In This World of Books In This World of Books In This World of Books In This World of Books In This World of Books In This World of Books

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Blog Tour: Taking the Ice by Jennifer Comeaux

Displaying TAKINGTHEICEBLOGTOUR.png 
Welcome to my stop on the Taking the Ice Blog Tour
hosted by IFB Tours.

Taking the Ice (Ice #3)Taking the Ice (Ice #3)
by Jennifer Comeaux
Release Date: August 17th, 2015

Blurb: 
 Olympic rings and an engagement ring.

Courtney Carlton is ready for both.

She and her boyfriend Josh have skated together and dated for four years, and they’ve reached a critical point in their partnership both on and off the ice. With the Winter Games coming up and their career nearing an end, they are fighting to win a spot on the Olympic team, something Courtney has dreamed of since she was ten years old. She also has another wish she hopes comes true soon. She’s waiting for a marriage proposal from Josh that she expected to happen by now. Will she realize either dream or will her heart be broken from disappointment?
 


Cindy's Review:
Taking the Ice leads us to the conclusion of Courtney and Josh. This is the dream come true. Some say it's an ending. Some say it's the beginning of something new. I say it's a wonderful way to wrap up Courtney and Josh's relationship. 

It's time Courtney achieved her long-time goals and this time SHE IS GOING TO DO IT. No on can stop her. No bustling future mother-in-law that's trying to get in her face. No plotting rivalry's crudeness will get to her. Not even her own complicated mindset and mistakes. Courtney will get into the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and nothing can stop her. The only thing out of her control is that she can't really get Josh to propose to her sooner.

Taking the Ice is a short, yet satisfying closure to Courtney and Josh. There isn't really a huge plot, but the question mark to whether Courtney gets a happy ending or not. And the answer is obvious. Not getting a happy ending means this isn't the last book of the series. And I'm pretty sure I just said this is. Oops, not trying to spoil anything. Yes, there isn't much plot, but the emotions you feel when you live through the end with Courtney is rewarding. That's the point of Taking the Ice. It's not about knowing how it ends. It's about feeling how it ends.

Although I fell in love with Court and Josh's chemistry, I'm excited for them to move on and get their future. I'm ready to say goodbye and let them start their family. It will be great if I get a glimpse of them in the future, but for now, I am ready to let go. 

The Rating: (1-10): 7.5~

Author Bio: 
Jennifer Comeaux Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. Jennifer loves to hear from readers! Visit jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com for contact information and to learn more about her books.

Links: 
Goodreads 
Amazon 
Author Goodreads 

Happy Reading~ 

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Blog Tour: Riding by Cassia Cassitas

Welcome to my stop on the Riding Blog Tour
hosted by iRead Book Tours.
Riding 
by Cassia Cassiatas
Release Date: April 30th, 2015
 

Synopsis: Amidst real events and landscapes, men and women like us wander the cities we inhabit, rehearsing happier lives in the pages of this motivational narrative. From each one, destiny took a part to make them perfect.

When he is born, Andre propels his mother's life in a new direction. His father, an executive who organizes Olympic competitions around the world and doesn't know when to come back home, strives to make him a worldly citizen. Cycling, his life acquires purpose: becoming an Olympic para-athlete.

Together with his friends, he experiences disappointments and new beginnings. A doctor that builds robots, the daughter of a lonely teenager, and a retired athlete teach André how to overcome his limits and live his dream.

Set in Curitiba with breaks in Los Angeles, Seoul, Johannesburg and Soweto, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London, the narrative ends in 2012, in Rio de Janeiro.
 

As a tribute to all those who choose to sign the next episodes of their lives, this book is about overcoming one’s self amid achievements, obstacles, love and heroism, written behind the scenes of life.

Cindy's Review:

Riding starts off following Mario and Elizabeth, then shifting gears to Andre. This book was told in three different POVs, Mario's, Elizabeth's, and Andre's, so readers get to know each character individually and see the events at different angles. The way Cassitas had written the story makes it seem like it has been easily flowing out her mind.

