ARC Review: Insidious (The Marked Mage Chronicles #1) by Victoria Evers

Summary: All Kat Montgomery wanted was a fun night out on the town. What she got was a death warrant. As it turns out, the quaint little hamlet of Mystic Harbor, Maine houses more than sandy beaches and adorable B&B’s. Beneath the New England charm rests a deadly world where shifters, demons, vampires, and angelic hunters all vie for power. 

A world where magic is the greatest weapon. 

Magic that Kat now possesses.

After that one fateful night, she can feel the changes beginning to take hold of her. Only problem, she doesn’t even know what she’s turning into. With threats hiding in plain sight, deciphering the lines between friend and foe is nearly impossible. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Kat learns her only real ally rests in the one person she can’t stand: Reese Blackburn, an insufferably handsome magician whom the town fears most.

Kat’s very soul is at stake, and destiny doesn't seem to be playing out in her favor. Can these two unlikely partners challenge fate itself before it's too late?

Pages: 458

Expected Release Date: January 6th, 2017

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review:

I received an advanced copy of Insidious from the author, Victoria Evers, in exchange for an honest review. Insidious is the first book in a new YA paranormal romance series that should be added to your wish list. Countless authors have adapted paranormal romance novels from the general idea of Nephilim, but Evers weaved a new classic tale. In her YA debut, she created two witty and lovable characters that will stay with the reader long after the last page.

Recently I have been reading rather tiny books that have left me unsatisfied. The novels have been simply too short for the novel's content. It was refreshing that Insidious' content was given enough pages to grow and develop. The characters and plot are what make a story a certain amount of pages. Many authors cut books off to create a longer series; however, Insidious was the perfect length for its story. While reading Insidious, I could tell that the actual story was dictating the page length, not the author. Although Insidious' story resulted in a rather chunky novel, the plot and characters are so captivating that the reader easily flies through the story. 



The two main characters, who also happen to be the love interests, have undeniable chemistry. I was hesitant toward Reese at the beginning of the novel because I assumed he would fill the clique bad-boy/outcast role, but I ended up absolutely loving his character. Following the prologue, the beginning of the story was rather bumpy. The reader is spontaneously introduced to numerous characters and Reese's character was frankly off- putting and creepy. The biggest complaint I have about the book is the cast of characters. While I began enjoying Reese and Kat's characters around page one hundred, none of the other characters stuck with me. Although most of the other characters did not matter as much as the main two characters, I often found myself confused by the secondary characters. 

Each of the secondary characters had too many similar personalities and names that I was constantly asking myself who was who. I was able to distinguish a few other characters, such as her best friends, Carly and Vanessa, and her ex-boyfriends, Blaine and Adam, none of them shined as much as Reese and Kat did. I found that the most difficult characters to remember were her guy friends. They were mainly basketball players and they really had no function in the story until the end. 

Nonetheless, Reese and Kat were the stars of the novel and I loved them both individually and together. I loved their Star Wars references and their heartwarming interactions. They both constantly made me smile and laugh throughout the course of the novel. I could easily relate to both of them, they were the perfect choice for main characters.

Insidious was a great first novel in a new YA paranormal romance series. I highly recommend reordering your copy of Insidious (you can pre-order a Kindle copy for only $.99 here). Insidious brought to life a new classic YA paranormal romance that featured captivated characters and an intricate plot. I am highly anticipating the sequel of Insidious, I am curious to read more about Reese and Kat's journey. I am also excited to watch Victoria Evers' writing career develop as the series continues and as she creates new content.

Author Interview: Kim Briggs

Kim once smashed into a tree while skiing. The accident led to a concussion, a cracked sternum, temporary notoriety as a sixth grader returned from the dead, and the realization that fictionalized accounts are way more interesting than just slipping on the ice.

An unhealthy obsession with conspiracy theories combined with a love of travel and happily ever afters led Kim to write her YA novel, Starr Fall, where a secret organization decides Starr Bishop would make the ideal assassin. While in hiding, Starr meets dark, moody, and dead sexy Christian Evergood. Cue the swoon worthy music. But it’s not all happily ever afters for Kim, her NA novel, And Then He, explores the dark and scary corners of the human psyche. Following a night of innocent flirting with a handsome stranger, Tiffani finds herself in the midst of a nightmare she can’t escape. And Then He is available now through Amazon and other major book retailers. Starr Fall will debut November 2016 with Inkspell Publishing. Starr Lost will release in January 2017, followed by Starr Gone in June 2017.

