Let me start by saying this was a REALLY good book. I was hooked from page one and couldn't put it down! The story flows so well and keeps the reader entertained!

Birdie is a homeless teenager trying to turn her life around when an unexpected (or so she thinks) windfall comes her way. Grey is from a well-to-do family who wants to get to know her. Little do they know their lives are about to be changed forever.

Julie Reece created characters who are believable and lovable. I wanted to know more abo More...

Cover

Isn't this cover amazing? I loved having this image of Birdie in my mind's eye as I read, and I could totally see this cover girl throughout the story, surviving through what the author put her through. Whatever artist created this is incredible. I bow to you, whoever you are. Your talent is mind-blowing.
What I loved about the book:

In one word: Birdie. Her character is so simple, yet so complex it just about blew my mind. She's hilarious and wounded deeply, a survivor I couldn't help but pu More...

Quick review:

Cover: A little to cartoony
Rating: PG-13
Thumbs Up: 4.5
Overall: Different in a good way
Characters: Well done
Plot: Legend meets and changes real lives
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? If there is more
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Grey

SUMMARY (50 words or less)

The moral of the story here is don’t judge a book by its cover. If I had, I would not have read. It made the book appear more juvenile than it is. The beginning was interesting but a little slow. But hang in there. It soars fr More...

I was given this book through the Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Fanatics R2R for an honest review, thank you.

(view spoiler)[

The story held my attention from start to finish. I didn’t want to put it down. The author expertly wove a contemporary romance together with Nordic Kings, homelessness and the mysterious ‘Snatcher.’ If it wasn’t one thing it was another that Birdie, the female protagonist had to face.

Birdie, aka Rebecca Orin, is an 18 year old homeless girl who had been living on the streets for (hide spoiler)] More...

This review can also be viewed on my blog: WheneverLifeGetsTough

This is a review of Julie Reece's Crux.

Okay, I'll be honest, I didn't really expect I'd be able to read this book. Seriously. Why? Because I'm sure it'll be just one of those books I'll be lusting after, staring at in a bookstore forever because I'd never decide to buy it since all I'll ever say is: "I can't buy this book BECAUSE." It's creepy, I know, but it's me. It's just, sometimes, I mark off books as to-read even though there' More...

Crux is a Young Adult, Paranormal Romance/Fantasy written by Julie Reese. I read this as a ARC R2R with Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Fanatics! As always, a special thank you to the mods and author for allowing me to participate.

4.5 stars!
AN EPIC and RIVITING ADVENTURE for ALL fantasy or paranormal romance readers!

The Rundown:
Birdie is about as down on her luck as an eighteen year old can get. Homeless and hungry she walks alone down a busy street thinking about the direction her life More...

“Don’t run away anymore, please?” He reaches for a strand of my hair. “If you’re going to run somewhere, make sure it’s in my direction.”

How Julie Reece was able to write such a remarkable/epic/wonderful.. AMAZING adventure in 285 pages is beyond me, this standalone novel grabbed me by the collar and wouldn’t let me go until I finished! If you’re looking for an amazing adventure of courage, romance, and overcoming evil then look no further cause Crux is the book for you!

Crux is through the eye More...

This book was for lack of a better term, awesome. It flowed smoothly without bashing on any on topic excessively. The romance wasn't underdone or overdone. The writing style was satisfactory.

It was written from an 18 year old perspective and captured that really well. There weren't words or contexts used that she shouldn't understand and it didn't have that level of immaturity people sometimes think they need when writing from a younger perspective.

All in all it was very believable which is re More...

Whoa, I actually found this impossible to put down! I don't really think the description does it justice at all. LOVED it! 4.5 or 5... I can't decide!

Great book! Didn't want it to end! Review here: http://lsmurphy.com/2012/07/03/book-r...

