So much for resting in peace.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
"Waiting On" Wednesday: Of Breakable Things
So much for resting in peace.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Renegade by J.A. Souders
RENEGADE
THE ELYSIUM CHRONICLES
Author: J.A. Souders
Publication Date: 11/13/2012
Published By: Tor Teen
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.
But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.
Her memories have been altered.
Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.
And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.
But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.
Her memories have been altered.
Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.
And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.
Picture and Summary from Goodreads.
REVIEW
Okay straight up warning, this book has insta-love. However the reasoning for the insta-love makes sense to me so I'm okay with it. And how GORGEOUS is that cover?!
The world of Elysium is an eden located under the sea, which I actually love the idea of but after reading the book I don't think I could survive in a compound under the sea. Can you say claustorphobia? Mother, the governess of Elysium, is responsible for the creation of Elysium and claims it was her idea that sparked the creation of the perfect human specimen. It kind of blew my mind how similar her views and Hitler's views are. Basically Mother is a crazy dictator and like most dictatorships the people who follow her are too scared to question her truths and reasonings. The more I read the more I realized how twisted she was.
Evelyn, or Evie as she likes to be called, is our MC. She has been brought up by Mother to become the Daughter of the People. At first I feel sorry for her, she seems pretty clueless and ditzy, but it's not long into the book that I realize there is no need to pity her, the girl has a badass side hidden deep down. Evie is the one to help Gavin, a dirty "surface dweller", escape from the clutches of Mother. Her plan is pretty ingenious, until it fails. I'm pretty sure Gavin is pissed deep down that the plan didn't work out since it included some hanky panky happening but it's tough times. The rest of the book is spent following Evie and Gavin as they try to find a safe way out of Elysium and the secrets they discover along the way.
There are these Elite Soldiers called Enforcers. Basically they are Mother's own personal mercenaries. I just want to say I think they are pretty scary but at the same time fascinating. Only girls can be an enforcer and if they are chosen to be one their "training" starts at the young age of 5. I like the idea that only girls are good enough for Enforcer status, it's not often you see that, but hate the idea of child soldiers.
There is a lot of action and a lot of mystery swirled together in Renegade. Nothing is as it seems and the truth has terrifying components to it. The characters are well developed and while Gavin and Evie find themselves in insta-love I have hopes for their future.
I have to admit I'm excited for the next book, I'm hoping it will tell us more about the surface. Is it really as bad as Mother says or are the "surface dwellers" the actual good guys? Not to mention what will be in store for Gavin and Evie...
THE AUTHOR
(Picture and Bio From Goodreads Profile)
Monday, December 2, 2013
BOOK BLITZ & AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Counting Shadows by Olivia Rivers
Two hearts, one kiss... ...Nothing left.
Faye’s soul-mate is everything she should hate—an Angel, an outcast, an enemy. Ashe is just one more imperfection in her life that somehow makes everything… perfect.
Until he’s murdered.
With the only person she loves ripped away, Faye sets out to avenge Ashe’s death. The task seems impossible, until she finds Lor—an Angel who looks nearly identical to Ashe’s killer. Arrogant and hot-headed, Lor is everything Ashe wasn’t. But Lor is connected to her soul-mate’s past, and Faye needs him to find the killer—even if Lor is potentially deadly.
But when Faye discovers that Ashe’s past isn’t as black and white as she thought, she faces an impossible choice: Give up the hunt, and risk the lives of others. Or continue pursuing Ashe’s murderer, and forfeit the lives of everyone in her family—including herself.
His black eyes settle on mine, the pain in them a silent accusation. Ashe knows he’s about to die. And he knows I’ve lied about his Fate.
I can’t feel guilt. I can’t feel anything. There’s only my ragged breaths and the tears pressing against my eyes. Ashe steps toward me, even though I’m in the opposite direction of the door. No, I silently beg him. Run. I don’t realize I’m shaking my head until he falters.
“Stop,” one of the guards hisses, even though he already has. “Don’t go near the Lady Faye.”
My heart pounds wildly. “Just count the beats when you get scared,” Ashe told me months ago, as he pressed his palm over my heart. “Remember that I’ll protect you until the day they stop. And don’t be scared anymore.”
I gasp in air. One, two, three, four…
He walks toward me, his face hard with determination.
Five, six, seven…
One of the guards shouts and stabs his spear forward. At Ashe. My Ashe.
My heart stops.
