Like No Other by Una LaMarche GIVEAWAY

Fate brought them together. Will life tear them apart? 
Devorah is a consummate good girl who has never challenged the ways of her strict Hasidic upbringing. 
Jaxon is a fun-loving, book-smart nerd who has never been comfortable around girls (unless you count his four younger sisters). 
They've spent their entire lives in Brooklyn, on opposite sides of the same street. Their paths never crossed . . . until one day, they did. 
When a hurricane strikes the Northeast, the pair becomes stranded in an elevator together, where fate leaves them no choice but to make an otherwise risky connection. 
Though their relation is strictly forbidden, Devorah and Jax arrange secret meetings and risk everything to be together. But how far can they go? Just how much are they willing to give up? 
In the timeless tradition of West Side Story and Crossing Delancey, this thoroughly modern take on romance will inspire laughter, tears, and the belief that love can happen when and where you least expect it.

I have mixed feelings on this novel. On one hand, this novel excellently brings diversity to the table and lets average Americans peek in to the Hasidic religion; but on the other hand, Jax was an extremely flat character. He went in to the romance with nothing to lose and as such the west side story comparison is a little lost (until it's regained in the off-kilter ending.)

Devorah is a gem, I identify with her a lot as my religion wrestles with me too. She goes out on a limb to explore the non Hasidic world with a boy named Jax and she gets it. She just doesn't know exactly what she wants or how much she can explore within reason. She struggles with her reason and to me that makes her a very real character.

The story flowed pretty quickly from the beginning, and continued at a steady pace throughout the novel. The ending was a little jerky however. I feel like Jax made this huge effort not to give up and then in the end he just kind of threw his hands up and said "Ah well..." and that transition just didn't flow very well with the rest of the story.

I did like, however, like Devorah's ending narration, about how she's adopted some of the world, while still keeping her faith. She even expresses that her journey of exploration isn't quite over, and that she looks forward to exploring her new life of faith and compromises.

It was all in all very lovely to read. So on this basis I give it four stars. The only other problem I had with it, was the fact that Devorah did continue to compromise with her faith. It's strange to think about but in Christianity there is no compromise. You are either expending all energies to become more like Jesus, or you are compromising with the world and in return aren't living a Christian lifestyle.

So to see Devorah's family accepting this new mixed version of her was unusual for me. nonetheless, four stars. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a #WeNeedDiverseBooks novel.

About the Author

Una LaMarche

Una LaMarche is a writer and amateur Melrose Place historian who lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, her son, and her hoard of vintage Sassy magazines. Una used to be a fancy magazine and newspaper editor before she had a baby and started writing from home, sometimes pantsless, for a living. Her first novel, Five Summers, is being released from Razorbill in May, and she’s currently in development on a second. She also writes for The New York Observer (of which she is a former managing editor), The Huffington Post, Vegas Seven, NickMom, and Aiming Low. Una continues to blog at The Sassy Curmudgeon, which she started in 2006 as a way to bring shame to her family. You can find her on Twitter under the handle @sassycurmudgeon. (If she’s not there, she’s probably trolling the internet for celebrity blind items or bulk candy.)

You can find her on social medias here:

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Uncaged (The Singular Menace) by John Sandford & Michele Cook

Shay Remby arrives in Hollywood with $58 and a handmade knife, searching for her brother, Odin.
Odin’s a brilliant hacker but a bit of a loose cannon. He and a group of radical animal-rights activists hit a Singular Corp. research lab in Eugene, Oregon. The raid was a disaster, but Odin escaped with a set of highly encrypted flash drives and a post-surgical dog.
When Shay gets a frantic 3 a.m. phone call from Odin—talking about evidence of unspeakable experiments, and a ruthless corporation, and how he must hide—she’s concerned. When she gets a menacing visit from Singular’s security team, she knows: her brother’s a dead man walking.
What Singular doesn’t know—yet—is that 16-year-old Shay is every bit as ruthless as their security force, and she will burn Singular to the ground, if that’s what it takes to save her brother

At first, this book was off-putting. It switched POV's frequently and didn't explain much about the current situation, I could definitely tell that this was an adult author trying to write a YA book. The book just continued like that and it really seemed to drag on. Still, without explaining much about the circumstances.

Eventually it seemed to settle on Shay's POV and the reader starts to get his/her balance straight. While a little unrealistic, I loved Twist and his hotel of street kids, I loved his rules and his seemingly soft spot for Shay (because she breaks a lot of his rules and he never does kick her out.) Twist's unusual occupation of statement painting and trouble making makes for a good story. Although his political statements were off-putting as well. I think John could alienate a lot of readers very quickly this way. but I think overall the transition he and the kids made from trouble makers to crime stoppers was fluid. For whatever reason the odd style of writing at the beginning, evens itself out and changes POVs less often.

