Elysian Fields by Suzanne Johnson

Author: Suzanne Johnson
Title:Elysian Fields Sentinels of New Orleans Book #3

Publication: August 13. 2013

Publisher: Tor Books

Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Pages: 352

Audience: 18 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Public Library

Synopsis (from the goodreads.com): An undead serial killer comes for DJ in this thrilling third installment of Suzanne Johnson’s Sentinels of New Orleans series.
The mer feud has been settled, but life in South Louisiana still has more twists and turns than the muddy Mississippi. 
New Orleanians are under attack from a copycat killer mimicking the crimes of a 1918 serial murderer known as the Axeman of New Orleans. Thanks to a tip from the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, DJ Jaco knows the attacks aren’t random—an unknown necromancer has resurrected the original Axeman of New Orleans, and his ultimate target is a certain blonde wizard. Namely, DJ.
Combating an undead serial killer as troubles pile up around her isn’t easy. Jake Warin’s loup-garou nature is spiraling downward, enigmatic neighbor Quince Randolph is acting weirder than ever, the Elders are insisting on lessons in elven magic from the world’s most annoying wizard, and former partner Alex Warin just turned up on DJ’s to-do list. Not to mention big maneuvers are afoot in the halls of preternatural power.

My thoughts:
I love this series. I managed to find this at work on the new book shelf. I have fellow co-worker who I introduced the series to, who was not too pleased that I managed to find the book first. After being called a cow (in a joking manner), I managed to finish the book in three days to pass it on to the co-worker. This book series is good enough to have someone call you a cow for getting your hands on it first! 
Okay, y'all this book was unbelievable. I have no nice way to put it, but crap hit the fan in this book. Everything that could possibly go wrong, went wrong! So there was plenty of laughter, gasping, and oh no's! It became evident that some annoying characters are there to stay, unfortunately. Some new ones have imbedded themselves in the unfortunate circumstances, others are unsure of how to handle things now, and it is just a very emotional mess. If Miss Drusilla was my friend, I would buy he cartons on Ben and Jerry's every night and pat her on the back while she told me everything. It is just a mess, but this chick is a tough one, so she will fight back and in the right manner (albeit some illegal magic may occur).  If you have no read this series, go to your library and (kindly) demand that they purchase it, go interlibrary loan it, or even buy it through Amazon! It is so worth it!

 

Red Glove by Holly Black (Audiobook)

Author: Holly Black

Narrator: Jesse Eisenberg
Title: Red Glove (Curse Workers #2)

Publication: April 12, 2011

Publisher: Listening Library

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Length: 7 hours 5 minutes

Pages:  336

Audience: 15 and up

Rating: 4 out of 5

Source: Public Library

Synopsis (from goodreads.com ): Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else. That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she’s human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila’s been cursed to love him. And if Lila’s love is as phony as Cassel’s made-up memories, then he can’t believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel’s oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive.

My thoughts:
I enjoyed this book better than White Cat. Issues with his family really start to effect not only Cassel, but his entire family. I felt like they all needed a wake up call to lure them from their destructive paths, but I don't see that happening any time soon. This book throws in a mystery that I actually did not know that answer to (it was not mentioned to what I listened to of the third book). Just from being a some what smart person, I thought I had the mystery solved, but Cassel is never sure about his answers and it always made me question mine. However, at one point I was like, "Okay, this person MUST have done it! There is no evidence of anyone else." I was right! Besides a mystery that Cassel is forced to solve, he realizes how precious and valuable friendship truly is. He is also trying to get on the right path in life. He is the lovable bad guy and you kind of feel sorry for him. It wasn't really his fault he was dealt the cards of life that was handed to him. So he struggles with his inner goodness and the devil on his shoulder through out the novel. It is a great sequel to White Cat.

Excerpt, Review, & Giveaway: Knight Blindness by Chris Karlsen

Title: Knight Blindness

Author: Chris Karlsen
Series: Knights in Time #3

Publication: July 20th 2013
Source: Publisher/Author

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Audience: 17+

Amazon|Barnes and Noble|Goodreads

Synopsis:

Ready for battle, Medieval English knight, Stephen Palmer, charges into the French enemy’s cavalry line. Heeding a warning given months before, he hesitates as he comes face-to-face with the knight in the warning. Struck down in the year 1356, he finds himself landing in the year 2013. Grievously wounded, he’s taken to a nearby hospital. Confused by the new world surrounding him, he attempts to convince the staff he’s from another time, only to find they think him mad.