I scream at the guard, telling him to stop, to leave, to disappear and never show his face again. But my words are a jumbled mess, and it’s too late. The spear pierces Ashe’s right wing, drawing blood. Nausea fills me as the red blood mingles with his crimson feathers. I’ve always loved his wings. They mark him as an Angel, the one bit of perfection in my life.
Now those wings are ruined.
Ashe’s eyes never leave me, even as the guard tears his spear out of the wound. I swallow hard. I’ve never stared into his eyes for too long, knowing I’d probably lose myself in all the pain and loneliness in their depths. Now I never want to look away.
“Get moving,” the guard with the bloodied spear growls. He stabs at Ashe again, but Ashe grabs the shaft of the spear before it strikes him. He yanks the spear from the guard and snaps it in two. Ashe allows one of the halves to clatter to the stone floor, but keeps hold of the sharpened end. His gaze slowly sweeps over the four guards with weapons, a low growl rumbling in his throat.
“You can’t do this,” I say, finally finding my voice. “My father would never allow it.”
“Your father ordered this,” snaps the guard without a spear. He braces for an attack, as do the others.
Then their leader takes a step forward and pushes out a staying hand. “Wait.”
I recognize this leader as Jolik. He was my bodyguard for awhile before Ashe became my Guardian. I’m not sure how many bodyguards I went through—five, six?—but they never lasted long before I excused them.
Jolik nods to Ashe. “Let him say goodbye.”
The weaponless guard speaks up. “He could kill her.”
“He won’t,” Jolik says, shaking his head.
Ashe doesn’t wait for Jolik to change his mind. He drops the broken spear and rushes to me. Cupping my face with one hand, he uses the other to press me against him. Familiar heat radiates off him this close. He tilts my chin up and kisses me so gently, I barely feel his lips against mine. But I can feel the desperation, and as he presses me a little closer, I know this is a goodbye.
The kiss only lasts a moment. Then the guards drag him away, and those threatening tears finally spill. I’m not sure if the tears are angry or anguished. Or maybe just broken.
“You’re right, little sparrowhawk,” Ashe says over his shoulder. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
I don’t get to respond. The last guard exits my chambers and slams the heavy door closed, leaving me truly alone for the first time in years. I take a shuddering breath, willing the doors to burst open, for Ashe to come rushing back to me.
They don’t. Silence settles over the room, screaming the truth:
Nothing will ever be okay.
THE AUTHOR
(Did ya'll catch that she is a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT?! That blew my mind when I first read it! She has an amazing future ahead of her!)
AN INTERVIEW WITH
OLIVIA RIVERS
A: I've always loved Epic Fantasy, whether I'm reading it or writing it. One day, about a year ago, I had this random thought of, "What if I took a bunch of Urban Fantasy creatures, and transferred them into an Epic Fantasy world?" And voila! "Counting Shadows" was born.
Q: Is there ever going to be a romance between Lor and Faye?
A: Perhaps. Faye will definitely end up in a serious relationship, as will Lor. But whether or not they'll end up together is a question only answered in the next book in the series.
Q: Who is your favorite character to write in the "Duplicity" series?
A: Cyrus, most definitely. Readers see very little of him in "Counting Shadows", but he plays a major role in the rest of the series. He's a Dragon/Fairy hybrid, who is slowly going insane, like all hybrids eventually do. He also happens to have a major crush on Lor. His insanity makes him a difficult character to write, but also an extremely fun one. Also, his history with Lor is so heartbreaking that it makes me wish Cyrus was a real person, just so I could give him a hug.
Q: You're currently a high school student. How does your young age influence your writing?
A: It really doesn't influence my writing very much. I go through the exact same process as any other author: drafting, rewrites, alpha readers, beta readers, line edits, ect. I try not to let my age get in the way of creating a good book, and I never use it as an excuse for my mistakes.
Q: Who did the cover for "Counting Shadows"?
A: I do all my own covers. It's a time-consuming process, but I adore digital art, and I just love having control over this aspect of publishing.
Q: What's the hardest part about being an author?
A: For me, it's the first draft. I despise first drafts with a passion. They're so messy and bad and icky. I always celebrate when I finish a first draft, because I know the worst part is over, and I can have fun rewriting and editing.
Q: What's your favorite part about being an author?
A: My readers are by far my favorite part. It's the absolute best feeling in the world to have people contact me about my books. I've had people from practically every continent email me about my novels, and it's a wonderful feeling to know that my writing gives some people joy.
