tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71566038311148617232024-03-13T08:10:30.126-04:00* i loves to read *a clean reads book review blogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.comBlogger517125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-37266103189918440602016-09-20T18:28:00.002-04:002016-09-20T18:28:07.810-04:00New Blog Page!!<div style="text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-35137033287267046612016-08-20T09:01:00.001-04:002016-08-25T18:52:13.286-04:00Book Review: It Started With Goodbye - Christina June<a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1465924481l/27830287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1465924481l/27830287.jpg" width="210" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27830287-it-started-with-goodbye">It Started With Goodbye</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13987227.Christina_June">Christina June</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">My rating:</span></b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1726724602">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publishing:</span></b> May 9, 2017<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Blink/HarperCollins</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Pre-Order:</span></b><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://amzn.com/B01HAKH5LY">https://amzn.com/B01HAKH5LY</a></span><br />
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A beautiful cover, a blurb that boasts a modern Cinderella story; is it any surprise that I was drawn to <em> It Started With Goodbye</em> right away? <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></strong> I adore the fact that, for the first time since <em> Cinder and Ella</em> (yet, another Cinderella story) I was sucked into a story so deeply that it took me less than 24 hours to read it. ...well, it isn't a 500 page book, so there's that, but you get my point. It feels like it's been a while since I was plunged into a book like that.<br />
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I enjoyed Tatum's character a lot, and watching how she was going to handle and come through her particular predicament. She was being blamed for something that wasn't her fault, and being punished rather harshly at that. I enjoyed how she came up with ways of overcoming this punishment, sometimes with just a positive attitude. Then even when there were times when she was being rebellious, she still managed to be honorable in her thoughts, and ultimately her actions as well. It made me like her that much more. <br />
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Of course there has to be a Prince Charming! True to the Cinderella story, we don't really 'see' him too much, but I did enjoy how their relationship formed and bloomed throughout the story.<br />
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Throughout the book there was an overlying theme of misconceptions and hurts - you can trace it back through several of the characters. It was nice to see how some of these things played out and when the truth was revealed or the characters let go of their own hurt to view things from another perspective, things were made right.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></strong> I think one of the things I wish would have worked out a bit differently was the end when Tatum finally got to really talk to her parents. I felt like this was glossed over a bit. There seemed to be a lot of long lasting hurt feelings, however only the surface was scratched on the depth of the rejection and loneliness that Tate was going through. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span> </strong> It is always fun to read modernized fairytales. They are predictable, of course, but I love being swept up into the story while at the same time knowing how things are probably going to end anyway. <em>It Started With Goodbye</em> had me hooked from the very beginning. I recommend this book for teenager of all ages, and again I have suggested to my 11 year old daughter that she may like the book - so you know it's clean!<br />
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<em>I received a copy if It Started With Goodbye from Blink in exchange for an honest review. I have received no other compensation, other than the joy of reading, for my opinion. </em>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3202140-anita">View all my reviews</a>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-89781779871993922682016-08-17T00:00:00.000-04:002016-08-25T18:53:39.393-04:00Book Review: My Lady Jane - Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1444923765l/22840421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1444923765l/22840421.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22840421-my-lady-jane">My Lady Jane</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3290920.Cynthia_Hand">Cynthia Hand</a>, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">My rating:</span></b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1713893747">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Published:</span></b> June 7, 2016<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> HarperTeen<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://amzn.com/B015CYCHNQ">https://amzn.com/B015CYCHNQ</a></span><br />
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Another winner that I got from <a href="http://www.owlcrate.com/" target="_blank">Owlcrate </a>- which if you've never heard of I encourage you to look up! Owlcrate is one of those monthly boxes where not only do you get a book every month, but also book related goodies in the form of things like jewelry, art, and/or bookmarks. I purchased two, myself, and loved both of them. The boxes are $30 each, plus shipping, and are a lovely treat if you're able to do it!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> This book was full of humor, both from the characters as well as the narrators, aka the authors, who interject their commentary now and then. It is a very light hearted read, but also an entertaining story. My favorite character is probably King Edward's grandma - who had wonderfully witty, elder-ish type things to say. The entire cast was perfect though.<br />
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The relationship between Jane and Gifford was so fun! They had a rocky start full of miscommunication and half-truths, however they always fell back to their friendly, if not flirtatious, banter and self consciousness (from both sides).<br />
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All humor aspects of this book aside (and there is plenty...I mean, many of these characters turn into animals...so yeah), there is a great story-line here too. Just like any book involving the royal court, there are game players, and tyrant leaders, and of course kingdoms usurpers.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not so Much:</span></b> I loved this story, but I do kind of wish there were a few surprises sprinkled in. I was pretty much able to predict, or make a pretty logical guess about what was going to happen the entire way through. It did take me a while to finish this book - MOSTLY because I'm busy, and the kids are going back to school, etc., etc., but partly I think it also had to do with not being completely sucked in - no mystery or something like that.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b> I've given this book 5 stars. It was very well written, and entertaining. Extremely age appropriate. In fact, I've recommended that my 11 year old daughter pick it up, as I believe she will really enjoy it (even if they use the word "consummate" **gasp** ;) ).
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3202140-anita">View all my reviews</a>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-88085918878534179392016-08-15T00:00:00.000-04:002016-08-25T18:50:04.344-04:00Book Review: Will the Real Prince Charming Please Stand Up - Ella Martin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1407775801l/22896451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1407775801l/22896451.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22896451-will-the-real-prince-charming-please-stand-up">Will the Real Prince Charming Please Stand Up?</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8153160.Ella_Martin">Ella Martin</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">My rating:</span></b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1718005472">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Published Date:</span></b> June 30, 2014<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Astraea Press Publishing, LLC</span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://amzn.com/B00LF5W9I0">https://amzn.com/B00LF5W9I0</a></span><br />
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There is just something that draws me to these ‘brother’s best friend’ novels, I love the kind of taboo, ‘I’m not supposed to like you,’ scenario, and usually it’s mixed with having known said best friend for many years. They are always pretty sweet. The cover of <i>Will the Real Prince Charming Please Stand Up?</i> is also eye catching – so it’s no wonder I decided it was a good use of an Audible credit.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved: </span></b>Honestly, I really loved the relationship between Bianca, and her brother. They were the perfect mix of that annoying relationship most siblings have, and family who love and support one another. Even though there were hints of it, there wasn’t really a lot of “I’m big brother, stay away from sister” kind of thing going on, until it became apparently necessary. Bianca’s friends were pretty awesome too, they were a great group of friends who knew each other inside and out, the kind of friends I dreamed of having when I was in High School myself.<br />
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Bianca was actually a solid character, with the normal flaws you would find with a typical 15 year old High Schooler. She had her own mind, and knew what things in her life were important. As she was dating Dante, she would often say things like, “you expect me to choose you over my friends of xx years?” Though she was trapped in the idea of having her first boyfriend, someone whom girls fell over themselves to date – she did have some reasoning skills. I do think that this book did a good job of showing how just a few words or actions can open you up to manipulation, and worse, how easily girls can be manipulated. Especially when it comes to things like self esteem, just a few words can cause many girls to doubt themselves. I think this is real, and the book does serve as a good warning against that.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much: </span></b>I really didn’t care for the narrator of this story. Bianca and her friends were typical high schoolers, and used slang that is popular now, however while I was listening to the book, they (Bianca especially) came off as extremely whiney. As I think back on the book, I’m really not sure that this was the author’s intention…and as a mother, I CAN.NOT.STAND the whining voice! It took me an extra long time to listen to this book, and I nearly gave up on it because of the narration. That would have been unfortunate, because I did love how this story wrapped up.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b> I do not recommend the Audiobook of Will the Real Prince Charming Please Stand Up, however I do recommend reading it. This is very age appropriate, and can actually help empower girls who might find themselves stuck in a manipulative relationship see things from a different perspective. Maybe. The book is clean.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3202140-anita">View all my reviews</a>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-44812942956211431632016-07-17T18:46:00.000-04:002016-08-25T18:56:25.946-04:00Book Review: Everland by Wendy Spinale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1444335194l/26085520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1444335194l/26085520.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26085520-everland">Everland</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14212740.Wendy_Spinale">Wendy Spinale</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">My rating:</span></b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1644792808">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Published Date:</span></b> May 10, 2016<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> Scholastic Press<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://amzn.com/B015QMBYD8">https://amzn.com/B015QMBYD8</a></span><br />
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I received Everland in the May Steampunk Owlcrate. I decided I wanted the box because of the advertised Infernal Devices inclusion in the box. I was extremely excited to discover the book was a steampunk version of Peter Pan, as (if you read my reviews you already know) I've been reading a lot of Peter Pan retells lately.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> This wasn't so much a retelling of Peter Pan as it was a reimaging. All of our favorite characters, and their personalities were present and accounted for. I really enjoyed that about this book - it was it's own story throughout the entire book, but it was also very much Peter Pan!<br />
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In some of the retellings I've read lately, Peter is cast as the bad guy while Hook is really our hero - in this book the characters are put back into their rightful places, and Pete was perfect and made me fall in love with the kid Peter Pan was, but also with the teenager and guardian he was in this rendition. He was playful and sarcastic yet he bore the weight of burden but not without its scars.<br />
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It was awesome that this was steampunked. I've read a few steampunk books, but I think I like this one the best so far. And Pete's tattoo...I really would love to see that for real. However the best steampunk element was most certainly Belle's wings!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much: </span></b>Truthfully, Hook was completely unstable in this book, but I was sort of confounded by this character. At times I felt like he wasn't really such a bad person, other times he was the worst. I kind of felt like the two sides didn't come together very well, but perhaps that is as it should be when someone isn't quite right in the head.<br />
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I also would have loved to have had an Epilogue of this book. It was pretty well wrapped up, but not completely.....aaaaand as I was typing this I looked it up, and it appears that this is a series. Now I'm really wondering where this is going to go.....<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict: </span></b><br />
This is my favorite Peter Pan Retelling so far. I loved it. I loved the setting, and the characters. I do want more and am very intrigued to know how this is going to be as a series. Hopefully it does not disappoint.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3202140-anita">View all my reviews</a>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-54614073072162409822016-07-13T16:42:00.001-04:002016-08-25T18:59:40.548-04:00Book Review: These Vicious Masks - Taurn Shanker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1428342329l/23688792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1428342329l/23688792.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23688792-these-vicious-masks">These Vicious Masks</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10811406.Tarun_Shanker">Tarun Shanker</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">My rating: </span></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1672081809">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Published Date:</span></b> February 9, 2016<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> Swoon Reads<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://amzn.com/B011I5QPP4">https://amzn.com/B011I5QPP4</a></span><br />
