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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Book Review: Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Requiem (Delirium, #3)Requiem (Delirium #3) 
by Lauren Oliver
Release Date: March 5th, 2013
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Young Adult Romance Fantasy, Dystopian
Format: Hardcover, 391 pages
Source: Bought 
ISBN: 978-0-06-201453-5
Get a Copy: B&N/Amazon

Goodreads Summary: They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancĂ©e of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.


Cindy's Review: Yayyy. Finally, I'm reviewing this book!! I read this book like on March 7th. ;D Cuz it came that day. And I finished like by the next day. Or actually I don't think started reading it till March 8th, but yeah. It's like three weeks since I read. But don't worry, this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2013 so I won't forget stuff (I hope.) 

"But not my Alex: a stranger who never smiles...."
Aww...the 'my Alex' came back again. 

The Cover: 
Haha. When I saw this cover (while opening the box) I almost screamed! Woohooo! There three of them in box since I helped friends buy theirs and one of them was banged up horribly. Ewww...but at least I got to keep the nicest one.;D Anways, fab cover! I saw it already but when I saw that tiny sticker, "Read a short story about Alex! Only is the first printing." I almost fell off my chair. Woot! We get an Alex POV at the end!!

"Alex reaches out and touches her hand, gentle and reassuring, and I am suddenly filled, head to toe, with the feeling that I am going to be sick."
Someone sounds jealous. But I'm jealous too, lol, for Lena. Actually I'm yelling at Alex in my head. 


The Characters:
Okay, so it's really hard to talk about the final book in the series without spoiling anything about the first books. So look away for those who haven't read Delirium yet. In fact, you should find a copy of Delirium and start reading it. I promise you. You won't regret it.

"Their signs read 'Take Back our Streets and Deliria-Free America.' "
Why do they hate love man? Love is like the point of human beings. Omg. LOL.

Lena - Although there are few main characters. I shall introduce the girl who started it. Lena changed a lot thorughout the year (I shall say). She went from shy to more talkative to outgoing to leading to confident. Yeah. And to bold Lena who has two guys falling for her. So actually, I think Lena was kind of annoying. I mean, ohmergerd, girl grow up. I kind of get why she gets mad at her mom, but like omg. Forget it. I'm gonna get mad at her. And omg. Can't she see Alex is in pain. Why is still hanging out with Julian. LIke why is she sleeping with him! Ohmergerd.. yeah

"People don't get divorced anymore. It's practically illegal."
What! Well, when people are controlled by the government, what do you expect?

Alex - OhmyAlex. From Lena POV, he got less sexy. Or maybe just less cute. I dunno. Alex changed. I mean, I would changed if my girlfriend thought I was dead and started dating someone else and promise someone else they would theirs forever. Like dude. What kind of girl is that? Omg. But Alex doesn't really talk to Lena. He keeps to himself and befriends Coral. Noooo. Alex. You needa be with Lena!! Despite all that happened! Cuz you're meant for each other! Omg. LOL

"It's because of him, isn't it?"
Oh yes, it's definitely because of him. ;)



Julian - In the second book, Pandemonium, I hated Julian. I mean, like ewwww Julian. Why did you take Lena from Alex. Omg. Alex is way better than you. But this book I actually feel sad for him because basically this love triangle mess goes like this. Julian likes Lena. Lena likes Alex. Coral likes Alex. Yep. Omg. And Alex supposedly hates Lena. Yep. Horrible. But glad the mess sorts out in the end.

"Their knees, now touching..."
Damn Alex. Why?

Coral I was mad that there was another girl Alex is paying attention to. Omg. Their knees are touching. Lena gets jealous. But like turns out Coral is actually a sweet girl. I also feel sad for her. Even though Coral and Julian don't go well together (according to me), I think they both deserve someone (if Lena ends up with Alex. Which is probably in my dreams.) 

"God forgive me, for I have sinned."
You certainly have. Omg. You totally ruined everything! 

Hana - Hana actually plays a big part in the book. At least in the end. She actually help make the final successful. Although she still betrayed Lena. Omg. Whyy??!!?? If it wasn't for Hana, Lena and Alex would be happy together! So in a way, Hana kind of did cause Pandemonium and Requiem to come out. (This isn't a spoiler since it was not included in the book. Well, not really.....) 

"He jerks me close him."
Ohmygawd, I have a bad feeling about this.

