A-Z Edits

I promised myself I wasn't going to do this. I always always power through even the crappiest books I begin to read it has only ever happened 2 times before this that I have just given up. I am usually a good portion into the book before I simply can't handle it anymore. I can not force myself to suffer through it any longer. There will always be a few books in this world that in the hands of the wrong reader literally make reading the last thing they want to do. Sadly, The Testing by Joelloe Charbonneau, thus far, has been one of them. Suzanne, of Liberty Bay Books, asked me to read it, as it was currently their number one, so happily I complied. I started reading it almost immediately, and put it on my A-Z reading challenge list. I am sorry to say that I have decided I have to give up on this book. I am only 44 pages in but I just can't stand it anymore. It is slow moving and has wayyyyyy more rising action than necessary. I mean 44 pages and the only exciting event is that Malencia is chosen for testing, and that is no surprise because it says that happens in the synopsis because the whole book is about her going through "The Testing!" I am 44 pages in and she hasn't even left for testing yet! It is slow, bland and just generally a snore so far and I can't handle it anymore. I am changing the letter T on my A-Z challenge. I will go back and change it on the list but I thought you all should know. I am so very sorry it has come to this. My new T book will be Touch by Jus Accardo.

Briana

Crazy Creatures of The Blogging World

Today I am very excited to introduce a new blog feature, Crazy Creatures of The Blogging World. Periodically, I will be posting interviews with fellow awesome bloggers! Today, I bring you my interview with my bestie, and fellow crazy creature, Catherine of A Stray Imagination!

Tell everyone a little bit about yourself and your blog.

Hello, Briana's readers! My name is Catherine, and I blog at A Stray Imagination. I'm a book nerd, a lover of words, and an obsessive daydreamer. I'm still waiting for the day when I discover I'm some obscure paranormal creature, tribute, divergent, wizard, or revolutionary, and embark on a perilous journey with a hot boy. But for now, I read, I write, and I blog.

On A Stray Imagination, I write about reading and writing, and also occasionally post book reviews. I post on Saturdays, and my posting schedule is listed on the left-hand side of my blog.

When did you start blogging and why?

My blogging story involves a lot of time, learning, and failure. I started my first blog after hearing about Briana's blogging endeavor last summer (around May, 2013,) but knew close to nothing about how to do it well. I struggled for an entire year with poor topics, unformulated thoughts, and intermittent posting. May of 2013, I got my act together. I fixed my design, made a schedule, and took the time to learn the secrets of successful blogging.

I blog because I love being able to share my thoughts and opinions to others who understand my love of books and writing.

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

My favorite part about blogging is allowing myself to get excited about things I can't with my offline friends. I'm a total nerd when it comes to reading and writing, and sometimes that nerdy side of myself is one I'd rather keep hidden from my peers. I find I actually enjoy writing essays and analyzing texts, and it's difficult to find other people who understand that. Through blogging, I can be more myself and interact with others who feel the same way.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your blogging endeavor, and if you have overcome it, how did you?

The biggest challenge I've faced is letting myself be heard. I'm extremely self-conscious, and always get anxious after I post something on my blog. I always think I said something wrong, or my writing wasn't good enough. On several occasions, I deleted posts I spent hours working on because I was afraid of other people's judgment. I've gotten better about this over the past few months by telling myself that no one actually reads that deeply into posts, and it shouldn't bother me if they do get agitated with what I've written. I'm allowed to have opinions, and I shouldn't be afraid to share them.

What advice do you have for beginning bloggers and aspiring authors?

I'm not sure I'm qualified to give that sort of advice seeing as I'm both of those things, but I'll give it a go. (Also, was that intentional alliteration, or…)

One of the most important pieces of advice you need to learn, and the one I'm still trying to ingrain in my own skull, is this: Don't censor yourself.

I wrote about this a few weeks ago, but here's the gist: When you're creating things, whether it's blog posts or novels, people have varying opinions. Some of the scariest opinions are from your friends and family. In the early stages of your work, it's easy to keep most of them in the dark about your creation, but if you want your creations to become widespread someday, there's nothing you can do to stop them from getting their hands on it.

I thought the best way to handle this issue was to censor everything that could have been condemning. If there was a character who got caught in the gun fight, referenced kissing, or swore, I took it out because I didn't want friends or family linking those kinds of things to my name. Even in blogging, I was afraid of what would happen if a friend or family member started reading my thoughts. I was afraid of everything I wrote making me seem like a bad person, but censoring myself ended up making my writing worse. I find that writing the story inside of me, and not the story I sculpted around other people's opinions, produces a better story.