When she’s not doing something writerly, Kim can be found jumping into snow drifts with her three kids, husband, and dog. She’s careful to avoid trees.

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Casey Marie: What was the inspiration behind Starr Fall?

Kim Briggs: The inspiration for Starr Fall came in the form of a dream. I’m always chased by bad guys while I sleep—I blame an overactive imagination combined with consuming one too many action and adventure movies. One night I woke up in a cold sweat. A secret organization wanted me as an assassin. Me? No one wants to read about me, but Starr Bishop? That’s a character readers can get behind. I added Christian, because who doesn’t need some kissing and a dreamy hero in their life?

CM: You do have a point. How was your writing process for Starr Fall different from your writing process for And Then He?

KB: Young Adult Fiction is my passion, my true love. Through Starr Fall’s storyline (and others in the works) I can create stories that readers can devour. Young Adult fiction consumes me, but once in a while everyone needs a crush and New Adult fiction writing like And Then He feeds that need.

CM: Describe your writing style in five words.

KB: Fast paced. Direct. Romantic. Sarcastic without the snark. (That’s more than five, but what do you want from me? I’m a writer ;)

CM: I completely understand. What are you currently working on? 

KB: I’m taking a break from Starr and her friends for a month or so and working on a young adult urban fantasy combining Celtic Mythology with werewolves. The Antigoddess by Kendare Blake meets Avril Lavigne, before she got pretty. (She was always pretty, but during her middle finger to the masses years.)

CM: Can you tease anything from book two of the Starr Fall series? Is there a title or an expected release date?

KB: I can tease! Starr Lost, Book Two of the Starr Fall series releases January 5, 2017. You can pre-order now so you don’t miss it. (What’s better than an ebook to start the new year?)

Here’s the cover and blurb: (Isn’t it BEAUTIFUL?  I love it so much!!)

  

A Starr falls, and a family is found.

On the run from the Organization, Starr and Christian find safety on the Qualla Boundary with their friends, Ben and Coda, but Starr needs answers. She owes her dear dead friends, Sami and Jody, that much. She forms a team of her own to fight the general and his recruits.

Di, a mutual friend and anti-everything is a no-brainer, plus her Taser will come in handy. Frank, Starr’s BFF, will put his life on the line for her. Ben and Coda, not to be outdone by Starr’s friends, also swear their allegiance. Christian’s the only hold out. He knows what the Organization is capable of. He has the beaten body to prove it, but when Starr wants something, she gets it.

Now that the team’s together, everything should be perfect. Trouble is Starr loves Christian but so does Di. And Frank, well, he’s never been very good at hiding his love for Starr. Will his four year long crush on her threaten the safety of the team?

Life becomes tense on the Qualla Boundary, sparks fly, and the Organization is about to smash in their door.

CM: That cover is gorgeous! I did not think the covers could get any more gorgeous, but they did! How long will the Starr Fall series will be?

KB: Definitely four, possibly five books. In Starr Lost, I introduce Di, Starr’s Goth friend from Starr Fall, as a second Point of View. She’s a kick ass heroine and she wants her own story. She’ll probably get it. No one can say ‘no’ to Di. No would dare say ‘no’ to Di.

CM: Do you have an advice for inspiring authors?

KB: Be stubborn. Read a ton. Write a ton. Know I’m rooting for you. Keep going.

CM: Diversity in Young Adult literature is always a hot topic. What inspired you to make Christian part Cherokee? 

KB: You know, I never thought about writing a diverse book. The characters came to me and I wrote them down. Christian is a part Cherokee Goth. Ben and Coda are his friends who happen to be from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Frank is Starr’s best friend from school. Just people. Just faces I see everyday.

CM: What is at the top of Starr and Christian's Christmas wishlist? How are they celebrating the New Year?

KB: I’m sure Christian’s planned something romantic for Starr. Most likely a campfire with s’mores and mountain pies, possibly some kissing. Who are we kidding? Definitely some kissing. Starr will let Christian distract her for the holidays, but then on January 1^st it’s back to work to figure out who (or what) is behind the Organization. She’s got Starr Lost, Book Two coming out January 5—she’s got a lot of work to do.

CM: Do you have any favorite holiday books?