Fred - Ohmergerd. Don't get me started on Fred Hargrove. No comment. At first, he seems like a normal non-important character. But then he turned....ugh. Don't even wanna talk about him. .In a way, though he reminded me of Anden from Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu. Since both of them are the sons of the highest officer in the country (basically a president) and they are both leading the country now. But Anden is actually nice and kind.....and Fred is.......

"They call her Bee now." (This wasn't in the story, but I can totally see this flashing through Lena's brain.)
But Lena.....

Annabel - I think Annabel is actually another important figure in this book. She kind of played the mother figure and helped Lena. I cried when Annabel and Lena had the mother-daughter reunion. It was sad. Omg. 

"I kiss him back automatically."
\Ooooh no. 

The Plot:
Well, this is it. The final book in the Delirium Trilogy. The book that ends it all. We finally got there. ;D 

I think the most important point of this book to the readers was who Lena ended up with. Yeah. That's the big question. And that's in the end. After like 400 pages. So if you're really interested, you gotta read it for yourself. ;) 

So in Requiem, Lena and everyone else gets the final truth about the government and the cause of everything. Basically this book serves as a final and answer all unanswered questions. Well, not all. In this book though, you'll find a huge group of Invalids resisting the government and finally fighting back through the help they can get. 

(As you guys may know, I'm really bad a summarizing a book. LOL. Sorry about that.)

"Why couldn't you let me have it? Why did you have to take it? Why did you always take everything?"
I would have said the same thing. 

The Extras:
Ohmergerd. This book. The ending. omg. Was so open ended. To some, the ending may have been happy, with Lena ending up with her guy. To others, the ending may have been, everyone died, the end. LOL. It kind of depends on you to think it out. It reminds me of the ending of this drama City Hunter. And it also reminds me of The Giver ending. Except the Giver is also another series. And City Hunter is a Korean drama. LOL. 

The Rating: (1-10): 10!
Haha. Despite my rule of not giving tens to series unless they're the first book, I feel bad for giving Requiem a lesser rating. 

Happy Reading~ 




Friday, March 29, 2013

Book Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds, #1)The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) 
by Alexandra Bracken 
Release Date: December 18th, 2012
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult Dystopia Romance 
Format: Hardcover, 488 pages
Source: Liana/Bought from Walmart
ISBN: 978-1-4231-5797-3
Get a Copy: B&N/Amazon 

Goodreads Summary: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.


Cindy's Review: Haha. So this book was like a pass-me-down recommendation. It was recommended to my friend Liana from Dalena, therefore Liana bought the book. I heard Dalena give great recommendations and I talked to Dalena so I decided to read the book. (Liana didn't even read it yet. HAHA.)


"Lesson learned! You're falling next time, darlin', because, man, you have a hard head...."
Herher. I love how Liam can joke around even though they're trying to run away. 

The Cover: 
You see that symbol right there? It's the symbol of the government's cruelty towards children. It's the symbol people at the "rehalbilitation camp" and they're evil. Anyways, just by looking at this book and reading the teaser, my friend, Wen said it sounded good. So *winks looks like it's a catchy cover.

"-that is not my child!"
Like omg. Who can forget their baby completely? For a second, I really thought Ruby woke up in the wrong house. LOL.

The Characters: 
RubyWhen Ruby was then, her parents disowned her. Or her parents forgot her. I don't know. Maybe she made her parents forget her. I don't really get that part. But either, on the day of her tenth birthday, she was dragged to concentration camp. There they were classified as colors. Green and Blue were the less dangerous ones. And Yellow and Red were kind of dangerous. But the most dangerous was Orange. Orange can change thoughts, read minds, and control actions. The amazing Slip Kid was Orange. And Ruby? Ruby's Orange but she made others think she was a Green. But Ruby doesn't know how to use her powers.

"Rabbits need dignity and, above all, the will to accept their fate."
This quote can be so random, but in a way, it affects the main character and her decisions. Omg. I like this quote cuz it involves rabbits. I love bunnies. ;D

Liam - This hottie right here is nineteen? I think he's nineteen or was it seventeen. Haha. I forgot. I read too many books to remember. I just know that they're in their teens and their hot. Yep. Such an awesome reader. He's the leader of the group that goes around places with him. In his group, there's a guy named Chubs and an eleven-year-old named Zu. All three of them escaped out of the prison camp children are dumped in. I'm pretty sure Liam is the oldest, therefore he's the leader. Zu was the one who saved Ruby and Chubs don't really like Ruby at first, but Liam insisted that Ruby stayed with them. ;D

"His hand came up to brush the stray strands of hair off the back of my neck."
That's how all relationships starts getting serious. It's either that, or they straight up kiss. I like this version better. :)

The Plot: 
When Ruby was ten, she was dragged away by PSF officers to the Thurmond "rehabilitation camp" among all the other children from 9-16 (I believe). There, she spent six years listening to what people tell her to do. She stays quiet. She makes a friend, named Sam. Six years later, Sam stuck up for her, but Ruby couldn't do anything to save her friend from the torture PSF officers give them. Soon, Ruby was saved by a doctor named Dr.Begbie. 

