Blog Tour: Spotlight/Excerpt/Giveaway!! Simon, by V.A. Dold

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 Simon Book Tour,
sponsored by
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Simon

(Le Beau Brothers, #2)

V.A. Dold

Trade Paperback, 278 pages

VADold, June 30, 2014

Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

 

Book Synopsis

NOTE: Complete novel. No cliffhanger. Dual POV. Rated 18+ for language and strong sexual content. 

Four years of honorably serving his country has left Simon, Cade’s younger brother, damaged and trapped in wolf form. Little did he know the only person with the ability to heal him completely would be found at home. Literally. Now that he’s found her, he is desperate to claim her. 

Rose is a beautiful, voluptuous woman with limited experience with men. Although she's confident, she still has reservations. Never having a family of her own, her fear of abandonment has her fleeing romantic relationships, and doubting herself. 

Travis is insane. A deadly loose cannon that a secret organization hired to destroy the Le Beau family by denying them their mates. Permanently. 

Simon’s dream will be lost forever unless he is able to maintain human form. 

Rose needs unconditional love and a mate to create the family she’s always wanted. 

Travis’s all-consuming drive is to take Rose for himself. 

Will Simon ever be whole again, able to claim his mate, giving Rose the love and family she so desperately craves? Or will Travis destroy them both?

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON Paperback
AMAZON Kindle

Book 1 Cade Amazon

Book Excerpt

She looked at him over her shoulder. His blue eyes seared her with heat and the intensity of his stare made her shiver. Lifting one hand, he laid his fingers against the blush of her cheek. Then he wrapped his arms around her from behind, burying his nose in her hair and letting his wolf rumble in satisfaction. “I’m ready to show you off at Julia’s whenever you are.”

“Let me check my face and hair. It’ll only take a minute.” She returned a few minutes later looking amazing.

Her hair was pulled back in a fashionable messy bun. A single strand was left loose to fall down the side of her face to the tip of her breast. He longed to follow that strand to its destination, scrape his teeth against her nipple and inhale her precious scent.

She was without a doubt the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen in his life. As Rose placed her arms around his neck he relished how her warmth seeped into his body.

“I may have to change my mind, you look too good, and I’ll be forced to kill some idiot who tries to dance with you.”

She rolled her eyes at him and grabbed her purse. “Come on, Romeo, I’m ready for a boat ride and a turn around the dance floor.”

Simon held her hand as she got into the boat then jumped in and revved the motor. “I’ll go slow so I don’t mess up your gorgeous hair.” He winked.

She blew him a kiss and fluffed her hair dramatically. 

Even going slow it only took twenty minutes to reach the pier serving the bar. They could already hear the music and boisterous patrons. He cut the motor and helped her exit safely; boats weren’t designed for high heels.

Rose looked up and down the line of boat slips and shoreline. “Where’s her sign?”

“She doesn’t have one. We’d rather random humans didn’t wander in. Mates are more than welcome, but the occasional human to happen upon the bar isn’t very well received.”

They entered the bar and he led her to an open table. “I’ll get us drinks, would you like wine or a whiskey Coke?”

“A whiskey Coke sounds great.” Her eyes were bright with excitement as she checked out the crowd.

Squeezing into an open spot at the bar, he waved over his cousin. “Julia! How are you, cher?”

“Oh, my god! Simon, it’s so good to see you. I heard you found your mate.”

“I did.” He gestured to their table. “Rose is seated right there, stop over if you get a break.”

“She’s a beauty. You’re a lucky man, cuz.”

“Don’ I know it.” he grinned. “Can I get a Whiskey Coke and a beer?”

“Sure.”

He turned his back to the bar to check on Rose. Simon’s breath caught as she unconsciously moistened her lip with the tip of her pink tongue. That mouth was made for sin, with its plush lower lip. He imagined her mouth doing wicked things to a certain part of his anatomy. The thought made the blood thrum in his veins.  Simon turned to inconspicuously adjust himself, his faded jeans were suddenly way too tight. Her intoxicating scent of coffee and cinnamon rolls licked at his groin even from across the room. He wanted to rub himself all over her, saturating her with his scent whenever they were in public. His wolf wouldn’t be satisfied until they were mated. 

