Showing posts with label Authors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Authors. Show all posts

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

GOODREADS BLURB:
"You can't touch me," I whisper.

I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.

He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.

But things happen when people touch me.

Strange things.

Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans on her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.




Okay, wow. Where to start...

This book started off arduous difficult tough to read. The prose was complicated complicated complicated and hard to follow at times.

I really wanted to put the book down.

BUT.

Wow. Once it got going, dialogue picked up, and Adam showed up, I changed my tune. Mafi has TALENT. TALENT TALENT TALENT (and I mean that with no pun alluding to the book at all!) :) I can't wait to read more books from her!

THE GOOD:
I felt everything that Juliette felt. Saw everything she saw. There was no detail that was left out from her emotions, or even how they were processed in her mind. I don't think I've ever felt like I knew a character as intimately as I felt I got to know Juliette. I really was rooting for her the entire time, because she was simply transparent and honest in her thoughts and emotions. Adam is genuinely a good guy. Mafi leaves the book at a sensible point, yet leaves me invested enough to go "I need more pages!" at the end. That's a good thing. :)

THE BAD:
Like I said, I was really struggling to enjoy this book for the first 25%. I only kept going because two good book reviewing buddies told me I needed to and I hate to put a book down, so I did. The prose feels overdone and the constant strikethrough of words is taxing. While I totally understand her point and goal with this idea, I think someone should have put a leash on it at the same time. It works, it really does, it just was a bit overboard in the beginning. Other than that, I really enjoyed the book!

CONCLUSION:
WOW. That's all I've to got to say. This author has a lot of talent, and if you enjoyed Hunger Games, this is definitely the next book you should pick up. The writing is hard to get used to at first, but I promise it's totally worth it to get through the first bit and get to the meat of the story. You won't regret an adventure into this book, and it will definitely leave you wanting more.

FAVORITE QUOTES:
"Hope is a pocket of possibility."
* * *
"I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction. They want to delete every point of punctuation in my life from this earth and I don't think I can let that happen."

RATING: 4 Books








Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin


GOODREADS BLURB:
Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.




REVIEW:
Wow, I'm so torn! On one hand, I absolutely loved this book. on the other, I had some beefs. Here they are:

THE GOOD:
Oh my word, the descriptions! Loved, loved, loved the detail. I could see all of it, and I appreciated that it wasn't overkill. Hodkin has a knack for this obviously, and she doses it very effectively. Another thing I loved was her ability to truly MAKE me read the next chapter. She didn't end chapters oddly, she simply left just enough of a morsel that you truly couldn't justify not moving on and finding out what happened. Also, her character building and ability to make you care what happened to her characters was good. The evolution of Noah was excellent.

THE BAD:
What happened to Jamie? I felt like Hodkin just let him slip through the cracks. Hopefully this is remedied in the sequel, but it definitely felt like she just decided to stop writing about him. Also, a lot of the wording used felt above YA. Not to say that YA can't have academic words, quite the contrary, but I really had a hard time seeing teens speaking the way they did sometimes. Also, it's literally almost 75% of the way through the book before anything is actually explained. Don't get me wrong, I love a good build up, but making me go that long without good answers just seems a bit exaggerated.

CONCLUSION:
This is a great novel. I read it in 2 days, so it's a pretty quick read. The characters are great, and I'd love to see what's next for Mara and Noah. I will definitely pick up the sequel, but I'm hoping Hodkin will get things rolling a bit quicker next time.

FAVORITE QUOTES:
"My God, you're like the plague."
"A masterfully crafted, powerfully understated, and epic parable of timeless moral resonance? Why thank you. That's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me," he said.
"The disease, Noah. Not the book."
"I'm ignoring that qualification."
 * * *
"I'm more well rounded than you."
"Not possible. You're American," he said. "And if it's true, it's only because you like crap."
"How is it that you have friends, Noah?"
"I ask myself that daily."
* * *
"No, it isn't irrelevant. You want me as much as I want you. And all I want is you."
My tongue warred with my mind. "Today," I whispered.
Noah stood slowly, his body skimming mine as he rose. "Today. Tonight. Tomorrow. Forever." Noah's eyes held mine. His stare was infinite. "I was made for you, Mara."

