Archive by Author | Meredith

Review: Alive by Chandler Baker

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Alive by Chandler Baker
Published by Disney Hyperion on June 9, 2015
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Stella Cross's heart is poisoned.

After years on the transplant waiting list, she's running out of hope that she'll ever see her eighteenth birthday. Then, miraculously, Stella receives the transplant she needs to survive.

Determined to embrace everything she came so close to losing, Stella throws herself into her new life. But her recovery is marred by strange side effects: Nightmares. Hallucinations. A recurring pain that flares every day at the exact same moment. Then Stella meets Levi Zin, the new boy on everyone's radar at her Seattle prep school. Stella has never felt more drawn to anyone in her life, and soon she and Levi are inseparable.

Stella is convinced that Levi is her soul mate. Why else would she literally ache for him when they are apart?

After all, the heart never lies...does it?

From the moment I heard about Alive, I was incredibly excited to read it – it sounded amazing! But when I first started reading it, I had a lot of trouble getting into it. The first 46 pages were incredibly slow and flat. I was tempted to DNF, but I kept going because I snuck a peak at a semi-spoilerish Goodreads review and what I read had me intrigued! In the end, I stayed up until 3:30am to finsh it – In total, I read 311 pages in 7 hours – because I couldn’t put it down!

I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters. Usually for me, not connecting with the characters is an automatic DNF. But the story itself intrigued me enough that I kept going. But I had a love/hate relationship with these characters throughout the whole book. First of all, I have no idea how any of them were friends or how any of them could hang out in the same group – They were all so nasty to each other! I know friends fight sometimes, but wow! They almost never stopped being rude and mean to each other. It was ridiculous!

Sometimes, Stella was great. In the first chapter, I felt her panic so intensely, it was like I was the one going in for surgery! But at other times, she was rude and mean, abandoning her friends for a guy she barely knew and saying the nastiest things. Henry kept pressuring Stella to define what their relationship was – Um, dude! She just went through heart transplant surgery!!! Let her breathe!!! But other than that and his intense dislike for Levi, he was actually the calmest/nicest of the characters and I felt bad for the way Stella was treating him. And Brynne was just snippy and brutally honest.

I liked Levi a lot at first. He seemed really great and I loved his chemistry with Stella. But it quickly became clear that something wasn’t right. He lied to Stella a lot and he became very possessive. At one point, he even becomes a bit abusive. But then there’s a major twist with his story and.. Wow.

This is not your run-of-the-mill contemporary. I don’t know how much to say without spoiling it, but it has a lot of supernatural elements to it, especially in the second half of the book. I had so many crazy theories running through my head, it made me dizzy. And every few chapters, my theories changed. In the end, I was half-right. But the mystery and suspense of it kept me awake until well after 3am. I don’t scare easily (I LOVE horror and scary things!), but at one point, I was actually super creeped out. And I don’t think I could have gone to sleep even if I’d tried! Plus, I was so desperate to discover what what happening, there was no way I could put the book down until I was finished.

Overall, this was a really intriguing book. It started out slow, but once it picked up speed, it never slowed down. It kept me hooked with twists and turns, kept me guessing and theorizing, until the very last page. Like I said, 311 pages in 7 hours… *Nods.* So I definitely recommend this one, especially if you like creepy/scary and books with supernatural elements. If you go into this book thinking it’s a straight-up contemporary, you may be disappointed. But give it a shot – try to push past the first 50 pages and give it a chance! I’m very excited to see what this author does next!

PS: The only thing I could have done without – seriously!!!! – was the detailed sound description of a one-year-old throwing up. I actually had to put this book down for a bit because it made me feel physically sick. Scenes in books and movies with people throwing up make me gag and feel like I’M gonna throw up – I blame it on the fact that I got Strep 3-4 times a year from the time I was 18-months-old until I was 10-years-old and, without fail, I threw up each time I was sick. So even though I know that NO ONE likes to throw up, it’s particularly triggering for me. So yeah. Just a little pet peeve of mine! *Shudders*

Review: Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos

Jul10

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos

Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on May 5, 2015
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
two-half-stars

In Marla Klein and Ivy Wilde’s world, teens are the gatekeepers of culture. A top fashion label employs sixteen-year-old Marla to dictate hot new clothing trends, while Ivy, a teen pop star, popularizes the garments that Marla approves. Both girls are pawns in a calculated but seductive system of corporate control, and both begin to question their world’s aggressive levels of consumption. Will their new “eco-chic” trend subversively resist and overturn the industry that controls every part of their lives

Smart, provocative, and entertaining, this thrilling page-turner for teens questions the cult like mentality of fame and fashion. Are you in or are you out?

I’ve been blogging for two years. In that time, I’ve only had one book that I rated below 3 stars and still reviewed. For me, less than 3 stars usually means a DNF. But in that case – and now in this case, with Material Girls – I feel like I have a lot to say and I feel like I can say it in a constructive, respectful way. It took me a long time to start Material Girls. I tried three times – and I didn’t make it past the second page any of those times – before I was successful. But I was intrigued by the premise and I kept putting it aside, hoping I’d be in the mood for it at some point. I finally managed to read it and I was pretty disappointed. But as bad as this book was, there was obviously SOMETHING about it that I enjoyed, because I didn’t DNF it, couldn’t put it down AND I finished it in a day.

