Jenn's Review: Destiny and Deception

Summary:  The sensational fourth novel in the 13 to Life series sees Jessica and the Rusakovas fighting to overcome their biggest challenge yet.

With the threat of the mafia seemingly gone and the company's headquarters in Junction destroyed, Pietr Rusakova is adjusting to being a normal teen and Jess is realizing normalcy may not be what she wanted after all. But both Jess and Cat know the truth--that normal can't be taken for granted. Their precious cure isn't permanent--and when a new danger stalks into their small town, Alexi decides he must overcome his issues with the mother who abandoned him to be raised by wolves and make a brand new deal to save his adopted family. ~product description

Review:  I want to preface my review by saying I really love Shannon Delany and her 13 to Life series. I even drove two hours to see her at a book signing once. But there is nothing 'sensational' about Destiny and Deception, in fact it marks a definite lull in the saga.

It was a combination of things, that contributed to my disenchantment. Things were fairly well resolved at the end of Bargains and Betrayals. So where do we go from here? We adjust to life without werewolves... or do we?  Into Junction roves a new pack of wolves that are all about being wolves, "The Wolf is the Way".   Honestly, I had a hard time becoming interested in them, perhaps because it took a while for them to become relevant to the plot. I actually had trouble keeping the males of the pack straight due to similar names and lack of interest. By the time they became relevant I was already felt rather apathetic towards them and resentful of them.

The Ruskova's adjustment to normalcy is a little dull. Pietr's fire has all but disappeared and so has his personality. No one besides Jessie seems at all concerned about this. No one seems concerned about the new pack in town or what that means for the Ruskova's. No one seems concerned about retribution from The Company. No one seems to be aware that you just don't walk away from the Russian mob. Instead everyone is consumed by the former side-story of strange additives in the school lunches that seem to be enhancing and jump starting extra sensory abilities in the students of Junction High. I wasn't all that interested in that part of the series when it was a sub-plot, and am still not sold on it now that it has moved into the forefront.

Also, Ms. Delaney switches points of view between Jessie, Alexi, and Marlena (the new pack's Alpha). This is not a new style for her, she's done it before, and done it well, but with there being so little action, and so little going on, it seemed less effective. Often times the switch of voices wasn't noticeable until I was a few paragraphs in... even though each change of view point is clearly character labeled.  For the most part this felt like an entire book full of plot exposition that could have been condensed into a prologue. By the time things started to pick up, it was at the end. In fact, book five looks very exciting. However had this not been part of a beloved series, I honestly don't know if I would have finished it.

I look forward to a return to action and excitement with Rivals and Retributions, the final novel in the 13 to Life series, which is set to come out in August. Shannon Delany promises that "this series is going to end with a bang (not a whimper)" and I'm holding her to it.

Final Take:  3.25/5

Giveaway: Bargains and Betrayals ARC

As promised, you have a chance to read Bargains and Betrayals before it hits the shelves!  This will be a quick giveaway because I want to get this Advanced Reading Copy to you as soon as possible, so fill out the form by Midnight EST on Friday, August, 5th.

This giveaway is open US/CA only.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for making this review and giveaway possible.


Good luck!

As always, Girls Just Reading Blogspot uses Random.org to select our winners.

Jenn's Review: Bargains and Betrayals

Summary:  Locked away at Pecan Place, Jessie finds her situation to be even more dangerous than she feared. While she struggles to maintain her sanity and discover answers about the group that seems less and less like any legitimate government agency, Pietr fights to keep their relationship alive. But very aware that his mother’s time is running out, Pietr makes a deal he doesn’t dare tell Jessie about. Because the deal Pietr’s made could mean the death of far more than his tenuous relationship with the girl he loves.

Review:  Upon picking up my ARC I didn’t immediately recall that we had left Jessie in such a tenuous place and I wasn’t quite ready to be thrown into the fray. However, Shannon Delany backtracks a little bit in the timeline to give us a chance to get up to speed. Of course, once you’re caught up, it’s impossible to put down.

