{Blog Tour} My 5 ★ Review of BURN by Paula Weston + Giveaway

I am so excited to be hosting a stop on the Tundra Books blog tour for Burn -- and yet it's kind of bittersweet. While I'm happy to have the ending these characters deserved, I'm also NOT ready to say goodbye to them. I'm truly sad it's over, but at least now I can re-read it from start to finish any time I want! :D :D :D


Title: Burn
Author: Paula Weston
Series: The Rephaim, book #4
Publisher: Tundra Books
Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Purchase: Amazon | Fishpond | The Book Depository

Suddenly, Gaby remembers everything.

For a year she believe she was a backpacker chilling out in Pandanus Beach. Working at the library. Getting over the accident that killed her twin brother.

Then Rafa came to find her and Gaby discovered her true identity as Gabe: one of the Rephaim. Over a hundred years old. Half angel, half human, all demon-smiting badass and hopelessly attracted to the infuriating Rafa.

Now she knows who faked her memories, and how—and why it’s all hurtling towards a massive showdown between the forces of heaven and hell.

More importantly, she remembers why she’s spent the last ten years wanting to seriously damage Rafa.

I re-read the entire series in anticipation of starting this final book in the Rephaim series. It was probably the best idea I've had in awhile. =) So much fun experiencing Gaby finding out she's not human all over again, meeting Rafa for the first time, that kiss, the Hellhounds, the training...all of it.

And it kind of helped because this book was the hardest of them all on Gaby as she reconciles who she is now with who she was as Gabe and what all comes with that. Especially where it concerns Rafa and what happened between them. Through a series of flashbacks and memories, we finally get to see what transpired between them, the real reason Gaby stayed at the Sanctuary when she'd been all set to leave with Jude and the other Outcasts before that. And it isn't pretty.

I really could have used more Rafa in the here and now sense in this final book because for half the book, the only time we saw him was in Gabe's misbegotten memories. And I didn't like what I saw. I had kept up hope that this rift between them was Gabe overreacting, that it was her fault it had gone on so long. And that last part is true, but her feelings were warranted. But they were given a second chance, and Gaby/Gabe isn't going to take that lightly either.

Also not pretty? What Jude and Gabe did a year ago that resulted in them losing each other and their memories. Trust has always been an issue with the characters in this series, but that's the least of their worries right now. Because that prophesied war between angels and demons that everyone's got their panties in a twist over? It's coming.

None of this series has been particularly joyful, except maybe when Gaby and Jude were reunited, but this book was by far the most emotionally fraught, at least for me. It changed how I viewed some of the characters. Not necessarily in a negative way; I just have a lot of feelings to sort out. It'll probably take another series re-read -- or two -- before I'm fully reconciled with everyone's new roles.

Really, though...I can't believe it's over! I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters. Not even Mya. :P I'm pretty damn satisfied with this conclusion…with the answers we got, with how the memory loss happened and how it was resolved, with who the Rephaim are and what their purpose is. That said, I don't often read spin-offs but I would SO read one set in this world.

Ten Reasons You Need to Read the Rephaim series
My 5 ★ Review of Shimmer
Casting the Characters of Haze
My 5 ★ Review of Haze
My 5 ★ Review of Shadows

About the author:

I’m the author of the Rephaim series. For my day job, I’m a writer-journalist-professional communicator with pH creative, where my writing involves a lot less profanity. :)

I also love to read, blog, cook, eat, drink and travel and tend to get passionate about human rights, ethical food production… actually, I can get passionate about pretty much anything.

I’m also a huge fan of Australian literature, fantasy/paranormal writing across books, TV and film; I love comedy; I’m a closet comic reader and TV addict; and I’m borderline obsessed with the Foo Fighters.

(Photo credit: Celia Southcombe, Flow Photography)

Find Paula:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Tundra Books, I've got one complete set of the Rephaim series to give away to one lucky reader! And this giveaway is not tour-wide, so your chances of winning right here are super good! :D


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more great reviews and insight into one of the best series around!

Burn Blog Tour Schedule:

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016
Lee at Rally the Readers
Jillian at centre of the universe: the dreaming
Michelle at Undeniably Book Nerdy
Juhina at Maji Bookshelf

TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2016
Lynne at Words of Mystery
Laura at If It Has Words
Leanne at Author Leanne Dyck
Crystal at Bookiemoji

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016
Lauren at Love is not a triangle
Joy at Joyousreads
Krystal at Krystal’s Stellar Book Blog

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016
Jaime at Fiction Fare
Liz at Midnight Bloom Reads
Crystal at Winterhaven Books
Andrea at Cozy Up With A Good Read

FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016
Jen at The Starry-Eyed Revue
Patty at Bookish Wanderlove


Happy reading!

