2/23/16

Deja Revu Weekly Post

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Déjà Revu is a weekly review round-up that is open to all book review blogs.

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Contemporary
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Action & Adventure
Contemporary
Dystopian
Science Fiction
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Contemporary
Romance
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Contemporary
Dystopian
Fantasy
Graphic Novel

Historical
Horror
Mystery
Non-Fiction
Paranormal
Religious
Romance

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BDSM
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2/20/16

Book Review: Glass Sword - Victoria Aveyard

Title: Glass Sword (Red Queen - Book 2)
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian, Romance, Fantasy

Blurb (From Goodreads): 
Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?


My Review:
I have been waiting on this book for a year - I fell in love with this world right from the start.  Any new world that I can somewhat compare to the X-Men is always going to get my attention though (hello Shatter Me Series!)  But I also enjoyed the Hunger Games/The Selection aspects of this book as well.

So I've waited a little impatiently for this book, all the while watching the fandom come together via instagram photos.  So when the day finally came, I was the first in line for the library's audio-version of  The Glass Sword, but also my best friend had bought me the book for Christmas!  I LOVE HER SO MUCH! :)  (Okay, I love her whether or not she got me the book..but still!!!)



What I Loved: SO MUCH ACTION.  This isn't your typical 'sit and wait' 2nd book where it really felt like it was a space-filler between the first and third books of the series.  In the past I've had trouble with the middle book of a trilogy for this reason - I love origins because I love getting to know new people - Glass Sword gives you plenty new characters to get to know and love.  One specifically I suspect is going to play a major role in the final book!  The 3rd book is usually so full of action and wrap up, but here again I say Glass Sword has its full share of action.  We aren't stuck waiting out to find out what the oppressors are going to do in the books, we are taking action and creating game plans.  Some game plans don't work out as well as others, but that's okay.

I do also love that this book isn't prettied up any.  Victoria Aveyard does not hold back any punches.  There are gruesome details and you end up hurting just as much as Mare.  She is not leading the easiest life right now, and you can feel that in every move, ever decision.

Not So Much:  Well, one - I hate when characters don't communicate well.  I feel like Mare and Cal have some things they should talk about.  Do you know how many of our lives would be much easier and better if we would just talk??

I really wish I could have been in Cal's head a bit more.  While he was there with Mare the entire time, and played a very important role in their rebellion/revolution, I still kind of feel like we didn't see enough of him.  He was there in a sort of closed off sort of way.

I'm not digging Mare's fixation on Maven either - This isn't like Shatter Me where my heart tipped in Warner's direction...I don't feel like he's been very redeemable at all.  Plus, well I love Cal, and have from the beginning.  The underlying theme of this entire book has been "Anyone can betray anyone" but he's been pretty clear about who he is, what he desires, how he feels.  I swear if he betrays what I believe to be true about him, I might just throw the last book against the wall.  Then buy a new one since I ruined it. ;)

The Verdict:          
These books are best for older teenagers, there are a lot of gruesome details that I think would give my pre-teens/young teens nightmares, but you know your kids best.  There is cussing.  Other than that this is a clean book - and one I love and recommend for Dystopian lovers!
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2/15/16

Book Review: The Five Stages of Falling in Love - Rachel Higginson

Title: The Five Stages of Falling in Love
Author: Rachel Higginson
Genre:  Adult Romance
Publisher:  Indie Book

Blurb (from Goodreads): 
Elizabeth Carlson is living in the pits of hell- also known as grief.

Her husband of eight years, the father of her four children and the love of her life, died from cancer. Grady's prognosis was grim, even from the start, but Liz never gave up hope he would survive. How could she, when he was everything to her?

Six months later, she is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and get the kids to school on time. Both seem impossible. Everything seems impossible these days.

When Ben Tyler moves in next door, she is drowning in sorrow and pain, her children are acting out, and the house is falling apart. She has no time for curious new friends or unwanted help, but Ben gives her both. And he doesn't just want to help her with yard work or cleaning the gutters. Ben wants more from Liz. More than she's capable of ever giving again.

As Liz mourns her dead husband and works her way through the five stages of grief, she finds there's more of her heart to give than she thought possible. And as new love takes hold, she peels away the guilt and heartache, and discovers there's more to life than death.

My Review:
The fact that I own this book is a true testament of the power of social media to convince us to purchase a book.  This is one of those books that popped up in my news feed over and over again with people raving about it's greatness.  I saw the cover enough that I became intrigued more and more, despite it's topic matter.

