Book Review and GIVEAWAY: A Terrible Love, ends 4/4

A Terrible Love, by Marata Eros.

"We're terrible together," I say, meeting his eyes, the savage truth hanging between us like an unmovable weight.

"It's not about true love, Jess." I see the conviction in his eyes and it is equal parts horrible and a comfort. I don't want a relationship, I want this burning ache to abate. The fire for him to subside.

I answer even though it's not required, jerking my backpack up off the ground as I begin to walk away. "If it were love then it would be a terrible love."

I don't wait for his response.

I've had this novel in my book pile for a while, and am just now getting to it - and now I wish I had read it sooner, as it was fantastic. I have another book by the same author, The Darkest Joy, that I will also be reviewing soon, as well as giving away two copies. This novel followed Jewell MacLeod, self-renamed Jess Mackey, a college student hiding from an abusive past and trying to connect without giving away too much information about herself to others.

Official synopsis:
Jess Mackey is living a meticulously fabricated lie of necessity. She's left the secret tragedy of her past behind along with who she was and is forging ahead with a clean slate. Jess soon discovers that passion can't be left behind; her own and that of the one man that sees who she really is. Whose presence caresses her soul in a way that may breach the peaceful life Jess has made for herself.

Devin Castile sees a young woman that is the missing puzzle piece to his existence and who is also the victim to a heinous crime. Devin convinces himself that he can remain emotionally distant even while indulging his physical desire for her. When the lies that Jess has made crumble before their attraction and the truth is revealed, one of them might pay with their life... or their very being.
-

I seem to be reading a lot of YA/NA books lately where the main character has an interesting or secretive past (here and here, for example), and this one was no exception. Jess's stepdad is a senator who is now running for president, and his son used to sexually abuse her. She ran away from them but has to keep a low profile, since her stepdad is constantly on the news, talking about his campaign and also how the search for Jess is going. Her mother chose to ignore what was going on - she "made her choice," Jess repeats throughout - and there was no other option for Jess except to run away.

Jess finds herself caught between two guys: Mitch, the "safe" option, who wants to be her boyfriend, and Devin Castile, "Cas" for short, who just wants sex, no strings attached. Jess opts to partake in both of these choices, until she learns some things about both men that make her reevaluate.

My *only* complaint about this novel is that we don't get to see into Devin's psyche as much as I'd like - however, I think the reason for this is because of A Brutal Tenderness, released recently on e-book ($5.99), which is this same story but from his point-of-view. I will definitely be adding that to my TBR list, as Cas continues to be a mystery to me after reading A Terrible Love, for the most part.

4.5 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel for reviewing purposes. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.


GIVEAWAY:

Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Two winners will each receive one paperback copy of the novel. Contest will end Friday, April 4th, at 11:59pm EST, and winners will be emailed on April 5th and have 24 hours to respond, or alternate winner(s) will be chosen. U.S. and Canada residents only, please.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

GIVEAWAY: win $300 Paypal cash to celebrate the release of Michael Thomas Cash's newest novel, ends 4/8

Welcome to the $300 Cash Giveaway!

Sponsored by Michael Phillip Cash

Schism was recently chosen as a BOTYA 2013 Finalist in Science Fiction. To celebrate, Michael Cash would like to offer a everyone a chance to win $300 Paypal cash. I am partnering up with other bloggers to host this giveaway!

On the planet Darracia, an ever-widening social gap between its inhabitants is causing turmoil that is fracturing a once peaceful world. Struggling with his identity, nineteen year old Prince V'sair must harness the power of the elusive Fireblade, the secret to a warrior's heart, in order to overcome his uncle Staf Nuen's lust for supremacy. Will the energy of the Elements guide the young prince to his true destiny or will Staf Nuen conquer Darracia?

Read More

Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Blood Guard, ends 4/1, two winners

The Blood Guard, by Carter Roy.

She ran straight at the police car.

The blade she carried gleamed blue, like it had stored up the light of a full moon. Every sweep of its point left a bright, burning arc in the air.

But that wasn't what made my jaw drop with wonder.

When my mom ran, she blurred. There was a moment when her legs were visible; then something shifted, and she was a smear of color streaking across the pavement, halving the distance between us and the police car in a single breath. No regular person moves that fast.

This novel is the first in a trilogy about the Blood Guard, a group of people who guard the Pure - thirty-six people who must survive if the world is to survive, too. I actually started reading this book a while ago, then put it down, and then returned to it, which I usually don't do, but I'm glad I did, because the second half was more interesting and action-packed than the first.

