Cover Reveal: Into the Night by Suzanne Rigdon

Hey everyone! I’m so incredibly excited to be a part of the cover reveal for Into the Night by Suzanne Rigdon (Spence City, December 2, 2014). It’s an amazing cover!

Are you ready for it???

Are you sure?

It’s gorgeous!

Okay, ready?

….
..
..
….
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Here it is!

Into the Night cover

(Cover designed by Lisa Amowitz)

Isn’t it awesome?!? Personally, I can’t wait to read this book!

Find Suzanne online:

Website | Twitter

Review: Girl, Stolen by April Henry

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: Girl, Stolen by April HenryGirl, Stolen by April Henry
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on December 1, 2010
Pages: 213
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of the car while her stepmom fills a prescription for antibiotics. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, the car is being stolen.

Griffin hadn't meant to kidnap Cheyenne and once he finds out that not only does she have pneumonia, but that she's blind, he really doesn't know what to do. When his dad finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes--now there's a reason to keep her.

How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare?

Girl, Stolen was a fast-paced, suspenseful read that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I loved the main character, Cheyenne. She was strong, brave and resilient, even when it seemed like there was no hope. She was sick with pneumonia and blind, but she never let those things slow her down. If anything, she used them to her advantage. At times, she used these things to seem weak and helpless so she could lie in wait and attempt to escape. At other times, she used them to try and beg for her release. She never gave up hope and never gave up fighting.

I wish I could say I liked Griffin but my feelings are mixed. He claimed he never meant to kidnap Cheyenne, he just wanted the car. He claimed his dad would fix things and let her go. And at times, Griffin is kind and sympathetic to Cheyenne. He even protects her at times. But at every turn, he seemed to make stupid decisions. The issue of grand theft auto aside, he was stupid to steal the car so impulsively. He was stupid not to let Cheyenne go before he got home to his dad. So I really don’t feel bad for him and I can’t fully like him, despite the few kind things he did do. I will say that he was pretty innocent, in the ignorant sense of the word. He was young and scared and didn’t think about the consequences of his actions. He did kind of redeem himself in the end, though.

I also have mixed feelings on the relationship between Cheyenne and Griffin. On the one hand, trying to develop a friendship with your capture can inspire feelings of sympathy with said capture, making the capture see his victim more as a person than just an annoyance that needs to be “dealt” with. At times, Cheyenne tried to make Griffin realize that she was a person, she was sick and – because of her blindness – she wouldn’t tell the cops anything if they just let her go. At other times, she tried to elicit sympathy from him, by saying she was sick and needed her antibiotics. So I can understand the motivation behind it. On the other hand, I don’t know any kidnap victim who would get THAT friendly with the person who kidnapped her.

I definitely felt, though, that I learned a lot about being blind from the discussions Cheyenne had with Griffin. It felt educational and insightful. I didn’t feel like it was being thrown in the reader’s face or shoved down their throat, as some books that try to teach a lesson tend to do, even if not intentionally. At the same time, I didn’t feel like Cheyenne being blind was the main point in the story. It wasn’t her being blind that made me (as the reader) feel bad for her – it was that she was kidnapped and she was sick with pneumonia and scared.

The only part where Cheyenne being blind really played a factor was the end. I need to be SO vague here so as not to spoil you guys, but her being blind and not knowing what was going on also put the reader in the dark, making it more scary and suspenseful. I definitely started crying in fear and worry a few times.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down because I was desperate to see how it ended. I would absolutely recommend this book. I have four of April Henry’s books but have only read this one and I must say, I’m definitely glad it was my first April Henry book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it makes me very excited to dive right into the next one!

four-stars

Cover Reveal: King of the Mutants by Samantha Verant

 

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

King of the Mutants by Samantha Verant

presented by Tantrum Books/Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

SVerant_KingoftheMutants_eCover_900x1350

Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?

Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow.

His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.

Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans!

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Title: King of the Mutants
Publication date: October 21, 2014
Publisher: Tantrum Books/Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Samantha Verant

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Samantha Verant

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Review: Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

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: Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie FinnBroken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn
Series: Broken Hearts & Revenge #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on May 13, 2014
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Summer, boys, and friendships gone sour. This new series has everything that perfect beach reads are made of!

