Audio Review: Eona by Alison Goodman

Title: Eona (Eon #2)
Author: Alison Goodman
Narrator: Nancy Wu
Publication: April 19, 2011
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult
Length: 18 Hours 41 minutes
Format: Unabridged Audio
Rating: 5 of 5

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Synopsis: Once she was Eon, a girl disguised as a boy, risking her life for the chance to become a Dragoneye apprentice. Now she is Eona, the Mirror Dragoneye, her country's savior - but she has an even more dangerous secret. She cannot control her power. Each time she tries, it twists into a killing force. And more destruction is on her trail - High Lord Sethon's army. She and her companions must find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power if he is to wrest back his throne. But to help him, she must drive a dark bargain with an old enemy, which could obliterate them all. Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama, unforgettable fight scenes, sizzling tension - and many surprises - brings to a close an epic story.

My Thoughts: The sequel to Eon is even more intense than Eon. Must Eona lose everything in order to save the world. This story begin immediately after EON ends. Eon has revealed his true self and is on a quest to restore Kygo to his throne. Eona continues to have not control over her dragon power and she doesn't have anyone to train her. The land is in chaos, cyclones and torrential rains plague the nation. Alison Goodman brings more passion and danger to the story are Eona tries to harness her powers. Eona has a couple of love interests, and as always I root for the good boy. 

Nacy Wu again provides a stellar performance  This novel easily translated into audio. Wu makes the characters distinct individuals with her performance. 

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Review: Curses For Sale

Title: Curses For Sale (Raven's Pass)
Author: Steve Brezenoff
Publication: August 1, 2012
Publisher: Stone Arch Books
Source: Publisher via netgalely
Genre: Middle Grade
Rating: 5 of 5

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Synopsis: Weird and scary things happen after Jace buys an old toy car at a garage sale. Is the toy cursed?

My Thoughts: This is a quick, cute read. Jace manages to find big trouble and solve a mystery in this jam packed read. Young boys will relate to Jace and his challanges but   girls will also enjoy this series. 

Audio Review: Eon by Alison Goodman

Title: Eon: Dragoneye Reborn
Narrator: Nancy Wu
Author: Alison Goodman
Publication: December 25, 2008
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Length: 14 hours and 41 minutes
Format: Unabridged Audio
Rating: 5 of 5

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Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he's been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life.

My Thoughts: Only a few can be trusted with Eon's secret. If anyone else were to find out it would mean death for him. Eon has great courage and strength in the face of adversity. What ensues is a battle for power. Realizations about Eon's past and his ancestry will his live forever. 

All I can say is WOW!!. Alison Goodman has outdone herself with this novel. I didn't want to stop listening to this story.  I just had to find out what was next. Many of the secrets were easy for me to figure out early in the story, yet, this did not take away from my listening experience. 

This is an excellent outlet for an audio presentation. This is a single voiced presentation performed by Nancy Wu. She gives each character their own special something that makes them distinctive. The pace was perfect and the plot flowed smoothly. Overall I loved Nancy Wu's performance. 

Audio Review: Spellbound by Jacqueline West

Title: Spellbound (The Books of Elsewhere Vol 2)
Author: Jacqueline West
Narrator: Lexy Fridell
Publication: July 12, 2011
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Source: Purchased
Genre: Children
Length: 6 Hours 57 minutes
Format: Unabridged Audio
Rating: 5 of 5

Amazon|Book Website|Author Website|Goodreads

Synopsis:
With no way into the house's magical paintings, and its three guardian cats reluctant to help, Olive's friend Morton is still trapped inside Elsewhere. So when Rutherford, the new oddball kid next door, mentions a grimoire - a spellbook - Olive feels a breathless tug of excitement. If she can find the McMartins' spellbook, maybe she can help Morton escape Elsewhere for good. Unless, that is, the book finds Olive first.

The house isn't the only one keeping secrets anymore. Mystery, magic, corruption, and betrayal abound (plus just enough laughs to take the edge off). You'll never guess what happens next in this thrilling, chilling second volume in the critically acclaimed series.

