Impatiently Waiting! Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris

Expected publish date:
April 23, 2013

Publisher's summary: Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?


♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Introducing The Goodreads Choice Awards!

Give your fave books the credit they deserve!

15 Nominees in 20 Categories

Fifteen books will be nominated in the following categories: Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Romance, Memoir & Autobiography, History & Biography, Nonfiction, Food & Cookbooks, Humor, Graphic Novels & Comics, Poetry, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction, Middle Grade & Children's Books, Picture Books, and Goodreads Author.

Visit www.goodreads.com/choiceawards on October 30th to view the 2012 nominations!

Three Chances to Vote!

Three rounds of voting will be open to all 12 million Goodreads members, and winners will be announced December 4th.

Opening Round: October 30 – November 11
Voting open to 15 official nominees and write-in votes.

Semifinal Round: November 12 – November 18
The top 5 write-in votes became official nominees, bringing the total to 20 books in each category. Additional write-ins no longer accepted.

Final Round: November 19 – November 27
The field narrows to the top 10 books in each category, and members have one last chance to vote!

About the Nominations

Instead of consulting publishing experts or a judging panel, Goodreads look to readers to find the best books of the year. They analyze statistics from the 170 million books added, rated, and reviewed on the site in 2012 and nominate based on a book's number of ratings and average rating. So a nomination is truly an honor because it comes straight from the readers!

It's finally here! Sweet Peril Cover Reveal!

The Cover!

Sweet Peril
Publish date:
April 30, 2013

Publisher's summary: Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things. Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Wow! Isn't the cover stunning? I love it! And it matches the Sweet Evil cover perfectly!

Double plus...that summary sounds AWESOME!

I'm so excited! Squee!!!


★★★★★★

About the author!

Website ★ Twitter ★ Facebook ★ Goodreads
Wendy Higgins was born in Alaska, grew up an Army brat, and lived all over the United States before settling in the Washington, DC area. She attended George Mason University for her undergrad degree in creative writing, and Radford University for her masters in curriculum and instruction. Wendy taught 9th and 12th grade English in a rural school before becoming a mother and author. She now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Peril is her second novel.

★★★★★★


The First Book!

Sweet Evil

Publisher's summary: Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Find my review of Sweet Evil HERE!

What do YOU think about the new cover?

Impatiently Waiting! The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Expected publish date:
June 4, 2013

Publisher's summary: WHO WILL BE CHOSEN TO LEAD:
THE BEST? THE BRIGHTEST? THE DEADLIEST?

The Seven Stages War left much of a planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation's chosen few, who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing-their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career. Cia Vale is honored to be chosen for The Testing and eager to prove her worthiness. But on the eve of her departure, her father's advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies: Trust no one.

Surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome, capable childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with every passing (and deadly) day of The Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust?


♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Sweet Evil Read Along: Week 4

Topic: Halloween!
I absolutely love Halloween. It's a time to watch scary movies even though I don't do that anymore. It's a time that you can eat all the candy you want. And it's a time that you can get creative while decorating and carving pumpkins. But my favorite thing about Halloween is kids' costumes.

My Kelan dressed like his daddy!

My JD as Eeyore!

Be careful around these crazy kids!


Mini Review!
These are the chapters where all the crap goes down! We finally get to see what it truly means to be one of the Neph and how scary that can be for all of them.

Once you have finished reading Sweet Evil, make sure you stop by Wendy Higgins blog and read the extra scenes she has written in the POV of Kaidan. One is the Halloween scene in Chapter 26. The other scene she wrote is when Kaidan first saw Anna in Chapter 1.

Quote!

"Arrgh, matey," Kadan said.
"What's up man?" Jay reached out and they slapped palms, then grasped hands for a second.
"I've got a joke for you," Kaidan told him. Jay nodded his head, ready. "What's the difference between a drummer and a savings bond?"
"I don't know. What?" Jay beamed bright yellow.
"A savings bond matures and eventually makes money."


Curious about what is True & False from the statements I posted about myself last week?

1.) I'm under the age of 30. False! I'm 31.
2.) This month is my 10 year wedding anniversary. True! Wow! Time flies.
3.) I have three kids. False! I have two kids.
4.) I got knocked up by the mail man. True! My hubby is a mail carrier.
5.) My son is named after someone from a reality TV show. True! People in Laguna Beach know how to name their kids.
6.) I love mornings. - False! Don't talk to me for at least 2 hours after I have gotten up for the day.
7.) I've had 9 piercings. True! 7 piercings in my ears, one tongue & one belly button. I don't recommend the tongue because I lost some of my taste buds, and I don't recommend the belly button if you want to have children.
8.) I have never seen the movie Lost Boys. True! I'm ashamed of this one.
9.) I have a phobia of feet. True! Feet freak me the eff out. If I'm near someone and they are not wearing shoes, I'm very much aware of where their feet are located. So gross!
10.) I've never been in trouble with the law. False! I lost my drivers license when I was 17 for too many traffic violations. AND a cop caught me punching my ex-boyfriend when I was 17 and I was charged with assault. I'm actually quite proud of that that!


