Second Thoughts release day Review, Guest post & Giveaway (The Sententia series book #2)

Secrets, lies, and looming deaths—all things Lainey Young deals with in a typical day of high school. In her senior year at Northbrook Academy—a New England boarding school where the majority of the students and nearly all the staff are members of the Sententia, a hidden society of the psychically gifted—Lainey has even more to worry about. Things like classes, college, her boyfriend, and, of course, the vision she glimpsed of her impending death. But to her surprise, Lainey finds one worry she can cross off her list, namely Senator Daniel Astor, the leader of the Sententia. After a shocking discovery when they finally meet, Lainey realizes maybe she was wrong to distrust the Senator. She relaxes even further when he seems to accept her refusal to work for him after graduation. But with her secrets mounting and the time to solve them running out, there’s a final enigma Lainey hasn’t yet encountered: Daniel Astor doesn’t take no for an answer. Ever.

What will Lainey give up to save herself, if she can at all?

The continuing adventures of an ordinary teenage girl with extraordinary mental abilities, perfect for readers who love books and series such as Vampire Academy, Spellbound, and Sweet Peril.

Grab you copy of Lost in Thought OR Second Thoughts now from Amazon.

In this sequel to Lost In Thought, young Lainey is still trying to figure out who she is and what she is capable of all while dealing with the usual issues any normal teenage girl has to deal with. Schoolwork, her relationship with Carter, a disturbing vision and what she will do after graduation. The leader of The Sententia, Senator Astor, want's Lainey to come work for him, and he seems to take it in stride when she refuses. It wouldn't be a day in the life of Lainey though, if anything were as it seems. Secrets and lies surround The Sententia, and trying to uncover them just might get Lainey killed, that is if her gifts don't first. 

I liked learning more about the different gifts that each person possessed. Cupids can sense love, Sirens can control with enough push and Lainey, well she is an enigma that is more powerful than just about anyone. We already know she has the gift of Divination and the Hangman's gift which affords here the power to either take or give life, but what if there is something else bouncing around inside Lainey's body? Astor is not the only one that is keeping secrets. 

The world that Bertrand has created in this series is descriptive, vivid and imaginative. It was refreshing to read a heroine that didn't have it all figured out. Lainey is smart and gifted, but she is young and inexperienced as well. She has never seen her own death in a vision, and now she is determined to do whatever it takes to stop the vision from becoming a reality. But can she make the sacrifice she has to make, in order to stay alive? Can she live with the consequences of her decision? 

Although this book is categorized as YA, I think it's safe to say it's a story for all ages. The back drop is a secret society made up of people with rare talents and gifts, led by a man that will stop at nothing to get what he wants, including murder. The scene is in a high school setting with the drama and angst you'd expect from the age group, but it's not overly dramatic, angsty or weighed down. These teenagers face the same struggles the boy next door would face. Homework, dating, drama and rumors. They're just a little more colorful with how they react to these daily problems. And the romance between Lainey and Carter is so sweet, it just makes me smile. 

This is just a great YA Paranormal read. I must warn, there is a mother of a cliff hanger here, the anticipation for the third book just might kill me! I give this one 5 stars (*****) but I recommend reading the books in order or you'll be really confused with the events in this book. 

{click here to see my review of Lost In Thought, book 1 in The Sententia series}

And now a little something from Lainey herself... 

(Lainey Young’s Senior Lit Seminar Introductory Interview)

Directions: Learn something about yourself. Answer at least 25 of 35 questions. Please answer honestly. All answers will be held in strict confidence. Some answers may be read or paraphrased—anonymously—to the rest of the class. You have only 30 minutes to complete the interview, so don’t spend too long on any question!

Questions adapted from Marcel Proust.

1.What is your idea of perfect happiness? The beach on a hot, sunny day!

2.What is your greatest fear? I can’t believe I’m writing this, but you said it was confidential, so…right now, it’s sex. Please don’t read this one out loud!

3.What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I hate how I blush so easily.

4.What is the trait you most deplore in others? Jealousy.

5.Which living person do you most admire? I admire Dr. Stewart. I swear I mean that, I’m not sucking up!

6.What is your greatest extravagance? Antiques. I bought a really expensive armoire over the summer. I know that probably sounds weird.

7.What is your current state of mind? A little freaked out by this and trying to get done.

8.What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Not swearing

9.On what occasion do you lie? To protect myself and others.

10.What do you most dislike about your appearance? My boat feet.

11.Which living person do you most despise? The person I most despise is dead.

12.What is the quality you most like in a man?

13.What is the quality you most like in a woman? The quality I most like in people is honesty. I think this counts for two answers.

14.Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I don’t know. So it’s probably that.

15.What or who is the greatest love of your life? I love Carter Penrose. I don’t think that’s a secret.

16.When and where were you happiest? Honestly, I think it’s here.

17.Which talent would you most like to have? Singing. People always assume I can sing, I don’t know why, but I really can’t!

18.If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would take away the thing that brought me here. I know you’ll understand what I mean.

19.What do you consider your greatest achievement?

20.If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? A sea turtle! They live so long and spend their lives in the warm water and on sandy beaches.

21.Where would you most like to live? That’s the problem—I don’t know. I have to decide something by May!

22.What is your most treasured possession? My ring made from my mother’s engagement ring.

23.What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Not having the chance to really know my parents is a miserable thing. I think not being appreciated by people can cause a lot of misery too.

24.What is your favorite occupation? Like things I like to do? Antiquing, reading. I never knew how much I liked volleyball until last year.

25.What is your most marked characteristic? My hair

26.What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty. Senses of humor.

27.Who are your favorite writers? EM Forster!

28.Who is your hero of fiction? Maya Angelou. Crap. That’s not fiction.

29.Which historical figure do you most identify with?

30.Who are your heroes in real life? My aunt. She had a dream and she did it. She didn’t have to take me, but she did. My aunt is amazing.

31.What are your favorite names? I always liked the name Bianca, the girl mouse from The Rescuers.

32.What is it that you most dislike? This is silly, but I really don’t like beans. It’s a hard thing not to like when your family is Mexican.

33.What is your greatest regret? That I didn’t try to help someone when I could have. I could have tried.

34.How would you like to die? I wouldn’t like to at all. Believe me.

35.What is your motto? Be kind.

Cara is a former middle school literacy teacher who now lives in the woods outside Boston with: one awesome husband, two large dogs, one small daughter, and lots of words. LOST IN THOUGHT is her first novel and was one of three finalists for the 2011 Amazon/Penguin Breakthrough Novel Award in the Young Adult category.

Contact Bertrand... 

...by email: info@carabertrand.com

...on Twitter: @carabertrand

...on Tumblr: http://carabertrand.tumblr.com/ask

...on Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/CaraBertrand

...by Pony Express: P.O. Box 465, Sturbridge, MA USA, 01566 

I have to send a huge thank you to author Cara Bertrand for stopping by to visit with me today, and her publisher Luminis Books for getting us in contact, I do love sharing great new stories with you guys. And this is a great new series I hope you'll check out soon! Until next time... 

There are a couple of prize packs available compliments of Mrs. Bertrand and Luminis Books. Enter below for a chance to win an ARC copy of Second Thoughts, a pair of Vinca earings and signed swag!! Here is an image of what this unique series inspired jewelry looks like, I almost want to keep them for myself! Good luck everyone!!

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