To you, what is the key to making a fabulous story?

I think the key to making a fabulous story is creating a well-paced, meaningful plot that helps the character on an emotional journey, while also providing something new, exciting, and entertaining. One of my worst pet peeves is books that promise some great new plot, but the book doesn't live up to potential. It's even worse when the poor plot is home to bland characters who do nothing except act out plot sequences, and don't go through any meaningful development.

If you were a character in a novel, describe the storyline of the novel and what role you would play in it.

If I were the main character (and I would have to be the main character because everyone loves the main character and I could use a little bit of love,) the story would be about a protagonist who learns about how to accept and express herself in a world that's constantly putting her down for "being yourself" through use of epic battle scenes, hot guy make-out sessions, and explosions (what can I say? I like explosions.)

Now have fun trying to rip that apart.

What are some of your favorite books and authors?

I don't think this is a very fair question, and I've been reading so many great stories lately that I'm afraid my rankings won't be accurate, but I'll try.

My absolute favorite series is the Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth. Its amazingness definitely shows in its popularity. Other favorites I love are the Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin and the Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins. (Plus, like, so many others >_<)

Sadly, I don't think I've read enough to be picking favorites, and there are so many books on my TBR list that I really want to get through so I can love them already!

Who are your favorite male and female characters and why?

Gah! Is saying Tris and Tobias too easy an answer? Or Mara and Noah? Or Anna and Kaidan? THIS ISN'T A FAIR QUESTION! I'd like to see you try and answer this, actually. See who's laughing then (and I know you're at least laughing in your head right now, if not out loud, because you're the kind of person who laughs at other people's troubles. Plus, I'm totally psychic.)

Prim or Rue?

Prim. I was expecting what happened to Rue, but Prim? Not allowed!

Fred or George?

I'm not sure I can answer this question the way you want me to. I've always felt they were equals, and that one could never function without the other. I mean, they're Fred and George, not Fred or George. They play off of each other in a way that couldn't have been replicated had there only been one twin and not the other. Of course, J.K. Rowling already made her decision of who to keep, so *sniffle*.

Kai or Kope?

Leave it to you to slip in a Sweet Evil question. You're impossible. But, you know me, #ISighForKai.

Well, I do believe that's all the questions. Thank you for reading, and thank you Briana for asking me to do this. I'm so glad to have someone like you who will blog and fangirl over books with me.

Briana

Briana and Catherine's A to Z Reading Challenge

As I was perusing the blogging world today I found this lovely challenge. The way it works is you read 26 books which titles begin with the letters of the alphabet with in a certain period of time. My girl, Catherine from A Stray Imagination, and I decided to do one of our own together. Our dead line is this Valentine's day and we start it today! Plus, we will have a little Valentine's Day, swoon-filled, surprise post for y'all upon finishing. Any titles in black I have yet to read, and any titles in red are ones I have already read. I will update it periodically as I go. Here is my A to Z TBR list!



A. Allegiant by Veronica Roth
B. Beg for Mercy by Shannon Dermott
C. Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett
D. Deception by C.J. Redwine 
E.Expiration Day by William Campbell Powell
F. Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell
G. Gilt by Katherine Longshore
H. Hunted by Elizabeth Heiter  
I. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson 
J. Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
K. Kindness for Weakness by Shawn Goodman
L. Landry Park by Bethany Hagen
M.  My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
N. Nomansland by Lesley Hauge
O. The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman 
P. Pulse by Patrick Carman 
Q. The Queen's Lady  by Eve Edwards 
R. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
S. A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron
T. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau   Touch by Jus Accardo
U. Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris  
V. Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst 
W. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
X. XIV by Julia Karr
Y. You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis 
Z. Zoe Letting Go by Nora Price

P.S.
I am now on Bloglovin'! Stay updated by fallowing me on Bloglovin' by clicking on the link below! Thanks for all of your support! Love you guys!
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Briana

The Blog Makeover Is Complete!

Woohoo! Our new look is pretty much complete! Many thanks to Catherine of A Stray Imagination for all her help, hard work, and support!

You may see a few other small changes but the major changes are over. I apologize for how horrible it looked while we were working on it if you tried to access it then, but I thank you for your understanding, and patience, and I hope you enjoy the new look! 

