Book Review: Whisper

Whisper (Whisper, book 1) by Phoebe Kitanidis.

I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears a frightening whisper from Jessica's own mind, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own.


Joy and the female members of her family hear Whispers, the thoughts and wishes of those around them.  Joy and her mom feel the need to grant these wishes whenever possible but Joy's older sister Icka watches on with disdain.  Icka hints that there are more to Whispers than their mother mother is telling them and that Joy's power is about to change--for the worse.  Are Whispers a blessing or a curse?  What happens next may just change everything, but then again Icka could just be up to her old pranks and sabotaging ways.

I have to admit that though the concept of Whispers was intriguing I found the characters in the first few chapters shallow and unlikeable.  I came close to giving up on this book and I am glad that I didn't.  Whisper is a great start to a new young adult paranormal romance series.

I recommend Whisper to readers of young adult, fantasy, paranormal fiction, urban fantasy and especially to fans of paranormal romance.

Source: This book was provided by the author or publisher for honest review.


Whisper on Amazon.
Whisper on Goodreads.

Book Review: Spells

Spells (Wings, book 2) by Aprilynne Pike.

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever. When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?


Laurel, a changeling raised by humans, has been summoned to Avalon Academy.  She must go through the Gate into the faerie realm of Avalon and learn what she has forgotten so that she may defend her human friends and family from Trolls set on revenge.  As the mysterious, and potentially dangerous, Klea says, "Revenge,...it's pretty much the only thing trolls love more than treasure." (p. 198)  Will Laurel be able to learn the magic potions in time?  Spells was an enjoyable paranormal read.  The love triangle between Laurel, David, and Tamani is intriguing and is often a reminder of how Laurel, a faerie raised with humans, continues to live in both worlds.  In the end will Laurel find a compromise or will she have to choose between living as faerie or human?

I recommend Spells (Wings, book 2) to readers of paranormal romance, young adult, fantasy, faerie fiction, urban fantasy and especially to fans of the Wings series.

Source: This book was provided by the author or publisher for honest review.


Spells on Amazon.
Spells on Goodreads.

Guest Author Interview: Amanda Hocking

Please welcome today's guest author Amanda Hocking!  Amanda is the author of My Blood Approves, Fate, Flutter, and Switched.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?
 
Amanda:  Since I could write. Before I could write, I would constantly tell stories, and when I learned how to write, I'd fill up notebooks with stories and ideas and poems. Since I knew what an author was, I knew I was going to be one.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?
 
Amanda:  I used to have this old VHS tape of Bela Lugosi being a vampire, and that was one of my first tastes of it. But I really fell in love with the concept of vampires after I read Interview with the Vampire and saw The Lost Boys. With both of those, I saw how sexy and awesome vampires could really be.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
 
Amanda:  I'd love to never grow old, like vampires, but I don't think I'd wanna live forever. Being able to be invisible would be sweet, too. To be anywhere, to hear anything, that's infinite knowledge.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
 
Amanda:  For those that love vampires, I have the fourth book in my My Blood Approves series coming out in August. It's young adult, but it's fun and sexy and has a love triangle. Coming out mid-July, I have Switched which is YA paranormal romance - but its not about vampires, werewolves, shape shifters, witches, ghosts, or fae. It's something a little different, and I think that makes it fun.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
 
Amanda:  For Switched, I'd go with:
Olivia Thirlby as Wendy
Anjelica Huston as Elora
Ben Mckenzie as Matt
Chace Crawford as Rhys
Finn is too hard to cast - so I'm leaving that one for readers to decide ;)

Flutter (My Blood Approves, book 3) by Amanda Hocking.

Being undead doesn't make life any easier for Alice Bonham.

Her younger brother's love life is heating up, while hers is... more complicated. Mae is falling apart, her best friend Jane is addicted to vampire bites, and if Alice doesn't get her bloodlust under control, someone will end up dead.

Alice volunteers for a rescue mission with Ezra. But going up against a pack of rabid vampires might be too much, even for him.

Thank you Amanda for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

If you would like to learn more about Amanda Hocking and her books, please visit her website.