Rescued by friends, who, to his surprise, have also come through time, he must find a way to function in this odd modern England. He is quickly enchanted by the kind Esme Crippen, the young woman hired to tutor him. She too is enchanted by him. Tempted to deepen the relationship, she hesitates thinking him adorable, but mad. He must discover the means for getting her to believe the truth, all the while, unknown to him, he didn’t come forward in time alone. The enemy knight has also traveled to 2013.

French noble, Roger Marchand, doesn’t question why the English knight who charged him hesitated. That fraction of a pause gave him the advantage needed and he brought his sword down upon the Englishman’s helmet hard, unhorsing the knight. He moved to finish the Englishman off when the world changed in a rush of sensations as he is ripped through time.

Seeking a reason for the terrible event, he enters a nearby chapel. There, thinking God has chosen him for a quest to turn French defeat that day in 1356 to victory, he sets out to find the English knight. The man he is convinced holds the key to time. If he returns to the day of the battle, he can warn his king of mistakes that snatched victory from them.     

My Thoughts: This is a quick intense read. I haven't read the other books in the series and will need to go back to read those to catch-up on information that I missed. Seeing how people form the 14th century respond and take in modern times is priceless. This is a great read for Romance lovers. I can't wait to see what else is in store for the Knights.

Excerpt:

Stephen woke from the dreamless sleep groggy. Since the Frenchmen took him from the field, he'd lost all sense of time.  Bits and pieces of events faded in and out of memory. He recalled at one point he'd tried to fight and they'd stuck him with a small spiked weapon. It hadn't hurt, no more than a prick from a lady's sewing needle. Then, he was floating and had the sense of angels lifting him.

Not angels but his captors.

The delicious scent brought him awake. He might've slept hours or days, he didn't know. All he knew was the food smelled like fine fare and his stomach felt stuck to his backbone, he was so hungry. Those last weeks before the battle the army had run short of provisions. The knights had foraged for food along with their horses. The night before the battle he'd dined on overripe berries and dandelion soup. Soup indeed. Nothing but a handful of dandelion greens thrown into a kettle of boiling water.

“Is the food for me?” he'd asked, stomach rumbling.

A new man, one whose voice he'd never heard answered, “Yes.”

He attempted to rise but tethers kept him prone. His wrists and ankles were tied to the bed with padded cuffs instead of chains. A small but curious kindness.

“How am I to eat it tethered as I am? Smell alone will not get it to my stomach.”

“I'll release you, but first you must promise not to fight or to touch your eye wrap.”

“Yes, yes, I promise.” He'd agree to most anything for a full belly.

Stephen sat up as soon as he was free.

The man put the tray of food on his lap and set cloth wrapped utensils into his palm.  

“What is this?” Stephen poked the tined edge of a four-pronged eating tool to his fingertip.

“What is it? It's a fork. You know--for sticking your food with and bringing pieces to your mouth.”

Seems silly. Why bother with cutting then sticking your food with the fork before bringing it to your mouth, an eating dagger is faster, more sensible? Stab and eat.

The aroma of meat and bread filled his nose and he put the fork aside. His head low to the tray, he shoveled the vegetables into his mouth with the spoon. A juicy, plump chicken breast nestled next to the vegetables. He tore the meat from the bone with his fingers, licking the buttery drippings from the tips as he devoured it. He last ate chicken in July and then it wasn't a fat hen but a wiry, tough rooster. When the spoon no longer scooped vegetables, he used his bread to wipe up any remaining morsels on the plate. The captors brought two more plates and he finished those before he was finally full.

Stephen sensed someone enter the room as the man left with the last tray.

“Who is there?”

“I'm here to give you a sponge bath, if you like,” a female, young by the sound of her said.

“You wish to bathe me?”

The pass of his hand over his hair told him somebody had washed it. No dried blood was caked anywhere. He sniffed his forearms. They smelled of soap and had also been cleaned. He had no need of a bath. The woman offered something other than a wash.

