YA Review: Oracle: Fire Island by C.W. Trisef

Title: Oracle: Fire Island
Series: Oracle Series
Author: C.W. Trisef
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook
Pub Date: March, 2012
Publisher: Trisef Book LLC
Format: paperback
Pages: 323
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Summary:

The adventure continues! With the first element (earth) painfully collected within the Oracle, Ret Cooper and his friends return home to find that things are only heating up. Thanks to some mischief caused by the peculiar Benjamin Coy, Ret’s second scar makes its explosive debut. But what does it mean, and where will it take them? These questions gnaw at Ret as he begins his sophomore year at Tybee High.

With challenging twists, inspired turns, and a few unexpected surprises, our hero once again confronts danger and disaster, while discovering newfound feelings for a certain female companion. Old friends and foes, along with a few new ones, follow Ret as more of our world’s mysteries lead him to Fire Island and the second element (fire). Ancient artifacts, a hot-air balloon, lines in the desert, a city in the mountains, tribal societies, and even the navel of the world all play their parts in Ret’s continued quest to fill the Oracle.

This second installment in the Oracle series is a must read, full of fun, adventure, and wholesome purpose. Hang on tight as author C.W. Trisef takes you to places and predicaments you have never seen before or even imagined, and makes you feel like you are a part of Ret’s destiny, to cure the world.

Review:

I was excited to jump back into the Oracle series with Ret and his friends. These books just appeal to my Science side and I am amazed at how C.W. Trisef can make the unreal make sense. I was awed by it in the first book and wasn’t let down in this book either.

This book picks up where the last book leaves off and rather than just jumping onto the next thing, it does a good job of wrapping up the last adventure. It’s not one of those instances where you wonder how nobody noticed this World altering event took place.

I love Ret as the main character but he is still got some growing up to do. I like though how active the adults are in guiding him. They give him insight that he needs to kind of figure things out. He is definitely still finding himself out and to me it makes him endearing. He’s not perfect he has flaws and that is something that I’m greatly fond of in characters. I also like the slow blooming romance with Paige.

What I really liked about this book was that the characters broke off into groups and kind of had their own separate stories. It wasn’t all of them together all the time and it was nice to have that. It gives some of the characters the ability to shine a little more on their own.

I have to admit I have a strange fondness for Ben Coy, he can be a really arrogant jerk but there is just something about him that gives you the impression that he is really looking out for the kids. It might also be because I want to live in his house! I love the planetarium!  I found Pauline to be less annoying in this book. I remember her kind of driving me nuts sometimes in the first book. Paige holds steady as likable character for me and same with Ana.

The best thing about the plot is that there is so much that I find fascinating. I felt like looking up more information about Machu Pichu and Easter Island. I feel like it’s such a great thing to engage me as a reader in that way. I just find myself so fascinated with all of the different worlds that are created in our own existing world.  I love all of the gadgets that Mr. Coy comes up with and I can imagine someone actually inventing them. On the back of the book as well as on the website there are pictures of Machu Picchu and Easter Island, plus a little history. Honestly, I kind of want to go there now…

Argh the cliffhanger, there were two parts to this one. It was one of those where I flipped a couple pages after the last one thinking, hold on you are going to leave it hanging like that. Well it did and now of course I have to read the next book.

It’s a series that I’m going to keep reading because the books have kept me engaged completely through both of them. I’ve never felt like I’m shocked that there is going to be seven books. I have really enjoyed the first two.

I’m also starting to be convinced that C.W. Trisef is floating around in an invisible hot air balloon….

Feature and Follow

Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.

If you would like to follow me, you can do so by GFC, Twitter or Linky (right side).

I also make sure to go back and follow everyone that comments and I try to always follow twitter along with GFC/Linky. So if you have a twitter that is not on your page for some reason leave it in the comments and I will follow you that way too!

Q: What is the BIGGEST word you've seen used in a book lately - that made you stop and look it up? Might as well leave the definition & book too. 