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Labels: all the swoons, angels, aussie, blog tour, demons, dream cast, favorites, giveaways, must-read, paula weston, random house, reviews, text publishing, the rephaim

{Blog Tour} Ten Reasons You NEED to Read THE REPHAIM Series & My 5 ★ Review of SHIMMER by Paula Weston

You guys! I am SOOOOO excited to be hosting a stop on the blog tour for Shimmer. I've already devoured the book -- you can check out my fangirl review below -- and I can say with absolute certainty that this is a series you do NOT want to miss.


And just in case you don't believe me, here are ten reasons this series should definitely be on your radar:

1. Rafa - Honestly, this list could just be Rafa, Rafa, Rafa, and so on. But there is more to love about this series than just him. ;0)

RAFA

a younger Charlie Hunnam

Age: 139 years

Based: Pretty much anywhere with a bed.

Favourite food: Lamb shanks

Favourite weapon: Katana

Favourite place: Patmos

Best friend: Jude

Favourite way to relax: Use your imagination. I’m also partial to beer.

Earliest memory: Sneaking into the armory and trying to lift Nathaniel’s broadsword. It was taller than me and I knocked a bucket off the bench. Nathaniel caught me dragging the blade around the room. He made me stay in the armory until I could grip it and swing it properly. He thought it was punishment.

(The author fancasted the last book for me as part of the Haze blog tour last year, and you can check out that post here.)

2. Gaby/Gabe - The whole series is told from her point-of-view and it is just lovely being in Gaby's head. This girl is fierce and broken and determined. And she just wants her old life back. Too bad it never existed to begin with...

3. Nephilim - Gaby, Rafa and crew are the product of forbidden relationships between angels and human women. And. They. Are. BADASS. They are some serious demon-killing machines!

4. Angels - This is quite possibly my favorite series involving angels...right up there with Susan Ee's series about evil angels. I even said in one TTT that the two should collaborate one day. I might die from the awesome. But Paula Weston has created this amazing backstory for her characters, focusing on the Fallen and the Heavens, and it is just utterly captivating.

5. Gaby and Rafa - These two just sizzle. Their chemistry is simply off the charts, even from their first encounter, and I dare you not to ship them to infinity and beyond.

6. The Aussie Effect - I don't know about you, but I have never not enjoyed a book written by an Australian author or that takes place in Australia...or both. When I hear these characters in my head, they have Aussie accents, which is beyond awesome because I kind of have a thing for that. =) Plus, a large part of the book takes place in Australia, a place I've wanted to visit since childhood. And, gawd, do I love the Aussie slang and terms that take context clues to decipher! I would LOVE to hear these books on audio!!!

7. Not Your Typical YA - Dude, these characters are all around 19, going on 139. For reals. But the story doesn't read like a typical NA either, even though all of the characters are beyond high-school age. I'm not actually sure their is an age classification for this type of book, but regardless, it works. Most especially because these characters are dealing with far more than just relationship drama and the usual. They're trying to figure out which angel-dude fathered them while slaying demon ass, while trying to deal with their feelings. Talk about complicated lives!

8. Secrets and Lies - You're going to form some theories while reading this series, and some will come to fruition and some are going to be completely blown out of the water. You are going to be shocked into silence and angered enough to nearly throw the books at the wall -- but you won't because they are the precious and you would not do that to them. And just when you think there can't be anything left to surprise you, you will be wrong again.

9. Camaraderie - Despite everything these characters are going through -- and which of them were frienemies at best and enemies at worst when this all started -- there's just this sense of togetherness throughout the books. They are in this fight together and they will see it through to the bitter end. Even the human characters who've become just as much a part of this as the Nephilim.

10. Compulsively Readable - I've read and re-read these books and I plan on re-reading the whole series again in the near future because it is just so awesome and unlike any other angel-themed series I've ever read. I dare you to start this series and not immediately the next book...and the next book...and the next book.

There you have it. All very valid reasons why you should start this series today. =D My review for Shimmer, the third book in The Rephaim series follows, but maybe don't read it if you haven't read the first two books in the series yet. ;0)

SHIMMER

By Paula Weston

In stores now!!!

Order Shimmer: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Apple | Kobo | Fishpond | The Book Depository
Here's the summary:

Gaby thought her life couldn’t get more complicated.

