Grave Intentions Book Tour: Review & GIVEAWAY

Welcome to our stop of Lori Sjoberg's Grave Intentions book tour! This tour is hosted by Bewitching Book Tours and I got to read this awesome, awesome, AWESOME book a few weeks ago, so I'll tell you what I think of it. And then, because the author is so amazing, you'll get a chance to win a copy of the book for yourself!

He’s handsome, reliable, and punctual—the perfect gentleman when you want him to be. But this dream man is Death’s best agent—and now he’s got more than his soul to lose…

One act of mercy before dying was all it took to turn soldier David Anderson into a reaper—an immortal who guides souls-of-untimely-death into the afterlife. But the closer he gets to atoning for his mortal sin and finally escaping merciless Fate, the more he feels his own humanity slipping away for good. Until he encounters Sarah Griffith. This skeptical scientist can’t be influenced by his powers—even though she has an unsuspected talent for sensing the dead. And her honesty and irreverent sense of humor reignite his reason for living—and a passion he can’t afford to feel. Now Fate has summoned David to make a devastating last harvest. And he’ll break every hellishly-strict netherworld rule to save Sarah...and gamble on a choice even an immortal can’t win.

 

My Review

I almost never like the main characters. They're usually so naive and helpless, never having much of a story to tell unless someone else is willing to tell it for them. To me, the minor characters are the ones to watch. Their history is rich with imagination, and they can afford to be kind and selfless where the main characters cannot. They have the greatest personalities because they're not the ones trying to stay in the proverbial spotlight. They don't need to.

Grave Intentions really surprised me by refusing to fall for this trap. Yeah, I still liked the minor characters (I mean, really, who could resist Pearl and Adam?) because they still kept all of their unique depth and stories to tell on their own, but they weren't the only ones. David really surprised me by being pretty freakin' awesome.

Sure, I may tolerate the main character, but I don't usually like him, and he is certainly never my favorite. David is the exception. He had more history and depth and reason to him than most characters in any book could ever dream of having. He was certainly not perfect, but what else could you expect from that line of work? Being a reaper means being detached or losing your humanity to the countless deaths that surround you, like his boss did. Every time I saw David truly feel the pain from the souls he took, I couldn't bear to see him so saddened, but I was also happy in an offhanded sort of way. When countless lives lost starts meaning nothing to you, that's when you become less alive than the bodies you leave behind. And that is unacceptable.

David may have come close a few times. He wasn't there yet, but in a few decades, if his time refused to run out, he may have reached his breaking point. David was probably more human in the beginning that most of the other reapers out there on their first day. Listening to his story of how he was damned to this nearly eternal torture broke my heart, and that's when I decided that no matter what, he deserved the happiness that was taken away from him too quickly.

I was very pleased with the ending of this novel, even if it did seem a little predictable when it started coming to a close. I don't really think that there could have been a better option for the author to choose, but because it seemed like the only reasonable choice, it may have lost a bit of it's affect. Perhaps if more angles had been looked at before, I wouldn't have expected it as much, but honestly, it wasn't that big of a deal. In the entire novel, that was the only minor complaint I had, and if you ask me, that's not too shabby.

Rating: 4 stars

 

Goodreads             Amazon             B&N

[This excerpt is from the very beginning of the book, where David is taking Adam (the new reaper trainee) to his first soul collection.]

The Excerpt

"The accident had blocked traffic in all directions, creating a rush-hour nightmare that would take hours to unravel. David wove a path between the idling vehicles, leaving Adam no choice but to follow in his wake. The stench of gasoline grew stronger as they got closer, until they reached the intersection and the scene came into view. 

It was a wonder she was still alive. The young woman’s broken body lay pinned inside the wreckage, the steering wheel crushing her chest like a vise. Her ribs were shattered, puncturing her lungs, making each desperate gasp increasingly painful. 

Her passenger got the better end of the bargain. He died on impact; his mangled remains barely recognizable among the tangled heap of metal. Already, his soul was separating from his body, confused and chaotic in its search for some semblance of order. 

David rounded what was left of the front end and sank down beside the passenger side door. “Take the driver,” he ordered Adam before turning his attention back to the passenger. 

“How?” Adam kneeled down by the driver’s side window, taking in the sight of a life soon to expire. 

