Review: Static by Tawny Stokes

Static by Tawny Stokes
Source: I was provided a reviewer's copy by Bewitching Book Tours for an honest review.

Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 296 (Paperback)

(Goodreads Link.)

                                     Blurb from Goodreads:

Be careful what you listen to....

During the summer before her senior year, 17 year old band groupie, Salem Vale, has been following her favorite punk rockers, Malice, from gig to gig hoping that one night she might get backstage and meet the sinisterly sexy guys. She’s been saving her virginity for the lead singer Thane. One fateful evening she gets her wish. It’s a dream come true.

Except the dream turns to a nightmare when she wakes up in a dumpster, tossed away like yesterday’s trash, with no memory of what happened the night before. She feels strange, different, as if something is trying to get out. Soon she realizes she’s changing…turning into something not quite human.

Now a hunger deep inside claws at her to feed, to siphon energy from those around her. Before she can do just that, Trevor, the band’s roadie shows up and stops her from killing. With his help she learns to control the hunger inside, because he’s just like her. And in return he wants her help to do one little thing…

Help him kill the members of Malice.

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 I thoroughly enjoyed reading Static. It's a fast-paced story, with an incredibly unique paranormal aspect going on. I don't want to spoil you all by telling you what paranormal being Static involves, but it's definitely a rarity in YA, and Tawny even includes a mythical figure in it...again, I won't mention who, but I'll give you a hint...in most version of his myth, he's pretty tight with King Arthur. ;)

Salem was a fantastic main character, she was feisty, and had a personality that jumped right off of the page. I also totally sympathized with her obsession with Malice...I know I've been obsessed with a band or two, and I'm sure Salem and I aren't alone in that. I loved how even though she was changing, Salem didn't give up. She was scared, and she was confused, but once she had some guidance through Trevor, she knew what she was aiming for...although, she still had some moments where she freaked out, which I loved because it made her that much easier to relate to. Now, I've already mentioned Trevor, and you were probably like, "Trevor? Who's Trevor?" Well, Trevor is one of Malice's roadies, and he helps Salem through her transition...as he's been through it himself, he knows a little bit of what she's going through. :P

The plot of the book itself was awesome. I loved the whole music aspect, which was brief, but still stood out to me, and I especially loved the folklore that Tawny Stokes brought into the story as background to the type of paranormal being Malice was. The whole revenge aspect was also a win with me. I thought that the reason behind Trevor's desire for revenge was heartbreaking, and it fit incredibly well with the story, and I thought that Tawny did a great job exploring Trevor past, even though it was brief, I still felt like he was a well-developed character. The one aspect that I wasn't the biggest fan of was how the ending of the book progressed. There was a tonne of build up, but then when the big finale arrived, it was a bit rushed. I felt that it could have been played out for a little longer. Other than the ending being a bit rushed, I thought that it was fantastic. :)

Static is a story charged with live wire characters full of attitude. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves paranormal and is looking for something a little different, and also to anyone who loves characters with spunk. Plus, if you like a good revenge plot, you'll love this! 

Purchase Links:
Book Depository: UK / US
Amazon: UK / US / Canada
Barnes and Noble

Now, a couple of questions for you: 

Have you read Static, yet?
What kinds of paranormal beings would you like to see more of, and which ones are you tired of?
Any guesses on the mystery man I mentioned before? ;)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Promo Stop: Demon Whisperer by Tawny Stokes

Demon Whisperer
By Tawny Stokes
Genre: Paranormal YA

Awake a year-long coma, where he literally spent in hell, Caden Butcher, 17, developed a special power. He can speak to demons in their own language. This new trick helps him take over the family exorcism business, from his broken alcoholic father. Having to take care of the finances, Caden makes a decent income getting rid of demons. He’s known as the young whiz-kid exorcist to the stars, obtaining most of his work in Hollywood. But what others don't know is the exorcisms are all staged with the help of his best buddy, a demon he met in hell named Dantalion (Dan).

When an exorcism goes wrong, Caden discovers the demon inside a teen girl is not the run of the mill malicious entity but an adversary from down under who is hell bent on Caden’s destruction. The International Order of Exorcists, an organization that tolerates Caden at best because of his respected father, starts their own investigation because of his screw up.

Now with the help of his demon buddy, and Caden’s girlfriend Aspen Spencer, a skilled necromancer, Caden must track down the rogue demon before he can expose Caden as a fraud and destroy everything that matters to him in his life, ending his reign as the one and only Demon Whisperer.

Buy Now: Amazon Kindle|Smashwords

Add it on: Goodreads

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And if you'd still like to know more, here's a brief excerpt from Chapter 1:

The skin on Alan Bigby’s pock-marked face rippled as if something was alive underneath it. Something big and bad and nasty wanted out to rip something apart. Unnatural black veins popped out on his forehead and temples as he bucked and writhed against the iron shackles chaining him to the chair. The fat rolls of his enormous ass hung over the sides and jiggled with each spasm. If it had been under different circumstance I would’ve laughed at that.

“I’m going to rip out your innards, Butcher, and eat them raw,” he spat at me.

Then he really did spit. Viscous green phlegm spewed from between his thin cracked lips and landed on the toe of my black Doc Marten. Disgusted, I shook it off, and then dug into the beat-up, brown leather bag I had slung over my shoulder and across my chest for the holy water. It was time to get busy. No more messing around. I had to exorcise this guy and be done with it. The money from this one would pay the rent for the condo my dad and I had. Groceries too for a few months.

“Not today, you’re not,” I said as I unscrewed the sliver cap on the bottle of holy water.

I glanced over at Eleanor Bigby standing in the corner wide-eyed, wringing her hands as she watched in horror as her husband twisted and pulled at the restraints I had put on him. He was bound to a metal chair in the middle of a pentagram that I’d inscribed in blessed chalk on the blond hardwood floor of their big expensive house overlooking the Hollywood Hills. I could see the white sign out the front bay windows.

She probably had no idea that when she called the Butchers to exorcize the demon possessing her husband that it would look like this. She probably thought watching her fat husband crab-walk across the ceiling of their bedroom was disturbing enough.

(. . .to be continued.)

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Sorry to leave you off on an intense note, but I've got to leave you tempted now, don't I? :P

So, what do you think?
Does Demon Whisperer sound like something you'd like to read?
Do you like the cover?
Any thoughts at all that you'd like to share? :)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur