Mayhem - Artist Arthur - Blog Tour Review

A lot can change in a few months. Jake Palmer is living proof of that. In a short time, the once-shy loner has discovered his incredible supernatural abilities and forged a tight bond with his fellow Mystyx. What’s more—he’s fallen for his best friend, Krystal. And fallen hard.

Still, some things remain the same—like the jocks who keep bullying him. Even though they have no idea how powerful Jake has become. And while he tries to follow Krystal’s advice, he may not be able to keep his cool much longer. But there are bigger problems ahead, because the darkness that’s been hovering nearby is about to descend on the town of Lincoln, Connecticut. And when it does, the Mystyx will learn who to trust, who to fear and just how much is at stake…

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Mayhem (Mystyx #3)

Author: Artist Arthur

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Publisher: Kimani Tru

Publication Date: July 26, 2011

Format: E-ARC

Source: Received from Netgalley and Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Tour: Teen Book Scene blog tour. You can follow along with the tour here. 

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository

My rating: 4/5

Jake is one of the Mystyx, and he is still finding out the full extent of what that means for him. His powers are manifesting in unpredictable ways and his mood is volatile. It doesn't help that the darkness is beckoning, and trying to seduce him to fight on the behalf of evil. With several students bullying him at school, life is starting to become unbearable for Jake. Especially since he can't use his powers to defend himself for fear of being found out. 
This is quite easily the strongest book in the series yet and it is my favourite by far. I connected with Jake almost instantaneously. He's a credible character going through a tough time, and he's suffering at the hands of some bullies. I know what that's like, and can commiserate with all of the feelings he was expressing. He is questioning himself and his powers, as well as his connection to both the dark and good in the world. 
We are starting to get some more answers, even though there are still quite a few questions left unanswered. I found that the incidents that happened in the second book were followed up more in this installment in the series. The reader may have a better appreciation for book two if they were to read book three immediately afterwards as I found that the events in the second book were resolved in the third book, or had more light shed on them. 
This installment in the series brings more characters to light. Krystal, Sasha, Jake and Lindsay are joined by Antoine, and some previously known characters bring about surprising twists. I dare say that this book has made the rest of the series a must read for me. Things are really starting to heat up and I can't wait to read the next installment as I really want to know what is going on with certain characters. With the twists that Arthur has employed in Mayhem, I am really looking forward to reading what she comes up with next. 
All in all, this is a read that I think is the turning point for the Mystyx series. Leading up to Mayhem we haven't gotten a lot of answers, and things have been a little frustrating because of that, for both the readers and the characters. With Mayhem we get some answers and find worlds opened up to us in unexpected ways, so much so that the reader will be clamoring for the next book to find out what is going to happen next. 

Mystify - Artist Arthur

Sometimes being an outsider is the best way to fit in…

Sasha Carrington has grown up feeling like an outsider, and her parents are too concerned with scaling the Lincoln, Connecticut, social ladder to even notice her. They’d be really horrified to know about the supernatural abilities Sasha and her friends Krystal and Jake possess. But as part of the Mystyx, Sasha has found her place.

Now her parents have suddenly taken an interest in everything she does, and their timing couldn’t be worse. Sasha’s father wants her to become BFFs with snooty Alyssa Turner, who hates Krystal for stealing her boyfriend. Then there’s Antoine Watson, the boy Sasha has liked forever, the boy her parents would never approve of. But with the dark side getting more dangerous by the day, and the Mystyx’s own powers growing in unexpected ways, Sasha is facing choices that could affect her friends, her love life—and even her destiny…

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Title: Mystify (Mystyx #2) 

Author: Artist Arthur

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Publisher: Kimani Tru

Publication Date: February 1, 2011

Format: E-ARC

Source: Received from Netgalley. Many thanks goes to the Netgalley team for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

My rating: 3/5

As the daughter of one of the wealthiest couples in Lincoln, Sasha has her share of woes. Her parents only pay attention to her when they want her to do something for them, and they don't understand her relationship with her friends. Sasha has a lot to handle when her parents force her to buddy up with one of the meanest and cattiest girls at school to help draw attention to her father's new exclusive club; all on top of her emerging powers in the Mystyx. Sasha must juggle the needs of her family as well as her own budding talents, and the attention of her longtime crush. Will she be able to find out what is going on, before things take a turn for the worse?

Mystify picks up a few short weeks after the end of Manifest. Sasha comes to the forefront and we see how she reacts as she, Krystal and Jake learn more about their budding powers and the entity they must face. Sasha is a believable character, however her penchant for saying "me and Krystal" had me grinding my teeth. She is an exceptional student and ends up going on a class trip as a volunteer to watch and help out the other students with their projects. I had a hard time picturing her as saying "me and Krystal." It just didn't ring true for her personality. 

Krystal's character has improved from Manifest and we get to see a calmer, more relaxed side of her. Jake's powers are running him through a gamut of emotions making him moodier, but also stronger. 

This installment in the Mystyx series seems to be more about finding out how their powers are evolving and there isn't really any closure to an event that happened earlier in the book. The ending is anti-climatic but I think it's building for the next installment, Mayhem. It was an enjoyable read, and I liked the romance between Antonio and Sasha. 

All in all, a solid sequel to Manifest, which will leave you wanting to know if they will be able to win the upcoming battle. Some secrets are revealed while others continue to linger on as more characters and twists are added to the plot. 

Blog Tour: Mayhem - Artist Arthur - Author Book Picks

Artist Arthur is here today with a guest post on her favourite book picks courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for her book, Mayhem. Thank you for being here, Artist! Look for my reviews for Mystify and Mayhem to come later today and tomorrow. You can follow along with the tour here. Enjoy!