Certainly the most interesting part of the book was the ending; which was calculated by the crew of teens (down to the iota of detail) and that was perhaps my favorite facet of the story (The crew's calculating nature.) My favorite character of course was Odin, the 17 soon to be 18 year old kid, whom while mildly autistic is also a computer genius. Odin reminds me a lot of myself actually, and I was proud of the moves he made and his resolution to never give up his friends despite being water boarded repeatedly by his captors. This book is definitely for the older crowd. Odin and X were the story savers from my point of view. If they hadn't been there to beef up the story (or if Odin's POV had been left out) I think Shay would have been a very flat character, and the book would have lost whatever spine it had to begin with.

This book was difficult for me to review, while the end was definitely worth it, the book was not without it's major flaws... So I lean towards three stars, but will give it four for the action and solid ending. I am, afterall, looking forward to the next installment.

This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

About the Authors

John Sandford

Michele Cook

No information found.

Broken Skies (Broken Skies #1) by Theresa Kay

“In seventeen-year-old Jax Mitchell's world, humans are nearly extinct and alien settlers have arrived.
Until recently, the E’rikon have remained segregated in their city and ignored the few humans who have tried to engage them… but now they have taken Jax’s brother. To rescue him, she forms an uneasy alliance with a teenage E’rikon left stranded in the woods. She agrees to guide him to the city if he sneaks her past the human-proof barrier. Too bad it’s not that simple.
Jax, who cannot stand to be touched, finds that’s she’s drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales down his back. And he’s equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn’t know the alien’s true motives and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.
In this world where alien and human are at odds, the connection forming between the two has consequences. What started off as a rescue mission sets a chain of events in motion which threatens not only the remaining humans and the growing alien society, but Earth itself.”

YES. Just….YES. For anyone who has been around me for any length of time, you know that I totally dig Sci-Fi. It’s my favorite genre, and sometimes, it gets scarce. ESPECIALLY, good sci-fi. A good sci-fi, is like the chances of finding a majestic unicorn in your backyard. Fortunately, I’m half crazy, and I’ve found quite a few unicorns over the years. So I went in to this tour with a high bar, and hesitant expectations (but I always hope for the best when it comes to my favorite genre.)

For the first few pages, I dilly dallied, stopping to do chores and etc. But eventually I hit the sweet spot, and sat down to read all the way through the rest of it.

AMAZING. And that was my thought before I knew it was Theresa’s first (published) novel.

I love aliens, and all that jazz. BUT, Theresa managed to bring a fresh face to her aliens, I’m used to seeing Aliens in YA fiction, as humans with above average looks, intelligence or capabilities… Lir is definitely super human, and he looks human but he’s DIFFERENT. He has something that’s organically different.

On the flipside, There’s nothing I detest more than totally overboard xenologistic authors. I’m sure you’ve attempted to read at least one. One’s where it takes half the novel for you to understand what the heck is going on, and just what and who you’re dealing with.

To give you a more specific taste, I’ll share with you the moment I was riveted to the page.

---
“I pull out a green t-shirt and drop it on
the bed, then I find a pair of faded jeans with a hole in the knee— Jace won’t miss those— and
put them on the bed with the shirt.
I manage not to jump out of my skin when Lir just walks into the room. Don’t aliens know how to knock?
“Change,” I say, sending him a dirty look, and then stride back through the doorway.
Flopping into the chair in the den, I begin making a mental list of supplies we’ll need for
the trip. As I’m tallying the supplies I have on hand and what we may need to trade for, a loud
thump draws my eye to Jace’s doorway where Lir is standing with his back to me— shirtless.
My hand shoots up to cover the sound of my gasp. I’d heard of the green blood, but I’d
never heard of anything like this. Golden scales with green tips extend from the hairline on the
back of his neck in a line along his spine and flare out over his hips, disappearing into the top of
the dark gray uniform pants. The line of scales, the trail down his back only a few inches wide,
is brilliantly colored, almost like jewels. I’ve never seen anything like it and I want to know
what they feel like. Are they soft like a snake’s sun warmed skin or hard and jagged like the
colored rocks they resemble?
I’m up and almost halfway across the room before I realize what I’m doing..
--

AHHHH *fangirl squeal* The book progresses, and changes, and mystifies. Relationships form, hearts break , ideals change, and I was happy, excited and sometimes even embarrassed for the characters.

Speaking of heart break, that end left mine in pieces. Theresa, we need to have a little talk, you can’t just do this to us. You really can’t…It’s just inhumane.

But, I was (very very very) slightly comforted by the fact that the sequel is scheduled for release in September 2014.

Theresa, you have a new devoted fan.

Not to mention, you pulled a fast one on me with Flint. I TOTALLY didn’t see that one coming.

