Review: The Mackenzie Legacy (The Athena Effect #2) by Derrolyn Anderson

Title: The Mackenzie Legacy

Series: The Athena Effect #2

Previous book in this series: The Athena Effect

Author: Derrolyn Anderson

Genre: YA, sci-fi, romance

Publication date: April 2013

Published by: Derrolyn Anderson

Source: E-book from the author for review

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Buy it: Amazon | Smashwords

Synopsis:

As their story continues, Calvin and Caledonia find themselves madly in love, on the run, and nearly out of money. When Cal stumbles upon a way to cash in on Cali’s powers, their life on the road becomes a life of leisure. Despite the easy money and newfound luxury, Caledonia’s conscience begins to trouble her.

A disturbing warning only serves to confirm her misgivings, making her question her purpose in life. Finally, a shocking discovery about the true nature of her powers points the way forward, sending the two Cals on a dangerous rescue mission.

Caledonia tries her best to right the wrongs of the past, but will she only end up provoking new and even more dangerous enemies?

My rating: ★★★★☆
Calvin leaned back on his pillows, watching [Caledonia's] magical eyes dart back and forth as she mastered the keyboard, assimilating information faster than he ever imagined possible. He smiled wryly, thinking that the day he was beaten up in the cemetery was probably the luckiest day of his life. ~The Mackenzie Legacy

Oh man, what an adventure! This is what I love about Derrolyn's writing: there is always something exciting and action-y going on! Oh! And let's not forget about the yummy romance ;)

Giveaway: The Mackenzie Legacy (The Athena Effect #2) by Derrolyn Anderson

Hey guys! I gots another great giveaway for you! So, I've been waiting for this book for, like, ever! Book one was fantastic and I honestly could not wait to find out more about Cali and her awesome power!

Review: The Athena Effect by Derrolyn Anderson

Title: The Athena Effect

Series: The Athena Effect #1

Author: Derrolyn Anderson

Genre: YA, sci-fi, paranormal

Publication date: August 2012

Published by: Derrolyn Anderson

Source: From the author for review

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Buy it: Amazon | Smashwords

Synopsis:

Country girl Cali has been kept a secret her entire life, raised in isolation by two very troubled people. Despite her parent’s disturbing fits, Cal is perfectly content, living at one with the nature that surrounds her, and finding adventure inside the pages of her beloved books. When an awful tragedy tears her away from her remote cabin in the woods, nothing she’s ever read has prepared her for a world that she knows very little about.

Girls and motorcycles are what bad-boy Cal’s life is all about. Brought up in a raucous party house by his biker brother, he’s free to do as he pleases, going through the motions on his final days of high school. Aimless, Cal stopped thinking about his future a long time ago.

Attacked by a gang of thugs while running an errand for his brother, Cal is in serious trouble until a fierce girl appears out of nowhere to intervene. She chases off three grown men, sparing Cal a brutal beating before disappearing into the night like a spirit. He can’t stop thinking about his mysterious rescuer, and when she turns out to be the weird new girl at school who goes out of her way to avoid him, he can’t contain his curiosity.

He’s never met anyone like her before, and the more he learns about the unusual girl who shares his nickname, the more he wants to know. Cal can’t help falling for Cal, but can he keep her from falling victim to a dangerous enemy from her parent’s tragic past?

My rating: ★★★★☆
I really liked this book! I thought Cali's power was just super cool and really interesting.

Giveaway Winners: The Athena Effect by Derrolyn Anderson

And the winners are.....

US/Canada:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

International:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats! :)

Didn't win? No worries! I still have another giveaway going on...check it out! Plus, there are more to come in the future, so stay tuned!

Giveaway: The Athena Effect by Derrolyn Anderson

Hey everyone! I am happy to announce that I am going to have another giveaway on this blog! Yay, TWO giveaways!

What's the prize? you ask. Take a look!

Blurb: Country girl Cal has been kept a secret her entire life, raised in isolation by two very troubled people. Despite her parent’s disturbing fits, Cal is perfectly content, living at one with the nature and finding adventure inside the pages of her beloved books. When an awful tragedy tears her away from her remote cabin in the woods, nothing she’s ever read has prepared her for a world that she knows very little about.

