"Shadowland: The Mediator #1" by Meg Cabot

Suze is a mediator—a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living.

But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations. But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy.

There's a ghost with revenge on her mind...and Suze happens to be in the way.

We are deep in the era of the remake and reboot. It seems like the majority of movies and television shows are either a continuation of another plot or just a new version of the same story. I have a love/hate relationship with this. It really seems to depend on the brand if I am bothered or not. For instance, I am all over the new Star Wars movies but could do without the new Ghostbusters. More often than not, I'm left wishing that the original material had been left alone. However, I am never consistent in knowing what I will or will not like, but I tend to have a softer spot when it comes to more books in a series. Therefore am very excited to read the final book in The Mediator series (yes, I know I am several years behind, but I'm getting there). Since it's been awhile since I read the series, and I only read it once, I am getting ready by starting over with the first book, Shadowland.

Suze has just moved to California to live with her mom and new step family. She's not overly thrilled by this, but is going to give it her best try. Things would be a lot better if there wasn't a ghost living in her bedroom. Suze can see dead people. It's not always the worst. She still sees her deceased father on a regular basis because of it. But she also gets stuck with the responsibility of helping ghosts move on to the other side and sometimes that is easier said than done. When she starts at her new school, she immediately discovers that her newest assignment is a ghost set on revenge- and it looks like Suze is going to be her victim.

I was never the biggest fan of The Mediator series. Not because anything is wrong with them, ghosts and the paranormal just aren't my thing. For this reason, I only read the series once and unlike the rest of Cabot's books, I didn't devour them one after the other. Despite this, I found the series to be solid the first time through, and am enjoying them a second time around (probable more so). Suze has a lot of self confidence and is pretty much a badass. Unlike many of her books published under Meg Cabot (this first few books in this series came out under the name Jenny Carroll), this series isn't very girly. Suze isn't too worried about fashion or falling in love and this is probably my favorite part of the series. If you get in the way of her goal, Suze is going to make sure you move. I love her for this. This series is good for those who enjoy the paranormal and the mysterious. It's also a good choice for those that enjoy mysteries. If you've read some of Cabot's books, but found they weren't for you, give this one a chance. It's just different enough, you may enjoy it!

Happy Reading!

-Melly

Book Tour: "See You in Hell" by Demelza Carlton

Title: See You in Hell (Mel Goes to Hell #2)

  Author: Demelza Carlton 

Genre: Paranormal romance/ Office Satire 

Publish Date: 30^th April 2014 

Publisher: Lost Plot Press 

Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.  

~ Book Synopsis ~

Hate your job? Try working in HELL! Melody Angel takes a job as a temp at the HELL Corporation. Surrounded by eternal bureaucracy gone mad, demons who love making life miserable, and dying for a decent coffee, it may take a miracle for Mel's mission to succeed. She must find out what evil plans the Lord of Lies has up his sleeve and stop him, using any means necessary. Lucifer and his minions are out to take over the world, but there's more than money at stake when the Devil drives. Adding trouble and temptation to Mel's job is Luce Iblis, the damnably hot CEO, who has set his smouldering eyes on the new office angel and is determined to claim her, body and soul. Can ultimate evil and angelic perfection escape a limbo of desire and find a paradise of their own?

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Excerpt

  "Great, we'll see you in Hell at nine on Monday morning!" How can an angel survive in a corporate Hell? Mel accepted a job in the Health, Environment, Life and Lands Corporation - otherwise known as HELL. Dying for a decent coffee, surrounded by bureaucracy gone mad and demons who just love making life difficult, Mel must find out what Lucifer and his minions are really up to – before his Corporation goes global. Mel's no ordinary angel, but she's never dealt with demons before. Could the seductive CEO really be Lucifer himself? Are Luce's lusty looks all they seem, or is he after more than Mel's body? Does he have a hope in Hell with her, anyway? He's about to find out that this sweet angel's soul is not for sale. A tiny taste of what's in store: "Do you know how long you've made me wait?" Luce lifted his chin. "Close the door." Mel turned and kicked the door shut with the sole of one shoe. The click of it closing coincided with her eyes meeting Luce's once more. "Now strip and get your arse on the desk," Luce instructed. Mel stared at him. He couldn't be serious, could he? "Every other girl in this building knows how to do as she's told. Do you know how many girls I've had on this desk? You should consider yourself lucky. The last one I had in here was so quick getting undressed that I managed to give her a full fifteen minutes of my time. At this rate, you'll be lucky to have five." Mel became transfixed by the timber desktop. "Did you wipe it clean afterwards?" "What?" Luce's face reddened. "Did you wipe it clean afterwards?" Mel repeated patiently. "I mean, you work on it every day. Imagine how many diseases and strange germs each of your, er, accommodating staff members were carrying when they placed their bare behinds on your desk." The shock on Luce's face was priceless. He edged his chair away from the suddenly suspicious surface.