I give it a solid four and a half stars. If you are a sci-fi freak, or you’re in the mood for a whirlwind experience, I recommend Broken Skies. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review! I would appreciate it so much if you'd follow me via RSS and checked out the other wonderful bloggers on this tour. You can access the tour schedule (and links) by clicking on the tour banner above!

*my more conservative followers may not like this novel, but I can’t tell you why…. Because it would ruin a mainstream line of the novel. Sorry folks!

Gypsy Knights by Two Brothers Metz

"Fourteen-year-old Durriken Brishen has lost his parents, his grandfather, and though he doesn't know it, his Gypsy culture's dangerous gift.

       Taken in and raised on the rails by the first woman to pilot a freight train, Durriken  
          has one remaining connection to his Romani roots: a small wooden box that hangs      
        from the hammer loop of his overalls.The last gift he received from his grandfather,
  the box contains the world's first chess set. But a piece is missing: the Red Queen.
       According to Durriken’s family lore, the complete set awakens the power of Tărie, a mercurial gift that confers unique abilities on each new Master.

When a suspicious fire erupts in the Chicago rail yard, Durriken's escape produces an uneasy alliance, though not without its silver lining. Dilia is a few inches taller, several degrees cleverer, and oh yes – very pretty. While Durriken is uneasy allying with a girl whose parents were convicted of sedition, there's no doubt she is a powerful partner. And while it's not immediately clear to either, her own Guatemalan culture and family history are deeply entwined with the ancient Romani mystery.

Jumping box cars, escaping riverboats, deciphering clues, crossing swords with the brilliant madman Radu Pinch – with great American cities as its backdrop – Gypsy Knights is the page-turning saga of Durriken Brishen and his quest to rediscover his past."One word: Awesome. It’s like an Indiana Jones adventure right here in America. I love how chess and Durriken’s culture is woven seamlessly into the story, it just makes all the strategies so much more interesting. It does take a little bit for the action to start. It’s not ‘slow’ per say, it just starts handing you puzzle pieces, and you just have to wait for that moment that they all start clicking together. Negative: cussing. A few might also find it a turn off because it does incorporate Spanish (or at least that’s what I think it is…I suppose on the off chance it could be Italian because the languages are similar.)  Living where I do, the bilingual moments didn't faze me. The sequel may just put this series on the shelf of fame.

Farsighted (Farsighted #1) by Emlyn Chand

Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead broke and insanely overprotective, and... oh yeah, he's blind.
Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, an enticing new girl comes to their small Midwest town all the way from India. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Sophomore year might not be so bad after all.
Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they suggest Simmi is in mortal danger.
With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex embarks on his journey to change the future.

Farsighted is an awesome book. It was new and exciting, it almost made the shelf of fame. The sequel (s) will decide if it goes on the shelf or not (I'’ll have to think on it, It’'s a tuff decision.)  It was just a fantastic fantasy. One of my favorite things about this series is the dimension. If you want it to be a fun fantasy, it is. If you want it to be deeper, it is. Here is the deeper part:

I'd say the core of Farsighted is Truth, not only truth but the way that lies influence the truth. That truth is better incorporated if you knew something worse first. It offers a nice insight into emotions, which is the secondary theme of the series. (Along with strength, or what the world perceives to be strength.) In a twisted sort of way, the worse things that happen to us are the best. They make us more determined for the good things and make us who we are and make us better people. Alex is perfect for the symbolism for trials and tribulations. Being blind, he's 10X more likely to listen and has 10X the choice to NOT hear it. Those moments of complete disorientation are the physical manifestation of our emotional incapabilities (ours by choice). He's the epitome of human abilities. Because, in reality, we all have our own blindness. It shouldn't be our 'disability' of our lives per say, rather our 'ablility.' Anyway, I love this book, it’s definitely a re-reader, and one of my favorites this year. Only one negative, cussing. But I think the story is definitely worth it.

Elfin (The Elfin #1) by Quinn Loftis

Before tonight Cassie Tate’s biggest concerns were whether she could pass Algebra and how she was going to keep Elora, her best friend, from dressing her in a skimpy fairy costume for Halloween. Her feet were firmly planted in suburban reality and she had no reason to believe her life would be anything but that of a typical teenager. That is until tonight, when Cassie saw something that no human was ever supposed to see; in the blink of an eye she was thrown into the world of the Light and Dark Elves.
He comes from a realm where light and dark have fought for millennia. He is of a race known to humans only in myths and legends. The darkness that lives inside him is a part of both who and what he is and it makes him the most gifted spy and assassin in the history of his time. His life is not his own; he lives in the service of the Dark Elf King. He slays who he must, has mercy on no one, is relentless in his hunt, and never tires of seeing his prey fall. He is Triktapic, assassin, spy, most feared of the Dark Elves.
Now, in the midst of his King’s complicated plans to expand the Dark Elves’ holdings into the mortal realm, for the first time, Trik finds his loyalties divided. For no Elf, Dark or Light, can turn away from their Chosen.
Unbeknownst to the mortal realm, the battle between Light and Dark is being brought to their doorstep. The only one who can keep it at bay holds darkness in his heart like a lover, and the one who can sway that heart must decide if she can look beyond his black past, beyond his evil nature and see the man he is destined to be.
The question must be asked, does love really cover a multitude of sins? Can true love actually conquer all or will his darkness consume those around him until all that stands is an assassin with the blood of the mortal realm on his hands?