Short and Sweet Reviews

As I mentioned in one of my reviews I took a little break from the blogging world to go explore the great outdoors and while enjoying all that outdoorsy awesomeness I read. I read a lot. But then again I always read a lot so that is really nothing special. I love sharing all my reads with you guys but it can be a little overwhelming to try to come up with detailed, and hopefully exciting and entertaining reviews for every book I read. Now, I have given you 3 in-depth reviews of books I read on my adventure. I read 4 more that I would love to share with you. So in an effort to share without overwhelming myself I have come up with the short and sweet, abridged review system. It includes my star rating of the book, the books cover and, synopsis and links for buying it and adding it on Goodreads and, the release date if it is an ARC or galley copy.

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Spirit Keeper 


by K.B. Laugheed

Coming September 24, 2013

A fiery frontier woman falls deeply in love with her Native American captor on an epic journey 

The thirteenth child conceived of miserable Irish exiles, Katie O’Toole dreams of a different life. Little does she know that someone far away is dreaming of her.

In 1747, savages raid her family home, and seventeen-year-old Katie is taken captive. Syawa and Hector have been searching for her, guided by Syawa’s dreams. A young Holyman, Syawa believes Katie is the subject of his Vision: the Creature of Fire and Ice, destined to bring a great gift to his people. Despite her flaming hair and ice-blue eyes, Katie is certain he is mistaken, but faced with returning to her family, she agrees to join them. She soon discovers that in order to fulfill Syawa’s Vision, she must first become his Spirit Keeper, embarking on an epic journey that will change her life—and heart—forever.

Buy through Liberty Bay Books: The Spirit Keeper.

Add on Goodreads.



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Betrayal

by Gregg Olsen

In this action-packed thriller sequel to Envy, foreign exchange student Olivia Grant is stabbed to death after a party--and the prime suspect is her best friend. As twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan get pulled into the aftermath of this Amanda Knox-like crime, they realize nothing is what it seems. Could it be betrayal of the ultimate kind? 
Betrayal features real-life crime-solving techniques, heart-stopping suspense, plenty of red herrings, hard-hitting ethical questions, and information about the Amanda Knox case that inspired the novel. As the crime unravels, so does the twins' past…and they must face off against a family member who may unexpectedly have carried out the worst betrayal of all. 

Buy Through Liberty Bay Books: Betrayal


Add on Goodreads.

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Hold Me Closer, Necromancer 

by Lish McBride

Sam leads a pretty normal life. He may not have the most exciting job in the world, but he’s doing all right—until a fast food prank brings him to the attention of Douglas, a creepy guy with an intense violent streak.

Turns out Douglas is a necromancer who raises the dead for cash and sees potential in Sam. Then Sam discovers he’s a necromancer too, but with strangely latent powers. And his worst nightmare wants to join forces . . . or else. 

With only a week to figure things out, Sam needs all the help he can get. Luckily he lives in Seattle, which has nearly as many paranormal types as it does coffee places. But even with newfound friends, will Sam be able to save his skin?

Buy through Liberty Bay Books: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

Add on Goodreads.

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Torn Wing

by Kiki Hamilton 

London 1872 - 

A bloody escape, a deadly threat, a shocking revelation...

As an orphan who stole the Queen's ring - only to find the ring was a reservoir that held a truce between the world of Faerie and the British Court - Tiki’s greatest fear suddenly becomes all too real: the fey have returned to London seeking revenge. As war escalates in the Otherworld, Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, is attacked. In order to protect her family and those she loves, Tiki needs to know the meaning of an fáinne sí, the birthmark that winds around her wrist. But will she be brave enough to face the truth?

Buy through Liberty Bay Books: The Torn Wing.

Add on Goodreads. 

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Briana

Gated

Gated

Gated 

by Amy Christine Parker

Coming August 27, 2013

Do the gates keep the unchosen out or the chosen in?

In Mandrodage Meadows, life seems perfect. The members of this isolated suburban community have thrived under Pioneer, the charismatic leader who saved them from their sad, damaged lives. Lyla Hamilton and her parents are original members  of the flock. They moved here fallowing 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking to escape the evil in the world. Now seventeen, Lyla knows certain facts are not to be questioned: 

Pioneer is her leader.

Will is her intended.

The end of the world is near.

Like Noah before him, Pioneer has been told of the imminent destruction of humanity. He says his chosen must arm themselves to fight off the unchosen people, who will surely seek refuge in the compound's underground fortress--the Silo.  

Lyla loves her family and friends, but given the choice, she prefers painting to target practice. And lately she'd rather think about a certain boy outside the compound than plan for married life in the Silo with Will. But with the end of days drawing near, she will have to pick up a gun, take a side and let everyone know where she stands.