Purchase Links

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

 

About the Author

Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish. She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below. Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world. The Ocean's Gift series is her first foray into fiction, followed by her suspense thriller Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.

Author’s Social Media

Website | Facebook |Twitter | Goodreads| YouTube | Amazon | Pinterest | Google + |Smashwords

Giveaway

 

Two copies each of

Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer

Ocean’s Gift; and Water and Fire.

Entry-Form

Happy Reading!

-Melly

Summoned by Rainy Kaye Blog Tour

Blurb

Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.

Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can't tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn't the type to tolerate secrets.

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl's ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.

Summoned is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.

Find out more at http://www.summonedtheseries.com

Excerpt

I've never burned down a building before.

    Hell, I haven't even started a campfire. Maybe I should have asked Counselor Robert to teach me.

    Luckily, Internet access is available everywhere. I have no idea how the other suckers stuck in this role managed without Google. They must have been smarter, because my first inclination to ignite a building was gasoline and a match.

    Come to find out, this is not the most realistic idea. It would have been about as efficient as lighting a bunch of candles on a birthday cake and throwing it. Sure, it would catch the place on fire, but probably just make a sizable hole in one wall and do some smoke damage before the fire department put it out.

    Karl said he wanted the place to be ash. Gasoline isn't going to cut it.

    No, the Internet tells me I need to make thermite. So that is what I am going to make.

    This wish is going to take longer than anticipated.

    My GPS and I find ourselves at a home improvement store right before closing. The staff are not amused when I ask for iron oxide.

    The Internet has led me astray.

    I have no choice but to make the ingredients myself.

    I am not Mister Wizard. I might be the first genie to blow himself up.

    After spending more than two hours at a big box store, I leave with a case of mason jars, coffee filters, convertors, rubber bands, a package of balloons, salt, a gram scale, all of the Etch-A-Sketch toys, and gum.

    The gum is for my nerves. Everything else is going to make an enormous mess and, possibly, a bomb.

Author Bio

Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark.com and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. When not plotting world domination, she enjoys getting lost around the globe, studying music so she can sing along with symphonic metal bands, and becoming distracted by Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/rainyofthedark>@rainyofthedark). She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.

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Author Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rainyofthedark

Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rainyofthedark

Author Blog: http://www.rainyofthedark.com

Cover Design: Kris Wagner https://www.facebook.com/digitalgunman

Model: Adam Jakubowski https://www.facebook.com/LadyJakubowsky

Photographer:  Marcin Rychły https://www.facebook.com/karrdepl

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"School Spirits" by Rachel Hawkins

*please note: This book is expected to be published on May 14th 2013.  I scored an ARC for review purposes.  No...I won't give you spoilers, sorry!

Reading Rachel Hawkins' School Spirits more than anything made me regret that I have not finished the Hex Hall series.  There just aren't enough reading hours in the day (plus I have decided that I need to do some re-reading and get back up to speed).  That said, I don't feel that readers need to read Hex Hall to read School Spirits (something that pleased me quite a bit.  I like when readers have multiple reading options and aren't tied to reading books in a certain order). 

Izzy Brannick has never been to a regular school or hung out with other kids her age.  The only person she's really hung out with is her older sister Finnley, but since Finn disappeared, her only other friend is Torin, the guy who just happens to be stuck in her mirror.  Izzy and her mom take care of the paranormal.  The novel opens on Izzy's attempt to get rid of a vampire.  This portion of the novel came off as very anti-Twilight which I have to admit, made me chuckle.  Soon Izzy and her mom move and it's up to Izzy to go undercover as a high school and try to rid her new school of a crazed ghost.  Though Izzy knows that she won't be at this school for very long, she can't help make friends with her classmates and even begins to have feelings for a boy named Dex.  Luckily, these new friends have started a  paranormal club and will turn out to be a great asset in helping Izzy rid the school or it's ghost.

There were parts of this book that drug just a bit.  At one point I thought I was reaching the climax and then realized just how much of the novel was left.  I also thought that the ending was just a little bit too out there, just a little bit too lame, but also really sweet (as always, trying to avoid spoilers).  The characters also came across a bit one-dimensional which was a bit disappointing.  However, I did enjoy this book.  Since I am not usually a fan of books that deal heavily in paranormal (except for witches, sometimes) when such a book grabs and keeps my attention, that is a good sign.  This is certainly a book that I can feel confident recommending to readers and I know that fans of Hawkins will read this and be anxious for another book.

Happy Reading!
Melly