Q: When will the next book in the "Duplicity" series be coming out?
A: "Eluding Light", the second book of the "Duplicity" series, will be out March 2014.
BLITZ ORGANIZED BY
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Sunday, December 1, 2013
External Forces by Deborah Rix
EXTERNAL FORCES
The Laws Of Motion, Lex 1
Author: Deborah Rix
Publication Date: 09/15/2013
Published By: Dime Store Books
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Romance
TREASON. BETRAYAL. HEARTBREAK.
A LOT CAN HAPPEN TO A GIRL BETWEEN HER FIRST KISS AND HER FIRST KILL.
It’s 100 years since the Genetic Integrity Act was passed and America closed its borders to prevent genetic contamination. Now only the enemy, dysgenic Deviants, remain beyond the heavily guarded border. The Department of Evolution carefully guides the creation of each generation and deviations from the divine plan are not permitted.
When 16-year-old Jess begins to show signs of deviance she enlists in the Special Forces, with her best friend Jay, in a desperate bid to evade detection by the Devotees. Jess is good with data, not so good with a knife. So when the handsome and secretive Sergeant Matt Anderson selects her for his Black Ops squad, Jess is determined to figure out why.
As her deviance continues to change her, Jess is forced to decide who to trust with her deadly secret. Jess needs to know what’s really out there, in the Deviant wasteland over the border, if she has any hope of making it to her 17th birthday. Because if the enemy doesn’t kill her first, the Department of Evolution probably will.
A LOT CAN HAPPEN TO A GIRL BETWEEN HER FIRST KISS AND HER FIRST KILL.
It’s 100 years since the Genetic Integrity Act was passed and America closed its borders to prevent genetic contamination. Now only the enemy, dysgenic Deviants, remain beyond the heavily guarded border. The Department of Evolution carefully guides the creation of each generation and deviations from the divine plan are not permitted.
When 16-year-old Jess begins to show signs of deviance she enlists in the Special Forces, with her best friend Jay, in a desperate bid to evade detection by the Devotees. Jess is good with data, not so good with a knife. So when the handsome and secretive Sergeant Matt Anderson selects her for his Black Ops squad, Jess is determined to figure out why.
As her deviance continues to change her, Jess is forced to decide who to trust with her deadly secret. Jess needs to know what’s really out there, in the Deviant wasteland over the border, if she has any hope of making it to her 17th birthday. Because if the enemy doesn’t kill her first, the Department of Evolution probably will.
(Picture and Summary from Goodreads.)
**I received this as an eARC through Netgalley from Dime Store Books in exchange for an honest review. In no way does that effect the thoughts and opinions voiced here. I did not receive compensation in any way to write this review.**
REVIEW
Well we have another one folks! This book was fantastic!
The concept behind the reason for the world falling apart is different, something I hadn't read in a dystopian thus far. The Devotees who make up the New World's governing body have spun a tale saying God sent an asteroid to destroy the world to cleanse them of the Deviants. Now they have to prove they are worthy which leads them to messing with the genes of the people. While we learn a lot behind the Devotees reasons and motives I still think there is a lot more to learn.
Our MC is Jessica Grant. Jess is a strong MC but because of her past is full of insecurities and trust issues. She has one friend, Jay. Her mother hates and fears her, so other than Jay she has no-one. The story starts off with her and Jay twisting the system so they can be called into the military rather than leave their futures to be decided by the Devotees. Once inside the military Jess has to prove herself worthy of being there, along the way she makes new friends and finds herself falling for her black ops sergeant. I was really happy that Jess was able to find herself a part of such a tight group of people.
I feel I should mention up front that while there is action and suspense, a big part of the book also revolved around the budding relationship between Jess and Matt. I was completely fine with this since I happen to like a little action with my romance stories. Not to mention the chemistry between Matt and Jess is soo intense. Matt is pretty smooth and there were numerous times he had me feeling like a giddy school girl. *sigh*
Rix did a good job of balancing everything going on. While there is obvious chemistry between Jess and Matt it isn't the only thing going on. Rix also develops strong relationships between Jess and her black ops team. I especially love Sheree, she balances out Jess' self consciousness by being overly confident.
Even after finishing the book I feel like there is so much more going on. I can't wait to see where this series goes and if I am anywhere near the truth.
THE AUTHOR
(Picture and Bio from Goodreads Profile)
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