Ms. Delany has done something different with this book by switching viewpoints between Alexi and Jessie.  It's as if she were giving you pages out of their journals, each one labeled so there is no confusion. It was an interesting approach and I think it worked well for this installment of the 13 to Life series.  Not once did I groan that she was changing view points because each change furthered the story.

Because Jessie is so mature in some ways, it is hard to remember she’s still a teen and therefore some naïveté is to be expected; Jessie is doing her Nancy Drew style investigating while being locked up but is not cynical after all she’s been through. I admit to being frustrated with Alexi in this book for letting Pietr shoulder the burden. As their guardian it should have been his responsibility to find a solution, instead, Alexi is relieved to step aside and let Pietr handle things.

Things have heated up for the characters -on all fronts.  Some fairly serious topics are broached in this book.  The teens have moral dilemmas that would make a grown-ups head spin, but they don't drown in them; they learn and grow along the way.  Nothing is glossed over so the seriousness of situations is not lost. I think Ms. Delany does a fantastic job giving the reader details without giving too much details.  

I hoped I knew where the story was heading but I certainly wasn't sure.  Nothing is a sure thing in this series, and I love that about Ms. Delany's writing. Even though Jessie and Pietr seem destined to be, maybe they won't make it.  How much is too much for a relationship to endure?  I'm glad, after three books, Shannon Delany can keep me on the edge of my seat.

Though the ending is far from neat and tidy, it was not the cliff hanger that Secrets and Shadows was, and for that I'm grateful.  I was weeping and cheering at the end, but I won't spoil it for you by mentioning more than that.  I have grown to love all of the Jessie's friends and family, and I can't wait to see where Ms. Delany takes us next.  I think Bargains and Betrayals is her best book yet.

Final Take :  4.75/5.0

PS.  If you're a fan of YA paranormal and you've yet to read 13 to Life (my review) and  Secrets and Shadows (my review), what are you waiting for?!?  If you're all caught up and can't wait for Bargains and Betrayals to hit the shelves on August 16th, I have a surprise for you later this afternoon...

An Author Event: Rochester Teen Book Festival

This was my first time attending the Rochester Teen Book Festival and it was amazing experience. Even though I've never been "Ma'am"d so much in my life (stinkin' polite teens!), it was completely worth it to hear kids cheer authors as they were introduced as though they were rock stars. Not just the big names, like Heather Brewer, Svetlana Chmakova, Melissa de la Cruz or Ellen Hopkins either. Everyone received a stellar reception including the new authors in attendance. Seriously, it brought tears to my eyes.

The last time I met an author I was in third grade when Margaret Goff Clark came to my elementary school to read from her book, Who Stole Kathy Young? so I was more than a little excited myself, even if this was an event targeting teens.

Passing the mic to answer Qs

The opening panel with the authors was a lightening round of questions to all the authors.  ("Describe high school in one word" - answers ranged from "sucked" to "awesome" to "over".  "What's the hardest thing about writing?"  -to which Heather Brewer's response was my favorite.  The hardest part for her is to "follow the formula,  you know, 'Butt + Chair = Writing'." Oh! And never trap Selene Castrovilla on an island with Bella Swan!)  It was nice because we got to see glimmers of the author's personalities which, if you hadn't already decided who you wanted to go see during the four upcoming author presentation sessions, helped you make up your mind.

Blathering like a fangirl
at Shannon Delany

The first session I attended was the Paranormal discussion with authors Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall series) and Shannon Delany (13 to Life series)  both of whom were genuine and easy going and there was lots of friendly banter between them.  Ms. Hawkins discussed her love of supernatural, which developed at an early age, as well as her love of Buffy.  Ms. Delany talked about how the early loss of her own mother sowed the seeds of her protagonist, Jessie, and how her fascination with Cold War government paranormal research blossomed into her series.   Both authors discussed their reader-frustrating cliffhanger habit (Hawkins' fans will be pleased to hear book 3 wraps things up "in a big bow", while Delany fans will be frustrated with a third delicious cliffhanger.)