KB: My favorite holiday books are of the picture book variety. A Country Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Snowballs, and anything with snow in it.

CM: What books would you recommend teens add to their Christmas wishlist? 

KB: Well definitely Starr Fall and Starr Lost by Kim Briggs

The Raven Boy series by Maggie Steifvater

The Fair Assassin series by Robin LaFever

The Uglies series by Scott Westerfield

Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira

CM: How would your characters from Starr Fall and And Then He react if they met each other? Would they become fast-friends or enemies?

KB: Oh god that’s a scary thought. Starr and Christian would definitely recognize that something is off with Jeb. They’ll help Tiffani see his dark side, but Starr might be too Type A for Tiffani. Tiffani is still figuring out what she wants in life. Starr thought she knew but then the Organization wanted her as an assassin and ruined her plans. Plus she met Christian, so kissing preoccupies much of her spare time now.

Casey, I loved getting my brain picked by you! Dive into everything you do with enthusiasm and without an ounce of regret, and remember I’m rooting for you!

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About Starr Fall (Starr Fall #1)

Summary: On the run from the Organization, Starr never planned on falling in love.

Starr Bishop’s the complete package. A perfect smile, brains to match, and a winning attitude. Boys want to date her and girls want to be her. She’s the type of girl you want to hate, if only she wasn’t so damn likable. But don’t worry, she’s not interested in your boyfriend. Boys are one complication she can live without.

When the Organization decides she’s not only the model student but the ideal assassin, Starr’ll need a lot more than high test scores and extracurricular involvement to get herself out of that commitment.

Dark, moody, and dead sexy Christian Evergood is the last person she’d expect—or even want— to come to her rescue. From opposite ends of Webster High’s social hierarchy, their lives collide in one electrifying moment. Christian isn’t the Goth loner he pretends to be, he’s a part Cherokee, All-American boy who wants to be a hero, Starr’s hero. Christian makes Starr forget that the Organization is after her, but nothing will stop the Organization from collecting their top recruit.

By the way, the spot for junior class president just became available.

Release Date: November 4, 2016

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-939590-94-7

Purchase Links: Amazon  I  Kobo

“I didn’t tell you about my aunt,” he smiles.

“Is she a secret agent? Because that would really be convenient.”

“No, but almost as good, she’s a doctor. She works from time to time in hospitals, but her true passion is Doctors without Borders. She stayed home most of the summer and fall, but she’s not as happy in the states as she is in the field. A month ago, I finally convinced her I would be fine on my own.”

“So, let me guess. She’s on assignment?” I eye him warily.

“You got it. Darfur to be exact.”

“How long?” He turns to me. A crooked smile crosses his face. “Months and months.”

I almost get lost in his smile, but I catch myself. I can’t get distracted. “No.”

“No?” he says, “What do you mean ‘no’?”

“I mean that you are not risking your life for me. Enough people are,” I gulp, “dead because of me. I will not put your life in harm’s way.”

“Too late,” he replies.

“No, it isn’t. Drop me off on the road, and I’ll figure this thing out.”

“No.”

“No? What do you mean no? Drop me off on the side of the road. I’ll be fine. I’ve survived this long, haven’t I?” I shout as I sit up in my seat. I tick off everything I’ve done over the past four days. “I escaped the test site, swam Lake Ontario, and have managed to hide out without getting caught. I am doing a damn good job of going underground.”

“No, you aren’t,” he says.

I could spit fireballs at him. “What do you care? I thought you were, and I quote, ‘done helping people.’”

He pulls over to the side of the road and puts the car in park. His expression gives no hint to his mood. “Because of this,” he says and locks his fingers in mine. Electrical currents surge through them. The wall I’ve kept up for days and days crashes down as I lose what control I had left. The thread is broken. 

*As a bonus, Kim’s supplied the playlist for Starr Fall. Dive in and give a listen.

• Starr Fall (Starr Fall #1) by Kim Briggs

Blog Tour: The Broken One by Christine H. Bailey I Author Interview

Release Date: March 14th, 2016

Summary: The Broken One. Sixteen-year-old Farris Sloan is picking up the pieces after the untimely death of her best friend Kelsey. But even one year later, Farris can’t seem to find “normal” again—not until Lane Evans pops back into her life and pushes her to face reality. When he offers her the chance to find out the truth about Kelsey’s death, Farris fears what will surface. Is it too much too soon or just what she needs to move forward? The Broken One explores a teen’s struggle to overcome loss and her hope to rediscover what it truly means to live and love. 