I haven't run into any words that are too big for me to understand lately but sometimes I get fake language mixed up. When an author creates a fantasy world there are a bunch of words they created themselves. Usually they have their own little dictionary in the book and I often have to double check the meaning.

Book Trailer Spotlight: Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

Release day is just around the corner so I wanted to share the trailer with you for Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter and some other goodness. First the trailer;

Do you love it?? I do, I think the music is perfect to send little goosebumps up my arm. So here is the goodness. If you comment on the trailer on youtube and then leave me a comment below with your email address and name you commented on Youtube with, I will send the first 8 people Whispers at Moonrise bookmarks. Hey who doesn't need a bookmark right. Make sure to stop back on release day (Oct. 2nd) because I will have a little more goodness for you too.

 

Whispers at Monrise

C.C. Hunter

Oct. 2, 2012

Goodreads

 

Guest Post: Rachel Roberts (Avalon: Web of Magic)

I'm excited to have Rachel Roberts stop by to give us some writing tips. I know I need all the help I can get! Rachel is author of the Avalon: Web of Magic series. Which is not only a book series, but was also made into a manga. Plus we can look forward to a movie an Avalon movie!

Three very different young teens, Emily, the shy one, Adriane, the outsider, and Kara, the power shopper, are all drawn to a secret place deep in the woods where they discover a portal to another world. Wondrous animals have emerged from the portal, desperately seeking the magic that will keep them alive. Though the animals are peaceful and good, what follows them through the portal is twisted and evil and bent on destroying them all.
The Fairimentals have chosen these three fourteen-year-olds to protect the magical animals. To save them and their world, the girls must overcome their differences and band together. They begin a perilous quest to discover Avalon, the lost, legendary home of magic, little knowing the terrible dangers they will face along the way.

Purchase Books: Barnes and Noble / Amazon
Ebooks: Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Itunes / Google play / Kobo

Rachel Roberts - Rachel's Writing Tips

 Since so many of you have asked for tips to create your own stories, Attila, Raider, and I thought we'd share some writing secrets! Whether you're a writer starting with a blank page, a painter staring at a canvass or a sculptor shaping a lump of clay, creating is a process. It takes time, practice, and patience to bring your vision to life. Creativity can be hard work but it's always worth the effort. The important thing is to have fun!

 WAIT! Don't write - yet:  You have to prepare first. Make some decisions about what kind of story you want to tell - action, adventure, fantasy, mystery - and who your characters are. But where do you get ideas?

 You need input to get output: 
To get your imagination flowing, start by doing something you like. Read a book, watch a movie, listen to music, walk in the forest - any experience that makes you feel inspired and ready to create.

Be open to ideas: 
As a writer, part of your job to observe. Ideas- big and small- will come if you pay attention to the world around you. Maybe your cat did something so amazing that it gives you an idea for a magical creature, or your BFF had an interesting comment that made you think, or a ray of sunlight shining through a maple tree looked like a cloud of golden fairy dust. The more you study the real world, the truer and realer your own world and characters will feel.

Be ready to catch ideas: 
If you don't grab that idea when it pops into your mind it, it might get lost. Carry a notebook so you're always prepared to jot things down. Soon you'll have a lot of cool stuff to help create your story. Some ideas you'll love and others you won't, but that's okay. You never know what will help build your story. Plus, when you feel stuck during writing, you can always go back to your notebook and find ideas to get you moving again.

The Big Idea: 
You've immersed yourself in great stories, you have a collection of cool ideas, you're inspired, excited - now what? Here's what I do:

1. Write A Story Summary: 
A story summary helps you answer the question, "Hey, what's your story about?" This will help you keep the big picture in mind as you start designing the beginning, middle, and end to your story. You can also use this summary for sales copy when you are ready to post your book online or print it. Here’s some examples of the Avalon book summaries:

 

Circles in the Stream:

Three very different teenage girls are all drawn to a secret place deep in the woods. There they discover a portal to another world through which strange and wondrous animals have emerged, searching desperately for the magic that will keep them alive. The animals are peaceful and good, but what follows them through the portal is pure evil. Emily, Adriane, and Kara have been chosen by magical beings called Fairimentals to protect the magical animals, though they don't know why. To save them and their world, the three girls must begin a quest to find the lost home of legendary magic, Avalon...or to perish trying.

