.  Risking being caught she uses her hacking skills to break into the mainframe but before she can go through all the info she kinda has a electrical surge and fries her processor.  Not cheap and she has to get a new one up to her standards, which puts her on a path to meeting her online friend Knight who is different than she expected.  Trust doesn't come easy for her but between her one honest in person friend she allowed herself to make and this online pal Knight coming into the flesh she years for a life she isn't sure she can have.

                This book was a quick read; I read it in one slow shift at work.  I couldn’t put it down and was slightly more anti-social than normal when co-workers wanted to talk.  What can I say?  The story goes between Ciphers and Knights POV so we see each of them through different glasses.  You see how they think of themselves and how the other sees them and I always find that great because you can sometimes over look things in yourself and others see them clear as day.  Cipher is an amazing hacker who has wild blue hair, piercings, and a few tattoos to remind her of things she has given up.  Mostly she is lonely, always on the run, but has allowed herself to stay a little longer than normal and actual have a friend in the real world.  And Knight, her cyber buddy who makes her favorite processor, is on his own quest searching to repay a debt and protect but stuck in a horrible spot to make it happen.  There is a lot going on in the story and I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling you, and you all know how I feel about spoilers, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat with actions, chases, fights, etc.  And you also have the connections between the characters and how they develop. 

                I will end this saying one of the things I love most about these books from Ink Monster is there goal is to create worlds and kiss ass characters which I love.  I give it 5 Knight Processors.  I hope you all will give Cipher a chance and fall in love as well.  Cipher comes out on October 14th.  

Scala (Angelbound #2) by Christina Bauer

                As mentioned yesterday, this was my other sequel review that I was excited about and came out on the same day, Scala book 2 in the Angelbound series by Christina Bauer.   Thank you again to NetGalley and Ink Monster for letting me read it almost a week early to review.  Not as early to post, but bright side, it is on sale today so you can click right on over and order it ;) 

               

                Scala takes place a few months after the end of Angelbound, if you don't remember it check out the review here.  Myla is now not only bad ass quasis (half human/half demon) with a wicked dragon tail and years of combat training under her belt, she is now also the Great Scala.  That means she is the only one with the power to move souls out of Purgatory and into their final resting place of Heaven of Hell.  Sounds good right?  Well not so much when Lucifer's Orb is limiting her ability and making it so she can only send souls to Hell.  Yikes! 

                Unwilling to send innocent souls to rot in Hell she does the natural thing and goes on strike until the Orb is found and removed.  Problem is, with so many souls coming into Purgatory every month the storage buildings are filling up like pressure cookers.  Myla wants to stick to her beliefs and not risk the souls of those meant for Heaven but she is running out of time and risking all of Purgatory if the souls break free and overrun the living.  Not the easier job in the world for our 19 year old girl.

                Also keep in mind she is also dealing with politics and her old enemy, the witchy whiney brat, Lady Adair who is bound to make her life more difficult.  She wants what Myla has, what she feels was taken from her, the prestige, the power, and most of all Prince Lincoln.  But with Myla and Lincoln not only are they able to steam up some serious scenes but they are also able to work together and bring out the best of one another and fight back against all of their enemies seen and unseen.   But is that enough this time?

                I really love the covers with these series from Ink Monster, simple and beautiful.  Myla in her Scala robes which also can change to armor, very resourceful when you are part wrath demon and under constant attack.  All the things in the first book, the strong personality of our main character Myla are still there even as she struggles with uncertainty in her new position holding so much power and not wanting to make the wrong choice.  We also have more Lincoln but as much as she wants to spend all her time with the man, Prince, she loves he is busy being a prince and demon hunter and she has her own things to deal with so making things work takes some work too.

                This is a short novella type story and was a quick read.  I finished it in a few hours, sadly broken up as I kept getting interrupted.  I easily rate this book 5 stars and am excited to note that the next book Armageddon is set to come out October 14th so again, not a long wait at all which is beyond appealing.  Anyways as mentioned Scala comes out today so check it out and tell me what you think in the comments below.

Avoiding Alpha by Aileen Erin

                First I want to thank everyone who participated in my giveaway.  I have my very first winner and will be sending out her prize ASAP!  

                Avoiding Alpha by Aileen Erin is the 2nd book, or technically novella, in The Alpha Girls series.  I reviewed the first story in the series Becoming Alpha, here, some months back and I fell in love with it and couldn’t wait for this one to come out.  I have had it on my Amazon wish list ready to purchase on Tuesday May 13th when it comes out since it was posted on the site.  Then I was doing my daily check on NetGalley for new books to request and there it was!  I clicked request so fast.  Then later in the day while I was at work, on lunch when I was finally able to read my e-mails, I saw I had been approved for this book, 1 week early.  My lunch comrades maybe had some concerns about my mental health that day given my squeal of excitement, happy dance in my chair, and my high pitched and speedy explanation to which they were still clueless but just moved right along. 

                I admit though there was a larger reason for my excitement, not only had I been approved for Avoiding Alpha but the other book set to release the same day which I also was super excited for sent me a pre-approved to read notice.  Score 2 books I was dying to read a week early.  Then my biggest problem was figuring out which to read first, and that I had to wait until I got home as there was no wi-fi at work, and let's be honest I wouldn’t have been too focused on work if I had started during lunch.  So thank you to NetGalley and Ink Monster for letting me read and review this ARC.  Spoilers ahead for book 1, just in case that wasn't clear.

                We left Tessa at St. Ailbe's Academy where she has been through a lot but is adapting to her new life as a werewolf, if she is holding off on the whole going wolf part.  She is still learning and slowly adapting to things.  She went from being a girl who couldn’t touch things or people without seeing their life in her mind to being able to control that, having a powerful alpha mate, who sort of made her a were wolf, which broke a lot of rules.  Yep, just a normal day.  While Tessa and her sexy wolfy mate Dastien prepare for the Tribunal, yeah biting someone to make them a wolf is a big no no.  Made worse by the fact that she is part witch and the coven isn't very happy they took one of theirs, even if she had never met them.  That issue is set aside when Tessa's best friend Meredith starts to get sick, she had been cursed by the coven years ago but now her wolf is awake and its making her sick.  She doesn't have long.  Tessa is determined to find a way to help her best friend, even willing to deal with things she doesn't quite understand and make a deal with the devil. 

                This book had all the things that made me fall in love with the first book.  The connection between Tessa and Dastien is steamy, yowza.  I like all the different characters and the way the pack interacts, it's not based on age or experience but on power which is an interesting dynamic.  Being there as Tessa struggles with the possibility of losing her first real friend was heart breaking.  I read this book start to finish in a couple of hours.  It was shorter than the first book, and now that I type the review I see it listed as a novella on Goodreads, so that probably explains it.  Either way this is a great addition to the series and you won't be able to put it down.  I easily give this book 5 Stars!  Don't forget to check out both books, Avoiding Alpha comes out tomorrow Tuesday May 13th.  Also heads up book 3 Alpha Divided is already available for pre-order on Amazon and comes out October 14th, which as far as most books go that is a short wait period. 

                Now I mentioned above I had 2 books approved to be released the same day.  The other is Scala book 2 in the Angelbound series by Christina Bauer.  That review is coming up tomorrow to check back soon.  In the comments please share your thoughts.  What do you think about this series, or about werewolves in general?