Before I begin, fair warning: This review has spoilers, both minor and major. So read with caution or, if you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read this review until after you’ve read the book.

So let’s start with the plot. I love Dystopian but, with all the Dystopian books out there, a lot of them are the same or very similar. Material Girls intrigued me because it seemed different. I’m not a huge fashion person, but I hoped it would be about more than that – that it would have a greater lesson, or something. Sadly, it was almost exclusively about fashion. For those who read Dystopian, this was basically the “rebellion” happening against the “Big Five” fashion houses instead of the entire government.

In this world, kids are “Tapped” at 13 to work in a certain creative industry, at a certain company and in a certain role. And they do that until they’re 16-19 and then they’re considered obsolete and either demoted or let go. So… You peak in your career before you’re even out of your teens. If you aren’t “Tapped,” you’re considered an “Adequate” and take on “menial” jobs like being a teacher, doctor, etc. People who are Tapped look down on the Adequate’s and treat them as lesser human beings. Basically, as with any typical Dystopian, this creates the divide that sparks a rebellion.

Marla is at the top of the food chain at one of the Big Five fashion houses, but she speaks up to defend fashions that no one else likes. This gets her demoted. Of course, getting demoted means she falls in with the group that desires to rebel and “fix the system.” Marla doesn’t have any significant character growth until 73% in to the book, roughly. She wasn’t very likable, though I did feel bad for her when she lost everything. Her story ended in an intriguing way, however, giving me hope that things might turn out okay.

Ivy is a hugely successful pop star who’s tired of her image and wants to change it up in order to get her ex-boyfriend back. Unlike Marla, she had a lot of character growth in the beginning. Unlike Marla, her character growth became stagnant roughly half-way in to the book and then tapered off until she ended up right back where she stared at the beginning of the book. Only, she was worse off by the end than she was at the beginning, in my opinion. Honestly, I had high hopes for her and the way her story ended was very disappointing.

I was incredibly annoyed and upset with the way Marla and Ivy’s friendship ended. Them working together was incredibly predictable, but I thought they’d be together at the end, fighting the good fight or something. I didn’t like the way Felix came between them. That whole weird love triangle was just… weird. And unnecessary. Ivy acted as though Marla was an evil home-wrecker, when Marla didn’t even know about Ivy and Felix’s history until after the fact.

There were a lot of secondary characters in this book and I really didn’t connect with any of them and, therefore, didn’t really care about them. Most of the were shallow and had no sense of loyalty. Marla’s best friend and boyfriend were quick to dump her and run when they thought associating with her would jeopardize their Tap positions. Everyone was mean to each other, doing anything they could to stay relevant and at the top. It was heartbreaking to see some of the things that happened. And a lot of the characters blended together, so I had a hard time remembering who was who.

My biggest beef with this book was the ending. It was disappointing, anti-climatic and left me hanging. The rebellion was snuffed out and nothing really changed. At one point, Vivienne mentioned that change doesn’t happen over night, so I understand why the rebellion fizzled and I get the point the author was trying to make – it takes years and years and constant fighting to make change happen. But as a reader reading a book, this made for a very disappointing ending. I felt jipped, like I’d spent my time reading this book for nothing. I guess the lesson is “be the change you want to see.” Don’t give up, even if you lose. It’s a great lesson, but it made the ending feel anti-climatic and unfinished.

Despite all that, there must have been SOMETHING good/interesting about this book because I never DNF’d and I finished it in roughly a day. But I honestly don’t know why. I have no clue why I held on or what intrigued me so much. I guess I connected with these characters on some level, enough to want to know how their stories ended and if they got their happily ever after. The plot/world kept me intrigued enough that I couldn’t put it down and read it super fast. But if you asked me for exact reasons why I kept reading, or what about it was interesting enough… Well, I couldn’t tell you. It was entertaining in some level, though.

I think if I knew this was part of a duology, trilogy or series, I wouldn’t mind the ending as much. If I knew that at some point, we’d get closure for these characters, that there was a point to the rebellion (and it was successful), I’d give this book the benefit of the doubt and maybe attempt to pick up the second book when it released. Who knows, if we get a second book, I might even come back and revise this review and bump it up to a 3-star rating. But until that happens, I’m standing firm with my rating and my reasons why.

I have a lot more thoughts on this book and I could discuss them all in great detail. But, as always, I hate thinking that my reviews might discourage someone from reading a book. I might not have enjoyed Material Girls, but someone else might love it. I saw a number of positive 4-star reviews for it on Goodreads. I will NEVER tell someone NOT to read a book. Though I won’t go out of my way to recommend it, I won’t tell you not to read it, either. So if you were excited for this book, give it a chance. You might love it! I truly hope you do! If you love fashion, especially, then this book is likely for you. If you DO read it and DO love it, let me know in the comments – tell me why you loved it!

Author Spotlight: The Courage Series by Jill Daugherty (Interview)

Jul8

Hey everyone! I’m really excited to have Jill Daugherty, author of The Courage series, here for an interview. First, here’s more about the books:

The end of the world will start in the suburbs of Denver with a faery transfer student from Ireland. If you think that’s totally ridiculous, then you understand how Maggie O’Neill feels. In all of her sixteen years, faeries were something you read about in children’s books. They didn’t actually show up on your doorstep. They didn’t kiss you and make your knees go weak and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Until Simon Brady, that is. Simon changed everything. He makes her heart race and her skin burn with excitement, but he has also changed her core beliefs about the world and made her see it as a dark and dangerous place filled with monsters that belong only in the lines of faery tales. There is no doubt in Maggie’s mind that she loves Simon, but can she see past who he is and find a place for him in her heart?

