Sunday 30 June 2013

Gwynneth Ever After by Linda Poitevin


Published: June 30 2013 by Michem Publishing
Pages: 222
Source: I was provided an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Where to buy:

SYNOPSIS

Gwyn Jacobs doesn’t believe in fairy tales. Ever since her ex-husband walked out, leaving her alone with three small children, Gwyn has been mother, father, and bread-winner all rolled into one. Her own scarred heart aside, she refuses to open up her children’s lives to the possibility of another heartbreak, and so she has an unbending policy of no dating and no unattached men in their lives.

Until her very own fairy tale falls into her lap...and the hero won’t take no for an answer.

MY REVIEW

Gwynneth Ever After was an enjoyable read for me, the characters were well written, and it was a very good romance between Gareth and Gwynneth (with two n's), and her kids were very cute as well. Gwyn has been raising her 3 kids alone ever since their father walked out on them, and she has been doing a good job so far. When she meets Gareth she cannot believe that he is beside her in the theatre, and she is so clumsy she keeps dropping all her pencils, and hitting him with her bag, it is quite funny.

Gareth just happens to be a major hollywood actor, so when he asks her out for coffee after the show is over, she is taken back a little, but agrees to go with him. It is a little uncomfortable for her when they are there as the other patrons are staring at them because of who Gareth is, but he doesn't seem to notice.

Gwyn's kids seem to take to Gareth right away which scares Gwyn as she is worried that they will get attached to him and then he will just leave again. During the course of the book we see Gwyn and Gareth grow together and try to decide if a relationship between the two of them would work. We also find out the real reason that Gareth is in Ottawa to begin with, and he has some secrets of his own that he has not divulged yet, will it tear them apart? Overall I would give this book a 3/5, if you are looking for a good romance story with the added adorableness of kids, this is for you!

The Moon Dwellers by David Estes Birthday Celebration

Today, The Moon Dwellers by David Estes turns 1 year old! It was 1 year ago today (June 30th) that David Estes first published the first book in his first ever YA dystopian series, The Dwellers Saga, and changed his life forever. Since then, The Moon Dwellers has outsold and drawn more hype than any other of his 13 published books, and has risen to the top 10 of many YA dystopian lists on Listopia, finding a place amongst bestselling books such as The Hunger Games, Delirium and Divergent. The birth of The Moon Dwellers also changed David’s life forever. As he’s gone from struggling Indie author to fulltime writer, he’s watched in amazement as his Goodreads fan group has swelled from 300 members to over 1,300. Since writing The Moon Dwellers, David has gone on to write and publish two sequels, The Star Dwellers and The Sun Dwellers, as well as three books in a sister series, The Country Saga (Fire Country, Ice Country, and Water & Storm Country). He plans to release the 7th and final book, The Earth Dwellers, in the combined series on September 5th later this year.
So what did David Estes want to do to celebrate The Moon Dwellers book birthday? His answer: “Give away as many free ebooks of The Moon Dwellers as possible!” So if you’re like so many others who are obsessed with YA dystopian novels like The Hunger Games, Delirium, and Divergent, and haven’t yet read the growing phenomenon that is The Moon Dwellers, now’s your chance to do so FOR FREE.
You can grab your free ebook of The Moon Dwellers from Smashwords.com using the coupon code below. And please feel free to share with your family and friends and pets, the more ebooks are given away the happier David will be. The only thing David asks for in return is that if you enjoy the read and continue on with the series, to please leave a positive review on Amazon.com for each of his books that you read.
Where you can find The Moon Dwellers: SMASHWORDS

