Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case (Jayne Frost #1) by Kristen Painter Review

Hey readers! Ethan here with another review for you awesome folks. Tonight's review comes to us from one of my new favorite authors. A lady who honestly has crafted one of the most unique paranormal series I've ever read. Who? The incredibly talented Kristen Painter! I'm absolutely obsessed with her Nocturne Falls series so imagine how I felt when I learned of the spin-off! Up on the chopping block this time? Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case, the first installment in Painter's newest Jayne Frost series. Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and our author:

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year.

Jayne Frost is a lot of things. Winter elf, Jack Frost’s daughter, Santa Claus’s niece, heir to the Winter Throne and now…private investigator. Sort of.

Needing someone he can trust, her father sends her undercover to Nocturne Falls to find out why employees at the Santa’s Workshop toy store are going missing.

Doing that requires getting to know the town, which leads to interesting encounters with a sexy vampire, an old flame, and an elevator that’s strictly off-limits. The more Jayne finds out, the more questions she has, but the answers lead her deeper into danger.

Will her magic save her? Or will she come up cold?

          

 Kristen Painter

Kristen Painter likes to balance her obsessions with shoes and cats by making the lives of her characters miserable and surprising her readers with interesting twists. She currently writes award-winning paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

*****

My Thoughts:

Anyone who follows this blog knows that last year I was introduced to Kristen Painter and her Nocturne Falls series for the first time. I fell in love with every word and haven't looked back since. Wow. Just wow. I can't get enough. I've read and reread these novels so many times that I can't help but shout about them from the rooftops. You guys can't even begin to understand the excitement I felt upon learning that Painter was releasing a spin-off series in the same literary world! An awesome paranormal mystery series that was sure to impress, but would it have the same impact as Nocturne Falls?

Absolutely!

I have to say that I really didn't know what to expect when I started this one. While it lives within the world Painter has crafted through five previous novels, it definitely blazes a trail all its' own. From the very first chapter we're introduced to an entirely different type of paranormal creature: elves. Not just any elves: Winter Elves. North Pole-Santa-Winter Wonderland kind of elves. With all the paranormal awesome that Painter has unleashed previously I shouldn't have been surprised by this bold move by Painter, but it definitely surprised me in the best possibly way. I love Christmas so having the chance to intermingle that Christmas theme with Nocturne Fall's Halloween spirit was an amazing combination!

I have to say, I think the characters in this novel were some of my favorite from Painter yet, particularly Jayne. Jayne Frost, daughter of Jack Frost and niece to Kris Kringle himself, is about as awesome as heroines come. She's intelligent, independent, and pretty doggone fearless. It was really awesome to read such a well rounded character's development through the story. One of my favorite parts about Painter and her writing style is that she can craft an incredible story full of amazing characters without bogging the stories down with details. It's very evident to me, as a reader and fan, that Painter is in love with her stories as it shows. They're non-stop fun from start to finish. But back to the characters, Painter doesn't mess around with convention or the confines the genre may present. She gives us the characters she wants to write and for that I have mad respect. The supporting cast of this first novel was awesome and while I was on the fence about some character, I really grew to appreciate each of them by the novel's gripping finale. 

Painter continues to knock it out of the park with her settings within Nocturne Falls. I never know what she'll come up with next. I actually am kind of hoping for some sort of Nocturne Falls map one day, I know it'd sure be a place on my bucket list to visit. We see many familiar faces in this novel and travel to places we've seen before. Except this time we get to see them with an entirely new set of eyes and in a mystery aspect. When everyone is a suspect, Nocturne Falls turns into quite a different place!

Above all, this read was just great fun. It was a fast read that I devoured in one sitting. I cannot wait to see what direction Painter takes with the remainder of this series. I know that this reader will absolutely be devouring each passing installment. This being said, it should come as no surprise to anyone that I am granting Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case a glowing 5-star review. An excellent start to what I know will be an incredible new series from Painter! Don't miss out, add this one to your TBR today!

*****

Alright folks, that's all I have for you today on the topic of Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case by the incredible Kristen Painter. It's always such a pleasure to devour one of her latest releases. Huge thanks to Kristen and her team for supplying me with a copy in exchange for my review and to all of you for stopping by! Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Digital Horizon (#Hacker #3) by Sherry D. Ficklin Review

Hey readers! Ethan here tonight with another review for you guys. I've been closely following this series since the very beginning and it keeps getting better with each passing novel. Plus the author is one of my all-time favorites, win-win right? On the hopping block tonight? Digital Horizon, the third novel in the #Hacker series by the incredible Sherry D. Ficklin. Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and our author:

One wants justice. 