This book was just ok. I enjoyed the biblical analogies, and I really do love books with elves; But, there were a few things in this novel that kept me from really digging in to the novel. The love between Trik and Cassie really didn’t sink in for me, it was annoying at times. It was fast, and reasonless for the most part. It was one of those ‘instant’ romances. (and you know how I don’t get along with those.)

I did really enjoy those analogies though. I can’t really say yay or nay to this book. It seemed like it needed a better content editor, or beta reader. The last few chapters of the book may have redeemed themselves. I love Cassie’s best friend Elora! She has a riot of a personality, and I personally can’t wait to hear her story. The book seesawed between my favorite things, and my least favorite things.

Overall, I think I’ll say it was a good book! I’m just really not the instant romance type. Nontheless, I think Quinn’s writing will improve, and her rough plot lines may smooth out as a result. Especially since she established her new world in Elfin. I look forward to the sequel.
This book was provided to me by the author through Reading Away the Days book tours, in exchange for an honest review.

13 Treasures (13 Treasures #1) by Ethan Dempsey

High school senior Evan Snowden loves his eccentric grandfather more than anything. Grandpa Kent is an adventurer, a man who seeks to answer history's greatest mysteries. To Evan his a man of wonderful stories. And it's these stories that have enthralled and captivated Evan for years. 
But a vicious attack on his grandfather plunges Evan and his best friend, Charlie, into a world of intrigue, danger, and discovery. A world that Evan has only known in the words of his grandfather's stories.

It was amazing! I loved it, it was fun, sort of short, but full of action and adventure. At one point, it almost made me cry. A little cussing, but well worth the fun adventure. Kind of reminded me of a teenage National Treasure… that could be just me though, I love movies.. anyway, it was really good! I recommend it, especially if your looking for a quick, but fantastic read. I loved Evan’s thoughts, not many novels are from a guys perspective and if they are, they don’t usually have their thoughts. I loved that it proves that boys have emotions (a lot of novels really ignore that side of them.) I definitely recommend this series. Ethan has lowered the kindle price just for you guys! It won’t last forever though, so I suggest you get it soon!

Defy (Firstborn Trilogy #1) by Raine Thomas

Seventeen-year-old Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her, their dreams foretell her death.
Eager to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely injured and battling for her life.
Her possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth destroying his.
As Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.

Wow! I was really impressed. While I’m an optimist, I really wasn’t expecting to love the book as much as I did. I’d just read a really fantastic book and sometimes it throws me off my funk and I have to wait a few days to read another book. That didn’t happen when I picked up Defy. Although, I do feel like if I had read the Daughters of Saraqael trilogy I would have understood things better. It was still vastly entertaining, with varying points of view and numerous things going on, It reminded me a little (style wise) of Beckoning Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy (a book series I also enjoy.) It takes wits to read this book. I recommend it for mature readers (there is some abuse and implications of rape-type things going on.) Otherwise, it was a perfectly entertaining read. I’m eager to see what happens next!

Dazzle (Delaney's Gift #1) by Amber Garza

Sixteen-year-old Delaney Scott possesses a special gift. Ever since she was a child she has known about her calling and the duty she’s expected to fulfill.
However, all Delaney wants is to be normal. That’s why she is drawn to Sam. He can offer her the life she’s always desired. Only Sam has secrets of his own.
Secrets that are deadly. Secrets that can change everything.
Wow! What a ride! This book made a powerful statement by breaking all the rules in the book. (I have a thing for rule-breaking authors….if they do it well.) First, It did a multiple perspective first person style. I’ve only found a few other authors who favor this point of view and writing style, and at that, most can’t pull it off. (INSERT AUTHOR NAME HERE) definitely pulled it off. Second, she took the physical stereotypes and threw them through the window. In fiction (let alone young adult) you very rarely see….well, you very rarely see the rare! Dreadlocks? Check. Tattoos? Check. Red hair? Check. Butt long hair? Check. That made the characters come alive, AUTHORS NAME made them different than your average Joe, and farther, her characters didn’t pretend they were average Joes. It was very refreshing. The third thing she did that isn’t seen as ‘done’ in the YA literature world; CLIFF HANGERS! Yeah, there was a peppering of them last year…but you just don’t see quality cliffhangers anymore. This one definitely caught me! The fourth thing she did (and the last thing I’ll point out) is that she presented a really interesting love triangle (er…zig zag.) and you genuinely can’t tell what’s going to happen. I know what I want to happen, but I can’t tell what to make of all these 100% human feels! Among other things she wove in an almost seamless analogy (I’m not tellin!) and did I mention Micah is my superhero? Because he is! I love male POV and I’m glad that’s starting to trend. He also expressed a very accurate friendship/loyalty/love emotional confusion. Bottom line, I ADORED this book, and I can’t wait to read book #2! I was seriously impressed.
I’m going to try to get an author interview! Stay tuned!
(This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review, this review is a part of the Reading Away the Days Blog tour.)