RATING: 4 Books

Writing Killed My Reading.

Growing up, I devoured books. Seriously. There wasn't a book in sight that I wouldn't read, so long as it had a fantastical twist to it.

My first favorite series was The Animorphs Series by K.A. Applegate. I'd dream of meeting an alien race who gave me the opportunity to turn into whatever awesomesauce living thing I could touch. It was way too much fun.

Then there were Goosebumps. Oh man, those would scare the bejeezus out of me. I remember many nights where I laid under my covers, wondering if those stories could possibly be true.

Then came Harry Potter.

Oh, J.K. Rowling, how you forever altered my childhood. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I truly will never be able to express how much the fantastical world you created expanded my imagination.

In college a friend introduced me to the Twilight series. I was a bit behind on the craze, but hey, I got in there. :)

There has always been a book in my hand.

That is, until I started writing.

Then all of a sudden, I started noticing nuances and quirks in other author's writing that I hadn't noticed before. The plot holes became more pronounced. I thought about how I would have written a character or a scene, and how I thought the dialogue could be improved. I started thinking about how I should be writing instead of reading, so my books could get into the hands of readers. It almost made me feel guilty to get into a book and not be able to put it down.

I darn near quit reading.

It's been way, WAY too long since I've genuinely sat down and enjoyed a book. I'm remedying this. Today I bought a Kindle Fire, and loaded it with every single book I've wanted to read for the past 6 months. Life's been busy, what with my son being born and writing my books.

But, that's no excuse.

I wholeheartedly believe that to be a good writer, you need to be a good reader. A dear friend of mine said to read both great books and god-awful books, just so you know what works and what doesn't. She's wise.

How are we as authors to know how to improve our own books, if we don't learn from others in the craft? I think reading is even more important now than it was before I started writing, and I've been slacking. Not anymore.

I'm going to make a goal of reading at least 60 books this year, and I'll post reviews and keep tabs on my progress on here. No, this won't end up being a book blogging site I don't think, but I will post my thoughts on what I read. Plus, you guys can keep me honest. :)


Right now I'm reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin...and I'm SO impressed! If you haven't read it, pick it up. I'm really enjoying the way she leaves her chapters un-put-downable. Seriously, you all need to read this book. SO good!

So, what do you guys think? Writers, do you think reading hones your craft? Do you read your genre you write, or do you venture out? What's on your to-read list? I need to know these things, because I need more books to read this year, and I'd love to hear what you guys think on the topic! :)

The Santa Special Give Away!

Love to read? You've come to the right blog! :)

As you know, this is a new blog, and I thought we'd end the year with a bang! I've collected some of the most awesomesauce authors I know, and they've generously donated their books to fill up someone's shiny kindle/nook/eReader!

For five readers, you will receive both of my books, BRIDGER and FORBIDDEN...but that's not all I'm giving away...

For one lucky person, you'll get ALL of the following books from all of these AWESOME authors! It's a total of 11 great books to keep you reading late into the night!

All you need to do to enter the is follow my blog and fill out the rafflecopter at the bottom of the post! Easy enough, right?

The winners will be drawn Dec. 27th at midnight EST, and announced on Dec. 28th! So without further ado, let's check out the books!

From Denise Grover Swank:


CHOSEN (The Chosen, #1): 
Everything Emma Thompson owns fits in a suitcase she moves from one roach infested motel to another. She and Jake, her five year old son who can see the future, are running from the men intent on taking him. Emma will do anything to protect him even when it means accepting the help of a stranger named Will. Jake insists she needs Will, but Emma’s never needed help before. And even though she’s learned to trust her son, it doesn’t mean she trusts Will.