One wants redemption. 

One just wants revenge. 

Still reeling from her devastating loss, Farris is barely holding it together when she’s approached by a covert government agency. The IDC is recruiting the best hackers in the country to form a team capable of tracking down and thwarting cyber terrorists. When they make her an offer she can’t refuse—a shot at catching the people responsible for the death of her father—she’s all in. But success will mean forging new alliances, betraying the people she loves, and trusting an old enemy. If she succeeds, she might finally get the closure she needs. If she fails, the digital world will crumble at her feet, putting thousands of lives at risk and exposing the world’s most dangerous secrets. In the dark web, where anything can be bought and sold, this talented young hacker just might have to sell her soul to get what she’s after. The question is, who’s buying?

          

ABOUT SHERRY D. FICKLIN:

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM

Sherry is a full time writer from Colorado and the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she's on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs. Sherry also writes New Adult fiction under the pen name Ranae Glass and is a contributing writer for fangirlish.com.

*****

My Thoughts:

As my readers well know, Sherry D. Ficklin is one of my all-time favorite young adult authors. Her works transcend across genres and shatter boundaries, leaving only awe in their paths. Back in the fall she released her newest series, a YA mystery sci-fi thriller that set the stage for a saga I wasn't too sure about. While book one and I may not have seen eye to eye, book two really upped the ante and had me singing its' praises. But could Ficklin continue the trend?

Absolutely!

Digital Horizon is my favorite in the series thus far, by-far! Wow!

Rather than rehash the events of the previous two novels, I'd like to jump right in with my thoughts on this one.

First and foremost, HOLY YA. Woah people. Ficklin didn't play around this time. This is one mature YA novel, definitely pushing the boundaries in only the way Ficklin can. Adult themes, situations, and language are prevalent, but in such a way that make this YA hard hitting and so much more realistic from others we see int he same genre. I continue to be absolutely astounded by Ficklin's writing style.

Anyone who is following this series will well remember than book two, In Too Deep, ended on one of the most emotional notes imaginable, changing Farris' life forever. That heartbreak and emotion aided Digital Horizon in becoming one of Ficklin's most well-written stories to-date.

When it comes to the plot of Digital Horizon, I was thoroughly impressed. I'll be honest, I'm not much for the spy/James Bond-esque novels, but Ficklin changed thoughts with this one. Unlike the previous two novels, this 'mystery' isn't quite the same. While we're definitely still hunting a villain, the stakes are much higher. And our girl Farris definitely has some work to do. Not even old enough to drink and Farris is handling matters of international security like a champ. She's truly the perfect heroine! Digital Horizon packed such a huge punch in terms of the plotline that I couldn't set it down. I absolutely devoured this one. It's action-packed and fast-paced so any reader will fly through this one.

Not only did Digital Horizon see a much more mature plot, it also so a much more mature Farris. The biggest issue I had with the beginning of this series was the immaturity I saw in our main characters and their struggles, it wasn't the type of writing I was used to from Ficklin. Through three amazing stories now, Farris has grown and really come into her own. She's fierce in every aspect of the word and truly an incredible character role model for an entire generation of readers. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Farris in future installments of this series.

As I've already mentioned several times now, this novel is definitely more for the mature-YA readers. Sex, violence, and language are all present here and help to contribute to some of the novel's most hard-hitting themes. While definitely something to take note of, it definitely did not hinder my reading experience in the least bit. In fact, I was loving every second. It's authors like Ficklin who understand the capacities of our youth who are moving the industry forward by not sugar coating the realities of young adult life in the twenty-first century.

This story really touched me in an awesome way and left me with incredible hope for the remainder of the series. I absolutely cannot wait to see what we can expect in book four of the series. It should come as absolutely no surprise that I am granting Digital Horizon by Sherry D. Ficklin a near-perfect 5-star review. I couldn't recommend this series more highly if I tried. To anyone looking to add something a bit different to your TBR, look no more! Check out the #Hacker series today!

*****

Don't miss out on book one, available now for FREE!

Click the cover below for more info and to read my thoughts!

Alright folks, that's all I have for you on the topic of Digital Horizon by the incredible Sherry D. Ficklin. You guys all know she's one of my all-time favorite authors and this read only cemented that even further! Don't miss it! Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Digital Horizon (#Hacker #3) by Sherry D. Ficklin Release Day Launch

Clean Teen Publishing is excited to announce the release of Digital Horizon, book three in Sherry D. Ficklin's #Hacker series.

Reeling from the death of her father, Farris is on the verge of losing everything. When an unexpected offer lands her a summer internship inside a secret government think tank filled with hackers, she leaps at the opportunity to get some answers. Someone has done the unthinkable, penetrating a hack-proof system and stealing vital military intel--which may have lead to her father's death. 