Rachel Hawkins

As any frequenter of Girls Just Reading knows, I'm a huge fan of Shannon Delany's 13 to Life series (my reviews, etc.) and, in actuality, she was the reason I attended TBF.  However I was I was only aware of Rachel Hawkins on a cursory level,  her Hex Hall series being on my TBR wishlist, but after hearing her speak, I immediately downloaded it onto my Nook. She was clever, witty, and one of two authors who I was completely taken with at TBF.

Heather Brewer was
continuously surrounded

My next stop was to see Heather Brewer (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod ) who was one of three authors presenting a panel on Bullying/Body Image, Jackie Morse Kessler and A.S. King being the co-presenters. Ms. Brewer opened the discussion with her own personal story of being victimized by bullies from Kindergarten onwards and her years in her 'dark place' when she struggled with thoughts of suicide. Jackie Morse Kessler told a candid story about her battle with bulimia. Ms. King talked about her experience with an abusive relationship and how abuse can be verbal as well as physical. It was a sombre atmosphere as they poured out some of their most personal struggles. While the reader and blogger in me would have liked to hear them discuss their works, the mother in me was thankful for the message directed to the teens. The authors encouraged them to talk to someone -anyone- including contacting the authors themselves, if they felt they could talk to no one else. The message was heartfelt and I found myself tearing up to the point where I did not stay for the question and answer period after the presentation.

A.S. King, who thanked
me for blogging

Only knowing of Heather Brewer going into this session, I again found myself impressed with all three authors, but especially with Ms. King. She has a personality that fills a room without overshadowing it's occupants and her self-assured manner eased the tension in an emotionally charged atmosphere. Ms. King was the other author that impressed me the most. I immediately picked up one of her books ...and one of Ms. Kessler's too.

Ellen Hopkins was also
swamped with signings

Next for me was Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods series) who presented a panel called Author 2 Author with Elizabeth Scott, with whose work I was unfamiliar (Bloom, Living Dead Girl, Love You Hate You Miss You, Between Here and Forever) upon entering the discussion.   They interviewed each other during the forum before opening up the floor to questions. Ms. de la Cruz always wanted to be a writer, while Ms. Scott avoided creative writing like the plague. Both authors outline their books before starting, but whereas Ms. Scott needs to make sure she knows the beginning and the end of the novel before she starts, Ms. de la Cruz will flush out a 30 page outline. Blue Bloods is still on my TBR wish list, but as fascinating as I found Ms. Scott, her subject matter is a little serious than my tastes.

Ally Carter singing my book

The time had come for my only solitary author panel of the day and I had a tough decision to make. I wanted to hear Ellen Hopkins speak but considering that I find Ms. Scott's work too serious, Ms. Hopkins is way too serious for my pallate.  So I chose to see Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls series) whose Heist Society has been staring at me from one of my TBR piles for over a year ~ not to mention I've been dying to read the Gallagher Girls series too (A spy academy for girls?!?  I'm so in!).  Ms. Carter spoke a little of herself and turned the floor over to questions.  When asked why Cammie, the protagonist from Gallagher Girls, was so nondescript, Ms. Carter called her a chameleon explaining that real spies are average looking, not the James Bond types we see on the screen. Some of the questions were regarding interactions between characters that fans were displeased over and I loved her response.  "I don't work for the readers. I work for the characters, and you wouldn't want it any other way."  


Ms. Carter mentioned that Heist Society comes from her love of con movies and her interest in stolen Holocaust art.  I had to smile at this because those shared interests are the reason I picked up her book in the first place.  She also mentioned that she was supposed to be home thinking of a title for the second Heist Society book, but when I visited her website today, Uncommon Criminals was the title, so she must have done her homework on the fly.  When asked about movie rights Ms. Carter acknowledged that WB has Heist Society under option, but, though they have had many offers on the Gallagher Girls, they have yet to find the right fit.  All this talk about the Gallagher Girls definitely bumped it closer to the top of my wishlist, and I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing a review of Heist Society soon as well.

