Blog Tour: CHAMELEON'S SPELL by @RoniOConnell [Guest Review, Playlist + Giveaway]

CHAMELEON'S SPELL

By Roni O'Connell

Release Date: May 28, 2014

Paperback, 282 pages

Genre: Fantasy/Fiction/Mature YA

She’d known it was coming—it always had to be dealt with, sooner or later. The effect Chameleon blood produced on the majority of humans was akin to taking aphrodisiacs or psychedelic drugs and all but the strongest minds succumbed.

Juliet Marchant has a secret—one that makes her hide from the world, until the day her friend, a shifter wolf, is slaughtered on her land for his brilliant pelt.

If Juliet is to fulfill her destiny, she must take her place in the world, unlock her Immortal powers, and face her dangerous attraction the human Commander of Spectral Command.

Amazon | Goodreads

Chameleon’s Spell by Roni O’Connell is an absolutely amazing, quick read. Juliet has a secret that she has been hiding from the world...a world that while similar to ours now, but is set in the future. When her shifter friend is killed, she realizes it is time she steps up to the plate and takes action.

Juliet is likeable, strong, and a great main character. I found it increasingly easy to relate to her as the book went on. She is the type of girl you are literally rooting for throughout the book.

I love Roni O’Connell’s writing and have been looking forward to her newest book since the release of Float, and Chameleon’s Spell does not disappoint. She is an incredible storyteller and her words flow smoothly. I read this novel in one sitting, as it’s rather short, but Roni makes the most of every page.

I did find the beginning of the book to be a little slow-paced, but the more I read, the deeper I got pulled into the world she created and was instantly won over by Juliet.

Fans of mystery, fantasy, and romance will all love this book! Rating: 4/5

 

Roni O’Connell lives with her husband and two dogs high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She finds inspiration in the forest, wildlife, and lakes around her home.

A former English teacher, Roni enjoys the company of young adults, their spirited opinions, great enthusiasm, and outrageous humor.

When Roni isn't writing novels, you can find her hiking in the forest or contemplating the wonders of nature.

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Review: FLOAT by Roni O'Connell

FLOAT

By Roni O'Connell

Release Date: November 12, 2013

Paperback, 258 pages

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / YA

What if your only memory is of who you aren't, not who you are?

Seventeen-year-old Rashelle Santos fights her way out of a coma to find she doesn't remember her life, except for her parents and dog. Brain damage doctors tell her, but Rashelle knows with absolute certainty that Shellie (her nickname) died at the bottom of Kaweah Lake, bequeathing her death memories to Rashelle.

Rashelle leaps into a relationship with Shellie's boyfriend, Aiden Brody, because he stirs her feelings and fills the void within her. As their relationship becomes serious, she questions whom he really loves.

When threats appear in the form of notes stuffed into her locker and calls in the night, Rashelle wonders if she can stay alive long enough to discover who wants her dead, because somewhere out there Shellie's attacker watches and waits to finish what he started.

And what the hell, she wonders, is she deranged or could dead Shellie be lingering to keep her alive?

Amazon | Goodreads

FLOAT by Roni O’Connell is a book I went into reading with little expectations, as I normally don’t care for teen mystery/suspense novels. However, I was immensely surprised.

O’Connell’s characters are well developed, the plot is fresh and well fleshed out, and the book is overall very addictive.

I read the entire novel, cover to cover, in two sittings! I loved the blend of fast-paced mystery, romance, and the paranormal twists thrown in gave the book a definite edge.

I was actually tempted to cheat several times and try to see what the ending held, but I was good and made myself read each page. Don’t let yourself cheat – because you will want to! – And will end up missing out on several key plot points.

I was very impressed with Roni O’Connell and will happily agree to read any of her coming books.

Guest Review by: Victoria Lucas

Roni O’Connell lives with her husband and two dogs high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She finds inspiration in the forest, wildlife, and lakes around her home.