Gemma just got dumped and is devastated. She finds herself back in the Hamptons for the summer—which puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friend that she wronged five years earlier. Do people hold grudges that long?

When a small case of mistaken identity causes everyone, including Hallie and her dreamy brother Josh, to think she’s someone else, Gemma decides to go along with it.

Gemma's plan is working (she's finding it hard to resist Josh), but she's finding herself in embarrassing situations (how could a bathing suit fall apart like that!?). Is it coincidence or is someone trying to expose her true identity? And how will Josh react if he finds out who she is?

Katie Finn hits all the right notes in this perfect beginning to a new summer series: A Broken Hearts & Revenge novel.

Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend was such an amazing book, I don’t think I can wait until 2015 for the sequel! Revenge, forgiveness, betrayal and lies. Those four words sum this book up pretty well!

Gemma was both an amazing character and a character I just wanted to yell at. At times, her actions were so frustrating, I just wanted to slap her or shake her silly until she listened to reason and common sense. In the beginning, I definitely thought she was a bit bratty and self-absorbed. She was also really immature in her relationship. Honestly, in the beginning, when she suffered certain embarrassing situations, I actually felt she deserved it. I lost some respect for her near the middle-end, but she sort of redeemed her self when all was said and done – what she did took a lot of guts. I would have liked to see more character growth in Gemma (maybe that will happen in the next book?), but despite all my complaints, she was still a (mostly) likable and fun character.

Of all the characters, I actually really loved Hallie. If I had to pick a character I could relate to the most, it would be Hallie. She was basically bullied and picked on by the girl who was supposed to be her best friend. Her life was almost ruined – her family’s whole reputation, in fact. I don’t blame her for being hurt and angry and upset. I even found it believable that she held a grudge for five years. If I’m being honest, in her shoes, I would have, too! I STILL look back to when I was in elementary school (and that was a LONG, long time ago) and I still wish I’d handled things differently with the girl who bullied me. Sometimes, I imagine that I stood up for myself back then and got back at her enough that she left me alone. Other times, I try to imagine what I would say if I saw her today. So I definitely found it believable that Hallie would still be angry after all this time.

I would actually love to see some scenes from Hallie’s POV in Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold (Broken Hearts & Revenge, #2). She really did end up becoming my favorite character!

Now, I know we didn’t see a lot of Teddy… But I hated him and never liked how he treated Gemma. But Josh… I LOVED Josh. Until the end, of course, but I think he’s redeemable! But Josh was a gentleman, a hero, adorable and hilarious. He was a bit cheesy sometimes, but I just wanted to crawl into his lap and cuddle! Or… Uh.. Can we pretend he’s 18? No? Okay… Then… I wanted to stalk him from afar! He was just.. perfect. One scene in particular.. I don’t want to spoil you guys… But he was amazing, calm and collected, considering!

I knew, almost from the very first “incident” that someone was behind it… And I had a feeling I knew who that was. I also had a hunch about who a certain person was. And I also had a feeling a certain person knew more than they were letting on… And I know that’s all extremely vague and I’m kinda rambling. But my point it, I totally guessed all the twists in this book, starting around page 45. And every hunch I had? I was right! Now, I always have the same issue when this happens – I’m both excited that I was right and a little let down that it was so predictable. But in this case, with this particular book, I was REALLY excited to be right!

Overall, though I wasn’t a huge fan of Gemma or certain elements of the story, I really enjoyed this book. I found I couldn’t put it down and, when I did have to, I could think of nothing else but picking it back up! I was DESPERATE to know who was behind the “embarrassing situations” Gemma found herself in (though my hunch was correct!). I’ve never finished a book and been THIS DESPERATE for book two! Like.. I need it now, please and thank you! Katie Finn is an amazing writer and I’m definitely going to check out the rest of her books, including the ones written under her alter-ego, Morgan Matson! And I HIGHLY recommend this book, in case that wasn’t clear!

four-stars

Release Day Launch: A Matter of Forever by Heather Lyons

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We are so ecstatic about the Release Day Launch for Heather Lyon’s A MATTER OF FOREVER! A MATTER OF FOREVER is the stunning conclusion to Heather’s Fates Series and you do NOT want to miss this!
 

