Morgana's Book Extravaganza
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A New Start

9/14/2015

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It's time for a fresh start here people. While it's a sad thing, in excited to introduce to you my new and improved blog!

Come check out the new revamped version
www.morganaextravaganza.blogspot.com
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"The Witch Hunter" - Virginia Boecker

9/14/2015

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Overview :


Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.

Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.

Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.

But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.


My Review :

***** 5 STARS *****

Oh, Virginia Boecker, what have you done to me? You've positively ruined the rest of my 2015. How ever shall I continue to read books knowing that I'll forever be comparing them to the absolute epicness of 'The Witch Hunter'?

This book is beyond phenomenal. The characters are rich and diverse with just enough dark to make them irresistible. The plot is thickly woven with magic, adventure, betrayal, love and of course, a true rebellion with a cause.

This book has made it onto my favorites list and Ms. Boecker has quickly climbed to the top of my new favorite authors list.

I'm absolutely thrilled to have discovered her writing and cannot wait to read more from her.
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"Shift" - Karina Espinosa

9/13/2015

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Overview :

It's hard enough being an undergraduate student, an intern at Downtown Manhattan's police station, and a bouncer at a local bar. Add her now ex-boyfriend who recently dumped her for the school's resident bimbo—oh, and she's a werewolf. 
Mackenzie Grey meets her match when she is kidnapped by the Brooklyn Pack and tossed between Sebastian and Jonah—the Alpha and the Beta. Being a lone-wolf in the city is dangerous, and now that the Pack has found her, so can every supernatural being in the Tri-State area. And not even her sarcastic, smart mouth can get her out of this. 
When a string of kidnappings involves Mackenzie in supernatural politics, she questions her new acquaintances and finds unlikely allies. Can she escape Pack law and keep her freedom—or will she be condemned to an unwanted path?


My Review :

***** 5 STARS ***"*


Um, holy cow with a triple side serving of 'yes, please'!

This is it people. The series I've been searching for every since I fell in love with the Mercy Thompson series. This book is the very definition of why I love werewolf books.

The characters are fan-freaking-tastic. Mackenzie is a force to be reckoned with and is as strong as she is sassy. I love me some smart-ass, strong as nails female characters and Mackenzie leads the pack ( pun very much intended!). I definitely love the chemistry between all the characters and I'm so intrigued by how they interact. I absolutely can't wait to see what is going to happen next!

The plot is awesome. It is definitely molded from the paranormal genre but has more than enough originality to be a shining star amongst the masses. 

This book left me grinning from ear to ear when I was finished it. This is a prime example of why I love my books! 

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"Cage Of Deceit" - Jennifer Anne Davis

9/11/2015

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Overview :

Jennifer Anne Davis's best-selling True Reign series captivated readers from the very first page. Now, get ready to become entangled in the follow-up series, Reign of Secrets. In this new series, follow Allyssa, the daughter of the beloved Emperor Darmik and Empress Rema-- and find out what happens after happily ever after. 

Seventeen-year-old Allyssa appears to be the ideal princess of Emperion—she’s beautiful, elegant, and refined. She spends her days locked in a suffocating cage, otherwise known as royal court. But at night, Allyssa uses her secret persona—that of a vigilante—to hunt down criminals and help her people firsthand. 

Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their country and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matters worse, the prince has stuck his nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move. 

Jarvik is infuriating, bossy and unfortunately, the only person she can turn to when she unveils a heinous plot. Together, the unlikely pair will have to work together to stop an enemy that everyone thought was long gone, one with the power to destroy her family and the people of Emperion. Now the cage Allyssa so longed to break free from might just be the one thing she has to fight to keep intact. In order to save her kingdom, she will have to sacrifice her freedom, her heart, and maybe even her life.

My Review :

***** 5 STARS *****

This was a phenomenal start to a new series by an author I really enjoy.

