Title: Angel Burn
Author: L.A. Weatherly
Publisher: Candlewick
Published: May 24, 2011
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Paranormal
Pages: 464
Source: Publisher

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them.

When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L..A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip - and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful. They’re out for your soul . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind.

Willow is just your average tomboy except for the minor details that she's got powers she can't control, lives in a world plagued by creatures called Angels that are nothing like the heavenly beings we know and has an assassin who knows far too much about her gift. Alex has been trained his whole life to destroy the Angels, but he never knew that a tomboy like Willow could get in his way in more ways than one. Willow and Alex are on a collision course that will inevitably lead them to a decision between good and evil, right and wrong or the end of the world as they know it. But can they learn to be allies, or will their differences be too much for them to take?

First off, allow me to give Angel Burn a standing ovation when it comes to epic, original plots. When I first saw the title of this one a long time ago, I almost didn't give it a second glance because of the word "angel" in the title. We all know how I feel about trends. All that aside though, Angel Burn threw me for a loop in the best possible way. L.A. Weatherly spun the story of angels on its end, creating a race of beings that is every bit as dangerous and deadly as they are captivating. With two fabulous characters to follow and root for, Angel Burn is a thrill ride that leads you through a world that's terrifying and haunting, but also more fascinating than you could ever imagine.

Willow was a refreshing character. I liked that she wasn't your average, everyday female protag with her girly-girl issues and her swoon-worthy crushes that always land her flat on her butt crying. She had spirit and fire, all of which made her that much more likable. Alex, too, was fascinating. For me, he was this cross between John Connor and Dean Winchester - hunting supernatural beings and saving the world while maintaining this moral compass when everything else was going to hell. So, obviously, when the dynamic between the two began to heat up, Angel Burn took off. I will note, however, that there was a bit of a lull for me in the middle because of the changing nature of their relationship. I'm a firm believer that the romance in a book should elevate, rather than ease the tension in the story. Angel Burn became a bit complacent for me in a few of those moments. However, once the intense action scenes kicked in again though, the plot when spinning back out of control. Angel Burn did get off to a bit of a rocky start for me because of the POV shift, but once I got a grasp on it, the story took off. I like to call this one a cross between Terminator: Judgement Day, Supernatural and Buffy because it's got a bit of each of their best elements.

All in all, Angel Burn was a great read. I love when a book's premise is so different from the norm, and this was entirely refreshing. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I can't wait to read the second book in this planned trilogy, Angel Fire, due out in October. I highly recommend this book to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy paranormal and sci-fi stories.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Author Interview & Giveaway - Becca Ritchie of Wynter Chelsea

Becca Ritchie is the young author of the Wynter Chelsea books - a series about two families with a legacy of hunting those things that go bump in the night. After beginning Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy when she was just 14 years old, the book was published when she turned 17. Now a student at the University of Georgia, she's released the second installment in the series, Wynter Chelsea: The Sublimity, and she's actively working on book three.

I read book one a good while ago and was impressed by the dynamic cast of characters, fully-fleshed plot and intense action sequences. To view my full review of Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy, please click HERE. Otherwise, please welcome Becca Ritchie to my lovely lil' blog!

Your Book:

1. Amanda is the sole girl in a world dominated by men - supernatural hunters, if you will. How did you infuse her with the strength to match the others, and would you say you put a bit of yourself into her character?

She’s pretty much nothing like me. She’s not into pop culture, and I absolutely love everything about entertainment like television and movies. I think she even makes a reference about not understanding why people make collages of celebrities, and I’ve made my fair share. As for strength, she runs on impulse so she will do a lot of things the men won’t. She makes up in that regard. A lot of her strength does come from her family and her parents. I’m very close to my entire family as well.

2. Each character within Wynter Chelsea had a significant role and personality that balanced the others. Was it tedious creating such a dynamic cast for such a long story?

In any movies, television, or books I love, characters are the most important aspect for me. I once watched a commentary for a film and the director said that he wouldn’t hire even Leonardo DiCaprio without testing to see if he has chemistry with the cast. When I write, I almost do the same thing by making sure each character can play off each other. As the book grew, it became a natural development and the action became secondary to the character dynamic.

3. How did you balance the budding romance between Dustin and Amanda with the intense action within Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy?

I just kept telling myself to let the romance progress as naturally as possible. I really did not want to rush anything or force something for the sake of plot. During the action, I didn’t want the romance to be the entire focus, but I wanted it to be there because, well, I wrote this for myself when I was 14, so entertainment-wise, that’s what I wanted to see.

4. If you could name your three biggest inspirations for writing Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy, what/who would they be, and why?

My sister. She asked me to write a supernatural book for her, and I ended up writing Wynter Cheslea. Any bad YA books became an inspiration. I know that sounds pretty weird, but when I was 14 it was the reason why I started writing. I had a list of things I wanted in a YA book, but I picked up some pretty terrible ones that had none of those qualities from the list. These books inadvertently made me start writing in order to entertain myself. I was finally able to put that list to good use when I wrote Wynter Chelsea. Television shows like Angel, Charmed, Buffy, and Roswell also helped me understand plot as a kid. So yes, television inspired me.