I absolutely LOVED this book. It would be a great introduction to the fantasy Genre for YA lovers. The fantasy is enough to keep the story rolling without needing to warp your mind that special way needed in some fantasy novels. Although it didn’t have the intensity or angst that are usually in my 5 star books, I enjoyed it from start to finish so it was really a no brainer.

Birdie is 18yo girl who is homeless and living on the streets alone. She encounters Jeff early on in the story when he lure More...

I've mentioned in past reviews how much I love mythology, but before Crux, I'd never actually read anything to do with the Nordic variety, but that didn't keep me from loving it. :D It wasn't just the Nordic mythology that made me love this story...no there were plenty of things! :D The characters, the plot, the intricacy of this story, and the writing itself were all things that kept me reading until the last page, the very last word...and then kept me hoping that there just may be more to come More...

I really enjoyed this book. The action was well paced and the relationships between the characters was well developed.

I really enjoyed that there was not the seemingly mandatory love triangle. The characters worked through relationship issues that happen to many people without the girl having to choose between two guys. Most relationships fail because of the participants own issues not because of a love triangle. So the feel good part was that they were able to over come their personal demons. More...

I'm still in bliss from reading Crux by Julie Reece. I have to say that Ms. Reece has to be one of the most talented authors on the planet. I know I'm gushing right now, but I loved this book that much.

Reading Birdie's story was like catching up with an old friend. Birdie rocks my socks, and Grey (the male lead) is sizzling hot. I loved his fierce loyalty to Birdie, especially because she was so real with insecurities most women have and some that broke my heart.

Birdie thought her life was hard More...

“My life is unsettled, dangerous. Shelter girls are pariahs, society's throw-aways, and now, people are after me.”

Rebecca better known as Birdie is quick to consider herself "damaged goods". Having been bounced around foster homes and now homeless, Birdie's humble beginnings are about to come to an abrupt end. Her curious nature and a centuries old curse leave her with little choice but to fight for the new beginning she rightly deserves. However, the road ahead is paved with mystery and ends i More...

OK... ANY book that quotes Monty Python is a WINNER in my 'book'!

"We shall say 'ni' again to you if you do not appease us."

This is a REALLY fabulous YA story... and this YA is a very adult YA. I wouldn't worry about teens reading it, but there is some racy undertones.

"Bite your lip. It's hot. Makes me want to go kick some Viking ass."

The story revolves around Birdie, who has had a less than stellar life. It's so nice to see a somewhat younger character still set today that hasn't been born with More...

Chapter A Day Read at Never Too Old for YA Books: beginning Sept. 4


Review of Crux by Julie Reece
5 Stars

I was first introduced to this novel as a proposed Chapter-A-Day Read for Goodreads Group Never Too Old for YA Books. I must admit I hesitated upon reading the blurb: homeless in Atlanta? Strange guy giving out money (like that 1950’s TV show, “The Millionaire”)?-but I decided, since it’s a Chapter-A-Day read, I’d give it a try. So I bought the book-and guess what? It is great! I’ve really enjo More...

Also posted on Lovey Dovey Books

Julie Reece's fantastic debut novel, Crux, is action-packed and has the sweetest romance I've read so far this summer! Birdie's anything but a meek girl ready to back down when faced with a challenge. No, she's the strong heroine readers dream of and she's ready and willing to take on an impossible task.

Birdie's story is one of a kind. It only takes one moment for her life to change, for the better and the worse. She goes from homeless to college enrollment, and f More...

Not a bad book.

AMAZING DEBUT NOVEL! Reece's urban fantasy has it all--laugh-out-loud humor, edge-of-your-seat drama, and swoon-worthy romance. Our heroine, Birdie, is a homeless teen who finds herself accidentally thrust into the lives of one of Atlanta's most affluent families. Fortunately, the sudden meeting also throws her into the arms (much to my delight) of our devastatingly handsome and charming leading man, Grey. By accident or by fate, the two of them must face and defeat a deadly enemy who has plague More...