Goodreads | Amazon

Maggie O’Neill had a rough junior year… She fell in love with Simon. She found out Simon was a faery. She spent some time with her dead ancestors. An evil faery with control issues came after her and brought his groupies to kill her. …but that was nothing compared to what’s in store for senior year. She’s the new girl at faery boarding school and is subjected to something she never thought she’d have to deal with in her entire life—mean girls. To make matters worse, she’s seeing less and less of Simon, her faery guard is smothering her in their efforts to protect her, and the evil faery is still stalking her, determined to kill her before she can kill him. She starts to wonder if she’ll make it to graduation. Then the unthinkable happens and she wonders if she’ll be able to survive even one more day.

Goodreads | Amazon

Eighteen-year-old Maggie O’Neill is a high school dropout. If her parents knew, they’d probably kill her, but that’s the least of her worries. Balor—the evil faery from hell—is still stalking her, someone is still betraying her, and the mean girl at school is still mean. The worst part of her life, however, is figuring out how to live it without Simon. Will Maggie discover a way to defeat Balor? Will she ever be able to out-snark the mean girl? Will she find Simon? Tune in next week—uh, read the book—to find out.

Goodreads | Amazon

Psst! Loving the sound of The Courage Series? Jill, the author, will be offering the first book in the series – Courage and Other Demons – for free on Amazon from July 17 – 22!

~*~*~*~

And now here’s the interview. Enjoy!

Question: As of April 2014, The Courage series is complete and out in the world for all to read. How did it feel to complete the trilogy? To say goodbye to these characters?
Answer: I think it would probably be similar to sending your kids off to college. You’ll still visit them, and they’ll always be a part of your life, but it will never be the same. It was definitely very hard to let my characters go. Maggie and Simon have become such a part of my life that my family talks about them as if they’re real people.

Question: The Courage series sounds AMAZING. Where did the idea come from?
Answer: I read a piece of folklore in a book titled, “West Irish Folktales and Romances.” The book was published in the late 1800’s and is a compilation of stories that had been passed on for generations. One of the stories, Simon and Margaret, really stuck with me because the girl saved the boy from the evil giant. We don’t have enough stories NOW where the girl saves the boy, but certainly not a few hundred years ago. The story stuck in my head, and I developed a story line that I finally decided to write down.

Question: Why Faeries? What is it about faeries that you find fascinating? Why do you think they fascinate readers?
Answer: The origins of the story really decided on the faerie theme. Because it was an Irish folktale, I decided to research Irish mythology to include in the story and, of course, faeries are a huge part of that. I did have to work to figure out what I wanted my faeries to be. There are so many different faeries in Irish folklore, and I took little pieces from many different types and put them together to create the faeries in my books.

Question: Any plans for a prequel, sequel or fourth book in the Courage world?
Answer: I’m currently working on a spinoff of the first series with Maggie’s younger brother, Brandon, as the romantic lead. It takes place a few years after the end of the first series, and introduces a new character, Abbey, who witnesses a crime while watching the Abbey Road Studios webcam. This sets off a series of events that pulls Abbey into the world of faeries.

Question: What scene (from any of your books) do you most regret having to cut?
Answer: I didn’t really cut anything that I felt shouldn’t be cut. If there were a particular dialogue or description that I was in love with, I’d move it to a different scene and change it a bit.

Question: On the flip side, what was your favorite scene that got added during edits (from any of your books)?
Answer: I didn’t add any, but did do some shifting.

Question: Favorite Faerie book you’ve ever read?
Answer: I hadn’t really thought about it until I read that question, but I haven’t really read many faerie books. My first thought was that I should be ashamed of myself, but then it occurred to me that maybe that’s a good thing. I don’t have other writers’ ideas about what a faerie should be in my head. I just create my own.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a WIP?
Answer: I can’t think of anything too crazy that I’ve Googled, but this question does make me think about a time when I was shopping when my mom called and asked me how the writing was going. I started talking to her about having to kill off a character and how it had been hard and I hated to do it, but I knew someone had to die and chose that character. I noticed a man following me around the store and realized that I was doing what I always do—talking about my characters as if they were real. I mentioned something to my mom that made it clear that I was a writer and the man chuckled and walked away. Evidently, he thought I was confessing my crimes in the middle of TJMaxx.

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: My computer, a distraction-free environment, and something to drink—usually tea or water.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer:I’m working on the Abbey’s Road series, a spinoff of the Courage series.

~*~*~*~

About the Author:

Jill Daugherty lives in Denver with Bailey, the world’s cutest dog. By day, she works with gifted children and their teachers. By night, she writes. A lot. She is the author of the Courage series, which has received glowing reviews. At the insistence of her readers, she has started work on a spin-off series.

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Review: Paperweight by Meg Haston

Jul7

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Paperweight by Meg Haston
Published by HarperTeen on July 7, 2015
Pages: 304
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.

Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at mealtime, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she’s worked so hard to avoid.

Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she too will end her life.

In this emotionally haunting and beautifully written young adult debut, Meg Haston delves into the devastating impact of trauma and loss, while posing the question: Why are some consumed by their illness while others embark on a path toward recovery?

Warning: This review could be a Trigger for eating disorders, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide, etc. Please read with caution.

This is a really difficult book for me to review. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the story and the characters and, very early on, I considered DNFing. Despite the disconnect, something about it was compelling enough that I kept reading. While I never fully connected to the story or characters, I did feel for the characters and I did find the story intriguing. At its core, Paperweight was a heartbreaking story about a hurting, grieving girl who didn’t know how to deal with the guilt she felt. For better or worse, this book pulled me in and refused to let go until the very last page.

I didn’t necessarily dislike Stevie, but I really didn’t like her and I’m still not sure why, exactly. I had a lot of trouble relating to her, which made it hard to connect with her. I definitely felt for her and her situation. Though I’ve never had an eating disorder, I’ve always struggled with my weight and my relationship with food. So on some level, I understand what she was going through. But Stevie’s story was more than just her eating disorder. It was her troubled relationship with her parents, her grief over her brother, her toxic relationship with Eden. Stevie had a lot of things/people she had to come to terms with throughout the story. Every time Stevie had a major revelation/turning point in her journey, it was deeply felt and her character growth was obvious. She changed a lot from beginning to end.

I really liked Ashley. I liked how she tried to be nice to Stevie, even when Stevie pushed her away. She was always so optimistic on the outside, even though she was hurting on the inside. My heart broke for her, especially near the end. I also really liked “Shrink” Anna. I actually liked her more than Stevie. I think because I could relate to her a bit more than Stevie. I didn’t go to school for psychology, but I took a lot of psychology classes during my first two years in college and I really felt an affinity to psychology and the idea of listening to others and helping them work through things. So Anna’s character really spoke to me. I’d love a companion novel that focuses on Ashley and her journey and I’d love to see more of Anna, too.

We never really met Eden directly – we just heard about her from Stevie, or saw her in flashbacks/memories. But she was a very toxic friend for Stevie. We’ve all had that kind of friend in our life at some point, so it was easy to understand why Stevie felt she needed Eden, even when she knew Eden was bad for her and her recovery.

It’s hard to talk about Josh because we didn’t officially meet him – like with Eden, he’s just a talking point in Stevie’s sessions with Anna, or someone we see in flashbacks and memories. But he’s very crucial to the story, since his death was the trigger that caused Stevie to spriral down this path of self-destruction. There were times I liked Josh and the way he tried to look after Stevie and there were times I hated him for the way he treated her. But overall, it was a typical brother/sister relationship. I can’t imagine being in Stevie’s shoes and losing a brother, though my heart ached just seeing what the guilt and grief did to her.

Rain was an interesting character. For the most part, her only purpose was to be an eye-opener for Stevie, to see what she was like when she first arrived in the treatment center and to see the progress she’s made. I would have liked to see Stevie interact more with Rain, but it was still an interesting plot element.

The writing was a bit stilted and awkward in the beginning and though the pacing was never slow, it wasn’t a fast read, either. However, the last 30% of the book (roughly) had a LOT going for it. Stevie made the most progress in this section and there were a lot of character twists and revelations. I definitely think the last 30% is what kept me reading, more than anything.

Overall, I’m glad I read this book. Though I never fully connected with the story or characters, it was an intriguing book with very important lessons regarding mental/physical health and the toll that grief can take on our minds and bodies.

Review: The Leveller by Julia Durango

Jul6

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Leveller by Julia Durango
Series: The Leveller #1
Published by HarperCollins on June 23, 2015
Pages: 256
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Nixy Bauer is a self-made Leveller. Her job? Dragging kids out of virtual reality and back to their parents in the real world. It’s normally easy cash, but Nixy’s latest mission is fraught with real danger, intrigue, and romance.

Nixy Bauer is used to her classmates being very, very unhappy to see her. After all, she’s a bounty hunter in a virtual reality gaming world. Kids in the MEEP, as they call it, play entirely with their minds, while their bodies languish in a sleeplike state on the couch. Irritated parents, looking to wrench their kids back to reality, hire Nixy to jump into the game and retrieve them.

But when the game’s billionaire developer loses track of his own son in the MEEP, Nixy is in for the biggest challenge of her bounty-hunting career. Wyn Salvador isn’t some lazy kid looking to escape his homework: Wyn does not want to be found. And he’s left behind a suicide note. Nixy takes the job but quickly discovers that Wyn’s not hiding—he’s being held inside the game against his will. But who is holding him captive, and why?

Nixy and Wyn attempt to fight their way out of a mind game unlike any they’ve encountered, and the battle brings them closer than either could have imagined. But when the whole world is virtual, how can Nixy possibly know if her feelings are real?

Gamers and action fans of all types will dive straight into the MEEP, thanks to Julia Durango’s cinematic storytelling. A touch of romance adds some heart to Nixy’s vivid, multidimensional journey through Wyn’s tricked-out virtual city, and constant twists keep readers flying through to the breathtaking end.

