Twisted by Hannah Jayne

Her name used to be Beth.  When her world fell apart and her father was accused of being a serial killer, her name brought her nothing but trouble.  They called her a murderer and worse.  She's moved on, has a new life and a new name.  Bex is even beginning to make new friends at school and she likes the new couple that took her in.  Then she gets a note to let her know her missing father has found her...

Sourcebooks Fire and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published July 1st.

This is a scary tale with lots of psychological manipulation by her father and by the cop who is still looking for him.  She wants to believe her dad and he wants her to go away with him.  She's not sure she wants to do that.  She has a boyfriend she really likes and her new life is good.  But she does miss her dad.

Bex learns a lot things in a short period of time.  She's with people she can trust now, they are willing to protect her, and she even answers the question of who was really killing all those girls.  She's changed but it's definitely for the better.  The ending was perfect.

Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne

This book is about a young woman in an abusive relationship.  She thinks no one else knows about it.  When her boyfriend dies in a car accident, she's relieved.  Now she can straighten out her life.  But then she gets a note:  You're welcome. 

This ebook is out now and you can grab a copy at wherever ebooks are sold. 

I always wonder why an author chooses a subject and how they can be so accurate about it.  Here is Hannah Jayne's story:  

  

I WAS A TEENAGE STATISTIC

I never thought I’d be a teenage statistic. Even when it was happening to me, I wasn’t part of that group of those people. My situation was different because I was different and I wasn’t the kind of person they were talking about anyway. Those people had really bad abusive relationships. Mine wasn’t that bad. There was blood and tears and threats of death in theirs and…and then there was blood and tears and threats of death in mine. I was one of those people. I was a teenage statistic.

My high school boyfriend was the most passionate, romantic, intense guy I’d ever met and he was attracted to me! The first day he saw me he was carrying a roll of duct tape. He asked me to stand up against the wall so he could tape me up there because the ASB assigned him to “make that corridor beautiful.” I blushed and instantly fell madly in love. We spent every moment together. I started to back away from my friends because I wanted to spend my every waking moment with him. And he was right; a couple of my friends only ever wanted to hang out and troll for guys. Which I didn’t need to do because I had him! He was a little jealous which I found totally adorable; I’d never had a guy be so into me that he thought every other guy was looking at me. When I did hang with my “approved” friends, he called me every second – which was totally fine because I missed him, too. When it turned out to be just me and him, I really didn’t care – at first. But then it was my best friend’s birthday and I really wanted to be there. I went, and promised I’d call him before we went to bed and I totally forgot. The next day, he wouldn’t answer my calls. My stomach was in knots. I couldn’t believe I had hurt him so badly just by not calling. He accused me of cheating and lying to him, saying that Jen and I were out with a couple of guys. We weren’t, so I begged him to believe me. He screamed at me and said some pretty horrible things but finally he believed me – then he pulled me into his arms and apologized for calling me those awful names and whispered that he just loved me so much and couldn’t bear the thought of me leaving him. I promised him I never would. That happened a couple more times but I always understood – he was a passionate guy and so sensitive – and he loved me so much. I had never felt that way before so I knew exactly what he meant.

The first time he shoved me, I wasn’t even sure that it really happened. We were fighting about something and he was mad again – I must have talked to someone he didn’t like or maybe it was what I was wearing. But he was just trying to get by me and he kind of shoved me. I’m sure he didn’t mean it and I thought I felt his hands on me at first, but I was probably wrong. He was just wound up and so he shoved past me and I rolled over my own feet. He didn’t say anything about it because it was an accident and he didn’t help me up because he was mad. He was crazy about me; he wouldn’t deliberately hurt me.

When he grabbed my shirt – he grabbed the chest of my shirt and pulled me up toward him so we were nose-to-nose – he didn’t mean to rip it. Sometimes he just got really passionate. And he apologized immediately – especially when he saw the scratches on my chest and the little buds of blood that were bubbling up. He was just so terrified of losing me.

It got worse from there and I knew I couldn’t be in this relationship anymore. But I still loved him so much and really, he was broken. He only needed help. I could help him, right? Besides, it was easy to shrug off the scrapes and bruises. When he rear-ended my car because he thought I was flirting at a game (I was a cheerleader), well, that was harder to explain. I had to tell him. I had to tell him we couldn’t be together. 

We were at a party and we went into a bedroom. I told him that we had to stop seeing each other, that I wouldn’t let him hurt me. I remember his mouth dropping open and the pain in his eyes. It was like I could see his heartbreaking. I started to cry, but I wasn’t going to change my mind. He begged and pleaded. He told me he couldn’t live without me. But I couldn’t live that way. He told me he would die. That without me, his life wasn’t worth living. And in a heartbeat, he was on the balcony, climbing over the railing. He was going to jump. The tears were rolling over his face, over his lips and my heart was splintering. I couldn’t let him do that; I wouldn’t let him die. I begged. I pleaded. He walked closer to the edge and let one hand go. My heart was pounding in my throat and I rushed forward, grabbing his arm and pulling desperately. I wouldn’t leave him, I said. We would work through this together. He fell against me and I could smell the wind in his air as I listened to him cry and promise he would never hurt me again.

