BOOK REVIEW - FEVER by LAUREN DESTEFANO - THE CHEMICAL GARDEN # 2 - HARPER COLLINS

By: Lauren Destefano

Published By: Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster

Released : Available Now

Details : Paperback from library, 341 Pages

RATING: 4.5 WOW STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

From up here he seems so small. 
He's a petal of ash tumbling toward the sky,
 all that's left of the flames.

Strange how easily things disappear.

Once upon a time there were two parents, two children, 
and the lilies wilted. 
One child disappeared. 
Then the other.

Straight into it from where we left off with Wither. Gabriel and Rhine are living on borrowed time, escaping from the mad scientist’s lair.

If you have read Wither you will understand what I mean.

WOW! This installment just kept getting better and better the more the pages turned.

An ever moving forward installment with more mature themes. Out of the clutches of Vaughn and into the clutches of Madame’s world. A world of guards, girls with names of color used for prostitution, and Angel’s Blood. 

A dangerous world of slavery within the carnival tents of Madame's world.
A world which Rhine was looking for a way out of while Gabriel spent his time in a drug induced state.

What had Gabriel signed up for when he escaped with Rhine? He could not remember a world beyond the walls of Vaughn’s mansion. No matter how fake that reality was, it was safer for him to live out his short life time. 

Not so much for Rhine.

Plotting their escape from the crazy woman and her incinerator they find themselves a 'plus one' and head towards Rhine’s home. 

I loved the plus ones character. Smart, unpredictable.
What will they find in Manhattan?

Will they find Rowan? 

Will all of this have been worth it?
Gabriel is along for the ride but I wasn’t feeling a love connection through Lauren’s words. Gabriel cares for Rhine...but does he care more than friendship?

The pages kept turning for me , Lauren would write in quite a beautiful style the horror of what this duo were living through.

A quite poetic journey they had with all the brutality of what the world had become along the way. What people had become to survive.

Where was safe?

I loved the fortune teller, you didn’t know whether she could be trusted.

Rhine has had nobody trustworthy in her life except for Deirdre and Gabriel and Rowan.

She must learn who she can trust to help her find Rowan.

Vaughn is such a wonderful evil character. He truly believes in his own madness and his passion to find the answers at the cost of the poor women surrounding him and even babies.

A most brilliant set of scenes are Rhine and the mad scientist and his attendants. I felt like I was on the wacky weed reading those scenes. Very powerful and 3D.

Frighteningly realistic.

I could have been in Rhine’s position laying in that bed. One particular scene had me wanting to shut Rhine’s eyes so she didn’t have to watch what was coming for her.

Gahhhhh!!!

Silas is a new addition , I hope we hear more from him in Sever. He has this , I don’t care attitude, but I think he does care. It comes across in his expressions and words.

Lauren shows us how she can put Rhine especially through the wringer. Gabriel was more the bed snuggle buddy in this installment. He didn’t bring a strong personality to the table. I think he was wondering half the time...why am I here , I left one mad man to fall into the clutches of all these other crazy situations.

Rhine had a direction of where she wanted to go and why. I could understand if Gabriel had undying love for Rhine, but I didn’t get that feeling. I know he cares for her, wants to help her. 

"Why?" I ask.
"You fascinated me," he says, settling back down, gathering my body to his. "You had so much faith in the world, and I wanted to see it the way you did."

Linden still needs a bit of a stinky dead fish slap from me for being so naive in his own home, but he is getting better. 

Looking forward to Sever even more now. I think Rowan , Silas and Gabriel will hopefully bring some man power to the table and help Rhine to ........ well I don’t know J I shall have to find out.

This was a very colourful instalment, with colourful villains and colourful scene settings.

Can’t wait to see what happens with the politics and virus and maybe love?? and how it will all end.

Michelle

INTERVIEW with JOAN SWAN AUTHOR OF PHOENIX RISING SERIES & GIVEAWAYS INTERNATIONAL - KENSINGTON BOOKS

Today on Novels On The Run I want to welcome the uber lovely Joan Swan to the blog. I had an absolute blast reading her first two books in the Phoenix Rising series. 

* whispers* I have a crush on Mitch.