 Secret of the Unicorn:

The problems in the magical world of Aldenmor are getting worse. Many new creatures are arriving in Ravenswood through the portal and they report that the Fairy Glen, home of the Fairimentals, has vanished. A frightened and terribly wounded unicorn is among the new refugees to Ravenswood. Can Emily communicate with her to offer help? The future of the magic web depends upon the dark secret the unicorn carries.

 2. Create Character Bios: 
Write a short bio for each of your lead characters, including stats like age, hair color, eyes, height, likes and dislikes. Don't worry about selecting names. I always use placeholders (any name I can think of) until the perfect name comes to me.

 3. Build Your World: 
Write a short description of the places in your story. Is it a fantasy world? Is it a zoo? Is it a mall? An old, spooky house? Know your environments to make your world feel real.

Keep your notes handy because as you start to write your story, you might want to update, expand or change these 3 things.

Okay, now that you have the basics it's time to start writing and start creating your own world.

Your fellow writer mage,
Rachel


To Find out more about Rachel, visit her site Avalon: Web of Magic / Goodreads

 

Book Haul: Sunday Post

Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer   Last Week; Cover Reveal: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout (If you have already seen it, take a look again. Notice the creepy Arum in the background. I was so focused on handsome Daemon to notice it at first) Nerve Blog Tour Stop (There is still 3 days to enter the giveaway!!)    This Week; Guest Blog Post from Rachel Roberts (Avalon: Web of Magic series) Book Spotlight: Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter Book Trailer Review of Oracle: Fire Island by C.W. Trisef  

So I'm starting to think I need to put myself on a book buying ban again because I've been crazy recently. Of course October is going to have a slew of awesome releases too.

 

 

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout I had this on pre-order because I'm addicted to all of her books  

  So from Epic Reads (@epicreads) I won The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson. This is my crazy picture I tweeted out. It was a pleasant surprise. It's one of those emails that you get that makes your day a little brighter because you definitely don't expect it. Here is a better picture below without my ugly mug in it.LOL.  

 

I've got some ebooks but I have to get them a little better organized and I'll share them next time. I've been in a reading physical copy mode this week. I think it's because I spend too much time with electronics at work and sometimes I need a break from them.

 

Cover Reveal: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes& Noble

Follow this link to an ~~~ EPIC CONTEST ~~~ Announcement. You will want to bookmark this page!

http://jenniferarmentrout.blogspot.com/p/october-1-2012.html

USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Find Jennifer on: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Blog

 

 

Nerve Blog Tour & Giveaway!!

 

So I'm excited to be a stop on the Nerve Blog Tour that is being hosted by AToMR!!

To see the Full Tour Click Here

Title: Nerve
Author: Jeanne Ryan
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook
Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2012
Publisher: Dial Books (Penguin)
Format: Hardcover (I read paperback ARC)
Pages: 304
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Indie

Summary:

A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly

When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?

Debut author Jeanne Ryan delivers an un-putdownable suspense thriller.

Review:

Nerve has an interesting premise that to me seems like something that I wouldn’t be surprised to see on the internet now. Nerve is a game where you are challenged to do crazy dares in order to win prizes. The dares are posted on the internet and if you get enough hits and likes you can end being moved on to other rounds, all the way to final round where you can compete for huge prizes. You end up having a huge fan base and you are actually able to pay extra to get some perks of being a watcher. You spend a little cash and get to be in the front row seat to the action. Of course the creators of the game are anonymous themselves and there is no way to trace them.

