Blog Tour: Burn by Paula Weston

 Would you believe it if I said that this was the final book in Paula Weston's The Rephaim Series? Well, unfortunately this is the end; the end of a 4 book series that kept readers on the edges of their seats wanting more! But good news for you, if you've stayed with me for the past 3 years and 4 blog tours or are just joining now, stay until the end of this post to see that not all endings are sad news!


Publish Date: June 7th, 2016
Publisher: Tundra Books
ISBN: 9781770498518
Pages: 448
Series: The Rephaim, #4
Source: From publisher for honest review and to participate in blog tour

Goodreads Synopsis:

Suddenly, Gaby remembers everything.
For a year she believed she was a backpacker chilling out in Pandanus Beach. Working at the library. Getting over the accident that killed her twin brother.
Then Rafa came to find her and Gaby discovered her true identity as Gabe: one of the Rephaim. Over a hundred years old. Half angel, half human, all demon-smiting badass—and hopelessly attracted to the infuriating Rafa.
Now she knows who faked her memories, and how—and why it’s all hurtling towards a massive showdown between the forces of heaven and hell. 
More importantly, she remembers why she’s spent the last ten years wanting to seriously hurt Rafa.

My Review:

"Suddenly, Gaby remembers everything." That's the first line on the back cover of Burn, and it is a precursor to the intensity of book #4 in Paula Weston's series, The Rephaim. 

Paul Weston did such a good job with the cliffhanger at the end of Shimmer that she needed to come in with a bang to get the reader hooked at the get go and let me tell you...she did and she did it with perfection! The prologue in Burn is powerful and I feel like it really set the pace for the rest of the book. It was captivating and Paula Weston was daring you to stop reading. And when you just couldn't stop, you find yourself immersed in the sexiest, hottest, steamiest sex scene that the whole Rephaim series has seen. (It's hot!)

Paula Weston set Burn as a "then" and "now" story and it definitely worked in her favour. It really played to the overall story telling and it's another way to keep you hooked because you need to know what's happening next, all the time! Since Burn is the finale of 4 books with still so many unanswered questions, there was a lot of information handed to us. Paula Weston did a great job of spreading it out and not dumping all of this on the reader at once. We finally get all the who's, why's, when and how's all sorted out and while it may not have been what we thought or foresaw, its a conclusion nonetheless.

The huge monumental secret, the reason Gaby and Jude went their separate ways was a little anticlimactic! It just wasn't that 'huge monumental' secret I was hoping for. I didn't feel moved by their betrayal of each other at all and I wanted to feel moved. I wanted a jaw-dropping reveal, but I didn't get it. But that aside, the second half (and more so the ending) of the book was fast-paced, the writing was what we come to expect from Paula Weston. (I still love the Aussie feel of her writing). I love that we were kept on our toes from beginning to end. Paula Weston was able to wrap up the series very clearly in a writing perspective, but I feel like she ended it with the possibility of the reader continuing their story after everything has been revealed. I think it's been made easy for the reader to resume the lives of Gaby, Rafa, and the others!

Though I'm sad that the series has been wrapped up in the 4th and final book, I'm happy that I got to read, enjoy and participate in such a great blog tour. I hope that everyone had fun following along on this blog tour! It's been a fantastic journey and I've had a lot of fun. Be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour. Follow us all on Twitter too!

Now, while I know you've all enjoyed reading reviews and author interviews and other fun stuff blog tour participants have posted, I know you've also been dying for your own copies of The Rephaim series to read and to cherish right? So here's the best way to end the end of a great series . . .

A Giveaway!

The lovely, LOVELY team at Tundra Books would like you to have your own set of books. That's right, the whole set!

Giveaway open to Canada and US residents only. Books will be shipped by Tundra Books.


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Need a refresher? Click on the covers to see my blog tour posts:

Blog Tour: Shimmer by Paula Weston

Once again, I am proud to take part in Paula Weston's Rephaim Book Tour. I enjoyed Book #1 and Book #2, so of course I'm thrilled to share with you my thoughts on Book #3. Follow along with the rest of the blog tour!

Publish Date: March 8th, 2016
Publisher: Tundra Books
ISBN: 9781770498488
Pages: 393
Series: The Rephaim, #3
Source: From publisher for honest review and participation in blog tour.