“Just do it like I told you!” David barked, too occupied to hold his trainee’s hand. Already, a crowd was forming, human vultures eager to witness carnage, so long as it wasn’t their own. Sirens wailed in the distance as emergency vehicles rushed to the scene. They needed to finish the job and get the hell out of Dodge before the cavalry arrived or anyone got suspicious. 

David opened himself up and the soul swept into his body, drawn in by the unspoken promise of warmth and answers. He could feel its essence now, could feel the swirling tempest of love, hate, unfulfilled hopes and dreams, and regrets. When the soul realized its body was gone, there was a sharp spike of bitterness, disappointment, and undiluted despair, and David thought, right there with you, pal. 

“David?” Adam called out from the opposite side of the car. “A little help over here?” It took him a few seconds to respond while he waited for the soul to settle down and make itself at home. 

“Yeah?” David finally said once he regained his composure. 

“Could you come over here, please?” 

Moving around the back of the wreck, he crouched down beside Adam. His eyes tracked briefly to the dying driver, her breaths coming closer, her life force bleeding out. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, but she didn’t seem to notice or care. “What is it?” 

“She’s not dead, yet,” Adam whispered. “I think I can save her.” 

David studied the driver for a fleeting moment, assessing her condition. Already, he could smell the sharp tang of Death, waiting to swoop down to claim its prize. “No, you can’t,” he said with a shake of his head. “She’s not going to make it.” 

“How do you know that for sure?” Adam asked, his tone ripe with accusation. He tugged on the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge. “She’s still alive. If I can figure out a way to get her out of the car, maybe I can—” 

“No, you can’t,” David interrupted, his patience exhausted. He grabbed Adam by the shirt collar and dragged him away from the window. “I know you mean well, kid, but let’s get something straight. You are an agent of Death, not the angel of mercy.” He gave his apprentice a good shake. “Stop acting like a Boy Scout and do your damn job. If you need to comfort her until she takes her last breath, that’s your choice, not mine. Do whatever the Hell you have to. But do not forget why you’re here.” He nodded toward the woman. “She will die, no matter what you try to do. Get over it.” 

He let Adam go and shifted closer to the window. “Take it easy, ma’am,” he said calmly, digging deep for a slice of compassion but coming up with crumbs instead. “Adam’s going to take real good care of you.” 

The woman’s gaze drifted up, distant and unfocused. Her mouth cracked open but no noise came out. Then a strangled moan escaped her lips and her eyes went blank. 

David grabbed Adam’s arm and dragged him over to the door. “Time to pop your cherry, boy.”"

 

About the Author

Growing up the youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for staying out past curfew.

After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science, Lori worked for nearly a decade in retail management. When that got boring, she switched to financial planning, and then insurance. The writing bug bit a few years later. After completing her first manuscript, she joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at work, and the creative half writing paranormal romance. When she’s not doing either one of those, she’s usually spending time with her husband and children of the four-legged variety.

Website          Goodreads          Facebook          Twitter

 

The Giveaway

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The Tour

January 4 - Guest Blog at Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's

January 4 - Guest Blog & Review at Urban Girl Reader

January 5 - Promo & Review at Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess

January 5 - Review at Celestial Reviews

January 6 - Guest Blog at Romancing the Dark Side

January 6 - Promo at The Stuff of Success

January 7 - Guest Blog at Grave Tells

January 7 - Interview at Deep In The Heart Romance 

January 8 - Guest Blog at Tynga's Reviews

January 8 - Review at Cloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuff

January 9 - Promo at Reginamayross's Blog

January 9 - Promo & Review at Mimmi's Musings

January 10 - Guest Blog at Kacey's Konnections

January 10 - Review at A Girl and Her Kindle

January 10 - Review at Book On A Wire

January 11 - Guest Blog at Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind

January 11 - Interview & Review at The Wormhole

January 11 - Review at Marked By Books

January 12 - Guest Blog at TBQ'S Book Palace

January 12 - Promo & Review at Booked & Loaded

January 13 - Interview at Reader's Edyn

January 13 - Interview at For The Love of Reading

January 14 - Guest Blog at Shelley Munro

January 14 - Interview at Blooding Book Reviews

January 15 - Guest Blog at Buffy's Ramblings

January 15 - Interview & Review at Musings From An Addicted Reader

January 16 - Guest Blog at Fangs, Wands & Fairydust

January 16 - Promo & Review at Happy Tails and Tales

January 17 - Review at Fangs, Wands & Fairydust

January 17 - Spotlight at Victoria Danann and Paranormal Romance News

January 18 - Guest Blog at Bookin' It Reviews

A copy of the novel was provided for us in exchange for an honest review.

