{Review and Giveaway} Moonlight by Tim O’Rourke

From Goodreads: When eighteen-year-old Winter McCall is offered a chance to leave her life of poverty behind on the streets of London, she moves to a remote part of the South West of England. Here she takes up the job as housekeeper to the young and handsome, yet mysterious, Thaddeus Blake.

Warned that he has some curious habits, Winter soon realises that not all is as it firsts appears at the remote mansion where she now lives and works.

Blind to the real danger that she is in, Winter finds herself becoming attracted to Thaddeus, and with nowhere and no one to run to, she slowly succumbs to his strange requests. But none of them are as strange as asking Winter to stand each night in the moonlight.

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In the wee hours of the morning, Tim O’Rourke released his latest novel, Moonlight, a new series that he’s had under wrap and key, only recently announcing its upcoming release to his fan base.  Highly exuberant about any new release of O’Rourke’s, I set aside my vast reading pile to swoop in and devour this enticing story of Winter and Thaddeus.  And once again, O’Rourke does not disappoint.

Winter—aka. Winnie—is homeless, living on the streets of London just trying to survive day by day.  Thaddeus, a poet with a massive house and odd sleeping habits, is a lonely young man looking for someone to help with the burden of his home.  Or, so he says when he approaches Winnie with the opportunity of a lifetime.  Of course, not all is what it seems, as Winnie soon discovers, and I absolutely loved sleuthing around beside her as I read, trying to piece together the puzzles within the novel and figure it out before all was revealed.  I failed, of course.  Every time I thought I knew what was happening, a new twist would arise, forcing me to change my predictions, over and over again.  It turns out that I was technically right the first time I assumed something about the characters, but only partially, and I love how O’Rourke can cause me to second-guess myself as I read.  Any novel that keeps me on my toes is amazing, in my opinion, and so far, every single one of O’Rourke’s books have done it.  Every. Single. One.  Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is the power of a truly gifted writer.  O’Rourke simply amazes me.

Winnie is a great character, and for those of you who have read O’Rourke’s Kiera Hudson series, I’d say she definitely rivals Kiera—neck and neck.  (Haven’t read the Kiera Hudson Series?  What are you waiting for?  Do. It.)  I really enjoyed Winnie’s candid, no-nonsense personality, and as she began to suspect that things were very wrong, her bravado and spunk really endeared her to my heart.  Though I didn’t agree with all her choices, in the end, I believe she did exactly as she should.

Thaddeus is, of course, an amazing character.  His nearly bi-polar personality was scary to watch, and his cagey responses to Winnie’s questions kept me on edge throughout the novel.  Of course, I was convinced he was worse than Jack the Ripper as I read (is he?  Read and find out…), so my fear for Winnie was palpable throughout the novel, especially as the truth unfolded and the characters were left with some dire choices to make.

Now, while there is a cliffhanger of sorts at the end, one of the things I love so much about O’Rourke’s writing is that he generally closes each novel very neatly.  As the reader, I know there is more to come, but the main concerns within this novel have been address very well, and though I’m dying to get my hands on the sequel already, I am content with the wait as O’Rourke didn’t leave many loose ends, as so many novels do, nowadays.  Also, I know O’Rourke writes extremely quickly, and I won’t have to wait a whole year for the sequel, so… that’s another plus.

Overall, this is a fantastic new series and if you haven’t read any of O’Rourke’s work to date, then this is the perfect one with which to begin.  There is some language usage within the novel, but otherwise the story is relatively clean, save some descriptive horror scenes, but even those were miniscule and didn’t make me squeamish.  I’d recommend this for readers aged 15 and above, especially those who like a good mystery.  Five stars.

I received a copy of this amazing novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!  Tim O’Rourke is giving away ONE eBook copy of this awesome novel (international), along with a signed print of the cover, and YOU can win it HERE!  ENDS Oct 7, 2012.

The 99 Cent Club–Feature 12–Ten Books for Ten Bucks

Every Saturday I run a feature for the 99 Cent Club, and below are the eBook picks for this week; currently they’re ONLY 99 Cents (On Amazon, with a few ALSO on Barnes and Nobel–I checked). I don’t know if these are permanent prices, so please don’t shoot the messenger, and double check pricing before pressing the buy button. Enjoy!

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The Temple by Heather Marie Adkins

Vale Avari has a mysterious past and a laundry list of super-powers, but that’s nothing compared to what she finds upon moving from small town U.S.A to jolly-good England.

A chance dart throw lands her in Quicksilver, an off-the-map place with a big problem – people are dying, and word is, it’s supernatural.

At her new place of employment, a temple dedicated to the ancient Mother Goddess, Vale learns something even more shocking – women guards are disappearing at an alarmingly patterned rate; women who possess special gifts like her own.

Supernatural powers aside, Vale isn’t ready to believe in the Wild Hunt as the culprit, and she’s determined to prove the deaths are acts of human violence.

Find it at AMAZON.

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The Bro-Magnet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Women have been known to lament, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” For Johnny Smith, the problem is, “Always a Best Man, never a groom.” At age 33, housepainter Johnny has been Best Man eight times. The ultimate man’s man, Johnny loves the Mets, the Jets, his weekly poker game, and the hula girl lamp that hangs over his basement pool table. Johnny has the instant affection of nearly every man he meets, but one thing he doesn’t have is a woman to share his life with, and he wants that desperately. When Johnny meets District Attorney Helen Troy, he decides to renounce his bro-magnet ways in order to impress her. With the aid and advice of his friends and family, soon he’s transforming his wardrobe, buying throw pillows, ditching the hula girl lamp, getting a cat and even changing his name to the more mature-sounding John. And through it all, he’s pretending to have no interest in sports, which Helen claims to abhor. As things heat up with Helen, the questions arise: Will Johnny finally get the girl? And, if he’s successful in that pursuit, who will he be now that he’s no longer really himself?