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These Vicious Masks was one of those moments when I was just browsing through what was available at the library and just happened to run across the book. After reading the blurb, I found it might be something I could possibly enjoy. I’m SO not disappointed that I downloaded this book!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> So Evelyn, our main character and narrator, is SO FUNNY! She has very dry, sarcastic humor, but I loved it. Straight from the very first page I knew that I was going to enjoy this book based on her voice alone. <br />
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Normally I’m not a ‘love triangle’ lover, not that it’s horrible, it’s just done so frequently, but never have I read a book and really wanted both options to win. Not that I want this girl to have two guys – but well, I liked both options equally and for different reasons.<br />
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These Vicious Masks is the beginning of a series (imagine that!) and this book gives you just enough to get you into the story, fall in love with the characters, and make you want more without some huge cliffhanger. I loved that! And I am very excited to carry on with this series. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much: </span></b>There was a story line that I wanted to play out soo differently. It’s an extreme spoiler and plot killer, so I’m not going to list it here. But it is just one of those, I want my way, type moments for a reader. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b><br />
An excellent Paranormal Victorian YA. I loved it! It’s clean and perfect for the age group it’s written for. I can’t wait to read more.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3202140-anita">View all my reviews</a>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-63828339078359172132016-07-04T00:00:00.000-04:002016-07-04T00:00:22.556-04:00Book Review: God Bless America: A Patriotic Adult Coloring Book by Multnomah<div>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=anita09a-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0735289743" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735289743/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0735289743&linkCode=as2&tag=anita09a-20&linkId=8bbaeb9c9d3fd2f30fe5c80b57db8674" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=0735289743&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=anita09a-20" /></a><b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> God Bless America: A Patriotic Adult Coloring Book<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">By:</span></b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14290375.Multnomah">Multnomah</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (From Goodreads): </span></b><br />
Return to simple pleasures and simpler times. <br />
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Enter the pages of this coloring book for adults, and you will find a peaceful way to reflect on what makes America a truly amazing country: our values of equality, opportunity, faith, family, character, generosity, justice, and perseverance. Each coloring page features an original design from one of nine different artists, illustrating an inspirational quote from one of the Founding Fathers, an historic document, a patriotic hymn, or another of America s heroes. <br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUi2IsVafEk/V3fWZiQanyI/AAAAAAAACSs/Q7zfhaQRIFcTO1EwyivK4zxftFyDaamwgCKgB/s1600/IMG_7135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUi2IsVafEk/V3fWZiQanyI/AAAAAAAACSs/Q7zfhaQRIFcTO1EwyivK4zxftFyDaamwgCKgB/s320/IMG_7135.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
Slow down, quiet the noise, and express creativity as you color your way through history. <br />
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So grab your colored pencils or markers, find a comfortable spot to relax, and spend some time celebrating America. To help set the perfect patriotic mood, a link to the Coloring America playlist is <br />
included inside.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b><br />
Adult coloring books are all the rage, and this one even more appropriate given the day! I couldn't turn down this treasure!<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Omr5XuTjt0I/V3fWYsNg_JI/AAAAAAAACSo/gUSgl8WdAIwPr-LianSbD3uSaB-Fs9LNwCKgB/s1600/IMG_7136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Omr5XuTjt0I/V3fWYsNg_JI/AAAAAAAACSo/gUSgl8WdAIwPr-LianSbD3uSaB-Fs9LNwCKgB/s320/IMG_7136.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> This book is filled with wonderful patriotic images from birds and flags, to military shots, all pages waiting to be filled with color and life. Each image includes a quote, popular line, or some sort of patriotic verse. On the left-hand side there is a bit of a history lesson as well.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B3NC7ZRqjwY/V3fWVgGv9kI/AAAAAAAACSk/PW9zAGliUFIhQbWLigocbR_pDjd8gHHPACKgB/s1600/IMG_7137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B3NC7ZRqjwY/V3fWVgGv9kI/AAAAAAAACSk/PW9zAGliUFIhQbWLigocbR_pDjd8gHHPACKgB/s320/IMG_7137.JPG" width="240" /></a><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></b> Most of the images are beautiful, but there were a couple of pages that were just okay to me. I think you'd get that will every and all coloring books; children and adults alike.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><br />
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In all, I enjoy this coloring book. I love the peace that comes with filling in the blanks and making the pages my own.<br />
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<i><br />I received this book for an honest review from <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.com/" target="_blank">Blogging For Books</a>. No other compensation was given for this review other than the joy of a book.</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-83688802614672629182016-07-02T10:26:00.000-04:002016-07-02T11:19:39.926-04:00Book Review: Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M9M402G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00M9M402G&linkCode=as2&tag=anita09a-20&linkId=6ad1a562aa49e043c253151745f710d7" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B00M9M402G&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=anita09a-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=anita09a-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00M9M402G" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br />Title:</span></b> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20%20href=%22https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M9M402G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00M9M402G&linkCode=as2&tag=anita09a-20&linkId=6e4139a4ec6e1b9ba6409222a1ad3100%22%3EEcho%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=anita09a-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00M9M402G%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Echo</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1244538.Pam_Mu_oz_Ryan">Pam Muñoz Ryan</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> Middle School Age, Fairytale, Historical, Humanity<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Form:</span></b> Audiobook<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Narrator:</span></b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2732716.Mark_Bramhall">Mark Bramhall</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3013492.David_de_Vries">David de Vries</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7711592.MacLeod_Andrews">MacLeod Andrews</a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3124176.Rebecca_Soler">Rebecca Soler</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (From Goodreads): </span></b><br />
Music, magic, and a real-life miracle meld in this virtuosic, genre-defying tour de force from storytelling maestro Pam Muoz Ryan. Lost and alone in the forbidden Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.<br />
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Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives, binding them by an invisible thread of destiny. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. How their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck.<br />
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Richly imagined and structurally innovative, ECHO pushes the boundaries of form and shows us what is possible in how we tell stories.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b><br />
<i>Echo </i>is not a book I would have picked up on my own. Never would I have read the blurb and thought, “hey, this book is for me!” However, I have a friend who is a youth/young adult librarian, and she read a variety of things, some of them specifically to have a better knowledge of her product. She listened to this book via audio, and thought it was great, and pressured me into listening to the audiobook specifically because the audiobook comes with musical interludes that correlates with what is happening in the book.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> This book isn’t simply fiction. It isn’t non-fiction. This book isn’t even straight up literary fiction. Describing <i>Echo </i>to others has been a little bit something like this: “It’s a fairytale, historical fiction, and a lesson in humanity wrapped into one book.” <i>Echo </i>starts off with a short fairytale, or myth, which surrounds music. Music, specifically harmonica music played on specific harmonicas becomes the point zero of this tale, but once the first part is completed it quickly branches off into three different stories taking place in a somewhat jagged yet still the same timeline. Each story is unique, yet the lessons seem to be about the same.<br />
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I love the woven tales, the music, the relationship between the stories, and the differences. I LOVE the message of this book most of all.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much: </span></b> I can’t tell if it was mean, or genius how the stories are broken down. All I have to say is that if you are using some kind of electronic device, you might have a strong temptation to throw it. Don’t do it. Just trust me.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><br />
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I cannot speak more highly of this book. I know my review was vague, and it is purposeful, because the journey itself is what makes this special. If I were to lay out details too specific, it might ruin the effect for you. I suggest getting the audiobook if you are able to. This book is written for Middle Age/Jr. High Age, and it’s very age appropriate. In fact, I recommend it for your children, and you adults as well!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-90088006872292409392016-06-20T00:00:00.000-04:002016-06-20T00:00:01.492-04:00Book Review: Defending Taylor - Miranda Kenneally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> Defending Taylor<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4506073.Miranda_Kenneally">Miranda Kenneally</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> YA - Coming of Age, Romance<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> Sourcebooks Fire<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Published Date:</span></b> July 5, 2016<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://amzn.com/B01BX1PIPQ">https://amzn.com/B01BX1PIPQ</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads):</span></b><br />
Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor’s always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that’s what is expected of a senator’s daughter. But one impulsive decision—one lie to cover for her boyfriend—and Taylor’s kicked out of private school. Everything she’s worked so hard for is gone, and now she’s starting over at Hundred Oaks High.<br />
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Soccer has always been Taylor’s escape from the pressures of school and family, but it’s hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she’s going through is her older brother’s best friend, Ezra. Taylor’s had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it’s hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b><br />
<i>Defending Taylor</i> was one of those books that was difficult for me to put down. This was another one of those Netgalley books I picked up as a summer read, and while it wasn’t exactly about summer at all, it fit the bill rather nicely.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> All of the characters were interesting and fun. Taylor is pretty typical as far as ‘near adults’ go, she is unsure of her place and of her future destination in life; couple that with an epic mistake on her part, and you’ve got enough drama to fill an entire lifetime. She deals with it though. I really could see her perspective on why she made some of the choices she did, even though in my head I was screaming “noooooooo…..”. I cannot, however, say I would have done anything any differently. Beyond that, Taylor’s character was honorable. I loved how she worked through problems, relied on her friends and family when she didn’t have a solution – but in the end she came up with good solid solutions, and went after what she wanted.<br />
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The relationship between her and Ezra (well, first off..who doesn’t love a MC named Ezra?! I think that if he were the antagonist, I would have fallen for him just for the name! ;) ) was hot! I love the pre-existing condition of their feelings for each other before the book starts, it made their quick moving relationship easier to take that way.<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><br />Not So Much:</span></b> I will forever list sex in a YA novel in this spot…and I apologize, but I’m just not a fan. I also felt kind of weird about Taylor’s parent’s personalities. At times they are over-bearing, a bit uppity (which makes sense considering their position), and completely detached from all things concerning their kids; and then other times they seem like a completely normal family where talking isn’t so hard, and understanding and forgiveness isn’t such a huge deal. I don’t think that this was a growth progression throughout the book as much as it was an irregularity. Specifically in Taylor’s dad; he is so understanding and willing to let things go as soon as Taylor decides to really have a conversation regarding college, however most of the evidence leading up to that point indicated that the conversation should have gone way differently.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict: </span></b><b><span style="color: #990000;"></span></b><br />
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I did enjoy this book. I feel like Taylor as a person is a character that I will always admire. She really stands out to me in the YA world as someone who has her head on straight, she knows when she needs help, but she also makes good decisions (most of the time). I’ve already mentioned that this book isn’t exactly clean – it’s not overly descriptive (unless you count talk of using condoms), but there’s no denying it’s there, so my recommendation is that this book isn’t really a good one for any younger teens.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-91433219082992255672016-06-19T00:00:00.000-04:002016-07-02T11:24:17.153-04:00Book Review: Vengeance Road - Erin Bowman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> Vengeance Road<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Erin Bowman<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> YA - Historical, Western, Romance<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> HMH Books for Young Readers<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Published Date:</span></b> September 1, 2015<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Audiobook Narrator:</span></b> <span style="color: black;">Amy Rubinate</span> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <a href="https://amzn.com/B00QPIM66M">https://amzn.com/B00QPIM66M</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads:</span></b><br />
Revenge is worth its weight in gold.<br />
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When her father is murdered for a journal revealing the location of a hidden gold mine, eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b><br />