He smiled with knowledge. It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed the services of a bawd. Tempting as the harlot's offer was, he suspected enemy devilry and declined.

“Would you like to listen to music?” she asked.

The bawd traveled with minstrels. He wasn't in the mood for her other services, but he'd welcome a cheerful tune. “I would.”

“What station do you wish,” she asked.

“I don't understand.”

“I'll turn it to a classical one.”

A tune different from any he ever heard came from across the room. “I'll come back tomorrow,” the bawd said. Her light footfalls told him she left.

Classical station? Lovelier than any minstrel's music, he dozed off still baffled by weird words and goings on of his captors. They'd woken him an unknown amount of time later and said it was the day and hour for his eye surgery. A man told him to make a fist. He said perfect when he found a vein and then stuck a needle into the crook of Stephen's elbow. That was the last he remembered.

“Monsieur, monsieur,” a female voice said, patting his hand. “Wake up.”

Stephen yawned and propped himself up on an elbow. “Ugh.” His mouth tasted like sour milk and his tongue felt like it was wrapped in a mitten. “I'd like some water.”

“Here.” The woman slid a flexible spout between his lips. “Suck.”

He didn't know what the spout was made of, nor did he care. The water tasted sweet to his parched mouth and he sucked the cup dry. “More.” When he'd sucked another cup dry, he asked. “What day is this?” 

“September 22,” the woman said, taking the empty cup.

Three days had passed since the battle. Why had they let him live? There could be no good reason for it.

“This is Dr. Berger. Do you remember me speaking to you two days ago about your eye surgery?”

“Yes.”

“Dr. Monette is here too. We want to talk to you about the day they found you. The more we know about you, the more we can help.”

“Who is the woman?” She didn't sound like the first woman, the one who smelled like a garden. This one carried no scent of any flower. Nor did she sound young as the bawd. What was this one's purpose? The first, he suspected, had created the potion that put him to sleep. He knew a bawd's.

“She is Nurse Cloutier.”

Probably Witch Cloutier. “Ask what you will.”

“What is your name?”

“Stephen Palmer.”

“What's the last thing you remember before receiving your injury?”

“I am a knight in service to the Baron Guiscard. He rode to the aid of his friend. I saw your men surround the baron. They were trying to pull him from his mount. I was about to ride to his aid when one of your knights, his heraldic symbol was of a panther on a field of orange, challenged me.” Stephen thought again how Guy's warning had made him falter. “I...I hesitated and your man struck with his sword.”

“Monsieur Palmer, your eye injury is serious. If this answer is an attempt at humor, then it is a poor time to engage in such a jest.”

“You asked what I remembered. I told you. I'm not in the habit of making jests with my enemies.”

“Monsieur Palmer, we are not your enemy. We are not at war.” A long moment passed and then Berger asked, “What year do you believe it to be?”

“The year of our Lord, 1356.”

“Mon Dieu,” Cloutier said in the background.

“From what the paramedics told us you said when they arrived, and your answer today, I am convinced that you do believe this is 1356. Monsieur Palmer,” Berger covered Stephen's hand with his own. “The year is 2013.”

Death of a Neighborhood Witch

Author: Laura LevineTitle:Death of a Neighborhood Witch (A Jaine Austen Mystery)

Publication: September 3, 2013

Publisher: Kensington

Genre: Comedy, Mystery

Pages: 304

Audience: 17 and up

Rating: 4 out of 5

Source: Public Library

Synopsis (from Amazon.com): When Jaine Austen's beloved cat Prozac unwittingly scares to death a parakeet belonging to the neighborhood's resident curmudgeon, Jaine finds herself knee-deep in toil and trouble. The cantankerous Hollywood has-been once played Cryptessa Muldoon, television's fourth most famous monster mum. Now she spends her days making enemies with everyone on the block. So when the ornery D-lister is murdered with her own Do Not Trespass sign on Halloween night, the neighborhood fills with relief - and possible culprits. With a killer on the loose, Jaine hardly has time to fall under the spell of her yummy new neighbor, Peter. As the prime suspect, she summons her sleuthing skills to clear her name and soon discovers that everyone has a few skeletons in their closets...