Here's the thing, people.  I don't do a lot of "real life" in my books.  Oh, I love books about love and life and I absolutely love a good "coming of age" teenage book where the protagonist must learn to live with the cards they are dealt.  But I have very adamantly steered clear of The Fault in their Stars because John Green has ripped my heart out before.  I won't read anything by Nicholas Sparks until I can get confirmation that the book isn't going to make me cry my eyes out.  I have to deal with the tears of real life, so I don't really seek them out in book life.

I acknowledge that these are sometimes the most excellent of books usually.  I mean, I innocently grabbed up a Jodi Picoult book a while back, and she is an extremely talented author.  All the way up until she tore the skin from my body in grief.  I just don't seek these books out on purpose.

What I Loved:
This is hard.  Too hard.  This book was very good of walking us through all of the stages of Liz's emotions, while at the same time I hated it.  Rachel Higginson is an excellent writer.  I swear to you, she has taken my relationship with my husband and almost our origins and put them on paper...then wrote the scenario I hope never, ever happens.  Or at least waits until we are both 90 years old.  Do you know how hard it was to read about Liz's adoration for Grady, how she has eyes only for him..the feel of his arms around her and the fact that she falls in love with him more every day, year - then her reality.  This book made me cry.

But I love the healing, the hope of this book.  I loved Liz's children, and seeing them all work through this grief process together.  I LOVED Ben, and his patience.  Gosh, Liz's interactions with her mother-in-law. It was all on point, true to what would it would probably it would look like for me, and made such a great story.

Not So Much:
This.Book.Made.Me.Cry!

I think I was too engrossed in the story to really come up with any constructive criticism.  This is, again, another fairly linear book - no a lot of action, or no sharp climax.  Just a pretty gradual line to reach the end of the book...however, in this kind of book I'm not sure I would like a lot of drama/action.  I'm not sure I could make it.

The Verdict:        
I'll tell you the truth, if this book were to be a movie, I probably won't watch it.  And I'm sorry to say this, Ms. Rachel Higginson, but I probably won't willingly re-read this book either.  But don't let that be a hindrance to anyone.  This book is excellently written, and worth the tears to get to the end.  This book is an adult book and deals with adult situations.  There is an emotionally based sex scene - no graphic details.
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2/10/16

Book Review: Emmy & Oliver - Robin Benway

Title: Emmy & Oliver
Author: Robin Benway
Genre: Young Adult - Romance, Coming of Age
Amazon:  http://amzn.com/B00O11DMOU

Blurb (from Goodreads):
Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

My Review:
This is another one of those books that sucked me in from the moment I picked it up. Had my weekend been a little less scheduled out this surely would have been a 1-dayer..but life does happen and I didn’t want it to pass me by, so I kept to my schedule (and maybe lost a little bit of sleep to finish).

What I Loved: I absolutely love the friendship between Emmy, Caro, Drew and Oliver in this book. Yes, Oliver is finding his way back into the friendship – but the camaraderie is still there. They are funny, sarcastic and just perfect together. Emmy and Oliver deals with some pretty tough issues, probably more than any one group of friends would normally have, but I really enjoyed how these four friends rely upon each other to get through, and yet they still have their problems; both personal and with each other.

I really loved Emmy and Oliver’s relationship, how it started and grew. At first I was hurt (probably as much as Emmy) when it seemed like Oliver didn’t really know her very well when Oliver came back, but it was nice to see them come together. The interludes of Emmy and Oliver’s childhood were fun as well!

Honestly, reading this book felt a bit like watching a movie – I loved the writing style!

Not So Much: There is a part of me that wishes that instead of this book being mostly about Emmy and Oliver, that it was opened up more to include the entire group. I really wanted more of Drew and Caro’s thoughts through the whole thing, and to see more behind the scenes of their homes and lives; they had just as many issues to deal with. Clearly, this would have changed the title of this book all together, but I really just loved the group as a whole so it was natural to just want to see more of all of them.

While I did say that reading this book felt like watching a movie, I did feel like the “action” was a little eh, so/so. I LOVED the friendships and growth and really found the book fun, but if this were a real movie, the story arc would be a little flat with a bit of a pitch at the climax.

The Verdict:  
 
 
  

This book is appropriate for mature teenagers. The setting is the last year of high school, and they are dealing with appropriate issues. There is, however, quite a bit of cussing and some alcohol in this book. Overall though, I do recommend Emmy and Oliver. It’s a great coming of age book!
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2/6/16

Book Blitz: Thirst, Blood of my Blood - R. P. Channing

240+ Pages
WITH BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHS


~ Kira Sutherland ~


After a near fatal accident (and getting cheated on by her 'boyfriend'), and beating up the lead cheerleader (with whom the boyfriend cheated...), and being labeled as having 'issues' in her school because she, uhm, sees ghosts, Kira is left with two choices:

1. Continue her 'therapy' (where she's told the ghost is a hallucination and also gets her legs ogled too often...)

Or

2. Go to Starkfield Academy, a boarding school for "Crazies and Convicts" (as the social media sites call them.)

She chooses the latter...