This book was sort of a break from my norm. It’s not a fairy tale retell, it’s not straight up fiction, or even dystopian/fantasy. This can best be described as a YA-Western, complete with guns, small down salons, horses and Stetsons. Although I’m wondering…were the hats actually called Stetsons back then? Because I’m pretty sure that’s a name brand, right? I could be wrong.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved: </span></b> It was just ever so different, yet the same. The setting is one that I’m not used to, and the southerny/western accent too. This was more a book about redemption than anything, but first comes vengeance. I think the thing that I liked most was Kate’s character, she was complicated. She was after the men who killed her father, but at the same time was able to be compassionate and understanding toward the Apache Indians, the race that everyone hated/feared/mistreated. However, even in that area, she was tainted by society norms and while she was trying to maintain a friendship and understanding, she continued to have disregard for their ways and was borderline offensive for a good portion of the book. There were events that helped her to gain more understanding and respect for the Indians as the story went on, and this growth was the most significant throughout the book, in my opinion.<br />
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I also enjoyed the relationship between Kate and Jessie. I felt like it was this low simmer sort of thing between them, rather than drama that extended throughout the book. This wasn’t just Kate’s story either, Jessie had his own redemption to find as well.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></b> Despite any kind of redemption she found while on the hunt for her father’s killers, Kate really never did leave the thought of vengeance behind. For a small portion of the book I thought that she was going to find healing elsewhere, and I do feel like she kind of did – however she was still pretty set on her path. I would have liked to have had more of an emotional resolution for both Kate and Jessie. While there was character growth throughout the book, I feel like we stopped just shy of anything remarkable.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict: </span></b><b><span style="color: #990000;"></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a></span></b></div>
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I enjoyed listening to this book. Again, it is nice to break free from the mold just a bit and read something a little different. I can’t say it was my favorite book of the summer, but I certainly do not regret reading it. This is a YA driven novel, though there is some stronger cussing in it..just so you all know.<br />
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ADDED: So I went and did a little google...Stetsons were created in 1865, and this book took place in 1877...so I guess it works! ;)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-6164284740687462016-06-18T11:04:00.000-04:002016-06-18T11:09:55.306-04:00Book Review: One Paris Summer - Denise Grover Swank<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lW3JjkjTOew/V2VhyEEiM3I/AAAAAAAACRA/BJQJPtRbrwcItITxshnE1-YZ-A3rsUcfgCLcB/s1600/One%2BParis%2BSummer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lW3JjkjTOew/V2VhyEEiM3I/AAAAAAAACRA/BJQJPtRbrwcItITxshnE1-YZ-A3rsUcfgCLcB/s320/One%2BParis%2BSummer.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title: </span></b>One Paris Summer<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Denise Grover Swank<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> Young Adult - Romance, Coming of Age<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher: </span></b>Zonderkids Books/Blink<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Date Date:</span></b> June 7, 2016<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <a href="https://amzn.com/0310755166">https://amzn.com/0310755166</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads):</span></b><br />
Most teens dream of visiting the City of Lights, but it feels more like a nightmare for Sophie Brooks. She and her brother are sent to Paris to spend the summer with their father, who left home a year ago without any explanation. As if his sudden abandonment weren't betrayal enough, he's about to remarry, and they’re expected to play nice with his soon-to-be wife and stepdaughter. The stepdaughter, Camille, agrees to show them around the city, but she makes it clear that she will do everything in her power to make Sophie miserable.<br />
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Sophie could deal with all the pain and humiliation if only she could practice piano. Her dream is to become a pianist, and she was supposed to spend the summer preparing for a scholarship competition. Even though her father moved to Paris to pursue his own dream, he clearly doesn't support hers. His promise to provide her with a piano goes unfulfilled.<br />
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Still, no one is immune to Paris’s charm. After a few encounters with a gorgeous French boy, Sophie finds herself warming to the city, particularly when she discovers that he can help her practice piano. There’s just one hitch—he’s a friend of Camille’s, and Camille hates Sophie. While the summer Sophie dreaded promises to become best summer of her life, one person could ruin it all.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b><br />
I recently went to NetGalley looking specifically for fun summer reads to take one. I came across two I felt I would like and would be fairly easy to commit to.<i> One Paris Summer</i> stuck out to me specifically because I’m an <i><a href="http://iloves2read.blogspot.com/2011/03/anna-and-french-kiss-stephanie-perkins.html" target="_blank">Anna and the French Kiss</a> </i>freak. I’ve read that book nearly 20 times (I really wish I were lying). It is my go-to book when I’m in a slump, or just want to reconnect with old ‘friends.’ <i>One Paris Summer</i> sounded perfect when I read the blurb, and I was even more excited when I was approved.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> The setting and the language for sure top this list. It is one of the things I loved about <i>Anna</i>, I felt like I really could put myself there. I’ve never actually been to France, but I’m willing to bet based on <i>Anna </i>and now <i>One Paris Summer</i>, I’d be able to recognize a couple of places that aren’t actual landmarks (assuming they are real…). <i>One Paris Summer</i> was especially nice in the language area, I did take French in school, and since there were some French phrases, some well known while others weren’t, I was happy to know I could recognize what was being said before the book gave away the translation.<br />
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I also connected with the music side of this story. Sophie was a pianist, and she would ramble off pieces of music that most people don’t even care to recognize, but I on the other hand did know some of them – and probably all of them if I took the time to listen to the piece, since I don’t know every piece of music by name.<br />
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I did get caught up in this story line of this book (and not just the setting). The dynamic between Sophie and Camille and Camille’s friends was great. I loved the growth of Sophie and Eric’s characters throughout the book as well. In the opening chapter I thought that we were going to encounter the brother/sister cat fighting pretty much throughout the entire novel, but I loved that wasn’t the case. Some of my favorite moments were when Sophie and Eric were spending time alone. Of course, the blooming relationship between Sophie and Mathieu was front and center, and totally gush-worthy.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></b> So I hope I don’t sound too hypocritical in my next statement, since I picked up this book because it reminded me of A<i>nna and the French Kiss</i>, but the similarities of a few of the scenes in <i>One Paris Summer</i> to <i>Anna </i>almost had me putting the book away. They happened in the very first few chapters and thankfully, once they had passed, the similarities ended rather quickly and <i>One Paris Summer</i> became its own. But still, if it were me I probably would have avoided that as much as possible (and if it was a coincidence...then that is super crazy, and sorry for calling it out!)<br />
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Camille played the perfect antagonist, however she might have ended up being a tad bit over the top at some points. Not the climax, mind you…but in some of her tantrums. And I kind of wish we got to “experience” more of her reformation in this book.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict: </span></b><b><span style="color: #990000;"></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a></span></b></div>
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This really was exactly what I was looking for. I think it is very likely that I will add this to my “re-read” books…but first that means I have to buy my own copy rather than the NetGalley version! The book is clean, and perfectly suitable for Young Adults.<br />
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(Note: I added the link to my review of Anna and the French Kiss, which I wrote right after reading it the first time in 2011 - first: this is one of my favorites and I rated it a 4 at the time...and over the years, my opinion of this novel is a bit different now..AND I'm a little better at writing reviews!)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-61264142027386121492016-06-11T09:06:00.000-04:002016-06-11T09:06:37.322-04:00Book Review: Dalysian Hope - Jamie Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8N0vHw0a3GQ/V0C7njGzXQI/AAAAAAAACPo/Vh7ziZ1Z3NY0e6rVTLNz9DbPpC0vCKVJwCKgB/s1600/Dalysian%2BHope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8N0vHw0a3GQ/V0C7njGzXQI/AAAAAAAACPo/Vh7ziZ1Z3NY0e6rVTLNz9DbPpC0vCKVJwCKgB/s320/Dalysian%2BHope.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> Dalysian Hope<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Jamie Summer<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> YA - Fantasy/Paranormal/Romance<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> Self-Published<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Pub Date:</span></b> March 23, 2016</blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> http://smile.amazon.com/dp/1530803020</blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (From Goodreads):</span></b>One night that changed everything.<br />
Sophie Evans is sure about one thing: she’s a normal teenage girl. Until one night her life is turned upside down. </blockquote>
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Attacked in her own apartment and saved by two handsome strangers, she’s thrown into a whole new world. Suddenly dealing with powers she knows nothing about and having half-truths thrown at her from every direction, she realizes that the definition of normal might not fit her after all. </blockquote>
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When Sophie is told that she has to fight in a matter of life and death, she’s left wondering what chance does she really have? And how can she be the only hope of a race she never even knew existed? </blockquote>
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Can Sophie fight the odds stacked against her, or will she lose herself in the process?</blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b></div>
<i>Dalysian Hope</i> was a review request sent to me. I’ve slowed way down on accepting requests, just because the time I used to spend on reading/blogging/promoting just isn’t available anymore. But since I was interested in the blurb I was given, and the cover of this book was beautiful, so I decided to give it a shot.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved: </span></b> This story is very unique in many ways, and yet still falls into what is popular in YA-Fantasy/Dystopian type novels. I enjoyed Sophie’s character. She was witty and strong, yet at the same time took things in stride and didn’t have a tendency for the dramatic ‘<i>this is not fair</i>’ attitude that sometimes comes with these novels. This book was not too forthcoming with information, but there were some elements that of foreshadowing I was able to pick up on, and I love when I’m able to do that.<br />
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The chemistry between Sophie and Ash….and Sophie and Ren was pretty decent. Yes, unfortunately we have the makings (not exactly there yet…) for a love triangle here. I have my ‘side’ but I will keep that to myself for now.<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><br />Not So Much: </span></b> As previously mentioned, this book is not too forthcoming with the information. I was just as frustrated as Sophie about this, but mostly because it caused some of the story to just not make sense, or even flow very well. Keeping information so far under wraps that nearly the entire book is us discovering Sophie’s abilities, her training, and her internally swooning – it really just could have used a little more movement. There were things happening, lies that were being told (though not very well at times) and plots forming; however we never really figured out the reasons behind some of these things. I have my suspicions on a few of them…but no confirmation. That is not to say the book wasn’t without its action, and once there was some information starting to get shared, the book picked up pace considerably. It was just that I had to wait until the final 3/4ths of the novel for that to really happen.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict: </span></b><b><span style="color: #990000;"></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a></span></b></div>
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I did enjoy the concept of this story, it was a unique idea with a lot of potential. I will be interested to see what more can be made of it as the series progresses. This book is clean, very YA appropriate.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-13483530869480247812016-06-03T16:50:00.000-04:002016-06-03T16:50:05.222-04:00Book Review: The Unexpected Everything - Morgan Matson<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9xTbyvWzuwk/V0C6wRsmUVI/AAAAAAAACPU/Ro4e4Qa3n40tTfJSHg8lmXvFeN-RJSpOwCKgB/s1600/The%2BUnexpected%2BEverything.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9xTbyvWzuwk/V0C6wRsmUVI/AAAAAAAACPU/Ro4e4Qa3n40tTfJSHg8lmXvFeN-RJSpOwCKgB/s320/The%2BUnexpected%2BEverything.jpg" width="212" /></a><b><span style="color: #990000;">Title: </span></b>The Unexpected Everything<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Morgan Matson<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> YA - Coming of Age, Romance<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publisher:</span></b> Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Publication Date:</span></b> May 3, 2016<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <a href="https://amzn.com/B015WNZ1KI">https://amzn.com/B015WNZ1KI</a><b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads): </span></b>Andie had it all planned out. </blockquote>
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When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. </blockquote>
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Important internship? Check.</blockquote>
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Amazing friends? Check. </blockquote>
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Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks). </blockquote>
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But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. </blockquote>
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Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. </blockquote>
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And where’s the fun in that?</blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b></div>