But he did. Again and again. Worse and worse. I was terrified to leave him because he’d kill himself. And I really did love him. Even with the constant anxiety and fear – because after that dissipated and he apologized and caught himself before it got really bad – I knew that he loved me. He said it over and over and got angry when I wouldn’t repeat it. Everything about me changed. I couldn’t leave him because by that time, all I had was him.

This went on for years until I finally was able to get away from him. And it was hard and humiliating because the police had to come and escort him away and I had to file a police report and write my name—my name—in a box that said VICTIM. It was awful, but I was finally free.

This is the first time I’ve gone public – very public! – with my experience, and it happened nearly twenty years ago. I kept quiet because of the humiliation, because I “shouldn’t have let that happen.” But then I realized what I was doing was keeping his dirty little secret, not mine.

So far, I’ve received nothing but support for going public and for putting a spotlight on teen dating violence in Truly, Madly, Deadly. I’m confident and strong now but I still occasionally wonder if people will think I was stupid or weak. And then I have to remind myself that recognizing, surviving, and getting out of an abusive situation made me anything but.

If you are or think you are experiencing relationship abuse, please get help. Talk to a friend or another person you trust. Contact the National Teen Dating Violence Abuse Helpline at 866-331-9474 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE or 800-799-7233

Never stay in an abusive relationship.  It may seem like there is no way out, but there is help out there.  Use the resources available to get a new start and be careful; don't fall into the same trap again.  It's better to be without a mate than live with an abusive one.

Ms. Jayne's story has her female character relieved her abusive boyfriend is gone, but now she's got a stalker who murders people.  Out of the frypan and into the fire, eh?

Happy reading.

Under A Spell by Hannah Jayne

I was waiting for this book.  It's the next in the Underworld Detective Agency Chronicles and I wanted to see how Sophie's romance develops.  It takes a strange twist in this book.

Kensington Books sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published now, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Ms. Jayne creates a unique world with all sorts of a paranormal types.  There are vampires, fallen angels, witches, and more in town.  Sophie is unique because she's immune to magic.  Magic won't harm her.  So she's a detective trying to solve paranormal problems.

This time she's going back to high school.  She hated high school when she was there, why would she want to go back?  It turns out a student has been killed and has been marked by witches.  Could there be a coven at the school?  And why are they killing girls?

The romantic part of her life has gone by the wayside, too.  Alex is acting cold and no longer interested and she can't understand why.  Her guardian, Will, is always there and very willing to tango.  She's got a bit of a crush on Will but she really loves Alex.  Doesn't she?  She's not real sure...

This is a busy, dangerous story and I read it with enthusiasm.  I should now be able to make it to the next book.  If you haven't read any of them, start at the beginning of the series.  You can read this as a stand alone, but the whole series is good and I've really enjoyed it.  Why don't you try it?

Happy reading.

Under the Gun by Hannah Jayne

UDA is Sophie's employer and she enjoys working there.  At least she did until someone she thought was dead shows up alive on her doorstep.  She knows if she admits he's around, they'll hunt him down and probably kill him.  The worst part is that she can't lie; her face gives her away...

Kensington sent me an ARC of this book to review (thank you).  It was published in February so you can get a copy at your local bookstore now.

The Underworld Detection Agency Chronicles are urban fantasy tales with paranormal creatures of all types: angels, vampires, werewolves and more.  Sophie is in love with an angel but knows it won't work out because he's immortal and she's not.  And now she's hiding a friend that werewolf hunters are after.  She knows he's not the one killing the humans.  At least she thinks she does.  Lying to Alex isn't working, Pete is acting a bit funny, and trying to find out who contracted the hit on Pete is difficult. 

The story is full of action and I didn't expect to find to find the enemy where he was located.  This is a nice twist to the tale setting up the need for damage control both in the agency and in her relationship with Alex.  The next book in the series should be interesting, too.  You won't be bored reading these books, Ms. Jayne entertains you.

Happy reading.  

Under Suspicion by Hannah Jayne

Sophie is immune to magic, and that's helped her get promoted at work.  She counsels those demons who are having problems and helps them get back to a normal demon life.  The others in the building can't stand the banshee's screaming, but she can deal with it.  When someone starts killing demons, though, it's time to make that stop.

Kensington Books sent me a copy of this story to read for review (thank you).  The book is being published this month, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.  This is another in the Underworld Detection Agency Chronicles.

Sophie's concerns grow as more demons are killed.  If that wasn't enough to keep her busy, she has her vampire roommate hanging out with a new author that debunks all the stories about otherworldly beings.  He especially doesn't believe in vampires, despite the fact that he's dating one.

What really pisses Sophie off is when the killer tries to stake her because he thinks she's a vampire...

This is a fun paranormal read with interesting characters, a bit of romance and humor interspersed.  It kept my attention and made me interested in this series.

Why not visit the world of demons and see who you'd take home with you?  There are lot of choices...

If you'd like to win my ARC of this book, please leave a comment here on the blog and email me at info at bookfaerie.com with your name and address and why you'd like to read it.  I'll pick a winner in about a week.

Happy reading.