Cryptid Tales Cover Reveals

Recently, author Brina Courtney had the book covers for her Cryptid Tales series redesigned. The first two books and prequel have already been released, but book number three, Settle, won't be out until late January or February this year. If you're interested in taking a look at the series BOOK ONE IS AVAILABLE FOR FREE on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!!!!

***

Book One: Reveal

Original Cover

 

New Cover

 

Shay could be the key to ending a war that humans don't know exist. Of a race of beings that aren't real, or are they?

Shay Tafford's childhood has been fatherless, filled instead with memories of speaking to the dead. She is forced to hide her unique ability from those living around her. That's why it's been comforting to have Jeremy, a child ghost, as her confidante. But recently he's been absent, perhaps lost as her father is. When Shay meets Hugh, the guy she's had a crush on for weeks, and finds he can speak to ghosts too she's just starting to find a normalcy in her life.

But as Hugh reveals the truth to Shay, about who she really is and about what it is she can do, he erases all chances she had at a normal existence. Turns out talking to ghosts is just scratching the surface of her genetically engineered gifts. Shay learns she may be part of an age old prophecy that could save the entire race of cryptids. But can she?

Goodreads          Amazon          B&N

Book Two: Capture

Original Cover

 

New Cover

 

One this is for sure, Shay is in for the fight of her life.

Shay is finally learning who she is, and who it is she will become. But for now escaping the clutches of the evil Malsumis will have to be enough. Or is it?

In Capture Shay embraces other cryptids in order to defeat their common enemy.

She is willing to die trying to save her father and the love of her life, Hugh.

But can Hugh, her cryptid mate, protect her from the evil Malsumis? Or will she fall victim to his horrible plans?

Goodreads          Amazon          B&N

Book Three: Settle

Betrayal leaves nasty scars. A soul departs. Love must conquer all, or be lost forever. 

Shay's life has once again fallen into mystery as she discovers her father's whereabouts. On a mission to locate him and bring him home she learns more about who to trust than she thought possible. Her group of cryptids will be forced to rise again and defeat their common enemy, but they will also discover another hidden threat. As thier queen, Shay's discoveries in Settle, the final installment of the Cryptid Tales series, will shake the cryptid world forever. 

Goodreads

About the Author

Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She's spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.

Website          Facebook          Twitter          Goodreads

So what do you guys think of the new covers? How do they hold up against the old ones for the first two books? My favorite is probably a tie between both the newly designed and the original covers for Capture. How about you?

Reveal Hosted By....

Review of The Stone Guardian by Theresa McClinton

I hosted a tour for this book a few weeks ago where I got to talk to the author, Theresa McClinton, about the world she created in this novel and a bit about her own life too. If you're interested, you can access the interview here. I was originally planning on reviewing the book at the time too, but there were issues among publishing powers high than I, and the book came to me too late. But, because I loved this book anyways, I still think it deserves its time in the limelight.

The Stone Guardian by Theresa McClinton

When myth becomes reality, reality becomes a nightmare.

Like any other teenager in America, Ashley just wants a normal life. But growing up in an orphanage for the insane is anything but normal. After endless therapy and increasing medication, her nightmares have only gotten worse.

Probably because they’re not nightmares.

When Ashley’s mysteriously abducted, she finds a reality even less normal than the orphanage. And she discovers something else—she’s no ordinary orphan. Faced with enemies thought to only exist in fairy tales, Ashley discovers she possesses a powerful Maya bloodline. She’s the daughter of an ancient Maya Guardian, whose duty is to protect the Stone of Muuk’ich, an enchanted relic blessed by the gods. But first she must get it back from Sarian, a power-hungry demigod who slaughtered the last guardian—Ashley’s mother. Without the stone, all will be lost.

When she meets Arwan, a hot Belizean time bender, his delicious olive skin and dark eyes make her feel a little less alone. But his gentle whispers and reassuring touch might not be all they seem. How can she balance love and duty when it’s up to her to prevent the rising of the underworld? Especially when the guy she loves might be its crown prince…

 

When it comes to mythology in literature, you've got your Greek and Roman, Egyptian, Norse, or something else along the lines of ancient Eurasia. Very, very rarely do you ever see anything from the Western Hemisphere, and usually it's just Native American at that. This is the very first book I've ever read that centers around any sort of Mesoamerican mythology.

