When all is said and done: Vanquished by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Hi guys!

Happy Friday to one and all.

Thank you for making Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers a part of YOUR day…it makes me smile inside and out.  Speaking of smiles, don’t forget to get your entries in for the TWO CONTESTS currently running on the site.  One ends today and the other in a week or so….but the early bird catches the worm, or rather the prompt reader gets their entry in before the deadline, so be sure to check out all the fun before its too late!  Now, on to today’s post…

 So, it’s the LAST DAY of August; can you believe it?  2012 is sure flying by…at times, other times it drags its feet like a two year old in a candy store.  I couldn’t let the month close without getting in a review of a recently released title (just this week!) from an author duo that hasn’t let me down yet.  It’s from the Young Adult genre and features a paranormal (and normal) cast that covers the whole spectrum of creatures…okay, maybe not the WHOLE spectrum because then we’re looking at Cabin in the Woods and for those that saw the movie, we KNOW how well THAT turned out (*-*)...but at least a good portion of them reside within these pages.  It’s book three in a trilogy, as in THE FINAL BOOK in the set, so if you haven’t checked out the first two, I certainly suggest making a beeline for that YA section of your local bookstore because you’re gonna wanna read this.  For a quick refresher, you can check out my review of book 1 and book 2 right here on the site (<- just click the links, it’ll whisk you right over).  If not, let’s do this!  Kicking the weekend off with a BANG and diving into today’s book of choice…

 Crusade, book 3:

Vanquished

By

Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

From the publisher…

Hope is in short supply, but courage runs deep as the Salamancan hunters recover from a devastating loss. Jenn knows she must rally her team against the Cursed Ones, but her focus is shattered. She’s torn between passion for Antonio, who once fought by her side, and hate for the bloodthirsty vampire he’s become. His volatility is tearing apart their team...and Jenn’s trust.
 As the Cursed Ones amass new strength, Team Salamanca must strike together if they hope to survive, let alone defend humanity. Jenn wants to believe Antonio’s loyal to their cause—and their love—but she’s slowly losing her heart to Resistance fighter Noah. And if Antonio’s not careful, he may just end up with a stake in his.
 This gripping conclusion to an epic trilogy pairs steamy romance with heart-stopping action, and delivers an ending as dramatic as it is unexpected.

…you can say that again!  The ending is COMPLETELY unexpected especially considering how the odds were stacked against…not to mention how impossible it is that…well, okay, if I finish those thoughts, I’ll ruin the story!  Let’s just say the ending is going to catch you by surprise, make you pause for a moment or two, laugh out loud but then hopefully join the jolly crew of fans satisfied from the read.  (Like moi!)  But the ending is the ending, let’s get back to the beginning…

Author Nancy Holder

So, we have a varied cast of characters that through changing viewpoints we get to keep tabs on throughout the series.  This book carries on that tradition even with the additional ones we’ve seen both come AND go, with remarkable success; KUDOS to both of the authors on that!  It’s hard balancing a multi-viewpoint novel when it’s two or three people, let alone six plus on the side of good AND three or more on the side of evil…but balance they did allowing readers to capture a well rounded view of all parties involved.  You’ll root for your favorites and jeer those that need jeering right up to the final battle scenes.  Speaking of favorites…

Yours are bound to change throughout the course of the story, even MULTIPLE TIMES when you consider the series as a whole…and that’s okay!  It’s normal.  You don’t have to feel like a traitor.  I know I didn’t.  Let’s catch up on where we’re at and with whom in this installment.  First, we have Jenn; leader of the Salamancan hunters (FINALLY) reeling from the betrayal by her father, the loss and turning of her sister, the reappearance of the “BAD bad boy” side of Antonio (fighting partner and love interest) and the reality that all things are starting to come to a head…for better or worse.  Things are looking pretty dire and yet she manages to find the strength to carry on and continue fighting (you go girl!) but she’s not out of the woods just yet.  She has trust issues now and a darkness settling on her soul.  If she (or her team for that matter) is to be successful in her mission, the bonds of these two will have to be broken one way or the other. 

