The people of Nightshade, California, are dying in their sleep, and fifteen-year-old warrior Jessica Walsh is determined to find the killer . . . or killers. Justice isn’t the only thing on Jessica’s mind, however. In fact, some days she’s not sure which is worse—having a creepy clown lurking outside her window or having her rock star boyfriend’s hot ex-girlfriend back in town.
Nightshade is crawling with paranormal people like Jessica . . . and it’s possible that the anti-paranormal group the Scourge is back to get rid of them. Or are the disturbing works of a strange painter somehow at the heart of the mystery? Jessica is losing sleep—but she’s got to figure it out before the night terrors strike again.
My Thoughts :
I have been a fan of the 'Dead Is..' series ever since I came across it ....way back when...and I never miss a new release. Yes it is young adult but Nightshade is such a cool place with all its supernatural goings on and the characters are very special too. Where the series started off from Daisy's psychic perspective it has now moved on to Jessica's Virago warrior life. All good and it makes for great exciting reading. Eight books in it feels like a nice long weekend away.
However this time around I am not singing the highest praises. Dead Is Just A Dream, for me, just didn't match up to the previous books. It felt rushed, too busy and the plot took a few leaps that were all too quick and not rational but worked out. Now maybe I read this too fast and missed something or my expectations were just too high but I am sad to say I didn't enjoy this one as much as the other books in the series.
Now every series has a dud or at least a part that you like less than the others and it seems this series has now covered that expectation. So many characters were involved and it was hard to remember who was who. Especially the ones on the sidelines who popped up now and again like I should know for sure who they were. The plot, while being a nice idea, was somehow complicated but yet simple and the wonderful opportunity (the Mara) aspect just disappeared and left me feeling very disappointed.
What I really didn't understand about this installment was the last chapter. The 'Six Years Later'. This book was about Jessica, her life and her relationship problems. However, this after thought was all about Daisy. Now Daisy was in this book quite a bit compared to the previous books told from Jessica's perspective but I have no idea why the author added this on. It was nice to see a little piece of the future and what happens to Daisy but what about Jessica??? Is this the end? Will we never hear from Daisy again or is the series jumping six years? I was left confused and worried.
I am not saying stay away from this book and I am not saying this is a bad series. This is the eighth installment and just, imho, not the best one yet. However there are seven amazing stories before this one that rock highly! Maybe this one rocked too and I was too ill/tired/over expectant etc to see it clearly. So what I am trying to say is that I haven't lost my faith in this author or this series and I am still looking forward to another installment in the series. I just hope that all becomes a little clearer next time around. a
I am a huge fan of Marlene Perez's books so it is only fair that I share some insight to her new release. Strange Fates!
Enjoy reading about Strange Fates and hopefully you will take the time to give the book a read!
Oh and don't forget to enter the contest! Marlene is giving away some cool stuff to one lucky winner! Check out the details below!
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Nyx Fortuna from Marlene Perez's STRANGE FATES spends his whole life tempting fate. He's been ont he run from his Aunts. He's trying to find what little is left of his mother and of his life. It won't be easy but fortune favors the bold...
Nyx Fortuna knows how to tempt fate, how to keep running, how to stay alive. But its your aunts trying to kill you, it gives a whole new meaning to family feud.
Nyx Fortuna, the main character in Strange Fates, has been on the run from his aunts for two hundred years. He was the first male born in the Wyrd line and a prophecy predicted that the first male in the line would bring about the fall of the Fates, his aunts. Nyx is an immortal, unable to age or be killed, because his mother stole his thread of fate and hid it, which prevented his aunts from killing him. Nyx is sure that his thread of fate is hidden in his mother’s charms and is searching for a black cat carved from Indian ebony, the little coral fish, an emerald frog, a diamond-studded key, a miniature book, an ivory wheel of fortune, and a horseshoe made of moonstones.
The aunts sent their Tracker after Nyx and his mother, Lady Fortuna, the 4th and forgotten Fate. When the Fates found them, they killed his mother. Since then, Nyx has traveled the world alone, searching for answers and hiding from his aunts and their Tracker.