Official synopsis:
When thirteen-year-old Ronan Truelove's seemingly ordinary mom snatches him from school, then sets off on a high speed car chase, Ronan is shocked. His quiet, nerdy dad has been kidnapped? And the kidnappers are after him, too? His mom, he quickly learns, is anything but ordinary. In fact, she's a member of an ancient order of knights, the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect the Pure—thirty-six noble souls whose safety is crucial if the world as we know it is to survive. Now all those after-school activities—gymnastics, judo, survival training—she made him take make sense. For suddenly Ronan is swept up in a sometimes funny, sometimes scary, but always thrilling adventure—dashing from one danger to the next, using his wits to escape the Bend Sinister, a posse of evil doers with strange powers. 

Falling in with two unlikely companions, Greta, a scrappy, strong-willed girl he's never much liked and Jack, a devil-may-care teenage pickpocket, Ronan is left with only his wits and his mom's last words of advice: Trust no one. That's a lot for an ordinary kid to deal with. But then again, maybe Ronan's not ordinary at all.
-

This is supposed to be a "middle-grade contemporary" read (aka, for middle-schoolers and up) but I found that anyone can enjoy it, especially if you enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, or books like Harry Potter, that involve a bit of magic in them.

Ronon finds out randomly one day that his mom is a member of this Blood Guard, and he must set off on a trip when, at the beginning of the novel, he and his mother's safety is jeopardized. He meets up with Greta, an old classmate of his, as well as Dawkins, another member of the Guard, and they must work together to put a stop to the Bend Sinister, an evil group who wants to kill the Pure.

I'm a fan of the Harry Potter series and other fantasy/sci-fi, and I enjoyed this novel overall. The book is very cleanly-written (easy to get through) and the characters were interesting - by the end of the novel, you were invested in their fates and whether or not they lived another day, though I assumed they would since this is the first novel of three about Ronan and the Blood Guard.

3.5 stars out of 5.

GIVEAWAY:

I have two copies of this novel to give away to my lucky readers - one hard copy (U.S. only) and one e-copy (open to international). Enter via the Rafflecopter below. Contest will end on Tuesday, April 1st, at 11:59pm EST, and winners will be notified on April 2nd via email and have 24 hours to respond, or alternate winner(s) will be chosen.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

Quick Pick: Insurgent (Divergent #2)

• Opening line: "I wake with my name in his mouth."
• Reason I picked up the book: I read Divergent back in 2011 and saw the movie version this past week. I had been meaning to read books 2 and 3 in the series, which came out in 2012 and '13, but had not yet read them.
• And what's this book about?
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

• Favorite paragraph: 

Tobias looks at me. I can't be popular with the Dauntless, because Tobias is right - I'm not Dauntless; I'm Divergent. I am whatever I choose to be. And I can't choose to be this. I have to stay separate from them.

"No," I say. I clear my throat and say it louder. "No, you don't have to vote. I refuse my nomination."  

Tori raises her eyebrows at me. "Are you sure, Tris?" 

"Yes," I say. "I don't want it. I'm sure." 

And then, without argument and without ceremony, Tobias is elected to be a leader of Dauntless. And I am not. 

• Recommended for: fans of dystopian books (such as The Hunger Games series) and/or fans of the first Divergent book.
• Something to know: The book starts immediately after the events of Divergent, so I waited until I got a bit of a refresh from the movie to start this novel, as I had read the first book in 2011.
• What I would have changed: Nothing, actually! The end is definitely a cliffhanger, though, so I'm glad that I have Allegiant on hold at the library to read next.
• Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Read More

Book Review and Giveaway: Every Shattered Thing, ends 3/25

Every Shattered Thing, by Elora Ramirez.

I glare at him and sit down in the grass, the icy blades poking through my jeans. I grimace and shift around before deciding to lay straight on my back so I'm facing the meteor shower. It looks like tiny pieces of glass tearing themselves against a black velvet tapestry. 

"It's beautiful," I whisper.

He sits down besides me and rests his hand on mine. 

"I figured you might like it," Kevin says. "It seems to be something you would understand - complete beauty found in the darkest of places."

