Tempest Revealed by Tracy Deebs

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 352 Pages
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Narration: First Person: Tempest
Genre: Paranormal/Mermaid
Challenge: Paranormal Challenge
Source: Netgalley

The Tempest Series:
Book One: Tempest Rising
Book Two: Tempest Unleashed
Book Three: Tempest Revealed

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Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
Goodreads  Website

Goodreads Synopsis:

Half-mermaid Tempest Maguire is trying to have it all: fulfilling her duties as second-in-line to the merQueen Hailana while periodically returning home to the California coastline to be with her family and longtime boyfriend, Mark. Living under the sea and rebuilding Coral Straits is grueling work, while being back home reminds her of everyone she loves and misses. But when her old flame Kona arrives bearing news that Hailana has died and Tempest is now officially merQueen, she returns permanently to Coral Straits--even though it devastates her family and rips her apart from Mark. Once there, she discovers that an old enemy has resurfaced, hell-bent on taking over her throne...with or without her. As Tempest prepares for her final showdown against Tiamat and anyone who stands with her, she must decide what--and who--is really important to her. Because there will be few survivors in the ultimate sea battle that is brewing--and Tempest isn't sure she will be one of them.

My Review:

Since I haven't read a well written mermaid based novel in a while, I was super psyched when I got accepted by Netgalley to review Tempest Revealed, the last installment in Tracy Deeb's exhilarating Tempest Series. There has been no shortage of mermaid/siren novels released in the past year, but only a few of them caught my attention, Tempest Rising obviously being one of them. As soon as I flipped to the first page, I knew it was going to be a keeper and eagerly waited for the rest of the series to release. Now we've finally reached the last novel, and although it's sad to see this incredible series come to an end, it's also exciting to see the protagonist triumph over evil and finally obtain her well deserved happily ever after.

Tempest Maguire can be described in a countless number of ways, but if you asked me to do it in four or less words, I would say Reckless, Stubborn, and Possibly Insane. There were plenty of times when I admired the lengths she took in order to ensure her loved ones' safety, but there were also moments when I felt that she acted too recklessly. She did think things through calmly and rationally on occasion, but the majority was spent literally swimming head-first into bad situations, giving no thought to the consequences that might follow after. 

Since she was half mermaid/half human and had strong connections to both land and ocean, I understood why her loyalties were divided and why she was so desperate to stay a mermaid but still maintain a firm grasp on the humanity that was slowly slipping away. However, even though she stated several times throughout the novel that she cared about what happened to the Merpeoples in her domain, I never once saw that train of thought translated into action. Although I did have many issues with Tempest's character that I did not have in prior novels, Tempest did still keep many of her more commendable attributes. I loved the fact that she never backed down and continued fighting desperately with all that she was, even when the odds were stacked against her.

I didn't exactly hate the romance, but I was no where close to enjoying it either. If you've been keeping up with this series, you should already know that there are two love interests. Kona, the current Selkie King who was recently dumped by Tempest when she returned to land, and Mark, the first man to ever claim her heart and the man who is undeniably human. I've been a die-hard Team Kona fan during the whole series....up to this point. Jealousy is, of course, expected, but his possessiveness and clear disregard of Tempest's feelings, especially when they had merit, annoyed the hell out of me. He changed so much that I hardly even recognized him anymore. I've never vehemently hated Mark, but I never really cared for him as a love interest either. Now that I think of it, Kona and Mark sort of flip flopped in personalities. In Tempest Revealed, it seemed like Mark was the one who did the sweet, sentimental things instead of being his usual pee-on-what's-mine, jealous, jerkish self.

Tempest Revealed was fast paced and filled to the brim with heart-pounding action, yet I felt like the ending was rushed waaaay too fast. Once you get to the last installment of a series, you expect the author to create a huge finale scene and go out with a loud and glorious bang. To have all the questions you asked yourself from previous books answered thoroughly. That was definitely not the case here. I mean, it's been more than a week since I've finished reading this book, and I'm still left reeling from that abrupt ending. The author spent all of her time building the plot, increasing the tension, slowly but surely chugging towards the climax, and when we do finally reach it, nothing happens. I expected the final battle between Tempest and Tiamat to be this huge, electricity-flinging, water-slamming, whirlpool-creating thing of epic proportions, but it only lasted a measly five or six pages. I felt cheated. 

In conclusion, Tempest Revealed still kept it's trademark action scenes, but ended up disappointing me in so many ways. I didn't enjoy the romance, because most of it was Kona and Mark possessively yanking Tempest back and forth in some sick game of tug of war. The action was well paced and had me clinging to my seat, up until the end at least, where things went downhill fast. Although Tempest Revealed fell short of my high expectations, I still had a great time reading it, despite its many flaws.