A Cult, the end of the world and arranged marriages. These are a few of my least favorite things. But that didn't stop me from loving this book. The story line was fairly original and fresh in genre filled with stories that all sound the same. The writing was good it wasn't overly detailed, descriptive, technical or fluffy. However, I wish that Amy had described the situation and beliefs of the community a bit more at the very beginning. The plot was well paced and had just the right amount of twists and turns to keep it exciting without confusing or losing the reader. The characters were well written, lovable and despite their crazy situation just relateable enough to form a connection with the leader. But sadly, the character development was subtle and not very strong. Lyla's sweet and compassionate personality was very clearly painted. It was mostly described or shown with direct characterization, meaning that other characters described what kind of a person she was in their words rather than the reader having to infer what Lyla was like through her actions ect. alone. Sometimes this approach works, sometimes it doesn't. Amy pulled it off thanks to the fact that Lyla's actions supported the other characters descriptions of her personality. Now that we have Lyla as an individual covered it is time to address the romance factor!

Sorry I just couldn't resist that gif! Anyways, the mutual romantic relationship in the book was...hmm...what's a good way to put this? Way to strong way to fast and badly paced. In one conversation it was struck blind crush level. After about 2 it remained the same. Then a few more mushy, stay safe, get out, cuz I really really like you conversations. Then after that the boy is putting him self in danger and angering his uncle just to sit by her side and make sure she was ok. It was just a little all over the place and oddly paced in my opinion. However, it didn't take away from the book as a whole and was still pretty darn cute. Over all it was a good book and I would recommend reading it. I think a wide audience would enjoy it. I give it 3.5 stars out of 5. You can buy it from Liberty Bay Books by clicking the link that reads "Gated" under the book cover and you can add it to your Goodreads here.

Briana

Eve & Adam

Eve & Adam

by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

And girl created boy...

In the beginning, the was an apple--

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker's head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother's research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal. 

Just when Eve thinks she will die--not from her injuries but from boredom--her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy. 

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam and he will be just perfect...won't he?

 Now doesn't that just sound charming? It isn't. It really, really isn't. The synopsis focuses on what ends up to really be one of the smallest parts of the entire plot and story line. The story was just as disappointing. While the story line might have been original but it was horribly executed. The writing was bland and painfully non-descriptive. The most descriptive phrase was, "unsexy panties." You could do so much with that! But did they? Nooooooo! The plot was ok but really basic without to many exciting twists, turns, ect. The characters didn't develop and weren't very well described or fleshed out. There was nothing about them that made readers connect with them or fall in love with them. The romance was bland, shallow and unrealistic.
Over all it was nothing but ok. I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

Briana

The Coldest Girl in Cold Town

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

by Holly Black

Coming: September 3, 2013

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

I'm sorry for my absence this past week but I was away communing with nature, exploring the great out doors, being a living sacrifice for  mosquitoes, whatever you want to call it. Anyways, I read the whole time so plenty of reviews are coming your way this week! And now, I give you, my review of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black!

This book was really something else. I have Suzanne to thank and blame for this read. That completely amazing day that I went in to propose teaming up with Liberty Bay, she handed me this book and said it was a must read and just wonderful. So naturally I took it. I wasn't about to turn down a good book. I then read the synopsis in the car on the way home and thought, "oh goodness, gracious, holy-cow-batman. What is this?! What have I gotten myself into?! What is this even about?! Ugh!" So naturally what do I do? I begin reading it, kicking myself as I flip through the title pages and all that junk at the beginning, thinking the same thoughts over and over and over. Just a short bit in it hits me that this is a Vampire book. Vampires. As most of you are already aware I. Don't. Do. Vampires. Ever. For any reason. I firmly believe there is no such thing as a "good" or even "ok" Vampire book. But for some reason I still continued reading. I am very glad I did. This book might have just brought me over the the darkside where the vamps are romantic, deadly, infectious and most certainly not sparkly. It was a take on vampires that was very refreshing and the plot was well paced and masterfully spun. The writing wasn't overly fluffy and technical but was gloriously descriptive when it counted. The characters were vivid and the romance factor was heart-meltingly sweet. However it was a little random, on and off and just a little all over the place. However, sweet none the less. Tana and her friends and family were surprisingly easy to connect with and relatable despite the strange, paranormal, and seemingly unrelatable situation they are in and are well described. The character development was subtle but realistic and handled well. Over all this is a great book. I loved it and give it 5 out of 5 stars. Click the book cover's caption "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown" to buy it through Liberty Bay Books and click here to add it to Goodreads. 