I’ve only read a small number of books that have virtual worlds and/or gaming. They were good, but they weren’t very engaging for one reason or another – usually because the virtual world felt under-developed or I didn’t connect with the characters. So I was hesitate to read The Leveller, but it really sounded amazing and I ended up really enjoying it.

I really liked Nixy as a whole – her character, her personality, her voice and especially the reasoning behind her avatar’s appearance. She could be a bit cocky, thinking she was the best at Levelling, but she also acknowledged her faults and weaknesses. When she went into the MEEP for Wyn, she had to conquer some epic fears and phobias. She didn’t always succeed on the first try but, through it all, she never gave up. She was determined to make it through and find Wyn and I really liked that about her. I also really liked her relationship with her parents. So many YA novels have the parents absent or they fight and don’t get along with their kids at all. While these things may be true for some families, it’s not true for all and it’s nice to see a great family dynamic for once.

Wyn was an interesting character. I liked him well enough and there wasn’t really anything I didn’t like about him.. He was usually nice to Nixy, though they had some heated moments – which is understandable, given their circumstances. He was pretty good at holding his own when he and Nixy had to fight their way out of a bad situation, too. But he didn’t really stand out among the sea of male YA love interests. He grew on me, though, and I liked him a lot more near the end.

My only thing with Wyn and Nixy was, while I really liked them together and don’t usually mind insta-love, it bugged me a bit this time. While I could sense the chemistry and the connection between them, I felt like they needed more time to get to know each other. This felt like the whole “bonding during a natural disaster” or crisis kind of situation – is it a real “I like/love you” thing or just the adrenaline from the situation and being forced to spend time together? I think, given more time, they’d make an adorable, epic couple. But not yet.

I have a LOT to say about Moose and Chang. They were hilarious and I really liked them in the beginning, but as the story went on, I started to feel like they knew more than they were letting on and I grew very suspicious of them. I won’t say more because I don’t want to risk spoilers but.. Ugh. On the flip side, I adored Nixy’s parents and Wyn’s Mama Beti! Wyn’s father, though.. He wasn’t always the nicest guy and his concern for the game felt like it took precedence over his concern for his son, which is wrong on so many levels.

The world-building in this book was epic! The MEEP – the virtual gaming world – was incredibly well-developed. I could visualize it so easily, I almost felt like I was there with Nixy. The world is really what pulled me into this story, more than anything else. At one point, Nixy is in this epic maze that made this book feel like gaming meets Labyrinth. Unlike the previous gaming/virtual reality books I’ve read, the MEEP felt like something that could actually exist. It also helped that, aside from the MEEP, it felt like the story was set in the present day. Most books with this level of technology are set in the future, making it feel like it could happen, but not for many years. The Leveller felt like it was happening right here, right now.

A little over half-way through the book, the pacing and action slowed down a bit, making the story drag. It didn’t last long, though. And overall, the story was pretty fast-paced and intriguing. Durango is a great writer, which helped keep me engaged during the slower parts.

There were a handful of crazy twists and character revelations. With one character, I didn’t expect what happened to happen at all and I was pretty shocked. But with another character, I saw the twist coming way before it happened. The ending was a bit of a let-down, though. I would have liked a little more closure, maybe at least an epilogue. But there’s apparently going to be a second book, so hopefully that will answer all my unanswered questions.

Overall, this book was a really fun read. I loved the MEEP, the characters and the writing. I’m very excited to see what happens in book two with Nixy and Wyn, Chang, Moose and LEGION. I definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of virtual reality and/or gaming.

Review: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons

Jul3

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons

The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons
Series: The Collectors' Society #3
Published by Cerulean Books on June 25, 2015
Pages: 320
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

After years spent in Wonderland, Alice Reeve learned the impossible was quite possible after all. She thought she left such fantastical realities behind when she finally returned to England.

Now Alice has become a member of the clandestine Collectors’ Society, and the impossible has found her again in the form of an elusive villain set on erasing entire worlds. As she and the rest of the Society race to bring this mysterious murderer to justice, the fight becomes painfully personal.

Lives are being lost. Loved ones are shattered or irrevocably altered. Each step closer Alice gets to the shadowy man she hunts, the more secrets she unravels, only to reveal chilling truths. If she wants to win this war and save millions of lives, Alice must once more embrace the impossible and make the unimaginable, imaginable.

Sometimes, the rabbit hole leads to terrifying places.

The Forgotten Mountain is Heather Lyons’ ninth published book – and I’ve read all nine of her books and each and every one is an epic win. I’m actually getting to a point where I can’t formulate words to describe how amazing Heather and her books are – or I repeat the same things I’ve said in every single review of her books, but they’re all still 100% true – Heather is an amazing writer and storyteller. She creates amazing worlds that feel real and multi-dimensional characters that feel like real people. I’m always anxious for her to publish a new book and when I do find out she has a new one coming out, I’m like

The second I picked up The Forgotten Mountain, I fell right back into this amazing world. It was like no time had passed since I finished The Hidden Library (which I read in February). I know it’s probably cheesy, but it felt like coming home after a long vacation.

Alice has always been a fierce, epic character – and one of my all-time favorite MC’s. But in The Forgotten Mountain, she was especially so – and sometimes a bit scary, too! So you have an idea what I mean, here are some epic/scary quotes from Alice:

“Madness – that old, dear friend of mine – has come home for a visit. And I welcome its return with open arms.”