I’m on a roll, deciding to read books because of other bloggers' reviews. I an Audible Credit I needed to spend and had recently run across another blogger’s review of <i>The Unexpected Everything</i>. Her raving review peeked my interest, plus this cover just screams summer fun!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> Our flawed main character, Andie, to start off with. I loved her because she was so real about dealing – or NOT dealing – with her life by keeping everything at surface level. I would say that the exceptions might be her 3 best friends, Palmer, Bri, and Toby, but even then there were topics she just didn’t discuss. Her growth is the key element here, without it I would have hated this book, because at first I really just didn’t care for Andie at all. In fact, in the first few chapters I was kind of annoyed at her standoffish-ness, and strange obsession with kissing. It probably wasn’t until about half way through that I really started to like her.<br />
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I also love the progression of Andie and Clark’s relationship. It was not this all-encompassing passion to start off with, it was something that started with blushes and awkwardness and then formed into something wonderful. I read a lot of YA books, especially in the YA coming of age/romance type, and I really feel that this book is among the few that has a realistic view on relationship growth as opposed to the lust at first sight, in love the next week we get a lot of the times. There was gushing about how hot Clark was, but that wasn’t the entire basis of why Andie liked him – her feelings for him grew as she got to know him.<br />
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Speaking of relationships, I love the entire cast of characters in this book. The foursome (and their boys) were such a dynamic bunch, you can’t help but want to be included in their group. Then there is the relationship between Andie and her father; there is so much to love here simply because both sides make mistakes and learn from them. You start off the book thinking that you’re going to hate Andie's dad, but you can’t help but love and respect him in the end.<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><br />Not So Much:</span></b> Because this book is about growth, becoming a better person, and discovering who you really are; it’s hard to come up with something that I didn’t like about it. It is very well written, and I feel like all of the emotions that I felt were exactly the reaction that Morgan Matson was going for. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><br />
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This is the perfect YA summer read! It’s not too heavy, nor is it too light of a read. It has just enough meat to dig into, good characters that you want to know in real life. This book is clean, there is talk of sex, but none actually in the book – though there IS lots of kissing. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-55594124560615861942016-06-01T00:00:00.000-04:002016-06-01T00:00:12.509-04:00Book Review: Creatura - Nely Cab<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hC9Y059ShA8/V0wz6qfuHEI/AAAAAAAACQg/xzR2g0H4vVsBLbiCGHhWO4VMPk6B1VcggCLcB/s1600/Creatura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hC9Y059ShA8/V0wz6qfuHEI/AAAAAAAACQg/xzR2g0H4vVsBLbiCGHhWO4VMPk6B1VcggCLcB/s320/Creatura.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> Creatura<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Nely Cab<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> Young Adult - Fantasy, Romance<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link: </span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://amzn.com/B00WQ5YUAS">https://amzn.com/B00WQ5YUAS</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads):</span></b><br />
When seventeen year-old Isis Martin is having trouble sleeping due to perturbing dreams of a horrific growling beast, she decides to confront her fear. But what Isis discovers is something other than a menacing entity.<br />
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The human-like creature offers Isis assurance that he is not a figment of her imagination. Unwilling to accept his avowal, Isis sets his words to contest by asking the entity to prove himself—a dare, he readily welcomes.<br />
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It is in her dreams that Isis innocently stumbles upon the silent existence of the divine lineage of those that man has long forgotten.<br />
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In a quaint town, deep in south Texas, this story leads Isis onto the path of impermissible love and captivating life-changing truths. Isis Martin's journey is sure to leave any reader ravenous for more.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb 2 (from Amazon):</span></b><br />
Isis can control her dreams. Or she could—until recently. The creature in her nightmares has been haunting her for months. As if being dumped wasn't bad enough, now she dreads going to sleep. She decides to confront the creature and win back some of her peace; only, she finds that he's not a monster and he's not a dream. A sacrifice for love, a shocking discovery and a jealous ex-boyfriend blur the lines between reality and dreams, making it hard to tell who the real monsters are. <br />
Who would've known...that sometimes love is lethal?<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b><br />
This book is not one I would have picked up on it's own. Judging from the blurb (I had read the Amazon version) and the cover, it sounded a bit more thriller/horror for my taste. However, this was voted as the May book of the month in a book group that I belong to, and since it otherwise fit my 'type' of book, I decided to suck it up and give it a chance.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> So, I try and make it a rule to not reveal anything about a book that isn't already in the blurb, in the attempt not to spoil anything, so I'm sorry if I'm vague - I'm working with what I've got! :)<br />
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I enjoyed the world building and back story of <i>Creatura</i>, especially when it came to the human/creature. The concept behind these creatures was unique and interesting.<br />
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Isis has great family and friend connections throughout this book, everyone in her life is very supportive, especially considering her months of insomnia, which is having its effect. While at time I felt Isis' mother behaved a lot more like a friend than a mother during times, and then switched back - I loved the comradery between them.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much: </span></b>I really was expecting something more with this book. I already mentioned that I felt like it was going to be thriller/horror like, and I feel like the cover indicates this too, however the reality is that this book was closer to a typical young adult, paranormal romance novel. There is little real action, and a lot of smoldering glances. <br />
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I really thought that Isis' dreams would play a much bigger part in this book, but after the beginning the fact that she could control her dream and was able to dream into this place that the creature dwells sort of became a back-burner detail after the first couple chapters. Then there was her jealous ex-boyfriend, who played his part but I really thought he was something more and in the end it felt anti-climatic to me. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict: </span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> +.5</span></b><br />
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While the writing was decent and the world building was pretty good, I felt like this story just fell short for me. My expectation based on the blurbs was that this book was going to be a paranormal version of when the girl falls in love with the boy who isn't what he seems - he's much more dangerous - and it turns into an action filled drama of her attempting to escape. This book is good for the Young Adult genre, age appropriate.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-300990382824652472016-05-31T00:00:00.000-04:002016-05-31T00:00:04.744-04:00Judging a Book by It's Cover - Vanishing Act<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> <a href="https://amzn.com/B00V0308BM" target="_blank">Vanishing Act</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Erica Keifer<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1l5ZiZtdpzQ/V0DAErTn_gI/AAAAAAAACQA/4Art9bwjXuAHnZwcwfBAzvoUIIBykB4eACLcB/s1600/Vanishing%2BAct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1l5ZiZtdpzQ/V0DAErTn_gI/AAAAAAAACQA/4Art9bwjXuAHnZwcwfBAzvoUIIBykB4eACLcB/s320/Vanishing%2BAct.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">First Impression:</span></b> So this cover intrigues me right off. My first thought is of illusionists and escape artists – so I think a small part of me would actually be disappointed if there wasn’t that element incorporated in this book. However, the title Vanishing Act allows my mind to wander to more serious things, like abuse and captivity. Of course, there are always double meanings, so I can guess that the main character of this novel is going to be breaking the bonds on his/her life, and starting something new. The bi-line reads “In a journey for retribution, lines blur between courage, justice, and revenge.” So perhaps the MC is fighting off the bonds that are within his/her mind due to a past mistake, decision or action. However, the “revenge” indicates that there was a wrong done to them though, so I’m thinking no.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Prediction: </span></b>This book is going to be intense either way. Action, whether it is within the mind trying to figure out the next steps, or in fighting the antagonist, is bound to be an edge of your seat kind of ride. I’m really interested and am very likely to pick this book up.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads):</span></b></div>
A fresh start at college is exactly what Kate needs to ease the burden of her family secrets. When she meets the confident and charming Aaron Jackson, she weaves a new history for herself to fit into his seemingly perfect life. But the past refuses to stay where it belongs, causing a rift between their contrasting worlds.<br />
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When Ben reappears in Kate's life, she is only pulled deeper into the childhood that she's tried to forget. Driven by the abuse and pain that still lingers within him, Ben seeks Kate's help in making a change. But in this journey for retribution, lines blur between courage, justice, and revenge.<br />
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Bound by their shared and damaged youth, Kate is forced to choose sides, and fast. The final act is almost here, and time is running out.<br />
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Vanishing Act is a Lingering Echoes novel that can be read as part of the series or as a stand alone story. Fueled by the scars from an experience in foster care that no child should have to endure, Vanishing Act touches on serious issues that can continue to impact abuse victims well into their adult lives. Vanishing Act is an emotional drama with a sweet romance mixed in.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-53101786930139008802016-05-30T14:40:00.000-04:002016-05-30T14:40:49.287-04:00Weekly Deja Revu<html> <head> <title></title> </head> <body> <div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
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<a href="http://www.platypire.com/deja-revu">Déjà Revu</a> is a weekly review round-up that is open to all book review blogs.<br /> </div>
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<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/giveaways-prizes/2000-giveaway/" target="_blank">$2,000 GC & Books Giveaway Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy</a> -</b> Ends: 6/30/16</li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
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<img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/8508245_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Contemporary</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://iloves2read.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-reasons-i-fell-for-fat.html" target="_blank">Cassie Mae (Becca Ann)</a> -</b> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.iloves2read.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Anita @ I Loves to Read</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Fantasy</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.de/2016/05/jooods-reviews-carry-on-by-rainbow.html" target="_blank">Carry On by Rainbow Rowell</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joood @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
*SATIRE*
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.de/2016/05/jooods-reviews-siren-by-kiera-cass.html" target="_blank">The Siren by Kiera Cass</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joood @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
*SATIRE* </ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Paranormal</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/becoming-by-raine-thomas/" target="_blank">Becoming by Raine Thomas</a> -</b> <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/18/central-by-raine-thomas/" target="_blank">Central by Raine Thomas</a> -</b> <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/21/foretold-by-raine-thomas/" target="_blank">Foretold by Raine Thomas</a> -</b> <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://iloves2read.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-onyx-jennifer-l-armentrout.html" target="_blank">Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout</a> -</b> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.iloves2read.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Anita @ I Loves to Read</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.de/2016/05/review-from-origins-by-mary-ting.html" target="_blank">From Origins by Mary Ting</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Romance</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.carolineandrus.com/blog/review-walk-the-edge-by-katie-mcgarry/" target="_blank">Walk The Edge by Katie McGarry</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.carolineandrus.com/blog" target="_blank">Caroline Andrus</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/8141207_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /><br /> </div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Romance</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-embracing-emma-by-leigh-ann-lunsford/" target="_blank">Embracing Emma by Leigh Ann Lunsford</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-the-prince-the-player-by-tia-louise/" target="_blank">The Prince And The Player by Tia Louise</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/1491425_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /><br /> </div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Fantasy</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.de/2016/05/the-magicians-by-lev-grossman.html" target="_blank">The Magicians by Lev Grossman</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Czar Fancypants @Whose Review is it Anyway</a> *SATIRE* </li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Graphic Novel</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.de/2016/05/review-orange-by-ichigo-takano.html" target="_blank">Orange by Ichigo Takano</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joood @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Horror</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.de/2016/05/review-hatched-by-jason-davis.html" target="_blank">Hatched by Jason R. Davis</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Mystery</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /> <a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/neve-egan-series/" target="_blank">Blink Chess by Cristelle Comby</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" target="_blank">Felita @ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Non-Fiction</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.de/2016/05/jooods-reviews-youre-never-weird-on.html" target="_blank">You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joood @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a> *SATIRE* </li>