Gazing at her across the room his blood surged, he imagined her naked on his bed, her thighs parted in invitation. If he concentrated he could actually recall the taste of her passion. There was nothing greater than loving her long into the night, her excited cries entwining with his hoarse groans as they made the bed shudder and shake. He shook his head. He really needed to get control of his randy thoughts. This was date night and he would show her a good time away from his bed for once. Down boy, he snarled at his wolf. When he glanced at her again she was snickering and shaking her head at him. He must be imagining loudly.

“Here you go, no charge, and congratulations, Simon.” Julia rapped her knuckles on the bar top before she turned her attention to making another customer’s drink. She was very busy, so he left her to it. He’d barely taken his seat when the band took the stage for another set. Standing, he held his hand out to Rose. “May I have this dance?”

“Why, yes, you may,” she said playing along.

Simon held her close enough to see the sparkles in her blue eyes. He loved the way her gaze lit up when she was happy. But his wolf itched to see her eyes dazed with passion as he made love to her, and then sated and sleepy afterwards. For now holding her on the dance floor would do. Rose’s intoxicating fragrance surrounded him, teasing his senses. He was in heaven.

Simon cupped her cheek with a large, warm palm. “I’m so happy you moved into our house, Rose. Having you in my arms makes me the luckiest man in the world.” The moment she agreed to move to his house he’d called it ‘their’ home. His glowing blue eyes regarded her with a tenderness that made her breath hitch. 

She tightened her arms around his neck, urging his face closer to hers. “I didn’t want to go back to Anna’s, to an empty bed anymore,” she told him. “If you really plan to have me as your mate, it only made sense.

“Just say the word and I’m yours completely. Forever.” He smiled, then dipped his head, kissed her deeply and nuzzled her.

About the Author

V.A.Dold is the bestselling and award-nominated author of the Le Beau Brothers series, New Orleans wolf shifter novels. A graduate of Saint Cloud University, she majored in Marketing. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, she was a publicist to the authors, owning Innovative Online Book Tours and ARC Author & Reader Con's (ARC NOLA) (ARC Phoenix). Still is. The companies mesh so well together, much like PB&J.

Her idea of absolute heaven is a day in the French Quarter filled with nothing but her computer, her coffee mug and the Brothers, of course.

A Minnesota native with her heart lost to Louisiana, she has a penchant for titillating tales featuring sexy men and strong women. When she's not writing, she's probably taking in a movie, reading or traveling.

Her earliest reading memories are from grade school. She had a major fixation with horses, and the Black Stallion was a favorite. Then junior high came along and teenage hormones kicked in. It became all about the Harlequin Romances. She has been hooked on romances ever since.

ONLINE LINKS:

Website: www.vadold.com

Blog: www.vadold.com/blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/VA-Dold/1404660546458551

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VADOLD

Giveaway:

http://www.vadold.com/monthly-giveaway.html

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just click on 

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Blog Tour: Spotlight/Giveaway!! Mangled Hearts, by Felicia Tatum

Welcome to this stop in the

Mangled Hearts Tour,

brought to you by

Innovative Online Book Tours!!

Mangled Hearts

(Scarred Hearts, #1)

Felicia Tatum
Trade Paperback, 232 pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Platform
July 12, 2013
Contemporary Romance, 
New Adult Fiction


Book Synopsis
 
Francesca and Cade.  Can two loves find their way back to each other despite an addiction and a hardened heart? Will their love overcome it all? Francesca Taymon is young, successful, and broken. A tragic accident years ago haunts her to this day, and she blames only one person--the one that holds her heart. When she finally gets her first case, will she be able to handle seeing him again? Can she do her job and keep her heart intact? Cade Kelling doesn’t take life seriously. He’s reckless and irresponsible, drinking all his problems away. When his parents bail him out for the last time, will he be able to handle seeing Francesca after all of these years? Will he be able to tell her what really happened that night 5 years ago or will he lose her forever? And the most important question…. Can these mangled hearts be mended?

Amazon US/Amazon CA
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
The Book Depository
Smashwords 




Book Excerpt

Chapter One: Francesca

The steaming hot water rolled down my skin, leaving a trail of red lines. I lathered the shampoo through my long, dark blonde hair. Closing my eyes, I let the lavender scent tickle my nose. Inhaling deeply, my lungs filled and my body relaxed. Continuing the gentle massage of my head, I thought about the past few years. The stress was consuming me to the point I missed much needed rest.