When Strange Fates begins, Nyx has discovered his aunts are living in a magical version of Minneapolis, where they still wreak havoc upon the lives of the magical and the mortal. He goes to Minneapolis to seek revenge upon his aunts for his mother’s death and to find his hidden thread of fate and cut it, which would end his long and lonely life. Will he succeed? Fortune favors the bold.
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Contest Time!
And don't miss a chance to enter to win Tarot card pack signed by author,
Nyx’s charms &ebook of her latest book, STRANGE FATES.
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A diabolical pied piper comes to town in the the seventh installment of this hot paranormal mystery series. High school freshman Jessica Walsh is a virago, a woman warrior who must protect her hometown from danger. And in the unusual little town of Nightshade, California, trouble is always lurking.
At Nightshade’s Battle of the Bands, Jess’s boyfriend Dominic and his band Side Effects May Vary are up against Hamlin, a band so popular that their fans follow them everywhere. Soon, Nightshade’s musicians are doing risky, illegal and even fatal things—and claiming that strange music they heard right before falling asleep told them to do it. Could a diabolical pied piper be sabotaging the Battle of the Bands? It’s up to Jessica and her friends track down the tuneful tyrant.
My Thoughts :
My seventh trip to Nightside was again from the perspective of Jessica. Some of you may know her from the series as Daisy's neighbour but if you are up to date with the series you will know that she has taken the reins and is a Virago. This means that the town of Nightshade is under her watch. If something happens she knows about it and has to make sure the trouble doesn't get out of hand. Oh and with Nightshade being such a paranormal filled place it is very prone to trouble.
This time around the wonderful bands the series has always mentioned are the highlight of the story. With the Battle of the Bands taking place in Nightshade there is a lot going on. Jess even notices a few things happening that seem a little unusual even by Nightshade standards and tries her best to make sense of it all.
Expect some death, a lot of music, talking dolls and the Pied Piper. Yes it sounds like it could be an episode of Grimm, and could be, but this story is an unique as it comes. There are some extremely cool surprises as Jess and her friends find out what is really going on this time.
Another lovely trip to Nightshade completed! I can't wait to go back again and see what paranormal goodness the author has thought out for us next. Always interesting and exciting this is a series that the young and old will enjoy. It has something for everyone and the supernatural element is light and fun.
Jessica Walsh is starting her freshman year at Nightshade High and trying to forget about the tragic events surrounding her brother’s graduation. She wants to have a normal high school experience. But that’s easier said than done in Nightshade.
There’s a new guy at school who seems to be turning the girls into lovesick zombies. And Jessica has other worries—like her crush on a cute but moody lead singer, and the mysterious tattoo that appeared on her arm one day that lets her know whenever there is trouble brewing. Jessica learns she’s a Virago, a woman warrior chosen to fight evil whenever it threatens her hometown. But does a lowly freshman really have what it takes to keep Nightshade safe?
My Thoughts :
The Dead Series has been one of my favourite YA paranormal reads. Nightshade is a highly paranormal filled town and Daisy Giordano and her family have been a fun bunch to follow. However now Daisy is busy just getting on with life and it is time for her neighbour Jessica Walsh to find out more about Nightshade's supernatural surprises.
It took me a while to get hold of a copy of Dead is a Battlefield. For some reason a Kindle version wasn't available to me so I had to wait and order a real physical copy. However as soon as it arrived it got bumped up my to be read pile. I just couldn't wait to read this one and see what the author had done to the series.
Jessica took some getting used to. It wasn't because she was a difficult character but she just wasn't Daisy. I slowly realised that I knew more about Nightshade's secrets than she did. However as things started to unfold it became clear that Jessica had no problem getting used to the things that go bump in Nightshade.
I loved the plot and characters and even though I understood pretty quickly what seemed to be going on there were still a few pieces of the puzzle that I didn't put together till things all fell into place. I liked Jessica once I got used to her and I loved catching up with the other characters of Nightshade that I knew from the previous books.