I suppose I can understand why there aren't that many out there. Aside from bloody sacrifice and maybe Quetzalcoatl, we really don't know that much about them other than the fact that they've all seemed to mysteriously disappear. It's pretty difficult to directly immerse readers in a culture that they aren't very familiar with, but I think that Theresa McClinton did an absolutely wonderful job.

She didn't make the common mistake that a lot of authors have been making lately by assuming that your reader has at least baseline knowledge on the subject. Some people may. They'll pick apart every little nuance of the culture in play and obnoxiously wave around if it deviates from what they believe to be true. That's how I am with Greek mythology, making it very dangerous for me to read or watch anything on the subject. Just ask my family.

By choosing a culture that has sparked a lot of interest (recently because of the whole apocalypse ordeal), but still gives you some room to tweak a few details to fit the story, that danger is erased. People that know just a little bit about the Mayans from world history classes will be overjoyed when they see something they recognize. Those that have no clue what's going on will enjoy it for the story and all of the new legends and creatures they discover. I think I'm somewhere in the middle.

But back to the novel because that's actually what I'm supposed to be talking about. I loved it. It was the perfect balance between a slow discovery and action packed, leaving plenty of time for both. Every time it seemed like things were starting to wind down, something interesting would happen to pick it back up. It also wasn't so fast paced that I didn't have time to stop and smell those proverbial roses and get to know the characters as people instead of just pawns to the plotline.

And those characters were so awesome. They each had their own unique personality and role in the story without seeming like they were just placeholders to move the story along. I don't think there was a character I didn't like. Tara seemed kind of ditsy at first, but the more I learned about her and her reasons for being in the orphanage, the more I came to like her. She had seemed like a very one sided character in the beginning, but she turned out to be anything but.

I feel like I shouldn't like Jared as much as I do, but there's really nothing I can do about that. He seems at first like he only exists in the story as an extension of Ashley's former life, but he refuses to be that simplistic. I'm pretty sure I just tolerated him up until I started reading those passages from him perspective, but after that, there was no turning back. He's hilarious. Who else would name themselves James Bond while time traveling?

The only real complaint that I have is so petty that I'm not even sure if I should mention it. It really doesn't matter that much at all, but it was still there nonetheless. It's just that I never thought that Ashley's name fit her very well. In the beginning, when I matched her physical description to the cover model, neither of them really seemed like an Ashley. I know, nit-picky, but what are you gonna do? Then as the story kept going on, because she's the main character, I guess I didn't hear her name matched to her enough because every time someone said "Ashley," I was like "What? Wait. Who?"

I know that's pathetic, but it really didn't bother me that much because it didn't come up that often. And the story itself and the characters that live in it are what I'm supposed to fall in love with, not their names. She could have been called Fabiana for all I care.

I am really excited to read the next book because of all of the unanswered questions I have, like how Arwan's ancestry is going to affect things, and exactly who Ashley's father is and why he decided to leave her at the orphanage. I guess I'll just have to wait and see!

My Rating:

Here was my favorite passage in the novel, from a character that I really hope we see more of:

After a silent moment, Drina whopped him on top of his head with a stick. Arwan jumped and rubbed the sore spot on his scalp. "Is enough of feeling bad for yourself," Drina scolded, waving the stick in his face, her wrinkles puckered into a scowl. Grunts pushed out of her throat as she got to her feet and stared down at him.

"What was that for?" Arwan asked. The woman had lost her mind.

Drina grabbed him by his earlobe and pulled him off the ground. "Pitiful boy sits. Does nothing but rolls in mud like an elephant in the heat." Arwan stumbled under her head, half crouched while Drina dragged him out of the hut and to the bank of a stream.

When she finally let go, Arwan stood up straight, nearly two heads taller than her. He rubbed his ear without the slightest clue how to respond. Drina was a lot of things, but insane was never on the top of the list. Something had set her off, and Arwan knew well enough to shut his mouth and listen.

Oh, and make sure you don't forget to sign up to win a free copy of the novel here!

Goodreads               Amazon               B&N

A copy of the novel was provided to us in exchange for an honest review.

Review of Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

People, this amazing book from the even more amazing Veronica Rossi releases TOMORROW! To celebrate its release, I'm finally reviewing it here on the blog.

I actually kinda dropped the ball on this one. I was lucky enough to win an ARC of the novel from the author and pretty much devoured it in a day, but I never got around to writing the review! I fail.