It turns out Dr. Begbie works for the organization against the camps and she works to save kids like Ruby. But Ruby doesn't trust Begbie (her real name is Kate, I think. Sorry. My memory problems. Omg.) Ruby runs away from Kate and her boyfriend Rob and in the end, she finds Liam's group. Ruby stayed with Liam and yes, they slowly fell in love. Haha. <3 

Both Ruby and Liam wants to find the Slip Kid. Apparently the Slip Kid could provide food and all those resources for kids like them. But when Ruby finally finds him, Ruby soon learns who the Slip Kid really is and what damage he could really do. 

I can't believe I forgot to add Ruby's abilities. Ruby can mind read and control another person's thoughts. She's an Orange. And there aren't much Oranges out there. Perhaps only the Slip Kid and her. Because they're the last few. And only the Oranges can change things all around. 

"I'm so sorry......for everything."
Seems like the sad part is here. Here comes my tears. LOL. 

The Extras:
Ohmergerd, The ending. I could cry. Actually I think I did. Omg. I kind of wish the book ended like so that it would be a sad ending and I could cry and love this book forever. But it's a series, so at least there's a chance for a happy ending. ;)

This book kind of reminds of Graceling by Kristin Cashore. But mind reading and controlling was an ability in Graceling also. And people are also identified through their abilities in both books. ;) And both have awesome romance in it. ;D 

The Rating: (1-10): 9.9!

Happy Reading~

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Book Review: Double Crossed by Ally Carter

Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story (Gallagher Girls, #5.5; Heist Society, #2.5)Double Crossed: A Spy and Thieves Book (Gallagher Girls # 5.5; Heist Society #2.5)
by Ally Carter 
Release Date: January 22nd, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult Fiction Contemporary Thriller Spy 
Format: ebook, 82 pages
Source: Netgalley 
ISBN: 978-1-4231-8747-9
Get It: B&N/Amazon (Currently FREE!) 

Goodreads Summary: Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists.


Cindy's Review: I think Ally Carter is just freakinfantastic! She's so cool! Omg. Ally Carter combined her two series together and the characters finally met! Even though the series took place in a different time period and the characters lead different lives, Ally found a way to make them meet! That's fabulousness~ ;D LOL. Cuz I love all the characters. 

"At last, Macey saw something that she was absolutely not expecting. A boy."
Ooohhh, Macey McHenry's flirting skills are back....but don't hate her just yet.

The Cover:
Hmmm...a necklace. I wonder why.....well, there's gonna be a necklace in the book. It's kind of like a mystery. Like the Boxcar Children kind (which I used to love when I loved mysteries back when I was younger) but more action-packed and romantic in a way. It's gonna get you on your edge of your seats with the oozing sexiness of spies and (good) thieves. Haha. Yeah. 

"And for the first time that evening, Macey was impressed. 'Oh, you're good.' "
And I'm impressed. Whoever can impress Macey McHenry must be impresssive. Gotta pay more attention to Hale now. 

The Characters:
Macey McHenry - When I first met Macey in book 1 of the Gallagher Girls series, I'd Tell You I Love, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (I know, long title, but awesome quote there. ;D) I was like, "Gosh, Macey such a b****." But then, Macey became a whole lot better and finally recognized Cammie Morgan as the main character and the "leader" of the pack. Cammie's fabulous. Can't wait till one day, she relishes all her spy skills and leave everyone in awe. ;) Can't wait for #6 in the GG series! 

"You think you're gorgeous. But I'm the one guy here who knows better."
You better watch out, Macey. xD

Hale - Hale, on the other hand, is this sexy thief guy, who....sounded so sexy in the book. ;) Honestly, I wasn't paying enough attention in the Heist Society series to correctly remember Hale and Kat Bishop. So sorry about that, Hale. Hale is just this really cool, outgoing guy who catches girls' attentions. Yep. Caught Macey's attention. 

"Because of that."
This is getting good. Because of what?