She’s almost used to the idea that she’s not the nineteen-year-old backpacker she thought she was. She can just about cope with being one of the Rephaim - a 140-year-old half-angel - whose memories have been stolen. She’s even coming to grips with the fact that Jude, the brother she’s mourned for a year, didn’t die at all.

But now Rafa—sexy, infuriating Rafa—is being held, and hurt, by Gatekeeper demons. And Gaby has to get the bitterly divided Rephaim to work together, or Rafa has no chance at all.

It’s a race against time - and history. And it may already be too late.

Having now read this series in its entirety, I think I can safely say this was my favorite out of them all. Of course, I loved each and every book with every fiber of my being, but I loved how the Rephaim had to come together in this book. Okay, I'm lying...I love how Rafa and Gaby came together in this book, lol.

Still, there's just something about seeing bitter enemies having to fight side by side against a common foe. Reminds me of the X-Men a bit. ;) Plus, now that Jude's back, we get to see more of how things were for the past ten years, when the Sanctuary Rephaim thought they knew best and the Outcasts were just rebels with a cause. And yet, no one really knows anything...not even the omniscient Nathaniel.

Because apparently, Jude and Gabe weren't the only ones keeping secrets. But I liked what the secrets did to the characters, what it revealed about them, and not only those who were directly affected but all of the Rephaim and the few outsiders who knew of their existence. The things revealed in this book have definitely changed the game, most especially for the two Rephaim who escaped the Sanctuary's notice for all of those years.

And despite all of these secrets and knowing that Rafa is still keeping things about their history from her, Gaby decides that he's worth the time and effort to get to know again. There's an undeniable connection there, so it makes sense, even with that threat of their past indiscretions looming over them. But I think Rafa has proven over the course of the series that if he did do something to hurt Gabe, something unforgivable, he's willing to make amends, to do whatever it takes to prove he's not that same guy.

People make mistakes. Same goes for half-angel/half-human hotties. I kind of love that underlying theme of forgiveness in these books. Because every single one of these characters has done something for which they need to be forgiven, whether they understand that yet or not -- well, except for poor Maggie...she got dragged into this without knowing what she was getting herself into. :P

About the author:

I’m the author of the Rephaim series. For my day job, I’m a writer-journalist-professional communicator with pH creative, where my writing involves a lot less profanity. :)

I also love to read, blog, cook, eat, drink and travel and tend to get passionate about human rights, ethical food production… actually, I can get passionate about pretty much anything.

I’m also a huge fan of Australian literature, fantasy/paranormal writing across books, TV and film; I love comedy; I’m a closet comic reader and TV addict; and I’m borderline obsessed with the Foo Fighters.

(Photo credit: Celia Southcombe, Flow Photography)

Find Paula:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more great reviews and insight into one of the best series around!

Shimmer Blog Tour Schedule:

MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2016

Lee at Rally the Readers
Jillian at centre of the universe: the dreaming
Michelle at Undeniably Book Nerdy
Juhina at Maji Bookshelf

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2016

Lynne at Words of Mystery
Laura at If It Has Words
Leanne at Author Leanne Dyck

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Lauren at Love is not a triangle
Joy at Joyousreads
Krystal at Krystal’s Stellar Book Blog

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2016

Jaime at Fiction Fare
Liz at Midnight Bloom Reads
Crystal at Winterhaven Books
Andrea at Cozy Up With A Good Read

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016

Jen at The Starry-Eyed Revue
Summer at MissFictional’s Books
Patty at Bookish Wanderlove

Read More

Labels: all the swoons, angels, aussie, blog tour, demons, dream cast, favorites, must-read, paula weston, random house, text publishing, the rephaim

Waiting on Wednesday: The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: The Dark Days Club
Author: Alison Goodman
Series: Lady Helen, book #1
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 26, 2016

New York Times bestseller Alison Goodman’s eagerly awaited new project: a Regency adventure starring a stylish and intrepid demon-hunter!

London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

I loved Goodman's Eon series, which was full of gender-bending and dragons and ass-kicking, and I can't wait to see what she brings to the Regency era. And demon-hunting. It should be epic! Oh, and a rogue with a bad reputation...sounds like my kind of fun! :D


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: alison goodman, demons, grabby hands, historical fiction, lady helen, penguin, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Review} Shimmer & Burn by Paula Weston

** These reviews are for books three and four of a series that hasn't been fully published here in the States, so read at your own risk, as there are definitely a few spoilers for the previous two books. **


Title: Shimmer
Author: Paula Weston
Series: The Rephaim, book #3
Publisher: Text Publishing
Publication Date: July 3, 2014 (in Australia -- not till 2016 in US)
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Fishpond | The Book Depository

Gaby thought her life couldn’t get more complicated.

