Review: Shift (The Protector, #2) - By M.R. Merrick

Author: M.R. Merrick

Website

Release Date: 2/1/2012

Purchase Info: Amazon

Devastated by the loss of his mother, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back, and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her inner witch. It’s something else—a monster threatening to tear her apart.

As Chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about, or if protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.

First Thought:  EPIC!!

Holy Damn! Out of all the things that I thought would happen in book #2, THAT happened!

What's, "THAT", you ask.....like I'm gonna ruin it.

OK, deep breath.

 This book blew my mind, so I'm going to try my damnedest not to ruin it for everyone else. Coming off the death of his mother, Chase is trying harder than ever to  control these new elements fighting inside of him. So, to make matters worse, the Council now wants to know EVERYTHING about Chase, his friends, and why he is receiving all gifts from the Goddess. But with Chase being himself, he tells the Council where they can shove.

 (Avoiding them is the best possible thing for him and his friends....right?)

Running, fighting, and being afraid are like the 3 rules in this book, I know you wouldn't associate Chase with fear, but sometimes when you have no where to hide, it can bring any emotion out in someone. But as you read on seeing Chase over coming all of these things is what really had my pulled in, because it seemed like whenever anyone was in a corner, there was always that moment that turned the tables and gave you hope!

 From page 1 I was waiting for a blow up. A fight, a kiss, SOMETHING.....and when it came, damn. Was I ready for what happened? No. I am still on the fence about this moment. I think that it opened some wonderful side plots, but I just loved the way this character was....though they are pretty badass now ;)

One quirk that I LOVED in book 2 was all of Chase's "extras", he's like the feckin' Inspector Gadget of Elements! It just kept getting better!

Ok, I'm seriously getting to wrapped up in all the little details, let's talk about this as a whole. It was all the way around an action packed roller coaster, with a little romantic drizzle on top. Matt was nothing short of genius when his mind created the concept for Chase, Rayna and their world. I have always been one of his biggest fans, and will continue to be until he stops writing. If you haven't had the chance to picked up either Exiled, or Shift, you are truly missing out on something unique & original. Now....let's all patiently await the #3!

5/5

Shift Blog Tour + Giveaway: Q & A with Chase & Rayna

The Shift Tour has ARRIVED!!

And all I can say is.......FINALLY!!

I have been waiting extremely, semi patiently for a while to get my hands on this book.

After reading the Exiled (my review here), I instantly knew this would be a new series favorite!

So for this stop on M.R. Merrick's blog tour, I really wanted to be able to ask his main characters some questions instead of him....wait that sounded slightly mean....anyways you guys know what I mean :)

Now here they are!

Rayna:

If your fight scene's had a playlist what would the top 3 songs be?

Brick By Boring Brick - Paramore

Savior - Rise Against

Thunderstruck - AC/DC

What's your favorite thing to do on a day when you're not hunting down evil?

I am a huge fan of horror movies, so in the event I get a moment's peace, I like to snuggle up on the couch with one of my favorites. That, or shopping, although Marcus says I have a tendency to overspend...

If you and Chase were a super hero team what would your team name be, and who would be the sidekick?

I don't now about a team name...but you and I both know Chase would be my sidekick.

Chase:

Ideal post fight meal?

Pepperoni and Bacon Pizza Pops. Nothing beats them.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully alive.

If you and Rayna were a super hero team what would your team name be, and who would be the sidekick?

I don't think I could come up with a name that wasn't lame, so if we ever become superheros, I'll let our adoring fans decide, but I think it's pretty obvious who the sidekick would be.

Thanks to the both of you for actually sitting down with me and answering some questions! I am beyond excited to see what happens to the both of you in Shift!

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Now for the GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Whore (1,453,999)

Ok......ready for it......

M.R. Merrick has revealed the cover to Shift, which is the 2nd book his The Protector series!

If you haven't read Exiled, go buy it NOW! It's on sale here:

Smashwords

Amazon

Not only have I been threatening him with bodily injuries patiently anticipating the sequel to Exiled, but the cover as well....for obvious reasons ;-)

Here's a little bit about what to expect in Shift

**CONTAINS SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ EXILED**

Devastated by the loss of his mother, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back, and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her inner witch. It’s something else–a monster threatening to tear her apart.

As Chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about, or if protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.

Isn't this cover GORGEOUS! Seriously, when I got this in my e-mail at work I started SQUEE-ING....which in turn made everyone else in orientation look at me funny, but it was SO worth it!

Top 10 Characters of 2011



This week long event has been put together by the following WONDERFUL peeps!

Jessica @ Confessions of a Bookaholic

Lisa @ A Life Bound by Books

Rachel @ Fiktshun

&

Jaime & Patricia @ 2 Chicks on Books

 

 

Today I'm taking a page out of Rachel @ Fiktshun's book & spotlighting VILLAINS today!

 

#10

Miles De'Luca

Cold Blood - By Heather

 

Miles takes the term wing-nut to a completely different level. I mean he wants to have a relationship with his cousin & rule the world. Mental Case!

