Banish by Nicola Marsh

Banish (Soul Retrievers #1)
Nicola Marsh
Published: 1st August, 2013; Rereleased: 26th May, 2015
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Romance
Age: Young Adult
From: YA Bound Book Tours

Summary:

Alyssa has one week to destroy her enemy, save her spirit… and save her soul.

After her ex-boyfriend commits suicide and her mum’s alcoholism sparks yet another psychotic episode, seventeen-year-old Alyssa Wood flees her small hometown of Broadwater and heads to New York City to stay with her bohemian aunt — a Wicca High Priestess.

Alyssa revels in the anonymity of a big city and her new life. Her grades climb, she has a new best friend, and a new guy: the sexy geek Ronan — a saxophone player who prefers jazz to pop.

But her newfound peace is soon shattered when she sees a dead body in one of Ronan’s music clips — and she’s the only one who can see it. Worse still, Alyssa recognises the body that has been murdered a week forward!

Alyssa doesn’t believe in the supernatural…despite her family’s Wicca background. So how will she overcome evil when it’s closer than she thinks?

What I liked: I liked the way the story weaved together with its magic and mystery aspects. While, yes, there is romance in the book it is not the central focus of the story and is more of a side to it than anything (which is good for this book because I really think it would have just taken away from the actual plot of the story instead of adding anything to it), allowing the mystery that Alyssa gets swept up into be the part that was ever lurking and something that I looked forward to finding the end out. With so many Young Adult paranormal books featuring witches out there (which always tend to be a little more on the romance side than the mystery) it was nice that this book was so much more captivating than some of the ones I have read, and add in that the mystery was strong enough I wasn’t able to get things right when I did try to and it made for a good mix in my opinion. I also really appreciated most of the Wicca aspects to the story, especially when the religion was involved.

What I didn’t like: So for me, the romance didn’t work. The characters just didn’t really have that “spark” that goes off that gives the chemistry between two characters a more authentic and believable feel to it. So I just didn’t really get into their romance.

Overall Review: I feel like Alyssa was a great character, even though she was stubborn through many parts because she didn’t always want to believe what was true. This gave her a realistic quality in ways because it would undoubtedly be a little hard to believe at times. Her growth was a good thing to see in the book, seeing how the events changed her by the end. Despite a little drawback in the story it ended up being an enjoyable read.

Recommend?:Looking for a YA witchy read with mystery that might be interesting? Check this one out and see how it works for you!

Goodreads: 3.5/5 Amazon: -/5 Barnes&Noble: -/5

BookDepository | US Paperback | UK Kindle | UK Paperback | Kobo | iBooks

My Rating: 3.8/5

Rated Materials:
Cover: 4
Idea: 3.7
Story: 3.8
Characters: 3.7

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the series!

Vanish (Soul Retrievers #.5)
Nicola Marsh
Published: 19th May, 2015
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Age: Young Adult

Summary:

Seventeen year old Alyssa Wood’s life is turned upside down when her boyfriend kills himself the day after she dumps him.
Blamed by the townsfolk of Broadwater and ostracised by her friends is bad enough. But the fallout from dealing with her mom’s increasingly frequent psychotic episodes sends her fleeing to New York City to live with her aunt, a Wicca High Priestess.

Alyssa doesn’t believe in magic, not any more.

She has a new life to lead: a new BFF in Seth and a major crush on Ronan, the sexy geek saxophonist who tutors music at her high school.

Can she leave her old life behind or will the ghosts of the past continue to haunt her?

Check out the rest of the tour here!

About the Author

USA TODAY bestselling author and multi-award winner Nicola Marsh writes flirty fiction with flair for adults and riveting, spooky stories for teens.

She has published 54 contemporary romances with Harlequin, Entangled Publishing and indie, and sold over 6 million copies worldwide. Her first mainstream romance BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD was nominated for Romantic Book of the Year 2012. Her first indie romance, CRAZY LOVE, was a 2012 ARRA finalist.

Her YA urban fantasy SCION OF THE SUN won the 2014 National Readers’ Choice Award for Best Young Adult novel.