She’s almost used to the idea that she’s not the nineteen-year-old backpacker she thought she was. She can just about cope with being one of the Rephaim - a 140-year-old half-angel - whose memories have been stolen. She’s even coming to grips with the fact that Jude, the brother she’s mourned for a year, didn’t die at all.

But now Rafa—sexy, infuriating Rafa—is being held, and hurt, by Gatekeeper demons. And Gaby has to get the bitterly divided Rephaim to work together, or Rafa has no chance at all.

It’s a race against time - and history. And it may already be too late.

Having now read this series in its entirety, I think I can safely say this was my favorite out of them all. Of course, I loved each and every book with every fiber of my being, but I loved how the Rephaim had to come together in this book. Okay, I'm lying...I love how Rafa and Gaby came together in this book, lol.

Still, there's just something about seeing bitter enemies having to fight side by side against a common foe. Reminds me of the X-Men a bit. ;) Plus, now that Jude's back, we get to see more of how things were for the past ten years, when the Sanctuary Rephaim thought they knew best and the Outcasts were just rebels with a cause. And yet, no one really knows anything...not even the omniscient Nathaniel.

Because apparently, Jude and Gabe weren't the only ones keeping secrets. But I liked what the secrets did to the characters, what it revealed about them, and not only those who were directly affected but all of the Rephaim and the few outsiders who knew of their existence. The things revealed in this book have definitely changed the game, most especially for the two Rephaim who escaped the Sanctuary's notice for all of those years.

And despite all of these secrets and knowing that Rafa is still keeping things about their history from her, Gaby decides that he's worth the time and effort to get to know again. There's an undeniable connection there, so it makes sense, even with that threat of their past indiscretions looming over them. But I think Rafa has proven over the course of the series that if he did do something to hurt Gabe, something unforgivable, he's willing to make amends, to do whatever it takes to prove he's not that same guy.

People make mistakes. Same goes for half-angel/half-human hotties. I kind of love that underlying theme of forgiveness in these books. Because every single one of these characters has done something for which they need to be forgiven, whether they understand that yet or not -- well, except for poor Maggie...she got dragged into this without knowing what she was getting herself into. :P

Title: Burn
Author: Paula Weston
Series: The Rephaim, book #4
Publisher: Text Publishing
Publication Date: June 24, 2015 (in Australia -- not till 2016 in US)
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Fishpond | The Book Depository

Suddenly, Gaby remembers everything.

For a year she believe she was a backpacker chilling out in Pandanus Beach. Working at the library. Getting over the accident that killed her twin brother.

Then Rafa came to find her and Gaby discovered her true identity as Gabe: one of the Rephaim. Over a hundred years old. Half angel, half human, all demon-smiting badass and hopelessly attracted to the infuriating Rafa.

Now she knows who faked her memories, and how—and why it’s all hurtling towards a massive showdown between the forces of heaven and hell.

More importantly, she remembers why she’s spent the last ten years wanting to seriously damage Rafa.

I re-read the entire series in anticipation of starting this final book in the Rephaim series. It was probably the best idea I've had in awhile. =) So much fun experiencing Gaby finding out she's not human all over again, meeting Rafa for the first time, that kiss, the Hellhounds, the training...all of it.

And it kind of helped because this book was the hardest of them all on Gaby as she reconciles who she is now with who she was as Gabe and what all comes with that. Especially where it concerns Rafa and what happened between them. Through a series of flashbacks and memories, we finally get to see what transpired between them, the real reason Gaby stayed at the Sanctuary when she'd been all set to leave with Jude and the other Outcasts before that. And it isn't pretty.

I really could have used more Rafa in the here and now sense in this final book because for half the book, the only time we saw him was in Gabe's misbegotten memories. And I didn't like what I saw. I had kept up hope that this rift between them was Gabe overreacting, that it was her fault it had gone on so long. And that last part is true, but her feelings were warranted. But they were given a second chance, and Gaby/Gabe isn't going to take that lightly either.

Also not pretty? What Jude and Gabe did a year ago that resulted in them losing each other and their memories. Trust has always been an issue with the characters in this series, but that's the least of their worries right now. Because that prophesied war between angels and demons that everyone's got their panties in a twist over? It's coming.