The Collector (Dante Walker #1) by Victoria Scott

He makes good girls...bad.
Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.
Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.
Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

I get giddy when I look at this book. I even made the rare decision to buy an actual copy for myself! This book had a CRUISE LINER’S worth of hype around it, and that something that I was nervous about. Until recently, I have avoided directly requesting such high profile books. But, something about the book really called out to me. (Not going to argue, it could have been the cover. I love when covers DON’T show the protagonist (erm…antagonists?) face.) I clicked the request button and waited nervously. SO many reviewers were requesting it! I got the email later that said I hadn’t been approved for the early round, but that my name had been added in a sort of luck-of-the-draw deal.

Later, one of the tour groups I’m a part of was given the book, so I thought “why not?” They approved 79 other bloggers, but I was not one of them. Yeah, I was mad at that point… but I calmed down and BOOM, three weeks later, the lovely publicist gave me an ecopy in the 8th round of blogger calls.

YAY! I was ultra-excited for two hours (complete with jumping around the house.) then I sat down and thought “WHAT HAVE I DONE?!” I’ve gone to such lengths to get this novel….what if I hate it? Then I thought, what the heck am I doing? Why am I so worried, I’m never this way over novels!

So I sat down.

And surprised myself…because I LOVED IT! Ha! This book is so clearly written. I say it that way because it’s not over decorative in its descriptions, it’s witty, it’s sarcastic…and at other moments, deeply tender.

Victoria captures a pretty good window through the male mind (I can’t say for sure of course, I’m not a guy) but this book doesn’t try to gussy up guy thoughts. Moreover, the transition Dante goes through resonates. People rarely choose to change...and if they do, they have already changed on the inside. Dante is influenced by Charlie before he’s even aware of what he’s doing.

When he finally does notice, he takes a step back, juggles his options, and has to decide which side of the fence he wants to fall on. (and change the fate of the world in the process) through a surprising ending.  Further, there are subtle allegories with deeply moral backgrounds woven through a story of sin better than any other (technically secular) novel that I’ve ever seen (and does it ball parks better than any religious author.) I can’t recommend this book enough. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series. (and watching Victoria’s works to boot.)  Scroll down for commenting and click the red Chuck on the shelf to enter a GIVEAWAY!

This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Warnings for this novel includes cursing, underage drinking, and a few sexual scenes.

The Claiming Words (The Claiming Words) by Tricia Drammeh

The Alexanders have always kept their secrets hidden…
When sixteen-year-old Jace Alexander moves to the small town of Oaktree, Georgia, he attracts the attention of every girl in school. Shy, introverted Alisa Cole immediately casts Jace in the leading role of her latest fantasy, but she assumes he’ll never return her interest. After she saves Jace from a Hunter, everything changes. Her accidental discovery of Jace’s secret propels her into a world of magic and danger. Alisa’s newfound courage is put to the test when Jace introduces her to his intimidating older brother, Bryce, and she decides she would rather battle a Hunter than endure another moment under Bryce’s intense scrutiny.
Jace and Bryce aren’t the only ones with secrets…
Rachel Stevens is the girl who has it all. She’s beautiful, popular, and in possession of an ancient power which endangers not only her, but those sent to protect her. Jace is drawn to Rachel—and he isn’t the only one. The Demon Re’Vel will do anything to claim her—even if it means waging a war with the entire Alexander family. As layers of secrets are peeled away, revealing the truth of her heritage and her family’s betrayal, Rachel struggles to resist an immortal suitor who stalks her in her dreams. With the Alexanders fighting to protect her, can Rachel escape the power of the Demon and his Claiming Words?

I’ll admit it, I was really nervous to read this book. About a month ago (for future readers, that would be February of 2013) I joined Reading Away the Days tours. I’m picky about the tours I participate in, but every single one I’ve decided to join at that tour group has been awesome. Every time I’m sent a book I think that it’s got to be the one that ends the good streak.
This week alone, I’ve read 5 mind blowing books in a row! How does that even happen?!? I don’t know.. but the point is, I really enjoyed this book. At first, I wasn’t sure about it because it seemed very sudden in it’s plotline take-off.