The dialogue and plot of the story flowed on as time went by. Readers get glimpses of Andre and Elizabeth as they travel through each city. These snippets have enough detail and content to understand the story and Andre's goal in being in the para-Olympics.

Readers see Andre being guided to be determined for success and not let obstacles pull him back. Riding is a book of inspiration, telling readers to not give up on their dreams, no matter how impossible it is. Even if the dream isn't attainable, still continue and strive for your success.

I enjoyed Riding's unique writing style. It seems like memoirs of all three questions. Yet at times, it seems like it could be a scrapbook full of pictures following each chapter. Riding provided great details of the settings and a very inspiring lesson.

The Rating: (1-10): 7~



Author Bio: 

Displaying Cassia Cassitas.jpgIn my mind, words came in strides. They aligned themselves in arguments that were ready for combat after rebelling themselves - and that was just inkling. Where was my certainty to support the new image? And where were my emotions, with their brushes to bring color to life?"

Born in the interior of the state of ParanĂ¡, Cassia Cassitas accumulated various degrees throughout her career in Information Technology. The author of three novels, her texts convey ideas accumulated amidst the smell of coffee plantations, shoe factories, and the technology of the 20th century. These texts deal with life-altering episodes, in a path lit by a harmonious blend of memories and imagination.


Links:
Amazon
B&N
Book Depository
Author Website: http://cassiacassitas.com.br/
Author Facebook
Author Twitter



Giveaway:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Displaying iRead Book Tour Logo Medium.jpg 

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
by Sarah J. Maas
Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: May 5th, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Genre: YA Fantasy
Get the book:
      Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Cindy's Review: 
"Faeries are not my thing," I once said. And I mean it; they aren't. They are not my type and therefore I wouldn't fall for them ever again. But there's always that one exception. And I'm going to make A Court of Thorns and Roses mine. 

First off, I can't resist a fairy tale retelling. It's ironic how I'm tired of faeries, but I'm in love with fairy tales. They both seem to lead to the same genre, but they don't. Fairy tales doesn't have to be supernatural. Anyways, back to this 'Beauty and the Beast' retelling. Am I the only one who doesn't feel like this is Beauty and the Beast at all? I think it's more like the Cupid retelling. Very much more like 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon.' 

In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre and Tamlin comes to life. Their relationship and chemistry is gorgeous; my drool is creating a small pond beneath me. Well, that's disgusting, but you know what I mean. They are the definition of love. They are the definition of OTP. People will make fanfictions out of this, I am sure about this. Both Tamlin and his world are so mysterious, you'd feel like you're peering through mist. But the mist is the charm. The suspense keeps me at the edge of the seat. Then the twists and turns come into view and that's when I know for sure I'm doomed to fall in love of Maas' new series. 

In this Beauty and the Beast retelling, a girl named Feyre is taken to the land of the Faeries as a punishment for killing a faerie while she was hunting. At the Spring Court, she learns that her captor is called Tamlin, a high Fae. Soon, Feyre learns that not everything is as peaceful as it seems at the land behind the wall. There is a villain, whose name shall not be said, whom is trying to rule all the lands, including Feyre's precious human world. 

Although Feyre isn't a kickass heroine, like Celaena from Throne of Glass, but she proved to be dauntless and was able to stand up for her beliefs. The plot was thrilling and fast paced. Maas was able to take the skeleton of Beauty and the Beast and shape it into an extraordinary novel off of her own imagination.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is highly recommended to anyone who has any interest in fairy tales, faeries, YA fantasy, or romance. 

The Rating: (1-10): 10~

Happy Reading~

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Blog Tour: Alchemy's Daughter by Mary A. Osborne

Welcome to my stop on the Alchemy's Daughter Blog Tour
hosted by Italy Book Tours.