Goodreads Synopsis:

Gaby thought her life couldn’t get more complicated.
She’s almost used to the idea that she’s not the nineteen-year-old backpacker she thought she was. She can just about cope with being one of the Rephaim - a 140-year-old half-angel - whose memories have been stolen. She’s even coming to grips with the fact that Jude, the brother she’s mourned for a year, didn’t die at all.
But now Rafa—sexy, infuriating Rafa—is being held, and hurt, by Gatekeeper demons. And Gaby has to get the bitterly divided Rephaim to work together, or Rafa has no chance at all.
It’s a race against time - and history. And it may already be too late.

My Review:

I was so excited to get the email announcing the blog tour for book #3. And when the book arrived in the mail, I was eager to pick it up, and start back into Gaby and Rafa's adventures. Then I realized that it had been a while since reading Haze, and lo and behold Gaby and Rafa are separated! What?! I had forgot this crucial part, and while it made me sad for just a moment, I was eager to see some ass-kicking to get Rafa back! (And we know from the first two books, that ass-kicking is a HUGE part of Paula Weston's series.)

Thankfully, we're given a character cheat-sheet at the beginning of the book, and I admit I found myself using it more than I thought I would. A few times I found it a little confusing with the plethora of  Rephaim and Outcasts and characters in general. But by the middle of the book, I was more comfortable and aware of who's who.

Throughout Shimmer, the main focus seems to be getting Rafa and Taya out of the Iron room they're locked in but we also get to learn a lot about some characters and a little more into the mystery that is Gaby and Jude and their memories. Becuase of this, Rafa is not in the book as much as most of us were hoping (I know, right!? We all love Rafa) but this is important to the series. We see that while Gaby does rely (just a little) on Rafa, she can and certainly does hold her own when it comes to basically everything. She is definitely a YA heroine that sticks out and Paula Weston can be applauded for making such a strong, independent female protagonist.   

There's never a dull moment, with twists and turns and captivating scenes. To be honest, I did find Shimmer to be lacking in overall thrill and excitement compared to Shadows and Haze, but I feel it was a crucial part in the series, and the cliff hanger we are left with at the end?! Woah. I cannot wait to see what happens in the final installment of Paula Weston's Rephaim Series, Burn (which you can except to come back sometime in June and see what I thought of it!)

Blog Tour: Haze by Paula Weston

It's been exactly 1 year since I was part of the Shadows blog tour so I was happy to be a part of another blog tour for book #2, Haze. Make sure to follow the rest of the tour, you can click here for the full list, as there will be lots of fun things happening! Character reveals, reviews, giveaways and more. Happy Reading!

Publish Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: Tundra Books
ISBN: 978-1-7704-9550-0
Pages: 448
Series: The Rephaim, #2
Source: Finished copy from publisher for honest review and participation in blog tour! Thank you so much.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Gaby Winters' life used to be pretty normal. She lived with her best friend. She worked in a library. She was slowly getting over the death of her twin brother, Jude. And then Rafa came looking for her.     With him, her blood-soaked nightmares stopped. But now they are reality. She is one of the Rephaim - a wingless half angel, descended from the Fallen. Demons exist and they are hunting her.

     She knows she's alive when she's meant to be dead. And that means maybe Jude is too. So why isn't she out there looking for him?

My Review:

We pick up one week after Shadows. Gaby and Rafa have been through so much and trust me, it's not over yet! In book two, we are re-introduced to the kick-ass heroine, Gaby who had held her head up high through all of this. (Thinking her brother was dead, to being told he could still be alive. Living life like a regular girl to find out she's got a whole life behind her that she can't remember and that includes being Rephiam, and so on) Rafa, who opens up a little more in Haze and could kick your butt with his eyes closed and Maggie who was brought into all of this unknowingly and hasn't given up on her friendship yet. We meet new characters too, that you will only meet when you read Haze yourself!

While I thought book #2 was going to revolve around finding Jude, it isn't just that. There is so much more to it! Twisted in with this plot we obviously meet more important characters (in barns and cornfields), we meet fellow Rephaim, and dig a little more into the past. There is so much revealed and so many new things to look forward to in book #3. At times I found it a little overwhelming with everyone and everything but with a clear head I was able to regroup myself. When one thing was resolved, 2 more issues would be brought up. We're definitely going to need book three and four to wrap up the series.