I felt like I was getting the same adrenaline rush out of the dares as the characters in the book were. I seriously felt myself wondering what the next dare would be, what it would entail and what prizes would be offered next. Things turn creepy though when the dares become a little too personal. You start to wonder how the game makers are getting extra information on you and is there someone amongst your friends betraying you to them.  As the dares increase in their risk so do the prizes that are offered. I think this book raises the question how far are you willing to go and what is your limit. Are you willing to hurt someone to get that carrot at the end of the stick?

I don’t think the book was really meant to be a romance, because it was so focused on the action. I kind of wondered if the relationship between Vee and Ian wasn’t purely based on the rush of the game. Vee seemed to trust Ian a little bit too easily and the chemistry had a bit of shallowness to it.  Vee and Ian were matched up for the game, kind of like taking a compatibility test. So they of course would be drawn to each other. I just wondered how much was really there in their relationship outside of the game.

It was one of those books I put down, looked at my husband and said..”I think that book just screwed with my head” (In a good way of course). I really enjoyed it. I kept stopping and telling my husband things that were going on in the book because I think it’s the kind that can appeal to a larger audience. I kept thinking in my head this should totally be a movie. I would definitely consider it a well done debut.

Giveaway!!!

Open to US/CAN only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Feature and Follow

Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.

If you would like to follow me, you can do so by GFC, Twitter or Linky (right side).

I also make sure to go back and follow everyone that comments and I try to always follow twitter along with GFC/Linky. So if you have a twitter that is not on your page for some reason leave it in the comments and I will follow you that way too!

Q: What hyped up book was worth all of the fuss?

I would have to say Harry Potter (of course), The Iron Fey and absolutely The Lux series. There are a lot of other great series that I read before they were hyped up, like The Mortal Instruments series. I don't feel like there have been many books that didn't live up to the hype for me.

CURSED by Jennifer L. Armentrout: Release Day and Giveaway!!

Cursed

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Sept. 18, 2012

Spencer Hill Press
Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Dying sucks-- and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out.

However, she's willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't? But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not have been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Haul: Sunday Post

Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
It's Sunday already...which means the weekend is gone already. I don't know how time goes by so fast. I had a test at the hospital this week which I then slept for almost 24 hours after so I didn't get as much reading done as I wanted. One of these weekends I'm going to say, Wow I read a ton of books this week, I hope I will anyway. On to the books.

So when I saw on Kiki Hamilton's site that The Torn Wing was released early (paperback) I almost had a heart attacked. I loved the first book so I was so excited and jumped on Amazon to order it right away. I've actually already read it and loved it just as much if not more than the first book. So excited to get my review out.

Besides that I have lots of books I'm happy to review on promote by Blog Tours and giveaways!! These are all ebooks.

Avalon: Web of Magic Series by Rachel Roberts;



Elemental Series by Shauna Granger (Blog Tour);


Matt Archer: Monster Hunter (Blog Tour) ;

 

Things on the Blog you should check out if you missed;

 

Read the first chapter of Perception by Lee Strauss

Check out the Cover Reveal for Fireblood by Trisha Wolfe (love Trisha!)

 

Coming up on the Blog this week you don't want to miss;

 

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout Release Day! (Sept. 18)

Nerve Blog Tour stop (Sept. 20)

 

 

Cover Reveal: Fireblood by Trisha Wolfe

Fireblood: Fireblood #1

By TrishaWolfe

Release Date: 2013

From Spencer Hill Press

 
To save a kingdom, Zara must choose between a prince who could be the answer and a rising rebellion that threatens to take control.

When Zara Dane is chosen to marry Prince Sebastian Hart, son of the man who ordered her father’s capture, Zara knows she must fight to save everything she loves from ruin.
Being betrothed to the prince means a life trapped behind the towering stone walls of the Camelot-forged realm. Under the watchful eye of the prince's first knight, Sir Devlan Capra, changing her future becomes difficult.
When an unlikely rebel reveals the truth about the deadly secrets that fuel King Hart’s twisted world, Zara’s path to rescue her father becomes clouded by deception. The Rebels clear her path by forcing Zara’s hand with an ultimatum:sway Prince Sebastian to join the Rebels, convincing him of his father’s evil nature, or they will take him out.
But Zara is uncertain about a future under the Rebels’ command and where the prince’s heart truly lies. She must decide who to trust, what to believe, and what she’s truly fighting for before the king destroys all of Karm, including her heart.