Displaying Alchemy's Daughter by Mary A. Osborne.jpgAlchemy's Daughter 
by Mary A. Osborne
Release Date: May 15th, 2015

Synopsis: 
Santina Pietra is seventeen and in medieval San Gimignano, daughters of merchants are expected to marry. But Santina cares only for Calandrino, a brilliant young scholar who is preoccupied with his ancient alchemical texts.

Soon Santina meets Trotula, the village midwife, who might or might not be a strega, or witch. Trotula challenges her to forget Calandrino and become the woman she is meant to be. Some say she is a victim of the midwife’s spell, but Santina is determined to follow in Trotula’s footsteps even as calamities strike.

The setting is 14th century Italy, yet in Santina contemporary readers will discover a strong-minded young woman whose search for meaning echoes their own. Alchemy’s Daughter is the author’s second novel.

Cindy's Review:
Alchemy's Daughter follows a young girl, Santina, who has many dreams, which defy her father's pre-destined fate for her. First, she becomes infatuated with a tutor, who teaches her about alchemy and allow her to watch experiments of turning things to gold. Her father, an alchemist himself, did not mind her interest in this subject. But when her father discovered the budding romance between Santina and Calandrino, everything started to go wrong. Calandrino fled the city and left Santina all alone.

That's when Santina made a decision to talk to Trotula, a midwife of the town. Even though Trotula help save lives and deliver babies, townsmen still think of her as a witch who practices witchcraft. Maybe don't trust her, yet they need her to deliver children. Going against her father's wishes, she moved in with Trotula and learned many skills to being a midwife's apprentice. Although Santina is inpatient, she spent a quiet few years learning the skills of midwifery. Surprisingly, C-section was experimented with, although everyone else thought it as stregoneria (witchcraft). 

A few years later, trouble comes to Santina and Trotula when they allegedly delivered an illegitimate grandson of a rich man. He brought trouble upon them and accused Trotula of being a witch for killing his son. Soon, another disaster awaited Santina, when her father finally forced to get married to Toddeo, someone who turns out to be very nasty about Santina's opinions of alchemy and midwife skills. 

This young adult novel follows Santina, growing up from a teenager to a young women, becoming wiser with the expertise she learns throughout the years. If you're looking for a bright, inspiring character, here is one for you! Taking place in the 14th century, in Italy, Osborne takes you into the world of medieval time period and what life was like then. 

The Rating: (1-10): 7~

Author Bio: 
Displaying Mary A. Osborne.jpg Mary A. Osborne is the multiple award-winning author of Alchemy's Daughter and Nonna’s Book of Mysteries. A graduate of Rush University and Knox College, where she was mentored in the Creative Writing Program, Ms. Osborne is a registered nurse and holds degrees in chemistry and nursing. Her freelance work has appeared in publications such as Hektoen International, Newcity, and the Examiner.com. Ms. Osborne lives in Chicago.


Links: 
Author Website: http://maryaosborne/
Twitter   

Giveaway: 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Displaying Italy Book Tours Logo jpeg 225 pixels.jpg 

Monday, July 13, 2015

Blog Tour: Exile (Guy Erma and the Son of Empire #3) by Sally Ann Melia

Welcome to my stop on the Exile Blog Tour
hosted by iRead Book Tours.
You can find the tour schedule HERE.

Displaying Exile.jpgExile (Guy Erma and the Son of Empire #3)
by Sally Ann Melia
Release Date: June 14th, 2015

 Synopsis: 13-year-old Teodor has found a way to escape from kidnap, how long before he is safely home?

13-year-old Guy Erma has run away from everything he has even known and no longer knows what the future holds.

They escaped through dark tunnels and back alleys but they also discovered a hidden terror that now threatens their entire planet.

Two boys as different as two boys might be. Their adventure has forged an unexpected friendship, but do they really trust each other?

Dare they share their darkest, deepest secrets?