Next we have Antonio; devilishly good looks (*swoon*) and the ability to never age a day (vampire…yup…only he can touch crosses and is studying to be a priest, go figure!) only get you so far….especially when those you ran with formerly (Aurora and crew) are pure evil and out to exact their revenge on you for anything and everything, not to mention you’ve set your eyes on a Higher Power and yet your heart still belongs to Jenn.  Yeah...troubled roads ahead for you buddy, and that’s not even taking into account the torture you’re about to endure AND inflict; messy situation indeed.  Then there is Skye; a witch able to harness the powers of the goddess and Mother Earth (and kick some major butt!) but with a past that would shake you to your core hot on her heels.  You see, once upon a time there was a dashingly handsome warlock that captured her heart….and then ensnared her mind while tricking her into pledging allegiance to the dark side (not Vader, dark MAGIC). Thank goodness she woke up in time…but he’ll never forget her betrayal or the hurt she inflicted upon him and if he can’t have her, NO ONE will.  (Hey, Estefan!  There’s a soap opera guy that I think you might get along with quit nicely…name is Stefano; look him up!)  This is of course the method behind the madness in which we first encounter Skye in this novel, in the clutches of Estefan; but don’t worry readers, she’s a force to be reckoned with even when in a weakened state. 

Author Debbie Viguie

Next up, Jamie; the Irish brogue that wants to be the leader so bad he can taste it but is held back by his hot temper.  Surely a solo mission should suit him well, right?  Umm, sorta.  He’s entrusted to find and save Skye….if indeed she needs it when he finds her (dun dun dunnnn)…as well as gather forces both magical and otherwise for the battle to come.  Now if he can only play nice and make friends...*sigh*….but that is why we love him anyhow and his “conclusion” is definitely worth seeing.  (No spoilers!) Now we’re going paranormal again and taking a look at Holgar; werewolf and Salamancan hunter, now there’s a combination!  His protective nature gets him in trouble a time or two as does his heart (aww…) but he is determined to be there for his team anyway he can, even if it is to his detriment.

Rounding out the team, we have Father Juan; a mystery in and of himself.  Who is REALLY is has always been hinted at but never truly confirmed….until now…and the reality of such as well as the sacrifice he is about to make casts a shadow of sadness on things, but fear not for he does these things with full knowledge and a happy heart, something we can hopefully all say on our final day.  (Oops!  Semi-spoiler…but only just.  ^_^)  He’s there to guide the team the best way he knows how and while he’s not your average priest, since he casts runes as well as rosary beads, he has their best interests and the best interests of the world at heart.  I say the world because he doesn’t hold the nature of the “beasts” against them, rather he looks for the good and if recognizable by both viewer and viewee, he’ll take the plunge to try to bring it back to life; if not, good riddance.  Gotta love the no nonsense nature there…. ^_^

Now we have…oh wait, you thought I was done?  Yes and no.  I could go on and on and on.  For example, I could tell you how Noah’s past comes to light and Heather is found…sorta.  I could mention how AWESOME Jenn’s Grandmother REALLY is and how still waters really so run deep.  I could say that there is a party to die for with attire fit for queens…that none of the attendees can see on their own persons.  I could even say that Lucifer himself is in attendance when things REALLY go down…though not who you’re thinking of exactly.  But you see fair readers…I won’t.  I won’t because it would make the post unnecessarily long and because it would spoil some of the curiosities yet to be uncovered in this book.  I won’t because I want you to see it with fresh eyes, untainted by my full fledged observations and share with others (me included!) your experience.  I won’t because it’s simply more FUN this way…hehe.