Favorite Quote: "I can't take me anywhere."- Jaine Austen

My thoughts:
I work at the public library, and I kept checking this book out to patrons or into the library. One afternoon, I snatched it up and decided to read it. Laura Levine used to write for The Laverne and Shirley Show, and I loved it. So her writing was humor based mixed with a murder-mystery. I loved Jaine. She was just so down to Earth and you could relate to her. I also enjoyed her cat, Prozac because cats are that outrageous. I didn't like her friend Lance, he was a total butt-hole and no one needs a "friend" like that. Her other friend, whose name I have forgotten, did not play a huge role (obviously since I forgot her name!), but she was okay just a bit ditzy. The neighbors were a lot like actual neighbors, they all have their good and bad sides. As a friend said, this book was not a great piece of literature, but it was a nice read. If you want something funny with a mystery twist, then check out this book.

 

Review & Giveaway: Atone by Jessica Grey

Title: Atone: A Fairytale 

Author: Jessica Grey
Series: A Fairytale Trilogy #2

Publication: June 30th 2013
Source: Publisher/Author

Genre: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult
Audience: 14+

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads

Synopsis:  Becca Ward knows that magic is real…

Two years ago not only had she and her best friend Alex found a real-life Sleeping Beauty in the middle of Los Angeles, they also discovered that they were powerful in their own right. They’ve managed to keep both their fae powers and their friend Lilia’s identity as a medieval princess a secret and live a normal life. Now their normalcy is threatened by the return of their former advisor at the Gem and Mineral Museum—and Becca’s least favorite person, Nicholas Hunt.

…and she’s about to find out that more than one fairy tale is true.

Nicholas has been obsessed with proving Lilia’s identity and the existence of magic. While working on an archeology dig he discovered an ancient fae artifact—a mirror that is imbued with a powerful protection spell that twists his obsession, and his body, until he is more beast than man. In order to protect her friends, Becca is forced to help him, and she is surprised to find that in spite of his outward appearance, Nicholas is no longer the beast she remembers. Will she let herself be the beauty that breaks the curse, or will she let her prejudice against him stop her from discovering true love?

My Thoughts: This second installment in the A Fairytale trilogy is focused on Becca. Atone is the retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast. True to the classic the Beast is difficult to get along with and the Beauty is stubborn and determined to see things to the end. Even though I had a good idea as to how this story would end I couldn't stop turning the pages. 

Getting a better understanding of Becca and how she grew up really put her hate/hate relationship with Nicholas in perspective. Regardless of how Becca feels about men she is loyal to her family an those she loves. Atone, for Becca, is a journey of discovery and change. I'm looking forward to the final book in this series and what is in store for Lilia

Excerpt & Giveaway: Contrition by Lee Strauss

Contrition by Lee Strauss 
(Perception #3) 
Publication date: September 26th 2013 
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Zoe, Noah and the other plane crash survivors are stranded in the Arizona desert.
They all have secrets,
and reasons to hide.
But they’re not alone.
Cyborg soldiers.
War.
Humans and humanoids.
Who can be trusted?
Zoe’s life is in danger.
Noah must make an impossible choice.
Will their love survive their brokenness?
Will the world as they know it end before they can find out?

Excerpt

“What was Tucson, like?” I asked. It was code for were there pictures of my face?

Noah stared at the ground. “It was busy, just like any other city. Lots of people. Traffic. Noise.”

“And…”

His eyes caught mine. “And lots of billboards. They’re still after us, Zoe. The reward for your return has been upped to two million.”

My heart whooshed. “And you?”

“The same. But the president doesn’t care if I’m brought in alive.”

Fear gripped my throat. “You can’t go into Tucson, anymore, Noah.”

He brushed it off. “Ah, the picture of me makes me look like I’m a twelve year-old boy. I didn’t get a second glance.”

“It’s true,” Taylor said. “Your photos look hot, but his, meh.”

I laughed at Taylor, and he grinned back at me before disappearing into the tech cave. I watched Noah as he unloaded the last of the items from the buggy. He caught me staring, and I glanced away. My shoes were suddenly very interesting. I dug at the sand with my toe. I casually looked up again from under my lashes. Noah’s eyes were on me now. I stayed locked on his gaze. What is he thinking? Did he feel the pull of attraction I felt? Did the longing for something more make his soul ache like mine did?

