The Head of Medusa (Elementals #3) Review & Blog Tour!

                Filled with magic, thrilling adventure, and sweet romance, Elementals 3: The Head of Medusa is the latest installment in Michelle Madow’s exciting Elementals series. Follow Nicole and her fellow Elementals as they journey to the end of the world, unsure of who to trust, and facing choices that will put their lives and the entire world at risk. Will they all survive the mission? And if they don’t, will the ones who do be able to find the strength to continue?

               Hello happy readers it's another Friday.  After I post my review today I'm off to finish working on a cake for a baby shower…..I'm excited and it's Harry Potter themed so even better.  Anywho today I am taking part in The Head ofMedusa (Elementals #3) blog tour.  Now if you don't remember this is book three of the series and I reviewed The Prophecy of Shadows (review) and The Blood of Hydra (review) previously and was looking forward to continuing on.  So here are my thoughts and feels on the latest in the series by Michelle Madow.  There will be spoilers for the first two books.

Rating:  4 Stars

                So we left off our group had just completed their mission to gather the ingredients that would stop the monsters they kill from being able to come right back out of the portal.  Along the way they made a few new friends and lost one, angered a god, and so much more.  Now Nicole and her friends are trying to keep the monsters at bay while working on a plan to close the portal and keep the Titans from coming out to end the world while still enjoy her newfound relationship with Blake.  Now they must focus on Typhon, one of the worst in history and only one thing can destroy him, Medusa.  However getting Medusa's head is far from simple and will require many decisions, many of which are life changing.

                This book is like the others for me in the same way that you can sit down and fly right through the book.  Head of Medusa is no exception it was a quick read and it was so fast paced you didn't want to put it down.  Madow has a way of making sure to keep the characters moving and hustling and the action up.  That said this one also has much more for me in the romance department.  It has been in there nudging it's head in for a while but it was more prevalent in this one.  I enjoyed that and I didn't even notice until I finished it just felt so naturally where the story was going.  

                There are twists and turns with new quests and missions and even new monsters to face.  We get to explore some different locations that keep it interesting from the South Pole to LA.  Oh and with new monsters comes more  mythology to enjoy, the one part of history I enjoyed!  New and old characters are in this one and it's not only a fight against the monsters but with their own choices and I liked that play.  They were changed after losing someone on the last mission, they couldn't take for granted that Nicole could simply bring them back so the stakes are amped up.  Nicole is also struggling with not being able to save someone, her main part is to save and she couldn't.   Overall another great addition to the story and OMG that ending I admit to suspecting some things from the start but yes I am so ready for the next book because….feels!

                 That's all without saying to much these are so much fun to read and I wouldn’t want to give away to much.  I'd love to hear your thoughts below in the comments.  Which mythical monster has been the most interesting so far?  Where do you think they will go next?  Share below and we can discuss. 

Rafflecopter for Release Tour Giveaway:

Michelle is offering up a fabulous prize during her Elementals 3: The Head of Medusa Virtual Tour event. One (1) lucky winner will receive a signed paperback copy of Elementals 1: The Prophecy of Shadows! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

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Temptation by Casey L. Bond

                Hello everyone!  So funny enough I posted my review of Sin by Casey L. Bond about a month ago here.  I really liked it and was sad that was all there was to the story and such a quick read.  Then I saw that there was a companion sequel following Brooklyn, called Temptation.  It was perfect timing.  Also it came out today!

Rating: 5 Stars

                Temptation again follows Sin, but could be read as a stand alone in my opinion, but why would you when they're both awesome and super fast fun reads.  Anywho focusing on Brooklyn or favorite burlesque dancer.  She's a good person, even if that one tiny misdemeanor on her record says otherwise.  Still it sucks if all the cops see is that incident and not the whole currently being stalked aspect.  Creepy stalker has been leaving presents at work and even in her home, escalating for sure.  Never a good sign as anyone who has watched a single episode of any crime show can tell you.  So with her best friend Sin they skip town to try and shake the stalker.  This leads Brooklyn into the small town of Swift Rapids, VA.  In town Brooklyn finds sexy small town cop Colt Stone is everywhere and constantly bumping into her.  Stalker on her tail or no, it has been a while and Colt is meant to serve and protect.  Laying low and staying out of sight might not be so bad in this small town.

                Just like Sin this Temptation is a super-fast fun read.  I finished it in one sitting and only a few hours.  It starts off with a bang.  Right in there with this stalker being all creeptastic and making your skin crawl.  I already loved Brook from Sin but in this we get to know even more about her and what it is that makes her tick.  It made me love her all the more.  I also liked that we got more of her and Sin’s friendship and back and forth.  It feels so natural and reminds me of conversations I’d have with my own friends.  They are there for each other no matter what and I like that loyalty shining through. 