Girls and motorcycles are what bad-boy Cal’s life is all about. Brought up in a raucous party house by his biker brother, he’s free to do as he pleases, going through the motions on his final days of high school. Aimless, Cal stopped thinking about his future a long time ago.

Attacked by a gang of thugs while running an errand for his brother, Cal is in serious trouble until a fierce girl appears out of nowhere to intervene. She chases off three grown men, sparing Cal a brutal beating before disappearing into the night like a spirit. He can’t stop thinking about his mysterious rescuer, and when she turns out to be the weird new girl at school who goes out of her way to avoid him, he can’t contain his curiosity.

He’s never met anyone like her before, and the more he learns about the unusual girl who shares his nickname, the more he wants to know. Cal can’t help falling for Cal, but can he keep her from falling victim to a dangerous enemy from her parent’s tragic past?

The author, Derrolyn Anderson, was awesome enough to provide TWO (2) e-copies of her latest book for this giveaway! ONE (1) US/Canadian winner and ONE (1) International winner will receive an e-book copy (Via Smashwords coupon) of The Athena Effect.

Along with the e-book, the US/Canadian winner will also recieve a super cool necklace (sorry to the international participants! But you can still win an e-book!). Here are a few words from the author:

I’m a beader as well as a writer, and I dreamed up a fun giveaway to promote my latest publication. I’ve made some jewelry inspired by my main character Caledonia’s ability to see auras – colorful emotions made visible. The necklace is approximately 19’’ with a toggle closure, the necklace is a rainbow of gemstone chips, including : Citrine, Peridot, Green Adventurine, Malachite, Amazonite, Magnesite, Turquoise, Lapis, Howlite, Amethyst, Coral, Jasper, and Amber.

Gorgeous, right? Well, my lovelies, here is how you can enter (make sure you fill out the right Rafflecopter form):

US and Canada:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

International:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Make sure you read the Terms and Conditions, they are important!*

Thank you soooo much to Derrolyn for providing all this awesome stuff for the giveaway! And good luck to all of you who enter! The winner will be announced October 8th!

Introducing...The Athena Effect by Derrolyn Anderson

Hey everyone! Today I am happy to announce a brand new novel by Derrolyn Anderson, author of Marina's Tales. Check it out!

Blurb: Country girl Cal has been kept a secret her entire life, raised in isolation by two very troubled people. Despite her parent’s disturbing fits, Cal is perfectly content, living at one with the nature and finding adventure inside the pages of her beloved books. When an awful tragedy tears her away from her remote cabin in the woods, nothing she’s ever read has prepared her for a world that she knows very little about.

Girls and motorcycles are what bad-boy Cal’s life is all about. Brought up in a raucous party house by his biker brother, he’s free to do as he pleases, going through the motions on his final days of high school. Aimless, Cal stopped thinking about his future a long time ago.

Attacked by a gang of thugs while running an errand for his brother, Cal is in serious trouble until a fierce girl appears out of nowhere to intervene. She chases off three grown men, sparing Cal a brutal beating before disappearing into the night like a spirit. He can’t stop thinking about his mysterious rescuer, and when she turns out to be the weird new girl at school who goes out of her way to avoid him, he can’t contain his curiosity.

He’s never met anyone like her before, and the more he learns about the unusual girl who shares his nickname, the more he wants to know. Cal can’t help falling for Cal, but can he keep her from falling victim to a dangerous enemy from her parent’s tragic past?

Interested? You can find it here:

But that's not all! Very, very soon on this blog I'll be hosting a giveaway where one winner will receive an e-book of The Athena Effect!

But wait, there's more! Aside from the e-book, the winner will also receive another prize courtesy of the author. What is it? you ask. Well, stay tuned to find out ;)

Review: The Turning Tides (Marina's Tales #4) by Derrolyn Anderson

Title: The Turning Tides

Series: Marina's Tales #4

Previous book in this series: Between the Land and the Sea (#1) | The Moon and the Tide (#2) | The Fate of the Muse (#3)

Author: Derrolyn Anderson

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: March 2012

Published by: Derrolyn Anderson

Source: From author for review (Thanks!)