But because I love these books so much, I'm not going to let it bother me. Seriously, this is one of my favorite series ever. I've probably spotlighted it more than any other book in this blog's history. Take a look for yourself.

Coming Soon....: Through the Ever Night - Where I first introduce the two books and novella.

Through the Ever Night ARC!!!!! - Where I present the glory of the newly arrived ARC in all of its beautifulness.

Trailer-palooza #3: Veronica Rossi - Where I show the two trailers for the series and nearly explode from how wonderful the first one is.

Top 10 of 2012: Best Books I've Read in 2012 - Under the Never Sky is listed as one of the best books I'd read in 2012.

Top 10 of 2012: Best Book Boyfriends of 2012 - Where both Perry AND Roar are commended on their skills in the realm of romance.

 

About the Book

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.





Bask in its awesomeness! Bask, I tell you!

 

My Review

Veronica Rossi has done it again. I really, really didn't think it could get any better after Under the Never Sky. It is very rare that an author can manage to pull of a sequel to a highly acclaimed novel that manages to be just as good as the first. In the first book of a series, everything is new and exciting. You've never met any of these characters before, and sometimes you get a whole new world to discover. You can't possibly beat that.

Well, Veronica Rossi managed to do just that in Through the Ever Night. I loved this book so much that I can't even possibly describe it in my own words without putting it to shame. It was so incredible that I'm just speechless. And I've had a few months to process it already.

The thing about this book that allowed it to be just as good as its predecessor is that it was still willing to keep things fresh without destroying everything we learned in the first novel. There is nothing that I can't stand more than an author who runs out of ideas for their books but keeps making up things to keep the story going anyways. This DOES NOT happen here.

I was able to learn more things about this world and the characters within it because they grew and offered new possibilities. But they were still the same characters that I fell absolutely, head-over-heels in love with in Under the Never Sky.

Aria is still an extremely strong heroine but has her own faults so that she appears human. She will let herself suffer for others and will do anything to help those she cares about, even if they don't know it yet.

Perry is responsible and loyal to a fault, especially to those who don't deserve him. He accepts the fact that there are people relying on him to be strong in the toughest of times, but he still knows what he wants and will never leave them.

Cinder is a troubled child with a history that nobody has heard until now. He has a power that's darker and more powerful than anyone had ever imagined: a power people are willing to kill for. He doesn't understand how anyone could ever love him, but he craves that affection more than anything. He's lost everything he's ever cared about, and now that he's found a new home, he will do anything to protect it.

And Roar. There are no beautifully lyrical thoughts that I can give to describe him because he'd probably twist them into something either extremely suggestive or hilarious (probably both) and I'd die of laughter. He's just too awesome to contain himself, and he knows it. He will do anything to bring a smile to the faces of those he cares about, and he's just a huge teddy bear. I've become more attached to Roar than any other character.

When the unthinkable happens to the most important person in his life and something breaks inside of him, I almost die from the incredible sorrow I feel. I'm just about ready to jump into the book, shake him, and beg him to say something, anything, so that I know he's okay. Roar's the kind of person that will break the coldest heart just by being sad. Nothing bad should ever happen to a person like him, and I hope more than anything in the next book that he can find a way to be happy again.

Though the Ever Night pulled me around on an intense emotional roller coaster. I know that sounds cheesy, but there's really not a better way to describe what happened. One moment I would be flying with joy because my favorite characters are all together and happy, and the very next I'm nearly in tears because I don't know if they'll ever be that way again.

For me, emotional books can be very scary. I'll experience a whole range of feelings that I probably didn't even know I was capable of, but the one thing that is not acceptable is anger. I am absolutely not allowed to get mad at the book I'm reading because then I'm automatically thrown out of that world to silently seethe in my own. I don't want to do that. I may be allowed to get mad at the characters for doing stupid things, but if I get mad at the actual book, it looses all of its magic. The task of navigating the line between the two is no small feat, but this book managed to do just that. I want to thank Veronica Rossi from the very bottom of my heart for creating such an incredible novel for me to get lost in, and filling it with so much perfection that I just don't know what to do with other than embrace with everything inside of me. Thank you.

Rating: ∞ stars

I would also like to dearly thank Veronica Rossi and Harper Teen for the chance that they gave me to read this book early. I was practically bouncing off of the walls when I read that I had won a copy.

Also thank you so much again, again to Veronica for that extra signed bookmark that you included with the book. I love it so much.