*glove clap* 

Joan has answered my Q & A's with enthusiasm and she also gave me the thumbs up to giveaway 3 signed paperbacks,  if you are USA/CAN resident, and if you are an INTERNATIONAL winner she will send you a digital copy. 

BIG THANKYOU to Joan for those generous donations of prizes.

I will tell you more about that after you have read the interview.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hello Joan, big *woot* from down under. Thank you for letting me interview you. I have been having a ...errrr....blast, no pun intended ( well maybe) with your Phoenix Rising series. 

To think I stumbled...well my eyes boggled when Luke and his abs grabbed my attention down at my local, wee little sea side library and Blaze entered my sight.

*ding ding ding*

I got home and realized I had book two, went back nabbed me Fever # 1 in Phoenix Rising. I had no clue, cold turkey on this series. 

Bam!!

I was off and running, a fugitive in Fever. I have been telling anybody who will listen about your series. Holy mac and cheese I am in for a fast paced, blazing hot entertaining time with this series. 

I could so see it as a TV series....easily. It has all the right measured ingredients whisked together to make for a rollicking good time. 

The smexi is rather * ding ding ding * too.

Ok! To the interview.

Michelle:   What 5 words describe Joan Swan the author?

Joan:  Introvert , Creative, Compulsive, Driven, Insane J

Michelle:  You are a Published and an Indie Author ( Self Published) by choice. I got rather excited as I only just got a Kindle at Christmas and I found I had already purchased your Intimate Enemies - Covert Affairs # 1 back in October 2012, can’t wait to crack that open. I have a bit of a Joan Swan addiction at the moment.

Joan:  Aw, thank you! I’m thrilled you’re enjoying the books!

Michelle:  Phoenix Rising - Fever # 1, Blaze # 2 and Rush # 3 ( re your website) or is it Inferno ? Kind of like the title Inferno, due for release September 2013. Goodreads showed the title as Inferno. I think we need to clear up which one is correct as I would assume your own website would have the right title. 

This is Q and Jessica’s book. I am so darn looking forward to this and then, *drum roll* .....Mitch’s book.

Joan:  Yep, I had initially given book three the working title Inferno thinking we’d stick with the fire fighter themes. But as the series developed, those titles became a little restrictive, because, heck, what comes after Inferno, you know?

Instead, we decided to name the books on themes within, which suited Fever and Blaze and still worked for books 3 and 4, Rush and Shatter.

Michelle:  Please tell me Mitch’s book is early 2014. Is it possible to get a Mitch quote from Rush, I’ll take anything. I pick Mitch because I have a crush on him. He is so mischievous and the lines you give that guy. Blaze is where Mitch had me hook line and sinker, especially, when he was always provoking Luke.

Joan:  Luke was the perfect target and Mitch spared no mercy with the guy. Don’t worry, I’ve noticed Kai has picked up some of Mitch’s bad habits and Mitch gets some payback in Shatter.

Yes, Mitch’s book will release April 2014, and a LOT of readers have a crush on Mitch. It makes me a little nervous about getting Mitch’s book right. He’s been a funny, full-of-himself side kick up until now, but when he gets hit with all this intense conflict, hitting beneath that armour he wears, some of those traits shift. He’s becoming a rich, complex, faceted man as we speak. I can only hope readers will be as pleased with the results as I’ve been.

Michelle:  I have a question for Luke and Mitch. Howdy boys. What 5 words words would you use Mitch, to describe Luke? Just pretend Luke isn’t within ear shot. J

Hey, Michelle. *gives his best playboy smile* Lookin’ good. 

swoon

Only five, huh? *Shoots Luke a narrow-eyed glance.* I’ll have to make them good.

Mouthy
Combative
Annoying
Difficult
Overconfident

*Luke scowls back*  Isn’t that last one two words?

*Mitch grins * And ignorant.

Michelle: What 5 words would you use Luke, to describe Mitch? Speak   freely, I will fearlessly stand between you both to buffer any fists. J

*Luke’s irritation vanishes as he smiles lazily at Michelle.* Thanks for having me, Michelle. I apologize for this pain in the ass, *lifts his chin at Mitch*  but I’m kind of stuck with him. Dysfunctional, mish-mash of a family and all.