A Matter of Forever Cover

A MATTER OF FOREVER (Fate Series #4) Synopsis:

It all comes down to this . . .

Chloe Lilywhite has struggled for years to find her footing in a series of dangerous and demanding worlds. Creator, first tier Council member, and one of the most powerful Magicals in existence, she was little more than one of Fate’s pawns. But now, Chloe is back home and ready to call the shots. She knows what she wants and who she wants to be.

Except the Elders never got the memo.

Annar and Magical-kind are under attack. The lives of Chloe’s loved ones, and life as they know it, are at stake. Chloe’s the key to taking the Elders down, but they won’t go quietly into the night.

This time, neither will Chloe.

*This is a New Adult title, suitable for readers 18+.

A MATTER OF FOREVER Goodreads

 

Release Day Excerpt:

Quiet voices nearby send my focus to the other end of the large room. I make out Kellan and Will, matching in cross-armed, tense stances as they talk with Astrid Lotus and Kate Blackthorn. They’re not alone; at a table nearby sit Cameron and Callie, exhaustion coloring them almost as strongly as that I feel here in this bed.

“This is unacceptable,” Kellan is saying, his voice low, like he doesn’t want to wake his brother or me up, but it’s angry, too. “You’re the Council’s lead Shaman!”

“Sweetling,” Astrid murmurs, reaching out for her son’s arm, but he yanks out of her grasp.

“No. I’m sorry, but no. This is not acceptable.”

She tries again. “Kellan—”

He’s livid. “We’re going on five days, Astrid. Five. Days. How is it, with all of the worlds’ best Shamans working on her, nobody can wake Chloe up? Or at least figure out what the fuck happened to her?”

Five whole days? I’ve been . . . asleep, or whatever it is I’ve been, for nearly a week? What did that Jens-like person do to me?

I’m desperate to let Kellan—let them all—know I’m okay, that I’m finally awake, but only a tiny rasp escapes me, like somebody has stolen my voice. Speaking shouldn’t be so difficult. Curling my fingers around Jonah’s hand shouldn’t be so tiring.

Something is wrong. Something is very wrong.

“I’m going to have to concur with Kellan,” Will is quietly saying, yet his words are just as harsh as Kellan’s. “I know I’m only a Métis, but I’m pretty sure that with all the Magic you all can do, something should have worked by now. I mean, you are Magicals. Isn’t this the bloody point?”

Cameron stands up, a hand going to his son’s shoulder. “William—”

“Dad, don’t even try to excuse this. Weren’t you raving to Erik just this morning how somebody better bloody do something or heads were going to roll?”

Cameron doesn’t deny this in the least, nor does he look chastised.

“We’re trying our best, but Kellan,” Kate says, “maybe it’s time to prepare yourself.”

“Prepare myself?” he sputters. “What, like . . . you mean accept that she’s gone and not coming back?”

Try as I might, no words escape my lips. I’m here, I want to shout. I’m alive and awake. Turn around. See me.

“Or,” he continues bitterly, “prepare myself that you’re going to keep her on some kind of Magical life support until some new Creator is born? Because that’s what you’re thinking, right?”

Astrid says his name again, all heartbreak and sympathy in her syllables.

Kate turns white in the face of his quiet fury. “This is . . . I’ve never seen anything like this. If we only knew about the circumstances leading up to what happened—”

“How many times do you need to hear it?” Kellan seethes. “Chloe and Jonah were having dinner in a crowded restaurant. She ate food off of both of their plates. He ate off of hers, so there can’t be any poisoning issues—but you all should know that, considering the food was all tested. Chloe went to the restroom. She never returned. Ten minutes later, when it felt like somebody was literally gutting us—” He stops, hands yanking at his hair. “When it felt like somebody was tearing him apart, Jonah went and found her on the floor of the bathroom, bleeding and unconscious. He tried to wake her up. He failed. Cora Carregreen tried to work on her, but failed. I tried to wake her up, but failed. Kiah Redrock was sent in to see if she could reach Chloe through her dreams, but she failed, too, as Chloe’s brain wasn’t . . .” He takes an unsteady breath. “Isn’t even functioning enough to have dreams. Shall I continue, Kate? Because, I mean, you’re the Shaman and all.”