~ Cory Rand ~


Cory Rand has not had an easy life. His mother died in a car accident when he was twelve, and so did his mother's best friend...sort of. You see, Janice made a promise to take care of Cory just before she died, and so she lingers. Undead. A ghost that watches out for him.

Brought up in an abusive home, Cory quickly falls into a life of disreputable behavior. After his third offense (which was prompted by a girl, as usual - he has a weakness) he's left with two choices:

1. Be tried as an adult and share a cell with a guy named Bubba (he thinks...)

Or

2. Go to Starkfield Academy, which Cory is pretty sure is run by vampires. But, hey, at least he'll get an education.

He chooses the latter...

It's at Starkfield that Kira meets Cory Rand, a boy with an insatiable Rage who sees ghosts, too. As well as other things, other things from his past, things that confuse him, things like fire and witches and demons.

Things he's always ignored.

Until now.

Genres:

Young Adult Romance
Paranormal Romance
High School
Vampires, Demons, Witches
Dark Fantasy
Horror

Buy Links

Amazon US
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018M5GTLI
Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B018M5GTLI
Kindle Unlimited

$20 Amazon Gift Voucher Giveaway

At the back of the book there is a giveaway link. Once the book hits fifty reviews on Amazon, one of those reviewers will win a $20 (US Dollars) Amazon Gift Voucher!




Excerpt

PROLOGUE

My life was perfect.



      I had the perfect shoes and the perfect friends and I lived in the perfect house. My nails were perfect and my hair was perfect (except on Sundays, it was always windy on Sundays) and I had the perfect clothes. My lips were a perfect red and my hair perfectly straight. My eyeshadow was perfect, my hips were...okay, and my waist...well...also okay. Nothing was wrong in my life. 

     But then there was Jack.

     Jack was a problem.

     He needed to go. I mean, when you’re dead, you’re dead! I had told him this endlessly. Somehow, Jack didn’t get it. I mean, I felt sorry for the guy. Sure. Being stuck between this life and the next. But just because I found him, does that mean I needed to keep him?

     I think not!

     Sadly, when Jack got that look in his eyes, that weary, almost teary (if his tear-ducts worked) look, I melted. I just couldn’t send him away. Not even Jack knew where he would go after he died. 

     Would he, like, die? As in — dead, nada, kaput, finito, gone, no more? Bye bye, sayonara, ciao, hasta la vista baby and all that?

     I couldn’t have that on my conscience. No way. 

     I lay on my bed, wondering what to do about him. “Jaaaaaaack,” I hollered. 

     “Jaaaaaaack!”

     Still no answer.

     “Jack!”

     Jack...materialized.

     His eyes rolled down to the ground. He was making those puppy eyes again. “Jack, I told you not to do that. I told you not to play on my sympathies.”

     His puppy eyes became worse. 

     His skin was gray and, well, dead.

     “Oh, brother,” I said. “I have to do something about you. If mom finds out I have another ‘imaginary friend’ — at my age — well, I’d die of embarrassment. But, like, really die. Not like you.” I wondered about this. Would I die? Was Jack a freak accident, or did all people live on like him? Think of the cemeteries...

     The idea excited me somewhat.

     “What would you have me do, Miss Kira?”

     “Knock off the Miss Kira crap. I told you it’s just Kira.”

     “Yes, Miss Kira.” 

     The dead. There’s just no reasoning. 

     “Fine, Miss Kira it is then.” Rover barked like a lunatic in the garden. No one else might be able to see Jack, but I was sure my dog could. 

     “I have to do something about this,” I mumbled.



     Mike knocked on the door before I had time to leave the house. Mike was the guy I thought (at the time) was perfect.

     “Who is it?”

     “It’s me, baby.”

     Baby, urgh — I wasn’t his baby. I dated Mike because he was the quarterback, because girls are supposed to like the quarterback, because it’s just so darn perfect to be seen with the quarterback, like we’re brainwashed into thinking these things from the first romantic doll set mom buys us.

     This was my previous life.

     “Mike.”

     “Uh-huh. Gonna let me in?”

     So you can try rub me up and then complain when I don’t let you? This, dear reader, was the big problem with Mike. The second we first kissed, his hand went way too far south for me to be comfortable — and I pulled back.