She’s also a Waldenbooks, Bookscan and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a 2013 RBY (Romantic Book of the Year) and National Readers’ Choice Award winner, and a multi-finalist for a number of awards including the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, Booksellers’ Best, Golden Quill, Laurel Wreath, More than Magic and has also won several CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Awards.

A physiotherapist for thirteen years, she now adores writing full time, raising her two little heroes, sharing fine food with family and friends, and her favorite, curling up with a good book!

Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn
Published: 24th May, 2012
Broadway Books
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Age: Adult
From: Purchased from WalMart

Summary:

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media–as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents–the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter–but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Solitaire
Alice Oseman
Published: 30th March, 2015
HarperTeen
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Age: Young Adult
From: Edelweiss

Summary:

In case you’re wondering, this is not a love story.

My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year – before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people – I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that’s all over now.

Now there’s Solitaire. And Michael Holden.

I don’t know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don’t care about Michael Holden.

I really don’t.

Content warning: bullying; mental health issues;

The Escape by Allana Kephart & Melissa Simmons

The Escape (Gumshoes & Grifters #.5)
Allana Kephart; Melissa Simmons
Published: 1st February, 2015
CreateSpace
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense, Thriller
Age: Young Adult (Upper)
From: Girls *Heart* Books Tours

Summary:

Run for your life…

Sixteen-year-old Claire McBride just witnessed a brutal murder at the hands of someone she knew, someone she thought she could trust. Now she’s alone, afraid and desperate to put as many miles as possible between herself and the killer. Seeing no other options, she flees her home town of Galena, leaving behind everything and everyone she’s ever held dear.

Run for your life…

Carter Emerson’s whole world has come crashing down around him. He woke to the news his best friend, Claire has gone missing without a trace, and there’s nothing he can do about it. Finding out her car was abandoned in the busy city of Chicago, he and his brother can’t help but fear the worst… With no solid suspects or leads, it looks like Carter’s worst nightmare could come true, and Claire’s disappearance may turn into a cold case.

Run for your life…

With the killer at her heels, Claire has no choice but to leave Carter in the dark. She can’t risk his safety just because she misses the sound of his voice… But will the run of Claire’s life be worth it in the end? Or will her past catch up with her no matter how hard she tries to escape it?

Wind Catcher by Jeff Altabef and Erynn Altabef

Wind Catcher (The Chosen #1)
Jeff Altabef; Erynn Altabef
Published: 21st March, 2015
Evolved Publishing, LLC
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
Age: Young Adult
From: Novel Publicity

Summary:

Juliet Wildfire Stone hears voices and sees visions, but she can’t make out what they mean. Her eccentric grandfather tells her stories about the Great Wind Spirit and Coyote, but he might as well be speaking another language. None of it makes any sense.

When she stumbles upon a series of murders she can’t help but worry her grandfather might be involved. To discover the truth, Juliet must choose between her new life at an elite private school and her Native American heritage. Once she uncovers an ancient secret society formed over two hundred years ago to keep her safe, she starts to wonder whether there’s some truth to those old stories her grandfather has been telling her.

All she wants is to be an average sixteen-year-old girl, but she has never been average—could never be average.

Betrayed by those she loves, she must decide whether to run or risk everything by fulfilling her destiny as the Chosen.

Winner: Mom’s Choice Award — Silver Metal

Winner: Awesome Indies — Seal of Approval

Recipient: Readers’ Favorite — 5 Star Review

“Wind Catcher is a suspenseful, wonderfully written story that will capture your attention and hold it prisoner. A book that you won’t want to escape from. Brava!” ~ Stephen Fisher, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews

Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes

Liars, Inc.
Paula Stokes
Releasing: 24th Marc, 2015
HarperTeen
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary
Age: Young Adult
From: Edelweiss

Summary:

For fans of Gone Girl, I Hunt Killers, and TV’s How to Get Away with Murder.

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? In a story that Kirkus Reviews called “Captivating to the very end,” Paula Stokes starts with one single white lie and weaves a twisted tale that will have readers guessing until the explosive final chapters.