Coupon Code: AQ92E

Please note, this code expires on July 31, 2013
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And for those of you planning on reading The Dwellers and/or The Country Saga, here’s a special note from the author, David Estes:
The Earth Dwellers will cap off an eighteen month journey that has taken me from unknown Indie author to still-mostly-unknown fulltime Indie author. The change is a subtle one for most people, but for me it’s a dream come true. To the hundreds (and now maybe even thousands!) of readers who have come along for the ride with me, either by reading the Dwellers Saga, the Country Saga, or both, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Now down to business. There may be some of you who have only read the three books in the Country Saga or only the three books in the Dwellers Saga, and are now thinking you’ll read The Earth Dwellers, which is supposedly the 4th book in BOTH the Country Saga and the Dwellers Saga. Well, that’s awesome! However, I must highly recommend that before reading The Earth Dwellers that you read the three books in BOTH series. Trust me, doing so will greatly enhance your experience, as The Earth Dwellers will be taking significant characters from both series and crashing them together (yes, like a water country wave) into an action-packed tale of struggle and loss and hope and friendship…and maybe a little love, too.
Anyway, that’s my advice, it’s up to you what to do with it. In any case, thanks for being a part of my own adventure, I’m a better person for having written stories for you!
Recommended Reading prior to The Earth Dwellers
Other YA Books by David Estes!
The Evolution Trilogy:
Children’s Books by David Estes
The Nikki Powergloves Adventures:
Nikki Powergloves vs. the Power Outlaws (Coming soon!)
David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife and soul mate, Adele, who he’s now been happily married to for more than two years.
A reader all his life, David began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and has completed 13 novels, 11 of which have been published.  In June of 2012, David became a fulltime writer and is now travelling the world with his wife while he writes books, and she writes and takes photographs.
David gleans inspiration from all sorts of crazy places, like watching random people do entertaining things, dreams (which he jots copious notes about immediately after waking up), and even from thin air sometimes! Recently he’s been inspired by some of his favorite authors, like Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, and Maggie Stiefvater.
David’s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, an obsessive Goodreads group member, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.  He loves responding to e-mails, Facebook messages, Tweets, blog comments, and Goodreads comments from his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends.
Where you can find David Estes hanging out:  David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite

Friday 28 June 2013

Tattoos by Denise Mathews


Published: June 4 2013
Pages: 300
Source: I was provided an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Where to buy:

SYNOPSIS

Seventeen-year-old Marilee Mackie has everything going for her, beauty, money and a bright future. But when she’s diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma her world falls apart, and instead of finishing her senior year she begins the fight of her life. 

Nineteen-year-old Jax, an enigmatic hospital orderly, lives on the Strip, the proverbial other side of the tracks. With his edgy attitude, sleeves of tattoos and rocker look, he’s the kind of bad boy that Marilee has always steered clear of.

But when Marilee’s cancer strips away every bit of her identity, leaving her a shadow of the person she once was, all the things that mattered to her before no longer hold any meaning. Determined to make a difference in the world before she dies, Marilee enlists Jax to help her with something she calls the Peace Project, a way to use her college fund money to help the people who need it the most on the Strip. 
With Marilee’s money and Jax’s knowledge of the Strip, the teenagers embark on an unforgettable journey. Where two people from completely different worlds find that miracles do exist, and that the darkest cloud of your life may be lined with the brightest rainbow. 

Tattoos is a story about love, hope and the preconceived notions and barriers that we put between us for no reason other than the way someone looks or where they live. It’s about letting go of all the things that we thought were important in the quest for our true purpose. And that sometimes the people you never thought you could love, may be exactly who you needed all along.

MY REVIEW

This is a needle in a hay stack kind of a book, I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read and review it because it is the first book EVER to bring a tear to my eye, and I know that that may seem weird as why would someone want to cry? But that is not how I mean it, I mean that it was able to provoke such emotions in me that no other book has been able to, and that is brilliant writing and story telling.

When the book first starts we meet Merilee in the Dr's office as he tells her that she has cancer,  and we see the first "performance" that her Mother puts on, she is an actress alright. Throughout the majority of the book, I almost kept thinking that the way that Merilee's Mother went on was some kind of joke, like what Mother could rush to get their kid booked in the hospital for chemo treatments so that she would not be late for her hair appointment? I wanted to scream at her so bad! And her husband was no better, he just gave her whatever she wanted, and would get mad at Merilee if she called her Mother out on anything, I wanted to smack him too!

The scene when Merilee and Jax meet is really cute, and it was one of those moments where you meet someone and think, hmm, ya I could be friends with them, even if you haven't really talked to the other person at all. I really took to Jax's character, he seems rough on the outside, but there really is a good heart in there, and he has so much consideration for other people that it is refreshing to see of someone his age. We know that he has gone through a lot, and he now lives in an apartment with his Gran, he works at a record store to help with bills, works at the hospital, and is also in a band with his two best friends. He has a lot of tattoos, and I have to admit that there are a lot of stereotypes that go through your head when you think of them, and what they are covering up that may not necessarily be true. 