And since he used 6...

Brash
Arrogant
Calculating
Controlling
Devious

And...an overall bully

*Mitch slaps a hand to his chest with a grin.* Thank you, bro.

*whispers* I could put up with these two all day...and night.....hehee!!

Michelle:  Joan, what song did you listen to the most writing Fever and why? 

Joan:  I actually had not started to listen to music while writing when I was writing Fever. Nor, at that time, did I equate lyrics to the plights of my characters. 

Never fear. Since then, my critique partner, Elisabeth Naughton, has addicted me to music and I can’t seem to write without it anymore.

Two songs that make me think of Fever are:

· Your Arms Feel Like Home by 3 Doors Down 

· What I’ve Done by Linkin Park

Michelle:  What song did you listen to the most writing Blaze and why?

Joan:  With BLAZE I had a host of songs I listened to over and over...and over again. It seemed that at the time nearly every song I loved fit their circumstances to one degree or another.

For Keira: Starts with Goodbye by Carrie Underwood 

For Luke: You Don’t Know Her Like I Do by Brantley Gilbert

Awesome choices! Awww Joan, you make me want some more of your books when you choose songs like these........my heart swells.

Michelle:  Luke is rather phwoaaarrr!! What song would you think describes Luke the best and why?

Joan:  Love This Pain by Lady Antebellum

It’s an intense, passionate song from a man’s perspective of loving a woman who he knows causes him too much pain, but unable to walk away.
I think this says it all:

She's no good for me
I know that she's a wild flower
She's got a restlessness
A beautifulness, a thing about her
But here I am again calling her back
Letting her drive me crazy

Michelle:  Mitch is the intelligent, funny, top Attorney who is also a bit of a go to man when it comes to finding out information. What song would best describe Mitch and why?

Joan:  For Mitch:

Before he finds his heroine: Goodbyes 3 Doors Down

This is a deep, moving song about difficult goodbyes. How the man can’t move on, can’t heal. Mitch has a deep wound in his past that had jaded him. It is the event that has turned him dark, cynical and unable to commit or go deep with anyone in any meaningful way—anyone except his family. This is in part why he’s so funny, so likeable. He’s flippant and irreverent and deeply loyal to those who have stayed committed and true to him.

After he finds her: It’s Always Gonna Be You by Kenny Chesney

In this song, Kenny talks about doing all kinds of spectacular things he could go out and do, different successes he could achieve, try in every way possible to put the past behind him and move on from a broken heart, but in the end, he’s always looking for the same thing—the one and only person he loves. This is how Mitch has spent the last seven years of his life, and what he comes to discover in Shatter.

Michelle:  Teague is this gorgeous, protective man who has lost a lot in his life, but he has also now gained the love of his life. I think he has such a great story with what he has been through, what he struggled to get back. What song best describes Teague?

Joan:  It feels like so long since I wrote Teague’s story. And he and Alyssa have grown so much as a couple through the series.

Thinking back, Teague is an intensely deep and tormented character. A good man forced into the worst possible situation. An ethical, dedicated, strong man refusing to succumb to the powers trying to silence him.

It's Not My Time by 3 Doors Down is a powerful song describing a man refusing to give up. A man holding tight to the last bit of hope for the future and his dedication to finding it.

Michelle:  Book 2 in Covert Affairs, your self published series, do you have a working title for it? When could my Joan Swan addiction be satiated with this book? Could you describe the Covert Affairs series and how it is different to Phoenix Rising series? 

Joan:  I don’t have much of anything worked out about the second book in the Covert Affairs series other than it will be Tomas’s book, it will have Intimate in the title and will release in summer 2013.

In Intimate Enemies, Tomas, Rio’s undercover partner, learns that his ex, who left him three years prior and moved out of the country, has resurfaced in Chile. And after he and Rio take down Saul Flores, terrorist trafficker extraordinaire, he’s hauling ass to South America to track her down for answers. Of course...my heroes are never lucky enough to have anything go that smoothly. >:D

Michelle:  Phoenix Rising is such a ride of fast paced excitement with Alpha Males who are intelligent, attractive, protective, buff. These guys have layers, and they know how to * cue the love music* love their women right. You pick such great names. Teague Creek, seriously how did you come up with his name?