<li><b><a href="http://whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.de/2016/05/a-time-for-truth-by-ted-cruz.html" target="_blank">A Time for Truth by Ted Cruz</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Czar Fancypants @Whose Review is it Anyway</a></li>
*SATIRE* </ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Religious</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/healing-ruby/" target="_blank">Healing Ruby by Jennifer Hays Westfall (Audio Book)</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" target="_blank">Felita@ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Romance</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-good-girl-by-lauren-layne/" target="_blank">Good Girl by Lauren Layne</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-chasing-eva-by-camellia-hart/" target="_blank">Chasing Eva by Camellia Hart</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Science Fiction</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.de/2016/05/the-martian-by-andy-weir.html" target="_blank">The Martian by Andy Weir</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Czar Fancypants @Whose Review is it Anyway</a> *SATIRE* </li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Woman's Fiction</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-worth-the-wait-by-julie-ann-levin/" target="_blank">Worth The Wait by Julie Ann Levin</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-clipper-beach-by-roma-brooks/" target="_blank">Clipper Beach by Roma Brooks</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-pretty-hot-by-donna-alam/" target="_blank">Pretty Hot by Donna Alam</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-gone-wild-by-dakota-madison/" target="_blank">Gone Wild by Dakota Madison</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-the-weekenders-by-mary-kay-andrews/" target="_blank">The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3747283_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /><br /> </div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Romance</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-after-the-hurt-by-shana-gray/" target="_blank">After The Hurt by Shana Gray</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Woman's Fiction</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-darkest-temptations-by-charlene-m-martin/" target="_blank">Darkest Temptations by Charlene M. Martin</a> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>OTHER</b></span><br /> <ul>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.de/2016/05/review-dark-attraction-by-alexandrea.html" target="_blank">Dark Attraction by Alexandrea Weis</a> -</b> <a href="http://www.justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
</ul>
<br /> </div>
</body> </html>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-54734627526762528962016-05-30T09:22:00.000-04:002016-05-30T09:22:25.920-04:00Book Review: The Neverland Wars - Audrey Greathouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z8kiMWHCJKs/V0C5h_wFjeI/AAAAAAAACPI/bmx5e9lBGzwjAcQSy_gdBm_i0y61wozQACKgB/s1600/The%2BNeverland%2BWars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z8kiMWHCJKs/V0C5h_wFjeI/AAAAAAAACPI/bmx5e9lBGzwjAcQSy_gdBm_i0y61wozQACKgB/s320/The%2BNeverland%2BWars.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> The Neverland Wars<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Audrey Greathouse<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> YA - Fantasy, Fairytale Retell<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link: </span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://amzn.com/1634221710">http://amzn.com/1634221710</a></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads):</span></b><br />
Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That's what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.<br />
<br />
However, Gwen doesn't know this. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn't know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she'll discover she's in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.<br />
<br />
She'll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won't be the only one. Peter Pan's constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she's going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she's going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b></div>
<div>
I'm in love with <i>Peter Pan </i>stories. I can't get enough of the different takes of the classic fairy tale. I fall into these patterns a lot; <i>Beauty and the Beast i</i>s my favorite to read, but I've also done <i>Cinderella</i>, and <i>Red Riding Hood</i> multiple times.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> A popular theme in <i>Peter Pan</i> retells has been that Hook is not the 'bad guy' and Peter Pan is. I haven't minded these role swaps, and find them a lot of fun, I'm thankful that someone has decided to keep the playful, adventurous Peter Pan in character! I loved the descriptions of him behaving perfectly youthful and curious, while at the same time showing his burden for the home he loves and the desire to keep it protected from those who wish to use it for their own gain.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Gwen's character was so perfect, even before Peter and Neverland come into play in this book, you can see the internal battle that she faces between wanting to be teenage and enjoy the things teenagers enjoy, while at the same time keeping that carefree freedom that only comes with being a child. As she does venture into Neverland, that internal battle is even stronger.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></b> Given the title, I thought that there would be more of a 'war' happening, as far as action. What we have is the tip of a story, an introduction to characters and the promise of more adventure. I know this, because I verified by checking out Audrey Greathouse's <a href="https://audreygreathouse.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, but that wasn't until I finished the story, so while now I'm pretty satisfied, while reading I was a little let down about this.</div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict: </span></b> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I liked this book, but I predict that I'm going to LOVE sequel! This book is very YA appropriate, and honestly, I'm considering buying the book and putting it into the hands of my 11 year old daughter.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Note: I received this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-52552372187180589912016-05-24T00:00:00.000-04:002016-05-24T00:00:14.121-04:00Judging a Book by It's Cover - I'll Be The OneWelcome to my very first Judging a Book by Its Cover post. I’m hoping that I get better at this as I do it, but the idea is that I am going to take a look at a cover and try and give my opinion on it, and what the story must be about based on the cover (and the words on the cover). I am doing what I can NOT to read the blurb or any additional information, but once my ‘analysis’ is completed, I will post the blurb at the bottom. I’m hoping this will be fun, and also a break from the post after post of book reviews. Something new. So without further ado…<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> <a href="https://amzn.com/B01EBJ33QI" target="_blank">I’ll Be The One</a><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Hazel James<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tt1jwMqOdjE/V0C93E1yO6I/AAAAAAAACP0/YOK7frZyw4YTwlQCM4oMOdTB8_x4T1r9QCKgB/s1600/I%2527ll%2Bbe%2Bthe%2BOne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tt1jwMqOdjE/V0C93E1yO6I/AAAAAAAACP0/YOK7frZyw4YTwlQCM4oMOdTB8_x4T1r9QCKgB/s320/I%2527ll%2Bbe%2Bthe%2BOne.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
The cover is bright and beautiful, featuring a sparkler. My thought is that not only is this going to be a perfect summer read – i.e. 4th of July, summer vacation, plenty of time to get in trouble and hang out with friends; but I’m also thinking the sparkler may be indicative of the main characters personality. Or perhaps it is something to do with celebration – the title also has a by-line that says “For better or for worse, in sickness and in health…as long as we both shall (graduate) live.” (So perhaps my summer prediction isn’t quite ON it! ;) ) The colors, however, scream “America” and “Freedom” and “Celebration.” The title “I’ll Be The One” indicates to me that it is likely that this is a romance (without me having to search out the genre). As far as the age group goes – My first guess was YA, but the bi-line makes me think Upper YA, and maybe pushing NA.<br />
<br />
<br />
I do like the simplicity of this cover. While I do like covers with people on them, I’m also thankful when there are none. That way, instead of giving me a visual on what the author/publisher/cover artist thinks the characters look like, I’m free to decide on my own.<br />
<div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads):</span></b></div>
For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall graduate.<br />
<br />
Rachel Wheaton<br />
<div>
<br />
The senior Economics project is supposed to teach us about real life. Budgeting. Social classes. Careers. I was supposed to plan it all out with my school husband. I didn't plan on actually falling in love with him, too.<br />
<div>
<br />
But sometimes real life doesn't go according to plans. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions and sacrifices for the person you love. That's what marriage is about, right?</div>
<div>
<br />
James Tennyson</div>
<div>
<br />
I've always known things before they happen. Nothing major, like lottery numbers, but it's been pretty useful for things like playing football and dodging clingy girls. I've never been able to see my future. I didn't think much about it, to be honest.</div>
<div>
<br />
Until second period, when she walked through the door. </div>
<div>
<br />
Falling in love with her unlocked something inside me. Those little things I know? Now they're big things. Life-saving things. So who do I save? And at what cost? I made a vow to her.</div>
<div>
<br />
For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live.</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-66142590902834147392016-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:002016-05-22T00:00:09.544-04:00Currently TBR<i>Below are the books 'next up' on my TBR pile! I recently confessed on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/iloves2read/?fref=nf" target="_blank">Facebook </a>page that I haven't been completely successful with sticking to only reading the books I have already purchased. In fact, I've added several new purchases recently, AND got a book from NetGally, AND accepted a review request. But as you'll see below, I've fallen into a...story rut....</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>First up is the NetGalley Request, because it was the first book on this particular list..and I'm a little OCD about my commitments like that:</i><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://amzn.com/B01BPVZPB6" target="_blank">The Neverland Wars</a> by Audrey Greathouse</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z8kiMWHCJKs/V0C5h_wFjeI/AAAAAAAACPA/lIyUff8gOlsEx_-FLIENnWlGsvWIiAbywCLcB/s1600/The%2BNeverland%2BWars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z8kiMWHCJKs/V0C5h_wFjeI/AAAAAAAACPA/lIyUff8gOlsEx_-FLIENnWlGsvWIiAbywCLcB/s320/The%2BNeverland%2BWars.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That's what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
However, Gwen doesn't know this. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn't know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she'll discover she's in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
She'll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won't be the only one. Peter Pan's constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she's going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she's going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.</blockquote>
<i>This one will probably be read at the same time since it is an Audible purchase, and I can listen to it at work!</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="https://amzn.com/B015WNZ1KI" target="_blank">The Unexpected Everything</a> by Morgan Matson</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xTbyvWzuwk/V0C6wRsmUVI/AAAAAAAACPQ/89uQRWxRRbkln7n81QEGPhVohhWrbOauQCLcB/s1600/The%2BUnexpected%2BEverything.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xTbyvWzuwk/V0C6wRsmUVI/AAAAAAAACPQ/89uQRWxRRbkln7n81QEGPhVohhWrbOauQCLcB/s320/The%2BUnexpected%2BEverything.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Andie had it all planned out.<br />
<br />
When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.<br />
Important internship? Check. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Amazing friends? Check. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).<br />
But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected.<br />
<br />
And where’s the fun in that?</blockquote>
<i>Here is the review request that I accepted, my first one this year, since I have slowed WAYY down on reading by request and focusing on reading without pressure. But this was tempting enough to accept.</i><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://amzn.com/B01D91IA3U" target="_blank">Dalysian Hope</a> by Jamie Summer</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8N0vHw0a3GQ/V0C7njGzXQI/AAAAAAAACPg/1wR_VqD-h5UmGlwbyzlTgJom6BdBogr5gCLcB/s1600/Dalysian%2BHope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8N0vHw0a3GQ/V0C7njGzXQI/AAAAAAAACPg/1wR_VqD-h5UmGlwbyzlTgJom6BdBogr5gCLcB/s320/Dalysian%2BHope.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One night that changed everything. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Sophie Evans is sure about one thing: she’s a normal teenage girl. Until one night her life is turned upside down. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Attacked in her own apartment and saved by two handsome strangers, she’s thrown into a whole new world. Suddenly dealing with powers she knows nothing about and having half-truths thrown at her from every direction, she realizes that the definition of normal might not fit her after all. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When Sophie is told that she has to fight in a matter of life and death, she’s left wondering what chance does she really have? And how can she be the only hope of a race she never even knew existed? </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Can Sophie fight the odds stacked against her, or will she lose herself in the process? </blockquote>
