Black Helicopters by Blythe Woolston‏

Summary from Goodreads

A teenage girl. A survivalist childhood. And now a bomb strapped to her chest. See the world through her eyes in this harrowing and deeply affecting literary thriller.

I’m Valkyrie White. I’m fifteen. Your government killed my family.
Ever since Mabby died while picking beans in their garden — with the pock-a-pock of a helicopter overhead — four-year-old Valley knows what her job is: hide in the underground den with her brother, Bo, while Da is working, because Those People will kill them like coyotes. But now, with Da unexpectedly gone and no home to return to, a teenage Valley (now Valkyrie) and her big brother must bring their message to the outside world — a not-so-smart place where little boys wear their names on their backpacks and young men don’t pat down strangers before offering a lift. Blythe Woolston infuses her white-knuckle narrative, set in a day-after-tomorrow Montana, with a dark, trenchant humor and a keen psychological eye. Alternating past-present vignettes in prose as tightly wound as the springs of a clock and as masterfully plotted as a game of chess, she ratchets up the pacing right to the final, explosive end.
  
Amazon
Paperback: 192 pages 
Publisher: Walker (6 Jun 2013)

My Review

There was so much I loved about this book - it's snappy writing that flies at a break-neck pace, dangerous and very edgy characters, a thrilling storyline that had me constantly on the edge and the mystery and shockers that were lurking around every dark corner.

The downfall for me was the lack of details - I'm a bit of a stickler for in depth detailing and I found myself longing for more of a back round story, I needed to know the how's and whys but I suppose that's just a personal thing.

The story jumps around a whole lot from the past and present but I really think that's the best part of the book. It's not confusing in the slightest and we get a good understanding of the very deadly character that is Valley White - who is awesome by the way!

The storyline follows Valley, who the whole world doesn't even know exists. She is used as a pawn in her dad's strange war. When something unexpected happens, Valley and her brother are forced to leave the safety of their cabin and follow their father's strict instructions. Valley will end up strapping on a vest of explosives and making a goodbye message....

A lot of the details are very vague in this but the ending itself is very - wow (even though I was a little frustrated).

This is a super quick but nail bitingly explosive book that ended all too quickly for my liking, I would recommend it for people looking for a quick thrill!

3/5 Stars

*Special thanks to Walker Books for the review copy*

Carly :)

Waiting on Wednesday #43

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

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
 

Always and Foreverland by Rachael Wade
 

Summary from Goodreads

 New Adult Romance

Not long ago, Micah and Trinity were the same. They shared the same past and the same secrets, and they knew just how to help each other endure the rough hand they’d been dealt. Some kids grew up in loving homes, with kind families and boundless compassion. But Micah and Trinity weren’t so lucky. Growing up in foster care wasn't easy, but they survived their group home upbringing by knowing they could lean on one another, always.

Now they’re back in each other’s lives, but the reunion is less than sweet. When Trinity stumbles onto the same college campus as Micah, she realizes her memories with him were and still are a life raft, but according to Micah, those memories never even happened. He’s no longer that sweet teenage boy who defended her and held her when she was scared. Now he’s the campus playboy with only three things on his mind: women, parties, and when he can score his next adrenaline rush. He refuses to acknowledge the truth.

Once upon a time, they dreamt of Foreverland.

Once upon a time, they were friends.

Once upon a time, they were more.

But that was then, and this is now, and no one knows that "once upon a time" doesn’t always lead to "happily ever after" more than two kids who’ve had to say goodbye too many times to count.
 

Expected publication: February 14th 2014 by Rabbit Hole Press 
 

What's your "waiting on" pick this week? 

Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff - Review & Giveaway

Summary from Goodreads

They needed the perfect assassin.

Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends, and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die-of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target.

But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter is unlike anyone he has encountered before; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.

In this action-packed series debut, author Allen Zadoff pens a page-turning thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping, introducing an utterly original and unforgettable antihero.

  My Review

You know when you finish a great book and you need to just stop, take a breath and say WOW - well that's the effect Boy Nobody had on me!

This is one nail bitingly tense book that had me reading furiously from the first page. I was thrilled, excited and so interested to know what was going to happen next. The writing is suburb and I love the really gritty way everything played out.

We have a very dangerous and highly skilled cold blooded assassin for a main character here and he is simply awesome! I adored watching him calculate his assignments so thoughtfully and also seeing his thought processes in different situations.

Every mission has went perfectly in the past until he is sent to assassinate the Mayor - who has a daughter who manages to turn his head for the very first time. Can he complete this tricky assignment in the very short deadline? If he can't - it will mean his own life....

A lot of things aren't quite what they seem in this book and I really enjoyed being genuinely surprised at every shocking turn!

The end section is brilliant, the action was on and big things are uncovered. I was quite literally on the edge of my seat the whole time. The ending itself is very unexpected but I really don't think it could of played out better.

I really cannot recommend this fast and furious thrill ride enough - Boy Nobody is a book to seriously get excited about!

It's also coming to film, which I'm seriously over the moon about - it's going to be epic!

A BIG 5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Orchard for the review copy*

Carly :)

Giveaway

Now, the lovely people over at Orchard are giving away 1 copy of Boy Nobody to 1 lucky person! It's open to UK/IRE only, sorry folks! Fill out the Rafflecopter below! Winner will be contacted via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be drawn. Winners details will be passed on to the publishers who will be sending out the prize! Good luck guys!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't Fear the Reaper by Michelle Muto - Book Spotlight

Don't Fear the Reaper by Michelle Muto

Haunted by memories of her murdered twin, Keely Morrison is convinced suicide is her only ticket to eternal peace. But in death, she discovers the afterlife is nothing like she expected. Instead of peaceful oblivion or a joyful reunion with her sister, Keely is trapped in a netherworld on Earth with only a bounty-hunting reaper and a sarcastic demon to show her the ropes.