The Plot: 
So for those who didn't know, Hale and Macey are kind of high-classed, despite who they secretly are, a spy and a thief. They both have rich parents, with huge parties to attend to. I love the way Ally Carter writes. Omg. So they attend this meeting and their bored. Like really bored. Until.....they caught sight of each other, ;D, even though both of them are like dating someone. And they realize something was suspicious.

They didn't know anything about each other, but then when it turns out both of them knew way too much information to be a normal teenager, they decide to work together to solve whatever problem is going to happen. They call to their outside sources, Abby Cameron and Kat Bishop (so they met too! ;D) to help them, especially when now they're locked up in a huge room with other guests with guns to their heads. 

So in this exciting, short novella, suspense-packed mystery, Macey and Hale has to pretend to be dating to get of this mess. Haha. I love that part. 

"You're cute when you're annoyed."
I love that they flirt when they're both taken and they basically have a gun in their face.

The Extras:
So this book is currently free in Amazon and Barnes and Nobles! And Smashwords (probably, I didn't check). So go check it out! I suggest you read the Gallagher Girl series and The Heist Society series first, but it wouldn't hurt to get a free book! Plus, you just wouldn't know the characters like the people who read the series before do, but I think it would be okay to read the novella without reading the series. Just like meeting new characters. ;)

This book has Hale and Macey POV so that should be interesting knowing Hale's POV. ;) 

P.S I'm going to book quotes in between paragraphs of my review. ;) So I can entertain my readers. LOL. 

The Rating: (1-10): 9.5

Happy Reading~ 

Sunday, March 24, 2013

No Joke April Fools Kindle Giveaway!


No Joke - Win Big April Fools Giveaway
Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway



The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)


Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)


Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)






Sponsoring Authors


The Breeders by Katie French

"The Breeders is a YA dystopian read that's as gritty and dark as the cover and title suggest. It takes a look at how society might devolve if females were commodities: bought, sold, stolen, and traded to keep the dwindling human race going. Frightening concept. I loved it." --A.G. Henley, author of The Scourge








Dissidence by Jamie Canosa

"An amazingly snarky protagonist, two hot boys, a mass rebellion, and an ending that will blow your mind are the perfect ingredients that will make Dissidence the next big thing in YA." --Beth, YA Sisterhood








The Moon Dwellers and Fire Country 
by David Estes

“Fire Country is an epic start to the Country saga and left me with my heart pounding and totally breathless. Phenomenal" --K-booksxo.blogspot.com








Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas

Love between humans and androids is forbidden, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen...










The Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGette

"To say I loved this book is an understatement." --April Holgate













Terra by Gretchen Powell

"This could be your world... but it's definitely Terra's, and she navigates it with determination, and a longing for answers that makes her story engrossing and entertaining." -- abookobsession.com








After the Fear by Rosanne Rivers


"The book is just breathtaking from the moment you start till the moment you put it down." -- Amazon review









Entanglement by Dan Rix

A YA Dystopian Romance where every human is born with a soulmate, whom they meet on their 18th birthday...and the one boy who's the exception.










daynight by Megan Thomason

“Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” --Kirkus Reviews
 “Gripping; page-turner” --BlueInk Review (starred review)








Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

"The novel's take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans." - Kirkus Reviews







Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 4/15/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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Blog Tour: Terra (Terrestrials #1) by Gretchen Powell

terrabanner.jpg
Welcome to my stop on the Terra Blog Tour

Short Blurb:

In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two. The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon makes her living as a scav, scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. While on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth ultimately leads her to Adam - a beguiling boy with a secret that has the power to change humanity's existence forever.

Genre: YA Dystopian

Longer Blurb:

A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.

A discovery that will change everything.

In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial- -a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for\ discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is turned upside down.

Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries

unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.

The first book in debut author Gretchen Powell's anticipated Terrestrials series, Terra catapults you through a story filled with blood-pumping action, intrigue, and surprising twists that will both wrench and warm your heart. As the hidden truths of this world unfold, new dangers that loom on the horizon are sure to leave you waiting breathlessly for the sequel.


Cindy's Review: So aside from that long summary for the book, Terra is about a girl named Terra who takes care of her younger brother. Her parents died when she was young and she's a scavenger who looks for random metal around the earth to turn in. The metals she turn in are credits for food. One day, Terra picks up a weird machine thing that gave her like 3,000 credits. That's considered a lot since she only gets like 175 credits per week. 

Finding that machine led her to finding Adam. Adam, another hot and sexy guy. LOL. Anyways, Terra soon learns how her world really runs. And who are really the leaders that rule over the people. In this novel, there are skydwellers, who are basically rich people who can afford fresh air, awesome houses, school. And everything rich people can afford including food. 