     Mike suddenly wasn’t so perfect. 

     “Uhm, I was just on my way out,” I said.

     “Kira? C’mon, open the door.” He sounded upset. “Is there someone in there with you?”

     Boys. As if.

     I didn’t know much about love (nothing, actually) but I knew this wasn’t it. 

     “Uhm, now’s not the time, Mike.” 

     “C’mon, Kira, what’s going on?” He banged harder. 

     When in doubt...lie. I opened the door a crack. “There’s a dead rat in the house, Mike. Been here for days. I gotta go get some detergent and stuff to handle the stench.”

     Mike stepped back. He peered through the crack of the door. 

     “It’s really bad,” I said. 

     “I’ll drive you.”

     “I’m afraid the smell” — I stuck my armpit to my nose — “has found its way all over me. I’ll drive myself.”

     “O — okay. Fine.” And then he grinned like he wanted something. “Later? My place?”

     Urgh. “Uhm, sure...er...later. Not sure when though.”

     “Six.”

     I fought the urge to roll my eyes. According to girls at school, he was apparently so damn good looking — theoretically. But for me personally, he did nothing. Moved nothing. Twisted nothing. “Look, I gotta go, Mike. I gotta — ”

     “Kira.” His eyes grew stern. “You’ve been avoiding me...”

     Bingo! Well done contestant number one! And what have you won? A brain!

     I tilted my head. “Mike, look, this...rat — I need to deal with it. We’ll talk later, okay? Bye.” I closed the door, not waiting for an answer, and peered out the peep hole. Mike hung around for a second, shoulders wide and eyes glaring straight at me through the door. Could he see me? Did he know I was looking at him?

     He kicked something off the ground, and I had the distinct impression he mouthed the word Bitch before leaving. But I wasn’t sure...



     “Roll down the window, Jack.” Jack was recently dead, so he still had a smell about him. (Which only I could smell...)

     I had purposely skipped breakfast. Maybe Jack would help me lose weight. I was (still am) a little wide, although it had never stopped guys flirting with me. I know how to dress. 

      But I could be skinnier. 

     Lucy Rogers was skinny. All bones and no boobs. 

     Charlene Carverton was a babe. Cheerleader. Big chest (which she pushed out generously with a push-up — if only guys knew). Toned thighs. Charlene only dated college boys (back then), which I still think is pretty gross for a girl her age. 

     “He’s not for you,” Jack said out the blue.

     “Hmm?”

      “This...Mike — he’s wrong for you, Miss Kira.” For all Jack’s faults (mainly, being dead), he has a good heart. Factually, probably it’s why I kept him around at first.

     “You think I don’t know that?”

     “Then why don’t you dump him?”

     I braked at a stop sign. Looked left and right. “Because I’d look like an idiot. I flirted with him and showed interest, and one kiss later I can’t stand the sight of him.”

     “So dump him.”

     “It’s not that simple. Kids at school — they can be vicious. I have to let it fade slowly. If I drop the bomb on him, I’ll never hear the end of it through senior year.”

     “And you care?”

     Yes, I did. Forget Guantanamo, schools are rough. “You don’t understand, Jack. Maybe school was different in your day. But in mine, well, we walk through metal detectors.” 

     “Schools weren’t too different in my day.” I noted the sadness in his voice.

     “You okay?”

     “I’m dead.”

     Right. “You miss...your life?”

     Jack shrugged. “I like being with you, Miss Kira. And I don’t remember much of my life. I think I’m in limbo.”

     “Limbo?”

     “Yes, like I have some unfinished business. If only I could remember...what...it is...” He scratched his head. 

     “Any ideas?”

     “Well, it can’t be love. If it were love, I’d be a vampire. That’s who teenage girls fall in love with these days.”

     “A vampire? That’s just what I need — two undead beings stalking me.”

     “I feel I have something to do around you, Miss Kira. I don’t know what, but something. Something important.”

     I looked over at him. “Me?”

     I was still looking at him when I missed the stop sign.

     The Mack truck drove straight into us.

Author Bio

R P Channing started writing three years ago, but never published anything even after churning out over a million words of fiction. Thirst: Blood of my Blood is the first book he dared to publish. When asked why, he said, “Because it’s the first thing I wrote that my wife actually enjoyed reading.” When not hammering away (most literally) at his keyboard, he can be found buried in a book, reading anything from romance to horror to young adult to non-fiction to comedy.

Author Links

Website
http://blog.rpchanning.com
Twitter
https://twitter.com/RPChanning
Amazon
http://amazon.com/author/rpchanning




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