I went through the same routine every morning. Nightmares tortured me throughout the night, reminding me of all that could have been. I woke with the memory fresh on my mind. The day that was forever etched in my brain; my best friend coming to break the heart-wrenching news to me, the world shattering before my eyes, and the blur that followed. My day always started with me in a tangle of blankets and covered in sweat. I would lie in my bed attempting to calm my fast-beating heart until my breath would finally slow enough for me to get up and shower. At least I had a routine.

I finished rinsing my hair and body, the suds covering me like a white, fluffy blanket. The water mixed in with my lingering tears, clearing my face of the night before.

*******

I hurried up the stairs of my building, tripping over my own feet and almost falling flat on my face. "Perfect," I muttered as I gripped the handrail for the support. I bent and slipped the too-high heels off. I usually took my shoes off in the office anyway, but they would have to come off a little sooner than usual today. I rushed in the door, raising my hand to wave at the office assistant, Zander. He usually wanted me to stop and chat, but I was running late. I slept too late, pushed "snooze" too many times, and spent too long in the shower trying to forget, and tripped over my own feet as I got dressed, so I was in a rush to get to he meeting with my boss.

I flung my briefcase on my desk, sending papers flying. Groaning, I crawled around the floor picking them up. Pain shot through my head as I rammed it into the desk while attempting to stand. I rubbed the spot in a circle, trying to ease the intensity of the throbbing. I searched for the folder with my notes on the Archuleta case. Being unable to find it, I slumped in the chair, closed my eyes, and rubbed my temples. This was the worst Wednesday I'd ever had. Nothing seemed to be going right, and it was only 9 a.m.

Being employed as a Worker's Compensation lawyer for the last three years had been rough. Directly after graduating with my B.S. in Business, I ran off to law school. I hoped being around new faces in a different town would help me forget. And I did for a brief period, but it didn't last. After the graduation ceremony, I got a job with a firm back in my hometown, putting me right back where I started. Now I had a job I didn't particularly like, mainly because they treated me like an intern. Most entry-level lawyers were able to move up to the higher-end cases after their second year, but not me. I was still stuck on the simple cases, and that frustrated me to no end. I was ready for the challenges that came with being a lawyer.

Sighing, I opened the top drawer of my rusted desk to see if, by some miracle, the folder was in there. I shuffled the contents, gasping when I realized it was in my briefcase. Muttering obscenities to myself, I pulled the heavy leather case closer to my seat. The lock clicked as I popped it open to reveal the treasure. I laughed at myself as I opened the folder to ensure all needed papers were present. I moved my feet around under my desk, attempting to find my shoes. I got them on just in time to see my boss walk by on his way to our meeting. Jumping up, I slid the chair away from my desk and rounded the edge to get to the door.

"Mr. Phlllips," I called, taking long strides to catch up. It wasn't difficult because I was fairly tall for a woman. At five feet, eight inches, I generally stood well above other women. And some men. When I was younger I hated my height. It seemed that every boy I had a crush on was at least three inches shorter than me, making me feel extremely awkward for most of my teen years. Once I hit my twenties and grew in confidence, I didn't it as much. If I was attracted to the man, height shouldn't matter.

"Ms. Taymon," he said, nodding in acknowledgement.

I smiled politely, and slid in step with him. "Good morning, sir. I was just on my way to our meeting for the Archuleta case."

"Yes, indeed. I am, too. Do you have everything ready?"

I held the folder up for him to see, shaking it a bit. "Yes, sir."

"Good. We have a conference call with the company at 11 a.m. This meeting needs to happen fast so we're prepared."

Great. A conference call meant he would want to make our final offers today. We had a long meeting ahead of us, and I dreaded what would happen. The Archulet case was about a woman that was injured while driving her company's car to the post office. A semi-truck rammed into the driver's side, completely crushing her. She had barely survived, and her spine had to be completely restructured. She was in a wheelchair and her doctors seemed uncertain if she would ever walk again. Her company didn't want to accommodate her new needs, nor did they want to pay the big settlement she deserved. The lawyers at J & B Law Firm were determined to get her the money she would need to survive.

I wished I was the lawyer fighting in court, but I was only here to gather facts, numbers, and information, The case would definitely go to court, because the company felt they were getting the low end of the deal. How they figured they were getting the bad end, when Ms. Archuleta may never walk again, I didn't know.

Book Review: "Landing", by J. Bennett (Innovative Online Book Tours)

Welcome to this stop 

in the tour for Landing 

(Girl with Broken Wings, #2),

sponsored by

Innovative Online Book Tours!!