 
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And don’t miss the first books in the Fate Series!

A MATTER OF FATE (Fate Series #1) Just $.99 right now!
BEYOND FATE (Fate Series #1.5) Just $.99 right now!
A MATTER OF HEART (Fate Series #2)
A MATTER OF TRUTH (Fate Series #3)

 

Author PhotoAbout 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.

Find Heather Online

Website | Twitter

Author Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest

 

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Stacking the Shelves #18: In Which I Splurged… A Lot

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Books I Mentioned
Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto
Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid
Unforgotten by Jessica Brody
The Lives We Lost by Megan Crewe
The Ring & The Crown by Melissa de la Cruz
The Taking by Kimberly Derting
Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
The Walled City by Ryan Graudin
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
The Body in the Woods by April Henry
Girl, Stolen by April Henry
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry
The Night She Disappeared by April Henry
Talon by Julie Kagawa
Lailah by Nikki Kelly
Aliented by Melissa Landers
Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike
After the End by Amy Plum
The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
The Warrior by Victoria Scott
Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter
Lives We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley
In the Shadows by Kiersten White & Jim Di Bartolo

eBooks (Not Mentioned in video. Source in parentheses)
Behind the Scenes by Dahlia Adler (Edelweiss)

People I Mentioned
Crystal @ Crystal in Bookland
Ryan Graudin
Kris @ My Friends are Fiction
Stacee @ Adventures of a Book Junkie

Publisher’s Mentioned
HarlequinTeen
MacMillan

Review: Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

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: Second Star by Alyssa B. SheinmelSecond Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Published by Farrar Straus and Giroux on May 13, 2014
Pages: 248
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward Pete's nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of a classic, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up--and the troubled beauty trapped between them.

Second Star blew my mind in so many ways. Though I saw the twist coming as early on as half-way through the book, it still left me feeling shocked. I went into it knowing it was VERY loosely based on Peter Pan, which helped me keep my mind clear when it veered so far away from the original tale.

Unfortunately, I never connected with Wendy. Yet that didn’t bother me in Second Star the way it has in other books. The story grabbed me in and pulled me along, distracting me from the fact that I didn’t really like or care about her. I did feel she was very over-dramatic with a one-track mind that kept her from seeing anything else that was going on in her life. Of course, this was explained in the end. And the explanation/reasoning was.. Wow.

I loved Pete and Jas. I know a lot of people had issues with the “insta-love” and a “forced love triangle.” But I didn’t feel like it was insta-love at all and I didn’t get the love-triangle vibe at all. Of course, again, knowing how the books ends, I see it a lot differently now than I did while I was reading it. Pete was kind and caring, very easy-going. He was a smooth-talker, too! Jas had a hard outer-shell that he hid behind – the classic “I’m a bad-boy on the outside to hide my true feelings and compassion, but I’m really just a softie!” But again.. The ending explained all of this and it all made so much sense!

Belle was a hilarious character. She was, obviously, meant to be a Tinker Bell reboot. But she was a bitch! At least in the beginning. In truth, I guess I should have seen that coming, but it was still weird to see it after growing up with the image of Tinker Bell being sweet and kind and helpful. At the same time, I kind of liked it and her, overall.

Wendy made some hilariously bad decisions. Going into this book, I had seen some INCREDIBLY negative reviews and remarks, mostly revolving around Wendy and her choices throughout the book. Maybe I’m weird, but none of the things people complained about bothered me. At least, not as much as it bothered other people. Sure, she made some bad choices. Yeah, I didn’t like certain things being used as plot devices. Yes, Jas was the bad-boy that Wendy should have been avoiding, not getting closer to. But none of that ruined the story for me. None of that dropped the rating for me. I still found it to be a fun, intriguing read. And again, once you read the entire book, so many things come together and you see everything that happened in a new light.

Overall, Second Star was a truly entertaining, surprising book. Though I basically figured the ending out half-way through reading, it still left me mind-blown. And then the final twist, at the end? Wow. I feel like this review is really vague because I don’t want to spoil anything… But I swear, you NEED to read this book. I highly recommend it because it will seriously mess with you and leave you wanting more!

four-stars

Review: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Review: Open Road Summer by Emery LordOpen Road Summer by Emery Lord
Published by Walker Books on April 15, 2014
Pages: 342
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

If you haven’t read Open Road Summer yet, then you need to. Because Matt Finch. That is all. *Walks away.*



Oh, you need more of a reason than Matt Finch? Sorry about that!