It was a long but glorious day followed by a frantic autograph session.  The line for Heather Brewer wrapped around the gym, and the line for Ellen Hopkins was out the door.  I babbled like a fangirl at Shannon Delany; the poor woman must have thought me addled.  I continued to be thoroughly impressed with A.S. King just watching her sign books and interacting with the teens as she did so.  I talked with fellow bibliophiles.  It may not have been as big as Book Expo America in New York at the end of the month, but for me, it was a wonderful day discovering new authors and watching kids be captured by the written word.  I even brought home some goodies for all of you...

Jenn's Review: Secrets and Shadows

Summary:  Nothing’s simple when you run with werewolves. Jess Gillmansen thinks she’s seen it all but her eyes are about to be opened to even more danger and a reality far more paranormal than she’s suspected. With Jess’s realization that the Rusakovas’ mother is still alive and imprisoned, the group’s choices become harder and trust more important. Lines are drawn and relationships change as the broken Rusakova family struggles to reunite long enough to free their mother and people who Jess always just took to be normal people show themselves to be much, much more.

Review:  I have been looking forward to the release of Secrets and Shadows, the second book in the 13 to Life series by Shannon Delany since I closed the cover on book one in September.  Ms. Delany does not disappoint, in fact I'd say she exceeds expectations!

I know some readers were frustrated that Secrets and Shadows does not pick up right where 13 to Life left off, but really, I never expected it to.  We come back a few months later.  Jessie is having trouble dealing with not only her mother's death, but her recent run in with the Russian mob, constant intrusion by the CIA, and a werewolf boyfriend who is dating her best friend and who seems to be pulling away from her.  It'd be a lot for any teenager to handle.  And even then it wouldn't be so bad except that strange things have started to happen all over town.  Perhaps there are scarier things out there than a family of werewolves...

I love that we learn more about Jessie's friends and acquaintances, although there is not necessarily a lot to love about what we learn about them.  Jessie is a little slow on the uptake that Pietr is pushing her away to protect her (which is funny, because she mentions that she's read Twilight) to the point of me wanting to shake her a couple of times.  Unlike Twilight, however, she doesn't sit around mooning over it, but tries to move on.  She's even trying to keep the peace by becoming the mediator between the Ruskova's and the CIA.  However, there are so many forces working against them, many of which she knows nothing about, it seems a bit of a Sisyphean task.

This was hard to put down.  The action just keeps rolling as Jessie's life keeps unravelling.  I found Delany's writing to be much smoother in this book, with far fewer instances of plot-line jumps.  There were still a couple of times I backtracked to see if I missed something, but those times were few and far between.  As a reader though, I would surmise that if you haven't read 13 to Life recently, there are things that back-reference which a casual reader might miss.  Not that I found it an issue, but if you're one of those skimmers, I'm giving you fair warning.


If 13 to Life was the snowball that started the avalanche, Secrets and Shadows is the express train that barely slows for passenger embarkation or disembarkation.  As it raced to the finish line, things foreshadowed come to fruition and things unimagined unfold.  Needless to say, I'm thrilled that I will only have to wait until mid-August (8/16 to be precise) to continue my journey with Jessie and the Ruskova's in Bargains and Betrayals.  If you love YA paranormal romance, you must check out this series!

Final Take:  4.5/5.0

Guest Blog: Secrets and Shadows

Next week is the highly anticipated arrival of Secrets and Shadows, the second book in the 13 to Life series by Shannon Delany.

When I found out Ms. Delany was offering a chance to interview werewolves Max or Pietr for the MAX-imum Exposure Blog Tour, I jumped at the chance and signed us up right away!  I asked to interview Pietr, Jessie's love interest in 13 to Life.  If you haven't read this yet and would like a little background you can check out a note from Jessie on Ms. Delany's blog or my review of 13 to Life.

But now, with out further ado:

Welcome to the MAX-imum Exposure Tour for the 13 to Life Series!

Each site throughout the tour will have swag and an individualized interview with either Pietr, Max or both!