And the winner is Momo! Congrats!!!

Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publisher’s summary: History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time.

Alexandria isn’t sure she’s going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she’s a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that’s not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she’s caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed… and destroyed. Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

My take: I’m completely blown away by how amazing and exciting this book is, and I feel like there is so much to blabber about! The thing I got most excited about in Deity was that we actually get to see the gods in this book! It was phenomenal! And boy does the shiz hit the fan! Another thing that I just loved about Deity was that, just like in the previous books and right smack in the middle of this book, it’s like BAM!... something crazy happens, and it feels like it came out of nowhere! And then I’m left thinking, “What the heck is going to happen now? Isn’t this craziness supposed to happen at the end? Can the end even compete with this?” And the answer to my questions each time is, “OH YEAH, it gets 100 times better than this!”

Aside from the craziness, there are scenes that would leave me with tears streaming down my face, but then the very next scenes would have me literally laughing out loud. Can it get better than that? And last, but not least, there are the intensely hot scenes and the outright heart melting scenes…all that gooey romance stuff that we love so much. Well, at least that I love so much!

One thing I will have to say is that I wish I had read this book earlier on, probably the moment I received it in the mail because some people revealed a pretty big spoiler for me. I don’t think I could have escaped the spoiler even though I’m pretty good at avoiding them, but it still sucks! I don’t even think these people realize they are revealing a spoiler by talking about “it” or by putting “it” in their reviews. And, if I didn’t know about it, I think this particular thing would have had me suspicious, in denial or (best of all) it would have caught me totally by surprise…especially, because I already knew about a specific character that I shouldn’t trust. And I honestly think I would have flipped my freakin’ lid and I would not have been able to function! Too bad I already knew about “it” because I think I over-analyzed the situation…and I would have preferred the full-on, freak-out mode!

OH! I can’t forget to talk about the characters! There’s a new character who’s introduced that I’m really excited to learn more about. His name is Solos and I feel like I didn’t get enough of him yet. We do get a good mix of both Aidan and Seth, so I’m super happy with that. And I think there is more of a black and white feeling now about who can and can’t be trusted. But ’m sure we’ll still have some crazy betrayals in future books; I mean…COME ON…it’s a Jennifer L. Armentrout book we’re talking about here! But there are a lot of things brought out in the open in Deity and I’m very happy about that.

Aside from the major disappointment with that spoiler, this book was still an amazing read. And, once again, I’m left with having to wait for the next book in this series. OH! And before I forget, the ending of this book has a killer and totally amazing cliffhanger. I’m excited but at the same time completely terrified by how this series will continue.

Sweet Evil Read Along: Week 3

Topic: Truth or Dare!
(Or freebie topic)

True or False?

Are these statements true or false?
1.) I'm under the age of 30.
2.) This month is my 10 year wedding anniversary.
3.) I have three kids.
4.) I got knocked up by the mail man.
5.) My son is named after someone from a reality TV show.
6.) I love mornings.
7.) I've had 9 piercings.
8.) I have never seen the movie Lost Boys.
9.) I have a phobia of feet.
10.) I've never been in trouble with the law.

Clue - Four of the above statements are FALSE.

If you identify these statements as true or false correctly, (answer in the comments & include an email addy) then you will be entered to win an ARC of Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers. Giveaway is open for US shipping only and ends October 20, 2012 at 11:59 EST. By entering the giveaway, you have agreed to Magical Urban Fantasy Reads Giveaway Rules. If no one answers these statements 100% correct, then the entrant(s) with the highest percentage will be entered in the giveaway.



Mini Review!

These chapters are probably the hardest for me to read. I want to hug and comfort Anna and I feel her pain. But at the same time I love these chapters because we learn more about the Neph and Anna's dad.


Quote!
"How about a game of Truth or Dare?" Marna offered.

I was immediately apprehensive. Just as I was about to suggest something else, Kaidan spoke and my heart faltered.

"I'll go first," he said. "I dare Kope to kiss Anna."

Everything inside me flooded with fury and embarrassment. Kaidan leaned far back with his arms crossed, cocky. I stood up without thinking and hooked my foot under his chair, swiftly kicking upward and causing him to topple backward. He looked up at me from the ground with a stunned expression that morphed into a grin.


