Wereling, Book 2: Dark Moon by Steve Feasey, Review + Giveaway!

Happy Monday everyone!

Okay, so no one REALLY thinks it's all that happy.  I mean the weekend is over and work or school is pretty much the norm for most this week but cheer up!  There's plenty of good reading ahead to keep you well entertained during your free time.  In fact, several of the "plenty" are releasing tomorrow (seriously, check the right hand side bar....there's multitude of books coming out) but one of those releases is being featured here TODAY.  Excited now?  *fist pump*

The book featured today is the second in a trilogy of YA paranormal books featuring one werewolf (among other creatures) by the name of Trey Laporte.  Despite my love of keeping you in suspense as long as possible, I'll sidestep that tactic in order to share the sheer bookish magic found within this one.  Ready?  Today's book of choice is...

Wereling, Book 2:

Dark Moon

by

Steve Feasey

**Okay so if you haven't read the first one, this one is bound to have a spoiler or two...just be warned.**


Trey Laporte has spent most of his life hoping to have the one thing that many of us take for granted....a family. Now that he has one, no matter how unorthodox it may be, he plans on keeping it. Unfortunately, there are outside forces that have other ideas...much darker and fouler than the blackest night. Lucien Charron, his new mentor and guardian of sorts, is in grave danger. He may not be a member of the living breathing human race, but his undead status is rapidly changing to just plain dead thanks to the evil mastermind Caliban, his brother. Sibling rivalry be darned, he's out to end Lucien's life and turn the world into his playground (we're talking doom and gloom, not a theme park)...that is unless Trey can stop him. A big task for one person, even one werewolf type person...good thing he has a few friends on his side, namely Alexa (Lucien's daughter), Tom (Lucien's strong man), and Charles (a mage of extraordinary power). Will it be enough to stop the coming darkness or has the light of day finally met its match?

With depth, intrigue, and characters you love to hate and those you love to love (okay, you know what I mean...)....it's the formula for a successful page turner every time and one that author Steve Feasey seems to have a great grasp on. I love how the story was built in such a way that you WANT to follow it around each twist and turn, over each obstacle and through each triumph. The author's ability to lead you in one direction totally anticipating the next move only to have the story shift ever so slightly so that the possibilities you saw never come to pass and yet you are not disappointed by the change...fantastic.

We see Lucien disabled to the brink of death, yet still a source of strength for those that surround him. Trey has now accepted his heritage and utilizes his strengths (along with a few newly acquired ones) to help achieve the groups goal. Alexa faces a past better forgotten and a potential reunion that could change everything for better or worse. Tom...well, he's Tom and he is nothing is not cavalier in his attempts to keep everyone safe while toting along his weapon of choice of the moment. All your favorites are back and then some....but the then some consists of some unlikely heroes as well as new foes that are bit too much to describe right here. ~shudders~

Now don't be fooled....it's not all sunshine and rainbows, though I don't think the title, cover, or summary lead you to believe it is. There are battle scenes, a bit of descriptive gore (not too much, but enough), and darker magical creatures (think netherworld demons, not unicorns) in this chapter of Trey's story...I mean come on, he is a werewolf with a vampire mentor for crying out loud. It just lends the story an appeal to both female and males readers.

The only thing I can say I wasn't a fan of...the cover. Call me what you like (okay, not really...I have feelings too!), but a cover can capture my attention for good or for not. To be honest, had I not read the first one and been dying to see what happened next....I might have by passed it on the shelf, same goes for the first one. (A big mistake...let me tell you!) My ARC of the first one had this plain yet intriguing cover...black with silver white writing for the title, a classic moon with a cloud drifting by image and some haunting words from the story. Now THAT was a cover...or at least one that in my opinion may appeal to a broader audience. The actual final copy covers seem to cater more perhaps to the male reader (fellas, feel free to weigh in here)....but girls, don't dismay! The story is a great one and certainly not lacking in strong female leads.