None of this series has been particularly joyful, except maybe when Gaby and Jude were reunited, but this book was by far the most emotionally fraught, at least for me. It changed how I viewed some of the characters. Not necessarily in a negative way; I just have a lot of feelings to sort out. It'll probably take another series re-read -- or two -- before I'm fully reconciled with everyone's new roles.

Really, though...I can't believe it's over! I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters. Not even Mya. :P I'm pretty damn satisfied with this conclusion…with the answers we got, with how the memory loss happened and how it was resolved, with who the Rephaim are and what their purpose is. That said, I rarely read spin-offs but I would SO read one set in this world.

GIF it to me straight:

Like, one of my favorite series ever kind of awesome. =)

About the author:

I’m the author of the Rephaim series. For my day job, I’m a writer-journalist-professional communicator with pH creative, where my writing involves a lot less profanity. :)

I also love to read, blog, cook, eat, drink and travel and tend to get passionate about human rights, ethical food production… actually, I can get passionate about pretty much anything.

I’m also a huge fan of Australian literature, fantasy/paranormal writing across books, TV and film; I love comedy; I’m a closet comic reader and TV addict; and I’m borderline obsessed with the Foo Fighters.

Find Paula:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: all the swoons, angels, aussie, demons, favorites, must-read, paula weston, random house, reviews, text publishing, the rephaim

{Audiobook} Review: Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

Title: Dream a Little Dream
Author: Kerstin Gier
Narrator(s): Marisa Calin
Series: The Silver Trilogy, book #1
Length: 10 hrs 6 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher, purchased audiobook
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Mysterious doors with lizard-head knobs. Talking stone statues. A crazy girl with a hatchet. Yes, Liv's dreams have been pretty weird lately. Especially the one where she's in a graveyard at night, watching four boys conduct dark magic rituals.

The strangest part is that Liv recognizes the boys in her dream. They're classmates from her new school in London, the school where she's starting over because her mom has moved them to a new country (again). But what's really scaring Liv is that the dream boys seem to know things about her in real life, things they couldn't possibly know--unless they actually are in her dreams? Luckily, Liv never could resist a good mystery, and all four of those boys are pretty cute....

Narrated by Marisa Calin, who also narrated The Ruby Red Trilogy on audio for Macmillan, Dream a Little Dream is a funny little jaunt into the world of witchcraft and demons and lucid dreams. It never deigns to take itself too seriously, much as the Ruby Red books never got overly technical when it came to time travel. Both stories are cute and enjoyable in their own right, but I'd have a dickens of a time deciding which I liked better. Especially seeing as how I like cheeky, talking inanimate objects, and those are present and accounted for in both. :)

I listened to this back in April I think and promptly forgot to review it. D'oh. So, I listened again a few days ago as a refresher. Some books I can read over and over again and others, it's a pain to read or listen to even once more. No problems listening to this one again because the main character is completely adorkable and the narrator does such a good job with Gier's books. It's actually rather interesting to experience this lighter take on dreams and the demons they harbor, considering I'm also reading the last book of the Nevermore trilogy, which takes a much darker look at this same subject. Completely different stories and the atmosphere is the exact opposite, but still interesting to compare.

Magic rituals. Cute boys. London. All things that appeal to me. And I love the new cover. The original cover wasn't bad, per se, but it was a little too cutesy for this story. And while this story is cute overall and kind of silly -- I mean, they found a book and raised a demon and he agreed to give each of them their dearest wish? -- it does have a darker side, especially when it comes to the lengths some will go to in order to appease said demon.

The dream interactions were my favorite aspect of this story, especially when Liv still believed that they were just dreams. But when she discovers that those four cute boys from school share her dreams, things really get interesting. I was admittedly a little worried about so many hot boys available for the choosing, but they're not really...available, I mean. :) One is soon to be Liv's stepbrother, another is in a long-distance relationship, another is a wanna-be player who's still hung up on his ex. That leaves just one, and he's the one I would've have picked for Liv from the beginning, so it all worked out. No strange love shapes to be had here. =)

I read a story the other day that mentioned "surface" friends, and that's kind of how I felt about this book: it's only just scratching the surface of what Liv and her new friends might be capable of -- or what they might be in store for. I'm sure the next book will dig a little deeper. And I'm just glad I didn't have to wait until the third book for the romance to really heat up, like in Gier's other series.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Kerstin Gier is the bestselling author of the Ruby Red trilogy, as well as several popular novels for adults. This series was translated by Anthea Bell into English.

Find Kerstin:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook

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Labels: audiobooks, beautiful covers, demons, kerstin gier, lucid dreaming, macmillan, magic, reviews, the silver trilogy, translated novels, witchcraft