Genre: Contemporary YA

Read below for an excerpt from The Broken One:

I turned onto Miller Street, a dead-end road with only one turnoff, which led into Kelsey’s neighborhood. I immediately spotted flashing blue lights ahead in the distance, up the hill at the dead-end. An unexplainable force pulled me toward the mesmerizing lights that danced against the overcast sky. I didn’t think—I just sped off past the wall of trees that edged the front of Kelsey’s upscale neighborhood and passed right by the turn onto her street. My legs burned as I fought my way uphill. At first, I ran as fast as I could, but the closer I got to the lights, the farther off they seemed to be and the slower I moved. 

When I finally made it to the top of the hill, I stopped and stood a few yards away from a fire truck and police SUV that, together, formed a barricade. It was all a blur—a blur of uniforms, colliding voices, rumbling engines, and emergency dispatchers echoing from radios. In all the chaos, I managed to slip between the two vehicles unnoticed, like a ghost. 

At first, I only saw the yellow police tape. Then I spotted the back of Kelsey’s two-door hatchback with its “Stay Weird” bumper sticker. Beyond the silver car, I saw the guardrail Kelsey and I had dented two years ago in her dad’s golf cart. My eyes narrowed in on the dulled metal, pulling me in like a magnet. 

I moved closer, marching to the loud drumming in my ears, and only stopped when my legs hit the rail. I gripped the cool metal and looked down over the steep ravine, watching a few small rocks tumble down the side. I blinked a couple of times, trying to focus on the activity down below where even more uniformed officers stood. Then I saw it. “No,” I whispered. “No.” 

All of a sudden, I felt someone pulling me from behind and fell onto the pavement, hitting the side of my head on the way down. Slowly opening my eyes, I caught a blurry glimpse of the officer who had taken me down. He asked me if I was okay, and I nodded, shutting my eyes again. 

Flashes of the silver car I’d been in a million times flew by in my mind, spliced in with another image—of the body I’d just seen at the bottom of the ravine. I kept seeing it over and over like a trailer for the latest horror movie. But it wasn’t some actress in a film. It was my best friend’s lifeless body at the bottom of that rocky cliff. The stark image taunted me: large, jagged boulders breaking out from a coating of pure white snow forever marked with her blood—her body, splayed across them, crooked and broken.

Purchase Link: Amazon

Christine H. Bailey teaches creative writing and written composition at a private university in Tennessee. Before teaching English, Bailey worked as a journalist, a marketing/public relations writer, and a freelance editor. Girl in the Middle is Bailey’s debut novel that takes a look at the aftermath of a family crisis and what happens to a family when a child goes missing. The book also touches on the hierarchical nature of high school. Bailey’s third YA novel (April 2016), The Broken One, deals with love, loss, and a beautiful awakening after a tragedy. Bailey is currently working on her fourth YA novel. Bailey, a native Canadian, is also a blogger, teacher, speaker, and mom of two! 

Her Weekly Blog  I  Website  I  Twitter  I  Facebook 

   

Casey Marie: Two of your novels, Girl in the Middle and The Broken One, touch on loss and tragedy. What inspired you to write Young Adult novels that include such devastating topics? Is it difficult putting yourself into the mind-set of characters who are experiencing loss? 

Christine Bailey: My inspiration often comes from local news stories. Too often we read or hear about tragedies and I often wonder how the friends and loved ones move on after such a devastating event. In my novels, I hope to capture real life, raw emotion, uncertainty, and ultimately, hope.

CM: How would the characters of The Broken One celebrate the Holiday season? Are they excessive decorators or do they say, "Buh! Humbug!"? 

CB: The Farris at the end of the book would celebrate with singing and going Christmas caroling. She might even write a new song and perform it at a local coffee shop. The Farris at the beginning of the book is definitely a "Buh! Humbug!" kind of girl.

CM: If you had to change the year in which The Broken One is set by at least twenty years, what year would you place the story in? 

CB: Probably the 1960s. There’s a part in the book in which Farris compares herself to her mother, who resembled the 1960s actress Brigitte Bardot. Farris even tries to replicate the cat eye make-up to look more like her. I think it would be fun to incorporate the music and style of the 1960s.

CM: When you write your Young Adult novels, do you ever put personal experiences from your teenage years into your stories? 