Overall, a fantastic read from start to finish. The chapters are short and sweet catering to any avid readers need to finish "just one more" before calling it a night. You'll laugh (definitely). You'll cry (maybe...a little at least). You'll gasp in awe and fear of just what's been unleashed or where things are going next (for certain). If you haven't read the first book, I'd highly recommend it so you have the background regarding all the events taking place and the future taking shape. One final note...there's a little "Which Nether-Creature Are You?" quiz at books end...according to my score I'm borderline between the Werewolf and Vampire...go figure. ^_^

Recommended for fans of the YA genre with a paranormal persuasion....but with story enough to carry the demons, creatures, and magic along. ARC for review courtesy of Ksenia at Feiwel and Friends. (THANKS!) This book is scheduled to be released (as of this post) on 02/01/11. For more information on this title as well as the publisher's full catalog, feel free to visit their websites (1 and 2), check out the blog, or follow along on Twitter. Want to know more about the authors comings and goings? Check him out online both at his website and on Twitter.

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Now...for the other half of what you've been waiting for...the GIVEAWAY!  Thanks to the Ksenia over at Feiwel and Friends I have the pleasure of giving you a chance to win not only one book, but two.  That's right!  You have the chance to win a copy of both Wereling AND a galley of Wereling, Book 2:  Dark Moon!  Entries will be accepted starting RIGHT NOW and run through midnight CST Friday, February 18th, 2011...just in time for the full moon (hehe).

Here's all the details...

The prizes...

 

One winner will receive....

(1) finished copy of Wereling

AND

(1) galley copy of Wereling, Book 2:  Dark Moon

by Steve Feasey

 

How to enter...

Fill out THIS FORM.

 

Looking for bonus entries?

No worries!  There's several options listed on the form but here is one to get you started.  It's sort of a play off the quiz at books end, but without the benefit of a scoring system.  If you could be a paranormal creature, which one would you be and why?  We're talking werewolves, vampires, faeries, ghosts, etc...take your pick, share your thoughts in the comments below and score an extra entry (but remember you still have to fill out the form)!

The rules...

*Open to US/Canada mailing addresses only!  No P. O. Boxes please.

* Entries will be accepted from Monday, January 29th, 2011 through Friday, February 18th, 2011 at midnight CST.  The entries will be tallied and entered into the random.org randomizer, after which a random number will be picked by their number generator.  (This way all the entries are mixed up nicely.)

* All entries must be submitted using the form accessible through this post.  You MUST include your email address in order to be counted as well as contacted should you be chosen as the winner!

*The winner will be announced and contacted via email by Monday, February 21st, 2011 and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.  Should they fail to respond in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.  If you choose to include your full name and mailing address in your contest entry, no worries....the time frame issue is erased.

*Winner's name and address will be forwarded to Ksenia at Feiwel and Friends for prize send out only and then discarded.

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There you have it.

So what are you waiting for?

Go, go, GO!

Until next time...good luck everyone...and happy reading!

WEREling by Steve Feasey

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

The week is almost over and so is your chance to win (for now...hehe)!  The 'Spooktacular Finds In Reading' contests come to an end 10/30/10 at midnight CST so don't miss your chance to win 1 of 4 prize packages including 1 (or more) of several great books perfect for the season and just waiting to find a home on a shelf near you!  Check out the 'Current Contests' listing on the right hand sidebar for all the details. 

Now for today's post, our 'spooktacular' find for the day is....WEREWOLVES aka SHAPE SHIFTERS.  Perhaps one of the more famous ones out there right now thanks to the success of the book and movie series having one of these guys in more of a supporting lead role (I know, it's an oxymoron, but think about it, he's a lead character but not, so it fits...sorta....), but the book featured today shines the spotlight on this particular creature front and center.  The lead book in a Young Adult series, it's a great introduction to the characters that will leave you thirsting for more, but I digress...I have yet to tell you what book it is!  Today's book of choice is....