And make sure you join us live at 11 am EST on 2/12 for a Blog Talk Radio event with host Barry Eva, Pietr, Max and Shannon! Go here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Across-the-Pond


Can't make the live BTR event? Join us instead for a special interview with both boys at Mundie Moms (http://MundieMoms.blogspot.com) on 2/17 at 9pm EST for an exclusive chat!


And here's today's interview!


GJR:  What's with the bad blood (HA!) between you and Vampires? Do you know any?

Pietr:  Funny, Jenn. I think the attraction people have for vampires says a lot about our society in a very philosophical sort of way. And I have known people who are like vampires; we all have. There’s always someone who sucks the life out of people they’re around, someone who feels better if other people feel worse, and so they drain them in different ways. I think Junction High has some people like that. I’d like to stay clear of them.

GJR:  Max is getting a lot of attention right now. Are you a little jealous, relieved, or both?

Pietr:  Max usually gets quite a bit of attention. It’s a good and bad thing. If he’s in the spotlight I’m not. That can be a relief. All I have to do is make sure he doesn’t screw things up too badly for us while he is in the spotlight. Unfortunately that can be quite a challenge. 

About the Author:  

Shannon Delany is the winner of the first-ever cell phone novel contest in the western world and the author of the 13 to Life series through St. Martin's Press. 13 to Life is already available and Secrets and Shadows hits stores 2/15/11 with Bargains and Betrayals landing on shelves 8/16/11 (already available for pre-order!)and two more as of yet unnamed novels coming out in 2012.

For more about Shannon, visit her author website: www.ShannonDelany.com or her series website: www.13toLifeseries.com  

You can also find Shannon on Facebook and on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Shannon_Delany

Want a fun freebie you can print out and use with a web-cam to make a bookmark much more than a bookmark? Go here and check out the Augmented Reality bookmark: http://ht.ly/3KgG7 

Available in stores February 15, 2011

Available in stores August 16, 2011

Jenn's Review: 13 to Life

Summary:  Everything about Jessie Gillmansen’s life changed when her mother died. Now even her hometown of Junction is changing. Mysterious dark things are happening. All Jessie wants is to avoid more change. But showing a hot new guy around Junction High, she’s about to discover a whole new type of change. Pietr Rusakova is more than good looks and a fascinating accent—he’s a guy with a dangerous secret. And his very existence is sure to bring big trouble to Jessie’s small town. It seems change is the one thing Jessie can’t avoid…

Review:  13 to Life is my first werewolf book... and I like it. Shannon Delany, unfurls her plot exposition a little bit at a time, dropping nuggets of information, but they are golden nuggets...

Though slow to start,  the story is engaging.  The characters are interesting, and it's the need to know more about them, that pulls the reader into the book.  Jessica is no meek heroine, but she still has teenage girl vulnerabilities, making her quite accessible.  In particular Jessie's friendship with Sarah is fascinating.  Without spoiling the plot, I must say that I'm just as drawn to the tabula rasa...

Delany's writing style took a little getting used to for me.  She sometimes jumps ahead a little bit in the story, and makes reference to things that occur prior to the jump not included in her story (such a note in someone's pocket without a mention of the note ever being passed, etc.) and for a while I would backtrack while reading, to see if I'd missed something but I got used to it after a while. The only detail that bothered me slightly is Pietr's last name.  Russian names change within a family for males and females... so while his sister's last name would be 'Rusakova', Pietr and his brother's should be 'Rusakov'.  Delany's also not a writer who uses many sensual descriptions, so it forced me a little further into my own imagination to create my own. The plot is solid, however, with plenty of twists and turns, some I saw coming, and some that caught me completely unawares.

All in all, a good introduction to werewolves for me... It is certainly a "pebble that starts an avalanche" type of read.  Once it gets going things start to snowball out of control so that by the end you are desperate for the sequel, Secrets and Shadows, due out in February.  I know I can't wait!

Final Take: 4.0/5

By the way, be sure to check out Shannon Delany's website, especially the 'Fun with Werewolves' section...