CB: Yes, I do! There’s a scene in Girl in the Middle about someone placing a “Hot” sticker (the kind they put on sausage in the meat department) on Skye’s chair at school. In the book, Skye sits down on it and later walks down the hall with people calling her “hot.” Laughter ensues. Unfortunately, that happened to me. Years later, I can laugh about it, but back then, it was devastating. And, I never found out who did it!

CM: Do you write with music on or do you prefer a silent room to write in?

CB: I need perfect quiet to write. But sometimes, I listen to music to inspire a scene I’m working on, like I did with the dance in The Broken One. I listened to Cyndi Lauper, but a modern remix of her music.

CM: What books do you recommend reading during the holiday season? 

CB: My all-time favorite is The Catcher in the Rye. It’s about a young adult named Holden leaving school around winter break. It’s a timeless read!

Two signed copies of The Broken One; 

A signed copy of Girl in the Middle by Christine Bailey; 

Two $5 giftcards to Amazon   

*Physical copies are open to US residents only

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Cover Reveal: Until It Fades by K.A. Tucker

Until It Fades is a contemporary romance novel featuring K.A. Tucker’s signature heart-stopping suspense releasing May 2^nd, 2017 and being published by Atria Books! 

Check out the gorgeous cover below and preorder your copy today!

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A sexy new romance about a small-town woman who saves the life of a mysterious man, and finds herself unexpectedly thrown into a whirlwind love affair, featuring bestselling author K. A. Tucker’s signature “well-constructed, pulse-pounding suspense” (USA TODAY).

Twenty-four-year-old truck stop waitress and single mother Catherine Wright has simple goals: to give her five-year-old daughter a happy life and to never again be the talk of the town in Balsam, Pennsylvania: population three thousand outside of tourist season.

And then one foggy night, on a lonely road back from another failed attempt at a relationship, Catherine saves a man’s life. It isn’t until after the police have arrived that Catherine realizes exactly who it is she has saved: Brett Madden, hockey icon and media darling. 

Catherine has already had her fifteen minutes of fame and the last thing she wants is to have her past dragged back into the spotlight, only this time on a national stage. So she hides her identity. 

It works. 

For a time. 

But when she finds the man she saved standing on her doorstep, desperate to thank her, all that changes. What begins as an immediate friendship quickly turns into something neither of them expected. Something that Catherine isn’t sure she can handle; something that Catherine is afraid to trust. 

Because how long can an extraordinary man like Brett be interested in an ordinary woman like Catherine…before the spark fades?

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble

iBooks | Kobo | BAM | Indigo

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge. 

She is the USA Today bestselling author of 14 books, including Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water, and her latest Adult Suspense novel, He Will Be My Ruin. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, and Publisher's Weekly. 

K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and a Chug.        

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Cover Reveal: Salvaged (Saints of Denver #4) by Jay Crownover

Salvaged is the fourth novel in Jay Crownover's contemporary romance series, the Saints of Denver. It is the spin-off series to the Marked Men series. Salvaged is expected to be released on June 20th of 2017 by William Morrow Paperbacks.

Check out the gorgeous cover below and preorder your copy today!

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Hudson Wheeler is a nice guy. Everyone knows it, including his fiancée who left him with a canceled wedding and a baby on the way. He’s tired of finishing last and is ready to start living in the moment with nights soaked in whiskey, fast cars, and even faster girls. He’s set to start living on the edge, but when he meets Poppy Cruz, her sad eyes in the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen hook him in right away. Wheeler can see Poppy’s pain and all he wants to do is take care of her and make her smile, whatever it takes. 

Poppy can’t remember a time when she didn’t see strangers as the enemy. After a lifetime of being hurt from the men who swore to protect her, Poppy’s determined to keep herself safe by keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Wheeler’s sexy grin and rough hands from hours restoring classic cars shouldn’t captivate her, but every time she’s with him, she can’t help being pulled closer to him. Though she’s terrified to trust again, Poppy soon realizes it might hurt even more to shut Wheeler out—and the intense feelings pulsing through her are making it near impossible to resist him.

The only thing Poppy is sure of is that her heart is in need of some serious repair, and the more time she spends with Wheeler, the more she’s convinced he’s the only man with the tools to fix it.

Salvaged's Goodreads Page

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, Welcome to the Point, and Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters and make the reader feel something.