About the Book

Landing

(Girl with Broken Wings, #2)

J. Bennett

Trade Paperback, 264 pages

Endeavor Writing

January 8, 2013

Dystopian Fiction, New Adult Fiction, 

Paranormal Fiction, 

Science Fiction, Thrillers

Book Synopsis 

A compelling, and emotionally complex paranormal novel! Some landings you can’t walk away from. Fighting evil isn’t only high-stress, no pay, and uncomfortable as hell most of the time… It also doesn’t turn out to be quite as black and white as Maya would have hoped. As a hybrid angel struggling to control her murderous appetite, Maya should know better than to expect simplicity. With one half-brother still convinced that she’s an unstable threat and the other oblivious to the danger she presents, Maya struggles to find a balance between her diminished humanity and the darkness of the monster within. >>> “Maya is imperfect, sarcastic and believable; and her plight is heart-poundingly realistic.” Reading Lark Blog The world gets murkier when Maya discovers a pair of angels who invite her into their lives. Now, she must choose between family or the promise of acceptance. The stakes grow higher when Maya’s greatest enemy returns. Vengeance may be within her grasp, but will Maya have to sacrifice one she loves to take it? >>> “It's totally exciting. Dramatic. Vividly intense. Poignant. Need I add that it's an utterly riveting, page-turning read? To sum up, I have discovered a bold new talent to follow! ” A Night’s Dream of Books Blog Landing is J Bennett's action-packed, darkly-humorous sequel to Falling, and the second book in the paranormal adventure series, Girl With Broken Wings Series. Falling was just the beginning for Maya and her brothers.

Amazon US/Amazon CA

Amazon UK

My Review

This second novel in the series is even more riveting and compelling than the first novel, and the novella which follows it. In fact, I would say that Bennett has surpassed herself in this installment!

The saga of Maya the hybrid 'angel' (actually an energy vampire) and her vigilante half-brothers is seriously addictive reading! In Landing, the relationship of the three siblings becomes even more poignant, as the reader learns further details about their family history, and they are thrown into even more danger.

Maya is a totally admirable character; she's constantly fighting against the hunger -- that insatiable desire to 'feed' on energy from humans, killing them in the process. She manages to get by through draining small animals, but the hunger for human energy is always present, tormenting her. In spite of her situation, she's courageous, funny, snarky, and strongly loyal to her brothers, insisting on joining them on all their missions. She's definitely a great heroine! 

I didn't think it was possible to love Gabe even more than I already did, but, in this novel, his kindness and endless sweetness toward Maya just made me want to hug him! His implicit trust in her is very touching, especially since he knows she could destroy him if she ever lost control. His easygoing, laid-back attitude, in the face of their family tragedy, is absolutely wonderful! Unlike Tarren, Gabe wears his heart on his sleeve. Maya, who can see human auras, can read him much more easily than she can Tarren, who keeps a very tight rein on his emotions.

As for Tarren, I have very mixed feelings about him.  It seemed that he was beginning to trust Maya more in Coping, the novella in this series. However, this is really not the case at all; his attitude toward her remains one of cautious tolerance. He never fully lets her in, so she can only catch glimpses of what he must be feeling. He's even willing to risk her life at one point in the plot, against Gabe's vehement protests. So I found myself alternately disliking him, and then feeling sorry for him. After all, he has suffered at the hands of the heinous villain in these books -- terribly so. Still, his actions toward Maya are really unforgivable. In this novel, the reader finds out just how deeply he has betrayed her, simply because he's in pursuit of revenge.

Two new characters are introduced in this installment -- a married couple, Kyle and Jane. They're both 'angels'. Maya meets them one night, after she and her brothers have returned from an unsuccessful mission. 

These characters are very likable, paradoxically enough. They want to take Maya under their wing, and she almost gives in, just so she can feel totally accepted and loved. However, she realizes that Kyle is trying to rationalize the 'angel' lifestyle by telling her that she should only drain people who really 'deserve' it, like criminals, or people who are already dying. She knows that killing a human being is wrong, no matter how you try to justify it. Her condition as a hybrid -- not completely human, yet, not fully an 'angel' -- helps her to resist  the lure of this evil.