So, in conclusion, a thrilling end to what has turned out to be a fabulous series.  You’ve got action, romance, danger, magic, and all the quiet moments that filter in-between coupled with a cast that you won’t soon forget and a story that will keep you hanging on its every breath…I’d say that’s a win!  Recommended for mid teen through adult readers for content and concepts explored.  If you’re looking for an exhilarating ride from start to finish, this should definitely be on your wish list.

Review copy received courtesy of author’s Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie, publisher Simon & Schuster and the fabulous that is the Ms. Holder’s assistance, Erin!  (THANKS everyone!)  For more information about this title as well as a look at the publisher’s complete catalog, feel free to visit them online, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.  Feel like adventuring into the world of Nancy Holder?  You’re in luck!  Check out her official website, one of her MANY Facebook pages (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and of course, her Twitter feed!  Let us not forget author Debbie Viguie who is also reachable online at her site, on Facebook and the illustrious Twitter.

Until next time…have a fantastic weekend…and happy reading!

A BLOG TOUR to Howl About: Welcome Back to WOLF SPRINGS...

Why hello there readers!

Welcome back to another day another post here at the place to satisfy your bookish desires….Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. Today we have part two of the tour to howl about featuring that Young Adult literature writing author duo, Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie! They know their stuff and if you don’t believe me, you can check out their guest post seen here last week that explains how that capture that YA magic we know and love. Speaking of which, today’s post is my review of their latest release and trust me when I say, you don’t want to miss it. Without further adieu, today’s book of choice and blog tour guest is….

Wolf Springs Chronicles, Book 1:

Unleashed

By

Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

From the author's site....

Katelyn McBride’s life changed in an instant when her mother died. Uprooted from her California home, Katelyn was shipped to the middle of nowhere, Arkansas, to her only living relative, her grandfather. And now she has to start over in Wolf Springs, a tiny village in the Ozark Mountains. Like any small town, Wolf Springs has secrets. But the secrets hidden here are more sinister than Katelyn could ever imagine. It’s a town with a history that reaches back centuries, spans continents, and conceals terrifying truths. And Katelyn McBride is about to change everything.



Broken families, ageless grudges, forced alliances, and love that blooms in the darkest night—welcome to Wolf Springs.

There’s something that I noticed whilst reading this one and I think I knew it for quite a while, but it just came to the forefront of my mind this time around. One of the things unique about their writing is how the story is carried. The majority of it is held firmly aloft by the actual dialogue in the story. Now that may not seem like a truly surprising feat, but really….think about it. In today’s Young Adult genre, things generally go one of two ways; either the author creates a world so fantastical it’s hard to believe, or they step into a future version of our own world with realistic enhancements. These authors stay firmly planted in the present and let the story build out of the characters alone….with much success. After all, there’s no need for extensive world building when you have all you need right here and let’s not forget that it makes it all the more real when you can identify with what the characters are seeing, going through, or where they’re at. Anywho, I believe I made my point…moving on….

Characters! Oh those crazy beautiful character…no really! Most are pretty faces, but there’s a lot more there too. Let’s see, hottie number 1: Trick; the Romanian-esque speaking, cowboy boot wearing, smoking in a oh-my-let-me-just-gaze-at-you-a-minute-longer sorta way. He’s definitely hiding something which is a no-no if you’re going to get anywhere with the girl of interest, but despite the reputation he has, acts the gentleman…for the most part (hey, even Prince Charming was a jerk sometimes I’m sure). Hottie number 2: Justin; the equally sculpted, relative of her newbie best friend Cordelia, with eyes that could penetrate your soul, and enough magnetism to draw the Earth’s core. He’s got that bad boy thing going for him and is hiding something just as much as the other “man” in question….but with heat like that, he’s hard to resist despite any wrong doings. Ah yes, so many guys…so big a decision to make….which leads me to our main character, Katelyn.