Content warning: references to usage of drugs in the past; some on page/past use of drugs; underage drinking; very unexplicit sex scenes

Pretty Crooked trilogy by Elisa Ludwig

Pretty Crooked (Pretty Crooked #1)
Elisa Ludwig
Published: 13th March, 2012
Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Contemporary, Retelling
Age: Young Adult
From: Purchased via Amazon third party

Summary:

Pretty Little Liars meets Heist Society in this exciting and flirtatious book about a high school girl whose innocent game of Robin Hood spirals way out of control.

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

Diamond Rings are Deadly Things by Rachelle J. Christensen

Diamond Rings are Deadly Things
Rachelle J. Christensen
Published: 8th July, 2014
Shadow Mountain

Summary:

Adrielle Pyper knows how to plan a wedding, and she’s especially good at pleasing bridezillas. But when her biggest client and best friend is murdered just three days before the wedding, Adri’s world falls apart. She moves to the resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho, and starts from scratch. Thanks to Adri’s impeccable taste and unique style, she lands two celebrity clients, and her business seems headed for success that is, until someone vandalizes the specialty wedding dresses she imported from overseas. The race is on to uncover a secret hidden within the yards of satin and lace before Adri becomes the next victim.

With a delightful blend of mystery, toe-curling kisses, humor, and spine-tingling thrills, Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things is a romantic suspense novel that will keep you turning pages long into the night.

Book Blitz: The Devil’s Tombstone by Carolyn J. Rose

Today we’re sharing the new mystery novel for Carolyn J. Rose, The Devil’s Tombstone, the third book in the Catskill Mountain Mystery series. Check it out!

The Devil’s Tombstone (Catskill Mountain Mystery #3)
Carolyn J. Rose
Published: 21st December, 2014

Summary:

The Catskill Mountains are rich in folklore, legends, and tales of the supernatural. Once guided by ghosts, Dan Stone doesn’t disbelieve what can’t be explained. And there’s no logical reason for the patch of blighted ground beside a boulder near Hemlock Lake. Known as the Devil’s Tombstone, the rock marks the spot where, two centuries earlier, a man murdered his young wife and then disappeared.

As a part-time investigator assigned to cold cases, Dan is troubled by more recent deaths and disappearances. Reviewing files dating back two decades, he sets out to discover new leads. But it’s slow going. A massive snowstorm socks the mountains. Dan’s infant son disrupts his sleep. And dynamic preacher Wesley Falton pitches his revival tent, challenging Hemlock Lake traditions and the spiritual leadership of Reverend James Balforth.

As Dan digs deeper into the past, he suspects his cold cases are linked to a fresh murder. When hard evidence eludes him, he appeals for help from beyond the grave. As he does, he wonders whether ghosts make their presence felt because we believe in them, or because they believe in us.

The answer may lie at the Devil’s Tombstone.

Wishful Thinking by Elle Jefferson

Wishful Thinking
Elle Jefferson
Published: 1st September 2014
CreateSpace

Summary:

Seventeen year old James Castle Jr. has rugby to deal with the pressures of high school. Fights with his girlfriend, his dad’s constant blame game and graduation anxieties all work out on the field. Every pass, tackle and scrum works out a kink.

That is until rugby gets suspended.

Without rugby as an outlet he has no idea how to deal with stress or the feelings of fear plaguing him since the break-in at home. James walked in on a burglar who knocked him out and left him with a concussion.  Now, James keeps seeing a little girl with pigtails everywhere. Great, he can add delusional to the list of shit he can’t deal with.

What makes the situation weirder, if that’s possible, is this little girl looks a lot like the new girl at his school, Claudia.
He can’t explain the connection he feels to Claudia, it’s not lust or friendship even, but it’s there.
Everything ties to one event; a hit and run accident he was the victim of fourteen years ago. An accident he doesn’t remember. An accident his father never told him about. An accident that wasn’t in fact an accident. It seems someone from his father’s past is hellbent on revenge and this time they plan to make sure James is dead. James will have to remember the past or else be caught in a killer’s crosshairs.

***Parents strongly cautioned due to minor drug use, underage drinking, sex and foul language***