Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Journey to Hope by Cindy Young-Turner


Synopsis:
A Little Moon- a brief tale in the Thief of Hope Series

As the third son of a lesser nobleman, Edgar Gray’s prospects are limited at best. He longs to find some meaning in a life of privilege. An encounter with Rose, a peasant girl, gives him a chance to help those in need. But the Guild has spread to Tipton Village, and unrest is brewing among the villagers. Edgar and Rose are torn between love, duty, and loyalty to family, and the rise of the Guild threatens to destroy Edgar’s very way of life. 

In a land where magic is outlawed, both a wizard and the faery folk have taken an interest in Edgar. Sometimes there is no escaping destiny, but even sacrifice can lead to hope.

My Thoughts:
Thief of Hope was one of my favorite books that I read in 2012. When Cindy Young-Turner asked if I would like to review Journey to Hope, a novella that goes along with the series, I jumped at the chance. 

It was fascinating to read Edgar's back story before he met Sydney. I felt bad for Edgar throughout Journey to Hope. His father and the rest of his family were complete jerks. They never listened to Edgar. They also treated the peasants terribly. I liked Rose, the female main character. She was so nice to Edgar, despite how his family treated her and people like her.

I enjoyed the love story aspect of Journey to Hope. It didn't feel rushed like a lot of short stories do. The ending was kind of sad. I predicted that something bad was going to happen. I just wasn't sure what it specifically would be. 

Journey to hope was a great in between novella. The novella got me even more excited than I already was for the next book in the series to be released.

I give Journey to Hope: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://cindyyoungturner.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCindyYoungTurner
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCindyYT
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882750.Cindy_Young_Turner

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover


Synopsis:
Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

My Thoughts:
Hopeless was an emotional roller coaster. It had me laughing and sobbing within the same chapter. Throughout the last seventy five percent of the book, it felt like my heart was being ripped into a million pieces. Just when I thought it wasn't possible to cry anymore, something even worse would happen, and I'd start sobbing all over again.

When I was reading the first few pages of Hopeless, I was hesitant. Everyone that I've heard talk about Hopeless absolutely loves it. That makes me nervous because I don't usually enjoy popular books. 

However, as soon as I met Holder, I became entranced the same way that Sky did. I had to know more about Holder and why he was behaving the way that he did. The more I read about him, the more I liked him even thought he was kind of a douchebag. He is my current book boyfriend. 

All of the plot twists were unexpected. I didn't see any of them coming. The most shocking one for me was what happens to Sky's dad. It completely took me by surprise.

The characters were beautifully written. The two characters I liked the most were Holder and Breckin. I liked Holder for obvious reasons (most of them stated above). I liked Breckin because he was very down to earth. I could picture him as someone that I would hangout with on a daily basis. His "Mormon" jokes were hilarious.

Hopeless is the best book that I have read all year. It might even be my favorite book of all time. It was a powerful story that proves love defies all odds. I suggest that you pick it up ASAP and read it if you haven't already.

I give Hopeless: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://colleenhoover.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorColleenHoover
Twitter: https://twitter.com/colleenhoover
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Monday, January 20, 2014

30 Days of RecruitZ


RecruitZ blurb: Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for several months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.


Karice lives in Washington with her wonderful husband, who also happens to be her high school sweetheart and their two cute English bulldogs! She enjoys reading, baking, and trying to be crafty on her off-hours. She's also a coffee, tea, and snow addict. If she could live somewhere that had the white stuff year-round, she probably would. She also loves chatting with her readers on Facebook!

Her books include: 

The Witch Avenue Series (Lonely Souls, Altered Souls, Released Souls, and Shattered Souls)

Beyond Love Series (Beyond Control, Beyond Doubt, Beyond Reason)

Watchers Trilogy (Taken, Awakening, Legions, Cataclysm)

Afterworld Series (RecruitZ)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:

“Babe, whatever happens…”
“Knock it off,” I said.
“We have nothing to fight them with, and a horde this size needs a distraction.”
“Don’t you dare,” I hissed, shaking my head. The fear was pulsing through me at an unstoppable rate. “We didn’t live through the outbreak to die now.”
I gritted my teeth, grabbed the civilian anti-zombie kit from under my seat, unzipped it, and looked for anything inside that might help. We were instructed to drop these kits off at government collection stations. I was grateful we never got around to it.
Gavin held down the ignition and reverse buttons at the same time in a vain attempt to override the safety sensors.
“Damn it,” he muttered.
“Try rebooting the car. Turn it off and take the key out. Give it a few seconds and slip the key back in. Maybe if you pop it in reverse before the car can sense the zombies, it’ll let us reverse,” I directed.
He nodded, biting his lip, and turned off the engine allowing the moans of the horde outside to be heard. I took a deep breath and looked out my window that was now completely blocked by tattered shirts and non-oozing wounds pressed against the glass. It would only be a matter of time before they began to break through the glass. The moans turned into a chorus of humming.
“One-Mississippi-two…” Gavin’s words wrapped around me.
I prayed silently to the same God I’d prayed to many nights before. He listened then and I hoped he’d listen now.
I grabbed two knives that were in the kit and flipped the blades open, locking them in place. The anodized orange handles were larger than the actual blades. Not comforting. I handed one to Gavin.
“There’s still a Louisville Slugger on the floor behind us,” Gavin said. His brown hair was cut short. That was one of the first things he did after we were vaccinated. A haircut and a shave to celebrate our survival. He still looked young but not as young as we both did before the outbreak.
I slid toward the center console, crawling as far from the passenger window as I could get. Gavin’s breathing was heavy, and I felt the heat rolling off him as he continued to struggle with what we were facing.
I dug around in the bottom of the bag for the zombie deterrent. My hand clasped around the ADD, also known as the Audible Distraction Device, and I dropped the kit to the floor.
The car rocked back and forth as the number of beasts grew on both sides, creating a trance-like rhythm that was terrifying.
“Grab the bat,” Gavin instructed, his voice low.
I slid my hand to his knee, squeezing it hard before I reached behind us and grabbed the wooden weapon.
The challenges we faced living off the land paled in comparison to what we faced confined in this car.
Gavin turned the engine on and sunk it into reverse, only to be stalled right where we were.
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Sunday, January 19, 2014