Joan: Thanks!! I worked really hard at keeping that pace crazy intense and giving the guys layers, like real guys (or better). I do love their names. So...sexy. So...male. Again, Teague’s name took shape so long ago, it’s difficult to remember. But I do know that there is a road on my drive to the day job—some 3 ½ hrs away—named Teague Ave. And I’ve always loved the name. I like names that are very male and a little unusual, but not so strange that readers can’t relate to them.

Michelle:  Keira, Luke, Teague ... are all ex firemen/firewomen who are now working in other fields in your books due to a thing that happened. Your husband is a fireman. Have you sat back and people watched his work colleagues to get character ideas?


Joan:  I haven’t done it consciously, but I have to have done it at some point. After being married to him for 22 years, spending most of those years in and out of the stations visiting him with the kids on his days on, sharing holiday meals with the guys (and gals) of the firehouse and attending many fire fighting conventions (YES, fire fighter conventions) with him, it would be difficult not to incorporate the fire fighter mentality and personality into my fire fighter heroes.

Fire fighters are unique (speaking generally here)—different from cops, detectives, even military. Still strong, still intense, still sharp and smart, but with a more sensitive, more charming edge. I believe that’s from their position dealing closely with the public in a supportive, rather than an aggressive, way.

And yeah, that whole allure of firefighters is unique...and after writing cops and watching so many cop shows, knowing many cops...and living with (heh) around so many firefighters, DEFINITE personality difference. Fire Fighters are so much more fun loving, easy going. They’re really just little boys in men’s bodies. Cops are intense. Life and death intense. They have to be threatening. They have to be demanding. They have to confront and fight. Firemen have to do that occasionally – with a distraught family member, a drunk / disorderly patient – but for the most part, they’re messing with fire and saving/helping people. They have to garner cooperation, usually fast, and the best way to do it is not by force. 

Best way to do it is with a smile and a yes ma’am. (A lot of firefighters use ma’am and sir). This is why people LOVE firefighters – they are the cop with a super sexy sensitive, charming side. J

And damn...those uniforms...

**sigh**

I swoon again

Michelle:  The women in your books are intelligent, with strong personalities. They know how to handle themselves around these Alpha guys. The males don’t feel intimidated by them, they work very well side by side with them. Alyssa makes me laugh out loud at her no swearing policy, which has Mitch coughing up a fair amount of dollars. You give your characters such depth and emotion whether it be humour, or trying to work a relationship out. You give all your characters great voices for the reader to listen to.

Which of your character’s voices was the easiest to write? I think you are currently having the most fun with Mitch.


Joan:  Wow, thank you so much! For a writer who’s struggled to accomplish this, that is the most fabulous compliment I could get!

I think the easiest voice to write so far has been Keira’s. Lord only knows why. I’ve never been through anything she’s been through. But I am intense in my own way. Obsessive and deep and sensitive in that rough-around-the-edges way. So that may have helped me write her voice.

As for Mitch—honest to God—that man is a complete mystery. I was writing Fever and needed a brother for Alyssa. My critique partner came up with him. Even named him for a baseball player she admires from afar. Her standard snarkiness became Mitch’s. And before I knew it, the man was seriously telling me what to write for him. I’ve never felt like a conduit for my writing. I’ve had to sweat and bleed every damn word. It’s never been easy. But Mitch...Mitch writes his own sh*t. And, boy, does that man make me laugh.

Which is probably why I’m having such a hard time writing his book. It’s a struggle of wills. Two very strong wills.

Michelle:  A fun question to finish off with, if your life was like a box of chocolates, what flavor would it currently be and why?


Joan:  I didn’t know how to answer that, so I asked my husband. I can not repeat his answer in a public forum (eye roll). Then I asked my CP. She said: You're a chocolate covered almond. You're super sweet on the outside, but a hard nut to crack on the inside. J

Thank you Joan for taking the time to answer my Q’s. I have a great love for music so I tend to include that theme in my Q & A’s as sometimes a song can say a lot about a character or their relationship. The readers on the blog tend to enjoy the music Q’s.