 

#9

Ava & Luka

Savor - By Megan Duncan

Talk about a match made in crazy heaven!

Both are power hungry and willing to destroy anything that gets in their way.

#8

 Jelena (a.k.a Crazy Bitch)

Descended By Blood - By Angeline Kace

Kick ass & cause havoc, that's exactly what describes her! I do love how she ignites so much fury inside of Brooke though, so I guess she does serve some sort of a purpose.

#7

Marshall Cross

Touch - By Jus Accardo

Heartless. That's the only word that comes to mind when I think of Dez's dad. My god, he even kept his daughters mother locked up in that hell hole & told Dez that she died!

It doesn't much more heartless then that.

 

 

#6

Riley Williams

Exiled - By M.R. Merrick

 

Who banishes their own son AND wife? Really, who does that?! Oh, wait, this prime specimen of a man, that's who! And that's just the tip of the twist iceberg he sits upon, it gets SO much better!

 

 

#5

Devin

Rosemary and Rue - By Seanan McGuire

 

This one blindsided me, and usually I'm pretty good about spotting things, but WHOA! Manipulative, deceitful little shit. Yet at the same time I should have seen it coming, I mean he runs Home for Fae-sake!

 

 

 

#4

Cat's Father

One Foot in the Grave - Jeaniene Frost

 

Slim-ball to the 100th power! Who puts a hit on their daughter, then is coward enough to hide. I can't wait to see justice served further on in this series!

 

 

 

#3

Shane

Captivated - Deb Apodaca

 

Sneak little snake is what he is! Shane sure does know how to lay on the charm, but Dean just needs to kill him already!

 

 

 

#2

Warner

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi

 

For those who put this weirdo on the BF list....you are twisted. I understand that he may need help, but my help would be a bullet to the head. Trying to say him & Juliette are the same is like trying to nail Jell-o to the wall, it doesn't work.

 

 

 

 

#1

V'lane

Shadowfever - By Karen Marie Moning

 

Some of you may be saying, "V'lane, NO!", but I say yes! He's cunning, stealthy & hides his true nature with grace. So to me he absolutely belongs on this list!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who are your Top Characters of the year? Are the Best Friends, Villains, Couples, who stuck out the most to you?

Top 10 Reads of 2011

This week long event has been put together by the following WONDERFUL peeps!

Jessica @ Confessions of a Bookaholic

Lisa @ A Life Bound by Books

Rachel @ Fikshun

&

Jaime & Patricia @ 2 Chicks on Books

Today I am going to be sharing my Top 10 Reads of 2011

(These are in NO particular order....that would cause me to much stress to figure that crap out!)

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.

Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it.

October "Toby" Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas...

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening's dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening's killer

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams

Mindy Keenan couldn't shake the feeling that somehow...in a matter of moments...the boy she once knew was not the one standing before her.

After Mindy's childhood best friend, Dean Aiken, shuts her and everyone else out of his life, she learns to move on. Years pass and she gets used to the fact that he's no longer a part of her life, but things begin to change

Mindy's new best friend, Markus Medina, witnesses Dean kill two people behind a club. Mindy has a hard time believing him, especially when he mentions that the bodies disappear. Poof! Into thin air. Markus decides he has to follow Dean around in order to get evidence that he's been killing people, so he doesn't sound like a nut to the police.

Despite Marcus' crazy theories about the possibility of Dean not being human. And not to mention the fact that he's dangerous. Mindy can't help that she may be falling in love with him. Even after hiding their feelings for each other from the world. Dean and Mindy being together stirs up dangers that neither of them could ever imagine. When she finds out about what Dean really is and the world he tried to keep her away from...it's already too late

Half-human and half-Wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the Wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their Dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful—and passionate—of the Elder Races.

As the most feared and respected of the Wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they've ignited in each other.

Pia knows she must repay Dragos for her trespass, but refuses to become his slave—although she cannot deny wanting him, body and soul

Chase Williams is a demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped.

Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna — a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret.

In their attempt to stop them, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it

Katelyn McBride’s life changed in an instant when her mother died. Uprooted from her California home, Katelyn was shipped to the middle of nowhere, Arkansas, to her only living relative, her grandfather. And now she has to start over in Wolf Springs, a tiny village in the Ozark Mountains. Like any small town, Wolf Springs has secrets. But the secrets hidden here are more sinister than Katelyn could ever imagine. It’s a town with a history that reaches back centuries, spans continents, and conceals terrifying truths. And Katelyn McBride is about to change everything.

Broken families, ageless grudges, forced alliances, and love that blooms in the darkest night—welcome to Wolf Springs

Wood Point Academy is not at all what I expected. For one thing, it looks like a cross between military school and Buckingham Palace. Everyone stares, the floors shine so bright you can see your reflection in them from a mile away, and no one smiles. Unless they're kicking your butt in the process.


