SPOILER ALERT:
I would like to inform you ahead of time that if you have not read the other three books in the series, things will be spoiled within the summary and potentially in my personal review of the book. I am sorry for any spoilers. However, if you have not read the other three books, you should do so! It is a fantastic series and such a good read. They are fast paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat!

My Overall Rating:
4.8/5

Age Recommendation:
Again, as with the rest of the series, I would have to recommend an age of at least 13. I've said it before, it's a dark series.

Cover Art:
Normally I rave about the cover art for this series. Now, I now that a lot of authors have no say in what covers will look like, but so far, her covers have been pretty good at actually having something to do with the story. This one however, keeps throwing me off. The colors? It just stands out against the other three books in the series. It still leaves me questioning things throughout the book but I don't think this one has any relevance.

Summary:

With the line between right and wrong fraying, Camelia turns to pottery to get a grasp on her emotions. She begins sculpting a beautiful figure skater, only to receive frightening premonitions that someone’s in danger. But who is the victim? And how can Camelia help them when she is on the brink of losing her own sanity?

My Thoughts:
In the midst of losing your own sanity, would you be completely absorbed in protecting someone else? Every time I read about Camelia, I'm baffled. This girl either has a hero complex or she is just so amazingly genuinely good-hearted that she simply wants to save everyone. However, I'm leaning more towards the hero complex. No matter what, this girl just can't stay away from helping someone she THINKS could be in danger.

Laurie Faria Stolarz wowed me again with the second to last installment of her TOUCH series. When it comes down to it, this series is very reminiscent of her Blue is for Nightmare series. Although it is geared toward a slightly older audience within the world of Young Adult fiction. It seems like in the third book, Deadly Little Games, that she really fell into the groove of having us get to really know the characters. No more am I forgetting who is who and what has been going on. I finally feel like I know the characters. Even if it did take a couple of books. I love the thrill of all of the anticipation of what will happen next.

This book is a page turner, just like its predecessors. I read it in one go and couldn't put it down. And like the others, it is so much fun to read alone at night. It's just enough suspense to give you that thrill while still ensuring a decent night's sleep. If you don't pick up another book, that is. The writing of the book is very fast paced making it an extremely easy and fun read. Laurie keeps you on the edge of your seat guessing and wondering what will happen next as Camelia and crew continue on their journey to understand the strange power of psychometry.

As where the last book left off, I'm really glad that we get to really know Aunt Alexia in this installment. Her connection to Camelia has been one of the biggest driving forces that has kept me hooked on this series since her introduction. I can't wait to see how the story unfolds and wraps up in the final book in the series, Deadly Little Lessons, on December 12, 2012.

Deadly Little Voices by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Pages: 352 (Hardcover)
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: December 6, 2011
Purchased from store

So, this is a combination of a few weeks.

I have purchased:

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Entice by Carrie Jones

Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan

and of course

Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz


I have of course finished and reviewed Deadly Little Games, I cannot WAIT to do all of these other books!!


P.S.
Sorry I don't have any images...Blogger is being a little glitchy on my end. I'll have that fixed later today! :)

So, I'm very pleased to share with you all my interview with Laurie Faria Stolarz, the author of Blue is for Nightmares, Deadly Little Lies, Bleed, and Project 17. She was such a joy to interview and I am so thankful that she agreed! Well, here it is!

Romantic Scholar: First of all, would you mind giving us a brief summary of Deadly Little Lies?

Laurie Faria Stolarz: Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, a new boy at school who had a very mysterious gift – psychometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry and experiencing strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow been transferred to her.

Ben returns to school, but he remains aloof, and Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Camelia makes the painful decision to let him go and move on. Adam, the hot new guy at Knead, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. But when Camelia and Adam start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events uncovers secrets from Ben’s past – and Adam's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out who – before it's too late.


View the Book Trailer for Deadly Little Secret: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzMpVMy2fQ

RS: What inspired you to write the TOUCH series?

LFS: I wanted to write a story where the main character has to struggle with the idea of falling in love with someone who could potentially be dangerous. I tinkered with this concept in the first three books of my Blue is for Nightmares Series [(Blue is for Nightmares (Llewellyn 2003), White is for Magic (Llewellyn 2004), and Silver is for Secrets (Llewellyn 2005), as well as in Bleed (Hyperion 2006)]. In Bleed, in particular, there’s a young male character who was convicted for the murder of his girlfriend. His next relationship consists of pen pal letters he exchanges with a young girl while he’s in prison. Without giving too much away, the relationship is briefly pursued once he is released, but I wanted to bring this concept to another level.


Additionally, I wanted to continue experimenting with the supernatural (which I also use in my Blue is for Nightmares Series as well as in Project 17), showing how we all have our own inner senses and intuition, and how with work we can tap into those senses and make them stronger.

I started researching different types of supernatural powers and discovered the power of psychometry (the ability to sense things through touch). The concept fascinated me, and so I wanted to bring it out in a character, showing how sometimes even the most extraordinary powers can also be a curse.

Lastly, I wanted to apply these concepts to be part of a series. I love the idea of growing a main character over the course of several books.

RS: Do you have any favorite characters?

LFS: I love Annie Wilkes from Stephen King’s Misery. Chillingly well written.

RS: Is there a certain message within the TOUCH series you would like your readers to know?

LFS: Yes, people need to trust and listen to their instincts. There are several messages embedded in all of my books, and whichever messages makes sense and/or speak to the reader is great.