But you eventually learn that there’s a reasoning behind that sudden take-off and for the awkward beginnings. Another thing is, Tricia hit my Achilles heel. Turds turned to Treasures. I love love/hate relatioships.

I did see it coming, but I didn’t care that I knew what was happening. It tickled me pink. I loved how there were similarities between the brothers  Jace and Bryce, while at the same time, they handled the same situation with intense difference (towards grief and relationships in particular.)

I also really liked how there was a real rivalry between the girls at the beginning (the object being Jace.) You don’t usually see that represented in YA novels. It spoke the truth that sometimes girls know that they don’t need (insert person of interest) but that girls want said person anyway!
There are a lot of things I admire about this book, including the diversity of each ADversity.

I can’t wait to read the next installment ( I shook my fists at amazon. Thy foul mistress tricked me again. I totally thought the next installment had already been published. *sigh* Being a reader is like wanting to fight a fire breathing dragon with your bare hands…  and thinking you’ll win.  I can’t decide if I’m glad I caught this series while it was young, or sad that there isn't more for me to read!) I highly recommend this book. This book was given to me by Reading Away the Days, and Tricia Drammeh in exchange for an honest review.

A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1) by Jocelyn Davies

On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

This poor book. I don’t know what happened to it. Let me lay out the book for you:

Fend off wannabe boyfriend #1
Something weird happens
Get irritated at boy #2 and #3
Kiss boy #2
Something weird happens
Kiss boy #3
Get irritated at boy #2 and boy #3
Rinse, repeat…


It had a good…how do I say it…? Frame work. It had good framework. But it lost it after that. The book fails to mention why she has to choose between the two boys, when she has to choose (…before some catastrophic event or such.) and fails to mention why it would have anything to do with the overall picture of things. Also: In the book, Devin is a ‘good angel’ so to speak. The reason he seems safe and secure is because the good angels are incapable of ‘bad’ feelings (jealousy, hatred etc.) but Devin’s ‘girlfriend’ back home, oozes hatred and jealousy toward Skye. It just didn’t make sense. Nothing Jocelyn said stuck. It contradicted itself and went on and on and on. Do yourself a favor. Wait two days and get Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen. Same sort of concept, but a world of difference in every other fashion.

A Fractured Light (A Beautiful Dark #2) by Jocelyn Davies

When she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, Skye knows something terrible has happened to her. It's not until she hears Asher, the dark, rebellious angel she fell in love with, that the memories come flooding back. She tries to put the past behind her, but she knows she'll be forever haunted by the ruthless betrayal that almost took her life.
Skye returns home, but with the knowledge of who she really is, nothing can ever be the same. As she tests the limits of her newfound powers, Skye discovers that she's capable of far more than anyone could have imagined. Both the Order and the Rebellion want her for their side as war between the factions looms. She can't forget the terrifying truth she now knows about the Order, but something holds her back from embracing the Rebellion.

You know, I didn’t like the first, but I knew it had potential, and I was curious to see if it harnessed some of it. It didn’t. Nothing really happened in the novel….I mean…it just sort of trudged on through the snow and just sort of..existed. it never really gave into what is was getting at. The end was a little different. And of course Skye really irritates me…she has like… three guys trailing around her, and she never does anything about them. She just goes from one to the other to the other. I suppose what I should say is that the series just lacks development and logic. I don’t feel attachment to any of the characters, and that just sucks the fun out of it all. 

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1) by Susan Ee

It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.
Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.
Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.
Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco where she’ll risk everything to rescue her sister and he’ll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

I really didn’t like this book. I don’t really have much to say about the composition itself… I felt like it had true potential when I received it (BEA 2012!) but the more I read, the more it let me down. It lacked a certain…direction. I mean, they each had a goal, but it just seemed like it was filling this hole. Like it was a little lost and so it just decided to say ‘How about this general direction?’

I was willing to give it a chance but what really ticked me off was smack in the middle of the action, Raffe just decides to blurt out ‘Oh, no, I’m agnostic.’

Listen, I know agnostics aren’t atheists. Agnostics don’t confirm or deny God’s existence. I just couldn’t take it seriously after that. He’s a freaking angel who’s not sure of God’s existence. Seriously? I don’t mind when the angels are Fallen, or something similar…but an angel that’s just not sure?!  I finished the book quickly after that. There are loads of other Angel/Fallen Angel stories out there, just don’t get this one…its just sort of…lukewarm.  I have other issues with some of the…..implied things about God/angels/human kind. But It’s far too detailed to go through here. Perhaps on my blog page I roll out my arsenal.  ;)