“I do not play by his rules. I play by mine and mine alone.”

But she was scary because she was determined and loyal – to Finn, to the other members of the Collectors’ Society, to Wonderland and, most importantly, to herself. With every book, she keeps growing, maturing and coming into herself. And I love that about her.

As always, I adored Finn! His… predicament in this book… Was terrifying and upsetting and heartbreaking. The cliffhanger from the last book was RIDICULOUS and I’m still upset we had to wait so long to learn his fate! But I loved where his character went in this book. Alice and Finn are one of my top favorite ships and I absolutely adore them together! They make each other stronger and bring out the best in each other! And then the way the book ended…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I’ll get more into that in a bit.

I still love Mary and still want more of her story. I’d love a novella from her POV or a spin-off with her. I’d love to see her back in her world, especially. I think that would be epic and hilarious! *Stares at Heather… Makes puppy eyes…* She’s just an amazing character – smart, determined, loyal. She’s not the best fighter, but she holds her own in a fight and pulls her weight in other ways. I adore her and Victor and the way their relationship always thrives, despite the things they’ve been through. Although that ending…!!!!!!!!!!!

Of all the characters, the Artful Dodger (A.D.) had the most character growth in The Forgotten Mountain. His character always felt a bit one-sided in the previous books, but we saw a LOT of different sides to him and learned a lot more about him this time. He’s a fierce fighter, smart, sly and a ladies man – or so he thinks! I’m definitely excited to see more of him in the next book!

I really like Wendy and Sarah and I’m hoping they get happy endings. Marianne is still a great character, as well. I like the way she fits in with the group, despite their uncertainty about her in The Hidden Library. I still like the Librarian, but I don’t really trust her anymore.. And I’m DYING to know her real identity! And Brom, as usual, was a great character.

The pacing in this book was excellent. There was always enough action to keep the plot moving forward, but not so much that it felt exhausting. Heather’s writing gets better with every book she does – and that’s saying a lot because her writing has always been exceptional! Her writing – coupled with the plot and where the characters all were in their journey(s) – made this book the best one in the series (so far) – and again, that’s saying a lot because I’ve loved every book in this series! All the characters are at the height of their character development; they’re all fierce and strong and loyal. The plot is intriguing and the story really hit a major turning point. No one is holding back now! It was epic and amazing!

And then that ending!!!!!!!!!

I thought the cliffhanger at the end of The Hidden Library was evil but this… this.. this… GAH!!!! HEATHER, WHY?!?!?!?!?!?! These status updates from Goodreads basically sum up my feelings at the end of the book:

87.0% “Ooohhhh…… *Gulps*”
88.0% “Oh crap!!”
88.0% “OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!”
91.0% “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????!!!!!!!!!!!?????”
97.0% “Omfg!!!!!!!!!!!! No no no no!!!!!!!!!”
97.0% “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Seriously, I have no idea how I’m going to survive the next few months, waiting for book four to come out!

So, obviously, I adored this book! I adore all of Heather’s book! And – as usual – I HIGHLY recommend this book (plus the first two, if you haven’t read them). Plus all her other books. All of them. Like.. Go read them all right now. I’ll wait… *Sits, stares creepily at you…*

Spotlight Post: Nightborn by Lou Anders (Giveaway)

Jul2

Hey everyone! Today, I’m really excited to be hosting an epic giveaway for Nightborn by Lou Anders, the second book in the Thrones & Bones series. First, here’s more about the book:

From the author of Frostborn comes Book 2 in the acclaimed Thrones and Bones fantasy-adventure trilogy for fans of Lloyd Alexander and Brandon Mull.

Karn Korlundsson is a gamer. Not a riddle solver. But in order to rescue his best friend, Thianna Frostborn, he will need to travel to the faraway city of Castlebriar (by wyvern), learn how to play a new board game called Charioteers (not a problem), decipher the Riddle of the Horn, and tangle with mysterious elves.

Meet Desstra. She’s in training to join the Underhand—the elite agents of the dark elves. When she crosses paths with Karn, she is not all that she appears to be.

Everyone is chasing after the horn of Osius, an ancient artifact with the power to change the world. The lengths to which Karn will go in the name of friendship will be sorely tested. Who knew that solving a riddle could be so deadly?

The novel includes instructions for playing the board game Charioteers. Visit ThronesandBones.com for additional games, maps, character profiles, and more!

Goodreads
Amazon | IndieBound | iBooks

And now for the giveway! One winner will receive a finished copy of the book + an awesome set of trading cards! To enter, please read the rules below and fill out the Rafflecopter:

-Giveaway is US only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-The publisher and I are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

LOU ANDERS’s research on Norse mythology while writing book one in the Thrones and Bones series, FROSTBORN, turned into a love affair with Viking culture and a first visit to Norway. Anders is the recipient of a Hugo Award for editing and a Chesley Award for art direction. He has published over 500 articles and stories on science fiction and fantasy television and literature. A prolific speaker, Anders regularly attends writing conventions around the country. He and his family reside in Birmingham, Alabama. You can visit Anders online at louanders.com and ThronesandBones.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Release Day Celebration: Darkness Brutal by Rachel A. Marks (Giveaway)

Jul1

DARKNESS BRUTAL by Rachel A. Marks
Release Day Celebration
July 1st, 2015

Title: DARKNESS BRUTAL
Series: The Dark Cycle, Book 1
Author: Rachel A. Marks
Release Date: July 1st, 2015
Publisher: Skyscape

Aidan O’Linn’s childhood ended the night he saw a demon kill his mother and mark his sister, Ava, with Darkness. Since then, every three years the demons have returned to try to claim her. Living in the gritty, forgotten corners of Los Angeles, Aidan has managed to protect his sister, but he knows that even his powers to fight demons and speak dead languages won’t keep her safe for much longer.