Cindy's Review:
Exile picks up right after Hunter ends. Exile reveals the anticipated escape of Teodor and Guy Erma from the Dome. Along with solving some unanswered questions, Exile also pulled the empire and characters back together and solved the overall conflict of the series: the kidnap of Prince Teodor. But of course, there's a catch. Now there's another source of problem and Prince Teodor and with Guy Erma this time, are on a spaceship heading towards another planet. And there's a plague spreading wildly in Freyne 2. 

Prince Teodor is acting more grown up in Exile. Readers watch Teodor developing into a better character along the way. He put his authority to use and I'm very proud of him, but I feel like he is a bit young for his citizens to actually listened to him. Yes, he has his large cats as bodyguards, but the age 13 is still definitely a youngster and a kid can only be so wise. If Teodor was at least 15, I feel he would be portrayed as more mature, and more believable taking on his duties. 

One thing that left me still in the dust are the villains. I know Chart Segat is definitely a bad guy, but how about the others? And all those times when I was questioning if Chart Segat was really a bad guy. Plus, in the beginning, those letters showing us some sinister secret that's been going on. I'm still so confused. Who is the real antagonist here? There are so many possibilities!

I thought book #3 was going to be the final installment of the series, but it seems like there would be more novels coming out. 

Although the Guy Erma and the Son of Empire series is for the younger readers, I think older readers who enjoy adventure in a fantasy world will like this book. This series does seem to blast a lot of information in your face and I just get so confused at who these new characters are or what is happening or how the empire system works and all that, but that's what the glossary is for at the back. There is a characters/pronoun page explaining in detail of what every character is. That helped clear some confusion, but I feel like it could have been written in a less confusing way. For instance, the POV changes like every few paragraphs or pages and the only clue I have to the new POV are the separation of the paragraphs and a new voice telling their side of the story. I think this review was rather all over the place, so I can't really say it's easy to write something perfectly and easily understandable. 

Overall, though, Exile was a fun read for those younger ones. Those who seek for adventures and wild imaginations, here's a series for you~

The Rating: (1-10): 7~

Author Bio:
Sally Ann Melia The author was born in Wallasey, England, in 1964, and moved to the South of France when she was eleven. She spent her teenage years living in the cosmopolitan city state of Monaco and became immersed in its many languages and cultures. An English girl in a French school, for three hours each week she would sit at the back of the class as her colleagues learnt English. To pass the time, she wrote stories. This led to a lifetime of writing novels, scripts, stories and articles.

In her working life, Sally writes marketing communications and manages large international websites.

In 2010, Sally joined the Hogs Back Writers, a club located on the outskirts of Guildford, and she set about turning an old manuscript into this novel: Guy Erma and the Son of Empire. Sally currently lives in Farnham, and she is married with two children.

Links: 
 
 Displaying iRead Book Tour Logo Medium.jpg

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Jubilant July Releases~

The new releases posts are back once more! :)
Let's see what great books are coming out this month!

Go Set a Watchman (To Kill a Mockingbird, #2)Go Set a Watchman (To Kill a Mockingbird #2)
by Harper Lee
Release Date: July 14th, 2015

Thoughts: If you guys haven't heard about the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, well here's the heads up! I can't believe things like finding a lost manuscript from the 1950s can happen. And it did! So now, we can know how Scout grew up to be and what she did to do her part in the community. :) 


The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles, #2)The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2)
by Mary E. Pearson
Release Date: July 7th, 2015

Thoughts: To everyone who has read The Kiss of Deception, I'm pretty sure you all would know already that the much anticipated sequel is out! And I absolutely cannot wait to read it! So I'll just be right back after reading. :) 


Jesse's Girl (Hundred Oaks)Jesse's Girl (Hundred Oaks #whoeverknows)
by Miranda Kenneally
Release Date: July 7th, 2015

Thoughts: I've been seeing this book floating around some blogs lately, although I haven't read the reviews yet. I started this series with Catching Jordan, which I really enjoyed. But I feel like this series dried out as it moves on the next couple. They just didn't have the same intense chemistry and suspense to me as the first one. Maybe I'll check this one out because the synopsis seemed pretty intersting.