Open Road Summer is an incredible coming-of-age, summer-time story. The characters are amazing and likable, the plot is completely intriguing and it will leave you begging for more.

Reagan, the main character, was funny and flawed. Though she hardened herself to the outside world, we (the reader) saw little peaks into her vulnerabilities. She has been hurt so many times, it’s hard for her to trust others. I liked that she wasn’t perfect; She used to drink, do drugs, flirt with guys to get ahead in life. She was in trouble with the law a few times. So many times in YA, the main character is a perfect princess. That’s not life, people aren’t perfect and mistakes happen. I love that she both accepted her flaws and strove to make herself better all at the same time. She came a long way from the first page to the last, but she still had a long way to go – which, again, felt realistic. Not everything can be solved by the end of a book.

I loved Dee. She was so innocent, kind and caring and a loyal friend to Reagan. She was the shining star, but like Reagan, she had moments where she faltered and we saw the cracks in her perfect life. It was nice to see that. The friendship between her and Reagan was epic – they were different enough that, most of the time, they didn’t really butt heads; yet, similar enough that they got along like sisters.

Another thing I loved? Though Reagan was the main character, she wasn’t the center of attention, the hero, the one who gets the special powers. She was the best friend of the star. It was really refreshing!

Matt Finch. Umm… What can I say about Matt Finch? He was hilarious, cocky, sweet, kind, vulnerable, amazing, swoon-worthy… I could go on and on. I had heard so many great things about him and, let me tell you, all those things are true. He is AMAZING. Also.. This is weird, but I find I can’t refer to him as simply “Matt.” He is, and always will be, referred to as “Matt Finch.” Here are some of my favorite quotes from him or said in reference to him:

-“…I’m not sure if you completely hate me or if you think I’m the hottest guy in the world” (Page 72)
-“If he wasn’t so cute, someone would have killed him for being annoying by now.” (Page 75)
-“His self-satisfied grin makes his cheeks look dimply and smackable. I consider it, too…” (Page 94)
-“In the limited time I’ve known him, Matt Finch has never looked more delighted than when he is intentionally pushing my buttons.” (Page 117)

I should mention, while I’m on the subject, how quotable this book was. Normally, I don’t quote a book a lot, but at least half my Goodreads status updates were me just quoting the book. For example:

-“Her DNA twists into bars of music instead of double helixes” (Page 6)
-“…And just like that, we’re on our way to everywhere.” (Page 7)
-“In a fairy tale, she’d play the good fairy. I’d be the evil witch’s screwup second cousin.” (Page 8)
-“That Southern brand of trust is stronger than whiskey, and, when broken, it burns even more.” (Page 31)
-“When you’re on the floor, there’s nowhere farther to fall.” (Page 55)
-“In this place, I feel like the Devil, escorting a newly fallen Angel through the underworld.” (Page 84)

Emery Lord just has this amazing way with words. This is further evidenced in the gorgeous song lyrics she pens into the novel. Each time I encountered song lyrics, I sang them… Out loud… Two or three times… Or however many times it took me to get it right. No shame.

For the most part, Open Road Summer was a light, fluffy read with a summer road trip and best friends determined to take a break from their old lives – For Reagan, that means no guys and no getting into trouble. For Dee, that means getting over a bad break-up. As the story unfolds, there are some pretty heavy moments, situations that can’t be easily solved or simply ignored. But the character’s took it in stride and made the best of the situation, dealing with the hand they were dealt one card at a time.

Overall, if you couldn’t tell from my insane, fangirly review, Open Road Summer is an absolute must-read. If you have it on your TBR pile, bump it up and make it your next read. if it ISN’T on your TBR… Well, why isn’t it?!?!?! GO BUY IT NOW! Emery Lord is definitely an up-and-coming author to watch out for – I’m eager to see what she does next!

five-stars

Cover Reveal: Curse of the Granville Fortune by Kelly Hashway

 

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Curse of the Granville Fortune by Kelly Hashway

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Granville fortune

Find the fortune, break the curse!

