The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

****1/2

From Bloomsbury USA Children's Books:

For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate's campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets.

Meanwhile, Tess's guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can--and cannot--be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in Washington, but she's about to discover first-hand that power always comes with a price.

Source:  Advance copy from the publisher.

I love this series so much!  The Fixer was so phenomenal, I really didn't think the second book could live up to the hype in my head, but it did.  It so did.  Tess is an amazingly strong, intelligent and moral young woman while dealing with these huge issues on top of trying to grow up and dealing with all the normal teenager problems.  Going along for her journey is fascinating and wholly entertaining.  

The publisher calls this series a mix of Scandal and Veronica Mars and they couldn't be more on the mark.  It's about a kick-ass young woman solving mysteries and trying to do the right thing, even when it is difficult for her.  I don't want to say too much (I HATE spoilers!), so I will just say, this is one of my favorite series to come out the last couple of years.  I would love to buy it for everyone and make them read it so we can all freak out about it together!  But since I don't have that kind of money, I will just tell you all to read it.  Now.  Then come by and we can freak out about it together!  :-)

~ Shel

Waiting on Wednesday (186)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.



By Tessa Bailey
Publication Date: May 17, 2016

The first book in a brand new contemporary romance series from New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey!

When Rita Clarkson's Suburban takes its last breath on a New Mexico roadside, rescue roars up on a Harley in the form of smooth-talking honkey tonk owner, Jasper Ellis, a man as mysterious as he is charming. Rita's cross-country journey to New York City--with her three estranged siblings in tow--is only beginning, but now that Jasper has found Rita, his plans do not include her leaving.











By Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publication Date: June 7, 2016

Tess Kendrick, teen fixer extraordinaire, returns in a pulse-pounding thriller about a deadly conspiracy at the heart of Washington.

For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate's campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets.

Meanwhile, Tess's guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can--and cannot--be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in D.C., but she's about to discover first-hand that power always comes with a price.

Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Ally Carter, the second book in this thrilling series will leave readers breathless.


By Hannah McKinnon
Publication Date:  June 7, 2016

“When two roads diverge...take the one that leads to the beach! Hannah McKinnon delivers a charming gem of a novel in Mystic Summer. I adored this book.” —Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Rumor

A chance run-in with a college boyfriend puts a young woman’s picture-perfect life in perspective in this warm-hearted and lyrical novel—from the author of The Lake Season.

Since finishing graduate school, Maggie Griffin has worked hard to build an enviable life in Boston. She’s an elementary school teacher in a tony Boston suburb, a devoted sister, and a loving aunt. With her childhood best friend’s wedding quickly approaching and her own relationship blossoming, this is the summer she has been waiting for.

But when Maggie’s career is suddenly in jeopardy, her life begins to unravel. Stricken, Maggie returns home to seaside Mystic, Connecticut, where she expects to find comfort in family and familiarity. Instead, she runs into Cameron Wilder, a young man from her past who has also returned home, and whose life has taken a turn that puts Maggie’s city struggles in harsh perspective. When tragedy strikes for Cameron, Maggie is faced with big decisions as she weighs what matters most and strives to stay true to the person she’s become.

Set against the gorgeous backdrop of a New England summer when past and present collide, Mystic Summer is a gorgeous novel about looking back, moving forward, and the beauty that blooms when fate intervenes. 

Waiting on Wednesday (121)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

Title: Starstruck
Author: L.A. Witt
Publication Date: November 3, 2014
Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Hollywood is full of dirty secrets, but Carter refuses to be Levi’s.

Retired action star Levi Pritchard has made a quiet life for himself in the sleepy logging town of Bluewater Bay, Washington. But then Hollywood comes to film the wildly popular television series Wolf’s Landing, and Bluewater Bay isn’t so sleepy anymore. His retirement doesn’t stick, either, because he’s offered a part on the show—exactly the kind of complex role he’d always wanted, one that would prove him more than a glorified stuntman. The only catch? He has to stay in the closet—no matter how attractive he finds his co-star.

Carter Samuels is the critically-acclaimed male lead on Wolf’s Landing. And now, the man who inspired him to take up acting—and made him realize he’s gay—is joining the cast, and sparks fly between them instantly. But Carter is out and proud and determined to stay true to himself.

Remaining just friends is the only thing to do, as both the studio and Levi’s disapproving, dysfunctional family keep reminding them. Except their friendship deepens by the day, tempting them with what they can’t have but both desperately need.





Title: Killer Instinct (The Naturals #2)
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Seventeen-year-old Cassie Hobbes has a gift for profiling people. Her talent has landed her a spot in an elite FBI program for teens with innate crime-solving abilities, and into some harrowing situations. After barely escaping a confrontation with an unbalanced killer obsessed with her mother’s murder, Cassie hopes she and the rest of the team can stick to solving cold cases from a distance.

But when victims of a brutal new serial killer start turning up, the Naturals are pulled into an active case that strikes too close to home: the killer is a perfect copycat of Dean’s incarcerated father—a man he’d do anything to forget. Forced deeper into a murderer’s psyche than ever before, will the Naturals be able to outsmart the enigmatic killer’s brutal mind games before this copycat twists them into his web for good?

With her trademark wit, brilliant plotting, and twists that no one will see coming, Jennifer Lynn Barnes will keep readers on the edge of their seats (and looking over their shoulders) as they race through the pages of this thrilling novel

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

****

From Random House:

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people.  Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want.  But, it's not a skill that she's ever taken seriously.  That it, until the FBI come knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.  