This stays on my must read list and I hope that I can get a copy of the next book a little easier/faster. Dead is a Killer Tune is due out later this year and I am going to pre-order it as soon as I can! Yes this maybe YA but it is amazingly cool paranormal reading. I love it!
Two winners haven't claimed their prizes so there are two new ones! Both winners will get a signed copy of Marlene's latest release, Dead is a Battlefield.
Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address. If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker! If you won an e-book please make sure you send me the email address you would like the book sent to!
If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. However please don't send me more than one email unless you really don't get an answer within 3 days. I am not online 24/7 ;) Sometimes it takes a little longer to reply.
If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.
Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.
Her latest book, Dead is a Battlefield, is out now and I can't wait to read it. Want to know more about the book and the rest of the series? Curious about the author? Well check out the author interview!
Want to win a copy of Marlene's new release? She is giving away THREE copies! Enter the contest for your chance to win!
#1 - Dead is a Battlefield
#2 - Dead is a Killer Tune (due out later this year)
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For more chances to win -
Post about this giveaway somewhere on the internet eg. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. Make sure you post the link here so I can confirm your extra entry.
Email your friends about this giveaway. Make sure you add my email address so I also get a copy and can confirm your entry. Amberkatzes_Book_Blog@gmx.eu
Marlene Perez is a brilliant writer and I have thoroughly enjoyed her books about the paranormal troubles and tribulations in the town of Nightshade!
Now Marlene is revisiting Nightshade with a spin-off series. Still set in Nightshade and still paranormal the huge change is the POV. Jessica is the new leading lady and even though I will miss Daisy I can't wait to see what the author has in store for this town and the inhabitants.
Get to know the author and the books in this interview with Marlene. Then make sure you check out the books and enter the contest!
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Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here again as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your new book, Dead is a Battlefield?
Marlene - DEAD IS A BATTLEFIELD is the first book in the spin-off and is told by Jessica Walsh, Sean's sister, who readers met a bit in DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION. Jessica is a freshman at Nightshade High and has a power of her own. There's also a hot new guy who is a seer and makes predictions through song. I love my musical references and wanted to keep them, but didn't want to make a certain jukebox suffer any longer.
Amber - Does Daisy from the previous Dead books appear in this spin-off? How does this new book tie in with the other Dead books?
Marlene - Daisy and almost everyone else in Nightshade will show up in the spin-off books. Daisy's not the narrator, but she is around. She's Jessica's next door neighbor so it would be weird if Daisy DIDN'T appear. The first book in the spin-off takes place in the fall following DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION.
Amber - Why did you decide to write a spin-off instead of carrying on with Daisy's story?
Marlene - I know that some readers miss Daisy. I do, too! But I felt that high school graduation was a natural stopping place for her as a narrator, but I still wanted to spend time with everyone in Nightshade. There are a few series which take their main character to college, but I've heard it's tough to do and keep a strong readership.
Amber - How long on average does it take you to write a book? Do you have a process you follow? or do you just start at page one and see what happens?
Marlene - It takes about a year to write a book, but that's before the publishing process starts. By that I mean, editing, copy-editing, covers, etc. Every book is different, but I do re-read the other books in the series before I start on the next. I'm naturally a jump in and see what happens kind of writer, but for the series, I submit an outline. That doesn't necessarily mean I stick to it, but my editor has been great about that. When I have a little down time, I work on other projects.
Amber - Will there be more books in the series? Does the Dead series continue?
Marlene - DEAD IS A KILLER TUNE comes out in September. After that, I'm not sure if there will be more books or not. I hope my readers will grow to like Jessica Walsh as much as they do Daisy Giordano. And the DEAD IS boxed set, which will contain the first five books in the series, comes out in November.
Amber - Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?
Marlene - I'm working on a new series idea, but nothing concrete to talk about yet. I've found that if I talk about my work in progress, my mouth tricks my brain into thinking all the work is done.