The action really ratchets up in this novel, as the siblings finally confront the villain -- Grand. In the process, the reader encounters his very sick, disgusting, views toward the humans who have not been 'enhanced'. This is a villain you love to hate; the  thoughts of this most nefarious 'angel' mirror those of Hitler and his Nazis in their contempt for 'inferior people'. Indeed, this warped philosophy is also behind the eugenics movement. Bennett is thus implicitly criticizing it, and I admire her for doing so.

This novel, like the previous books in this series, has very profound philosophical implications underlying its action-filled plot. It's also a great example of masterful, suspenseful writing. Furthermore, it's peopled by very vivid, fully fleshed-out characters whose struggles and emotions we the readers come to feel and understand as if we were also going through the same things. 

Powerfully intense, stunningly compelling, this is a novel that will not let readers go until the very last page is turned! Bennett fully immerses the reader in her terrifying, totally believable world, and she does so with remarkable ease.

These characters will remain completely unforgettable to me, even after I've finished reading the last novel in the series, Rising, which I am planning to purchase just as soon as I possibly can! In all honesty, I simply can't praise these books enough, in spite of their very dark themes, and the bleakness of this future, dystopian world. Still, hope remains ever present, and evil will not get the upper hand. In the final analysis, this is what's truly important. Kudos to J. Bennett for her imaginative portrayal of the darkness, as well as the light, within the human soul!

 

 MY RATING:

Reviewer's Note

I would like to thank Ms. Bennett

for providing me with  a

print copy of her book.
I am continuing to enjoy this series!

About the Author

J. Bennett is a professional copywriter and copy editor, as well as a novelist.  She lives and writes in Southern California.

Works by J. Bennett

Girl with Broken Wings Series

Falling (Book 1)

Coping (Novella, 1.5)

Landing (Book 2)

The Vampire's Housekeeper Chronicles

Employment Interview with a Vampire

(short story, #1)

The Vampire Hunter Comes to Call

(short story, #2)

Duel with the Werefrog

(short story, #3)




Online Links
Website 
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Amazon 





For the complete schedule
of participating blogs,
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Blog Tour: Book Review: Coping, by J. Bennett

Welcome to this stop 

in the tour for Coping 

(Girl with Broken Wings, #1.5),

sponsored by

Innovative Online Book Tours!!

About the Book

  

Coping

(Girl with Broken Wings, #1.5)

J. Bennett

Trade Paperback, 80 pages

Endeavor Writing

June 23, 2013

Dystopian Fiction, New Adult Fiction, 

Paranormal Fiction, 

Science Fiction, Thrillers

Book Synopsis 

Coping is the exciting follow-up to Falling in the Girl With Broken Wings series.  This is a gripping and action-packed paranormal novella.  Maya, a quirky and likable heroine, is intent on joining her half-brothers in their secret war against the genetically-enhanced killers that call themselves 'angels'. Still trying to cope with her new abilities and the hunger that threatens to overwhelm her, Maya may be more of a hindrance than a help to her brothers as they take on a new mission and make a horrifying discovery. >>> “Maya is imperfect, sarcastic and believable; and her plight is heart-poundingly realistic.” Reading Lark Blog Coping is a fast-paced novella that brings readers back into Maya’s darkly-humorous world where angels are not the good guys, the heroes don’t wear tights, and getting in over your head just means it’s Tuesday. >>> “It's totally exciting. Dramatic. Vividly intense. Poignant. Need I add that it's an utterly riveting, page-turning read? To sum up, I have discovered a bold new talent to follow! ” A Night’s Dream of Books Blog Join Maya, Gabe, and Tarren for more blood, bullets, and Chuck Norris jokes in Coping, part of the Girl With Broken Wings New Adult paranormal series.

Amazon US/Amazon CA

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

My Review

The non-stop action continues in this novella, which also serves the purpose of giving readers more background on the Fox brothers, as well as Maya, their half-sister.

This exciting new series gripped me from page 1 of the first book, Falling!  In spite of the grim futuristic setting, I was drawn deeper and deeper into the plight of Maya and her half-brothers with every single page. 

The novella is no different.  This trio of unlikely vigilantes embarks on a very dangerous journey, with Maya now being tentatively included as more than just a lookout.  She does make some mistakes at first, but her brothers -- even Tarren, surprisingly enough -- cut her some slack, and, with her help, they are able to make, as the synopsis puts it, 'a horrifying discovery'.

I did find that part of the book a bit hard to take, due to its rather graphic detail.  However, I'm too invested in the characters and the whole story by now to stop reading this series!  