Host:
Magical Urban Fantasy Reads
Co-Hosts:
Two Chicks on Books
Fiktshun
Tater’s Tall Tails
Ravenous Reader

Teaser Tuesday - Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Expected publish date:
March 5, 2013

Summary: Set after Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me and before Unravel Me, the spellbinding sequel, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she'll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of . . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner's father, the Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son's mistakes, it's clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

The Teaser!
It's a small reminder, but it's enough to spear me.

I try to fight it off but it lingers, and the more I try to ignore the memory, it multiplies into a monster that can no longer be contained. I don't even realize I've fallen against the wall until I feel the cold climbing up my skin; I'm breathing too hard and squeezing my eyes shut against the sudden wash of mortification.


- 8% Kindle Book
♥♥♥♥♥

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Sweet Evil Read Along: Week 2

Topic: Citrus or Pear recipe!


I'm drooling over this recipe I found!
See here: Pear-Hazelnut Cheesecakes w/ Pear-Raspberry Sauce


Recipe by memory:
Better than sex cake (that's the name)
Make a cake with yellow cake mix
Use a toothpick to poke holes in the top
Spread sweetened condensed milk over the top
Let it cool
Spread canned crushed pineapple (drained) over the top
Evenly place sliced bananas over the pineapple
(This is where you can add a citrus fruit or pear but I don't)
Cover with Cool Whip
Then DEVOUR!

Mini Review!
These chapters are what really set the tone of the book for me. This is when we get to learn more about Kaidan during the road trip and when we first meet Anna’s dad.


Fave Quote!

"How's your orange juice, Ann? Does it have a touch of lime?"

The glass paused at my lips as I processed his innuendo, and I took a second to make sure my embarrassment stayed hidden inside. I let the drink swish over my tongue a moment before swallowing and answering.

"Actually it's a little sour," I said, and he laughed.

"That's a shame." He picked up a green pear from his plate and bit into it, licking juice that dripped down his thumb. My cheeks warmed as I set down my glass.

"Okay, now you're just being crude," I said.

He grinned with lazy satisfaction.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just enjoying my breakfast." He took another bite and I shook my head.


Host:
Magical Urban Fantasy Reads
Co-Hosts:
Two Chicks on Books
Fiktshun
Tater’s Tall Tails
Ravenous Reader

Double Trailer Reveal Post!

Luminosity
by Stephanie Thomas

About the author: Stephanie Thomas has been writing ever since she could put letters together to form words. When she was a small child, she would present her mother and father with self-made newspapers filled up with make believe stories and pictures. Her love for writing followed her all throughout her schooling, where she entered and won writing contests of all sorts. Stephanie decided to become an English teacher and completed her B.A. at The Pennsylvania State University. While teaching, she later went on to get her Master’s in writing from The Johns Hopkins University. She completed her very first manuscript during her graduate studies, and by the end of the program, she had completed two more. Stephanie is quick to tell anyone that she’s a born and raised Philadelphian, and her heart will always belong there. She moved to Baltimore with her husband, and they’ve been living there for the last five years with their doggie, Sailor, and their rabbit, Buns (aka “T Sizzle).
Where you can find Stephanie:
Website ★ Twitter ★ Facebook ★ Goodreads
The Raven Chronicles Facebook

Publisher’s summary: My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

Goodreads ★ Amazon ★ Barnes & Noble
The Trailer!


★★★★★★★★
Gravity
by Melissa West

About the author: Melissa lives in a tiny suburb of Atlanta, GA with her husband and daughter. She pretends to like yoga, actually likes shoes, and could not live without coffee. Her writing heroes include greats like Jane Austen and Madeleine L'Engle.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.

Gravity is her first book.
Where you can find Melissa:
Website ★ Twitter ★ Facebook ★ Goodreads

Publisher’s summary: In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

Goodreads ★ Amazon ★ Barnes & Noble ★ Book Depository
The Trailer!

Impatiently Waiting! Touched by Corrine Jackson

Expected publish date:
November 27, 2012

Publisher's summary: Time may not heal all wounds—but she can.

You’d think being able to heal people with a touch would be a blessing. But to 17-year-old Remy O’Malley, it’s more like a curse.

Every injury Remy heals becomes her own. She lives in fear of the day she’s forced to mend a wound from which she can’t recover—and she’s desperate to keep her amazing ability a secret.

Enter Asher Blackwell, a scarred eighteen-year-old with dangerous powers of his own. Asher seems to know more about Remy’s abilities than she does—and maybe more than he’s letting on. If she opens up to him, she might find out what it truly means to be a Healer. But she’ll also expose herself to capture by an old and very determined enemy. And if they catch her, they won’t just injure her.

They’ll kill her.



♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Unfailing Light – Tour Stop & Giveaway

By day, Robin Bridges is a mild-mannered writer of fantasy and paranormal fiction for young adults. By night, she is a pediatric nurse. Robin lives on the Gulf Coast with her husband, one soon-to-be teenager, and two slobbery mastiffs. She likes playing video games and watching Jane Austen movies. (If only there were a Jane Austen video game!) The Katerina Trilogy began with The Gathering Storm, and continues with The Unfailing Light.