What Cassie doesn't realize is that there's more at risk than a few unsolved homicides - especially when she's sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own.  Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem.  And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close.  Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all their gifts just to survive.  

The The Mentalist meets Pretty Little Liars - Jennifer Lynn Barnes' The Naturals is a gripping psychological thriller with killer appeal, a to-die-for romance, and the bones of a gritty and compelling new series.  

I agree that The Naturals was a gripping psychological thriller that totally creeped me out, but I disagree with the comparison to Pretty Little Liars (which I find incredibly annoying).  The Naturals is my first Jennifer Lynn Barnes experience and I am glad I picked it up.    

It's always tricky to bring together an ensemble cast in the first book of a series, but Ms. Barnes seamlessly brings together The Naturals Team and I look forward to much more character development in the next installment.  I think there are endless possibilities and The Naturals was a great start.   

To me, there's no better time for creepy mysteries than fall and The Naturals does not disappoint.  The story is a chilling, nightmare inducing mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end.

~Shel

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

 

Taken by Storm (Raised by Wolves #3)

By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publication Date: May 22, 2012

There is no description for this title yet but I have no doubt it's going to be fantastic!  After reading Trial by Fire, we know the decision Bryn needs to make and I am hoping this book will finish the series by answering all of our unanswered questions and giving Bryn a happy ending.

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

* * * 1/2

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.


Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.


When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process



Every Other Day is the third Jennifer Lynn Barnes book that I have read. Before this, I read Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire (which, by the way, I need to write a review for that..Add that to the To Do List. Check.). Both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

What Jennifer Lynn Barnes is proving time and again is that she knows how to write seriously kick-ass female protagonists. Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire had Bryn. The emotionally strong human female that was trained to give werewolves a run for their money. In Every Other Day we meet Kali. She is a normal human girl every other day of her life. But on the odd days she is something completely different. A hunter of the preternatural, she feels no pain and cannot be killed.

On a human day, Kali notices that a girl at school is being unknowingly and slowly attacked by a preternatural creature. Kali lures the creature into her body in the hopes that she can hold it until she becomes immortal the following day. But things don’t turn out as she hopes and she finds herself racing against the clock to find out more about herself and the person that the creature inside her body has linked her to.

Like other Jennifer Lynn Barnes books, the story does not focus on the relationship between a girl and boy. The focus is on solving the mystery of her past as well as the relationships she builds along the way. And to top it all off, there is non-stop action. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat until you reach a surprise ending that you didn’t quite expect.

Only two things kept me from giving this book 4*’s. First, Kali was a rather morose character. Although kick-ass she is a loner that fought being a leader almost every step of the way. This was necessary for the character and her development but it was a bit frustrating at times. Second, it took a while for the story to grab my attention. Once it did though, watch out because it doesn’t stop. This was a fun read and a nice break from the traditional YA romance that I usually read. I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you enjoyed Ms. Barnes’ previous books.



~ Nat

A Peek In The Biblio-Bin - #3

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.

This week Nat is giving you a peek into her section of the Biblio-Bin.

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between...She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive...and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

SHAKESPEARE SHAPIRO HAS ALWAYS hated his name. His parents bestowed it on him as some kind of sick joke when he was born, and his life has gone downhill from there, one embarrassing incident after another. Entering his senior year of high school, Shakespeare has never had a girlfriend, his younger brother is cooler than he is, and his best friend's favorite topic of conversation is his bowel movements.

But Shakespeare will have the last laugh. He is chronicling every mortifying detail in his memoir, the writing project each senior at Shakespeare's high school must complete. And he is doing it brilliantly. And, just maybe, a prize-winning memoir will bring him respect, admiration, and a girlfriend . . . or at least a prom date.

Benson Fisher thought a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

Comment and let us know what reads you are looking forward to this week!

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

* * * *

Synopsis taken from author’s website:

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.



But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.



But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?



Bryn has the ability to mentally bond with the Pack that has raised her since she was a child. However, she has refused the bond, knowing that if she submits to it, she will be forever attached to the Pack and they will know her every thought and every move. She doesn’t want to lose that privacy. That part of herself that separates herself from the wolves.

When she learns that a boy locked in Callum’s basement might be able to tell her more about her parents’ death, she and Callum seal a deal that will set off a chain of events that will test both Bryn’s personal boundaries and the boundaries of the Pack.

The characters in this book are wonderfully complex. You are constantly wondering what someone’s agenda is. Sometimes it is simple. Other times…not so much. A favorite of mine were Bryn’s friends. Devon, the young metrosexual werewolf that will sometimes break into a show tune. And then there is Lake. The young female werewolf with a shotgun named Matilda. Seriously. Any character that is reminiscent of Jayne and Vera from Firefly, has my undying devotion.

The writing is unique in that the Pack mentality is often put into words. The scenes where the reader see’s the inner workings of a wolf’s thoughts are fascinating. They are simple and succinct. The writing during these moments is purposely primitive allowing you to get inside the Pack bond. This primitiveness also promotes an intensity to the story that would be missing otherwise.

I do warn readers that this book is violent and there are scenes that will seriously make you cringe and wonder how any good will come out of it. Just keep reading and watch the game of chess that is this book play out. You won’t be disappointed.

~ Nat