Reality Bites! Let's Get Lost!: TASTE Book Tour & Giveaway

At Barinkoff Academy, there’s only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneathBarinkoffAcademy.Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Song Credits: “Hunger” © Noelle Pico. Author Bio:

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn’t going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master’s courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.

Review:

4 Hearts

My Thoughts on the Book

**copy of book provided by author for honest review**

First, I have to say, I LOVE being part of this blog. It has opened me up to all sorts of books that I would never have come upon on my own.Taste is definitely one of those books I would have never come across. When I was presented with the opportunity to read and review it for the blog, I was excited! It was outside my box of normal reads. But I knew if I did this, it might make you step out of your box as well. So now the pressure is on to write down my thoughts in a way to make you want to read this Taste too. Because trust me when I say you do!

It is very apparent from the beginning that Phoenix is a ruler breaker. The little tidbits she tells us of her past (one such memory involved a teacher and superglue!) confirms it. Add that to the fact that getting away with breaking curfew once was not enough for her so she has to go do it again the next night and we have your run of the mill teenage rebel. Problem is, she gets caught the second go round. Now normally this would result in expulsion from the academy. But due to her recent encounter with a certain night student, she gets off with only disciplinary probation. But no one ever really does anything without wanting something in return. When Phoenix is faced with the decision of returning the favor, what choice does she have but to say yes?

She is quickly thrust into the lives of the night students...err zombies...or as they preferred to be called Zhamvy’s. Now I have to tell you, when I started to read more of the book and found out we had zombie like creatures involved talking about tasting Phoenix's flesh, I was ready to call it quits. I DO NOT do zombie. I can not even be in the room when the hubs in watching Walking Dead or anything similar. But although there is talk of flesh eating, tasting flesh, etc., we are never actually subjected to it. So do not let that scare you away. Because once you get to the meat (haha no pun intended!) of the story, it is really good.

And that would be the BOYS! We have Demitri and Luka . They are as different as night and day, ice and fire, heaven and hell..well you get the picture. There is a bit of a love triangle thing going on. Both boys have feelings for Phoenix. It will become clear early on whose feelings she returns so honestly it isn't much of a triangle. (Unless you factor in the fiancée!) This book is also very PG on the heat. The most we get are some steamy kisses but I felt that was all we needed for this storyline.

This book is full as surprises. There is so much more to the story than you first realize. As more and more of the history of the Zhamvy’s is revealed, the more you understand just what it is Phoenix is fighting for. You become attached to the characters (I love Dray!) and become invested in the outcome. And the ending will leave you with a big ol' smile on your face!

About the Author:

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn’t going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master’s courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.