<i>Finally we have this beauty I picked up in the May <a href="http://owlcrate.com/" target="_blank">Owlcrate </a>box - and am EXTREMELY excited about, since it falls right into my 'rut.' If you follow along with my blog at all, you know I recently read <a href="http://iloves2read.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-unhooked-lisa-maxwell.html" target="_blank">Unhooked </a>by Lisa Maxwell as well!</i><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://amzn.com/B015QMBYD8" target="_blank">Everland </a>by Wendy Spinale</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d2i7P7nsieI/V0C5AgBf0kI/AAAAAAAACO8/bB6u_44rCH0K0Zc2LeatzyDf-2i5mp3zwCLcB/s1600/Everland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d2i7P7nsieI/V0C5AgBf0kI/AAAAAAAACO8/bB6u_44rCH0K0Zc2LeatzyDf-2i5mp3zwCLcB/s320/Everland.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Forget the story of Peter Pan you know. Because in Everland, the only way to grow up is to survive.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the ruthless Marauders -- the German Army led by Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Unsure if the virus has spread past England's borders but desperate to leave, Captain Hook hunts for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the survivors. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return. Until the day they grab Joanna. As Gwen sets out to save her, she meets a mysterious boy named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella, who have all been living in a city hidden underground. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it will cost Gwen. And are she, Pete, the Lost Boys, and Bella enough to outsmart Captain Hook?</blockquote>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-20021304567839499582016-05-21T15:23:00.001-04:002016-05-21T15:28:19.929-04:00Book Review: Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend - Becca Ann<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3neJyi7g3EY/V0CzxzjubDI/AAAAAAAACOk/VxLMwzYjj3A7KQgKt_hYbxTVmaPvdGadwCLcB/s1600/FFF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3neJyi7g3EY/V0CzxzjubDI/AAAAAAAACOk/VxLMwzYjj3A7KQgKt_hYbxTVmaPvdGadwCLcB/s320/FFF.jpg" width="202" /></a><b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Becca Ann (Cassie Mae)<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> Young Adult - Romance, Self Image<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://amzn.com/B00AY6OT70">https://amzn.com/B00AY6OT70</a></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads.com):</span></b><br />
It’s stupid to fall for your brother’s ex. It’s even worse to enlist another’s help to win the ex over. But Brody is desperate and Hayley, his partner in American Sign Language, is more than willing to lend him a few tips. <br />
<br />
She’s the school’s matchmaker,’ and with her bizarre and positive personality, Brody finds her easy to talk to, even about the most awkward situations. Hayley’s tips seem to be working, but as Brody learns more about his matchmaker, he starts finding reasons to spend time with her, and not the girl he thought he was in love with. <br />
<br />
But Hayley isn’t ready to fall for anyone. Labeled the “Funny Fat Friend” within her group, her self image makes it impossible for Brody to share his feelings without Hayley shrugging it off as a joke. <br />
<br />
Convincing her Brody can, and did, fall for the “Funny Fat Friend” turns out to be harder than simply falling in love.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review: </span></b><br />
After being in the supernatural world for a bit, I decided I wanted something light and fun and normal to read. What better author to turn to than Mrs. Cassie Mae?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> This book was exactly what I needed. It was a sweet romance with likable, real characters who were goofy and down to earth. I loved that this story was told from the guys perspective, which is always a little refreshing, despite me wrinkling my nose every time he talked about how badly his bedroom smelled (at least he was aware of it!). Hayley was pretty funny, and a lot cheesy, but I could tell the person she was meant to be right off. I’ve met those people who seem so incredibly self-aware and confident, who are easy to talk to and know how to keep conversations moving, yet have something going on underneath. I could see why Brody would have a hard time understanding her reluctance to believe that he actually liked her.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></b> Part of me is happy that Hayley’s home life wasn’t as bad as I had originally thought, at the same time I kind of felt like that part of the story was a little underdeveloped. It could have been me wishing to get into Hayley’s head (since I’m used to the girls being the narrator) but I kind of wanted more there. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><br />
<br />
As always a great read! There is mild cussing, and there IS non-descriptive sex in this book, so older YA would be my recommendation.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-65230807696622863812016-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:002016-05-18T00:00:27.499-04:00Weekly Deja Revu<div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #945fc3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.5px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/6217177_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-miles-of-smiles-by-karen-kostman.html">Miles of Smiles by Karen Kaufman Orloff</a> - <a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-misunderstood-mister-yeti-by.html">The Misunderstood Mister Yeti by John Hinterreiter</a> - <a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a> </li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.platypire.com/bob/krim-du-shaw-by-talia-haven">Krim Du Shaw by Talia Haven</a> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/">Bob @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #945fc3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.5px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/5999615_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: start;">
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<b style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: x-large;">General</b></div>
</div>
<b style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: x-large;"></b><br />
<ul style="text-align: center;">
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b><u><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/planet-middle-school-by-nikki-grimes" target="_blank">Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes</a></u></b></span> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
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<b style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: x-large;">Fantasy</b></div>
</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://thebohemianhousewife.com/mistborn-final-empire-brandon-sanderson-review/" target="_blank">Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson</a></b> - <a href="http://thebohemianhousewife.com/" target="_blank">Alisha Webster </a></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;">Science Fiction</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/theo-blinkerson-and-the-copper-coffin/" target="_blank">Theo Blinkerson and the Copper Coffin by Gregory Butron</a></b> - <a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" target="_blank">Twisted Book Carmudgeon @ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #945fc3;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/8508245_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Dystopian</b><br />
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.platypire.com/bob/reawaken-a-new-earth-saga-novel-by-autumn-seigel" target="_blank"><b>ReAwaken by Autumn Seigel</b></a> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Bob @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/cost-of-survival/" target="_blank">Cost of Survival by Bonnie Paulson</a></b> - <span id="goog_1665923839"></span><span id="goog_1665923840"></span><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" target="_blank">Zara Lethallan@ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
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</div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> Fantasy</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/01/star-dust-by-ali-winters/" target="_blank">Star Dust by Ali Winters</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.carolineandrus.com/blog/review-heir-to-the-sky-by-amanda-sun/" target="_blank">Heir to the Sky by Amanda Sun</a></b> - <a href="http://www.carolineandrus.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1665923809"></span>Caroline Andrus<span id="goog_1665923810"></span></a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/norma-jeans-school-of-witchery/" target="_blank">Norma Jean's School of Witchery by Rose Montague</a></b> - <a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" target="_blank">Felita @ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/borrowed-magic/" target="_blank">Borrowed Magic by Shari Lambert</a></b> - <a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" target="_blank">Twisted Book Carmudgeon @ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-frozen-by-melissa-de-la-cruz.html" target="_blank">Frozen by Melissa De La Cruz</a></b> - <a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-stolen-by-melissa-de-la-cruz.html" target="_blank">Stolen by Melissa De La Cruz</a></b> - <a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/bob/star-dust-by-ali-winters" target="_blank">Star Dust by Ali Winters</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Bob @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">General</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/beautiful-music-for-ugly-children-by-kirstin-cronn-mills" target="_blank">Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/the-immortal-life-of-henrietta-lacks-by-rebecca-skloot" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Humor</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/the-greatest-zombie-movie-ever-by-jeff-strand" target="_blank">The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever by Jeff Strand</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/the-immortal-life-of-henrietta-lacks-by-rebecca-skloot" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Paranormal</span></b><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <b><a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-pre-order-inspired-by-frost.html" target="_blank">Inspired by Frost by Alicia Rades</a></b> - <a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://iloves2read.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-unhooked-lisa-maxwell.html" target="_blank">Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell</a> - </b><a href="http://www.iloves2read.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Anita @ I Loves to Read</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <b><a href="http://iloves2read.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-review-raven-king-maggie-stiefvater.html" target="_blank">The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater</a></b><b> - </b><a href="http://www.iloves2read.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Anita @ I Loves to Read</a></li>
<li><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/06/cornerstone-by-misty-provencher/" target="_blank">Cornerstone by Misty Provencher</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://iloves2read.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-obsidian-jennifer-l.html" target="_blank">Obsidian - Jennifer L. Armentrout</a></b> - <a href="http://iloves2read.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Anita @ I Loves to Read</a></li>
<li><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/10/anew-by-chelsea-fine/" target="_blank">Anew by Chelsea Fine</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
</ul>
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</div>
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</ul>
</div>
</div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Romance</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/jooods-reviews-lies-my-girlfriend-told.html" target="_blank">Lies My Girlfriend Told Me by Julie Anne Peters</a></b> - <a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joood @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a> (SATIRE)</li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-reviews-giveaway-the-fear-of-falling-flat-and-the-battle-of-the-brains-by-michelle-graves/" target="_blank">Battle of the Brains by Michelle Graves</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/12/winging-it-by-cate-cameron/" target="_blank">Winging It by Cate Cameron</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/series-book-review-giveaway-beautiful-ruin-and-sweetest-mistake-by-amy-olle/" target="_blank">Beautiful Ruin and Sweetest Mistake by Amy Olle</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/you-cant-catch-me-by-cassie-mae" target="_blank">You Can't Catch Me by Cassie Mae</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Science Fiction</span></b><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <b><a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-now-that-youre-here-by-amy-k.html" target="_blank">Now That You're Here by Amy K. Nichols</a></b> - <a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <b><a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-while-you-were-gone-by-amy-k.html" target="_blank">While You Were Gone by Amy K. Nichols</a></b> - <a href="http://blackwords-whitepagesteenya.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Suspense/Thriller</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-loves-long-road-by-g-d-harper/" target="_blank"><b>Loves Long Road by G.D. Harper</b></a> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/my-life-hereafter/" target="_blank">My Life Hereafter by Lynette Ferreira</a></b> - <a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" target="_blank">Felita @ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Urban Fantasy</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-bright-blaze-of-magic-by.html" target="_blank">Bright Blaze of Magic by Jennifer Estep</a></b> - <a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
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</div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #945fc3;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/8141207_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Contemporary</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/04/25/ricochet-by-krista-becca-ritchie/" target="_blank">Ricochet by Krista & Becca Ritchie</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/04/28/addicted-for-now-by-krista-becca-ritchie" target="_blank"><b>Addicted for Now by Krista & Becca Ritchie</b></a> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-love-paws-anthology/" target="_blank">Love Paws Anthology</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Paranormal</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/casted-by-sonya-loveday/" target="_blank">Casted by Sonya Loveday</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Romance </span></b><br />
<ul>