Find it at AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE.

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Seven Days From Sunday by M.H. Sargent

This fast paced thriller is set in Iraq, where the country’s most wanted terrorist has promised a catastrophic attack in seven days time. His previous proclamations have always come true, so a small CIA team, including a beautiful female doctor, find themselves under the gun to find him and stop him.

Meanwhile, it’s a normal day at a Green Zone checkpoint in Baghdad. Until an attractive young Iraqi woman approaches, carrying the bloody head of an American contractor in her head scarf – an American who had been beheaded just hours before on a live Web feed.

As the CIA team investigates the incident, the CIA doctor inspects the severed head and finds a written message stuffed inside the dead man’s mouth. A message that will lead the team to an unsuspecting Iraqi family. And change everything.

Find it at AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE.

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The Damascus Letter by Daniel Dick

When the head of the CIA’s Clandestine Service learns that the United States is under imminent threat of another attack, potentially involving agents of the Iranian Government, he turns to the one man he knows can uncover the truth and stop the bloodshed. Akil Hassan—born an Arab, raised an American—was the CIA’s top man inside the Middle East, until he broke the Agency’s rules. Cast out, he’s now being offered a second chance. But in order to stop what’s coming and save tens of thousands of lives, he’s going to have to risk everything he has—his career, his family, his life—by breaking the rules all over again.

Reminiscent of Tom Clancy, this carefully researched and often prescient novel offers a rare and fascinating glimpse into the terrorist mindset while delivering a pulse-pounding tale of covert espionage. Loaded with ultra-relevant issues and themes, full of rich characters, and offering a frighteningly realistic scenario of terrorism that is all too plausible and all too real, The Damascus Letter enlightens as well as entertains.

Find it at AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE.

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Feyland by Anthea Sharp

What if a high-tech computer game was a gateway to the dangerous Realm of Faerie?

WHEN A GAME…

Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.

TURNS REAL…

Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her.

WINNING IS EVERYTHING…

Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late.

Find it at AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE.

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Death Speaks by Tamara Rose Blodgett

Caleb’s in high school now and thinks the chaos of last year is behind him. Unfortunately, a serial killer is on the loose and children are his victims. Caleb agrees to help the police apprehend the murderer…until the killer takes notice of Caleb and his paranormal friends.

Carson and Brett remain the bullies they always were and their posse continues to grow. How long can the two groups stay out of each others’ way before there’s a firestorm of retribution…

The Government Graysheets continue to keep tabs on Caleb’s every move while Jade’s family threatens their relationship. Can they still be together even when events threaten to tear them apart?

Find it at AMAZON.

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Death Screams by Tamara Rose Blodgett

Caleb’s second year of high school starts off without a hitch until Jade touches the wrong clairvoyance sample that foretells a murder in her future. Will she remain safe even while assisting police officers Garcia and Gale in a race to prevent a cataclysmic death?

Sophie and Jonesy aren’t seeing things eye to eye, but when her safety is threatened by an attacker targeting Astral-Projection girls, they put their differences aside. The FDA approved depressant has  begun to be administered to the teens for suppression of paranormal abilities during sleep for safety reasons. Or so they’ve been told.

Carson and Brett have escalated the violence that they perpetrate and leave Caleb no choice but to reciprocate. After saving the newest member of their group from certain abuse, Caleb knows the bull’s-eye is dead center on him. Again.

Does Caleb use the undead as a weapon of defense while his group hangs in the balance of imminent peril?

Find it at AMAZON.

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Created by Shannon Shaw 

(Mature Young Adult)

Seventeen year old Ethan awakes to find himself strapped to a medical gurney after being rescued from the middle of a rural forest while under attack from creatures that shoud not exist. Exhausted and in disbelief, he soon learns that he has been selected to take part in a government program that will make him the stuff of nightmares.

Guided by another of the Created, Ethan must deal with the rules of his new vampire world, a burgeoning romance with a girl no longer of his kind and fight to stay alive.

Find it at AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE.

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Psion Beta by Jacob Gowans

Sammy, a 14-year-old fugitive, accidentally discovers he has the powers of a Psion.

Plucked off the streets, he is thrust into the rigorously-disciplined environment of Psion Beta headquarters. As a new Beta, Sammy must hone his newfound abilities using holographic fighting simulations, stealth training missions, and complex war games. His fellow trainees are other kids competing to prove their worth so they can graduate and contribute to the war effort.

But the stifling competition at headquarters isolates Sammy from his peers. Learning to use his incredible powers is difficult enough, but when things go horribly wrong on a routine training mission, he must rely on the other Betas to stay alive.

The Silent War is at a tipping point; even one boy can be the difference.

But to do so, he must survive.

Find it at AMAZON.

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The Right Path by Debra L. Martin and David W. Small

Fifteen-year-old Abraham “Ham” Jones, a cripple, and Zia Slate, a fourteen-year-old tomboy with an attitude, find themselves unlikely partners in this post-apocalyptic tale of survival. It is decades later since the world blew itself apart. Life is harsh, gangs rule the streets, the system cops keep the peace anyway they can. Being a kid in this world isn’t easy, being a cripple is about the worst sentence handed down. Being a girl with no protection is only slightly better.

Ham and Zia’s lives are irrevocably changed when they meet a mysterious old man bearing gifts – a cane for Ham and a knife for Zia. But, nothing is as it seems. Everyone wants something and no good deed goes unpunished. Forced into a desperate encounter, they must fight for their lives when it’s discovered they now have possession of two of the legendary memory weapons, the very weapons that ultimately destroyed the world.

Find it at AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE.

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