The relationship between Merilee and Jax is very relaxed and comfortable. It starts off as friends, and Jax is there for her when it seems that no one else is, even if he is somewhat a stranger. They decide that they are going to do a project together, and it is something that they each have to rely on the other for, and it is something that is very inspiring to see. I really liked how this story did not promise a happy ending, in fact, there is even a warning that gives you the option to stop if that is what you are looking for, because there is no guarantee that you are going to get it. There is so much that happens in this book that I am afraid to keep writing in case I give something away, but I will say that if you are looking for a story that will stay with you for a long time after reading it, this is it. It has brilliant writing, and plot twists that I did not see coming at all, just when you think you have figured the book out, and what everyone's history is, you haven't and you will be left with a big lesson about not judging a book by it's cover. Absolute 5/5, go and get this book now and read it, I guarantee that you will love it as much as I do, and you will want to push it on everyone just like I am going to do!

Thursday 27 June 2013

This Love by Nazarea Andrews


Published: June 25 2013 by A & A Literary
Pages: 191
Source: I was provided an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Where to buy:

SYNOPSIS

She wants a summer job and a ride to a wedding. 

He wants an assistant and a distraction from the mess his life had become.

They didn't know they needed each other.

Avery Emili needs two grand. Two grand and a plane ticket--her sister is counting on her to get to Jamaica for her wedding. But the semester is over, and tutoring college freshman and high school students has dried up until the fall.

Atticus Grimes needs help--the messy split with his wife left the twenty-eight year old professor scrambling to keep things together as the semester winds down. Now he's got a research grant he has to actually do research for and all he wants to do is drown himself in a tall bottle of bourbon.

When Avery sees his ad for an assistant, all she's thinking is a summer job. But as they spend time together, in the office and out, both of them begin to realise something is there. Something that can't happen--he's a professor and she's a student. And both of them have histories, pasts that won’t let go. Can two broken people pulled apart by expectations find a way to be whole?

MY REVIEW

Well, what can I say about Atticus....yum yum yum! Which one of us hasn't had a crush on a professor through all of our years of school? And the whole brooding personality thing, there is just something about it that makes girls want to crack that shell and see him smile I think.

I really enjoyed this book, it reminded me of Gabriel's Inferno just in the sense of the whole professor/student thing, but for me, I enjoyed this one just a little more, I don't know what it was about it, the characters, or plot or whatever, but I just thought it was just that little bit better. 

Avery is a few years younger than Atticus, but I didn't find that she was naive about a whole lot, she was very determined at what she wanted, and that nothing was going to stand in her way of getting it, even if that person was Atticus. They both come in to this situation with baggage, and they are not exactly open about it, which could jeopardise their relationship even before it starts.

I found the character building to be really well done, both Avery and Atticus have things to learn, such as trust, and getting over what ever had happened in the past, and there was no rushing in the book in regards to this, it was not insta-love, and then everything was perfect, and it was really good to see. There are people in each of their lives that are trying to keep them apart and telling them that they are making a big mistake, and I wanted to strangle them sometimes, I understand that they are looking out for their friends, but there is a line that you just don't cross, you express your concerns, and then you have to let them make their own choices, even if they are bad ones, and just be there for them in the end.

I am going to give this book a 5/5 and would highly suggest it if you are interested in the NA genre, and it sounds good to you, and I am eagerly anticipating the next book, I think it is going to be just as good as this one!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write stories that she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

Where to find her:

Reclaim My Heart by Donna Fasano


Published: May 10 2013 by Hard Knocks Books
Pages: 230
Source: Was provided an eARC in exchange for honest review
Where to buy:

SYNOPSIS

Sixteen years ago, Tyne Whitlock cut all ties to her past and left town under the shameful shadow of a teenage pregnancy. Now her fifteen-year-old son is in trouble with the law and she is desperate for help. But reaching out to high-powered attorney Lucas Silver Hawk will tear open the heart-wrenching past in ways Tyne never imagined. 

Forced to return to the Delaware Indian community where Lucas was raised, Tyne and Lucas are tempted by the heated passion that consumed them as teens. Tyne rediscovers all the reasons she found this man irresistible, but there are scandalous secrets waiting to be revealed, disgraceful choices made in the past that cannot be denied. Love is a powerful force that could heal them both—if the truth doesn't rip them apart.

MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed this novel, it had a very strong message about family, and how much it means to have them in your life, and how the decisions that you make do not only affect you, they affect everyone around you as well. We see this right at the beginning of the novel when we find out that Tyne left her hometown when she was pregnant as a teenager, and did not even choose to tell the father about it, but when it comes down to it, he is the one that she needs help from the most.

I really liked the characters in this book, Tyne I could see some of my Mom in, she was also a single Mother, and did whatever she had to (working long hours and evenings if need be) to make sure that there was enough to go around. I also think that the author did a great job of portraying her son as a teen that is confused about things in life, and acting out to get attention, who didn't do that as a teen? Not many people I know. 

When we see the story progress and Lucas takes them back to his hometown we see a very strong Indian influence, especially when we meet Uncle Jasper, he is one of the elders in town, and pretty much raised Lucas after he lost his father when he was young.  I think I enjoyed this a lot as it really brings a lot to the story as far as character development. 

The romance in this book was also really realistic, as there is a history with Tyne and Lucas, and all cannot be forgiven easily, they need to work at it, and see if it is something that they can get through and bring them together again. At the same time that they are doing this, they are also trying to dual parent at the same time which is difficult for Tyne as she has been making all of the decisions till now, but she understands now that Lucas is there, she needs to take his opinion in to consideration. Overall I would give this book a 4/5 and would really suggest picking it up if you like contemporary romance.

Sunday 23 June 2013

Jake by Michael Cargill


Published: March 9 2013
Pages: 211
Source: ecopy provided by author in exchange for honest review
Where to buy:

SYNOPSIS

Jealousy, lust, and teenage insecurities are the lifeblood of any large school.

Loneliness can strike without warning, spreading through the cramped corridors like an epidemic.

Out on the playground, rivalries are formed from the pettiest of incidents.

Some people look at Jake in awe, others look at him with hatred.

Jake is just an ordinary boy who wants to be liked.

Jake wants to know why the girls never seem to notice him.

Jake is... well, he's Jake.

MY REVIEW

I think that this is the first time that I am so unsettled by a book that I don't know what to say, and that is not a good thing. The first hundred or so pages could have been told in less than 30, it was just way too repetitive, and I was 1 chapter away from making it a did-not-finish book. In all those pages we were introduced to Jake, his family, and friends at school. It was all about his regular everyday activity, his train rides to school, his activity at school, his train ride home, and what he does when he gets home, it was just too much for me and I really found it hard to keep going.

Then we get to the second part of the book, and I have to warm you that if you have lost someone close to you, or are someone who suffers with depression, this is not a book that I would recommend at all! 

Now I did enjoy Jake's interaction with his younger brother Ben, he is an adorable child, and I found myself laughing out loud at him as I have nephews, and I could picture them doing the same things he did, and it is very funny. I can imagine that it is not very easy to write from the perspective of a 2(ish) year old, and Michael did an excellent job with it. 

We did not know for most of the book how old Jake really was, and for the majority of it, I really thought that he was younger, like somewhere between 8-11 just by the wording that the author used, and he seemed so very naive in certain circumstances, that I could not imagine him being any older than that, so when we finally did learn that he was 15, I was kindive shocked to be honest. 

The other part of the book that I enjoyed was Jake's relationship with Kim, first loves, and first relationships are always so exciting, the holding hands for the first time and being so nervous if you are doing it right, or going too fast for the other person, all of it was very well written. The way that they would bicker back and forth playfully was really good as well, it shows a comfort in a relationship that is sometimes hard to find.

I am not sure how I feel about Jake's parents, there are a couple things that really bugged me, but then overall, they seemed very open with their children, able to crack jokes and know that Jake and Ben will not take it to heart. Also they are genuinely happy for Jake when he brings Kim home to meet them, a little in shock at first as Jake had told them nothing about her previously, but still happy for him.

Overall I am going to give this book a 2/5, and the 2 stars comes from the actual vivid writing style, not the story at all. I am not sure what I was expecting from this book, but based on the synopsis it was nothing like what I was thinking. I am not sure what genre I would even put this under, is there a young adult/contemporary/tragedy?

Thursday 20 June 2013

Better to Wish (Family Tree #1) by Ann M. Martin



Published: April 30 2013 by Scholastic Press
Pages: 226
Source: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for honest review
Where to buy:

SYNOPSIS

Four generations. Four girls. One family.
An amazing new four-book series from Ann M. Martin.