5. The world of Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy is one filled with magic, lore, and creatures. Where did this world evolve from, and can readers expect the same amazing world-building in book two, Wynter Chelsea: The Sublimity?

The lore is pretty straight forward demonology that can be found in old horror movies, the internet, or even television shows right now. The demonology I pulled from did scare me at times. With each book, the world becomes bigger and bigger because Amanda Chelsea is being brought into it with the readers. Book two is a little darker than the first, and I tried to focus on the changes between the characters as well as the lore.

All About You:

1. If you had to describe yourself in just five words or less, what would they be?

Out of control imagination

2. You're going to be condemned to either live in the world of Gossip Girl or that of Supernatural (and yes, Sam & Dean are there)...which do you choose, and why?

If Sam and Dean are there, it’s a no brainer. Supernatural all the way.

3. Finish this sentence, and explain, please...If I weren't a writer, I would be_________.

 A physical therapist. My father kept pushing me to become a doctor, and by the end of my senior year of high school, we compromised with physical therapy. When my book came out, I went ahead and switched my major to television production in hopes of becoming a television staff writer.

4. What, if anything, do you need to be able to sit down and write a book?

Passion. If you have a love to create people, worlds, and an overall story then you have what it takes to write a book because you need that drive in order to complete it and push it to make it even better.

5. What are some of your favorite books and why?

All of the Harry Potter books, The Hunger Games trilogy, Uglies trilogy, Twilight series… obviously all these have something in common; they don’t end after one book. I love television for the same reason. I never want any stories to stop, and if I can fall in love with the characters then they usually top my favorite list.

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Becca has graciously offered a giveaway for all my lovely followers! ONE lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy, in all its glory. Here are the rules to enter: You do NOT have to be a follower, but it's always appreciated. This giveaway is US ONLY and ends promptly at midnight EST on June 20, 2011.

Still interested? Click HERE to fill out the form and enter!

Title: Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy
Author: Becca Ritchie
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Published: October, 19, 2008
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 384
Source: Author

Four hundred years ago a creature descended upon the Earth. The supernatural hunted innocent lives wanting blood and vengeance. Two families, the Wynters and the Chelseas, knew of the darkness that reigned over the world. For thousands of years they hunted and killed to protect those who knew nothing of the dangers.

Amanda Chelsea vies to be a part of the Wynter Chelsea legacy, constantly craving the thrill of a lifetime that her older brother, Jack, and the two Wynter boys experience. At seventeen, Amanda’s passion to fight is overwhelming, and she cannot come to grips with why the boys are protecting her. Abilities are cast upon the new generation of Wynters and Chelseas, only in hopes of guiding them to vanquish the impenetrable creature.

Even as Amanda Chelsea receives the power of empathy, feeling other people’s emotions, it brings more harm than a vital potency. Through the turmoil in New Jersey, Dustin Wynter is the only one able to relate to Amanda with a similar gift. As Jack’s rage boils over the edge, Dustin must put the pieces back together and hold the legacy up with a shaking arm and a quirky brother by his side.

Amanda is the only girl in a legacy of demon hunters, two families destined to fight the dark forces in the world. She's consistently trying to prove to herself and to others that she is every bit a part of her family's history as her brother, but it almost seems to bring her further from that. But the forces of darkness are always there, and Amanda seems to be fighting both inside and out, and as much as she wants to fight and be someone, she's got a lot to live up to. Some of what the Wynter and Chelsea families need to live up to is hidden in lies and mystery, and those mysteries are potentially and probably very dangerous.

Some people are born to be writers. Author Becca Ritchie, wrote Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy when she was just 14 years old. Cohesive, action-packed and with a touch of romance that defies the norm of YA fiction (read: this is NOT insta-love), Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy is a little bit of everything that makes the paranormal genre great. The full cast of characters complemented one another well, and each had specific character traits that set them apart from one another. Most of all though, each action had an equal and worthy reaction. If that doesn't equate to what a book should be, then colour me crazy.

The best part of the book was the background and history of the Wynter and Chelsea families. The younger generation of the demon hunting families which included Amanda, Jack, Dustin and Trevor was dynamic and engaging. Jack was a bit of a force to be reckoned with for me. He had a definite mean streak, and his emotions were so off-kilter that it kept the story moving, even when the battles lulled. Amanda, though I desperately wanted her to be a badass in Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy, fell a bit flat for me though, to be honest. Her internal monologues were a bit taxing, and while her power was awesome and really heightened her potential with Dustin, she whined a lot. I get why she did, but I wish she would be less talk and more action, if that makes sense. Either way, the non-stop plot made up for it.

All in all, Wynter Chelsea: The Legacy was a great supernatural read that kept me hooked from page one to the very end. I give it a very strong 4 out of 5, and I recommend it to all YA fans, especially those who enjoy paranormal stories. It's especially great for those fans of shows like Supernatural because, hey, we can never get enough hunters, right?

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Today is day 12 of The Long Weekend Blog Tour! Be sure to check out today's tour stop over at Alex's blog, Electrifying Reviews. He's got another great review for you, as well as an interview and an international giveaway for you...so enjoy!