Mercenary Will Davenport lives in the moment. Hauling Emma to South Dakota should have been an easy job, but his employer neglected to tell him about Emma’s freaky son and the gunmen hot on her trail. Instinct tells him this job is trouble, but nothing can prepare him for Jake’s proclamation that Will is The Chosen One, who must protect Emma from the men hunting her power. A power she doesn't know she has.

Will protects Emma and Jake on a cross-country chase from the men pursuing them, while struggling with memories from his past, his apprehension of Jake, and his growing attraction to Emma. Will’s overwhelming urge to protect Emma surprises him, especially since it has nothing to do with his paycheck and possibly everything to do with the tattoo Jake branded on his arm. Rich and powerful men are desperate to capture Emma, and Will must discover why before it's too late.



HERE (ON THE OTHERSIDE):
Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before.

Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from.

From Elizabeth Isaacs:


THE LIGHT OF ASTERIA (The Kailmeyra Series):
 If Nora Johnson hadn't been on campus that day she would have never known her true destiny. Helping her friends move into the dorm that she wanted to call home, Nora accidentally collides with mysterious stranger, Gavin Frey. His very first touch sends flames through her heart. The world seems different-something within her has changed. She tries to resume her mundane life, but she is now consumed with the one whose very presence ignited her soul, the one with eyes of emerald. Nora soon learns that an energy buried deep within has been unleashed. She now wields unimaginable power and has become Gavin's source, his strength. Her newfound joy is shaken when she discovers that Gavin is not who he appears to be and she has been thrust in the middle of a war of mythical proportions. Negativity allows all things evil to flourish, the earth is under siege. The fate of creation hinges on the power within her heart. Will she be strong enough to survive? A gripping tale of unbounded love and ancient power, The Light of Asteria will take you on an epic adventure filled with war, treachery, and demons, as well as unimaginable delights.


THE SECRET OF THE KEEPERS:
The Kailmeyra Chronicles: Book Two--

Life for Nora couldn't be better; she has married the man of her dreams and loves living in the pristine land of Kailmeyra.

That is, until the darkness threatens her perfect world.

Now war is upon the land. She and Gavin must strengthen their clan and prepare to fight. But the enemy has an ally—one that not only wields power, but holds knowledge of the ancients' secrets. Secrets that could destroy creation itself.

As the darkness grows, doubt seeps in ... protectiveness hinders progress ... and the unthinkable comes to pass.

Bewildered and alone, Nora shoulders the responsibility of leading an entire race to war. As she struggles with decisions that seem impossible to make, she is haunted by one choice.

"No one has ever doubted that you would die for those you love. The question then becomes ... would you live?"

From Hope Collier:


THE WILLOWS: HAVEN: 
When tragedy strikes, seventeen year-old Ashton Blake sets out on a cross-country road trip, leaving the comforts of Malibu for the mountains of Kentucky. Along the way, she encounters Gabe Willoughby—the mysterious drifter with eyes like the sea and a knowing smile. Getting to know Gabe raises questions about her past. But no secret can be buried forever, and Ashton soon finders herself in a world where water is air and myth becomes reality.

Just as Ashton comes to accept her newfound heritage, she’s summoned to fulfill a treaty laid down centuries before — a treaty that will divide her love and test her loyalty. In the end, her future isn’t her biggest concern, her humanity is. To run may mean war, but is she strong enough to stay?

From Eisley Jacobs:

BORN TO BE A DRAGON:
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup…

This is what Lord Edric wants you to believe. He will do anything in his power to see that humans never come in contact with dragons again. However, he doesn't plan for Meia, the foster child who dreams of dragons, believing they are real. Or Deglan, the ten-year-old dragon who bears the ancient mark that threatens everything Lord Edric has worked for.

Join these two unlikely friends as they discover the truth behind a legend so extraordinary it will alter each of their lives… forever.


GOLDEN BLOOD (Time Spirit Trilogy):
Gemma Hart never knows when her father is going to whisk her back in time. Her toes start tingling and she has a few minutes to find a secret haven where she can disintegrate and appear in another time and place. While “across the line,” her training and skills are put to the test as she completes a mission that will change history for the lucky few her father has selected.