                Still as Sin went to a big city to escape into the sea of people, Brook is going the opposite route, small town hiding.  Swift Rapids, VA is a huge change for her but pleasant.  A deep rest from a normally chaotic life and just in time for her to contemplate her future.  Oh and the handsome cop who keeps showing up around her doesn’t hurt either.  He may uphold the law but he makes a girl want to break it just to get arrested by him.  Just saying, Colt is totally book boyfriend material.  And getting to see some chapters from his perspective just made him all the more enjoyable.  I really liked his conversations with Willy, okay I liked Willy in all his parts but his banter with Colt….the manther part just about had me in tears I was laughing so hard. 

                I can’t really say much more because again this is a fast read and part of the fun is experiencing it.  I really enjoyed the story and the tension playing throughout the book.  I highly recommend it to anyone. That’s all for today, share your thoughts and feels in the comments below. 

                Until next time…

Since You've Been Gone: A fun summer read

                So as you may have noticed I’ve decided to take part in the summer writing intensive Ready. Set. Write. which has put me spending some of my normal reading and reviewing time into my own writing.  I’ve also been preparing for UtopYA which was last week and it’s been crazy to say the least. I was hoping to post before but there was so much to do!  I’m still adjusting to being back and unpacking and such, it’s a slow process.  For further on my trip and to enter to win a swag pack (tons of stuff) check it out here.  On to a much needed review. 

 

                I read Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson a couple weeks back with a friend of mine.  She does a great job of giving a completely spoiler-free review you can check out here.  I have a couple of her books but this is the first one I have picked up and it was mostly because of the great reviews I have seen/heard on it and the fun summer cover.  The inner jacket is even like a scrap book and just makes you feel nostalgic.  The basic premise is that of Emily who has been defined as ‘Sloane’s friend’ since they became friends a few years back.  She was okay with that.  She loved it actually.  Then one day her friend is just gone.  Right before what is supposed to be their epic summer. 

                Sloane is gone without a trace or word but she does send a to-do list much like the ones she’d sent Emily in the past on her short trips and Emily is convinced if she completes the list she will bring her best friend back.  The list seems harmless enough, apple picking at night, dancing until dawn, easy enough.  Kissing a stranger or go skinny dipping…a bit more of a challenge for Emily.

                 So overall I enjoyed the book.  I liked following along in Emily’s journey because, frankly, I connected to her.  I related to her shy nature and feeling more at ease when a friend is by your side to allow you to be more open and take the lead when you are unsure.  I’ve recently started working on that myself, UtopYA was a HUGE step for me and really put me out of my normal comfort zone but so worth it.  I really liked Emily even when she did things I didn’t really agree with.  One of those things being still holding Sloane up as such an amazing friend when from the start I wasn’t sure I liked her at all.  Leaving a friend high and dry without a word as to if you are okay or anything is not friend material to me.  However, I did like the flashes of their past together which showed different aspects of their past together.

                Now while I didn’t care much for the Sloane character I did enjoy getting to know new people in Emily’s life from Frank, Dawn, and Collins.  Watching as she comes out of her shell and learns to adapt to her life as it currently is and come out of the shadow of Sloane I wanted more.  I looked forward to watching each item on the list come up and be worked on crossing it off.  The way she went about the list so methodically as if doing it would bring her an answer and in the end it does though not the one she had been looking for.  The story for me was really about coming into your own and again it resonated with me and made me want to create my own to-do list of wild crazy things to cross off and put me into new situations that put me out there. 

Inside dust jacket!

                With memorable characters and self-discovery filling large parts of the story there was also a great deal of care put into the relationships.  Of course the here and gone aspect of the Emily and Sloane relationship but more than that.  The friendships she makes along the way even if she didn’t intend to do so.  She also has a good relationship with her family which was refreshing, specifically her brother. 

                I gave this book a solid 4 stars.  My only downside for the book was more personal than anything else.  I just never grasped the depth of the friendship between Emily and Sloane.  I understood Emily’s side but never the connection between them, though it was more of a personal issue than anything else.  I also wanted a bit more at the end, more closure and answers to a few questions I had about the resolution but I’m told they come up later in another book all being in the same world and such.  I still highly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading her other books in the future. 

Rating: 4 Stars

                

Running on Empty by Colette Ballard

                So I'm catching up with my reading list here.  A good friend of mine actually took me out to see Vampire Academy again.  It says a lot that she didn't know if she'd like it originally but then to like it enough to read the book and want to see it again, that is high praise from her.  I am sad that it is down to 2 showings a day at my local theatre.  Anyways onto the real reason for this update, a new book review.  This one is Running on Empty by Colette Ballard, courtesy of NetGalley.

                Running on Empty is a good book and a break from the science fiction I normally read.  It is a story about average teenagers in the world.  The cover caught my eye because, I'll admit, it made me think of a serial killer movie holding females in the basement dark enclosed space but one exit filled with light.  That's not what the story is about but that is how my mind worked.  The story is of a girl who is forced to flee the only life she's known, and her two best friends go along with her.  All for one and one for all kind of mentality and I adore that, the loyalty of those few true friends who when it counts are there through anything. 