8/22/12

Allon by Shawn Lamb

The land of Allon was a paradise until the fall of the Guardians paved the way for the rise of the Dark Way. Evil King Marcellus now controls the land as his forefathers did, with an iron fist and the help of the evil spirit, Dagar. But an ancient prophecy speaks of a time to come when the Guardians will return and Allon will be restored—lead by its rightful heir. All the while, the exiled teenage Promised Prince, Ellis, must prove himself worthy to be king through a series of supernatural trials that test his character, wisdom, courage, and his heart. The first in the Allon series, this magical tale of adventure, destiny, and faith will test the reader’s strength and awaken their spirit of adventure

This book presents a very unique challenge, it has a European influence. In no way is this an absolute negative, it is just something to think about personally. American influence is often in my mind referred to as ‘the easy format’ because American writers often shift the focus away from the actual background of the character to the plot or action (or what’s just happening at that moment.) An American mind might have the opinion that European influence has a shift on the characters,that’s false. European influence (these are not professional terms or accounts, just something that I have recognized in reading) doesn’t have a shift at all. It concentrates heavily on both the plot and the characters. Sometimes, we may think that it is excess complication. That is also false. Were the problem really is, is in the brain. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but if I were to guess, I would say it is the culture and society (or lack thereof), we simply concentrate on the situation too much and not the people themselves. Now, you may already know: Shawn Lamb is American! I find this to be really intriguing. I did notice in the book, that it is not constantly in ‘European mode.’ Often, the chapters with the most dialogue, are more to the American style. Which means: you can really use this book to adjust to the European style, before you go on to books entirely written in that way (such as ‘The Princess Plot’ by Kirsten Boie.)

Bottom line: This may not be for beginning readers, but there really is no negative to this book. Plus, I like to challenge my stubborn American mind to read a different style. Don’t get frustrated, try it again if you don’t get it, brains are stubborn objects. One huge positive: NO CUSSING!
Food for thought: Maybe this is the reason why a lot of Americans find things like Shakespeare difficult to read. What do you think? Need more encouragement?
DARE TO READ

Afterlife Academy by Jaimie Admans

Even being dead isn’t enough to get you out of maths class. 
Dying wasn't on sixteen-year-old Riley Richardson's to-do list. And now, not only is she dead, but she's stuck in a perpetual high school nightmare. Worse still, she's stuck there with the geekiest, most annoying boy in the history of the world, ever. 
In a school where the geeks are popular and just about everything is wrong, Riley has become an outcast. She begins a desperate quest to get back home, but her once-perfect life starts to unravel into something not nearly as great as she thought it was. And maybe death isn’t really that bad after all... 
Welcome to Afterlife Academy, where horns are the norm, the microwave is more intelligent than the teachers, and the pumpkins have a taste for blood.

Afterlife Academy was pretty good, and unique! Usually, at the beginning of a book, you are introduced to a character, who has a problem, and a lot of unfair circumstances. You end up feeling sorry for them, or identifying with them, and start rooting for them. Afterlife Academy is the opposite. At the beginning, you will absolutely hate the main character (protagonist, if that’s what you wish to call her…) It was refreshing to have a different kind of character (frustrating in the best kind of way.)

I never did warm up to the characters personally, but I did enjoy the story and the message it sent. I was however a little disheartened at the fuzzy line it drew in the afterlife. I understand why that was done (either because the author doesn’t believe in God, or perhaps to make it more palatable to a broad audience.)

I do like how Riley was thrust in to life on the other side of the fence, and she eventually learned to deal with it. The only real stickler for me (like I mentioned) was the fact that I never actually cared for the characters. On the other hand, it was a nicely written novel (and some of the pranks, I’ve actually seen carried out in real life, and they were HILARIOUS.) So, I think I’d have to say that my review is overall good. It’s one of those on-the-fence-feelings books.

Pastworld by Ian Beck

Eve has grown up in Pastworld; it’s a Victorian era London. The people inside know nothing about the outside world.
Caleb’s father was one of the original imagineeers for Pastworld theme park and now they get to go to Pastworld as guests. It is the world’s most authentic amusement park, but the last thing they expected was murder.
The Phantom is the murderer, the mass murderer. He has every one where he wants them, fearing his name. His favorite signature? Cutting his victim’s hearts out.

This was the most disturbing book I have ever read (and not in the delightful way.) The gore wasn't bad, but I would just really like to get a psych evaluation on the author. Eve (throughout the book) wants to be strangled. So whenever she meets a new person (with one exception) , she puts their hands on her throat and tells them to strangle her. She takes pleasure in it. Its just mentally disturbing. Don’t read this, it was pointless. I cannot stress enough how disturbing this book was. I will never recommend this book to anyone.