In desperation, Aidan seeks out the help of Sid, the enigmatic leader of a group of teens who run LA Paranormal, an Internet reality show that fights demons and ghosts. In their company, Aidan believes he’s finally found a haven for Ava. But when he meets Kara, a broken girl who can spin a hypnotic web of passionate energy, he awakens powers he didn’t know he had―and unleashes a new era of war between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness.

With the fate of humanity in his hands, can Aidan keep the Darkness at bay and accept his brilliant, terrifying destiny?

Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway: Winner will get $25 Amazon gift card, $10 Starbucks card, and 2 8×10 pieces of author Rachel A. Marks artwork, winner’s choice. (Open to US only | Must be 13+ To Enter)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

Rachel A. Marks is a writer and artist, a surfer and dirt-bike rider, chocolate lover and keeper of faerie secrets. Her four kids and amazing hubby put up with her nerdiness with tremendous grace, even when she makes them watch Buffy or Smallville re-runs for days on end. She was voted: Most Likely To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse, but hopes she’ll never have to test the theory.

Check out www.RachelAnneMarks.com for a sample chapter!

Check out @RachelAnneMarks to chat with the author!

Recruit Tour: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons (Giveaway)

Jun30

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Recruit Tour for Heather Lyons’ THE FORGOTTEN MOUNTAIN! THE FORGOTTEN MOUNTAIN is an Adult Romantic Fairy Tale, full of adventure and fantasy and the third book in Heather’s The Collectors’ Society Series! Grab your copy today!

After years spent in Wonderland, Alice Reeve learned the impossible was quite possible after all. She thought she left such fantastical realities behind when she finally returned to England.

Now Alice has become a member of the clandestine Collectors’ Society, and the impossible has found her again in the form of an elusive villain set on erasing entire worlds. As she and the rest of the Society race to bring this mysterious murderer to justice, the fight becomes painfully personal.

Lives are being lost. Loved ones are shattered or irrevocably altered. Each step closer Alice gets to the shadowy man she hunts, the more secrets she unravels, only to reveal chilling truths. If she wants to win this war and save millions of lives, Alice must once more embrace the impossible and make the unimaginable, imaginable.

Sometimes, the rabbit hole leads to terrifying places.

Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
iBooks | Kobo

Don’t miss the first books in this The Collectors’ Society Series!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

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Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

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Welcome to The Collectors’ Society Recruit Tour! I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to share my recruit with you! Please note that, when I originally came up with this recruit, I was thinking of the movie that’s based on the book and, therefore, the movie version of this recruit/character. I haven’t read the book itself yet (Gasp! I know, I’m a bad Book Nerd!!!) But I DO plan to read it at some point! And from what I Googled, the book and movie are fairly similar. So everything I say about my recruit SHOULD hold true, either way!

So, without further adieu, I present to you my post for The Collectors’ Society Recruit Tour! Enjoy!

From: Abraham Van Brunt (headlesshorseman@gmail.com)

To: Finn (hbfvb@gmail.com), Alice (queenofdiamonds@gmail.com), Victor (madscientist@gmail.com), Mary (poisonprincess@gmail.com), The Artful Dodger (adstud@hotmail.com), Marianne (janeites1814@yahoo.com)

Date: Tues, Jun 30, 2015 at 8:00 AM

Subject: New Recruit and Mission

Message: Good morning, team. I would have preferred debriefing you in person but, unfortunately, I was called away to a timeline on a confidential mission. We have a new recruit to retrieve and bring back to the Institute, as well as a new mission that takes precedent above all else at the moment – a mission that may be more dangerous and, potentially, more wide-spread than the one that led you to The Forgotten Mountain.

First, I want to introduce our new recruit. His name is Atreyu and he hails from The NeverEnding Story.

(Photo Credit: MTV)

The designation for this timeline is 1979END-TNS. Atreyu is a strong and loyal warrior who fought hard to save Fantastica from an evil called The Nothing. Without his help, Fantastica would have ceased to exist.

The NeverEnding Story is a story within a story. It tells the tale of a human boy named Bastian who stumbles upon the book that contains The NeverEnding Story. As Bastian read the book, he was pulled into the world of Fantastica and Atreyu’s mission and discovered that he alone could aid Atreyu and give Fantastica’s ruler, the Childlike Empress, a new name. By giving the Childlike Empress a new name, he saved Fantastica from further destruction.

(Photo Credit: IMDB)

Atreyu’s interactions with Bastian mean that Atreyu is at least somewhat familiar with the human world and the idea that “humans” create and influence stories, so the idea of timelines and catalysts won’t be a huge shock to him. It also stands to reason that, since Atreyu and Bastian are allies, we can bring Bastian on as a liaison for this timeline, as well.