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa


Synopsis:
Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

My Thoughts:
Holy crap, this book was incredible! The Immortal Rules was one of my favorite books of 2012. I didn't think another book could be as good as it was. Well, I was wrong. Even though I loved The Immortal Rules, The Eternity Cure was much better. It went above and beyond my expectations. I had the book on my Kindle for a long time before I read it. Now I wish I would have read it when I first got it.

The plot picked up where the first book left off. The Eternity Cure was action packed from the first page. There was never a moment where I got bored and wanted to put the book down.

Most of the characters from the first book are in the story, which was a nice surprise. I like it when books stick with the same characters throughout the series. They appear when you least expect it. I actually started to like Jackal, which was shocking. He was my most hated character in The Immortal Rules. However, in The Eternity Cure, I found myself enjoying his cynical sense of humor. I also felt a lot of sympathy for him.

The ending of The Eternity Cure completely destroyed me. After the last sentence, I let out a few cuss words. I can't wait for the final book in the trilogy, The Forever Song, to find out how everything ends.

I give The Eternity Cure: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://juliekagawa.com/wordpress/
Blog: http://juliekagawa.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-Kagawa-author/252661891438654
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2995873.Julie_Kagawa

I received this book from the publisher, Harlequin Teen, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for this review. 

Saturday, January 18, 2014

The Mill by Mark West


Synopsis:
Michael struggles to come to terms with the death of his wife. He has visions of her calling to him, inviting him to the beyond.

At the Bereaved Partners’ Group, he learns that he is not the only one left behind who can hear the departed beckon them… to the Mill.

My Thoughts:
The Mill was an novella that intrigued me. At first, it had me very confused. When Michael was dreaming at the beginning, I had no clue what was going on. Also, his trip to the mill made me a little confused. However, once I started to figure out what was going in, I became very emotionally involved in the story.

I felt bad for Michael. I can't even begin to imagine the heartache that comes from losing a spouse, especially in a terrible way like that. I was hoping that Michael and Saskia would be able to push through their grief together, but unfortunately it didn't happen. The ending to The Mill was predictable, yet still shocking. It will stay with me for a long time.

I give The Mill: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.markwest.org.uk/
Blog: http://mark-west.livejournal.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.west.313924
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkEWest
Pintrest: http://www.pinterest.com/markewest/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/640719.Mark_West

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Friday, January 17, 2014

The Thirteenth Gift by Charlene Costanzo


Synopsis:
While on assignment in Eastern Europe, Claire, a U.S. journalist, learns of a local legend. The deceptively simple story about "the thirteenth gift" has a profound effect on Claire, which soon transforms her marriage, her work, and the way she sees the world. The Thirteenth Gift is both a cautionary tale and an inspirational fable as it shows a way through the perilous consequences of greed, arrogance, and abuse of power to an uplifted state of consciousness and community. The Thirteenth Gift invites readers to renew their own sense of wonderment, which can lead to freedom from fear and to a greater experience of hope, beauty, and joy in daily life. Like the message of the award-winning book, The Twelve Gifts of Birth, this novella from Charlene Costanzo reminds readers to see the dignity that is inherent in themselves and others.

My Thoughts:
The Thirteenth Gift is an inspirational tale. It's a story within a story. The story is about a king and queen who leave their kingdom for a while. The queen is trying to prove to the king that everyone in the kingdom has gifts, not just royalty as they previously thought. The Thirteenth Gift is the one that can save the kingdom. 

This book taught me a lot of things. It taught me to always be grateful for what I have. The Thirteenth Gift also taught me not to get so caught up in life that I forget to live. Claire was so caught up in her work, she missed important milestones in her family's life. 

I loved The Thirteenth Gift. It was written beautifully. I will definitely be reading more of Charlene Costanzo's work in the future.

I give The Thirteenth Gift: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://charlenecostanzo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlene.costanzo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@12gifts
Pintrest: http://www.pinterest.com/12Gifts/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CharleneCostanzo
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16321.Charlene_Costanzo

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for this review.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Solstice by P.J. Hoover


Synopsis:
Piper's world is dying. 

Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy the earth. Amid this global heating crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom.

Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth.

An imaginative melding of mythology and dystopia, Solstice is the first YA novel by talented newcomer P. J. Hoover.

My Thoughts:
I loved Solstice. Dystopian is one of my favorite genres. YA dystopian is like crack to me. It's my addiction. When I read a YA dystopian, I speed right through it. I just can't get enough. If you combine mythology and dystopian, I am in heaven. That's exactly what Solstice does. I have always been interested in mythology. I love learning as much as I can about it. 

Solstice has a fantastic premise, and it definitely follows through. I read Solstice in just a few hours and fell in love with it. P.J. Hoover does a wonderful job with the world building. I could see the global heating crisis happening sometime in the distant future if we don't do something to lessen the effects of global warming, or stop it altogether. I hope that the author writes a sequel.

I give Solstice: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.pjhoover.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorPJHoover
Twiiter: https://twitter.com/pj_hoover
Instagram: http://instagram.com/pj_hoover
Tumblr: http://pjhoover.tumblr.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/965908.P_J_Hoover

I received this book from the publisher, Tor Teen, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.