Briana

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

by April Genevieve Tucholke 

You stop fearing the devil when you're holding his hand...

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White's sleepy seaside town...until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet's crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is Ricer just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violets grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet's already so knee-deep in love, she can't see straight. And that's just how River likes it. Before we get into all that serious reviewing stuff I have to tell a little story on my self here but I promise it is totally related! WARNING: the majority of this story is told in gifs that are made of pure awesomesauce! Ok, so when I went into Liberty Books to talk to the owner, Suzanne, about teaming up she graciously directed me to some nondescript boxes and explained that they were filled with Galleys and ARCs and invited me to take some home and read them...not just some 5-10 MINIMUM! That is when I began to inwardly loose my crap. I was seriously flipping out and dancing all over the place and screaming and singing and dancing some more, but I am supposed to be all professional and so I managed to keep it all inside my brain, it nearly killed me, but some how I did. So I sat down and began to literally dig (gently though) through these treasure chests and tried not to pee myself or cry out of utter joy and bliss. Through all of this my mom was sitting nearby chuckling because she could tell exactly what was going on inside and a little bit of my excitement was beginning to leak out in excessive uses of "OH. MY. GOSH." But I am proud to say that I was really doing a champ job of containing myself that is, until I saw this corner in the pile of an all too familiar gray ocean, peaking out and beckoning me. I literally froze and stopped breathing before digging it out of the stack to find it is exactly what I thought...I am holding Between the Devin and the Deep Blue Sea. That is when I lost it and just couldn't keep it inside. I must have looked a little something like this:

because my Mom came over to me and I whisper explained just what it was that I was holding that I had been waiting EONS for this book. Not even kidding. That was when I started hyperventilating and just freaking out spilling emotions all over the place while trying to be discrete about it. When I got home I freaked out some more and my mom tried to catch me crazy dancing all around the house something like this: 

then combine that with a penguin and some hand movements that I can't even figure out how to describe and you would have exactly what I was doing. So, naturally, like any excited teenage girl what do I do? I called up my best friend and the only one that would understand. (She has been waiting for the book too and we just had a fangirl screaming conversation about it that week) And we had a conversation that went a lot like this:

Only I'm pretty sure I was the only one screaming and squealing and she was just sitting there doing this silently or maybe not silently I couldn't really hear her over the screaming I was doing mentally when I wasn't screaming audibly.

Anyways, as you can see I am very excited about this review and this is probably going to be the longest blog post in the history of Reader, Writer, Critic as well as the one containing the most gifs. Shout out thank you to Suzanne and everyone and Liberty Bay Books for making my day and to my Mom and Catherine for putting up with my insanity. Now for the review!

I was not disappointed. Not one bit. This book was every bit as awesome sauce as I expected. The writing had me hooked from the start. April's style is like nothing I have ever read and I find myself at a loss for words trying to describe it. I have thought about it for days. Vintage? Poetic? I settled for enchanting, unparalleled and intriguing. She describes things and looks at things in a way that I have never seen before. I think this is the best quote to show you what I'm talking about, "Dawn was taking off its clothes, kicking up its pinks and purples on the horizon."(p.103) That doesn't even do it justice, but I feel it is the best example. The only thing in the writing that bothered me was the occasional awkward phrase like on page 108, "I wondered where that beautiful, buttery, fluttery feeling I felt in River's presence had gotten itself off to." Gotten itself off to? What? But I cut some slack because it is an "uncorrected text" and it was just every once in a long while and it didn't take away from the story. I loved the way April wrote her characters, especially Violet. Often in paranormal books and genres where the inexpiable or dramatic or romantic or otherworldly occurs characters are far to quick to accept it without a doubt or fear or any hint of disbelief or distrust and that really REALLY bothers me.  Violet was refreshingly realistic about the whole situation especially her quickly developed feelings for River. That made me love her even more than I already did. Violet was just all around refreshing really. She was quirky and eccentric in a lovable way without it seeming forced or fake. She had a very real personality. The majority of the characters had the same realism despite them all having such different personalities. All the characters are utterly charming despite some of them being a little more rough around the edges. Readers will have no problem connecting. The only problem I had was that the way that the synopsis portrays River very differently from how the book describes and portrays him from start to finish. Maybe that was just me but either way the synopsis, the story, and River were phenomenal. The story line was fresh and original and thoroughly interesting and entertaining. The plot was nicely paced and will keep readers guessing until the shocking end! I say it is undeniably a MUST read for all teen and YA readers that love a chilling, thrilling and romantic read! 5 out of 5 stars. So, pre-order it or buy it as soon as it comes out on August 15th. You can buy it through Liberty Bay Books and get a great deal while contributing to making this blog awesome by clicking on the caption under the book title "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." Add it to your Goodreads!