Amber - If the series was going to be made into a TV series or Film, who would you like to see playing the main characters?
Marlene - Danielle Campbell looks like Daisy to me. I always thought Lucy Hale would make a great Poppy. I have a binder with pictures torn from magazines for each character and I happened to see a photo of her before she did Pretty Little Liars. And I always pictured a younger Joseph Gordon Levitt as Ryan. The first three books in the series have been optioned by the Disney Channel and I'd love to see who they would cast.
Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?
Marlene - I research the meanings of both first and last names. And they almost always have special meanings. For example, Daisy, Rose, and Poppy Giordano. Rose is the oldest, reliable, but beautiful. Poppy is kind of exotic and a little high maintenance. And Daisy is gorgeous, but doesn't realize it and thinks of herself as plain and ordinary.
Amber - And how about the titles for your books? Do you always go with the first title or is it hard to come up with the right one?
Marlene - I came up with the first three titles fairly easily because it was originally sold as a three book deal. But coming up with fresh "Dead Is" titles does become more challenging. I think I might be a little different from other writers because I need a good working title to really get started on the project. For me, the title represents the essence of the story. I've been lucky that I've managed to keep many of my original titles.
Amber - What paranormal creatures are you dying to fit into a story but you haven't managed to fit in yet?
Marlene - I have a great mythological creature I'm working on for a new series, but the beauty of Nightshade is that all sorts of creatures can show up. In the spin-off, Jessica's best friend Eva is a horror movie buff, so I'd love to play with some horror tropes/creatures.
Amber - What kind of research have you done for your books? Anything interesting or is the research boring?
Marlene - I research everything. Even high school class schedules, etc. I LOVE research, but I try to remember to move forward in the writing and not get hung up too long on research.
Amber - Who has been your biggest inspiration in life?
Marlene - My mother, who inspired my love of reading. I'm also inspired by the kindness and talent of my fellow writers. And honestly, a huge inspiration is hearing from readers who never liked to read before they found my DEAD IS series.
Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Is there any music or other media that influences your writing?
Marlene - Music is a huge influence on me. I have a deep abiding love for Leonard Cohen, Sinead O'Connor's new album is excellent, and my new favorite is The Head and the Heart. I'll admit it. I love good television/cable. I love SHAMELESS and I just started watching SMASH, which I think is excellent. And AWKWARD is my new favorite television show. I DVR everything and allow myself to watch something as a treat for finishing my word count for the day.
Amber - Read anything good lately? What authors/series are your favourites?
Marlene - I really like this fantasy trilogy called the Moorehawke trilogy by Celine Kierman. It was published as an adult novel, but it feels like ya to me. I'm reading the third book right now.
Amber - Would you ever be able to write a book together with another author? If yes, which author would you like to work with and why?
Marlene - I would love to write a book with another author, just to have the experience. I'm not sure who, though. The question is who would put up with me?
Amber - What's your favorite paranormal movie of all time?
Marlene - TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY, which stars Alan Rickman before he was Professor Snape. It's really a love story wrapped in a paranormal and it's funny and it makes me cry.
Amber - If you could be any famous person, alive or dead, who would you be? and why?
Marlene - I don't think I'd want to necessarily switch permanently, but I wouldn't mind swimming around in J.K. Rowling's mind for a bit, just to see what her thought process is like. Or Joss Whedon or Felicia Day. I love learning about other people's creative processes, but I wouldn't want to switch for long. Is it weird that I like being myself?
Amber - Thank you for visiting Amberkatze's! I hope you will come by again sometime!
#1 - Dead is a Battlefield
#2 - Dead is a Killer Tune (due out later this year)
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Contest Time
Marlene has three signed copies of Dead is a Battlefield to give away! So three lucky winners will be picked next week!
How To Enter
Dead is a ..... (surprise and amaze us with your cool titles!)
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The contest will stay open until 4pm on Sunday 8th April (Central European Time) and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.
