Her
voice is enchanting; his soul is black...
Madison
Carter has been terrified of Scott Lee since the night he saved her
from an evil sorcerer – then melted into a man-eating monster
before her eyes. The werewolf is a slave to the moon, but Madison's
nightmares are not.
Despite
her fears, when Madison's brother, Clinton, is bitten by a werewolf,
she knows there is only one man who can help. A man who frightens her
all the more because even in her nightmares, he also thrills her.
Together
for the first time since that terrible night, Scott and Madison drive
to Clinton's home only to discover that he's vanished. Frantic now,
Madison must overcome her fears and uncover hidden strengths if she
hopes to save him. And she's not the only one fighting inner demons.
Scott's are literal, and they have him convinced that he will never
deserve the woman he loves.
*Stand-alone
companion to the Cassie Scot series
Excerpt:
Her head rested perfectly
atop his shoulder. She wasn't a short woman and he wasn't a tall man.
He only had three inches on her, but it put her at the perfect height
for his embrace. She fit him. Her beautiful body, soft and full, fit
him perfectly too. This wasn't a woman who would break at his touch.
He wanted to kiss her. He
wanted more than that, but just now he wanted to feel her lips
against his. He had refrained the night before, glorying in her touch
alone, forcing himself to let that be all he needed. But today he
wasn't sure it would be enough. Today he felt desperate and unsure.
He placed a finger under
her chin and lifted it slightly. Her eyes met his in question, but he
didn't answer in words. He answered by settling his lips over hers in
a soft, gentle brushing of skin against skin. Then he backed away
slightly.
Her eyes were closed and
her lips slightly parted. She looked a bit dazed and very unsure, but
she wasn't pushing him away. He could smell her growing interest and
it made his heart swell with newfound hope and need.
He brushed his lips
against hers again before deepening the caress. She returned the
kiss, a little inexpertly but with all the passion he'd known she
possessed. She opened her mouth to him, welcoming his explorations.
Welcoming him.
Buy Links
Paperback
Release: October 15
Audiobook
Release: TBA
CHRISTINE'S TOP 5 LIST OF WEREWOLF BOOKS/SERIES THAT INFLUENCED MADISON'S SONG:
5
Werewolf Book/Series that Influenced Madison's Song...
5.
A Werewolf in Manhattan by Vicki Lewis Thompson – I think
Vicki Lewis Thompson is a riot. Her romance novels almost always make
me laugh, particularly her “nerd” romance series (plus I'm
married to a nerd, so yes, I find them sexy). Her recent werewolf
series, beginning with “A Werewolf in Manhattan” was no
different. She's got a great narrative voice and her characters have
a lot of sass. Having said all that, I have to admit that as far as
influencing the werewolves in Madison's Song, Vicki Lewis Thompson's
wolves were a lesson in “what not to do.” I couldn't help but
think of her werewolves as playful puppies and I've always been drawn
to the darker side of werewolves.
4.
Shifter by Kantra,
Virginia; Leigh, Lora; Knight, Angela; Day, Alyssa
– This is a collection of four novellas that you might not have run
across, but that I've enjoyed several times. I particularly enjoyed
the first story, in which nanotechnology rather than magic creates
the werewolf. Again, we have a werewolf who is in control of his
transformation, although in this case he is far more dangerous.
3.
The Darkest Power Series by Kelley Armstrong – There's a lot
of evil in this young adult series starring supernatural teens sent
to a “home” for troubled youths. Among them is a werewolf who
will undergo his first transformation in this series. This is a fun,
magical series, with only a hint of romance (but really all it
needs).
2.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Ah, Professor
Lupin, your parents must have hated you to give you such an ominously
fateful name! But really, who doesn't love Harry Potter? I can't deny
that the series has influenced me since I read them (again and again
and again). Here, we have your basic people who turn into monsters
once a month, and a society of magic users who hate and distrust
them.
1.
Fool Moon by Jim Butcher – Jim Butcher has been a big
influence on my writing generally. In Fool Moon, he introduces his
version of werewolves (lycanthropes). Well, versions, plural – in
his world, there are several different kinds, some of whom will
become important characters throughout his Dresden Files series. But
there are some true turn-at-the-full-moon monsters as well, and those
were the ones that resonated with me.
MY REVIEW:
Madison's Song by Christine AmsdenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Madison's Song by Christine Amsden is a 2015 Twilight Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In this all new book by the author of the Cassie Scot YA Paranormal detective series, we explore the aftermath of Madison's discovery of her true parentage, her break up with Nicolas, various betrayals, and her adjustment to being half sister to Evan.
If that weren't bad enough, she is having nightmares regarding a close encounter with a werewolf named Scott. Things go from bad to worse when her brother Clinton is bitten by a werewolf, and Madison must do whatever is necessary to save him, even it means another face to face encounter with Scott.
I loved the paranormal spin on the shapeshifter/werewolf trope because of the science fiction tint the author added into it. It makes perfect sense that if a pack of werewolves were outed someone would get the bright idea of trying to create that phenomenon in lab. What could possibly go wrong? Sadly, Clinton, an innocent in all of this, will find out all the ways such an experiment could go awry.
The only good thing to come out of such a situation was Madison's forced contact with Scott and Evan which will lead her to address some repressed emotions, admit to some feelings and fears she has been holding onto, and opening the door for a possible romance.
Madison is a strong young lady, but suffers from insecurities and self doubt, which makes her easy to relate to. She is loyal and honorable and even brings out the best in Evan, who is still a conflicted man. Scott is also a person who will show deep character development and will face his guilt while maintaining his role as pack leader, often having to make very difficult choices.
The story has lots of action-adventure, some tense suspenseful moments, and a sweet romance, equally balanced, is fast paced and easy to read.
For those of you who are familiar with the Cassie Scot series, you will find a few familiar faces here which was fun, and of course you know Madison is Cassie's good friend. If you haven't read the first series, no worries, this book is a stand alone, but it is connected to previous series and could be defined as a companion to the it, and does explore the aftermath of events previously explored. So, I do strongly recommend reading the Cassie Scot series in order to understand how Madison got to this point, but it's not absolutely necessary in order to enjoy this book.
This book is a little edgier than what I am used from this author, and I really liked the darker tone this one had, and while still YA /NA, it has an adult feel to it making this one enjoyable for anyone of any age group.
I loved how everything was wrapped up! This book could either stand on it's own or be the start of a new series. Christine's writing style and the atmosphere she creates in her books is unique and draws the reader into the story and hold them there. If you enjoy paranormal romance and shifters you will certainly want to invest in this series.
View all my reviews
The Cassie Scot Series
Cassie
Scot: ParaNormal
Detective (Cassie Scot #1)
Secrets
and Lies (Cassie Scot #2)
Mind
Games (Cassie Scot #3)
Stolen
Dreams (Cassie Scot #4)
About the Author
Christine
Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as
she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others
will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction
is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is
about real people defining themselves through extraordinary
situations. Christine writes primarily about people and
relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science
fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work. Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.
Social Media Links:
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work. Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.
Social Media Links:
I've been forced to overcome many fears when I decided to move half way around the world from home to study for a better future. The fear of loneliness is the worst.
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