The hunt is on for an ancient treasure tied to nine-year-old J.B.’s family history. He’s been having visions that make him sweaty, lightheaded, and certain he’s turning into some kind of freak—or worse, going insane. But things are worse than he imagined. The visions stem from a family curse. An ancient ancestor was accused of stealing the massive Granville fortune, and now J.B.’s entire family will suffer.

To break the curse, J.B. must find and return the Granville’s stolen property. But he’s not the only one searching for the treasure. As he sets out on his journey through a dark and foreboding forest, he’ll battle his worst fears and fight terrifying creatures along the way. And when he meets two others who share the missing pieces of his visions and suffer from the same curse, the three soon realize they need to work together to break the curse before it’s too late.

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Kelly Hashway

Reading is a thing of magic. It has allowed me to enter into worlds I never would have known. I’ve cried, laughed, and been scared right alongside my favorite characters. And my hope is that one day kids will do the same for my characters. I want kids to see that reading is one of the greatest gifts. Luckily, my daughter already agrees with me!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Review: Rebel by Amy Tintera

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

Review: Rebel by Amy TinteraRebel by Amy Tintera
Series: Reboot #2
Published by HarperTeen on May 13, 2014
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: a giveaway
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

The sequel to the action-packed Reboot is a can't-miss thrill ride, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Veronica Roth, and Marie Lu.

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on the humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake . . . he's underestimated Wren and Callum.

The explosive finale to the Reboot duology is full of riveting action and steamy love scenes as Wren and Callum become rebels against their own kind.

Though Rebel fell short of my expectations, it was still better than its predecessor, Reboot. The main characters were slightly better, the secondary characters shined, the plot was a little more intriguing and the pace was a bit faster.

I still wasn’t a huge fan of Wren. I thought she would get better as time went on. She started out very boring and detached in Reboot. She shed some of that icy demeanor as the story went along, so I expected a lot more character growth than we got in Rebel. Don’t get me wrong, she still came a long way from where she started out, but I would have liked to see more from her.

I LOVED Callum. Right away, starting with chapter one, I loved hearing the story from his POV. He has such a distinct voice and, since he’s only a twenty-two, he still has a very human personality and human morales. He grew a lot from the innocent Reboot that he was in the first book. He hardened himself a little bit to some things and I really liked the way he was able to step up and become a leader. Honestly, I kind of wish the whole book had been told in his POV. Like with Reboot, he’s the only reason I didn’t DNF Rebel.

The one odd thing, though? I loved Callum, I didn’t love Wren – but I loved Wren through Callum’s eyes. Does that make sense? Because I’m saying it and I still can’t fully grasp the concept. Wren wasn’t very likable or relatable and she was very – the keyword with her – detached for much of the book. But through Callum’s eyes, she became likable.

One of my biggest issues with Reboot was that I didn’t like the secondary characters – only two of them, but one wasn’t in much of the book and the other met an unfortunate fate. So I was pleasantly surprised when I LOVED not one, not two, but about five of the secondary characters in Rebel. Among my favorites were Addie, Beth, Riley, Gabe and Isaac. Of those, I especially loved Addie and Riley. I can’t say much about them, specifically, because of spoilers. But I will say, I was MOSTLY satisfied with the way each of their stories ended.

Another big issue I had with Reboot was the pacing. The middle of the book completely dragged. The pacing in Rebel was much better and I can’t really think of any spots where Rebel dragged. It moved at a pretty decent pace the entire way through.

Despite the good, I definitely had some big issues with Reboot. One was forced reproduction to rebuild the population. I seriously hope I don’t need to explain why I hate that… The other issue I had was that Rebel was VERY predictable and VERY cliche. I found myself rolling my eyes several times throughout the book. Also, a couple scenes that should have been big and crazy were very anti-climatic, which was a let down.

Overall, Rebel was definitely a more interesting read than Reboot. I loved Callum, Wren got a little better and the secondary characters were great. The pacing was much better and the plot was way more interesting. Though it was a predictable read, it was still fun and I saw several opportunities for spin-offs with some of my favorite secondary characters. While I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend this book, I would still suggest giving it a try. What annoyed me may not annoy others and it still had an great premise.

three-half-stars