Katelyn has been through heck and high water with losing her Dad a while back and now, the death of her Mom. Now, let’s say we ship her off to Arkansas away from everything else she knew and loved to live with a Grandfather she’s barely ever seen and expect her to be peachy-keen. Umm, yeah….not so much. She DOES her best considering the circumstances…..she even comes to like her knew home to a certain degree, if only she could stop being attacked by woodland creatures, and gain a little freedom because really does she need to be home before dark EVERY night? Let’s just say that her Grandfather has good reasons for what he asks (though I’m curious if he will ever verbatim say why)…reasons she finds out in good time on her own and through means she’ll possibly live to forget (not possibly forget….possibly live as in may not…you’ll have to read it to find out). Thankfully she has her new bestie Cordelia to help her out, right? Not exactly. It seems she’s hiding things too and they aren’t exactly what you might think either.

Now as mentioned with the two hotties previously, there is obviously a romance angle to the story. The best way I can describe it without giving too much away is this….it totally fit the song “Love Me, Love Me” by Big Time Rush (whose recent CD happens to be in my car…I totally blame my coworker for introducing me to it). There’s energy, indecision, desire and passion all palpable straight off the page…and yet still demure enough to be a teen friendly read, albeit mid to older teens and beyond. *le sigh*

In short, there are many hidden truths to uncover in the small town of Wolf Springs. Some you may anticipate, some you may guess….others will take you by surprise as they turn up the heat but rest assured, this series is getting off on the right foot and I for one CAN’T WAIT to see what happens next. So much to learn still and so many decisions to be made.

Special thanks to Lauren at Random House Children’s Books for the review copy and the chance to participate in this tour. (THANKS!) For more information on this title as well as their complete catalog, feel free to visit them online, or follow along on Twitter. For more information on the blog tour, be sure to check out the author’s sites (1 and 2) and of course, follow them on Twitter (1 and 2). They truly rock and are so considerate of their readers, you won’t be sorry.

Until next time…happy reading!

A BLOG TOUR to Howl About: Wolf Springs Chronicles: Unleashed

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers....the place to be when the only thing to satisfy your hunger is a great read.  Speaking of great reads which inevitably are written by great authors, today's post should be doubly satisfying.  Why?  Well, if you must ask, for the simple fact that we are hosting a blog tour courtesy of Lauren at Random House Children's Books (THANKS!) for that infamous Young Adult genre writing duo ... Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie! 

That's right.  The ladies with magical pens and oh-so-much-to-say are back and celebrating their latest release....Wolf Springs Chronicles:  Unleashed. Sounds good, right?  I think so....and based on what I've read so far, I stand by my first assessment.  Anywho, today is the first of two stop overs that they have granted me during this tour.  Next week, you'll get to read all about my adventure between the pages, but today....today is something else altogether. 

Today, I am featuring a guest post from these fine ladies and as I trust their judgement in creating something unique just for you, I gave them free reign to choose a topic of their liking.  The results?  A brief but wonderful post all about how they manage to capture the magic of youth in their writing despite the passing years and the positive messages they aim to deliver with this latest publication.....who could ask for more?  So without further adieu, allow me to present the work of Ms. Nancy Holder and Ms. Debbie Viguie!  Take it away ladies.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GUEST POST:

Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Authors of Wolf Springs Chronicles:  Unleashed...among other works....



Nancy Holder



A lot of people ask us how we write for teens and tell us we do a good job of capturing what it’s like to be a teen. It’s because neither of us has ever truly grown up. We love Disney, we love movies and books targeted at teens, and we are incredibly young at heart. Recently, when Debbie was spending time with a friend’s seven-year-old daughter, the little girl asked Debbie’s husband if Debbie was a kid or an adult because she couldn’t tell. This is one of the greatest compliments a writer of children or young adult fiction could ever receive.

Nancy has a teenage daughter who helps her stay current on all the trends and reminds her every day of her own experiences as a teen. Debbie mentally thinks of herself as a seventeen-year-old and is always somewhat surprised when people treat her like an adult. This ability to stay in touch with our youth with all of its passion, angst, optimism, and energy keep us young and writing books for people who are the age we feel.