Gemma's parents are adamant that secrecy is paramount to her family’s safety. If people knew what they were capable of, they could be "used and abused", as her mother always says. Afraid she might accidentally utter the truth and break the ancient oath of her people, Gemma spends her school days as a loner. Only one thing can throw her sheltered life askew... Harrison Granger.

Harrison never expected to talk to the strange Hart girl, but after a brief encounter he can't stop thinking about her. He begins a campaign to chisel away her icy veneer and is met with unexpected consequences. As he slowly wins this girl over, he enters a surreal world that has him fighting to keep his newfound love and his life.



BLACK BLOOD (Time Spirit Trilogy, #2):
Gemma's parents have put enough rules around her relationship with Harrison that she feels like she's living on parole. But she wins one battle—a summer job working for Harrison's step-father. It is the perfect chance to spend the steamy, hot Florida days with her boyfriend. It's also a great distraction from the cellphone hiding in her underwear drawer—her only contact with Gabe, the mystery man who's stalking her.

When she confronts Gabe, he tells her that her parents are not who she thinks they are, and Harrison has the gall to believe him. Surrounded by conflict, Gemma doesn't know what to believe, and it takes a trip back in time for her to glimpse the sickening truth.

Thanks to her parents, she returns to the present to find the love of her life no longer exists. His family line was broken and now, so is she.

This betrayal forces her to seek out Gabe. Setting aside her fear of the truth, she must trust this man and learn what he can teach her... otherwise, she'll never get her boyfriend back.

From Lorna Suzuki:




A WARRIOR'S TALE (The Imago Chronicles, Book #1):
“Imago Chronicles: Book One, A Warrior’s Tale” begins at the height of the turmoil that shall determine if indeed there will be a Third Age of Peace. Besieged by the enemy from the east and now immersed in war with soldiers of the Dark Army from the west, Nayla Treeborn and her people are about to engage in the next great war that will decide the fate of all mankind and
Elves in Imago.

In a desperate attempt to deliver word to the Elf king of Wyndwood andthose of the alliance for a call to arms, she is the last surviving messenger sent forth by her people. Now, trapped in a storm at the top of the world, she fights to survive the deadly elements in a strange land.

Despised by Elves and shunned by mortals, she must now find the courage to make a place in this world, and the compassion to save those who keep her at arm’s length. This adventure recounts the defining moments in her life that had forged her into a deadly warrior, a great captain and a legend amongst the people of Imago.

And finally, from me:



BRIDGER:
Ashlyn McVean doesn’t believe in fairy tales. That is, until Ashlyn is thrown into the crosshairs of grudges her grandmother created long ago. After finding out she is one of two people able to cross between faerie realms, Ashlyn is faced with trying to understand her abilities, along with navigating a new relationship with her boyfriend, Liam. As if being on a centuries old hit list and dealing with crazed pixies isn’t enough, her new abilities mean trouble for Liam. Knowing her new life puts everyone she loves in danger, Ashlyn must decide what’s most important in her life between friends, family, love, and ultimately, realms.




FORBIDDEN (The Guardian Chronicles):
Levi's job is to protect his human until it's their time to go. That's what a Guard does. He's done it for years on end, and he'll spend his eternity doing the same, mundane thing, following the same, mundane rules.

...Watch from afar.
...Never share your name.
...And above all, never touch a human.

What Levi doesn't know is that his newest human to protect, Hannah, just might be the catalyst to tipping the scales between good and evil, and he will be forced to decide which side he belongs to. Which friends will he side with, and who will he ultimately protect: his human, or the delicate balance that hangs on stopping the heartbeat of the person he has sworn to protect?

And, when you're already condemned, what's there to lose by breaking the rules?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So as you see, you've got a LOT of awesome books up for grabs here! Plus, since it's all eReader books, this is open internationally! Let the fun begin!