At least I've got plenty to take my mind off the fact that my psycho cousin, Miles De'Luca, keeps calling and declaring his love and promising to come for me just as soon as he's destroyed anyone standing in our way. Wes isn't going to like that idea. So between Miles, Wood Point's evil welcoming committee, and the drill sergeant hottie trainer from hell, I just keep asking myself, how did I end up here?

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims—lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

Interview & Giveaway - M.R. Merrick

Everyone welcome M.R. Merrick! (Crowd goes wild, screaming fans, girls crying)

He's the phenomenal author behind one of my favorite reads this year, Exiled!

Since he's my first male author interview I had to approach things differently...so that means no "who's the hottest guy" questions, or if he goes for Bad Boys or Sweethearts. But I was able to get some very valuables information from him! See for yourself!

 So, just to break the ice, what did you have for breakfast?

I don't eat breakfast, unless you count coffee, in which case: coffee. Although, as a self-proclaimed cereal enthusiast, I believe cereal is an acceptable substitute for all meals.

Did your inspiration for Exiled come from anywhere specific? Or did it just happen one day?

Both.

I used to write as a means of venting, never anything specific, just whatever came to mind. After a particularly rough week, I wanted an escape. I didn't want to vent my own frustration however; I wanted to disappear into another world.

I've had a long running obsession with the idea of being able to manipulate the elements, so I took that obsession and created characters and a world around it. After a long night of writing, I realized there was something special on the pages.

After reading Exiled, I’m highly anticipating the rest of the series. How many books do you see in it?

As it stands right now, there will be three, but about halfway through the first draft of Shift (the second book in the series), some cogs started turning. I have to do some major outlining, but if things go well, the series may run six. 

Who would you rather have in a fight with you? Chase or Rayna?

That's tough…but I'm going with Rayna. I'm too much like Chase. We would likely end up fighting with each other.

 Which author(s) out there do look up to, or admire?

J.K. Rowling is definitely an inspiration. Her writing is great, and her world building is phenomenal.

Quickies:

Ocean or Lake?

Lake. I've never seen the ocean, but I hear it's beautiful.

Fighting Vampire or Demon?

When it comes to the world I've created, demon is a very broad category, I'm going with vampire. Except Vincent. I don't want to fight him.

Pancakes or Waffles?

Waffles, strawberries, whip cream, and an unnatural amount of syrup, unless the pancakes are made into shapes. It's hard to turn away from a Mickey Mouse shaped pancake.

Garden Gnomes or Lawn Flamingos?

Gnomes. After watching Gnomeo and Juliet, flamingos just don't seem very cool.  

Classic Disney or Pixar Animation?

Lion King is my favorite, but as a whole, I'm going with Pixar. I love so much of what they create.

Now that you've learned inner workings of M.R.'s brain, it's time to giveaway some TOTALLY awesome stuff!

To enter to win an e-copy of Exiled just fill this form out!

Contest IS international and will run until Wednesday, August 24th.

Winner will be announced on the 25th, GOOD LUCK!!

Exiled - By M.R. Merrick

Author: M.R. Merrick

Website

Release Date:

Purchase Info: Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble

Chase Williams is a demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped.

Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna - a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret. In their attempt to stop them, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it.

Plot: Chase has been exiled from The Circle, and now he's trying to survive and provide for his mom & him. While fighting his nightly demon, he suddenly runs into a long lost Hunter from The Circle. As secrets are reveled to Chase, the world he thought he lived in turns upside down. He's now making bargains with vampires, facing full blood demons, and traveling to mystical lands he thought were unreachable. Facing a journey he once would have called impossible, Chase opens his eyes to see the corruption that was right in front of him for so many years.

Characters: All of the characters extremely well rounded and thought out! Their quirks, imperfections and defining characteristics fit each one of them to a T.
 I was able to instantly feel for Chase and all the heart ache he's been through. Though he's fighting and killing demons to survive, the second Rayna barges into his life those instincts are challenged to the fullest. Rayna is a bad ass, "I don't take shit from ANYONE", kind of girl. I love her! She can hold her own, plus the fact that she is so mixed when it comes to her paranormal background, I found myself surprised at every turn with her. One of my favorite characters in the whole book was Willy. He's a stuttering demon with a knack for attracting trouble, and is always there for Chase, even when he doesn't want to be. Their friendship starts out with a bang, and only gets better throughout the book.

Overall: LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book! M.R. seriously has a way of describing Chase's surroundings with out being vague or overdone. Here's a quote for example:

"The torrent's wings pumped until the ground beneath us looked like a patchwork of terrain: green, red and blue fields of grass, grey mountains, and the odd splash of purple lakes and streams."

The journeys that are taken in Exiled are amazing, because in such a short amount of time you are introduced to multiple worlds, characters and see Chase face an ungodly amount of challenges. But it never seems like it's too much, or comes off overwhelming. The pace of the book reminds me a lot of Julie Kagawa's, The Iron Fey Series. Simply because it instantly sucks you in, drags you everywhere under the sun, then leaves you begging for more!



5/5