 

What does it feel like when you die—in those final moments? Do you feel the physical pain, or just the pain of your regrets? What does it feel like when you realize you can’t answer these questions because you’re not the victim?

You’re the killer.

River Daniels lives an ordinary life as a high school junior growing up in the confines of rural Texas until her boyfriend’s brutal attack leaves her both a murderer and a fugitive. When River’s closest girlfriends come to her aid, they make a hasty decision to not only help her, but leave their own troubled lives behind and join in her escape. The girls manage to elude police for months, but with every near-miss, River’s life spirals further out of control, until she finally hits rock bottom. Realizing she must stop endangering her friends and find evidence proving she acted in self-defense, the girls decide to make a risky move. River must face her ugly past and the one person she was protecting the night her world caved in, the guy she has loved for as long as she can remember.

                Now if the summary wasn't clear enough this book does have a few more adult themes for those who are a bit squeamish.  But overall the story is a tale of discovery.  Finding oneself in the midst of everything falling apart around her, River is forced to take a hard look at who she is, what her life is, and where she wants it to go from there.  It is also a tale of relationships, not simply romance but of friendship.  I had a great time reading and seeing how each of them reacted to things, each bonded over different events in their life, not always agreeing with the other but always there through thick and thin.  That is a bond I can appreciate.

                The story also resonated with the small town feel and how no matter the truth, if you have enough money and power you can get what you want.  Truth and justice are in the eye of the one with the power.  Where it would make sense to just do the simple and right thing, might not be the right thing.  The whole story is through River's head so you get a good feel for her and how she feels of course, but you also get an even better view of her by those she keeps dear.  I've always found it to be at least partially true, you can tell what type of person someone is by the company they keep.  Her friends, help shape who she is as a character as well as flushing themselves out to be unique and different. 

                There is also a romance aspect to this, and you know I'm a sucker for a good romance.  Though this one has it, it was not the central front and center aspect and if you think about it if it had been done that way then I would have found it hard to enjoy, I can't explain that part well without providing many spoilers so you'll just have to trust me.  Instead it was a suspenseful story that has many different aspects to it, different relationships.  The bonds of friendship, the bonds that we hold ourselves to.  I was eager to keep reading to see what would unfold between the characters.  For the day or so it took me to read this I was completely immersed with the story and the characters. 

                Running on Empty is on sale now.  I give it 5 stars.  So I ask you, what would you do for your friends?  Do you feel you have friends you could count on if you were on a witch hunt?  Share your thoughts below. 

*****Coming soon*****

Author interview with Krystal Wade for the release of Shattered Secrets Monday, March 3rd.  Stay tuned!  

What is it to be a friend?

                I’ve been thinking about this a lot as of late.  I originally started this post the other day when I was having a really bad day, you know the ones where everything hits you all at once it seems.  I never finished it but even though I am feeling much better I still think this is a post worth finishing.

                Growing up a friend is such a simple concept.  Someone is either your friend or they aren’t.  Curious I looked up the official definition of ‘friend’.  I was surprised by what I found.

ü  A person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations.

ü  An acquaintance or stranger one comes across.

ü  A person who supports a cause, organization, or country by giving financial or other help

ü  A person who is not an enemy or opponent

ü  A contact on a social networking website

               

                I guess I never before took the time to look it up.  I, as I’m sure all of you have, had my own ideas about what it meant to be a friend.  I didn’t realize that anyone who is not an enemy or opponent qualified.  Then again it does make sense in this day and age.  People want to be liked so much they want people to ‘friend’ them even if they may never talk to that person again or remember how they met or who they are.  I don’t claim to know every single person on my Twitter but to me I classify them as ‘peoples’ not friends.  Friends still means something more significant to me.

               

                Am I still alone in thinking a friend, a real friend not to be qualified with anything (like ‘work friend’, or ‘facebook friend’, etc) is someone who is there for you when you need them?  Someone you know in one way or another and actually communicate with on at least a semi regular basis.  Someone who is important to you.  A keeper of secrets or just someone to make you laugh when you’re feeling down.  Is that crazy?

                Technology allows us to expand this category from people we know from where we live right now to anywhere and everywhere.  I have people I’ve never met in person but via the internet but I still feel like I know them.  Some I have went on vacation and visited just to get away for a bit but to also met them.  We talk about random things that are just babble really, every day life and such but we also talk about the important stuff.  I care when something is amiss in their life and try to help in whatever capacity I can even if it is only a friendly word and vice versa.  Friends aren’t limited to who you can go see and have lunch with.

                What about you?  What do you think makes a friend?  Do we over simplify/over use the term today to the point where being a friend isn’t as special as it once was?  Tell me what you think, I’ve very curious.