Pale Kings and Princes (Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, #6)Pale Kings and Princes (Tales from Shadowhunter Academy #6)
by Cassandra Clare and Robin Wasserman
Release Date: July 21st, 2015

Thoughts: I had no idea there was a Tales from Shadowhunter Academy series going on. Although I did enjoy The Mortal Instruments and loved the Infernal Devices even more, I haven't been keeping up with Cassie Clare's companion series, even though I did read The Bane Chronicles. Because who can resist Magnus Bane?


by Robin Benway
Release Date: July 16th, 2015

Thoughts: This one is also one of those books I've hearing and seeing a lot about lately. I read the synopsis, seems utterly charming and fun to read, but the reviews only seem to be so-so. I'll consider it, but I'm not 100% committed to read it yet. If I do, I'll be sure to post a review~


The House of the Stone (The Lone City, #1.5) The House of Stone (The Lone City #1.5)
by Amy Ewing
Release Date: July 7th, 2015

Thoughts: For those who have read The Jewel and cannot wait for the sequel to come out in October, here's a novella to thrust you back into the world of The Jewel by giving you Raven's POV and a darker side with more information on the plot of The Jewel. Enjoy!


Alive (The Generations Trilogy, #1)Alive (The Generations Trilogy #1)
by Scott Sigler
Release Date: July 14th, 2015

Thoughts: I have never seen this book or heard of this series but it seems to be garnering a whole lot of attention. I read the synopsis and learned absolutely nothing. All I see are the words MYSTERY and SUSPENSE written over and over again. Sounds similar to The Maze Runner idea, but probably not the same.  

Well, here's all the books that I could find that interests me.
Are there any missing?
Comment down below if I missed one of your anticipated reads for July!
 Happy Reading~

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Book Review: The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel

The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy, #1)The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1)
by Amy Engel
Release Date: November 4th, 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Paperback, 282 pages
Genre: YA Dystopia
Get a Copy:
      Amazon | B&N 

Goodreads Summary:  After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.

This year, it is my turn.

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…


Cindy's Review: 
At a Glance/The Cover: 
I was introduced The Book of Ivy through a lot of blog promo posts because of the blog tour. The synopsis just snatched my attention and wouldn't let me forget about it. I wanted to read it SO MUCH. The reviews were pretty good, but I knew that plot is something I personally would read and like. So I made the ultimate decision to pre-order The Book of Ivy on Amazon. Let me tell you, I totally did not regret it.   

The Characters/My Opinion:
Ivy Westfall - Ivy proved to be a person that has a heart. Not cold, like her sister, Callie. But Bishop can practically melt anyone's cold heart. According to Bishop, Ivy is easy to read, so I kind of relate that statement to the title: The Book of Ivy. Although, Ivy isn't that kickass heroine that's strong enough to have her own stubborn opinion, she does end up kicking up some courage and made some I mean A LOT of sacrifices for something she feels is right. 

Bishop Lattimer - He seems so perfect that he isn't even a real person. Can someone actually be that nice? Now that I think about, Bishop doesn't really have that strong of a personality besides being super genuine and kind. But when you're reading the book, you forget all about that. He's literally the best person ever. How could anyone hate him? Maybe if he had some humor or another quality that showed his personality though.....that might have made Bishop stand out even more. 

I have been on a dystopia hiatus because I got tired of how similar all the plots were and how the characters practically do the same thing and tell the same story. But The Book Ivy was such a suspenseful one, I couldn't resist.  I read the synopsis and just had to pre-order it on Amazon. It's like that perfect dystopia novel that I would enjoy. Of course, a lot of other books kind of has this kind of plot. I can totally compare The Book of Ivy to Delirium by Lauren Oliver.  