My Thoughts: In this second installment Olive finds herself alone. The only ones who can take her into the painting to see Morton are the cats and they are always busy. When Olive finds out that many witches keep a grimoire she begins a mission to find the McMartin grimoire. Again Olive is naive in her mission and doesn't listen to the advice the receives. Will Olive live to see the light of day?

Again Lexy Fridell does an amazing job with her narrations. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite narrators.  This story is an excellent platform for an audio production.  As a single voiced production Lexy Fridell does an astonishing job of differentiating each character and their accents. Fridell makes each character their own through her narration. I was excited that the narrator did not change for this second installment. I like to keep the same voice in my head as I experience each installment of a series. As the next in the series does not yet have an audio I will be reading it. 

Cover Reveal: Lucifer by Annabell Cadiz

Synopsis: Have you ever wondered what could be hiding in the shadows?

Well, for eighteen-year-old Zahara Faraday, she doesn’t have to wonder. You see she
comes from a lineage of Light Witches, those who have chosen to help protect and
serve between the supernatural world and the human world. The only problem is
Zahara, like her father Solomon, is as human as a human being can be whereas her
mother, Mia, and her Aunt Catalina, were born as Light Witches. As a family they hunt
down rogue supernaturals—creatures who harm humans or who have committed an
act against their kingdom.

Zahara’s hunting skills are usually kept dormant since her parents would prefer she
live life as a normal human girl without knowledge of the supernatural world. She
plans on doing just that—except when she finds a couple being attacked by fairies,
she has no choice but to step in. Before she can return to pretending to be blissfully
ignorant, Zahara encounters a problem she isn’t the least equip to handle: Bryan
Hamilton, the good looking new co-worker she has to help train. In a heartbeat, her
best friend, Becca King, has set her up on a double date with herself and her new crush,
Rekesh Saint-Louis, who happens to be the most powerful leader of the biggest Imago
Coven in South Florida –supernatural creatures with the ability to control water . . .
and suck out human souls.

Zahara has no time to focus on how she’s going to explain her double date with her
best friend and the enemy they have a tentative truce with to her parents because soon
one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven is found murdered with a strange
tattoo of a snake with wings carved into his arm.

Zahara is then thrown into a whirlwind battle with an angel determined to have
revenge against God, an Imago coven she doesn’t think they should trust, and slew of
dream-eating fairies and powerful Nephilims, hybrid children of angels and humans,
more than happy to rip her to shreds.

Normal just got a deadlier definition.

Go Inside Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1)

Coming January 31, 2013!

“Care to dance?” Bryan asked, already leading Zahara to the dance floor.

She pulled him back and shook her head. “I’m the worst dancer! My feet, hips, and body
don’t know how to coordinate well together, so I wind up looking like an ostrich trying
to bust a move.”

Bryan laughed and pulled her onto the dance floor. “Whether you look like an ostrich or
a ballerina dancer, you’re still the best lookin’ one here.”

He spun her around and placed his hands on her hips, attempting slowly to move her
in the same rhythm as his own. At first Zahara’s body moved stiffly, even under Bryan’s
warm and smooth hands, which were sending shivers creeping up her spine and around
her midsection; she couldn’t stop looking around the club. Stuck in between a group of
scantily clad teenage girls who kept dropping to their knees and bouncing back up, a
giggling mass of hysteria, and a Spanish couple pressed so tightly together their dancing
came off as borderline sex, Zahara felt like an alien. Even the hyena-sounding girls–who
Zahara was pretty sure, were all buzzed and quickly heading to being drunk—moved
with more skill than she possessed.

But Bryan pressed her closer against him and placed her arms to circle his neck from
behind. He moved a little faster and Zahara fell into step, laying her head against his
shoulder and closing her eyes to drown out the crowd. She focused on the hard muscles
of Bryan’s chest, his heated breath against her hair, and his fingers gripping her waist.
She absently wondered if it was wrong that an angel was dancing inside of a club full
of youth, and if this was as weird and exhilarating for him as it was for her. Bryan spun
her around to face him and kissed her. He wasn’t as gentle as he usually was, digging his
hand into her hair and nibbling on her bottom lip. Zahara whimpered and moved her
fingers underneath his shirt, digging her fingers into his back.

Bryan pulled back and laid his forehead against Zahara’s, his breath ragged and intense
enough to set her on fire. “You’re making this difficult.”