One cool thing about this book is that rain apparently is contaminated and can burn someone's skin. I find that really cool even though it's scary. LOL. Don't they have umbrellas? I guess not, since whenever it rains, they have to duck inside a house or something. 

I like science fiction books with romance, so I guess this book really suited me. ;D Haha. Well, science fiction romance basically equals dystopian. ;D So those who love science fiction, young adult, romance, fantasy, and dystopian, this is your book! 

Author Bio: 
Author Pic Ebook.jpgHalf-Chinese and the daughter of a US diplomat, Gretchen Powell spent her childhood growing up in far-off places. She made it all the way to her mid-twenties whilst maintaining her deep-seated love for young adult novels, so she decided to write one of her own. Her creative process involves copious amounts of Sour Patch Kids and
sleeping fitfully. When she isn't writing young adult dystopian science fiction, Gretchen
also writes a successful healthy living blog, entitled Honey, I Shrunk the
Gretchen!

She lives in Northern Virginia with her two adorable miniature schnauzers. They wear many sweaters. Visit her website and writing blog at http://www.gretchenpowell.com.

Links: 
Gretchen's website: http://www.gretchenpowell.com

Terra on Amazon 
Terra on B&N
Terra on Kobo
Terra on iTunes
Terra on Goodreads

Giveaway~
There's two, one is a signed paperback copy of US only and some bookmarks.  
The second giveaway is an ebook of Terra for internationally.


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Friday, March 22, 2013

Blog Tour: Appearances and Other Stories

Welcome to my stop on the Appearances and Other Stories Blog Tour
hosted by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.

Appearances and Other Stories
Blurb:

In this debut collection, Krasne wields insightful irony and cathartic black humor to illuminate her themes of loss, yearning and survival, bringing to it a biting female perspective. An adept stylist with an ear for dialogue and an eye for personal foibles, Krasne cleverly captures the distinct voices of her characters as they strive to negotiate the subtle and not-so-subtle minefields of family obligation and personal conflict. She has a knack for getting inside her characters' heads as they strive to keep up appearances. Readers will most surely recognize themselves, their friends and family members in all of these beautifully rendered stories.


Cindy's Review: Honestly, one reason I decided to reads this book was because it was an anthology. I read an anthology not too long ago and decided I actually like these kind books. Read one chpater/story and go to sleep. No need to stay up all night because of the suspense in the end of the chapter. Although this book was a bit different from anthologies in the beginning, the end was similar and I got to do just that. ) 

This book also tells their readers about people's everyday life and what they had to live through. I guess you can either relate to the characters or to learn about how some people live these days. 

The first nine chapters of the book had to do with Alice. Alice is the main character telling the story about her family. She doesn't exactly feel comfortably fit in the family and tries to rebel them but she still wants her parents to be proud of her. Sometimes, she reminds me of Anne from Anne Frank's Diary. I read the play and watched the movie only, so it really wanted from Anne's perspective, but I feel like Alice and Anne could have been good friends. 

Rating: (1-10): 8

Author Bio:
 Margo Krasne, born and raised in Manhattan, has always led two lives. As a radio advertising producer, she sculpted; as a sculptor, she was an extra in commercials, and for the past 24 years, as a communications coach and author of Say it with Confidence, she writes fiction whenever possible.

Praise for Appearances and Other Short Stories:
"Margo Krasne's collection of short stories ("Appearances") cuts right to the core of love, loss, disappointment and survival. Reading this book will be a cathartic experience for anyone who has had those less-than-perfect-but-oh-so-real family relationships. My own childhood could not have been more different than the Wallachs (an Upper West and later Upper East Side New York Jewish family) - but the emotions are so true and so piercing that I felt every single one. A truly magnificent collection." Jeff Johnson, author of 'Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know'
"Margo Krasne's premiere short story collection, "Appearances", is not to be missed. Krasne invites her readers to step inside the minds & hearts of her characters, resulting in a truthful, proactive, and emotional journey in each of her beautifully crafted stories. The stories will remain with readers long after they put "Appearances" down- each story is nothing `short' of magnificent and illustrate female 'appearances' with real honesty. "Appearances" is truly a phenomenal accomplishment of shorts that leave readers hoping Krasne will soon release her next body of work!" Hillary Megroz's, Goodreads Reviewer
"Margo Krasne's first published collection of short stories is a gem. Full of irony, black humor and snappy dialogue, Krasne draws readers into her world and invites them to stay a while as her characters negotiate the subtle and not-so-subtle minefields of family obligations, relationships and personal conflicts." J. Z. McBride, Amazon.com Reviewer
"I really loved these stories, a lot of humour and emotion. I enjoyed all of them and would like to read more written by this author." Dorothy Greenberg, Amazon.com Reviewer
Happy Touring~