<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px !important; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><a href="http://whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.com/2016/04/imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame.html" target="_blank">Imperfect Chemistry by Mary Frame</a></b> - <a href="http://whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.com/2016/04/imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame.html" target="_blank">Czar Fancypants @Whose Review Is It Anyway</a> (SATIRE)</li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px !important; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-the-big-o-by-hj-bellus/" target="_blank">The Big O by H.J. Bellus</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px !important; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/06/rev-by-cambria-hebert/" target="_blank">#Rev by Cambria Hebert</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px !important; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-unspoken-words-by-h-p-davenport/" target="_blank">Unspoken Words by H.P. Davenport</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px !important; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/good-girl-by-lauren-layne/" target="_blank">Good Girl by Lauren Layne</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px !important; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/unlit-star-by-lindy-zart/" target="_blank">Unlit Star by Lindy Zart</a></b> - <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px !important; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/all-played-out-by-cora-carmack" target="_blank">All Played Out by Cora Carmack</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #464760; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #bd8aea; outline: 0px;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/1491425_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Contemporary</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-review-revive-by-nina-levine.html" target="_blank">Revive by Nina Levine</a></b> - <a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1665924136"></span>Zara @ Rockin' & Reviewing<span id="goog_1665924137"></span></a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-review-slay-by-nina-levine.html" target="_blank">Slay by Nina Levine</a></b> - <a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1665924136"></span>Zara @ Rockin' & Reviewing</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-review-illusive-by-nina-levine.html" target="_blank">Illusive by Nina Levine</a></b> - <a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1665924136"></span>Zara @ Rockin' & Reviewing</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-review-command-by-nina-levine.html" target="_blank">Command by Nina Levine</a></b> - <a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1665924136"></span>Zara @ Rockin' & Reviewing</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/all-chained-up-by-sophie-jordan" target="_blank">All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Fantasy</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/bob/captain-rum-a-wondrous-adventure-by-john-perrier" target="_blank">Captain Rum by John Perrier</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Bob @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Historical</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-girl-from-paradise-ballroom-by.html" target="_blank">The Girl from the Paradise Ballroom by Alison Love</a></b><span style="color: #464760; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"> - </span></span><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/the-marriage-of-opposites-by-alice-hoffman" target="_blank">The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Mystery</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-curious-minds-by-janet-evanovich.html" target="_blank">Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> -</b> <a href="http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-curious-minds-by-janet-evanovich.html" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @ Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Non Fiction</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/the-immortal-life-of-henrietta-lacks-by-rebecca-skloot" target="_blank">The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/the-immortal-life-of-henrietta-lacks-by-rebecca-skloot" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.com/2016/04/what-women-really-want-from-men-by-june.html" target="_blank">What Women Really Want From Men by June Stevens Westerfield</a></b> - <a href="http://whosereviewisitanyway.blogspot.com/2016/04/imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame.html" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Czar Fancypants @Whose Review Is It Anyway</a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (SATIRE)</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Paranormal</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/book-vixen/the-siege-of-kadenburg-by-te-ridener" target="_blank">Return to Kadenburg by T.E. Ridener</a> - </b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Book Vixen @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/book-vixen/the-siege-of-kadenburg-by-te-ridener" target="_blank">The Siege of Kadenburg by T.E. Ridener</a></b><b> - </b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Book Vixen @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/book-vixen/squirrel-bait-by-chip-davis" target="_blank">Squirrel Bait by Chip Davis</a> - </b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Book Vixen @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li style="list-style: disc outside; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><b><a href="http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-adelheid-volume-one-welcome-to.html" target="_blank">AdelHeid Volume One: Welcome to Town by Mia Darien</a></b> - <a href="http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-curious-minds-by-janet-evanovich.html" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @ Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Religious</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-way-of-grace-by-cathy-bryant.html" target="_blank">The Way of Grace by Cathy Bryant</a></b> - <a href="http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-curious-minds-by-janet-evanovich.html" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @ Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-elderberry-croft-by-becky-doughty.html" target="_blank">Elderberry Croft by Becky Doughty</a></b> - <a href="http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-curious-minds-by-janet-evanovich.html" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Jenny Bynum @ Black Words-White Pages</a></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Romance</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.platypire.com/j-hooligan/southern-kicks-by-cassie-mae" target="_blank">Southern Kicks by Cassie Mae</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">J. Hooligan @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.platypire.com/book-vixen/the-artists-touch-by-sh-pratt" target="_blank">The Artist's Touch by S.H. Pratt</a> -</b><b> </b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Book Vixen @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-holidays-with-horde-by-dm-earl.html" target="_blank">Holiday's with the Horde by D.M. Earl</a></b> - <a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a><b style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/leveling-the-field-by-megan-erickson/" target="_blank">Leveling the Field by Megan Erickson</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> -</b> <a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/2016/05/13/within-this-frame-by-lindy-zart/" target="_blank">Within This Frame by Lindy Zart</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-the-player-and-the-pixie-by-l-h-cosway-and-penny-reid/" target="_blank">The Player and the Pixie by Penny Reid and L.H. Cosway</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-after-we-fall-by-marquita-valentine/" target="_blank">After We Fall by Marquita Valentine</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> -</b> <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-weekend-with-her-bachelor-by-jeannie-moon/" target="_blank">Weekend With Her Bachelor by Jeannie Moon</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-one-broken-promise-by-deanndra-hall/" target="_blank">One Broken Promise by Deanndra Hall</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-the-wedding-pact-by-katee-robert/" target="_blank">The Wedding Pact by Katee Roberts</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-love-walks-in-by-samantha-chase/" target="_blank">Love Walks In by Samantha Chase</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-whats-left-of-me-series-finally-unbroken-2-by-maria-macdonald/" target="_blank">What's Left Of Me by Maria Macdonald</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-one-more-shot-book-one-girlfriends-goddesses-barflies-by-tl-alexander/" target="_blank">One More Shot by TL Alexander</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a><b style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="http://www.carolineandrus.com/blog/review-who-i-am-with-you-by-missy-fleming/" target="_blank">Who I Am With You by Missy Fleming</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://www.carolineandrus.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1665923809"></span>Caroline Andrus</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.carolineandrus.com/blog/review-just-say-maybe-by-tracy-march/" target="_blank">Just Say Maybe by Tracy March</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://www.carolineandrus.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1665923809"></span>Caroline Andrus</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-a-perfect-moment-by-becca-lee/" target="_blank">A Perfect Moment by Becca Lee</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-a-perfect-chance-by-becca-lee/" target="_blank">A Perfect Chance by Becca Lee</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-a-perfect-love-by-becca-lee/" target="_blank">A Perfect Love by Becca Lee</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-honor-me-men-of-inked-book-6-by-chelle-bliss/" target="_blank">Honor Me by Chelle Bliss</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-incompatibly-yours-anthology/" target="_blank">Incompatibly Yours Anthology</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Science Fiction</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><b><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/milijun/" target="_blank">Milijun by Clayton Graham</a></b>- <a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Twisted Book Carmudgeon @ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://pelicanfreak.wordpress.com/2016/05/06/book-review-tyffani-clark-kemps-lies-and-snow-clad-graves/" target="_blank">Lies and Snow-Clad Graves by Tyffani Clark Kemp</a></b><b> - </b><a href="https://pelicanfreak.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">pelicanfreak</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://pelicanfreak.wordpress.com/2016/05/03/book-review-blood-and-shattered-glass/" target="_blank">Blood and Shattered Glass by Tyffani Clark Kemp</a></b><b> - </b><a href="https://pelicanfreak.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">pelicanfreak</a></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Suspense/Thriller</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><b><a href="http://thebohemianhousewife.com/cover-love-courtney-shockey-review/" target="_blank">The Cover of Love by Courtney Shockey</a></b> - <a href="http://thebohemianhousewife.com/" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Alisha Webster</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><b><a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/2016/04/amazon-goodreads-price-3.html" target="_blank">Hide by Drew Jordan</a></b> - <a href="http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1665924136"></span>Zara @ Rockin' & Reviewing</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/review/order-in-court/" target="_blank"><b>Order in Court by David Osborne</b></a> <span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span><a href="http://www.lilacreviews.com/" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Twisted Book Carmudgeon @ Lilac Reviews</a></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.platypire.com/bob/whimper-by-erin-mcfadden" target="_blank">Whimper by Erin McFadden</a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Bob @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.platypire.com/bob/blackspoon-by-daniel-eagleton" target="_blank">Blackspoon by Daniel Eagleton</a></span><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - </b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Bob @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Woman's Fiction</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a> <a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/the-man-i-love-by-suanne-laqueur" target="_blank">The Man I Love by Suanne Laqueur</a> - </b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/review-me-before-you-by-jojo-moyes.html" target="_blank">Me Before You by Jojo Moyes</a></b> - <a href="http://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-the-year-we-turned-forty-by-liz-fenton-and-lisa-steinke/" target="_blank">The Year We Turned Forty by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-enduring-the-wild-sparks-by-ren-alexander/" target="_blank">Enduring the Wild Sparks by Ren Alexander</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-friday-night-brides-by-samantha-chase/" target="_blank">Friday Night Brides by Samantha Chase</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-off-the-hook-fishing-for-trouble-1-by-laura-drewry/" target="_blank">Off The Hook by Laura Drewry</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-head-start-by-freya-barker/" target="_blank">Head Start by Freya Barker</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-the-bridge-ladies-by-betsy-lerner/" target="_blank"><b> The Bridge Ladies by Betsy Learner</b></a> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-a-drop-in-the-ocean-by-jenni-ogden/" target="_blank">A Drop In The Ocean By Jenni Ogden</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-new-balls-please-by-andie-m-long/" target="_blank">New Balls Please by Andie M. Long</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-all-the-single-ladies-by-dorothea-benton-frank/" target="_blank">All The Single Ladies by Dorothea Benton Frank</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-midnight-sun-by-elizabeth-miller/" target="_blank">Midnight Sun by Elizabeth Miller</a></b> - <a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></b><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/the-readers-of-broken-wheel-recommend-by-katarina-bivald" target="_blank">The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald</a></b> - <a href="http://www.platypire.com/" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #945fc3; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3747283_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Romance</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/book-review-giveaway-beautiful-distraction-by-j-c-reed/" target="_blank">Beautiful Distraction by J.C. Reed</a></b> - </span><a href="http://booksandbindings.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Empress DJ @ Books and Bindings</a></li>
<li><span style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/boys-of-fall-by-kd-wood" target="_blank">Boys of Fall by K.D. Wood</a></b> - </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background-color: white; color: #945fc3; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.platypire.com/uploads/2/5/6/4/25642156/3289558_orig.jpg" style="border: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/dorm-game-by-daryl-banner" target="_blank">Dorm Game by Daryl Banner</a></b><span style="text-align: left;"> - </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/awakening-beauty-by-amy-j-fetzer" target="_blank">Awakening Beauty by Amy J. Fetzer</a></b><span style="text-align: left;"> - </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.platypire.com/sofia/high-by-lp-lovell" target="_blank">High by L.P. Lovell</a><span style="text-align: left;"> - </span><a href="http://www.platypire.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Sofia @ Platypire Reviews</a></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-85962110634269255182016-05-17T19:17:00.000-04:002016-05-17T19:17:39.457-04:00Book Review: Onyx - Jennifer L. Armentrout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6XaJAXijly0/VzukmyPxL_I/AAAAAAAACOE/hK24GjauY-Y-kyvvns8UD1uASkGNmB0ywCLcB/s1600/Onyx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6XaJAXijly0/VzukmyPxL_I/AAAAAAAACOE/hK24GjauY-Y-kyvvns8UD1uASkGNmB0ywCLcB/s320/Onyx.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title: </span></b>Onyx (A Lux Novel - Book 2)<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Jennifer L. Armentrout<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> Young Adult - Paranormal, Romance<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <a href="http://amzn.com/1620610116" target="_blank"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">http://amzn.com/1620610116</span></a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads): </span></b><br />
<i>Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…</i><br /><br />Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.<br /><br /><i>Something worse than the Arum has come to town…</i><br /><br />The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.<br /><br /><i>But then everything changes…</i><br />I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?<br /><br /><i>No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…</i><div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b></div>