Overall Thoughts: 
If you're tired of dystopian YA novels, well, I recommend that you read The Book of Ivy anyways. It was a good book to get only a little dose of those dystopian stories considering it was only 200 pages or so. Okay. Maybe that's long, but it definitely felt really short. Unfortunately, that cliffhanger's got me thinking about the next and final book in the series, The Revolution of Ivy, coming out in November. I really wish Ivy and Bishop the best! :) 

The Rating: (1-10): 10~

Happy Reading~

Monday, June 22, 2015

Book Review: On the Fence by Kasie West

On the FenceOn the Fence
by Kasie West
Release Date: July 1st, 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen
ebook, 296  pages
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Get a Copy:
       Amazon | B&N 

Goodreads Summary: For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows—including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she's spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can't solve Charlie's biggest problem: she's falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.


Cindy's Review: 
At a Glance/The Cover: 
So far, I think this book is my favorite of all the Kasie West books. But I have really high hopes for The Fill-in Boyfriend. :) On the Fence is kind of a companion book for The Distance Between Us. There are characters you see in both books, especially Skye. Also, On the Fence took place a little bit after TDBU. 

The Characters/My Opinion:
The storyline for this book is the "I'm in love with my best friend" thing. I love these kind of stories because I like how the main characters already know almost everything about each other. It's cute. I love how they grew up together and shared childhood memories. :) 

Charlie - Charlie is an absolute tomboy. She has 3 older brothers and 1 complimentary one. She's tall, strong, and grew up playing football with her brothers. But she can have a girly side. When she started working at a local mall, she finally got some girlfriends and learned about makeup and checking out boys. But that's when she felt her real feelings for Braden.

Braden - Braden literally sounds like that golden boy that never exists in real life. Charlie described her brothers as hotties, but she obviously can't lust after them because that would be disgusting. Then there's Braden, whose just as hot as the bros, if not even hotter. 

Basically, Charlie and Braden just have to figure out their love life together. The night talks along the fence helps them get even closer, but in a different way. It's cute. They're cute. Everything about this book is cute. Everything Kasie West writes are cute. :) 

Overall Thoughts:
CUTE CUTE CUTE. Looking for a simple, summer read with bubbly romance? On the Fence is definitely a must-read. :)

The Rating :(1-10): 9.5~

Happy Reading~

Friday, June 5, 2015

Blog Tour: Hunter (Guy Erma and the Son of Empire #2) by Sally Ann Melia

Welcome to my stop on the Hunter Blog Tour
hosted by iRead Book Tours.
You can find the tour schedule HERE.

Displaying Hunter.jpgHunter (Guy Erma and the Son of Empire #2)
by Sally Ann Melia
Release Date:  May 31st, 2015

Synopsis: 13-year-old Teodor was taken by the vicious Battle Borgs of Dome and now he must fight to survive.
 
13-year-old Guy Erma has been offered a chance to fight for his place in the Dome Elite. Only who will be his opponent? Will he face a Battle Borg of Dome?
 
Once they were heroes. These men died as heroes in battle. Now they have been reincarnated as the fearsome vanguard of the Dome Elite. They are the Battle Borgs of Dome
 
Two boys as different as any two boys might be. They face the same enemy, the same danger, the same fear - dare they trust each other? 

Cindy's Review: 
Hunter picks up where Kidnap had left off. Hunter mainly focuses on Prince Teodor's location and details of his kidnap. There are many different point of views on this situation, so as readers, we get to learn the sinister actions of the villains along with everyone's position in the empire of Dome Elite. 

As the story goes on, we mainly follow along Guy Erma trying to make his decision on taking a side and being more true to himself. Readers also get to learn Guy Erma's real identity, and that proved to be an interesting bit. 

Chart Segat - I really wonder what Chartsie's motivations is. The main one is probably to rule the empire of Freyne, but he seems very adamant in getting the power. As the main leader of Dome Elite, Chartsie already has a lot of authority, but I guess he wants some more. Power makes a man even greedier. 