 

Author Bio:
I’m the author of the YA Steampunk/Paranormal Romance DESTINY'S FIRE (Omnific Publishing) andthe upcoming YA Sci-Fi Utopian FIREBLOOD from Spencer Hill Press, November 2013. My published short stories have appeared in YA literary journals, Fantasy magazines, and anthologies. I’ve written four books in the past two years, and I’m currently working on a new YA Sci-Fi project.

I’m the creator of YA Bound, a promotional blog for the Young Adult genre.  Also a proud  member of YALITCHAT.ORG, SCWW, and The Apocalypsies.

And I’m also a business owner, partnered with my husband. When I’m not busy doing all of the above, I’m a wife and the mother of a gorgeous teen boy who's the sounding board for my male characters.

Website / Twitter

Book Spotlight: Perception by Lee Strauss

 

Perception by Lee Strauss

Release Date: Sept. 12, 2012

Amazon / Smashwords

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—agenetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans.

Her brother Liam is missing.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t.  He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically.

Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn.  She’s in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.

PERCEPTION is a ( SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes place in the not too distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions—bot hfinancially and philosophically.  It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separateus as enemies or ally us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there’s room to fall in love.
This is the first book in a planned three book series.

Perception Chapter 1 (Lee Strauss)

 
Lee Strauss Bio:

Lee Strauss writes historical and science fiction/romance for mature YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff under the name Elle Strauss. To find out more about Lee and her books check out her facebook page. To find out about new releases sign up for her newsletter at www.ellestraussbooks.com

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Book Haul: Sunday Post

Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer #BookHaul #SundayPost  

 

So I got some really cool stuff this week, thanks to some super cool people. If you are a hard core Harry Potter fan you probably have heard of the new set that has come out which includes some really cool bonus items. Well my friend El'Ahrai over at The Harvey and Bob Show gave me some of the cool things. Bonus Discs, Label Collection book and sketches. Which are my favorite part because I'm definitely going to frame them and hang them in my dining room.

 

 

So if you ever wonder about movies you should stop over to his blog because I have never met anyone who watches so many of them. He is always the person that I ask when I wonder if a movie is good or not.

 

 

A couple weeks ago I had won a contest over at Compelled by Words and didn't get a chance to post up my prize. Signed bookmarks. Actually I'm not sure if you call the larger ones bookmarks, I don't think I've ever known what they are called.

 

As far as books, I had ordered some and had some pre-orders. One of my pre-orders apparently got lost in the mail and I had to yell at Barnes and Noble. Their customer service is actually really good when you contact them. So books that have actually arrived!

 

A Want so Wicked by Suzanne Young, this is a great heart wrenching series. Which is what makes it great.

 

 

Origin by Jessica Khoury, this was a pre-order. Yay!

 

 

Witch Born by Amber Argyle, I bought this for my Nook because I really liked the first book

 

As far as things I've done this week, I did a review of Once by Anna Carey and the Labor Day Read-A-Thon at Letters Inside Out. Agenda for next week CATCH UP on reviews and emails!! :o) I feel like I'm always saying that.

 

Thanks For Stopping By!!

Feature and Follow

Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.

If you would like to follow me, you can do so by GFC, Twitter or Linky (right side).

 Q: What are you reading right now? How do you like it?

Well I'm still finishing up the two books I was reading for the Read-A-Thon. Oracle: Fire Island and The Power Within. I'm almost finished with Oracle since my son keeps stealing my Nook so paperback is easier reading right now. I'm loving it as much as I liked the first one. I'm a fan of the series, it's got the perfect dose of Science for me. Power Within is good too. I'm in that realm where you aren't sure what's going on but you can't wait to find out.