This book makes every other YA/NA (Young Adult/New Adult) book I've read in the past seem like their characters lead charmed lives. Ever since she was young, Stephanie has been used by her father as a prostitute - he runs a ring that's now online, too - and she dreams of escaping their grasp. However, she wouldn't dream of leaving her 4-year-old brother, Pacey, alone in that household. Eventually, however, her life begins to get worse and worse, and measures must be taken before the worst can happen.

Official synopsis:
Stephanie fights reality every day. The voices inside, the ones declaring her worth, deem her broken, used and dirty. She is an object. A toy. Something to be tossed aside when bored. Who will believe her if she whispers the truth about her wrecking ball of a family? Eventually, her secret explodes and the person who means the most to her knows just how shattered she is and why she's so afraid. But rescue is closer than she realizes. Hidden in plain sight, her horror hasn’t been ignored by everyone. Racing against the truth of what she faces, forces are joining together and developing a plan to free her from the hell in her own backyard. And while she’s at her lowest point, she’s hit with the beauty of love at any cost - redemption in the face of ruin. Will it be enough?
-

Before I delve into this book, I should say that everyone should read it - it was rather eye-opening to realize that so many girls, even in our country, are going through this. Ramirez has created characters that could be ripped from the headlines, and their situations are unfathomable.

At the same time, I was very frustrated with some of these characters. Kevin, Stephanie's boyfriend, knows what's going on in her household, yet she tells him over and over not to get involved. They're both in high school, so you could argue that he's too young to know better ... but Stephanie's former teacher, Emma, and her husband Jude, are not. The problem is that Stephanie's father has half of the town police force in the palm of his hand - they're actually taking part in the prostitution ring, in some cases - so when the police or CPS (Child Protective Services) come to visit her house, it's actually only making Stephanie's situation worse.

However, I was rather appalled that it took so long for Stephanie to get out of her parents' grip. Perhaps that IS real life, but I thought she shouldn't have been left to get beaten up and raped so many times, that something could have been done earlier about the situation. That could just be me being naive, but it's my opinion.

Another small complaint is the ending; I am not sure if there's a sequel, but if there's not, it ended rather abruptly. I wanted to know more about what happens to Stephanie, her family, and Kevin. There's also a small twist at the ending that I didn't see coming, and that also seemed a little unbelievable, too.

Overall, though, I did think this novel was interesting, and like I said before, it's definitely one that should be read - or at least check out similar reads - to broaden your horizons and learn more about these girls' plight, both here at home and overseas.

3 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received an e-galley of this book to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

GIVEAWAY:

Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Prizes include a $30 Amazon gift card and a chapter of Every Shattered Thing with author notes and a story coaching session. Contest ends Tuesday, March 25th at 11:59pm EST.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Reclaiming the Sand, ends 3/25

Reclaiming the Sand, by A. Meredith Walters.

I wanted to tell him. But I wanted to lie as well. I liked the way he looked at me. To Flynn Hendrick, Ellie McCallum was important. She was wanted. If I told him the truth about that night, I was sure that would all change.

My self-destructive side urged me to tell him everything. To sever the delicate bond that was forming between us. 

But I had another side that insisted on silence. 

I think this is maybe the first YA/NA book (it's classified as New Adult, but is really more Young Adult, in my opinion) I've read that has a character with a disability in it. Flynn, the main male character, has Asperger's, which makes him seem a bit different than others; Ellie and her friends in high school call him "Freaky Flynn," but she actually really likes him, and starts to spend time with him. She does something that impacts her life a lot and then doesn't see him for six years, when he returns to the small town they live in ... and ends up changing her worldview yet again.

Official synopsis:
Bully and victim.
Tormenter and tormented.
Villain and hero.

Ellie Mccallum was the bully. The Tormenter. The Villain. Taking what she wanted, stomping over anyone that got in her way. Feelings, futures, and relationships be damned. She felt no emotional connection to anyone or anything. A sad and lonely existence for a young woman who had come to expect nothing more for herself. Her only happiness coming from making others miserable.

Particularly Freaky Flynn.

Growing up, Flynn Hendrick was known only as “Freaky Flynn.” He lived a life completely disconnected even as he struggled to become something more than that boy with Asperger's. He was taunted and teased, bearing the brunt of systematic and calculated cruelty, ultimately culminating in a catastrophic turn of events that brought Ellie and Flynn’s worlds crashing down.

But then Flynn and Ellie grew up.

And moved on.

Until years later when their paths unexpectedly cross again and the bully and the freak are face to face once more.