Along with the novel, I really enjoyed the pictures there between some chapters. They gave a great visual along with the descriptions of the book. I also liked the character descriptions in the back. They tend to only happen in classics, but I think the character descriptions help us follow along more. And helps us refresh our memory of the smaller characters. 

Of course, the sequel ends with a cliffhanger once again. So cannot wait to see how Guy Erma and Teodor ends up.  

The Rating: (1-10): 7~

Author Bio: 
Displaying Sally Ann Melia.jpgThe author was born in Wallasey, England, in 1964, and moved to the South of France when she was eleven. She spent her teenage years living in the cosmopolitan city state of Monaco and became immersed in its many languages and cultures. An English girl in a French school, for three hours each week she would sit at the back of the class as her colleagues learnt English. To pass the time, she wrote stories. This led to a lifetime of writing novels, scripts, stories and articles.

In her working life, Sally writes marketing communications and manages large international websites.

In 2010, Sally joined the Hogs Back Writers, a club located on the outskirts of Guildford, and she set about turning an old manuscript into this novel: Guy Erma and the Son of Empire. Sally currently lives in Farnham, and she is married with two children.

Links:

Displaying iRead Book Tour Logo Medium.jpg

Friday, May 22, 2015

Blog Tour: Pepped Up series by Ali Dean

Welcome to my stop on the Pepped Up Blog Tour
 hosted by YA Bound Book Tours.
Find the tour schedule HERE

Pepped Up (Pepper Jones, #1)Pepped Up (Pepper Jones #1)
by Ali Dean 
Release Date: August 25th, 2013

Blurb:
Pepper Jones is ready for an epic cross country season. She wants to qualify for Nationals, and she’s willing to do anything it takes to make it happen. She can handle long miles and hill sprints, but boys? That’s an entirely different challenge.

Pepper’s never considered revealing her deeper feelings for her longtime friend, Jace Wilder. After all, he’s got the personal magnetism and good looks to hook just about any girl in town -- and he has. Their friendship stands apart from high school social circles, and they’re both just fine with that (or at least they pretend to be).

That is, until running star Ryan Harding moves to town.

When it comes to running, Pepper’s goals are clear. But when it comes to Jace and Ryan, it’s nowhere near as simple.

Cindy's Review: 
At a Glance/ The Cover:
Pepped Up starts the series off with a love triangle, that thankfully gets solved by the end of the book, so it doesn't drive me crazy by dragging onto the sequel. But maybe those crazy cliffhangers make me want to read it more.

When the synopsis mentioned cross country, I was immediately hooked. Who doesn't like to read about something that's kind of close to home. Just the running part. Not the boys. :/ Sadly. Plus, there was this super cute "I'm in love with my best friend" romance and this hot cross country boy coming in.  

The Characters/My Opinion: 
Pepper Jones - Let's start off with the main character. The girl who had to choose. First off, I like her name. It's unique and it doesn't sound weird at all. Pepper Jones is basically an orphan that lives with her grandma, who appears to be this sweet, but wild old lady that seems super fun to be around with. She's lived down the street from her "best friend", Jace for a long time. They grew up together, so in a way, he's also known as "the boy next door" and "childhood playmate." Pepper has a crush on Jace, but she's never been able to tell him, but he obviously likes girls that are waaay out of her league. Or so she thinks. 

Jace Wilder - I love the name Jace. Because it immediately makes me think of the Shadowhunters series and those are good feelings. Well, that's a good start. THIS JACE is a lovely guy, I suppose. I do find him somewhat controlling and obsessed as the story goes on, and that is never a healthy relationship. But Pepper doesn't seem to mind. We don't really see Jace's side of the story, but I guess he has been in love with Pepper for a while, but she's always been "untouchable" because he has "problems." Jeez. I mean, he's a high schooler, but it's probably more of the protective older brother thing coming in and telling him hands off. 