Eye of the Moon by Dianne Hofmeyr

      Isikara and her father tend the sacred crocodiles and assist at mummifications of both humans and animals. One day, they are ordered to a tomb. Two bodies are waiting for them--Queen Tiy and her eldest son, Tuthmosis. Tuthmosis has been poisoned but is clinging to life. With no time to spare, Isikara rescues the young prince and runs away with him. The pair find themselves on a journey across Egypt, searching for allies who will help Tuthmosis regain his throne. Their travels lead them along the Nile, across the desert, and through bustling market towns. All the while they must avoid their pursuers, the High Priests who wish to silence them. But there are dangers in the desert and all around. Who can they trust? And where will their adventure lead them?

  Isakara is her father’s temple assistant. She takes care of the sacred crocodiles (the same ones who ate her brother’s arm) and helps embalm bodies. Right as they were to begin the ritual offering to Sobeck, they were summoned for a royal embalming. It was the Queen and the Crown Prince who were dead. Isakara, or Kara as her friends call her, was always a stubborn girl. She was shocked when her father told her to run away. Not only run away, but to flee Egypt. And not just flee, but flee with the Prince. It turned out that the Crown Prince Tuthmosis had survived the poison that was given to him and his mother, and Kara was to smuggle him out. With his younger brother was in charge of the thrown and the high priest of Egypt after his soul, it was unlikely they’d even make it to the Great Nile River.

Eye of the Moon was fantastic! First of all, I would like to say, this is a special book. My dad picked it out on the shelf; he has a way of doing that. He read the back and then handed it to me, he knew I would love it, he has never given me a book that I haven’t liked (ignore the double negatives, you know what I meant.) It was a pretty summer day when I started reading it. I wanted to take advantage, so I sat in the grass. Thirty minutes later I was on chapter 11 and something weird happened. The book melted. It must have been hotter than I thought. Nevertheless I was able to finish the book. I would definitely recommend this book. I may love it because I’m extremely interesting in Egyptian history and Tuthmosis is one of my favorite pharaohs, but it was excellent! It has a nice bit of mythology and history to learn but it isn’t cut and dry. You know, like some of the dusty history books you’re handed at school. Definite recommend. Can’t wait to read Eye of the Sun.  
         

The Other Life (The Other Life #1) by Susanne Winnacker

"3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life. 98,409,602 seconds since the heavy, steel door had fallen shut and sealed us off from the world

Sherry has lived with her family in a sealed bunker since things went wrong up above. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find a world of devastation, desolation...and the Weepers: savage, mutant killers.

When Sherry's dad is snatched, she joins forces with gorgeous but troubled Joshua - an Avenger, determined to destroy the Weepers.

But can Sherry keep her family and Joshua safe, when his desire for vengeance threatens them all?”

I loved this book, I’m sad that it isn't getting much attention! I loved that it wasn't just ‘kind of’ dystopian. This is honest to goodness zombie, desperate measures for desperate times, dystopia. It had beautiful side-stories, a dash of mystery, and a heaping tablespoon of romance. You guys know that’s all I need, fighting zombies with a good looking guy. Booyah.  I can’t wait to see what Susanne rolls out next. Oh, and I’m really eager to find out what happens with - *oopsie, I can't say that here.*

I absolutely recommend this book. I just wish it had more attention!
This book was given to me by Marshall Cavendish in exchange for an honest review

Cover Craze Comment:

Okay, I really have to comment on the covers, even though I usually don’t. The ARC cover is the one with the girl upfront and the boy walking on the pavement. I love that cover, it tells me everything I need to know about the book.

The actual cover is the one with the butterfly. I like the ARC cover better, but if you take a closer look at the butterfly, it’s wings have some creepy art on them. Love that..and the fact that the butterfly almost looks like blood. All in all, both covers are cool.

Winner Bakes All by Sheryl & Carrie Berk

Meet Sadie.

When she's not mixing it up on the basketball court, she's mixing the perfect batter with her friends in the cupcake club. Sadie's definitely no stranger to competition, but the oven mitts are off when the club is chosen to appear on Battle of the Bakers, the ultimate cupcake competition on TV.

But the real battle happens off camera when the club's baking business starts losing money.

With the clock ticking and the cameras rolling, will the club and their cupcakes rise to the occasion?

This is such a delightful chapter book! I know my sister and I would have really loved to have had this as kids. A lot happens to Sadie in this book, fears of money troubles and fears over her parent’s arguments (which I think most kids can identify with.) She has two harassing brothers that ultimately always have her back…and she has her friends and PLC (Peace, Love, Cupcakes.) I don’t want to go into too much detail because that would ruin the book, but I really enjoyed how this book expressed that winning isn’t everything. I think that this would make a perfect treat (pun completely intended) for young girls who show an interest in baking!

I don’t want to sound shallow…but I have to say, my favorite part is the section of cupcake recipes in the back. Yeah, I’m kind of a foodie.  (Golden Caramel Cupcakes, yep, sounds like heaven…)
This book was provided to me by the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review.
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