The writing is superb and the characters are intriguing. The plot was a little predictable at times but I still found myself enjoying every minute of it. 

Jarvik had earned a spot on my bookshelf boyfriends. *Sigh* And if you seriously don't see the twist with his character coming, then you're blind! 

I was impressed with how the author turned this from yet another predictable plot at the end and steered this into a slightly darker and more twisted story. Unfortunately, we are left holding our breaths for the next book which is guaranteed to be a punch to the gut from page one....


.... I can't wait!
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"I Hunt Killers" - Barry Lyga

9/10/2015

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Overview :

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows? 


My Review :

*** 3 STARS ***

I'm just not exactly sure that I liked this book.

Weird, right?

I really enjoyed how the author wrote this book and the point of view he used. Jasper's inner monologue is really the highlight of the book and in my opinion, the real purpose of the book.It was pretty creeptastic and awesome how front the author dived into the mind of a could be serial killer. Jazz's struggle was intense and it definitely ripped at my soul with how much torment he went through. This book definitely crawled into the darkest parts of me and tore at the edges of human depravity.

My real issue with this book was that while it was definitely a mind-bender, the rest of the plot was just so predictable. It was unfortunately, exactly what I expected. And it was head-pounding-against-the-wall-frustrating that there wasn't a real sense of things coming together in the end. Like, great, they caught the copycat, but seriously, how did it really fit into all this?

While the book was definitely a different side of dark, I don't know if it was enough to have me continuing on on the series. 

Only time will tell.
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"Ignited" - Laurie Wetzel

9/10/2015

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Overview :
 
After surviving an attack from a demon that killed her friend, Maddy Page thought the worst was over.

It’s not.

Word is spreading through the supernatural world about Maddy, the mortal girl with rare gifts. Some want to use her powers; others want to destroy her. One wants to protect her—her boyfriend, an angel named MJ.

MJ knows that the demon that attacked Maddy was sent to collect her by someone very powerful. Someone he has tried and failed to stop before. MJ can’t beat him, but he will do whatever it takes to keep Maddy safe, even if it means turning his back on his own kind.


My Review :
* 1 STAR *

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review....


.... Um, I hate you? Is that honesty enough?

I definitely had a live hate relationship with the first book and its now completely turned hate. 

Yes, I mean hate - not just dislike.

It's had all the downfalls of the overprotective 'Twilight-Edward-Bella' relationship going except, Madison actually had bad arse power and just chooses to be a whiny little brat-tastic victim.

Not to mention, it just sucks.


Have I said how much I hate it?
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"Dark Heart Of Magic" - Jennifer Estep

9/4/2015

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Overview :

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

As a thief, I stick to the shadows as much as possible. But when the head of the Sinclair Family picks me to compete in the Tournament of Blades, there's no escaping the spotlight—or the danger.

Even though he's my competition, Devon Sinclair thinks I have the best shot at winning what's supposed to be a friendly contest. But when the competitors start having mysterious "accidents," it looks like someone will do anything to win—no matter who they hurt.

As if I didn't have enough to worry about, mobster Victor Draconi is plotting against Devon and the rest of my friends, and someone's going around Cloudburst Falls murdering monsters. One thing's for sure. Sometimes, humans can be more monstrous than anything else...


My Review :


***** 5 STARS *****

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Oh.Mer.Gawd.

How freaking amazing! This book is packed with magic, suspense and kick arse characters. I suppose coming from an author like Estep, I should hardly be surprised; yet she always manages to exceed expectations.

Estep delivers yet another highly enthralling, action packed novel with a fast paced gritty plot and ridiculously amazing characters. 

I'm thrilled to have received an arc of this book and I'm highly anticipating the third novel!
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"Crave" - Melissa Darnell

8/31/2015

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Overview :

Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.

For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences.


My Review :

*** 3 STARS ***

'Crave' was an intriguing book with a fun twisted plot. I don't hold high expectations for young adult paranormal books anymore, due to the 'Twilight' craze. While yes, it's a forbidden love story, the female character is anything but weak and defenseless. She has her own might and ferocity.