When the demon offers Keely her ultimate temptation--revenge on her sister's killer--she must determine who she can trust. Because, as Keely soon learns, the reaper and demon have been keeping secrets and she fears the worst is true--that her every decision changes how, and with whom, she spends eternity.

Amazon UK Amazon US iTunes 


Excerpt

From Keely's point of view:

I half-seethed, half-quivered over Daniel’s statement. “Gee, asshole. I’m so sorry I’m dead.” 
 

Daniel smiled ever so faintly, and I wanted to hit him.
 

“I get it, Daniel. I really do. You don’t like me. Well, I don’t like you, either.”
 

He grabbed my shirt and pulled me within inches of his face. He smelled like a bonfire—a woodsy smell with an earthy weight to it. His irises flickered red—I thought I’d imagined it before, but up close there was no mistaking it.
 

“At least I hung in there,” he said, breathing onto my face. “Something you couldn’t do.”
 

So, this was it—the reason he seemed to hate me so much. “Oh, I suppose you ended up as a demon because you were so perfect.”
 

Lame. Totally lame. But he’d caught me off-guard and I had nothing to say, really. He was right. I hadn’t bothered to stick around. 
 

He studied my face, my mouth, and I hoped he couldn’t feel my heart pounding with fear. He let go of me.
 

“Jerk,” I muttered softly, turning away from him. I started off in search of Banning. 
 

Behind me, Daniel applauded. Hurt and furious, I spun around to glare at him.
 

“Congrats,” he said. “It’s about time. I was beginning to wonder about you. Purgatory is a nasty place for newbies like you, all weak and grieving. But I figured with the way you killed yourself, you had to have spunk somewhere.”
 

Damn him! Daniel had baited me and I had been foolish enough to fall for it. “Well, I’m glad you find this so amusing.” I wheeled around to continue my search for Banning.
 

“Wait!” he said, catching up to me. I backed up into a wall. “Chill, all right? I just didn’t want you to keep crying, so I figured if you got mad, you’d move on to the next step of the whole acceptance thing.”
 

I didn’t answer.
 

“Come on! You were bound to head that direction anyway. Just saving you some time.” 
 

He gently touched my arm. I didn’t move, didn’t speak. Why did he have to be so mean?
 

“So, you want to find your sister’s killer, or what? That is why you were so interested in what I did to that kid back there, right?”
 

Had I been that easy to read? More than anything I could think of, I wanted my sister. But I wanted to avenge her death almost as much. I raised an eyebrow. “I suppose you know where Peter Fagan is?”
 

Something in his dark eyes ignited, something akin to flint on stone. “I know a lot of things. I know that he was never officially charged. So far, the cops haven’t found enough clear-cut evidence to keep him in jail and he’s out free—for now. He’s staying in the area, but not at his house. I also know you haven’t been dead long enough to do anything you’d like to do to this guy without a little demonic assistance. So, what do you say? Let me help.”
 

I continued to stare at him, unable to come up with a single counterpoint. 
 

“And maybe you’d like a few leads on where your sister might be while we’re at it.”
 

He had my complete attention. 
  

Author Bio

 

 

 Writer of urban fantasy, the paranormal, and all things eerie and curious. Lover of scary books and funny movies, sports cars, chocolate, and changes of season. Owned by two incredible dogs and an iMac. Author, wife, sister, freelance tech writer, and IT geek.
  

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Michelle's blog

Absent by Katie Williams‏

Summary from Goodreads

Forever is a long time to be stuck in high school.

Seventeen-year-old Paige is dead, the victim of a freak fall from the roof during Physics class. Now she’s a ghost, permanently bound to the grounds of her high school. It isn’t all bad, she can find out everyone’s secrets, which can be amusing—for a while.But then Paige hears something that isn’t amusing at all: the rumor spread by the most popular girl at school that her death wasn’t an accident—that she supposedly jumped on purpose. Paige is desperate to stop the gossip, but what can a ghost do? Then Paige discovers something amazing. She can possess living people when they think of her, and she can make them do almost anything. Maybe, just maybe, she can get inside the girl who’s responsible for the stories. . . and have a little fun turning the tables while she’s at it.

Katie Williams’s second novel is a suspenseful page-turner full of eerie wit and a touch of the otherworldly.

My Review

I adored the whole idea of Absent because it's quite a bit different from anything else I have came across in the genre. To be honest though I was a little disappointed with the first half of the book.

I didn't connect with the characters and  I don't think they were developed as well as they could of been. I just wanted to get inside the head of main character Paige and really get to know her. I was left wondering about the secondary characters too. The book is 182 pages long and I can't help thinking if it was a bit longer would I have connected and loved the characters as much as I so desperately wanted to?

Now the second half of the book is fantastic, I was glued to the pages and the suspense was electric. I was completely shocked and I really didn't see certain things coming. The storyline really did step up it's pace and I really couldn't get enough.

Everything clicked into place so perfectly coming up to the end and the writing demanded my full attention. I would rate the 2nd half of the book a big 5 stars, so I'm sure you can understand my frustration at the first half.

The storyline follows Paige, who is a dead 17 year old that died from supposedly falling off the school roof! Paige's ghost is stuck roaming the corridors of her high school with 2 other ghostly pupils. But when Paige hears the rumour that she jumped off the roof - she knows she can't just stand by and watch anymore....

The bit that I love the most was when Paige discovers that she can inhabit someones body if they are thinking of her. So she tries to inhabit people's bodies to tell everyone that she didn't commit suicide! But things won't be plain sailing!

All in all I enjoyed this ghostly tale, it is full of mystery, is a touch eerie and is a lightening quick page turner!

3/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Chronicle Books for the review copy*

Carly :)