Debbie Viguie

Of course, there are a ton of adults out there who can certainly relate to the young adult stories we write. Maybe that’s because no matter how old we get, we still want to feel the passion and innocence and believe in having endless possibilities before us, as we did in our youth. Or maybe it’s because young adult books are often frank and refreshingly honest about situations and people.

With Unleashed we hope that we can reach young adults and touch them and show them that no matter what they’re going through that: a) they are never truly alone, b) someone else always has it worse, and c) even in the darkest night there’s hope. And maybe that’s what it comes right down to, because for most young adult novels, and certainly the ones we write, no matter how desperate or hard or terrifying the situation the characters are going through, there’s always hope. And it is our desire that everyone, young or old, always continues to believe and to seek that hope, no matter how hard life gets.  
 

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Wow...sounds like me, if you minus out the daughter and the husband.  Yes, I too am proud to hang on to my childlike wonder and enthusiasm for reading.  It lends the mind the creativity it needs to really appreciate all the new worlds just waiting for you between the pages of your next read...and I can only imagine (as we can see from these two authors) the power it lends in the actual creation of such works.

 

 

 

This book is the first in a new YA series, so don't miss out on how it all begins.  Unleashed reached publication on November 22nd, 2011 from Random House Children's Books and should be readily available on a bookstore shelf near you.  For more information on this title as well as their full catalog, feel free to visit them online, or follow along on Twitter.  To discover more of this literary world, check out the official series site.  To see just what other worlds were created by both Ms. Holder and Ms. Viguie, feel free to search right here on Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers (as they've been guests previously and I've done a review or two), explore their websites (1, 2), or follow their Twitter feeds (1, 2).

 

Be sure to check out the rest of the tour as it winds its way through the blogosphere.  Yesterday, a mini-interview was hosted by The Compulsive Reader.  Next stop on the tour....Literary Escapism.  Also, if you happen to be in the San Diego, CA area...Ms. Holder will be appearing at the Mysterious Galaxy for a book signing!  More details can be found at the bottom of the tour page. 

 

 

Until next time...happy reading!

 

Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Hello, hello!

It's Friday and you know what that means....it's almost Halloween!  That's right...only one more full day until the official trick-or-treating holiday though as I understand it a lot of towns and cities have voted to celebrate it on Saturday this year..oh well, to each their own.  Anywho...speaking of Halloween....have you entered the 'Spooktacular Finds In Reading' contests as of yet?  If so, YAY!  Thank you thank you and good luck!  If not....um, why?  I mean if you don't like a chance to win one of several fabulous prize packs I totally understand, but otherwise yeah, you can't win if you don't enter so take a chance!  You never know, it could be YOU winning big next week.  Entries accepted through midnight CST 10/30/10 so be sure to get yours in before it's too late.  Just check the right hand sidebar under 'Current Contests' for all the links.  Speaking of the contests... 

Today's post is all about one of the titles that you have a chance to win!  I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing a few of this author's previous works and have yet to be disappointed so when I had the chance to read the latest release, I was there with bells on.  (Okay so no bells....too noisy, but you get the point...)  A familiar name in the YA genre all on its own, this author teamed up with a fellow writer that they've worked on a series previously and created a new literary adventure to entice and enchant.  Without further adieu, today's book of choice is....

Crusade

by

Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Vampires, and werewolves, and witches, and....OH MY! Paranormal creatures abound in the latest release from this marvelous writing duo and what's more...they're at war. Okay, so that in a general sense isn't that unexpected since they don't usually play nicely together, but the level to which it has reached truly is. The vampires are out of the coffin so to speak and ready to stand and be counted.  Making nice with the President of the US of A on national television ought to help their peace loving cause, no?  Um...no.  It would have, except not long after the smiling scene watched round the world, the President's daughter is kidnapped, turned into a fanged wonder and makes her first and last television debut decimating the military forces sent to rescue her before being staked.  How's THAT for keeping the peace? 