RS: You also have another book that has recently come out, the fifth installment to your Blue is for Nightmares series, Black is for Beginnings. Could you tell us a little about that?

LFS: The BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series that put a spell on more than half a million readers continues – in graphic novel format! Prophetic nightmares. Near-brushes with death. Killers pursuing her and her friends. Stacey Brown knows that being a hereditary witch isn’t all it's cracked up to be.

All she really wants to do is work things out with Jacob and figure out what to do with the rest of her life. But before Stacey and Jacob can have a future, they must face their pasts. BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS reveals the never-before-seen backstory - and what lies ahead - for the young, spellcasting lovers.

BLACK continues the harrowing adventures of Stacey and Jacob in the wake of Jacob's brush with death. Ever since he lost his memory, Jacob hasn't been able to remember Stacey - his own soul mate. He leaves Massachusetts, returning to his childhood home in Colorado, hoping to jog his memory. What he remembers is Kira, his ex-girlfriend. As Jacob works to piece together his past, will there be room for Stacey in his future?

RS: What made you decide to publish it in the form of a graphic novel?

LFS: I wanted to try something different. The arcs of the first four books are similar in many respects, and so I wanted to give the series a creative spin. I felt the series was finished at four books, but readers kept asking me for a fifth. When my editor approached me with the idea of writing a graphic novel, I was very intrigued, because it gave me the opportunity to not only try something new, but to really picture the book as a movie. I have a background in screenwriting and wrote BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS in screenplay format, adding in ideas for illustrations and sidebars. It was an absolute thrill to write, and to have the opportunity to work with an illustrator for these characters and situations I’d created.

RS: Can we look to see any more from your Blue is for Nightmares series?

LFS: Possibly ;) We’ll see.

RS: What first inspired you to write?

LFS: I’ve been writing since before I could even hold a pen. As a small child, I was constantly telling stories to whomever would listen to me. When I’d exhausted my family with my endless babbling, I’d go out and tell my tales to the neighborhood kids – passing the stories off as truth. I’d tell of going into the meadows at night and wrestling with a mountain lion or the time I found a boa constrictor in my mom’s garden and had to grapple for my life, winding the snake from around my neck just in the knick of time. Telling stories is just something I’ve always done. I used to write plays and scripts for my Barbie dolls and make people watch the performances. My love of creating stories continued into school when I’d have to write a paragraph or short essay about what I did during Christmas vacation or summer break. I never thought my own life was exciting enough, so I was forever inventing stories.

People along the way, including some teachers, would tell me that I should pursue writing as a career but, at the time, it wasn’t a possibility. I ended up going to business school, following in my older brothers’ footsteps. It wasn’t until after I got my B.S. in marketing that I pursued my graduate degree in creative writing. I’m thankful for my marketing degree now, however, because it really helps me with my books.

RS: Do you like to have any food or drinks when you write?

LFS: I love dark, black coffee.

RS: How much time do you usually spend writing in one sitting?

Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, the mysterious new boy at school who turned out to have a very mysterious gift- pyschometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry, and experiencing her own strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow rubbed off on her. Can the power of psychometry be transferred?

Even once Ben returns to school, Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Despite the romantic tension between them, Ben seems aloof, avoiding contact. Then when an unexpected kiss leads to a frightening argument, Camelia makes the painful decision to let Ben go and to move on. Alex, the hot new guy at Knead, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. Alex is easy-going, and seems to really care about her.

But when Camelia and Alex start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events upturns secrets from Ben's past- and Alex's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out whom- before it's too late.

My Thoughts:

Teaser Tuesday is brought to us by Should Be Reading. This weeks teaser is from Deadly Little Lies by Laurie Faria Stolarz.

"'You'll be next,' a voice whispers. It's an angry hisslike tone that nearly makes me drop the receiver.

My Overall Rating:
4.5/5

Age Recommendation:
This book is definitely for a more mature audience. There are scenes involving sex, masochism, and illegal relations. I would not recommend that someone under the age of 15 read this book.

Cover Art:
The cover art is very simple, yet very symbolic. It really ties in well with the book. I like it a lot. And it doesn't give away things within the story, it actually leaves you quite curious.

Summary:

My Review:
This book is dedicated "For all those who bleed". It's somewhat of a dark dedication. I really enjoyed this book. much more than I thought I would. It's set up in a very interesting way. The entire book takes place in one day. But each chapter is told from a different point of view, and some of them are at the same times as other and some are continuations in a different perspective. You would think that this style wouldn't necessarily work out too great, but it's a near flawless presentation.

For one day, you follow the lives of twelve different characters. You are given insight to their secrets and to what pains them. And all of these characters are connected to each other through at least one other person. Each person has to suffer from some misfortune that has befallen them.

Stolarz does an excellent job with letting you get to know the characters in such a short time period, and it doesn't feel rushed or forced. The only issue is that once you see their hardships, you want to know more after their time is up. You want to see a grand conclusion of how everything works out for them. But part of that is the beauty of this novel, it keeps you wanting more.

This book is an excellent read and everyone can relate to at least one of the characters, if not more. The situations are so real, so believable. This book is most definitely re-readable and I would recommend it to anyone mature enough to handle the content, because we all have hardships, and we all bleed.

This week has been a great week. I got so many books! I'm so excited to read all of them and get the reviews up for you guys. They all sound great. So...here goes!

So, this is my first In My Mailbox. I love the idea, it's really a great way to share new books with other bloggers and see what everyone is getting. In My Mailbox is brought to us by The Story Siren.