A former English teacher, Roni enjoys the company of young adults, their spirited opinions, great enthusiasm, and outrageous humor.

When Roni isn't writing novels, you can find her hiking in the forest or contemplating the wonders of nature.

Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook 

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Review: THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO by Gae Polisner

 

The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Hardcover, 320 pages
Publisher: Alonquin Books
Source: Author

Just when everything seems to be going wrong, hope and love can appear in the most unexpected places.

Summer has begun, the beach beckons and Francesca Schnell is going nowhere. Four years ago, Francesca s little brother, Simon, drowned, and Francesca s the one who should have been watching. Now Francesca is about to turn sixteen, but guilt keeps her stuck in the past. Meanwhile, her best friend, Lisette, is moving on most recently with the boy Francesca wants but can’t have. At loose ends, Francesca trails her father, who may be having an affair, to the local country club. There she meets four-year-old Frankie Sky, a little boy who bears an almost eerie resemblance to Simon, and Francesca begins to wonder if it’s possible Frankie could be his reincarnation.

Knowing Frankie leads Francesca to places she thought she’d never dare to go and it begins to seem possible to forgive herself, grow up, and even fall in love, whether or not she solves the riddle of Frankie Sky.

The Summer of Letting Go was another phenomenal novel by author Gae Polisner. I fell in love with her previous title, The Pull of Gravity; however, I strongly felt like I loved this next book even more.

The main character, Francesca a.k.a. "Frankie", is so easy to relate to and you can totally sympathize with her family's struggle with losing her little brother in a tragic accident.

Frankie soon meets little Frankie Sky at the pool and takes over as his summer babysitter. Frankie Sky is laugh out loud funny, tender, and sweet - everything Frankie needs to cope with her brother's death. I loved Frankie Sky so much that I wanted to pluck him straight from the pages so I could have him for myself. He truly made the book stand out as one of the best I've read this year.

While this sounds like a sad novel (have Kleenex handy!), it's that and so much more. Gae does a wonderful job of creating real characters and a striking, realistic plot that leaves you speechless and breathless, all at the same time. This is a perfect, quick read, and one that you'll really devour in one sitting!

Guest Review by: Victoria Lucas

When I’m not writing, I’m swimming, hanging with my kids, or cooking and cleaning. Okay, fine, I’m probably not cleaning.

I have written since I was little, mostly poems and short stories through college. Then, I went to law school and, for over a decade, replaced all that creative writing with legal briefs. But after my sons were born, I decided to return to my first love.

In 1995, I set out to write a book, not knowing if I actually could. I have completed at least five full manuscripts since then.

I like to think my novels are accessible, lyrical (somewhat literary) fiction – and, my young adult stories, an homage to the character-driven fiction I loved so much as a child and teen (anything by E.L. Konigsburg, Paul Zindel, Madeleine L’Engle, or Judy Blume…). The Pull of Gravity has a special “secret” nod to the first novel I couldn’t put down – Don't Take Teddy, by Babbis Friis-Baastad. To this day, I remember the feeling of frantically turning pages to find out if the brothers would be okay. If any of you ever read that book, please send me an email, and we can be instant BFF's.

My first piece of women’s fiction, The Jetty, was a Top Semifinalist in the 2008 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. My second piece, Swim Back to Me, will be revised one day soon and hopefully see the light of day. In the meantime, my next YA novel is coming soon from Algonquin, and I have several more teen novels in the works. So, please check back here often for updates.

I live and write on Long Island with my two amazing boys, my handsome, smart husband who sings, and two very "enthusiastic" cockatiels, Taha and Bobo. When I’m not writing, I’m still a practicing family law attorney/mediator, and when I’m not doing that, I’m swimming in my pool or, better yet, the open water off of Long Island.

To learn more about YA-author me, read my YA blog, That Wee Bit Heap.

To learn more about forty-something wife/mother/swimmer me, follow my women’s fiction blog,

Trying to Stay Afloat in a Sea of Words.

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