Nations are falling to the power of the Cursed Ones, one by one some supporting their cause while others simply fear it.  There are only a few that stand in the way of their world domination plans....the Resistance and the Salamancans. The first is a band of humans unwilling to lie down and become lambs for the slaughter; the second, highly trained teens ready to kick some paranormal behind....that is if they can keep their differences out of the way.  Who will win in this ultimate power struggle especially when family and friends are involved? Only time will tell...and that is only one of many things that isn't on their sides....

Wow...what can I say? This is a pretty hefty choice for a YA novel, sitting at 470 pages, but a great start to a new series. We've got paranormal creatures aplenty, a storyline steeped in many levels of mystery, and hidden pasts just waiting to be discovered.  Each chapter begins with either an excerpt from Jenn's journal (our primary lead character, more about her later), a brief glimpse at a passage from the Salamancan Hunter's manual (think of it as "how to dispatch vampires 101"), or a work of poetry from the Cursed Ones themselves that moves progressively from neutral to total domination.  The character assortment that is worked into not just the storyline but the hunter group itself is amazing.  How they manage to coexist without killing each other is beyond me, and yet it works.  As you learn more about each character it becomes clear why hostilities run deep and yet since this is the beginning of a series not the end of one, it sort of comes to a head at the end leaving you asking...and then what happens?!  I do have a prediction about one plot twist that is just screaming to come into existence, but alas, I shall leave it faceless and nameless for now....at least until the next book comes around and I can confirm my suspicions. 

Now we already mentioned that vampires are highly featured in the novel and with their inclusion comes a few twists on the classic myths commonly accepted about our fanged literary friends.  This time around we keep the classic no sunlight allowed bit with some vampires (well, one that we know of) being able to tolerate the site of a cross (even holy water if you can believe it), but gone is the acceptance of animal blood as a food replacement.  Nope.  There are no "vegetarian vampires" in this one (Twilight reference...though if you didn't recognize it, it probably still doesn't make much sense) just pure blood thirsty creatures of the night needing human blood to sustain their existence.  Surprising in some ways, but not overly so...a good balance in the end without drawing readers attentions away from what's happening to dwell over the details.

With all that is good must come a bit of the not so good...sad, I know, but true.  There are spots in which the story seemed to drag, especially after the group makes their way to New Orleans.  (Why are they there?  Nope....not telling, sorry!) There's a lot of waiting (or so much waiting) and hoping (when all seems lost what else have you got) and rituals (yeah, now this one is a doozy) but not a whole lot of action in any other form.  During the dry spells, the narrator of the story is shifted to help you learn a bit more about the lead characters and what motivated them to step into the roles they have today...with the number sharing the spotlight it's certainly needed (there are five at bare minimum but others step in and out as well).  Rest assured though, those few instances are bringing you towards a greater end and will help you form a more complete understanding of each character. 

This is a definite reading recommendation for YA readers of all ages, in my opinion. The only "questionable" aspects are rather PG (think along the lines of "Twilight" in regards to violence and romance) so anyone who enjoys the YA genre with paranormal twists should be readily entertained by this one.  The follow up book to this recent release is titles Converted and appears to be scheduled for release in 2011.  Will I be on the look out for it?  You bet!  I simply have to see if what I think might happen happens...and what becomes of the cause...and what about...okay, so short answer is yes, I'll certainly be on the lookout for it.

ARC for review courtesy of author Nancy Holder and Simon & Schuster.  (THANKS!)  To find out more about this title and her other works in progress, check out her website or follow along on Twitter!  (Be sure to say hi to her Corgi's too....definitely two cuties.)  To discover the other bookish wonders available from the publisher, visit their site or check out their Twitter page.

Until next time...happy reading!