                                             

Briana

The Start of Something Great and New

Today is the start of something great and new! As of today Reader, Writer, Critic and local bookstore, Liberty Bay Books are partners! That means more new and exciting reviews for you, as well as information about local author events, and SO much more! Now if you click on links I provide and order the book online from them you will save 20% and I get a commission and that means that I can pour that money right back into this blog to make it the best it can be for you guys! So, cheers! And here is to something great and new!

                                                                      Liberty Bay Books

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Briana

Under The Never Sky

Under the Never Sky

Under The Never Sky

by Veronica Rossi 

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

Finally, the review for "Under The Never Sky" a.k.a. an epic-ly, awesomesauce read, is here! I am excited too! Ok I am a little ashamed to admit that I avoided reading this book for along time because it just looked so mediocre to me! In fact, I probably would never have read this if it weren't for my Mom buying it as a present thanks to the recommendation of an employee in our local book store. So thanks Mom and thanks Employee because this was anything but mediocre! The originality of the story line is amazing and Veronica's writing is mind-blowing! Her descriptions are vivid and her characters are some of the strongest I have read in a long time. Her plot is perfectly paced and just brilliant! She handles the split POV masterfully. Now let's talk about Aria and Perry... I don't even know where to begin. I think it was love at first read. Not between them, no, between me and them. Well...maybe I'm the only one feeling it.

 This right here is my reaction to them and the book and Veronica's writing and possibly just life itself, only with allot more screaming and jumping and fangirl-ing. So I guess it is allot of that combined with this...

Ok now that we have established my emotions, fangirl and mental issues, as well as confessed my love for Aria and Perry, I think it is time to get back on track. So, Aria and Perry. They are strong and well written and relatable enough to form a connection with, I call this connection the "Fangirl/boy Bond," because, lets face it, that connection with the characters and there for "fanlove" we feel is the only reason we Fangirl/boy all over the place about books, characters, movies, ect. I don't know what else to say about them so you will just have to read the book to finally understand my love and fangirl status. They are just pure awesomesauce! I give this book 5 stars and my highest recommendations! (That means you HAVE go and you read it now! Now means NOW like right this second!)

You can buy it at Liberty Bay Books by clicking on the caption under the book cover that says "Under The Never Sky" and you can add it to your Goodreads here.  Oh and here is the book trailer! 

P.S. I asked Veronica for an interview so if when I hear back, and if she says yes I will share that gem with y'all too! :)

Briana

Dance of Shadows

Dance of Shadows 

by Yelena Black

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss,

close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . . 

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed.

Chilling. Ethereal. Stunning.

Those were the first words that popped into my head when I was contemplating how to even begin to critic this awesomeness. However, that was also before I finished the book. Now that I have finished it I struggle to remember how I thought those words were fitting. I still enjoyed the book thoroughly but, about three quarters of the way through, what was once pure awesomesauce suddenly got all twisted, and crashed and died just a little. Leaving me somewhat unsure and confused about how I felt about the book as a whole. At first I was like "THAT WAS SO FREAKING AMAZING! BEST BOOK EVER!" Then I calmed down and looked back on it a little more carefully and examined that last troublesome, latter quarter of the book where the pacing suddenly became rushed and the story-line took a turn for the twisted, occult and just plain strange. Vanessa while she is a likable character she is not a strong one. Yes, her personality appears inherently strong however, she is not written strongly or very well. She is not a fully developed and fleshed out character. She does not seem to grow at all as a person and, you don't learn much about who she is let alone why she is the way she is. She rather lacks character. I felt closer to her friends than her. While the concept of the story as a whole is quite unique and enthralling, and the writing was beautifully descriptive when it needed to be, in the end I was not thoroughly enamored by either. The plot line had some issues, especially in the pacing of it, but props to Yelena for the utterly unexpected ending.  In the end it was a good book and I still loved it it just wasn't the "BEST BOOK EVER," that I had thought it would be when I started it. I give it a solid 3 stars.

Briana