Finding those responsible will mean teaming up with old enemies, trusting strangers with secrets of their own, and sacrificing what little happiness she's managed to cling to, all in the name of revenge. But when the trail leads her deep into the dark web and a hacker capable of launching an attack on US soil, Farris and her team will have to go further than they thought possible to bring him to justice and avoid all out war.

Watch the Trailer!

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Playing With Fire (#Hacker Series Book 1)

One brilliant young hacker.

One experimental government aircraft. 

One chance to keep it all from going up in flames. 

Still recovering from her troubled past, Farris is no stranger to change. But when the military transfers her father across the country to an experimental aircraft squadron, settling in to a new life is the least of her problems. As a series of apparent computer glitches threaten the security of the fleet and the blame falls on her father, she decides to put her computer skills to use digging up the truth. Soon she's drawn into the perilous world of a hacker who is determined to ground the fleet--at any cost.

When all signs lead to someone close to her as the mastermind, Farris will have to burn more than bridges to get to the truth. She will have to risk her fragile new life to uncover the identity of the cyber criminal before they can escalate from harmless tampering... to all out murder.

Watch the Trailer!

Get Your Copy Here!!!

                                                
In Too Deep (#Hacker Series Book 2)

One talented hacker. One dead body. One explosive secret.

When one reckless night leads Farris Barnett to the dead body of a classmate, she’s as willing as everyone else to write it off as a suicide. That is, until cryptic messages start coming in from someone who knows the truth, and they want Ferris on the case. Putting her hacker skills to work, she begins to unravel the life of a victim who might just have been the guiltiest of them all. Her personal life in turmoil, Farris turns to the only person she can trust to help her get to the bottom of things—a friend on the verge of becoming much more. Together, they confront a killer with a secret not even she could have decoded.

The biggest bombs, the ones that do the most damage, are the ones you never see coming.

Watch the Trailer!

Get Your Copy Here!!!

                                                              About The Author

  Sherry D. Ficklin is a full time writer from Colorado where she lives with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a fluctuating number of chickens and house guests. A former military brat, she loves to travel and meet new people. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.

Connect With Sherry Here

   

In Too Deep (#Hacker #2) by Sherry D. Ficklin Blog Tour (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Clean Teen Publishing is excited to bring you In Too Deep, the second book in the #Hacker Series by Sherry D. Ficklin.

One talented hacker.
One dead body.
One explosive secret.
When one reckless night leads Farris Barnett to the dead body of a classmate, she's as willing as everyone else to write it off as a suicide. That is, until cryptic messages start coming in from someone who knows the truth, and they want Farris on the case. Putting her hacker skills to work, she begins to unravel the life of a victim who might just have been the guiltiest of them all.
Her personal life in turmoil, Farris turns to the only person she can trust to help her get to the bottom of things—a friend on the verge of becoming much more. Together, they confront a killer with a secret not even she could have decoded.
The biggest bombs, the ones that do the most damage, are the ones you never see coming.

Excerpt:

I release his hand a moment before we hit the water, the icy cold waves like shattered glass as I drive through the surface feet-first. Every inch of my skin stings on impact, the oxygen pushed from my lungs. Below the surface, I feel a wave roll over me, the tide dragging me toward the shore.

Kicking my legs, I finally surface, sucking in a deep breath just before another wave crashes over me, threatening to take me back under. It’s only luck that allows me to bob above the water, wiping the hair back from my face. I open my eyes. A few feet away, I see Cole break the surface, gasping for air. Whipping around, he searches for me in the darkness. Catching sight of me, he laughs, cupping his hand and dragging it across the water, sending a spray at my face.

I splash him back, feeling giddy as the adrenaline floods my system. It’s a dizzy, relieved high, sort of like the feeling you get at the end of a roller coaster ride. Part of me is just glad to be alive, the other much braver part cheers to do it again. Just then, a familiar tug grabs me as the tide begins to pull me back out to sea. With a jerk of my head, I turn and swim for shore, checking to make sure Cole is following.

As soon as I feel the sand under my feet, I stand up and begin walking to the shore. Within minutes, Cole is beside me, wringing the water out of his black T-shirt.

Every step is labored, the waves pushing and pulling against my legs. My denim shorts and pale green tank top are soaked and heavy. Even the wind blowing across my bare arms hurts as we hike onto the shore and collapse to our knees, laughing.

I roll onto my back, too elated to care about the sand sticking all over me. The moon is just rising on the horizon, huge and full, its light bouncing off the choppy surface of the water.