And if so, would he ever give into it again?

Sweat dripped between my breasts and down my spine. I felt dizzy and slid to the ground with a thump. Thankfully, the others were all busy focused on other things and didn’t notice. I held my chest, willing my heart to slow.

Something was wrong with me.

I didn’t know what, but I should be stronger. I should actually be the healthiest. Well, along with Taylor, though technically I’d been a GAP for longer.

When my heart calmed, I reached into my bag for a “clean” shirt and mentioned to Hannah that I was going to the stream to freshen up. The sun was low on the horizon, and I wanted to make it back before it got dark.

I’d collected the soap and shampoo on my way out of the cave looking forward to the shock of cold water. My hair hung in greasy strands, long enough now to tie back at least. I removed the tie, along with my clothes, and slipped in.

The water was strangely warm. Something was weird, but I wasn’t going to complain just yet. I’d tell Taylor when I got back. I made good use of the soap and was about to reach for the shampoo when I heard movement.

“Knock, knock.”

I startled at the voice. “Noah?”

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”

So, now you do. Why are you just standing there, staring? I was fully aware that, though submerged, I was naked. Noah’s eyes zeroed on mine, and I could sense the debate going on in his head. He wanted to stay.

Suddenly, all the oxygen felt like it was sucked out of the cave.

I took a chance. “Would you… like to join me?”

“Yes,” he said, “against my better judgment.”

“If it helps, I want you to.”

“It helps.”

Book 1 is currently FREE! & Volition is .99 until the launch

Lee Strauss writes historical and science fiction/romance for upper YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff under the name Elle Strauss. To find out more about Lee and her books check out her facebook page. Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/elle_strauss to find out about new releases sign up for her newsletter at www.ellestraussbooks.com

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Give me Reason by Zoey Derrick

Welcome to the Cover Reveal and Release announcement of Give Me Reason by Zoey Derrick. Don't miss the Awesome Kindle Fire and Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

Vivienne Callahan has known only hardship. As if growing up with an alcoholic, drug addicted mother wasn’t traumatic enough, she’s escaped from her physically and verbally abusive boyfriend only to struggle every day to make ends meet as a waitress in a Minneapolis diner. 
Along comes Mikah Blake, a handsome stranger who quickly takes an unexpected and persistent interest in her. On the surface, “Mr. Suit” seems to be Vivienne’s opposite: rich, well-fed, successful. As Vivienne will learn, Mikah is more than he seems, and for reasons unknown, he’s determined to be her knight in shining armor. But after having finally found her own two feet after years of abuse, it’s difficult for her to accept Mikah’s help. 
Will her body’s unexpected response to Mikah’s touch be reason enough to overcome her pride and traumatic past and learn to love and trust? Or will her past, refusing to be left behind, come back to claim her?

Book Trailer:

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EXCERPT:

He’s looking down at me, making me feel small at five feet two inches. He has to be at least six feet tall. Broad shoulders. His suit today is gunmetal grey with blue or black pin striping—I can’t tell which. His shirt is a beautiful lavender color with a darker purple tie. "How do you know I'm not an addict?" I ask, softly. He smiles at me, warm, genuine. "Because, you've come to return the money I left you last night as a tip." My jaw falls open. "How"—I swallow hard—"did you know?" His smile fades a little. "Because, why else would you come down here?" I close my mouth and look down at the floor. His ability to read me is really scary. "Since you haven't eaten since last night, I'm going to take you to lunch." I feel my face flush bright red, both in anger and complete irritation. "That is not why I'm here. I've survived for my entire life fending for myself, I don't need some rich hot shot business mogul buying me food." I reach into the pocket of my bag and pull the folded up paper from it. I thrust it towards him. He refuses to take it. Tears of frustration trickle down my cheeks. "Damn it Mikah, take it." I push it at him again and again he refuses. "I'm not a damn charity case. I don't need your money or your food." The bell chimes. We’ve finally reached the skyway. As soon as the doors open, I drop the folded up paper with his money in it and bolt from the elevator, turning left, hoping and praying I can get away. "Vivienne, stop." I hear him say behind me. I keep going, walking quickly but not running. Yet. I'm trying hard to not make a scene. But he doesn’t seem to care about that. He catches me quickly, spins me around. I grab hold of his arm to catch my balance so I don't go sprawling onto the floor.