For When Words Aren't Enough

And just in case I haven't completely covered it, thank you, thank you, thank you! Everybody else, go buy your copy right now! I promise you won't regret it!

Goodreads          Amazon          B&N          The Book Depository

The Gatekeeper's Challenge Book Tour: Review, Interview, & GIVEAWAY

Welcome to our stop of Eva Pohler's The Gatekeeper's Challenge book tour! This tour is hosted by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, and I'm going to tell you what I thought of this novel, as well as let you know about a pretty cool contest that the author is hosting over at her website. But first, I got the chance to talk to her and ask a few questions, so let's turn it over to Eva Pohler!

 

The Interivew

1.   Would you say that your writing life and your family/social life are very intertwined? 

Absolutely. I sit with my laptop in my favorite chair, feet on an ottoman, in the living room—not much used by the rest of the family, but a pass-through in our house. Constant kid, dog, and hubby traffic go by as I’m writing, and I’m frequently expected to engage. Sometimes it’s to answer kid and hubby questions, sometimes to let the dog out, and sometimes, (less often, but it’s there) to share a eureka moment I had in the construction of plot or character or both. I’m also an active member of a book club, comprised of my best friends, and in addition to discussing our book-of-the-month, I keep everyone updated on my writing and publishing life. My hubbie works as a great sounding board, too, especially at night when he’s hoping for a back scratch. That’s when I say, “I’ll scratch your back if you tell me what you think about…” It’s always a done deal.

2.   Is there anything new that you're working on that you can tell us about? 

I’m about halfway finished with the first draft of the third book in The Gatekeeper’s Trilogy and on target to release it next December. I’ve also completed the millionth draft of the first book of a two-book series, called The Purgatorium, which will be released May 1, 2013. The Purgatorium is a young adult story, like The Gatekeeper’s Trilogy, but, unlike Gatekeeper’s, which is steeped in Greek mythology, it’s purely realistic. A seventeen-year-old girl agrees to go with her best friend to try out a new resort on an island off the coast of California unaware that her parents have set her up for the most thrilling, and frightening, ride of her life as part of an experimental therapy for suicidals.

3.   For those who don't know much about The Gatekeeper's Challenge, how would you describe it? 

I’d say it’s written for a slightly older audience than the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and with more romance but with similar characters from Greek mythology.

 4.   What was your favorite scene to write in The Gatekeeper's Challenge? Your least favorite? 

Two scenes stand out as my favorites. I loved writing the scene where Therese faces the Hydra. I didn’t want it to be just another fight between a girl and a monster, and I’m thrilled with the twists and turns it takes. I equally enjoyed writing the last scene, though I was near tears. I’ll refrain from describing it so as not to spoil the story. 

I suppose the last scene was also my least favorite to write, because as thrilled as I was to have come up with it, it was a hard thing to put my characters through.

5.   Looking back, if you could change one thing about The Gatekeeper's Challenge, what would it be?

There’s absolutely nothing I would change about The Gatekeeper’s Challenge. I love it so much! But I would change something about the first book in the trilogy, The Gatekeeper’s Sons. Although most of the reviews for the first book have been great, more than one person felt the middle part of the story was slower than the beginning and the end. I think it’s because the first book is more about the characters falling in love and getting to know each other, whereas the second and third are full of adventure. I realize now that most of my readers, being lovers of Greek mythology, will likely prefer a more action-packed pace.

6.   Did you ever want to be anything other than an author? If so, what? What made you decide to be an author? 

I started college hoping to be like Anton Chekhov—both a writer and a doctor—but my struggle with organic chemistry changed that plan. Instead, I earned a Ph.D. in English, so I suppose I did become a writer and a doctor of another kind. 

Becoming an author wasn’t so much a decision as it was a compulsion. For me, writing started as an avoidance mechanism that eventually grew into a full-fledged obsession.

7.   What is your favorite book that you've read so far this year? Favorite book of all time? How about movie? 

This is your toughest question yet! I read at least two books a month, and sometimes more, so I have many to choose from this year alone. I was going to say I can narrow my favorite down to two: Stephenie Meyer’s The Host and Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. But then I remembered I read Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides, this year, and so that one’s the winner. Code Name Verity, by Elizabeth Wein was a close runner up. 

My favorite book of all time. Hmm. Gosh. That would have to be either Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, or Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier. In young adult, it would be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling. 