When labels come to define you, finding yourself feels impossible. Particularly for two people disconnected from the world who inexplicably find a connection in each other.

And out of the wreckage of their tragic beginnings, an unlikely love story unfolds.

But a painful past doesn’t always want to let go. And old wounds are never truly healed…and sometimes the farther you try to run from yourself the closer you come to who you really are.
-

I really loved this book. This is one of the reasons I'm so glad I take part in blog tours, because this book is not one that I would have necessarily found on my own; I haven't read anything else by the author.

A. Meredith Walters, author

This novel is, at its core, a love story, but it's also about acceptance and growing up/moving on with your life. Ellie still hangs out with the same group she did in high school, and she slowly realizes that if she wants to get anywhere in life, she has to stop repeating the same patterns (getting drunk/high every weekend, etc.) and behavior. She enrolls in an English class at the local community college which starts to change this for her, and at the same time, Flynn Hendrick moves back to town, and they strike up a relationship.

Ellie was the narrator in this novel and I really liked how the reader was able to get into her head. Sometimes she got frustrated with Flynn, because he has mood swings, but she always reminds herself that it's not his fault, it's just how he's "hardwired"; she also loves the way she feels special and loved when she's with him, because growing up as a foster kid, she never had that kind of relationship in her life before.

4.5 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received an e-galley of this novel for reviewing purposes. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

GIVEAWAY:

The other book tour bloggers and I are hosting a giveaway with many prizes! You can win one of the following:

• $50 Amazon gift card
• $20 Amazon gift card and SIGNED paperback of Reclaiming the Sand
• $10 Amazon gift card and e-book of Reclaiming the Sand

Enter via the Rafflecopter below. Contest ends on Tuesday, March 25th at 11:59pm EST.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

Book Review and Signed Copy GIVEAWAY: Fate of the Vampire (Vanderlind Castle #3), ends 3/28

Fate of the Vampire, by Gayla Twist.

There are things most teenage girls really need to hear. Obvious things like don't text while driving. Or don't blow off your friends just because you're dating some guy. Or, advice that I could have benefited from, don't date a vampire. Because even though Jessie had never even come close to hurting me, and even though he was one of the nicest and most generous people on the planet, and even though he wasn't one of those jealous control-freak vampires that you're always reading about in romance novels, he was still a vampire. Which meant he had vampire friends. And vampire enemies. So I was constantly under threat from this or that member of the undead whom I wasn't even dating.

As you can tell from that excerpt, this book is no Twilight, and it's the third (and final, sadly) book in the Vanderlind Castle series from Gayla Twist. I love these books because not only do they have supernatural elements, but they're also very well-written, and the narrator, Aurora, has an awesome sense of humor.

Official synopsis:
Just when Aurora and Jessie start to date like a normal couple, things go horribly wrong in the town of Tiburon, Ohio. People are disappearing, and Aurora knows it’s all her fault. She is, after all, in love with a vampire.

Fate of the Vampire is the final book in the Vanderlind Castle trilogy.
-

Despite that very short synopsis, this book was great. If you like novels with strong heroines that fall in the supernatural/paranormal genre, I highly encourage you to check out these books - but start at the beginning, with Call of the Vampire (click here for review), so you can read Aurora and Jessie's story chronologically.

In this installment, teens start disappearing from Tiburon, the small town in Ohio where Aurora lives, and she has a nagging suspicion that it's vampire-related. Jessie's grandfather, whom everyone thought was dead a long time ago, also randomly shows up, and demands that Jessie never see Aurora again, which of course she's NOT okay about. And her mother has been dating a man who wants to propose to her - except, Aurora has yet to meet him.

It would be hard for me to pick a favorite of the three books, so I'll go ahead and say I liked all the novels in this series equally; I did give all 4 out of 5 stars, which is what I would give this book too. Heart of the Vampire, book 2 (click here for review), took place in both Tiburon and also Europe, but in Fate, they're back in Tiburon for the duration of the story.

Gayla Twist has created some memorable characters here, and although we do get our HEA (Happily Ever After) ending, I definitely wouldn't mind if there were more books in this series, though unfortunately there will not be.

4 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received an e-copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

GIVEAWAY:

Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. One winner will receive a paperback copy of Fate of the Vampire signed by Gayla Twist! Contest will end Friday, March 28th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be emailed on March 29th and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen. U.S. and Canada residents only, please.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More