The book did end up dragging a bit in the middle, but I understood the importance of the character and plot building that the author was creating. The author did a very good job with giving her characters depth and definitely left me wanting more at the end. I did however find the book to sometimes have a very juvenile 'voice' and it was a little off putting.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have the second book that I need to go read.
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"Shadow Of Flame" - Caitlyn McFarland

8/29/2015

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Overview

It's been two months since Kai Monahan's life changed forever. Retrieved from a suddenly unsafe Colorado by Rhys and taken to Eryri, the dragons' home in the South Pacific, she lives a secret existence. Rhys—for all his awe-inspiring power—is afraid to reveal to his people that he's heartsworn to a human. One he's quite possibly in love with.

Kai hasn't forgotten the terror or pain of the moment Rhys first took control of her mind and her magic, but neither has she forgotten the fire of his kiss. When she's discovered, dragon politics—not to mention spies and ex-lovers—threaten her growing feelings. Rhys has more enemies than he can guess, and someone close to him is playing right into their hands. 

The war Rhys never wanted is coming. For either of them to survive, Kai must open her mind to him as never before. This time, there will be no turning back. 

Book two of the Dragonsworn trilogy


My Review :

**** 4 STARS ****



I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Let me first start off by saying, I did not want to read this book. I only realised after I requested it that I had read the first book and hated it. That being said, I have found that life is filled with happy coincidences.

Oh holy smokes, I swear that this book feels like it isn't even written by the same author. It is so much better than the first one, I just can't even believe it.

The writing flows so much better than the first book and the characters have real growth and grit to them.

Unfortunately, Kai, the main female character, is still ridiculously annoying. I'm pretty sure that if it was possible, I would reach through the pages and strangle her for being so stupidly weak. That being said, the other characters really shine in this book and I was absolutely thrilled to see the focus on other characters more than just Kai.

The plot is good and fast paced, although the city hanger ending just about killed me. I hate cliffhangers. I feel as if I should go pound my head into a steel door when I read them.

I'm actually pleasantly surprised to say I will definitely be reading the third in this series and I'm glad I made time for this one as well.
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"Wicked Embers" - Keri Arthur

8/28/2015

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Overview :

Crimson Death, the plague like virus spawned from a failed government experiment to isolate the enzymes that make vampires immortal, continues to spread. Emberly and her partner, Jackson Miller, are desperately seeking the stolen research for a cure before the virus becomes a pandemic.

But their mission is jeopardized by another threat uncovered in Emberly’s prophetic dreams. A creature of ash and shadow has been unleashed on a murdering spree. Now Emberly must summon all her gifts and investigative knowledge to put an end to this entity’s brutal rampage—even if it means placing herself in harm’s way....


My Review :

*** 3 STARS ***

Disappointing.

After I finished book one, I could hardly wait for the second to be released. However, I was slightly disappointed.

Unfortunately, this book fell into what I like to call 'the second book bridge syndrome'. While it still had all of the authors signature flare, steamy romance, and kick butt characters; it literally was just a bridge from book one to three.

It tired up some of the questions left from book one and set the stage quite nicely for book three hence my nickname of 'the second book bridge syndrome'. So honestly, it was kinda boring for me, especially seeing as how the 'monster' in this book felt like an afterthought and want really important to the bigger story.

So, there you have it. It wasn't awful but it wasn't great and I expect a bit more from this author.
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    Morgan's currently-reading book montage

    Feral
    The Shadow Throne
    Mark of the Thief
    Tied
    The Demon King
    Godhunter
    Accidental Sorceress
    False Finder
    Stolen Songbird
    Rise of the Flame
    Rogue's Paradise
    The Queen of the Tearling
    Dance in Shadow and Whisper
    Wicked
    The Two Kings


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