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Buy it: Amazon| Smashwords

Synopsis:

Marina has been through a lot in the past year; she knows what she wants, and she decides to take matters into her own hands to get it. When a twist of fate takes her away from Aptos, she returns to find that her whole world has changed once again. A fortune teller’s ominous prediction seems to be coming true, people around her aren’t who they appear to be, and to top it all off, she’s being followed again.

Marina and Ethan only want to be together, but find they are being torn apart by their very natures. Can they overcome a final obstacle to build the future they dream of?

My rating: ★★★★★
A wonderful conclusion to a wonderful series.

In this final installment of Marina's Tales, Marina is once again put though many painful tests. First of all, evil peoples are still after Marina's mermaid sisters...to experiment on them. Marina, of course, will not rest until her sisters are safe...even if it means putting herself in danger one again.

Interview with Derrolyn Anderson author of "Marina's Tales" + a FREE e-book!

I am happy to have Derrolyn Anderson on my blog today! She is the author of a mermaid series called "Marina's Tales" that I have totally fallen in love with! And to celebrate the fourth and final installment of "Marina's Tales" (titled The Turning Tides) she is giving you a chance to read book #1 of the series: Between the Land and the Sea. And you can get it for FREE!
But first, here is a little bit about her and her writing:

Derrolyn Anderson is a visual artist and writer who specializes in young adult fiction. She is the creator of the four part "Marina's Tales" series, and is currently hard at work on her next book.

Review:The Fate of the Muse (Marina's Tales #3) by Derrolyn Anderson

Title: The Fate of the Muse

Series: Marina's Tales #3

Previous book in this series: Between the Land and the Sea (#1) | The Moon and the Tide (#2)

Author: Derrolyn Anderson

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: September 2011

Published by: Derrolyn Anderson

Source: Review copy from the author (Thanks!)

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Buy it: Amazon| Smashwords

Synopsis:

Trouble is stalking Marina. She’s already escaped the clutches of her formidable foe once, but fate has even more trials in store for her. There are evil plans in the works– plans that threaten both her and her newly found family.

As she struggles to come to grips with her unwanted powers, outside forces threaten to tear Marina and Ethan apart, making her doubt their vision of an idyllic future together. Can first love be true love?

My rating: ★★★★★
Marina’s near exposure in Greece caught the attention of the Council of hybrid mermaids. Yes, half-human half-mermaid hybrids have councils too. But this is not necessarily a good thing for Marina. In fact, because of the accident that led Marina to turning into a mermaid in order to save the people from the accident (her father included), she accidentally exposed herself as a mermaid. This, of course, got the attention of the media, and also the Council.

Oh Marina, you are in soooo much trouble!

Marina now has to present herself to the Council and explain why the heck she would transform in public. But what they’re more interested in is how Marina was able to transform. You see, Marina is a hybrid of many talents, talents which even some other hybrids don't even possess! Marina’s plan: lie her butt off!

But if only the problems would stop there...

Because of these many talents that Marina possess she was kidnapped in the last book. Remember that? She and Lorelei being trapped then put into a big mansion? Some guy wanting to use their muse powers for evil? Another mermaid being pregnant?? I’m sure this all rings a bell. Well guess what...they’re back for more! That’s right, Marina is still in danger and someone really wants her...desperately. The problem is, the people after her will be the least ones she expects.

On top of all that, Ethan and Marina are being driven apart. *sigh* All this mermaid stuff, Marina’s powers, the kidnappers, the ex-girlfriend, the jealousy...it’s like all this stuff doesn't want Marina and Ethan to be together.

Marina’s fate seems to be a dark one. But the question is, will Marina be strong enough to overcome these obstacles?