WEREling

by

Steve Feasey

Trey Laporte is not having the best day, or rather the best life.  He's an orphan and though in a group care facility, he's missing the love and support that only a family can bring.  Oh, and yeah...he sorta woke up sans clothes with his room completely torn apart.  Looks almost as if an animal broke in and....no that can't be....or could it?  The damage appears to be from the inside out and yet Trey's door is shut with the key still in the locked deadbolt.  Hmm, very curious indeed...but the day is not finished with him yet as the appearance of a strange man claiming to be his uncle turns the dial from unusual day to downright weird.  Unable to keep himself from stealing a peek at the gentleman, Trey sneaks out of his room against staff wishes to see just what is going on; what he finds is a large, imposing gentleman who although hair raising in appearance brings Trey a sort of uneasy peace within.  Who is this man and what does he want with Trey?  It all starts with an invitation to leave all his troubles behind....but the troubles that replace those lost may just be even more daunting.....

I'm done, I'm done, egads I'm done! Why am I so exuberant? Well, I've been (guiltily) holding on to an ARC of this book for some time (hey, I said I was guilty) and just now had a chance to read it. Of course, I am also kicking myself immensely now for not having read it sooner as it was really good! No, I wasn't afraid that it wouldn't be...to be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect but I was hopeful for a good read and was not disappointed.  Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, there really wasn't much that I could pull in a negative aspect to mention or highlight...unusual as that is, it is also quite impressive.

In a positive light...where to begin! This is the first novel that I've read where the main character was a werewolf...well, shape shifter technically but you know for the most part they herald from the same lines. Trey Laporte is our lead narrator, telling the story from his point of view as the events unfold and unfold they do as his world is turned upside down in less than 24 hours. He goes from your average orphaned child (well, okay, not so average since he apparently tore his room apart and ripped through his clothes without even knowing it) to a decidedly more than meets the eye young man in not simply his lineage but his responsibilities as well. Once he knows of his past and what is potentially in store for his future, he is dealing with a whole new ball of sputum (oh, sorry, still thinking of the book creatures)...err, wax. Mythical magical nether-worldly creatures are no longer living in the land of make believe for him...no sir...and he now has more to worry about than simply himself.

Along for the ride, or rather guiding him on his journey is a great make shift family of sorts. From Lucien Carren who is...well, I'll leave that to you to figure out...and seems to have nothing but good intentions at heart (better than other things in his condition...whoops, sorry....no spoilers, no spoilers), to Tom, the Irish bloke ready to tear into the worst of the worst with the worst of the worst "toys", to Alexa, Lucien's daughter and a budding sorceress (not to mention potential love interest, but don't tell Trey, I told you so)....they're differences make them stronger, but their shared love and respect for one another is the cement that keeps them together. Their abilities, including Trey's, are a rather interesting assortment as well.  The ability to essentially stop time though only for moments at a time, heal others, speak to your mind and so on....turn up when needed and often when least expected.  The common beliefs versus myths regarding the creatures that make an appearance in this book are also twisted in unexpected ways, for example...vampires actually HAVING a reflection (I know...mind boggling, right?).  Moving on....

Though short over all when compared to other books floating around in the YA genre right now, I think the length worked well for the story. The author allowed enough time for a natural (okay using that word with the slough of nether world creatures that are in this book is almost comical to me, but it does fit my purposes) transgression to occur from Trey's less than happy past to his unusual present and right to the beginnings of his uncertain future without leaving the characters (or readers) behind in the transitions nor dropping the storyline. In fact, the story is wrapped up by book's end....well, almost. There is some uncertainty left open but that's merely to taunt you until you read the next book in the series (which happens to be Dark Moon, scheduled for release February 2011...not that I'm waiting or anything... *whistles*). Let's just say that its on my Wish List....

Special note to readers, upon reaching the end of the book (unless it was removed in the finalized version, and I'm hoping not), there is a section titled Demoncyclopedia. These last few pages are like a who's who guide to nether world creatures so in case you need a refresher or simply wish to learn a few more details about those featured in the book, it's all right there for you in summary format. Mighty handy if I do say so myself....

ARC for review courtesy of Feiwel & Friends. (THANKS!) To find out more about the publisher and their current catalog, check out their website or Twitter page. For more on author Steve Feasey, visit his website or follow along on Twitter.



Until next time...happy reading!