My favorite movie this year was The Dark Knight (but I haven’t seen The Hobbit yet!). My favorite movie of all time is Pride and Prejudice.

 

This or That

  
Series or Stand-Alone? Ahh! You’re killing me! It’s like Sophie’s Choice! 
Morning or Night? Easy one! Night. 
Chicken or the Egg? Chicken. 
Coffee or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate.
Star Wars or Star Trek? Star Wars (I’m SO sorry, Bones, Spock, and Captain Kirk, but she’s making me choose!).

That last scene killed me too! It was so hard to read, and even harder to stop reading once it ended!

Actually, in The Gatekeeper's Sons, the middle part was probably my favorite. It may not exactly be in action packed, kill the bad guy mode, but that's where I think the characters felt the most real. I don't like to see the characters that I've just learned to fall in love with suffer, and they were so happy when they were falling in love. I didn't want it to end!

And I suppose you pass the Star Trek test. But only because you mentioned Spock.

 

My Review

Therese is not perfect. She lies, she makes mistakes, she judges, she hurts people, and she lets her past cloud her future. She doesn't always live up the the expectations placed upon her, yet she's disappointed when others don't meet hers. You want to know why she acts so human? Because she is human, which is a fact that I think so many authors have come to forget. Eva Pohler is not one of them.

Human beings were never meant to be perfect, and the imaginary ones are no exception. They cheat, they lie, and they grovel just like the rest of us. That's why we can relate to them so well. When an author tries to take those characteristics away, trying to "improve" them, they're no longer like us. They don't mean anything.

Therese had been through a lot that past year. People died, they left her all alone, and she doesn't understand why. All she knows is that she will do anything to get them back, or to get back to them. Even if that means she has to die.

Therese does a whole lot of stupid things in this book, most of which have consequences that she, or even the gods, can't erase. People die by her hands, but she regrets it more than words can express. She may not be perfect, but she's not a monster either.

I'm not so sure if I liked Therese more than I just appreciated her. She made me mad more times than I can count, and I was chanting "stupid girl, stupid, stupid girl" right along with Artemis pretty often.

As usual, I absolutely loved a lot of the minor characters, namely Asterion and Ariadne. I was absolutely crushed when Therese had to fight them, especially after they were so kind in letting her pass through the labyrinth unharmed.

Hephaestus I adored as well, mostly because of how human he was willing to act. Unlike many of the other gods (except for maybe Hermes), he was humble and genuinely cared for Therese as a person instead of a creature to do his bidding. You didn't see him expecting her to commit her life to smiths work before he was willing to help, and he was more than willing to comfort her and be that kind face in the crowd.

I was pretty fond of the Holts as well, expect, of course, for Mr. Holt. I hadn't really like Jen that much in the beginning of the first book, but she really pulled on my heartstrings once I learned more about her. Bobby, of course, was adorable, and his enthusiasm was much appreciated.

And then there's Pete. I love, love, love, loved Pete. I'm not saying that he was a better fit for Therese than Than was, but I still absolutely adored him. He was so kind, considerate, and gentle, never doing anything that he thought might upset Therese. He was willing to turn his whole family against him to protect his little sister when she was too afraid to stand up for herself, and he always put others first. He was never rude or cruel to Than even though he was kind of stealing his girl, and I don't think he ever blamed Therese for what she did, even though she deserved it. He was willing to wait so that he wouldn't hurt her, even after he gave up his whole future to stay for the ones he loved. Anything happens to him, and I'm breaking out the pitchforks, understood?

Rating: 5 stars

Ooo, looking back on this now, it seems that I spent too much time fawning over the characters, but I think that's going to be just fine. There are so many books out there that are centered around Greek mythology that I think you have to have above average characters to stand out. Judging from what I wrote above, that can be assured in this book.

But even if you don't believe me (really people, I'm starting to take it personally!), you can read this excerpt from somewhere around halfway through the novel to convince yourself. In this part, Than is talking to his father, Hades, after Therese starts the impossible challenges she must complete in order to prove that she is worthy enough to become a god.

 

The Excerpt

"“And I thought you were the god of justice!”

“These are challenges, Thanatos. The more challenging, the better the victory.”

“Hah! Admit it. You want her to fail!”

Hades didn’t hide the smile creeping across his face as he stood and met Than’s eyes, their noses inches apart. “I want her to pay! She was an embarrassment to me last summer. If she’s to join us here in my palace, I want her to suffer first.”