“Feel better?” Cole asks, still catching his breath.

I put my hands on my chest. “Yeah, I kinda do.”

We sit there like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the rush of adrenaline and the sound of the waves fracturing against the sand. Finally, he breaks the silence.

“What’s that?” he asks, jerking his head down the beach.

I roll over, squinting against the darkness. A huge lump of something has rolled up on shore a few yards down from us. My first thought is that it looks like a black trash bag. Then I see something else, something that looks a lot like a hand.

“I think that’s a person,” I say, climbing to my feet.

Cole is already upright, jogging toward them. As soon as he gets there, he stops, dropping to his knees and reaching out. I follow behind. The closer I get, the more the crumpled body comes into focus. Cole rolls him onto his back and puts two fingers on his neck, checking for a pulse.

There’s no point, really. His face is waxen and swollen, his eyes wide and milky white, staring up at nothingness. His blue lips are parted, white sea foam bubbling from his mouth. The face is familiar; it’s a boy from our school. Not someone I know well, but someone I’ve seen around enough to recognize.

“That’s Mac,” I say.

Cole clasps his palms against Mac’s chest and starts doing compressions, but I put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. It’s too late. Much too late.

Mac is dead.

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Playing With Fire (#Hacker Series Book One)

One brilliant young hacker.

One experimental government aircraft. 

One chance to keep it all from going up in flames. 

Still recovering from her troubled past, Farris is no stranger to change. But when the military transfers her father across the country to an experimental aircraft squadron, settling in to a new life is the least of her problems. As a series of apparent computer glitches threaten the security of the fleet and the blame falls on her father, she decides to put her computer skills to use digging up the truth. Soon she's drawn into the perilous world of a hacker who is determined to ground the fleet--at any cost.

When all signs lead to someone close to her as the mastermind, Farris will have to burn more than bridges to get to the truth. She will have to risk her fragile new life to uncover the identity of the cyber criminal before they can escalate from harmless tampering... to all out murder.

Order Your Copy Today!!!

                                                              About The Author

  Sherry D. Ficklin is a full time writer from Colorado where she lives with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a fluctuating number of chickens and house guests. A former military brat, she loves to travel and meet new people. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.

Connect With Sherry Here

   

Digital Horizon (#Hacker #3) by Sherry D. Ficklin Cover Reveal

The #Hacker Novels by Sherry D. Ficklin have gotten a lot of attention since the first book Playing With Fire released in October. Clean Teen Publishing also announced the release of In Too Deep at the end of November. Now, we are excited to share the official cover reveal for Digital Horizon, the third book in the #Hacker Series that will release in February 2016. Take a look at this awesome new cover and leave us a line or two with your thoughts on it. Also, if you haven't started reading this young adult mystery series, you can start today with a free digital copy of Playing With Fire.

DIGITAL HORIZON

ADD TO GOODREADS

One wants justice. One wants redemption. One just wants revenge. Still reeling from her devastating loss, Farris is barely holding it together when she’s approached by a covert government agency. The IDC is recruiting the best hackers in the country to form a team capable of tracking down and thwarting cyber terrorists. When they make her an offer she can’t refuse—a shot at catching the people responsible for the death of her father—she’s all in. But success will mean forging new alliances, betraying the people she loves, and trusting an old enemy. If she succeeds, she might finally get the closure she needs. If she fails, the digital world will crumble at her feet, putting thousands of lives at risk and exposing the world’s most dangerous secrets. In the dark web, where anything can be bought and sold, this talented young hacker just might have to sell her soul to get what she’s after. The question is, who’s buying?

PLAYING WITH FIRE IS FREE!

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / iBOOKS / KOBO / SMASHWORDS

One brilliant young hacker. One experimental government aircraft. One chance to keep it all from going up in flames. Still recovering from her troubled past, Farris is no stranger to change. But when the military transfers her father across the country to an experimental aircraft squadron, settling in to a new life is the least of her problems. As a series of apparent computer glitches threaten the security of the fleet and the blame falls on her father, she decides to put her computer skills to use digging up the truth. Soon she's drawn into the perilous world of a hacker who is determined to ground the fleet—at any cost. When all signs lead to someone close to her as the mastermind, Farris will have to burn more than bridges to get to the truth. She will have to risk her fragile new life to uncover the identity of the cyber criminal before they can escalate from harmless tampering… to all out murder.

ABOUT SHERRY D. FICKLIN:

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM

Sherry is a full time writer from Colorado and the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she's on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs. Sherry also writes New Adult fiction under the pen name Ranae Glass and is a contributing writer for fangirlish.com.

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