“Making what difficult?” Zahara huffed.

“Leaving you.” Bryan closed his eyes and kissed her again.

Fun Quotes

“Enough with the games, I know what you are, Nephilim and if you make one move, I
promise I will crave you open.” ~Zahara

“You caught me, I was definitely dreaming of you. If I remember correctly, you were
frolicking on a beach, wearing a pretty skimpy red bikini and some kind of flower in
your hair. Gotta say that was the best dream I’ve ever had.” ~Bryan

“Time is endless for a being such as I. Power is the only master I trust.” ~Lucifer

“All those night long phone calls! All those secret visits to my house! All those secret
walks! And you’re fond of me! You think I’m being over dramatic! How about I break
your face open for over dramatics!” ~Becca

“Solomon, you will remember that although I agreed to ally myself and my coven with
yours, that does not mean you have any semblance of authority over me. We have a
truce, and I conduct my own actions as I see fit, whether that involves Becca or not.’

‘And you remember I will take your coven down the moment you step over the line,”
Solomon hissed.” ~Solomon and Rekesh

About the Author

 Annabell Cadiz was born in the sweltering heat of South Florida.She was raised surrounded by Puerto Rican chefs and band of siblings that weren’t all related to her. A self-proclaimed nerd and book-a-holic (her room does hold much evidence to prove her claims are justifiable), she created TeamNerd Reviews to showcase her EXTREME love for novels where, along with her best friend, Bridget Strahin, she hosts book reviews, interviews, giveaways, Indie Shoutouts and much more.

She also blog tour services for authors. She also had the pleasure of being published in three separate issue of Suspense Magazine. She also adores Cinnamon Teddy Grahams, has an addiction to Minute Maid Orange juice, and is a proud Jesus Freak. She is working on getting LUCIFER, the first book in SONS OF OLD TRILOGY ready to be published JANUARY 31, 2013.

Website |TeamNerd Reviews | Goodreads |Twitter | Facebook

Guest Post: Witch Way Bends by Olivia Hardin

Title: Witch Way Bends (Book 1 of the Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy)
Author: Olivia Hardin
Publication: December 2, 2011
Publisher: Create Space
Genre: Paranormal Romance

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Devan Stowe has only one thing on her mind when she teams up with Kent Crosby and his associates—putting an end to her father’s child trafficking business. Her determination takes her on a journey to discover her true strength and the… one man she was destined to love. In his arms, she’ll learn the meaning of trust, honor, and courage. Devan will unlock an amazing gift that will free her from her past and open up a future full of magic, faeries and more things than she ever imagined possible.

Be sure to check out Bitten Shame (Book 2 in the Bend -Bite-Shift Trilogy) and also Langton’s short story “Tell A Soul” In the Cupid Painted Blind Anthology both also available on Amazon!

Guest Post: 

If I could jump into a book…

by Olivia Hardin

If I could jump into a book, I’d live in a world of twenty known universes.   A world where a bit of magic… er complex mathematics, can open doorways between the planets and the galaxies.  A world where lesser villains may be forced to eat themselves while the “eater of souls” duels in riposte.

If I could jump into a book, I’d have journeys of adventure on a road less travelled.  I’d battle blood kites and horned ghosts and dragons, all with a tough gnome-like side-kick.  I’d have a little black box that could hold an almost infinite amount of provisions and I’d remind my fellow cohorts to be careful lest it get lost in the swamp.  I’d have a champion to lead the way with his “bump” of direction never failing.

If I could jump into a book I’d be a Princess with a strong and brave Hero at my side.  We’d jump a sword to seal a vow even as we search for a lost egg.  My Hero would fight for his Princess to the death if necessary and after all that, forgive her almost anything, even when she forces him to take her over his knee.  I’d have at my disposal an arsenal of wisdom to resolve any problem.  I’d be strong enough to use that wisdom even when my heart says no.

If I could jump into a book, I’d live in the world of Robert Heinlein’s creation.  I’d travel the Glory Road again and again, living the adventure, falling in love and roaming the twenty known universes.  And the best thing about living in that world, would be that I could “retell” the ending so that the glorious quest could continue with ever-changing, new roads to be traveled…