*An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Cover- 4/5
Wish they stuck to the 
original cover model.
Heroine- 3.5/5
Romance- 2/5
Action- 4/5
Loved it until the very end.
Writing- 4.5/5
Overall- 4/5

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Lash by L.G. Castillo

Release Date: May 6, 2013

Series: Broken Angel #1

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Decades after being banished from Heaven for saving a life he shouldn’t have, Lash is given a chance to redeem himself. His mission: protect Naomi Duran, a young woman who has lost her faith. The assignment proves to be anything but simple when his superiors, the Archangels, withhold key information about Naomi and refuse to restore Lash’s powers. When an unexpected source reveals centuries-old secrets, his trust is shaken to the core, and he begins to doubt those whom he had once considered to be his greatest allies.

Determined to avoid anything that would risk his chances of returning to Heaven, Lash struggles with the greatest obstacle of all—his growing feelings for Naomi. But when her life is threatened by an unknown source, Lash questions the wisdom of the Archangels and his ability to keep her safe.

Soon, Lash will have to choose where to place his faith—in the home he has fought so hard to regain or in the forbidden love he can’t bear to lose.

Find The Book:

( Goodreads ! Amazon ! Barnes and Noble )

About The Author:

L.G. (Linda) Castillo wrote her first story when she was ten and has been writing ever since. She took a break from writing fiction and poetry to focus on obtaining her Ph.D. in counseling psychology. She is now a licensed psychologist and currently works as a professor at a Texas university. Although she has published her psychological research in several professional journals and books, her dream has always been to publish a novel. Lash is her debut novel and was written during the 2012 National Novel Writing Month event.

Find The Author:

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Excerpt:

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveals

The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Series: Lorien Legacies #4

The Garde are finally reunited, but do they have what it takes to win the war against the Mogadorians?

John Smith—Number Four—thought that things would change once the Garde found each other. They would stop running. They would fight the Mogadorians. And they would win.

But he was wrong. After facing off with the Mogadorian ruler and almost being annihilated, the Garde know they are drastically unprepared and hopelessly outgunned. Now they’re hiding out in Nine’s Chicago penthouse, trying to figure out their next move.

The six of them are powerful, but they’re not strong enough yet to take on an entire army—even with the return of an old ally. To defeat their enemy, the Garde must master their Legacies and learn to work together as a team. More importantly, they’ll have to discover the truth about the Elders and their plan for the Loric survivors.

And when the Garde receive a sign from Number Five—a crop circle in the shape of a Loric symbol—they know they are so close to being reunited. But could it be a trap? Time is running out, and the only thing they know for certain is that they have to get to Five before it’s too late.

The Garde may have lost battles, but they will not lose this war.
Lorien will rise again.

Shadowlark by Meagan Spooner

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Series: Skylark #2

Ever since she escaped the city within the Wall, Lark Ainsley's wanted one thing: to find her brother Basil. She's always believed he would be the one to put an end to the constant fear and flight. And now, hidden underground in the chaotically magical city of Lethe, Lark feels closer to him than ever. 

But Lethe is a city cowering in fear of its founder, the mysterious Prometheus, and of his private police force. To get the truth about what happened to Basil, Lark has no choice but to face Prometheus.

Facing her fears has become second nature to Lark. Facing the truth is another matter. Lark never asked to be anyone's savior. She certainly never wanted to be anyone's weapon. She might not have a choice.

Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Release Date: January 2014

Series: Splintered #2

No summary available at this time.

Champion by Marie Lu

Release Date: November 5, 2013

Series: Legend #3

The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

So many gorgeous covers! 

Which one do you like best? 

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 323 Pages
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Narration: First Person: America
Genre: Dystopian
Challenge: Dystopian Challenge

The Selection Series:
Book .5: The Prince
Book One: The Selection
Book Two: The Elite
Book Three: The One

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                              Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
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Goodreads Synopsis:

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

My Review:

Beforehand, I wasn't looking forward to reading The Elite. Not one iota. When someone asked me what I thought of the series, the first words that popped into my head were princesses and fluffy dresses, which is definitely not my scene. At least not anymore. A year ago I wouldn't have minded, but now, I've shifted more towards the darker and actiony (Is that even a word? O.o) side of literature, otherwise known as the beloved Paranormal genre. The only aspect of this book that finally pushed me to give it a chance was the cover. Yeah, I know, it's the exact same thing that I just said I despised, but even I have to admit that it's undeniably elegant and beautiful.

I don't remember too much of America's character in The Selection, but I do specifically recall liking her personality. She was compassionate, loyal, not stuck up like the majority of the other princesses, and smart, something I definitely admired in the sea of annoying, whiny, pathetic heroines that seem to be the norm in way too many YA books. That's why I was astonished by her change in character in The Elite. It seemed like she took a complete 180 degree turn and morphed into this selfish, rash, infuriating princess during her stay at the castle. 