No sooner did I finish <i>Obsidian </i>then I went and purchased <i>Onyx</i>. While I may have had some character troubles with <i>Obsidian</i>, I was still captivated by this story and wanted to know more about what was going to happen.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> The continuing building of heat between Katy and Daemon. I enjoyed Daemon much more in this book than the previous. He was done fighting what were obviously very strong feelings for Katy, and he was in aggressive pursuit. There was a lot more kissing in this book – and boy can Jennifer Armentrout write a good kissing scene!<br /><br />We learned more about what is going on between Katy and Daemon’s strange connection and what it might all mean. We also are introduced to Blake who is more than he seems. <br /><br />In <i>Onyx </i>we get a few more twists and turns in the story, while the progress on the relationship front seems to be more the issue here.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></b> Katy is driving me crazy. She is still so obtuse and just wishy-washy. She says things that she desperately wants to believe, but are obviously not true. She has become a horrible friend and really not admirable at all. She lies, and hides things that should be brought to light, and trusts way more information to people outside of her alien circle than she should.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><div>
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Gosh, the romance draws me in. The story is interesting enough…but I’m just a bit perturbed by Katy. Some reviews of the third book indicate that she gets better, but I’m not sure if I’m quite ready to move on yet.<div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-83375841721228509532016-05-09T19:12:00.000-04:002016-05-09T19:12:35.748-04:00Book Review: Obsidian - Jennifer L. Armentrout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1CbPwGhMvtw/VzEWq9miRpI/AAAAAAAACNo/eg3R8f9_p50UHfj9jwjUUG9pts15sogCwCLcB/s1600/Obsidian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1CbPwGhMvtw/VzEWq9miRpI/AAAAAAAACNo/eg3R8f9_p50UHfj9jwjUUG9pts15sogCwCLcB/s320/Obsidian.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> Obsidian (A Lux Novel - Book 1)<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Jennifer L. Armentrout<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> Young Adult - Paranormal, Romance<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link: </span></b> <a href="http://amzn.com/1620610078">http://amzn.com/1620610078</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (From Goodreads): </span></b><br />
Starting over sucks.<br /><br />When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.<br /><br />And then he opened his mouth.<br /><br />Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens. <br /><br />The hot alien living next door marks me.<br /><br />You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. <br /><br />If I don’t kill him first, that is.<div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b></div>
Pay attention book bloggers – this one goes out to you! Last week I did a quick search on my WordPress app on Book Reviews, just to see what would pop up. I can’t tell you the blogger who did it, but I ran across a review for Obsidian and knew that I had that book for kindle, so I stopped to read the review. This review wasn’t a 5 star all praise this book in all its ways, it revealed some thing that the reader didn’t care for, but she gushed about Daemon and a few other aspects of the book. As a result, I searched for it in my library (because who KNOWs when I bought it, but it was pretty buried in my list) and started reading it. <br /><br />Note – I don’t usually read reviews…but I might start after this. I just really hate spoilers, I like to be surprised by stuff…and some bloggers have a difficult time with this. I read a review during this same search that basically spoiled an entire book (that I had already read) with her discussing what she liked/disliked about every part of the book. I have moments when I want to do this too..and I’m starting to wonder if we should call these blog posts “Book Discussions” rather than “Book Reviews” to alert the reader?! Anyway.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> So, alien books aren’t actually my ‘thing,’ I’m not sure why, since in the last few years I’ve read a few good ones, but they just aren’t the first books that I tend to grab first. But I did really enjoy this take on Aliens. I didn’t fully understand what they could do and why – well, I vaguely understood why I guess – but I also just know it’s a book and it doesn’t have to make complete sense to me. The back-story of how they came to exist on earth and what had been established was flushed out to a satisfactory degree for me. All of the fight scenes were enjoyable to read, I didn’t get lost in the movements and what was actually happening, which can happen sometimes when there is a battle going on. <br /><br />I totally loved Daemon and Katy’s back and forth constant battering of each other. It was some really good heat between the two of them. The fact that they were both fighting attraction kind of helped dial up the heat quite a bit. Some of my favorite scenes where the ones where Daemon was displaying jealous. And w-o-w, the kiss scene.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></b> Despite that the back story and the fight scenes were well done, I did feel like the overall story had some holes in it. At some points it felt like the entire town was alien, and at other points it felt like a select few were, and the people of the town knew they were alien or at least ‘other.’ At other times it seemed like their secret was completely locked down and humans put off the whole thing as “this town is weird.” I kind of felt like the lines were blurred a bit on the alien powers also, mostly when it came to the trace, or mark that could be left on humans. I kind of felt like they knew the logistics of it, and then at some point it was like – “hey, let’s try this.” In fact – as far as the instance I’m referring too, I kind of felt like it was put there so the scene would happen – and I would NEVER want that scene removed, but the reasoning behind it seemed a bit under-processed.<br /><br />Katy is so dense. I loved her personality for the most part, but how many times does one have to refer to “your kind” or call you “human” before you really get it, and not have to have it spelled out to you? She doesn’t want to believe anything, including that Daemon isn’t quite as uncaring as he seems half the time. Read between the lines! It’s only frustrating because she is only like this to drag this storyline and hot/cold heat between the characters on for as long as possible – she is a strong character otherwise. The hot/cold stuff could probably be done without her playing dumb about it.<div>
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The Verdict:<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a></div>
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I’m completely engrossed in this series, and just bought book 2. I want to know what happens, and I do want a little bit more Katy/Daemon heat in my life. My hope is that the story and writing just gets better as we go through the books. The book is okay for older teenagers, there is cussing. Kissing and a little bit of touching that isn’t overly descriptive.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-7400930993030823452016-05-04T17:57:00.001-04:002016-05-04T17:57:43.659-04:00Book Review: Unhooked - Lisa Maxwell<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DG5Cz_pu3aU/VypuVX8qbeI/AAAAAAAACNQ/xaJZFLFre9IBsSBlG5B-Akky0o2twpVZwCLcB/s1600/Unhooked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DG5Cz_pu3aU/VypuVX8qbeI/AAAAAAAACNQ/xaJZFLFre9IBsSBlG5B-Akky0o2twpVZwCLcB/s320/Unhooked.jpg" width="213" /></a><b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> Unhooked<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Lisa Maxwell<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> YA - Fairytale Retell, Paranormal<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link: </span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://amzn.com/1481432044">http://amzn.com/1481432044</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (From Goodreads):</span></b><br />For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home—all because her mother believes that monsters are hunting them. Now these delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. The only saving grace is her best friend, Olivia, who’s coming with them for the summer.<br />But when Gwen and Olivia are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and taken to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey, Gwen realizes her mom might have been sane all along.<br /><br />The world Gwen finds herself in is called Neverland, yet it’s nothing like the stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through her fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the roguish young pirate who promises to keep her safe.<br /><br />With time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But will she be able to save Neverland without losing herself?<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">My Review:</span></b><br />
Ever the sucker for a fairy tale retelling, I grabbed up <i>Unhook </i>as soon as I knew about its existence. I truly did not know what I was in for when I picked up this book! I mean, from the blurb you can see this isn’t your typical <i>Peter Pan</i> story, but I am quite impressed with what it turned out to be. Unfortunately this review is finding itself to be vague in all ways. It’s very difficult to say much about it without spoiling the surprises in the book. Even the slightest discussion on the characters or events can reveal things that I feel are much better discovered by reading the book itself!<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> This book was quite a bit darker than any <i>Peter Pan</i> book I’ve read before. I think that is part of what really drew me in. This was only a skeleton of the story we know, in fact I’m pretty sure I can’t actually call this a ‘re-tell’ at all. The surprise of that kept me hooked, wanting to know what was going to happen next since I didn’t even have a baseline for the story.<br /><br /><i>Unhooked </i>had so many twists and turns in it; I am usually pretty good with predicting what is going to happen, and I admit some predictions were easy, there were other moments, however, that surprised me! I love when a book does that. I find enjoyment at looking for foreshadowing and being right about the outcome, but I think I find even more when something (that makes sense) comes out of left field.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">Not So Much:</span></b> I have something I would put here…but it’s a spoiler, so I can’t. But it is not something that is a flaw in the story…just a preference of mine.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><div>
<br />Hmm, well, I think that if you like fae (not the Tinker Bell kind) and familiar stories with a twist, you’ll like this book. It is quite clean, even from cussing – so approved for YA, and for those younger Pre-Teens who might like Goosebumps type books – they may enjoy this too!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156603831114861723.post-16749841645767700752016-04-28T18:58:00.000-04:002016-04-28T18:58:43.629-04:00Book Review: The Raven King - Maggie Stiefvater<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7UvBXXd200/VyKU24X0ksI/AAAAAAAACM4/8QfNsC7N8gQSB1x1C3EwLr1jjsCHr7ItQCLcB/s1600/The%2BRaven%2BKing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7UvBXXd200/VyKU24X0ksI/AAAAAAAACM4/8QfNsC7N8gQSB1x1C3EwLr1jjsCHr7ItQCLcB/s320/The%2BRaven%2BKing.jpg" width="211" /></a><b><span style="color: #990000;">Title:</span></b> The Raven King<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Author:</span></b> Maggie Stiefvater<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Genre:</span></b> YA - Paranormal, Romance<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Buy Link:</span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://amzn.com/0545424984">http://amzn.com/0545424984</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blurb (from Goodreads): </span></b> For years, Gansey has been on a quest to find a lost king. One by one, he’s drawn others into this quest: Ronan, who steals from dreams; Adam, whose life is no longer his own; Noah, whose life is no longer a lie; and Blue, who loves Gansey…and is certain she is destined to kill him.<br />
<br />Now the endgame has begun. Dreams and nightmares are converging. Love and loss are inseparable. And the quest refuses to be pinned to a path.<br />
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<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;">My Review: </span></b><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
The very much anticipated series finale has been bought, received, and read. And I must say, Stiefvater does NOT disappoint.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">What I Loved:</span></b> So the last book of a series that you’ve shouted from the rooftops from the beginning that you love is not the easiest kinds of books to review. Why? Because I am predetermined to love it. Well..maybe not..but this isn’t <i>Divergent</i>. Anything that has, can, or will happen in this book is pretty much out on the table in the ways of endings, so getting mad at this series would be a moot point. So, I’ll lay it out here right here and now; I loved this series. I loved this book. It’s a 5-Hearts…and probably would have been since <i>The Raven Boys</i> was released way back when.<br /><br />So what do I say beyond that? Well, there are a few things I’d like to say regarding Maggie Stiefvater’s books, and hopefully if there are any remaining that haven’t jumped on the Stiefvater train – they will be convinced to do so…<br /><br />I have always loved Maggie’s writing. I have LOVED every single book – and they were not all happy ending love stories either. I can quite honestly say (and here I go all hipster) I read Maggie Stiefvater prior to her becoming overly popular with <i>The Wolves of Mercy Falls</i>. In fact, when I picked up <i>Shiver </i>I didn’t realize at first it was by the same author that wrote <i>Lament </i>and <i>Ballad, </i>back when I was on a Fae kick. But her writing has always captivated me. She writes lyrically and draws clear pictures, not unlike her actual art. But it’s more than that. See, we book lovers love to latch on to characters, and in the groups I ‘hang’ with, we tend to want to two main characters to fall in love, and we expect a story that is entertaining but mostly based around them no matter what the circumstances they are trying to overcome are. What Maggie has done more than once is this; she has given us the couple we want – but since that ‘story’ has been written a million times over, she makes them background noise. Oh, she gives us what we want; we get the falling part of the falling in love, we get shy kisses and passionate kisses, and all the feelings that the characters have no idea what to do with…we get it all, but all the while she’s building this other thing that takes center stage. I believe <i>The Raven Cycle</i> was the master class of this tactic.<br /><br /><i>The Raven King </i>was such an awesome conclusion in that when it ended it was just….right. All the individual story lines started to come together and more than once I found myself thinking ‘of course that is how it happens..” or “ well, that makes perfect sense now,” while yet at the same time not expecting these things at all.<br /><br />I will finish with this, and I’m going to leave it alone (as there is not a “not so much” this time), Maggie wrote a post the day before the book released, and in the end she basically said that she wanted her readers to ‘want.’ I can honestly say she has achieved her goal. I want so much more, while at the same time feel like this conclusion was perfect.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Verdict:</span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYkM1DWKQZk/VpPEWmFK6xI/AAAAAAAACC8/C-6ZB9Me90UgVkrGKAu1xjhjjFZrInU2gCKgB/s1600/tiny%2Bheart%2Brating.gif" /></a><br />
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<i>The Raven King </i>was darker than the other three novels, but it was necessary to the story line. I highly recommend this series. It is clean, some mild cussing.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214221160306121183noreply@blogger.com28