3.5 stars

When 18 year old, homeless Birdie receives over $300,000 and a key from a mysterious crazy guy giving away his money in the street she thinks all her problems may finally be solved. Unfortunately for Birdie, nothing is ever simple and she will have to fight dark forces to save both herself and those she loves.

This book is very intriguing and the idea behind it is amazing. However, at times the flow of the book felt a bit off and I also sometimes had to reread a section to be able to und More...

I'll admit, I squealed when I got an ARC of Crux by Julie Reece--I'm a huge fan of Cassandra Clare's YA urban fantasy series, and I was anxious to dive into Reece's contribution to the genre.

Add in that it's set in Atlanta--as opposed to, say, New York or London--and I was bouncing in my seat.

The synopsis only gives readers a tiny hint of what's contained in Crux, the key word being "heritage." This is where the fantasy part takes over from the urban element and readers are asked to suspend thei More...

ISBN: 9781937744069
Publisher: J Taylor Publishing
Pages: 285
Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback.

BLURB from Goodreads
She should have run. Now, she’ll have to fight.

Eighteen year old Birdie may be homeless, but she’s surviving, that is until a mysterious guy throws money in the air like a crazy game show host, and she grabs some with the idea she’ll be able to buy dinner that night.

In that singular moment, unassuming Birdie becomes the girl in everyone’s viewfinder. Thugs want to kill her. Money More...

In a YA market saturated with paranormal beings it is a rare occurrence to see a story that is truly original. Crux is original and I was drawn in from the first page into Birdie’s world and into the magical world of Norse mythology.

Crux begins with a mysterious man gathering a group of people together and throwing money into the air. Birdie being a homeless teenager goes along with whatever is happening, hoping to get the money for her next meal. Little does Birdie know that the man throwing th More...

I received a copy of this book for review as part of a blog tour. I didn't really know what to expect from it, I think I thought it was more a thriller kind of thing. I didn't read the blurb again before I started to read it and I was just blown away. The book kicks off almost immediately and doesn't slow down until the very end. It is so much more than the blurb would lead you to believe.

Birdie's parents died when she was young and she has went from foster home to foster home until, at the age More...

I absolutely loved this book.

Okay, I should preface what is to come with the disclaimer that I read this as a BETA before it was submitted for publication and loved it then, so I took little risk in reading the final version. I already knew it was a kick-ass read. My opinion has not changed.

Crux is an YA Urban Fantasy (romance) featuring a down, but not out homeless girl, Rebecca Orin--who everyone calls Birdie. She's got spunk, sarcasm, and street sense. The kind of female lead I just love to g More...

Let me start off by saying I prefer series to standalones.. There's more room for character growth and the relationships develop more naturally instead of feeling rushed.

That said.. I loved Birdie. She had flaws don't get me wrong, but they were tolerable and understandable. Not once did she pull the "woe is me" bs that most YA heroines tend to do. I also loved how mature and considerate she was during the dinner confrontation between Grey and his dad.

Speaking of Grey.. He was a great guardian More...

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Don't forget to stop by my blog to enter to win a copy of Crux!!

What can I say about this read other than to put it simply and say it was fantastic.

Completely engaging. It had just the right amount of action, mystery, romance and fun to make it a page turner and to keep me interested.

I never felt like it dragged or lacked anywhere.

The characters, every single one of them, were truly wonderful. I adored Grey. Birdie was kick butt and her sense of humor wa More...

This is the best of my 2012 summer reads so far!!! I have fallen head over heals in love with the characters of Crux and I especially have a huge soft spot for none other than Birdie's "dog":) Where can I get one?

This was an excellent story! I was really intrigued when I first read the blurb, so I was sure that I would like this novel, but ended up loving it. The story itself was well developed and creative. Birdie has had a hard life, going from foster home to foster home until the age of eighteen, and then she was on her own, literally. For a few months she was living on the streets and surviving the best she can, but then one day, there's this huge change in luck, and that is when a mysterious man rou More...