These three siblings have such a perfect combination of good and bad points.  Maya is insecure, snarky, and rather quirky, but she is also kind and loving.  She's having a hard time learning how to be tough, although she does want revenge on the angel responsible for her current condition.  Tarren is very bitter and cynical, but he also has a hidden well of compassion.  As for Gabe.....oh, I just adore Gabe!  He's the one who acts as a sort of buffer between Maya and Tanner.  I love how he persists in giving his sister the benefit of the doubt, in spite of the danger she obviously poses.  I love how he stands up for her whenever Tarren makes one of his cynical remarks about her.  

In spite of the tension created by the presence of Maya, the brothers work things out between themselves, and with her.  As they start to go on missions together, their bond grows, and even Tanner begins to treat Maya more like a sister.  What a poignant, touching contrast to their grim, mostly joyless, existence, which is broken only by Gabe's wonderfully silly Chuck Norris jokes and seemingly nonchalant attitude....

Although this is only a novella, it's as fully realized as a full-length novel.  Bennett's writing and characterizations are as skillful as I discovered them to be in the first book. Furthermore, the book has very nicely filled in some much-needed information, such as the story of Maya's birth, which I was curious about.   

Bennett's world is not a pleasant one, to be sure, but she definitely makes her readers care for and about her characters, as they continue their grim quest to rid the world of these so-called 'angels', who are really scientifically-enhanced-humans-turned-monsters.  

I'm heartily looking forward to the second book, Landing, and beyond that, to the third, Rising!  

  




 MY RATING:

Reviewer's Note

I would like to thank Ms. Bennett

for providing me with  a

print copy of her book.
I am continuing to enjoy this series!

About the Author

J. Bennett is a professional copywriter and copy editor, as well as a novelist.  She lives and writes in Southern California.

Works by J. Bennett

Girl with Broken Wings Series

Falling (Book 1)

Coping (Novella, 1.5)

Landing (Book 2)

The Vampire's Housekeeper Chronicles

Employment Interview with a Vampire

(short story, #1)

The Vampire Hunter Comes to Call

(short story, #2)

Duel with the Werefrog

(short story, #3)




Online Links
Website 
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Amazon 





For the complete schedule
of participating blogs,
just click on this button!

  

Blog Tour Book Review: Falling, by J. Bennett

Welcome to this stop 

in the tour for Falling 

(Girl with Broken Wings, #1),

sponsored by

Innovative Online Book Tours!!

About the Book

Falling
(Girl with Broken Wings, #1)
J. Bennett
Trade Paperback, 236 pages
Endeavor Writing
July 20, 2013
Dystopian Fiction, New Adult Fiction, Paranormal Fiction, Science Fiction, Thrillers


Book Synopsis:  Maya knew something was wrong.  The stranger's glowing hands were a big tipoff.  When the stranger murders Maya's boyfriend with a single touch, drags the college sophomore to an abandoned storage unit, and injects her with a DNA-altering serum, Maya prays for a savior.  Instead, she gets a double helping of knight-in-not-so-shining-armor when two young men claiming to be her half-brothers pull off a belated rescue.  Now Maya is swiftly transforming into an "angel", one of the scientifically-enhanced, energy-sucking creatures her brothers have spent their whole lives trying to destroy.  Maya's senses sharpen, her body becomes strong and agile, and she develops the ability to visually see the emotions of those around her as colorful auras....beautiful auras....tempting auras.  Struggling to control the murderous appetite that fuels her new abilities, this reluctant protagonist must find a way to accept her new condition and learn to trust her angel-hunting brothers as she joins them in their fight against the powerful and destructive creatures.  On the up side, at least Maya's eldest brother has stopped trying to kill her. 

Amazon US/Amazon CA

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

My Review

There are so many positive adjectives I can apply to this novel, I scarcely know where to begin.  It's totally exciting.  Dramatic.  Vividly intense.  Poignant.  There are humorous passages, as well.  Need I add that it's an utterly riveting, page-turning read?

The cover perfectly illustrates the drama and darkness of this fascinating novel.  I love the picture of the girl desperately clutching her temples, as she gazes at her winged reflection on the ground, with the two mysterious figures in the background.  As for the title, the heavily stylized letter "F", in the word, "Falling" is amazingly done, and very effective.  