In 1930, Abby Nichols is eight, and can't imagine what her future holds. The best things today would be having a dime for the fair, keeping her Pops from being angry, and saving up eighty-seven cents to surprise her little sister with a tea set for Christmas.

But Abby's world is changing fast. Soon there will be new siblings to take care of, a new house to move into, and new friends to meet. But there will also be good-byes to say and hard choices to make. As Abby grows older, how will she decide what sort of life will fit her best?

In this incredible new series, bestselling author Ann M. Martin brings the past and the present together one girlhood at a time and shows readers the way a family grows.

MY REVIEW

I will have to admit that this is my first middle grade book that I have read in a while, and it will not be my last, it reminded me what I love about middle grade so much. The writing is very simple, but there is always really good lessons for kids in them, and some lessons that I think (some) adults need to be reminded of!

What I really liked about this book was looking back at what life was like starting in the 30's, no computers, cell phones, etc that make life feel so rushed now a days. The mothers made the daughter their dresses, unless they were wealthy enough to go to the store and buy a dress. The games the kids would make up and play outside (something I think kids do not do enough of these days at all!), how going to a fair with a dime would last you for a few hours, going to the drug store with your friend for an ice cream scoop. I am sure that there were draw backs, but life just seemed a little simpler back then, less stressful.

I really enjoyed reading about Abby and her family, and even though it was a very different time period, the same kinds of situations happen now, for example, once Abby's father starts getting more work, he feels the need to "prove" to society that he is making it, and that they are now part of the wealthy crowd by buying the kids flashy gifts, and moving in to a big house, and hiring a maid. Abby picks up on this, and wishes that they could have stayed in their own home and that her dad would pay attention to her more, and know what she wanted for her birthday.

There is a lot of family drama in this book, and it was great to see Abby grow through the book, and come to be her own person. Also I cannot wait to read more about this family in the future books, it seems like it is going to be a great series. The events that happen in this book are things that happen all the time now, so I think kids will be able to relate to this book for sure. I give this a 4/5, and am really looking forward to more!

Wednesday 19 June 2013

Pieces of My Heart by Lynn Madelenna Menna


Publication: June 18 2013 by Merritt Press
Pages: 239
Source: ARC provided by publisher for honest review
Where to buy:

SYNOPSIS

Still in high school, Marisol Reyes gets the chance of a lifetime to be a real singer, and she leaps at it. After all, this is the dream she held on to, all the days and nights she spent growing up on means streets of East Harlem. Marisol never gave in--no matter what her boyfriend or her best friend had to say. Who cares if only one in a hundred pretty, talented girls make it? She will be the one. In her rush to fame, Marisol tramples on the heart of her loyal best friend, and Julian, the boy she loves. But will it be worth it?

One night at a private gig in the Hamptons, the little Latino girl with the big voice from East Harlem gets a severe reality check. A famous rapper who claims to be interested in her talents turns out to be interested in something else, threatening not only Marisol's dreams but her body and soul. Will the realities of the gritty New York music scene put out the stars in Marisol's eyes forever?

MY REVIEW

I requested this book from the publisher when I first heard about it as the synopsis peaked my interest, and I was lucky enough to receive a copy. I went in to the book with not huge expectations, but big ones thinking I would really enjoy it, however, it did not live up to what I was expecting unfortunately. I am not sure if it was the writing, or where the story line actually went, or not being able to connect with the characters, or all of the above.

There were some parts of the book that I liked, for example the relationship that Marisol has with her step-mom, it is pretty open and she seems to really care for Marisol, and wants to see her do her best, that is very nice to see in a situation that is not very typical. In saying that, it was not enough to make me enjoy the book any better than I did. I really did not enjoy the relationships that she had with her friends, I get that they may have been missing Marisol with all the time that she had been spending doing gigs with her friends at parties, and when she started to get gigs on her own, but I would never just cut my friend out of my life, I would be happy for her and her success.

The part of the book that takes place in the Hamptons and everything around that, I just thought for a contemporary novel, it was a little far fetched, and not very believable. For someone who has been through so much in life so far, she is too naive when it comes to what people will want from her, and why they are willing to help, I just wanted to shake her and make her see who really is out for her best interests. 

Overall, it was just not a book for me I guess, I am going to give it a 2/5 as it was not terrible, but it is just not something that had enough in it for me to really enjoy.