Website ☆ Twitter ☆ Facebook

In 10 words or less can you tell us about Katerina Trilogy? A duchess hides a secret: she can raise the dead.

How did the idea of Katerina Trilogy come to you? I’ve always been fond of Russian fairy tales, especially the stories of Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave. I’m also a huge nerd when it comes to Imperial Romanov history.

Why did you pick the time era and place for your trilogy, and why are these things important to your story? I fell in love with the late Imperial period- the years of Faberge and Tchaikovsky and Tolstoy- as well as old Russian fairy tales. Since the aristocracy of the late nineteenth century were obsessed with the occult and I wondered what life in the late 19th century would have been like if tsars had possessed magical powers like the tsars of the old legends.

Which character was your favorite to write? Count Chermenensky. Poor count!

Which book in this trilogy was easiest for you to write and why? I’d have to say the second book was the least difficult to write, even though I expected it to be the hardest. As a bridge between the first and last books, I was worried I would feel stifled by the story line, especially since I already knew how the trilogy would end. But I found myself enjoying the characters in The Unfailing Light as I got to know them better.

How long was the publishing process for you? From the time I signed with my agent until we received the offer from Random House took eighteen months. From signing the contract to publication of TGS was another twenty-two months.

Was The Gathering Storm your first finished novel? Or did you write anything before this trilogy? I wrote a Middle Grade fantasy, a Middle Grade contemporary, and two contemporary paranormal YA’s before having the courage to write TGS. It was an idea I’d held on to for a while because I was scared I wasn’t a strong enough writer to tackle it. I finally reminded myself that first drafts were for discovery, and took the plunge.

Do you have any ideas for other books you want to write or do you have other books in the works? Yes! I’m currently finishing two books for my agent: another historical fantasy and a contemporary paranormal.

Now I have some quick questions to get to know you!

Phobia or fear? Aliens!

Guilty pleasure? Chocolate-filled croissants. Bread and chocolate- my two favorite things in the world.

Strange quirks? I like Catalina dressing on my pizza. It’s a regional (Gulf Coast) thing.

Facebook or Twitter? FB, though my accounts are linked and I spend way too much time on both!

Most visited online website? Tropical Weather Underground. I’m a weather nerd.

Kindle or Nook? I have a Nook but since I received an Ipad and have both apps, I try to be democratic and buy some Kindle books and some Nook books.

Preferred weapon? “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side.”

Favorite youtube video? James Blunt - My Triangle, or pretty much any one with muppets.

Top 5 authors that inspire you? Toni Morrison, Meg Cabot, Tom Robbins, Maggie Stiefvater, Christopher Moore.

Top 5 fave movies? Underworld, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Illusionist, Lost in Austen, Wristcutters: A Lovestory


Five books you’ve read recently that you’d recommend? Tessa Gratton’s The Blood Keeper, Tiffany Trent’s The Unnaturalists, Sara Reese Brennan’s Unspoken: the Lynburn Legacy, Gina Rosatti’s Auracle, Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death


Top 5 fave books? Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Georgette Heyer’s The Grand Sophie, Tolkien’s The Return of the King, Eudora Welty’s The Robber Bridegroom


Favorite TV show and/or movie when you were a kid? Bewitched reruns.

The Unfailing Light – Blog Tour

September 24th: Smitten Over Books
September 25th: Casey’s Crew
September 26th: Much Ado About Books
September 26th: The Streetlight Reader
September 27th: Infinite Reads
September 28th: The Hiding Spot
September 29th: Girls *Heart* Books
October 1st: Mom Reads My Books
October 2nd: Magical Urban Fantasy Reads
October 2nd: The Book Review Club
October 3rd: The Book Review Club
October 4th: Kimba Caffeinated
October 4th: My Life is a Notebook
October 5th: My Life is a Notebook
October 6th: Candace’s Book Blog
October 7th: Reader Girls
October 8th: Bookish
October 8th: Peace, Love, Books
October 9th: YA Bibliophile
October 9th: Reader Girls
October 10th: Wastepaper Prose
October 10th: Imaginary Reads
October 11th: Imaginary Reads
October 12th: Well Read Wife
October 15th: Libby Blog
October 16th: Cracking the Cover
October 17th: A Bookish Libraria
October 18th: A Novel Review
October 19th: In the Best Worlds
October 20th: Tripping Over Books

Facebook ★ Goodreads ★ Amazon

Lush and opulent, romantic and sinister, The Unfailing Light, Volume II in The Katerina Trilogy, reimagines the lives of Russia's aristocracy in a fabulously intoxicating and page-turning fantasy.

Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.