With this book, Bennett takes on a very serious, vitally important theme -- the dangers inherent in the attempt to create 'super humans'.  I see her novel as an implied criticism of the modern movement known as transhumanism.  According to Wikipedia, this is "an international cultural and intellectual movement with an eventual goal of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities."  Critics of this movement cite such possible negative outcomes as dehumanization, the threat of coercive eugenics procedures, threats to morality and democracy, and other grave existential risks.  

In this novel, the super humans are also monsters.  For some reason, these frightening creatures have given themselves the name of "angels".  They are more accurately described as energy vampires.  They must survive on the energy they suck from other beings, especially humans, killing them in the process.  Although they can also absorb energy directly from the sun, it's never quite enough, and 'the hunger' is terrifyingly intense.... They are also supremely arrogant,  contemptuous of those whom they consider beneath them: normal, average humans.  All this is in stark contrast to the nature of real angels, so it strikes me as very ironic, as well as presumptuous, that these beings would dare to give themselves such a name.  

In spite of the book's dark theme, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole plot, from beginning to end.  That was largely due to Bennett's deft characterizations and brilliant prose.  I was even willing to overlook the unfortunate appearance of "the F bomb" every few pages.  Believe me, it's not every day I find myself doing such a thing!

The following paragraph is a sample of Bennett's powerful, vivid prose:

"Mostly, the hunger is a song with a secret melody only I can hear.  The music clings to each breath of wind and the calm in between.  It hums along the spongy corridors of my brain, each note jumping from one stalled synapse to the next.  At night, when the sun cannot feed me its thin soup, the song grows loud as thunder captured in my bones.  Destruction concealed beneath the beauty."  (From the Prologue, pg. 3) 

Maya, the main protagonist, vividly comes to life, with her passionate, loving nature, as well as her insecurities.  In spite of these, she puts up a valiant fight to overcome the horrible hunger that now consumes her.  Her attempts to fit in and bond with her newly-discovered brothers are very touching and poignant, revealing the fact that she's still human to some extent, in spite of her transformation.

Gabe and Tarren, Maya's brothers and the novel's two other protagonists, are perfectly drawn, as well.  Gabe is the easy-going, fun-loving one, and he immediately accepts his sister in spite of her new nature.  I loved his silly Chuck Norris jokes, his witty one-liners, and the way he felt protective of Maya, in spite of her insistence that she had no need of protection.  If I could have had a brother, I would have picked someone like Gabe.

Tarren is the suspicious, tough-skinned brother.  He's always on his guard, expecting Maya to turn on either him, Gabe, or both, at any moment.  He and Gabe are always at odds wherever their sister is concerned.  Their arguments create much of the tension in the plot, since the reader never knows whether Tarren will end up eliminating Maya, in spite of Gabe's insistence that she will not end up killing them.  It was so heartrending to see Maya constantly striving to connect with Tarren emotionally, without much success.

I was somewhat uncomfortable with the brothers' self-appointed mission to hunt down and kill as many angels as possible.  But then, these angels were killing innocent human beings, and they had to be stopped somehow.  This is where the cruel realities of life can render a potentially evil situation as a morally ambiguous one.  If the brothers were to stop their activities, more innocent people would die....

The ending is open-ended, because there are, of course, more installments to follow.  I am very happy about this, since I want to read as many of these books as Ms. Bennett is willing to write!  I love her gritty characters and the way they manage to pull together, in spite of their interpersonal difficulties.  I also love the oppressively grim plot that, paradoxically, contains a ray of hope.  This is dystopian fiction at its best!

To sum up, I have discovered a bold new talent to follow!  I'm also hoping the books will make it to the silver screen in the foreseeable future; the action-filled plots, as well as the interpersonal dynamics among the three main characters, would translate well to that medium.  Fans of dystopian fiction, thrillers, and science fiction, take note!




 MY RATING:

Reviewer's Note

I would like to thank Ms. Bennett

for providing me with  a

print copy of her book.

This has in no way affected my opinion

 of this novel; I must honestly give

praise when it's really due.

In this case, it's well deserved!!

About the Author

J. Bennett is a professional copywriter and copy editor, as well as a novelist.  She lives and writes in Southern California.

Works by J. Bennett

Girl with Broken Wings Series

Falling (Book 1)

Coping (Novella, 1.5)

Landing (Book 2)

The Vampire's Housekeeper Chronicles

Employment Interview with a Vampire

(short story, #1)

The Vampire Hunter Comes to Call

(short story, #2)

Duel with the Werefrog

(short story, #3)




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