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Book Review: Rift by Andrea Cremer

Rift by Andrea CremerRift (Nightshade Prequel #1)
by Andrea Cremer
Release Date: August 7th, 2012
Publisher: Philomel
Format: Paperback, 430 pages
Source: Liana/Walmart
ISBN: 978-0-14-242493-3
Get a Copy: 
      Barnes and Nobles
      Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

Cindy's Review: I already read Andrea Cremer's Nightshade novel and my friend got the second book to the Rift, which is Rise. So when she saw Rift at Walmart, she had to get that too. Anyways, yeah. My friend is like my source of books. She gets everything. LOL. And I read everything.

The Cover:
Wooooh, that sexy look is there. And I must say, her weapon is amazing. LOL. Nice. ANd I like her hair too. And her eyes. ANd I love blue. Omg. That background color right there.

The Characters/Plot:
Ember - So Ember is the daughter of some high lord. She has an older sister whose gonna get married to some high classical person somewhere else. Ember is 16 and to escape her father's control, she decides to go the combat to train herself to fight and all that. Of course, Ember is special and she aces at many things. Including horse-back riding. (And seducing guys)

Alistair- The second character came up was Alistair. He grew up with Ember and I expected them to have an relationship, but Alistair turned out to be those touchy, over-protective guys and thinks Ember likes him and they should be together. So I was like ewww...never mind. Ugh.

Barrow -  Barrow though on the other hand. MHmmm... That teacher. Or whoever he is. He  is in charge of training Ember. And Yeah. Ember falls for him. Typical. Normally, I don't like student-teacher relationships, but like this is an exception, cuz like I don't think their age difference is that far apart. Anyways, saying Barrow's name reminds me of Baro from B1A4. :D LOL. 

The Extras:
I don't think this book had anything to do with Nightshade. Unless, I'm just really bad at reading. LOL. Anyways, I don't think so. No werewolves were mentioned. And they are a special classed people but the book didn't mention that they weren't human. Either way, I actually enjoyed this book's romance. More than Nightshade. Because the love triangle in Nightshade did not turn out well. Team Ren. :D

Rating: (1-10): 8.9
I keep forgetting to rate in my other book reviews. LOL. 

Happy Reading~ 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten WHite

Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1) 
by Kiersten White 
Release Date: August 31st, 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Paperback, 335 pages
Source: JMMS Library
ISBN: 978-0-545-39763-6
Get a Copy:
      Barnes and Nobles
      Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.

But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Cindy's Review: I decided to read this book because my friend read this book and said it was pretty good so I decided to give it a try.

The Cover: 
Ummmm....no comment.

The Characters/Plot: 
Evie- Evie has a sense of humor. I read like the first page, not even that, the teaser, of this book and I already knew this author had a humor. I really like those kind of authors. Evie is like this cool but special paranormal person that can see through glamours and everything that is paranormal. She is supposedly a normal human being, but that is before she found what she actually is and how everything revolves around her. Whether she likes it or not.

Lend - Lend is the shape-shifter she falls for. At first, I was like.. Ewww.. how do you fall for those things, but apparently, he's very hot and he's even sexier when he's himself. Okay. Yeah, he isn't that smarty geeky type of guy. Nobody said anything about a hunk, but ya know, he's good looking enough for that beautiful main character girl to fall for him. It's cool how he was made. LOL. 

Reth - That's the faerie boyfriend. And I shall say, evil faerie boyfriend. My bad, it's ex-boyfriend. He needs to go away. Eww. You're not the only one there. He's so touchy and he acts like he owns Evie. Chills.

Lish - Lish is the mermaid friend Evie mentioned in the summary. ;) I think she's really cool. And I love the "What the bleep" thing. haha. I think Lish seems like a really cool friend. Too bad, her ending is so sad. Anyways, I kind of want to see what she looks like. Is there like a computer underwater or something for her to use? And how does she feel being in a tank all day? How boring is that? I don't know why, but I imagine her to be green. LOL.

The Extra:
Sorry this review is extra short today. LOL. Paranormalcy, cool title. :D LOL. 

Happy Reading~