And we will certainly need Bastian’s imagination and expertise. For someone has unleashed The Nothing (pictured below) from Fantastica and it is wreaking havoc on other timelines, as the Piper once did. We believe the thirteenth Wise Woman unleashed The Nothing as a way to exact her revenge against us for destroying her beloved.

(Photo Credit: Cinema 52)

Bastian was able to use his imagination to restore the damaged parts of Fantastica and we believe he can do this to help restore other timelines. Since he’s done it before, our hope is that he won’t be shocked or disbelieving when Atreyu contacts him and requests his aid.

Finn, I’d like for you and Alice to go to 1979END-TNS and find Atreyu. Bring him back to the Institute and begin training. Mr. Dawkins, I want you to go with them, in case they need back up.

Marianne, please meet with the Librarian and research The NeverEnding Story and The Nothing. We need to be fully prepared for what is to come – and the more we know, the more prepared we will be. Please be aware that The NeverEnding Story was also made into a movie. I do not know if the movie will aid or hinder your research as I do not know the extent of the differences from book to movie, but it doesn’t hurt to obtain as much information as you can.

Victor, Mary, I would like you to ensure we are stocked up on medical supplies, potions and the like. We don’t know what kind of damage this Nothing can inflict. Again, we must ensure we are prepared.

I will arrive back at the Institute late this evening. We will reconvene then and discuss all we have learned. It’s my hope that Finn and Alice will have Atreyu by then and that Marianne and the Librarian will have uncovered useful information that will help us in the upcoming battle.

All the best
Brom

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And now for the giveaway! Enter for your chance to win this awesome Collectors’ Society-inspired bracelet!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Forgotten Mountain Recruit Tour Schedule

June 22
QC JO’S go to books
In A Bookish World

June 23
BFF Book Blog
TSK TSK What to Read

June 24
Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous
Ramblings on Readings

June 25
Lost in a Book Blog
The Book Trollop

June 26
Lovin’ Los Libros
Desert Divas Book Addiction

June 27
Prisoners of Print
Seeking Book Boyfriends

June 28
One Guy’s Guide to Good Reads

June 29
The Room Behind the Bookcase

June 30
Book Starlets
Pandora’s Books

July 1
A Literary Perusal
Resch Reads and Reviews

July 2
Books galore

July 3
Library of a Book Witch
Typical Distractions

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About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Heather’s website | Heather on Goodreads

Heather’s Twitter | Heather’s Facebook

Blog Tour: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons (Playlist + Giveaway)

Jun29

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Blog Tour for Heather Lyons’ THE FORGOTTEN MOUNTAIN! THE FORGOTTEN MOUNTAIN is an Adult Romantic Fairy Tale, full of adventure and fantasy and the third book in Heather’s The Collectors’ Society Series! Grab your copy today!

After years spent in Wonderland, Alice Reeve learned the impossible was quite possible after all. She thought she left such fantastical realities behind when she finally returned to England.

Now Alice has become a member of the clandestine Collectors’ Society, and the impossible has found her again in the form of an elusive villain set on erasing entire worlds. As she and the rest of the Society race to bring this mysterious murderer to justice, the fight becomes painfully personal.

Lives are being lost. Loved ones are shattered or irrevocably altered. Each step closer Alice gets to the shadowy man she hunts, the more secrets she unravels, only to reveal chilling truths. If she wants to win this war and save millions of lives, Alice must once more embrace the impossible and make the unimaginable, imaginable.

Sometimes, the rabbit hole leads to terrifying places.

Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
iBooks | Kobo

Don’t miss the first books in this The Collectors’ Society Series!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

~*~*~*~

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

~*~*~*~

And now for the Playlist! Enjoy!

A lot of people ask me what songs I write my books to—especially for the Collectors’ Society series. For most books, I’ve kept separate playlists, even in series, but for the Society’s stories, I’ve compiled one main list that I keep adding to. The Spotify list I’m sharing with you all today includes the songs I listened to while writing The Collectors’ Society, The Hidden Library, and The Forgotten Mountain, as I reuse songs for particular characters all the time. In case you’re curious, the The Forgotten Mountain songs begin with the Terminator Love Theme (yes, you read that right!) and go on from there, including Stand Back by Stevie Nicks, White Wedding by Billy Idol, Video Games by Lana Del Rey, Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi, and America by XYLØ. Honestly, this is probably the most eclectic playlist for a story I’ve written so far! The Forgotten Mountain is heavy on instrumentals, simply because there is so much action within the pages and I wanted/required more tone than lyrical feel while writing. I hope you enjoy the songs used to help shape the tone of the series!

To Listen to the playlist, click here!

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Now for the giveaway! Enter for a chance to win this gorgeous Collectors’ Society inspired bracelet!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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THE FORGOTTEN MOUNTAIN Tour Schedule:

June 26 – TSK TSK What to Read
June 27 – A Bookish Escape
June 28 – Romance Addict
June 29 – Pandora’s Books
June 30 – Kimberlyfaye Reads
July 1 – Naughty and Nice Book Blog
July 2 – A Life Bound by Books
July 3 – BookAngelBooktopia
July 4 – A Literary Perusal
July 5 – Love Between the Sheets
July 6 – True Story Book Blog

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About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Heather’s website | Heather on Goodreads

Heather’s Twitter | Heather’s Facebook