YA Review: Once by Anna Carey

Title: Once
Series: Eve #2
Author: Anna Carey
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook
Pub Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: Paperback (ARC)
Pages: 368
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Summary:

When you're being hunted, who can you trust?

For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America.

But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America.

Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.

Review:

I think I actually enjoyed this book more than I did the first one, not that I didn’t like the first one but for some reason I connected more with this one. It could be that it was set in the City of Sand and I’ve been to the city that the City of Sand is the renovated version of a million times. So I was hooked as soon as we got there. Some wonderful world building, I wanted to know more about how they restored each area and descriptions of what things looked like. I had that, I want to go there feeling by the images created in my mind.

I also really loved the way the romance played out in this book as well. Maybe it’s that distance makes the heart grow fonder but there was sweetness to it that made me smile. Every time Eve and

Caleb came together it just felt magical. I really felt like I was rooting for them.
We finally meet the King in this book and I have to say there are moments when you are not so sure if you should hate him or not.  It was a well-played villain; I could see how Eve might have her moments of doubt.

We also meet Moss, the leader of the resistance, which has some interesting twists to it I didn’t see. Curious? Not all things are as they seem, especially in a world that has been ripped apart.

I really enjoyed Charles character. At first I thought he was one type of guy and then he turned out to be someone I didn’t expect. I liked that he was that character that was really just a part of something because that’s the only life he has known. He didn’t want me to jump off the Caleb ship or anything but I did really like him.

The plot flow was good and I felt like I was interested the entire time. I liked some of the things that were left hanging and how you could make assumptions but then you realize….hmm no one really confirmed this. It was a great twist and great cliff hanger at the end.

I think if you are a fan of Eve you won’t be disappointed in this book.

#LDRAT Wrap-Up

Host: Letters Inside Out
So I'm disappointed I couldn't get more reading done. It was an even busier weekend then I expected. It was fun to do and I think I would do another challenge like this. It was a lot of fun.

Monday I was able to knock out I think about 150 pages of Oracle and since we were out I stopped a Barnes and Noble and used a coupon to pick up The Earl and Fairy and devoured that.


Challenge Totals

Books I finished (300 pages read);

Books that are still in Progress (270 pages read);

#LDRAT Sunday Update

Host: Letters Inside Out  

Well I really didn't get any reading accomplished yesterday because we were out most of the day. So this is definitely a weak update. I'm cruising today though so I'm hoping to finish both books. The challenge for today is pretty fun, you can not win anything unless you are participating in the LDRAT but you can most certainly try to unscramble them for fun. It's over at My Shelf Confessions

#LDRAT Saturday Update and Book Poem (guest book poems from my husband)

Host: Letters Inside Out  

So I didn't actually expect to read a whole lot yesterday because it was Football Fantasy Draft day. I did get some done. It's hard though because my son often steals my Nook to play his game so I'm bouncing between two books and both have equally already sucked me in.

 

Titles: Oracle: Fire Island (71 pages), Power Within (40 pages)

Page Count: 111

Notes: I actually tried to read my Nook in the car on the way to the draft and got a little car sick. I remember  reading tons of books on long car rides when I was a kid. Bummer how we change.

 

#LDAT Challenge....So the LDAT Challenge for today is to create a book poem. I've become a SUPER fan of these since I did the Origin Olympics (comes out Sept. 4 by the way). So I was excited to get book poeming....even my husband had fun with it.

 

My Book Poem;

 

 

 

My Husbands Book Poems;

 



 

The top book in the bottom picture says Weirdos From Another Planet  it's hard to read because of the white font.

Labor Day Read-A-Thon Updates (#LDRAT)

Host: Letters Inside Out   You can sign up until Sunday so stop on over there!!  

So I didn't get off to as good of a start as I hoped because I fell asleep at 7:30 last night!!! I was mad at myself because I wanted to get further in some of the other books but I obviously was tired.

 

Day: Friday

Books Finished: 1

Title: Once

Page count: about 100