The last few chapters, I swear I read while holding my breath! The fast-paced, intense, action packed scene with that cliffhanger at the end? Really?! It was just too much! Haze comes with an excerpt of Shimmer, book #3 and I don't usually read those excerpts because it's too much of a tease, but let me tell you, I may be diving into it before I know it just to satisfy that need to know.

Paula Weston has created this world and these characters that come to life on the pages. The world she created has everything a reader looks for - a thick plot, friendships, enemies, romance, though the romance isn't overdone, it's just enough to make your pulse quicken, and fighting! The fight scenes are so much fun! Paula has put so much thought into her writing that the scenes are vivid and the fun Aussie feel is great!

If you haven't read this series, you might want to! Even if you don't love angels and hellbeasts and hellions, you'll find something in Paula Weston's Rephaim's series that you will love!

Fun Stuff:

This time with the blog tour, we were sent a few questions to answer, then Paula Weston would take those answers and show us which Rephaim character we were most like. Turns out...

That is awesome! Maggie is such a sweet and loyal friend. Her favourite ways to relax? Knitting, sewing and being crafty. While I may not knit or sew, I certainly would rather sit down and read. You know, nothing too extreme! Oh, and we share a favourite food - scallops. Yummy!

The Author

Twitter - Facebook - Website

Celia Southcombe, Flow Photography

Giveaway!!!

The lovely people over at Tundra Books are giving away a signed hardcover of Shadows and a hardcover of Haze to THREE lucky blog tour followers. All you have to do is follow the blog tour, post a comment on the blog post, and you're in! Good luck.

Blog Tour: Shadows by Paula Weston

Thanks for stopping by Stellar Book Blog! Enjoy my stop on this blog tour, be sure to follow Paula Weston on Twitter, Facebook and her blog.

Also, be sure to follow the whole tour between September 16-20. Schedule is posted here.

Happy Reading!

Publish Date: September 10th, 2013
Publisher: Tundra Books
ISBN: 978-1-7704-9547-0
Pages: 400
Series: The Rephaim, #1
Source: From publisher for honest review and blog tour

Goodreads Synopsis:

It's almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn't help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who's been appearing in Gaby's dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And who is Gaby? The truth lies in the shadows of her nightmares.

My Review:
Hell-beasts, hellions, demons and angels is the world we venture in when we pick up Shadows. We've read it before, we know the story. But Paula Weston takes us on a different adventure that is fascinating, intriguing and exciting!

Gaby just wants to live life quiet and alone since her brother was killed in a horrific car accident that she can't remember all the details to. She doesn't want to be reminded daily of what she lost. Gaby finds this seclusion within Pandanus Beach and with a roommate named Maggie who doesn't ask a lot of questions. The two of them have this sort of mutual agreement that they don't talk about Jude, Gaby's brother. And this suits Gaby just fine. 

Gaby has these dreams about fighting monsters and writes it off as an active imagination. Within these dreams is a mysterious but handsome guy whom, lo and behold, shows up one night at the same bar that she is. Things aren't adding up, and to make it worse Gaby runs into people who seem willing to fight her for no apparent reason. Needless to say Gaby is confused and wants answers and it seems the only one to know answers is Rafa but he is far from willing to sit down and reveal everything to Gaby. Little by little Gaby figures out that maybe things aren't as they seem, and that she is suffering from memory loss and distorted memories. I loved that we were on the journey with Gaby to remember things. The book wasn't all hellions and beast and so forth, Shadows was also about overcoming the unknown and forgotten and I loved that!

Paula Weston is an Australian author, with Shadows already published and read by many in Australia and it was neat seeing the Aussie feel to the book. I'm sure some wording needed to be changed but I loved that Wallaby's were out on the road, and friendships were with mates and little details like that. The writing was fantastic, I could really put myself in the book and see the picture. There was action, suspense and romance all written with an expert hand. Gaby is a character that is just trying to find herself and because of that, she is easy to relate to. She's just a normal girl trying to live a normal life. Rafa, on the other hand with have your emotions all over. His up and down moods, and his impeccable timing of leaving right when he shouldn't will have you rolling your eyes at him! 

Paula Weston's Shadows is a great read, and I cannot wait for Haze, book #2 in The Rephaim series, set for Fall 2014.

Because I enjoyed Shadows so much, and the lovely people at Tundra Books want others to love it too, we are giving one lucky US/Canada reader a copy!

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