Blood by Tracy E. Banghart (By Blood #1 )
Publication date: February 18th 2013Genre: YA Paranormal
Purchase: Amazon | B&N
Synopsis:
For 17-year-old Emma Wong, spending a summer in England should be a dream come true. Gorgeous scenery? Check. Lots of hot guys with accents? Yes, please.Throw in an estranged mom, annoying new stepdad, and drooling baby half-brother, and it’s a disaster even her favorite cherry red leather jacket can’t fix. Even worse, there’s (hot) live-in research assistant Josh to contend with. The only thing more embarrassing than drunk-kissing him hours after they meet? Knowing he’ll be witness to her family’s dysfunction all. summer. long.
But when Emma meets a mysterious girl who happens to be a Druid, her vacation suddenly promises to be far more intriguing than she anticipated. Powerful rituals, new friends, an intoxicating sense of freedom...and Simon, the sexy foreign stranger she was hoping for. It’s all a perfect distraction from dirty diapers and awkward family dinners.
Trouble is, intriguing doesn’t often mean simple. And Emma is about to discover just how not simple her life really is.
By Blood is a novel about the ways that blood can bind us to others – or tear us apart.
My Thoughts:
After her mother left her father for another man Emma just couldn't forgive her mother. Now she's being forced to go spend the summer with her mother, stepfather and stepbrother Vermin in England. Emma is less then thrilled but has no other choice to go. When she meets the very strange and interesting Ash, Ash invites her to join her with a group ceremony involving druids. It was innocent enough at first, but as time goes one things start to happen and the little cult doesn't seem as innocent as she was led to believe.
"Since I was a child I'd always wished my imagination had gotten it right, that the world wasn't as boring and sad and broken as it seemed. That's why I'd gone with Ash, why I'd joined the Grove."
The covers to both the book was enough to interest me to check out the books but when I read the description of the book it sealed the deal for me and I just had to check out this book. I loved that this book had lots of drama, mystery, twists and turns that kept me guessing. I thought this book was well written and I just couldn't stop reading once I've started. I really liked that Emma wasn't so stubborn as to keep her mother out of her life even if she was stuck in a place she didn't want to be. I liked that eventually she trusted her mother to open up. I liked all the characters and look forward to seeing more in the next book Moon Child. I really liked that the main character, Emma, how real she felt. She acted like most teens her age, she was somewhat mature but still whiney. This is the first time I come across a book with druids in it, and found myself enjoying it.
Overall I enjoyed this book and believe you lovely readers will too. Highly Recommend. 4.5 Stars.
Moon Child by Tracy E. Banghart ( By Blood #2)
Publication date: August 16th 2013Genre: YA Paranormal
Purchase: Amazon | B&N
Synopsis:
Before Emma's adventures in Oxford, her best friend Diana came face-to-face with a killer...Diana Calvert is so over high school. Who cares if Olivia hates her? And David needs to forget about having a crush on her STAT. Even Emma’s crazy fashion choices can’t keep Diana entertained. All she can hope for is a dance scholarship to a college as far away as possible from too-small, too-boring, too-nothing-ever-happens New Freedom, PA.
Then Diana meets Nicholas Woodhaven. He’s pale, angry…yet weirdly charming. The more time they spend together, the more she wonders who – or what – he really is. Because he isn’t anything like the other guys she knows. Not with the whole only-going-out-at-night thing. And living with his creepy aunt. And not going to school.
Just when Diana thinks she’s got Nicholas all figured out, people in her small, nothing-ever-happens town start dying. She has to wonder – can she trust him? And even more alarming – could she be next?
A murder mystery with a paranormal twist, Moon Child is best read under the covers with a flashlight...if you dare!
My Thoughts:
Diana is so over her boring small town life and waits for the day that she can leave. While doing a youth group game she stumbled and Nicholas breaks her fall. Nicholas new and is nothing like anyone she's ever known. There are two murders in town and things don't seem to look good for Nicholas.
Being that I hadn't read the description I wasn't sure what to expect. I had first thought that this book was a continuation of Emma's story when its really another friend of Emma's and before she makes her trip with her mothers family. Since the first book was great I expected nothing less when it came to this book and I was right. Like the first there is a short of Paranormal/Supernatural theme to it. But nothing is what it seems and you'll get a surprising twist towards the end. I was pleasantly surprised when it came nearing the end. I wish I could say more but I don't want to spoil the book. At first when I was reading this I already felt like I've read many other books like this one but just you wait you'll be surprised with how this book turned out.
Overall I loved the book and think you lovely readers will enjoy this book as much as I did. 4 of 5 stars!
LINKS:
Thanks so much for being part of the tour and for your kind reviews! I'm so glad you enjoyed By Blood and Moon Child! <3
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed them, Jessica! :) It sounds like a wonderful series!
ReplyDeleteBoth have great ratings at Goodreads, they must be good! :)
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