When the princesses were asked to come up with a charity idea to help the citizens residing in the lower caste systems, much like what Queen Amberly did when she was just starting out as queen, I was expecting America to be chock full of ideas, because she actually understood what it was like to live as one of the lower caste people. To be forced to hide her love for Aspen just because society deemed it unacceptable. To watch other people starve around her, because there wasn't enough food to go around. Even though she couldn't come up with an idea right away, I still had faith that she would come up with something, anything, that would help her family as well as the other people suffering even worse than she did when she was a five. In the end, she came up with the idea of ________ (Don't want to give away the spoiler. :P), which I would've supported completely if her heart was in the right place to begin with. Instead of stating her idea for the benefit of the public, she said it just to get back at Maxon, because she was angry with him. What the heck is wrong with you!?

Now comes the love triangle. *Slams head on table* Our contenders are Maxon, the adored prince with a painful secret, and Aspen, America's first love who will always hold a special place in her heart. To be honest, I really don't care for either of them. If I had to choose, I would be on Team Maxon, but I still didn't feel any sparks when America described him or when they had personal heart-to-heart conversations. One thing that bothered me the most about Aspen was the action he took after what happened with Marley and Woodstock, I think his name was? Gah, it's so hard to keep myself from saying spoilers. >.<  I can't believe that Aspen would decide to make his move on America then. Of all times, he of course would choose the worst one. It became hard to believe that Aspen cared about America's safety at all. 

The romance between all of them was bland and eye-roll worthy. It seemed like the author divided the chapters up according to which love interest America was going to spend time with. She would literally be set on dating Maxon in one chapter, confident about the love they had for each other, then going after Aspen in the next after some sort of misunderstanding. Back and forth, back and forth to the point where I just gave up on the romance all together.

The action was the only part that I enjoyed. Surprising, because it was the only thing that I feared would suck. Although much of the time was spent on princess protocol and organizing events, I never felt bored with the storyline or put to sleep by the lack of action. I'm not sure how to explain it.....it wasn't action in the literal sense, as in sword-fighting or ass-kicking, it was more of a....political sense? Never mind, you'll find out if you ever decide to read the book. xD We see a bit more of the Southern and Northern rebels in The Elite, and I for one, am very interested in learning more about them and what they really seek when they invade the castle.

Overall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the storyline but disliked the fact that it came at the expense of a ruined love triangle and an impulsive and selfish protagonist. I will be reading the sequel, probably just because of the gorgeous cover I'm sure it'll have, but I hope that America reverts back to the strong character she was in The Selection and actually takes the time to use her brain to think out her plans thoroughly instead of letting her emotions guide her actions. I haven't lost faith in you yet, America! Please don't disappoint me in The One!

Cover- 5/5 *Stares at creepily*
Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 1/5
Comedy- N/A There were some jokes 
but not enough to rate.
Action- 4/5
Writing- 4/5
No issues with the writing, but it didn't jump out at me either.
Overall- 3/5

Feature and Follow (30)

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee!

Preferred Follow Method: Either Networked Blogs, Bloglovin, or GFC. :D

If you could follow me on Facebook or Twitter, I would be happy to return the favor.

Just leave your links below! :D

Question: 

Give us a sneak! What are you reading? 

Tell us about a fun or fail scene in your current read.

Answer:

Since I just started reading Tempest Revealed by Tracy Deebs, I'm not far along enough to describe a scene that would be considered Fun or Fail. However, there were tons of fun scenes in my last read, Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins! That book was absolutely amazing and filled to the brim with steamy makeout scenes and fast paced action. My favorite part was when Anna showed off her badass skills to Kaidan for the first time and knocked him on his sorry behind. Since this scene was posted as a teaser on Wendy Higgin's site, I figure there's no harm in showing you guys what I mean. xD

Teaser Time! :D

"Ah. He had no idea what I was capable of now. I held a hand out. “Give me your knife.”

His eyebrows went together. “What?”

“Just give it to me.” I stepped closer, feeling edgy.

“No, Anna, I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but this is ridic—”

My movements were fast as I went for him full force, using all my body weight and strength to hook a foot behind his knee and slam my palm into his shoulder. He landed on his back with a surprised oof and I crouched over him.

“Give me your knife,” I said again.

“Holy . . .” Blake let out a long whistle from where he watched at the rail.

Kaidan lay there with a whimsical sort of look and said, “God, that was hot.”

I held out my hand. This time he fished the knife from his waistband and placed the onyx handle in my palm. From my crouched position I momentarily eyed a wooden bird statue perched at the top of the deck rail twenty feet away, then let the cool metal fly from my fingers. It spun through the air with a sound like rapid wing beats, then a whump as it stuck into the side of the bird’s head.

“Dude!” Blake yelled.

Beneath me, where Kaidan lay, burst a vivid cloud of red so brief I wondered if I’d imagined it. I stared down at him in shock.

“You showed your colors!” I said.

“Did not.” He pushed himself up and we both stood.

“You totally let ’em out, bro,” Blake told him with a grin.

“Shut up.”

When he peered down at me I said, 
“I’ve been training. I’m not completely helpless anymore.”

“I can see that,” he murmured.

We stood there, facing each other. Too much was between us, pulling us together at the same time as it pushed us apart. Our need for each other would always be in constant battle with our need to keep the other safe."

See what I mean? *Fans self*