Review & Giveaway (Plus, Author Top 10 List!): Never Let You Fall by Michele G. Miller

Title: Never Let You Fall

Author: Michele G. Miller
Publisher:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Release Date: April 30, 2013
Pages: 314, eBook
Goodreads Rating: 4.67 stars
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Orphaned at 7, with no memory of her past or the family she lost, 17-year-old Skye Martin is tired of being alone and afraid. After a hard night of partying, Skye wakes up alone in an unfamiliar hotel. All she can remember is the deep voice of her rescuer and his promise: “I am safe.”

Xander has been tasked with watching Skye from afar for the past two years, in order to keep her safe from the demons that hunt her. An easy job - until a pair of red glowing eyes reveal themselves to Skye, and Xander, in a moment of weakness, is forced to break his cover to protect her.

Never good at trusting people, Skye is inexplicably drawn to Xander and the immediate bond she feels for him. However, Xander is filled with secrets and ties to her past that threaten to thrust Skye into a world she could never imagine existed…

As she begins to unravel the truth about who Xander is and the details surrounding her family, she discovers that she might just be the key to saving everything... 

And, most importantly, she finds that there has always been someone by her side who would never let her fall…

MY TAKE

Never Let You Fall is a sweet YA paranormal/fantasy romance that has a little bit of something for everyone.  The story revolves around a teenage girl named Skye, who lost her parents under mysterious circumstances as a child  and has grown up alone and Xander, the boy who has dedicated his life to protecting her (unbeknownst to Skye).  While there are paranormal and fantasy elements to the book, at it's core it's a love story.  Xander has loved Skye for as long as he can remember and Skye feels an instant undeniable connection to him when she finally meets him.  

As a YA love story, the book is very successful.  Xander is completely swoon-worthy -the type of boy that every teenage girl wishes would come and sweep her off her feet.  He is sweet, honorable, strong and completely dedicated to Skye.  He protects her when she is in danger and encourages her when she is unsure of herself.  I also really appreciated that the book showed a relationship that was sexually charged and yet chaste.  Xander explicitly says that he wouldn't have sex with Skye unless they were married, but he also makes it clear that he wants her in that way and that it is very difficult to keep himself away from her.  There are several scenes in the book where things heat up between Skye and Xander, but they never go too far.  I love that the relationship is handled realistically (they're teens, so of course they're hormonal!), but shows that heightened sexual tension doesn't always have to lead to sex - a message that isn't getting out much anymore.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, the book did not succeed nearly as well as a fantasy/paranormal novel as it did as a romance.  There honestly just wasn't a lot of magic or paranormal activity in the book.  Skye is attacked by demons a few times, but those scenes are short and the demons hardly seem any different than regular people (they look shadowy underneath their human facade, but that's about it - they don't seem to have any powers of any kind).  There is also a sorceress in the book who does nothing but open a portal and cast a few useless magical spells on items in the forest so that Xander can practice sensing magic.  Oh, and there's an elf who meets with Skye in her dreams, but nothing really ever happens in the dreams except talking.  I guess that is my issue with the story as a whole - the characters spend a lot of time talking about the past and explaining Skye's heritage to her, but not a lot actually happens (besides the romance).  I am hoping that, in the next book, Miller will explore the magic of the world that she has created more.

THE BOTTOM LINE

I thought that the romance in this book was great (especially for teen girls) and I liked the history and story that Miller set up, but I felt that the book was lacking action and fantasy/paranormal excitement.  Still, in the end, I cared about the characters and I want to read the next book to find out what happens with Skye (the ending of the book is a definite cliff-hanger).  So, I settled on 3.5/5 stars.

***Disclosure: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***

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About the author

Having grown up in both the cold, quiet town of Topsham, Maine and the steamy, southern hospitality of Mobile, Alabama, Michele is something of a enigma.  She is an avid Yankees fan, loves New England, being outdoors and misses snow.  However she thinks southern boys are hotter, Alabama football is the only REAL football out there and sweet tea is the best thing this side of heaven and her children’s laughter! 

Her family, a doting husband and three awesome  minions, have planted their roots in the middle of Michele’s two childhood homes in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Never Let You Fall is Michele’s first novel and she is beyond thrilled to have finally followed up on a dream she has held for over 20 years!  God willing there will be many many more books to follow.

Blog:  http://michelegmiller.blogspot.com

Goodreads:  Michele G Miller

Facebook:  Michele G Miller

Twitter:  @chelemybelles

Buying links

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes & Noble

Ten Songs that inspire me to write a book RIGHT now!

I listen to my Spotify while I write.  I listen to my XM radio every time I'm in my car.  Music is life to me.  I love it and therefore it only makes sense that it would play a huge part in my writing.  Here are ten songs that are currently playing on repeat in my head inspiring me to write a book, scene or perhaps just a character.

• Bad Things by Jace Everett- Oh the steamy man I envision when I hear this song.  I'm pretty sure I know who he is now and where he will be going ;)
• Beautiful Disaster by Jon McLaughlin- The girl in this song is coming up in a YA drama piece I have in mind for the first of next year.
• Bones by Ginny Blackmore- I don't have anything for this one yet but I can totally see it can't you?
• Bruises by Train and Ashley Monroe- Such a great song!  I can see this one playing out as an Adult themed reunion book.  I don't particularly write steamy adult but I think this one would need it.
• Feels Like Home by Edwina Hayes- This is a playlist song Skye in Never Let You Fall but it is such a gorgeous song that I can see an entire book based on the feelings in this one.
• In My Bones by Ron Pope- One of my absolute favorite singers right now for book inspiration.  The lines "I can't hate you if you're not there" and "I wanted the truth but sometimes the truth hurts" inspire something big.
• Just a Fool by Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton- I've got this girl and guy already planned out and it's next on my list to write. *Hint - this isn’t the only song here to go with this book ;)
• Just Give Me A Reason by Pink and Nate Ruess- What a great song highlighted by the passionate vocals.  It would make a great love story song.
• Out of My Head by Theory of a Dead Man- The guy from this song is alive and living in a book I have started.  It's the idea that my girl MC is that amazing that he can't stop thinking of her that motivates me.
• The House That Built Me by Miranda Lambert- The day I first heard this in the car I only caught the ending but a book was born.  I plotted out an entire novel in a 15 min span from the McDonalds drive thru to my house after picking up breakfast after carpool.  See, I remember every detail of this day because of this song.  I came home pulled it up listened to the whole song and bang it was perfect and this book will be too when I have time to write it. 

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