Ryan Harding - Honestly, if Jace wasn't there, I would have totally rooted for Ryan. He's just overall perfect. But Pepper's crush on Jace is influencing me, since it's her POV and I'm hearing her thoughts on how perfect Jace is. Plus, guys that are out of reach just seems to be hotter. 

Now onto the plot. I really liked the beginning. Like about right where Ryan just came into the story, but nothing serious had happened yet. I was hooked. The suspense. And what would happen. I couldn't put it down! 

BUT THEN. She started dating Ryan. And still had major feelings for Jace, who was pushing her away. And she continued to date Ryan. And tried to convince herself to like him. NO. Just no. You are leading him on, girl. And I never approve of that. It's kind of obvious from the start who she ends up with. Always. So leading Ryan on. Ugh. How could you. So I must say, the book just died down. I expected a better ending, or just a better climax before the resolution, but there wasn't much build up.

The cross country section was a great section though! All the sprints and racing guidelines seem super legit. And although yes, the boys on the cross country team tend to be on the leaner side, they aren't all stick figures. Most people on my cross country team tend to do swimming in the spring instead of track and field even though that's more recommended. I just don't do anything in the spring, because AP testing will be the death of me. 

The Rating: (1-10): 8.5

***If you haven't already gotten who Pepper ends up with in Book 1 from my review, then be prepared to know just by reading the blurb in book 2***

All Pepped Up (Pepper Jones, #2)All Pepped Up (Pepper Jones #2)
by Ali Dean
Release Date: July 10th, 2014

Blurb: 
(This is the second book in the Pepper Jones series. The following description contains spoilers for Pepped Up, which should be read first.)

Pepper Jones knew that being Jace Wilder’s girlfriend wouldn’t be simple. But she didn’t predict just how many complications would arise from his past. Jealous girls? That she expected. Family secrets? Not so much. At least Pepper can always hit the trails to clear her head… except when it comes to racing. The high expectations from her phenomenal cross country season haunt her, and she can’t seem to get psyched up for track season. Pepper’s junior year at Brockton Public is full of challenges on and off the track, but she’s not afraid to face them.

Cindy's Review: 
At a Glance/The Cover: 
Love that cover. Can I get a runner body like that? Please? And also while I'm at it, can I just get a quarter of her swiftness. Cuz I really want to run those five minute miles. Cross country season is just around the corner, and I could really use some boost. :D haha. 

The Characters/My Opinion: 
Well, you already met the characters. There's a lot of jealousy things in this book. And more QUEEN B's that appeared in the last book, but wasn't as important. Jace is officially Pepper's but this brings back those dramatic high school problems like trashing lockers, hiding people's clothes, and all those immature things that I hope high schoolers don't really do. 

I haven't really met a Queen B at our school yet. There are definitely rude people, but someone who rules the school and stops at nothing to humiliate you? Nope. None. Maybe I hang out with the wrong crowd. Lol. 

I feel like the sequel is more like it's prolonging the ending and kind of just dragging on the story. If the actions done by the Queen Bs aren't that childish and annoying, and if they had more depth, I think it would make up a better story. Like I want the intensity to go up! Suspense! That's what would keep me going. You know what I mean? 

 Pepper did go through a character growth though, that enables her to be more confident about herself. I love that. And I'm glad someone like Jace supports that.

Overall, I did enjoy this series. I was still anxious to see the ending and how things are going to turn out. I know there's going to be a conclusion in this series. And this is with Jace in college. So it sounds like it's just going to be a repeat of book2. And I rather not. It also doesn't hurt to read it though, so I'm not going to say I'm not going to read it. But I won't be 100% for it either. It might turn out better, I hope. 

The Rating: (1-10): 7.5

The Author: 
Ali Dean lives in Colorado with her husband, twin babies, and golden retriever. In addition to reading and writing, she loves the outdoors- everything from marathon training and biking to snowboarding and skiing. 

Links: 
Pepped Up and Ready (Book 3) 

 Giveaway: