Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts

Sunday, April 3, 2016

{eARC Review} Holding Court by K.C. Held

Holding Court

Holding Court by

Sixteen-year-old Jules Verity knows exactly what's in store at her new job at castle-turned-dinner-theater Tudor Times. Some extra cash, wearing a fancy-pants dress, and plenty of time to secretly drool over the ever-so-tasty--and completely unavailable--Grayson Chandler. Except that it's not quite what she imagined.

For one, the costume Jules has to wear is awful. Then there's the dead body she finds that just kind of...well, disappears. Oh, and there's the small issue of Jules and her episodes of what her best friend calls "Psychic Tourette's Syndrome"--spontaneous and uncontrollable outbursts of seemingly absurd prophecies.

The only bright side? This whole dead body thing seems to have gotten Grayson's attention. Except that the more Jules investigates, the more she discovers that Grayson's interest might not be as courtly as she thought. In fact, it's starting to look suspicious...
(Blurb via Goodreads)
{Details} eARC, 352 pages. Published March 1st 2016 by Entangled Teen. Source: eARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

{Rating} 4//5 - I really liked it!

{Review}

A really cute YA mystery story; it's a story with murders that still manages to be cute and that's hard to do.

I adored the characters. Jules was a great heroine, she felt really relatable, struggling with her identity, the boy she has a crush on, the psychic abilities that make her different and her desire to do the right thing that makes her want to solve the mystery. I liked her grandmother with her endless Eleanor Roosevelt quotes, the sweet boy she's crushing on, and the cast of characters from Henry VIII's court.

I enjoyed the storyline, laughed out loud more than once, Jules' PTS (psychic Tourette's syndrome) was hilarious. And the mystery was really well done, the 'who did it' kept me guessing until the very end.

Holding Court is my first K.C. Held novel but it certainly won't be the last.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

{Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway} Restoration (The Revelation Series) by Randi Cooley Wilson

restoration randi cooley wilson banner

Restoration 
Restoration (The Revelation Series #5) by Randi Cooley Wilson 
 350 pages 
Published on November 30th, 2015 
Genre: YA Paranormal
Amazon:
Smashwords:
Goodreads Add to TBR:
 Would You Run Would You Fight Would You Fall To Fate If your heart was full of love, could you give it all up?

Eve Collins will do anything to save those she loves, especially her gargoyle protector and mate, Asher St. Michael. With the world crumbling down around them, Eve and Asher must face the final battle between darkness and light. One that will end in great sacrifice.

When the skies darken and love in it’s truest form is tested, would you run? When death becomes silence and battle lines are drawn, would you fight? If you had to sacrifice, to save the one you loved, would you fall to fate? Would you dare to let it go? The End, Begins.

Restoration is the highly anticipated finale in the Revelation Series, a mesmerizing epic romantic journey filled with dark themes, beautifully melancholic musings, divine secrets, sacrifice and forbidden love   

Randi new

 About the Author: Randi Cooley Wilson is a “New Adult” Paranormal/Fantasy and Contemporary Romance author. A resident of Massachusetts, she makes stuff up, devours romance books, drinks lots of wine and coffee, and has a slight addiction to bracelets. For more information visit:http://randicooleywilson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/R_CooleyWilson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorrandicooleywilson    

The Giveaway:
One Winner Will Receive: $25 Amazon GC, All Five Paperback Books Signed and Swag Package
Five Winners Will Receive: $5 Amazon GC, A Signed Paperback of Restoration and a Swag Package
Ten Winners Will Receive: A digital Copy of any book from The Revelation Series
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{Details} eARC, 350 pages Published November 28th 2015 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!

{Review}

A satisfying conclusion to the Revelation series with answers, shocks and twists, action, battles, sacrifice, passion and romance, a new addition - or four - and a happy ending, er... beginning. Things change as secrets are revealed - there's more to both Eve and Asher to find out, but some things - such as Callan and Abby's cuteness - remain the same.

Eve and Asher are still struggling to figure out how to be a couple, to trust each other, to depend on each other and make decisions while keeping another person's thoughts and feelings into consideration. Their lives are never going to be easy but they love each other enough to fight for their relationship through good and bad. 

I've enjoyed Eve's journey through the Revelation series and look forward to see what Randi Cooley Wilson has in store for her next heroine.


Tuesday, October 20, 2015

{YA eARC Review} Red Girl, Blue Boy (If Only . . . #5) by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Red Girl, Blue Boy (If Only . . ., #5)

 Red Girl, Blue Boy (If Only . . . #5) by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Enjoy Red Girl, Blue Boy and the other standalone titles in Bloomsbury’s contemporary If Only romance line centered around an impossible problem: you always want what you can’t have!

Sixteen-year-old Katie and Drew really shouldn’t get along. After all, her father is the Republican nominee for President of the United States while his mother is at the top of the Democratic ticket. But when Katie and Drew are thrown together in a joint interview on a morning talk show, they can’t ignore the chemistry between them. With an entire nation tuned into and taking sides in your parents’ fight, and the knowledge that—ultimately—someone has to lose, how can you fall in love with the one person you’re supposed to hate?

This title in the If Only line is a frank and funny romance that shows how sparks fly when opposites attract.
(Blurb via Goodreads)
{Details} eARC, 304 pages. Expected publication: October 20th 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!

{Review}

I really liked Katie. I wasn't sure I would, it was difficult to relate to her because she's so very different than I am, but she has this awkward charm, this small, lonely life, that made me want to give her a hug and tell her it's all going to be okay. Katie is a very focused girl, focused on the future, on how everything will be better when her dad wins the election. However, I didn't find her character to be very consistent. Katie is a smart, savvy girl who is specifically portrayed as a politically savvy girl which makes me not buy the multiple times where she makes big political faux pas.

Drew's a sweet guy. He thinks about others, has strong convictions, tries to rise above petty things, he's also got a reluctant white knight complex and a strong desire to live in the land of denial. I liked his close relationship with Sandy, his best friend and the way he saw behind Katie's nearly impervious shield.

The romance is a pretty cute one and has a few swoony moments. I thought they were good for each other, filling in their blanks as Katie gets Drew interested in politics and Drew helps her experience all of those normal things she'd missed.

Though I liked the story I did think the premise had a lot more possibilities, many opportunities for interesting things to happen but once they started a relationship it became all about the romance. I also wished there had been a few surprises, a twist or two, it was pretty clear where things were headed.

Friday, July 17, 2015

{Blog Tour + Review} All I've Never Wanted by Ana Huang @ana_huang37



All I've Never Wanted
All I've Never Wanted

by Ana Huang 

Release Date: 06/15/15



Summary from Goodreads:

The Scions were the four richest, most powerful guys at Valesca Academy, and they ruled the school with iron fists. Everyone wanted to date them or be them...everyone, that is, except Maya Lindberg, who just wanted to avoid them until she could graduate.

She almost succeeded, until an ill-advised outburst on her part put her right in the Scions' path. Just like that, one became her fake boyfriend, one her unwanted matchmaker, one her guardian angel, and the one she couldn't stand the most? Yeah, he's her new housemate.

A Young Adult romantic comedy that explores what happens when a girl gets everything she never asked for, including a puppy, a new wardrobe, and, possibly, even true love.




Buy Links:




About the Author:

Ana Huang, better known as ACRL37 on Wattpad, primarily writes Young Adult and Romance. She started writing her first novel, All I've Never Wanted, when she was sixteen; it was originally inspired by the Asian manga Hana Yori Dango (also known as Meteor Garden and Boys Over Flowers). Her second novel, If We Ever Meet Again, was loosely based on her own study abroad experiences in college. Her stories currently have a combined view of over 20 million on Wattpad. 



Besides reading and writing, she also enjoys politics, brunch, and traveling.



Author Links:



{Details} Kindle Edition, 626 pages. Published June 9th 2015 (first published January 1st 2012). Source: ebook provided in exchange for an honest review

{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!

{Review}  

An enjoyable read, full of drama, heartache - and heartbreak, puppies - I loved Venice and her 'puppy!' reaction, love and friendships that will last forever.

I liked all of the characters. Maya never wanted the Scions' attention, she actively avoided them, but when she stands up to them there is nowhere to hide. The consequences aren't pretty but I admired her resilience. She's smart, determined, and even when she's immersed in the wealth and privilege of the Scion's world she doesn't lose herself. And she has a grandmother who is a terrifying riot.
 
And the Scions. Four rich, powerful guys who don't follow the rules, they make them. As I got to know the guys I got to see what good hearts they have and grew to love them. Roman, the unofficial leader of the Scions, is the hardest nut to crack. Maya confuses and frustrates him and he reacts badly over and over again. I liked seeing his evolution over the course of the book into a stand up guy who you can trust with your life.

While I enjoyed the story, and that there was always something exciting happening, I do wish the writing had been a bit more mature and refined.






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Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Happy Book Birthday + {eARC YA Review} Sight (The Delta Girls #1) by Juliet Madison


Sight (The Delta Girls, #1)
Sight (The Delta Girls #1) by Juliet Madison
I spent my birthday fast asleep. In a coma to be exact.

When Savannah wakes up after two months in the hospital, she sees a whole lot more than expected, things that could put those close to her at risk.

The five Delcarta sisters have never believed in the paranormal, not like their woo-woo mother. Instead they believe in the power of sisterhood, of romance, and rebuilding their lives after their father's mysterious disappearance nine years earlier. Starting anew in the small town of Iris Harbor, they see potential in all.

But Savannah's awakening after having surgery on a life-threatening aneurysm brings a unique ability to the Delcarta sisters–together, each can predict the future with one of the five senses. And Savannah has the gift of sight.

A serial arsonist has been terrorizing the tight-knit community, and the Delcarta sisters have their suspicions on who could be to blame, including a boy who starts as an adversary to Savannah and then very quickly becomes her whole world. Investigating these crimes, trying to stop them before the next flame is sparked will call upon Savannah to use her newfound abilities with the help of her sisters, and will put each of their lives in danger.

This stunning new paranormal series blends the sweetest of romances with breathless suspense, and introduces five young women who share a haunted past, an extraordinary gift, and an uncertain future.
(Blurb via Goodreads)
 
{Details} eARC. Expected publication: July 14th 2015 by Diversion Books. Source: eARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!
 
{Review} 
 
Sight is the first installment of a series about five sisters, all with different gifts. In Sight they learn they have gifts, struggle to understand and control them and face the danger from the arsonist. 

Savannah is a sassy girl with a good heart. After brain surgery she's fighting to prove she's strong again while adjusting to a new city and a boy who gets under her skin. Savannah's first romance is a big part of the story, the sweetness and excitement of it but also the struggles - unique struggles that are caused by her gift.

I also liked the sisters, their relationship, the love and support they have for each other. There's a lot of them but they all have very unique personalities that make them memorable. I thought the storyline was a little simplistic, making it feel geared for a younger YA reader but it was still enjoyable. Though Sight wraps up one mystery it introduces a larger mystery that will likely unfold in future books. 

Sunday, June 21, 2015

{YA Minute Review} Empire of Night (Age of Legends #2) by Kelley Armstrong


Empire of Night (Age of Legends, #2)

Empire of Night (Age of Legends #2) by

Sisters Moria and Ashyn are the Keeper and Seeker of Edgewood. Or at least, they were.

Their village is gone. Their friends have betrayed them. And now, the emperor has sent them on a mission to rescue the children of Edgewood—accompanied by Prince Tyrus and a small band of imperial warriors. But the journey proves more perilous than they could have imagined. With treachery and unrest mounting in the empire, Moria and Ashyn will have to draw on all their influence and power to overcome deadly enemies—not all of them human—and even avert an all-out war
(Blurb via Goodreads)
{Details} Audiobook, 432 pages. Published April 7th 2015 by HarperCollins (first published April 1st 2015). Source: library

{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!

{Review}

I enjoyed the second installment in the Age of Legends series even more than the first. There's a lot of excitement, a little romance, loss, twists and turns, and even a laugh or two. The story seemed faster paced, more interesting and complex and I loved Tyrus - he's a fabulous mix of gravity and charm with a great sense of humor.

I do hate a love triangle - and that's what the author has created here. It seems like Gavril should be completely out of the running - he's definitely not playing the hero - he's not. I'm still waiting to hear his side of the story - he's infuriating closed mouthed - but I'm sure it's going to be interesting.

Empire of Night left me anxious for the next book in the series; the twins are in peril - as usual - everyone has their own agenda, and there are still a million unanswered questions.


Sunday, May 31, 2015

{Review} Red Palace (White Hart #2) by Sarah Dalton

Red Palace (White Hart, #2)

Red Palace (White Hart #2) by Sarah Dalton


I am here when you run from me,
You cannot touch me, but I make you cold.
I am there in the faint of heart,
But rarely with the daring, and bold.

One by one the members of court fall, cursed into a deep sleep. Silence spreads through the castle, and only Mae Waylander stands.

To break the curse, Mae must face a formidable opponent. She is the only one with a chance to restore order to the Red Palace, but she is unprepared for the trials that await her. She is brave at heart, but is her bravery enough?

In this thrilling follow up to White Hart, Mae faces her toughest challenge yet. With temptation, fear, and evil in her path, can she complete her task? And what will she lose in doing so? (Blurb via Goodreads)
{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!

{Review} 
An exciting second installment in the White Hart series. Very little time passes in Red Palace but so much happens to Mae and so much changes her. I can't say much about the plot of the book without giving it away but I liked how the events forced Mae to confront her fears, her past, to endure horror, to make sacrifices, in order to become who she needs to be; the craft-born with so much on her shoulders, but also to learn to value herself, to see how strong she has become. 
And Cas. I missed seeing the Cas from White Hart but the little we did see of him reinforces what a sweet guy he is and that the Mae/Cas romance is a very, very, very, slow burning one.   
In Red Palace we also learn some secrets, secrets that will surely play out in future books and I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.


Wednesday, December 10, 2014

{YA/NA Review} Under Different Stars (Kricket #1) by Amy A. Bartol


Under Different Stars (Kricket, #1)
All she wants is a home, but can she find one...UNDER DIFFERENT STARS

Kricket Hollowell is normally not one to wish upon stars; she believes they’re rarely in her favor. Well versed at dodging caseworkers from Chicago’s foster care system, the past few years on her own have made Kricket an expert at the art of survival and blending in. With her 18th birthday fast approaching, she dreams of the day when she can stop running and find what her heart needs most: a home.

Trey Allairis hates Earth and doubts that anyone from his world can thrive here. What he’s learning of Kricket and her existence away from her true home only confirms his theory. But, when he and Kricket lie together under the stars of Ethar, counting them all may be easier than letting her go.

Kyon Ensin’s secrets number the stars; he knows more about Kricket's gifts than anyone and plans to possess her because of them. He also knows she’s more valuable than any fire in the night sky. He’ll move the heavens and align them all in order to make her his own.

When everything in their world can be broken, will Kricket rely upon love to save her under different stars? (Blurb via Goodreads)
{Details} Kindle Edition, 297 pages. Published December 19th 2013 by Amy A. Bartol (first published December 15th 2013). Source: ebook provided in exchange for an honest review via NEtgalley

{Rating} 5/5 - I loved it!

{Review} 
"Flipping a coin into the air, I watch as it arches toward the cascading water of the fountain." (page 1, line 1)
One of my favorite reads of 2014.

I loved it. I want to gush about how much I loved it. To gush about Kricket, a strong and smart heroine. About Trey, a swoonworthy hero. About the action and romance and star crossed lovers and hilarious friends you can trust with your life, political intrigue, secrets, twists and turns and a new world and so much more that makes up the awesomeness that is Under Different Stars.

Kricket has had a hard childhood. She's lost her parents, grown up in the foster care system and the woman that life has turned her into is a survivor, a woman who is a stone. But she's not a stone, she can be hurt, scared, and when a guy gets into her heart, she can love. She's sharp, a quick thinker, determined, and sometimes, vulnerable. She did seem a bit too together for a girl of only almost 18 but she had to grow up fast. I thought her adjustment to life on Ethar was well done, I empathized with her confusion and envied her charm and grace; I'm sure I would have been a mess in her shoes.

Trey is a military man, a rule follower, a man who can say the most unexpectedly poetic things. I loved his loyalty, his honor, his commitment to his family, to his country, to what he believes is right. He's the guy I'd want in my corner.

Kyon. Hard. Ruthless. Complex. Full of mysteries. Determined to have Kricket at his mercy.

The storyline is engaging and fast paced, the characters are memorable and when I got to the last page all I wanted was MORE. I can't wait to see what happens next in Sea of Stars.


Friday, December 5, 2014

{Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway} Anomaly (Schrodinger's Consortium #1) by Tonya Kuper @tonyakuper @entangledteen



Release Date: 11/25/14
Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:
Reality is only an illusion.
Except for those who can control it…

Worst. Birthday. Ever.
My first boyfriend dumped me – happy birthday, Josie!- my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…
Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.
When hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…

Buy Links:

About the Author
Tonya Kuper's debut, ANOMALY, the first in the Schrodinger's Consortium young adult scifi trilogy, releases November 2014 by Entangled Teen. She lives in Omaha, NE with her two rad boys and husband, is a music junkie, and a chocolate addict. Star Wars & Sherlock fan.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

 
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{Details} ebook, 301 pages. Published November 25th 2014 by Entangled Publishing. Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review

{Rating} 5/5 - I loved it!

{Review}
"Hey, did you hear me?" my boyfriend, Tate, asked." (page 1, line 1)
I loved the concept, the imagine things into existence idea, it's so simple yet so exciting.

Josie was a great heroine. She's the girl next door with extraordinary abilities. She's not a quitter, she's strong and resilient and kind. She makes mistakes but she tries to learn from them. Watching her training with Reid, a big part of the storyline, was fun and inventive. But poor Josie; she definitely did not hit the jackpot when it came to her family, except her little brother that is, they were very sweet together. I look forward to learning more about her family and all their secrets in future books.

Reid is dedicated, determined, he's a protector at heart. He's also haunted by loss. The truth about him and his past is slowly revealed.

I enjoyed Tonya's writing style, the story moved quickly, keeping my attention and all the sci fi references were such fun. I can't wait for book two, there is a lot left unresolved, there are many new challenges ahead and I am eager to see what happens next.


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Blog Tour Schedule: http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/2014/10/blog-tour-sign-up-anomaly-schrodingers.html