“The punishment should fit the crime!” Than said.

“Agreed!” Hades bellowed. “I said those very words to your sisters before you arrived. They want to drag on too long the punishment of a murderer in Paris before they bring him here. I think they are motivated by something other than justice.”

The Furies stood up, their eyes changing from blue in one and brown in the other to dark red. Blood dripped to their cheeks.

“Who doesn’t love Paris?” Tizzie hissed.

“We’ll leave you now,” Meg snarled.

The Furies vanished.

Hades crossed his arms at his chest. “And you are, too, Thanatos.”

“She had compassion for a man who was no longer a threat to her. She refused to kill him in cold blood. How is that a failure?”

“He deserved death. Her parents deserved vengeance. You deserved her to keep her word! She’s the one who let you down, son. Not me. She chose to have mercy on that killer over becoming your wife. Doesn’t that bother you even a little?”

Than’s throat tightened and no words came. He could think of nothing to say. Yes, it had bothered him. It had bothered him a lot. Only her prayers in the aftermath of the battle convinced him of her love. Her prayers, not her actions.

The challenges gave her the opportunity to remedy that. His father was right."

Awesome, huh?

About the Book

Ten agonizing months have gone by since Therese faced off against her parents’ murderer at Mount Olympus, and she suspects Thanatos’s absence is meant to send her a message: go on with your life. She tries to return Pete’s affections even though her heart aches for the god of death, but when Than shows up to take her hamster’s soul, she becomes infuriated when he says he’s “been busy.” In cahoots with her new friend, who's gotten in with the Demon Druggies at school, Therese takes a drug that simulates a near-death experience, planning to tell Than off so she can have closure and move on, but things go very, very wrong. 

Eventually she learns Than has been busy searching for a way to make her a god, and he’s found it, but it requires her to complete a set of impossible challenges designed by Hades, who hopes to see her fail.

Goodreads       Amazon       B&N

The Book Depository       Smashwords

And because this is the second book in the series, here's a little bit about the first one.

Fifteen-year-old Therese watches her parents die. While in a coma, she meets the twin sons of Hades—Hypnos, the god of sleep, and Thanatos, the god of death. She thinks she's manipulating a dream, not kissing the god of death and totally rocking his world.

Than makes a deal with Hades and goes as a mortal to the Upperworld to try and win Therese's heart, but not all the gods are happy. Some give her gifts. Others try to kill her. 

The deal requires Therese to avenge the death of her parents. With the help of Than’s fierce and exotic sisters, the Furies, she finds herself in an arena face to face with the murderer, and only one will survive.

 Goodreads       Amazon       B&N

The Book Depository       Smashwords

 

 

About the Author

Eva Pohler teaches writing at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she lives with her husband, three children, two dogs, two rats, and her very large collection of books.

Website       Blog       Other Blog       Twitter       Goodreads

 

The Giveaway

Head over to Eva Pohler's blog to enter into a contest to win Athena's locket and one of Hera's golden apples!

 

The Tour

January 2 - Review at Jen McConnel

January 3 - Interview & Promo at Mom With a Kindle

January 4 - Guest Post & Promo at Lov Liv Life Reviews

January 5 - Review and Interview at Marked by Books

January 6 - Guest Post & Promo at Andi's YA Books

January 7 - Review at The Stuff of Success

January 9 - Guest Post & Promo at Let's Get Booked

January 10 - Review & Interview at The Library Haunt

January 12 - Review & Interview at Impressions of a Princess

January 13 - Guest Post & Promo at Book Lovin Mamas

January 14 - Promo at Lovely Reads

January 15 - Review at My Cozie Corner

January 16 - Review & Guest Post at I Have Lived a Thousand Lives

January 18 - Promo at YA Reviews and News

January 19 - Review & Guest Post at Book and Appointment with Wisdom Books

January 20 - Review & Interview at Magical Manuscripts

January 21 - Guest Post & Promo at Bibliophile's Thoughts

January 22 - Review & Guest Post at Inside BJ's Head

January 23 - Guest Post & Promo at Enchanting Reads

January 24 - Review at Love in a Book

January 26 - Review & Interview at Reading With Anacrasia

January 27 - Review at Books, Books, and More Books

January 28 - Review & Guest Post at Beloved Books

January 29 - Review & Guest Post The Avid Reader

January 30 - Promo at Jody's Book Reviews

A copy of the novel was provided for us in exchange for an honest review.