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Thanks Corrine for giving me the opportunity to guest post on your blog. I’m really excited about the topic as well as I love talking about books!

My “library” is overflowing with books to be read at the moment and my favorites that I’m inclined to read again sometime. I write Adult Romance and Paranormal as well as Young Adult Paranormal so I have tons of these books on my shelves. Favorites on the adult scene include J.R. Ward, Nora Roberts, Allison Brennan. I tend to like my romance filled with subplots like murder and mayhem, suspense, mystery, otherworldly.

As for Young Adult I really love the paranormal, the new worlds being created by an array of talented authors are invigorating. One of my favorite series at the moment is Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. It’s the clever mixture of being told from a male POV and the southern ambiance that makes this series so interesting to me. I also love the emotion that drives each character, the authors have done a splendid job of providing a colorful cast. Another favorite of mine is the Private series by Kate Brian, witty and engaging is how I’d describe these books. I enjoyed the Luxe series by Anne Godbersen because I enjoy reading historicals as well. Another really cool series is the Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent, both my daughter and I enjoy these books.

You’d think I only read paranormals from the above list, but that’s not true. I like YA romance and general fiction as well. What I look for most and what makes a book great in my opinion is the emotional piece that pulls you from page one. I’m very impatient so waiting a long time to get the warm, fuzzy feeling from being connected to a book, doesn’t really work for me. I need instant gratification, like the buzz from eating my favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream. Now, I just started reading Delirium by Lauren Oliver—I loved this cover by the way, simple yet enticing—and the first chapter already has my heart beating a little faster. Something about being afraid to fall in love, so afraid you’d undergo a procedure to prevent it. That one chapter was compelling and that’s what I like in a book, so I’ll probably spend the rest of the weekend reading it. =) Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson had that effect on me. I actually read this one on the ride home from Myrtle Beach. It was poignant and emotional and so real I could have cried the entire time I read, but my kids would have thought that way too entertaining.

So what I’m saying is that there are bunches and bunches of books out there, my advice is always to know what you love to read, recognize the feeling you get when you’ve read a good book and always search for that feeling to be repeated. I’m not afraid to try new authors and love when I find someone else’s work I can follow. My husband would certainly argue that fact considering books are steadily taking over his Man Cave. LOL

Thank you for this awesome book list, and thank you for being here today, Artist! J.R. Ward, Allison Brennan and Nora Roberts feature prominently on my bookshelves too! ;) 

Artist Arthur can be found on her website. 

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A lot can change in a few months. Jake Palmer is living proof of that. In a short time, the once-shy loner has discovered his incredible supernatural abilities and forged a tight bond with his fellow Mystyx. What’s more—he’s fallen for his best friend, Krystal. And fallen hard.

Still, some things remain the same—like the jocks who keep bullying him. Even though they have no idea how powerful Jake has become. And while he tries to follow Krystal’s advice, he may not be able to keep his cool much longer. But there are bigger problems ahead, because the darkness that’s been hovering nearby is about to descend on the town of Lincoln, Connecticut. And when it does, the Mystyx will learn who to trust, who to fear and just how much is at stake…

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Manifest - Artist Arthur

Krystal Bentley is an outsider at her new high school, having just moved to a small Connecticut town. Lately she's been hearing the voice of a teenage boy in her head, and he has become her friend and confidant. The only problem is, he's dead...

Ricky Watson was killed a year ago in the alley behind Krystal's new school. The rumor mill is filled with stories of Ricky and his untimely death. Unfortunately, as a ghost, Ricky is unable to investigate his own murder, so Ricky needs Krystal to find the truth and she needs someone to listen. When Krystal befriends Sasha and Jake, both outcasts at her high school, the threesome soon discover that they have more in common than their outsider status. Each has a unique paranormal ability and an unusual birthmark in the shape of an "M." Jake announces that the M must stand for misfits, and so the three form an unusual clique. They soon realize that solving Ricky's murder can help them understand the mystery behind their powers and may reveal whether there are others like them.

(Synopsis taken from goodreads.com.)

Title: Manifest (A Mystyx Novel)

Author: Artist Arthur

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Publisher: KimaniTRU

Publication Date: August 1, 2010

My Rating: 3/5

I wanted to like this book, and for the most part I did; however I found that there were a lot of gaping plot holes, and I couldn't stand Krystal's personality (at first). She was very rude, and whiny at the beginning of the book, and once she figured some things out in her life, she toned it down, which is good. There was a lot of reiteration and assumptions, in regards to their powers, made through out the story. I don't know how that will play out in the next book. Krystal, Jake and Sasha band together once they all realize they have the same birthmark, and certain powers specifically tailored for them. They decide to help out the ghost of Ricky Watson as he has been asking Krystal to help him out; as well as look for more information about these powers.

I will say that I disagree with the synopsis of the book. I don't know if the back cover flap will be different from the synopsis found over at goodreads, but I hope it is because this synopsis is somewhat misleading.

I did enjoy the history in regards to their powers, but as of right now, not a lot of questions have been answered. Certain key elements had a "Supernatural" feel to them as well. The ending was a cliffhanger which makes me want to see what happens next. I will say I had the "bad guy" figured out almost immediately, and was waiting for Krystal to realize who it was also.

All in all, the book was okay, don't let Krystal's attitude get to you as she does have some character growth and isn't as bad later on. The bones of the story were good, and I would like to see what happens next.

Disclaimer: This book was obtained through netgalley, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Harlequin Teen for sending me this copy to review.