I’ve got one word for you my readers: Uh-MAZE-ing! Marina’s Tales just keep getting better and better! This book had endless amounts of surprises and suspense (you will never guess what happened to Nerissa and the baby she was carrying!) There was so much action throughout the whole book that I found it hard to put down the book! The plot was crazy (in a good way) and there has been noticeable character development for most of the characters across the three books. And as I said in previous reviews, Marina is a very likable character. I especially like that she is very humble.

Ooh! Mythology! I absolutely LOVED that little touch of mythology when they were in the museum! That painting with the nine Greek (or Roman, I guess) Muses, the mermaid in the near-by body of water, and and and....my favorite Greek god, Apollo (although that is also his Roman name)! :D Just when I thought the book couldn't get better the author goes and puts this in...Awesome :)

And guess what...I totally get the "That's what she said" joke now! I thought it was some inside joke between the characters, but it turns out a lot of people know about this. Sadly enough, my 13 year cousin had to explain it to me! 13 years old! Man, what are they teaching kids nowadays *shakes head* Anyway, since I found out what the joke meant I went back through all the books to find those jokes...it’s so much more funny now that I get it! :D I could tell you what it means, but I try to keep my reviews to a PG-13 rating ;)

I could go on and on and on talking about this totally awesome book, but how about you just go and read this series yourself ;) Recommended to those who love a good mermaid story!

I absolutely loved this book, definitely one of my favorites, and I cant wait for book 4!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)

Review: The Moon and the Tide (Marina's Tales #2) by Derrolyn Anderson

Title: The Moon and the Tide

Series: Marina's Tales #2

Previous book in this series: Between the Land and the Sea

Author: Derrolyn Anderson

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: April 2011

Published by: Derrolyn Anderson

Source: Review copy received from the author (Thank You!)

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Buy it: Amazon| Smashwords

Synopsis:

Just when things seem to be all figured out, Marina discovers that there's a lot more going on behind the scenes than she ever imagined. When she learned the truth about her past she thought the drama was over, but she couldn't have been more wrong.

Shocked to discover her whole life has been a lie, Marina is confronted with more than one kind of betrayal, taking solace in a dangerous new habit. After a terrible accident exposes her secret, a dangerous enemy arrives on the scene. Marina's bravery is put to the test once again, forcing her to use all of her new-found skills to protect her family.

Can good triumph over evil?

Will true love win out over jealousy?

My rating: ★★★★☆
It hasn’t been long since Marina found out that her mother was a mermaid…making her half-human, half-mermaid. If it wasn’t for Ethan, the love of her life, Marina would be lost at sea, running (or swimming, in this case) wild among the mermaids. Marina may have declined their offer to become an immortal mermaid permanently, but the lure of the sea is as tempting as ever. But that is the least of her problems when tragedy strikes. After a terrible accident the exposes mermaids, Marina is being pursued by unknown forces that put Marina and the rest of the mermaids in danger.

Review: Between the Land and the Sea (Marina's Tales #1) by Derrolyn Anderson

Title: Between the Land and the Sea

Series: Marina's Tales #1

Author: Derrolyn Anderson

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: Aprill 2011

Published by: Derrolyn Anderson

Source: Review copy received from the author (Thank You!)

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Buy it: Amazon| Smashwords

Synopsis:

Something extraordinary is lurking in the deep ocean waters off the coast of Aptos, California. Just a few weeks after moving to the beach town, sixteen year old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can only manage to survive her dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might just be able to uncover the mystery of her past and learn how to appease the mysterious forces that seem to want something from her... and maybe even find true love along the way.

My rating: ★★★★☆
Marina is sent to live from San Francisco to Aptos with her aunt after her father leaves to work on a project in Afghanistan. Marina, however, does not expect for her life to be turned upside down. Upon arriving she starts her senior year at the local high school, where she meets Ethan. And before she knows it, Marina is falling for Ethan…hard. Also, while on the beach, she discovers the existence of mermaids, mermaids who may be the cause of her nightly nightmares that could possibly become the death of her. Not only that, but Marina soon discovers that her past is intertwined with that of the mermaids. The truth will alter Marina’s reality forever.