It is from Glendale, Arizona that Zoey Derrick, a mortgage underwriter by day and romance and erotica novelist by night, writes stories as hot as the desert sun itself. It is this passion that drips off of her work, bringing excitement to anyone who enjoys a good and sensual love story.

 

Not only does she aim to take her readers on an erotic dance that lasts the night, it allows her to empty her mind of stories we all wish were true.
Her stories are hopeful yet true to life, skillfully avoiding melodrama and the unrealistic, bringing her gripping Erotica only closer to the heart of those that dare dipping into it. 
 



The intimacy of her fantasies that she shares with her readers is thrilling and encouraging, climactic yet full of suspense. She is a loving mistress, up for anything, of which any reader is doomed to return to again and again.

Website|Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads|Amazon Page 

CAMERON ENDERS seems to have it all: a brand new condo in a city she loves, a top executive position at an international entertainment firm, an insane amount of money, and a gorgeous boyfriend. But when Cami catches the boyfriend in the act with another woman, it triggers all the anguish from years of neglect by her parents, and she realizes she never learned how to love or be loved. Cami flees to the remote tropical island of Tarah, but she can't avoid facing her problems any longer when she meets the man of her fantasies...

TRISTAN MICHAELS, one of Hollywood's hottest new stars, has come to Tarah to ride out a storm. His girlfriend of five years has been caught on camera cheating, and she's determined to make Tristan stop the story from breaking. But Tristan's done cleaning up her messes. He needs to escape all things Hollywood for a while--and especially the firm that represents him--until the whole thing blows over. What he doesn't count on is meeting an irresistibly beautiful woman, a woman who just so happens to be the CEO of the firm he's trying to avoid.


Can Tristan and Cami help each other learn to trust and love again, or will their histories of betrayal tear them apart?

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September New Release Giveaway Hop

Welcome to our stop on the September New Release Giveaway Hop. Thank you to Book Twirps and Refracted Light Reviews for hosting this hop. You can enter to win any book that is released in September up to $15 US. This giveaway is open to  USA and Canadian residents only. Don't forget to hop along to the next blog.

To enter the giveaway comment on any review and return here to leave me a comment with which review you commented on and an email to contact you if you win. [your_email (at) provider (d0t) com]

Audio Review; All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

Title: All These Things I've Done

Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Series: Birthright, Book 1

Narrator: Ilyana Kadushin

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Format: Unabridged Audio

Length: 10 hrs: 11 mins

Publication: September 6, 2011

Source: Purchased

Genre: Young Adult

Amazon|Barnes&Noble|Goodreads

Synopsis: In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Engrossing and suspenseful, All These Things I've Done is an utterly unique, unputdownable read that blends both the familiar and the fantastic.

My Thoughts: This is a fast paced heart capturing read. Anya's story is one that is easy, yet horrifying, to imagine. A world where chocolate is illegal is one I would hate to live in. Anya Balanchine is the daughter of a fallen chocolate mob boss. All Anya wants to do is take care of her siblings, finish high school, and stay far away from her family's business. Everything changes for her when her ex-boyfriend is almost kill by tainted chocolate. Low and behold Anya is the one who gave him the chocolate. Anya's world is turned upside down and this is just the beginning of trouble for Anya Balanchine.

I picked this story for several reasons, the first is I loved Zevin's Elsewhere and have been itching to read another work by her. Secondly, I found the plot line intriguing. It was easy for me to connect to Anya. She is the type of character that I love. Family is number one for Anya, well not her crime family connections her immediate family. At the same time Anya struggles with wanting to be free of her family obligations. Anya's relationships are a enormous component of this story. These relationships will change her life and her future.

This work is appropriate for an audio adaptation. This is an unabridged, single-voiced production narrated by Ilyana Kadushin. Ilyana did a wonderful job with narrating this work. Each character is clearly differentiated. Ilyana accents, tone and inflection variations made it easy to identify and connect with each character. Her narration brought the story to life and made it more interesting. Pacing was good and maintained throughout the production.