If you are ever in Australia , I’ll shout you a lamington J

Now for the GIVEAWAYS

I want to make this clear!

Everybody can enter = International!

BUT!!!

USA/CAN winners can ONLY receive the paperbacks signed

Digital copies for everybody else.

Up for grabs

There are 2 x Fever copies

1 x Intimate Enemies

If Rafflecopter chooses any international winners they get digital copies. ( living outside of USA and Canada) 

If rafflecopter chooses any USA/CAN they receive paperbacks signed.

Joan is sending the prizes herself direct.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Joan's Links:

TWITTER

JOAN'S BLOG PAGE




GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

Michelle

  

BOOK REVIEW - FEVER by JOAN SWAN - PHOENIX RISING # 1 - KENSINGTON PUBLISHING - 4.5 HOT TEAGUE STARS!!

By: Joan Swan

Published By: Kensington Publishing

Released: Available Now

Details : Paperback, 342 Pages, From Library

RATING: 4.5 HOT TEAGUE STARS WITH A DASH OF LUKE!

Book Blurb: Goodreads

When Dr. Alyssa Foster is taken hostage by a prison inmate, she knows she's in deep trouble. Not just because Teague Creek is desperate for freedom, but because the moment his fingers brush against her skin, Alyssa feels a razor-sharp pang of need...

A man with a life sentence has nothing to lose. At least Teague doesn't, until his escape plan develops a fatal flaw: Alyssa. On the run from both the law and deadly undercover operatives, he can only give her lies, but every heated kiss tells him the fire between them could be just as devastating as the flames that changed him forever...


BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I’m going to admit the cover to Blaze , book # 2, grabbed me when I was at my local library, it was a compulsive library grab, I got home realised I had book # 2, went back, got Fever, and then read it without knowing anything about Phoenix Rising series.

Little did I realize I was going to be in for a fast paced, energetic read, throw in some smexi ,and moments that made my heart really feel for Teague Creek and this was a really great read!

I mean come on, just the name Teague Creek...let’s face it that is an awesome guy name.

Taz, he is Teague’s accomplice in their ‘get out of jail’ partnership. Joan writes Taz with fearless abandon for polite talk. He is a woman’s worst nightmare and anybody else who stands in his way. You will read a couple racial slurs and you will feel how dangerously violent the guy is.

Teague Creek , you know without hesitation early in the book that this guy has been wronged by people he should have been able to trust. There is a mystery surrounding the firemen involved in a warehouse fire. Close friends who have lost trust in Teague. He got the rotten end of the straw, let alone drawing the short straw.

Joan will really make you feel for Teague and all he has lost and what he is trying to find. 

The hope Teague clings to that is keeping him alive, sane.

Against a lot of odds this is a man on a mission. 

Desperation makes a man do desperate things.

Enter Alyssa. She was in the wrong spot at what you think is the wrong time, but I am for one glad she was. She is smart, tough and she really does get knocked about in this book.

I am going to say, I still have some questions surrounding the warehouse fire and what has evolved from that. There is a type of ..errr... paranormal element lightly woven through the story. I would have liked more information on this. Maybe I get that in Blaze.

The thing I loved the most about this book was the surprise in how Joan handles this romantic suspense/ thriller. She will have you really feeling for several characters in the very personal conundrum that makes up part of this story.

Violence will happen.

Street talk is gritty and Joan makes no apologies for the language she uses. It fits the characters. It’s believeable. Taz’s character will get under your skin and you will feel his volatile violent personality, his racism. There was a reason this guy should have stayed locked up. Never released. The guy is a bad sort. Bad to the bone.

Blaze is Luke’s book and I can’t wait to read it. I really like the book titles and the theme of what Joan has used to bring her own spin on romance/suspense/thriller genre. This is an edgy read that will have you turning the pages. The sub characters really do command their reader time. They all have a little something left in the closet for future books.

This really is a book that will have you, the reader, tagging along , almost in fugitive mode with the characters. There is a definite 3D feel that gets the reader involved. This is a series I will be definitely reading to the end.

The guys are hot, intelligent, the story gritty and Joan doesn't mince words.

Feel the heat.... oh yeah! 

Feel the Fever...in more ways than one. 

Michelle