Thursday, October 23, 2014

Meeting C.C Hunter at Another Anime Convention in Manchester, NH

C.C Hunter visited New Hampshire and attended Another Anime Convention. She had two panels I attended. When she spotted me, she recognized me went out of her way to talk to me. She is one of the nicest authors I have met. She took a bunch of time out of her busy day just to talk to me. She asked about me and showed a genuine interest.
Her newest series is Shadow Falls: After dark. I posted reviews about both the books in the series that are out. Check her out!

Shadow Falls: After Dark. Eternal.


            Eternal is the second book in the Shadow Falls: After Dark series. And as usual, C.C. Hunter does NOT disappoint. Della, on the outside, is a snarky and sarcastic person, but she is one of the nicest people (or vampire!) ever. She's loyal, passionate, and caring. After being reborn, she is able to see and communicate with ghosts. She is visited by a ghost that doesn't communicate very well and is thrown into visions. She learns of two newly turned vampires, dying and trapped. Even though everyone says they are dead, she is determined to save the two kids and prove everyone wrong. Even though everything is working against her, she never gives up. Her heart breaks, and she has many of her own problems but she shoves everything aside to focus on helping two complete strangers. Even as her heart battles between loving Steve and Chase, she never wavers in her mission. THAT is a protagonist I would want my daughter to look up to.

            Della is someone that I can follow and love. She's not a typical teenaged girl who will wallow in self pity over nonsense issues. She is a true hero, even if she sometimes views herself as a monster.

            Even though I am upset about the cliff-hanger ending (and about certain people leaving), I CAN'T wait for the next book. C.C. Hunter is very talented and knows how to weave a story that almost anyone can love.

            Even if you haven't read her Shadow Falls Series, you can still read Della's story, BUT I HIGHLY recommend you read Shadow Falls first. Reborn is the first book in Shadow Falls: After Dark. If you haven't read it yet, you should because Della is a protagonist worth rooting for.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Shadow Falls: After Dark Series. Reborn.

I want to start off by saying how much I love all of C.C. Hunter’s books. Ever since the first book I read of hers (Born at Midnight), I have been hooked. I devoured every book so far and can’t wait for Eternal (Shadow Falls: After Dark Book #2).
Reborn is the first novel in Shadow Falls: After Dark. Shadow Falls: After dark follows Della, the best friend of Kylie Galen (the main protagonist in Shadow Falls Series). Shadow Falls is a camp for paranormal teenagers (Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, faes). All the main characters from Shadow Falls Series is still in the books (Kylie, Miranda, Derek, Lucas). 
Della is a vampire whose only relative knows the truth about her has somehow disappeared, causing Della to dives further into her family’s heritage and tries to find more relatives that may be vampire. A mysterious vampire named Chase shows up at Shadow Falls and vies for her attention. Steve, a shapeshifter, has been trying for a long time to gain Della’s trust and claim her as his girlfriend. But when Della’s life is at risk and the only way to save her may destroy Steve’s chances with her, he still determinedly tries to save her, even if it means losing her. But as always, C.C. Hunter finds a way to keep the love triangle going and Della still has feelings for Steve. (Even if she tries to deny them.)
I can’t wait for Eternal, the second book in the Shadow Falls: After Dark Series.
As usual, C.C. Hunter rocked this book and I am still counting down the days until Eternal. (12 days!)

-Gabrielle

Review for Amy Finnegan's NOT IN THE SCRIPT

I was a little wary at first when I began to read Not in the Script, by Amy Finnegan, because I wasn't sure if I would be able to connect with Hollywood movie stars. I am glad that I did, though. It's the kind of book that keeps you smiling, and rooting for the characters.
One of my favorite lines was: "I'm being replaced by two lizards who eat bugs, can't talk, and lose a limb whenever you frighten them." I laughed out loud while in a public place and people glanced at me with curious looks.
I was able to imagine actually being on the set of Coyote Hills with Emma, Jake, Brett, and Kimmi. Each actor was different in their own unique way. All of the characters evolve, even the relationships do. I loved the fact that Emma was extremely relatable even though she was a famous movie star. She wasn't conceited, and truly cared about all the people in her life. She tried keeping her high maintenance best friend happy even though she didn't appreciate Emma's help. Emma even founded a charity when most kids her age would rather party, drink, and do drugs.
My favorite character was Jake. He started off as a model, then went into acting. You would think a guy called "the bod" would be full of himself and use girls as if they were disposable. But NO, he took the acting gig to help pay for his disabled mother's medical bills. (What kind of girl would pass a guy like that up?)
It was easy to fall in love with the main characters of Not in the Script. Amy Finnegan knows how to work her magic with weaving a beautifully written and cute romance. You could tell that Amy did her research on the film industry, and I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves YA Contemporary Romance. I can't wait for more books by this author!