tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62976751769171201692024-03-13T14:43:47.262-07:00 Bookishly DevotedBookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-52268452929704836262016-12-12T18:04:00.000-08:002016-12-12T18:04:06.443-08:00Bloodmoon by Aurora Whittet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Bloodmoon</div>
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Series: Bloodmark Saga #3</div>
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Author: Aurora Whittet</div>
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Source: For Review</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 4.75 STARS</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Just months shy of her claiming at Carrowmore and fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy, werewolf Ashling Boru has stepped into her role as the Crimson Queen. She finally has the support of her pack and her love for Grey is stronger than ever.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>But it's not easy being queen. Ashling's guardian, Baran, has been captured by the Dvergars, a family of evil wolves who will stop at nothing to possess Ashling's power and destroy everything--and everyone--she loves. Ashling must unite the clans and build an army to stand against the Dvergars before it's too late. Unfortunately, the Dvergars also have armies of the darkest creatures the world has ever known.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Shadows loom, growing ever larger as generations of pack secrets begin to unfold. Ashling's people, the humans they protect, and Old Mother Earth herself all hang in the balance of Ashling's choices. Will Ashling have to forsake her true love to save the world? And will she have the strength to do it? Bloodmoon is the thrilling conclusion to the Bloodmark Saga.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy Bloodmoon:</span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bloodmoon-Book-Three-Bloodmark-Saga/dp/1634890221/ref%3Dasap_bc?ie%3DUTF8&source=gmail&ust=1481680795398000&usg=AFQjCNEpms-Wuy6hSLox-mAo6l70_BIsvg" href="https://www.amazon.com/Bloodmoon-Book-Three-Bloodmark-Saga/dp/1634890221/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" style="color: #1155cc; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodmoon-aurora-whittet/1123254040?ean%3D9781634890229&source=gmail&ust=1481680795398000&usg=AFQjCNH9is1v8waYBCtULIjdcnPI11aV9A" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodmoon-aurora-whittet/1123254040?ean=9781634890229" style="color: #1155cc; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">~MY THOUGHTS~</span></div>
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Endings can be messy. They can leave a reader with unanswered questions, or just down right confused. With this one I didn't get that feeling. I felt as if I was given everything I needed, and more.</div>
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In this installment, we see such growth in the main character. She has so much riding on her shoulders, and yet she stands strong and makes some difficult decisions. I also loved the dream aspect of this novel. Basically, Ashling enters the Bloodrealms in her dreams, so we are able to see scenes from parts of the book that ordinarily we couldn't, since the narrative is in Ashling's POV. This was definitely an added bonus because we see parts of the Baran storyline that we wouldn't have been able to know otherwise. </div>
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This was the final book in the series, and I think it did an excellent job of taking the series to the next level in terms of pacing and plot. I loved that this one had a lot of action in terms of the two packs, and all that went on there. As well as trying to save Baran. </div>
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I have said it before in my previous review, but I will mention it again. I feel like the character development in this book, as well as the overall series, was spot on. I liked the progression that it makes as the story goes on. It felt real in reading about Ashling and how she would handle different aspects of what was going on around her. </div>
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I really recommend this series. It's a fun take on the werwolf story, and gives the sub genre a breath of fresh air. The series does need to be read in order to get the full story, so start with the first in the series if you haven't already given it a go! :D</div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Author's Bio:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.aurorawhittet.com/&source=gmail&ust=1481680795398000&usg=AFQjCNFcdGll_mpCHogLwXt039qdZJtUZQ" href="http://www.aurorawhittet.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/AuroraWhittet&source=gmail&ust=1481680795398000&usg=AFQjCNHhGHMTFGyR9EjjwSiYerOt-KM_tg" href="https://twitter.com/AuroraWhittet" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/AuroraWhittet/&source=gmail&ust=1481680795398000&usg=AFQjCNGsC_OHiHxP-48qj2iUrTwuv2B-ug" href="https://www.facebook.com/AuroraWhittet/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.instagram.com/aurorawhittet/&source=gmail&ust=1481680795398000&usg=AFQjCNEMn5BkWSKTXp0SCMOd-nn_ZK9MFQ" href="http://www.instagram.com/aurorawhittet/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instagram</span></a></div>
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BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-78321257677432727122016-11-25T05:56:00.002-08:002016-11-25T05:56:41.121-08:00Threading the Needle by Gabriel Valjan<br />
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Title: Threading the Needle</div>
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Author: Gabriel Valjan</div>
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Series: Roma Series #3</div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>Rating: 4.5 STARS!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><i>Milan, Italy. Bianca's curiosity gets a young university student murdered, but not before he gives her a file that details a secret weapon under development with defense contractor Adastra. Guilt may drive her to find justice for the slain Charlie Brooks, but she is warned by the mysterious Loki to stay away from this case that runs deep with conspiracy. Bianca must find a way to uncover government secrets and corporate alliances without returning Italy to one of its darkest hours, the decades of daily terrorism known as the "Years of Lead."</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>~MY THOUGHTS~</b></span></div>
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We have made it back to Italy in this book, Milan to be exact. And I love that the author changes things up a bit and puts another character in the lime light. I loved Bianca as a main character, but it was nice getting another perspective. It kept the reading experience new. Farrugia is the character we see the most of in this book, but we still get Bianca in the story as well, which was good.<br />
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This installment has a few murder mysteries thrown in, and I was continuing to read to find out who did.<br />
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I'm finding it harder and harder to talk about these books in a coherent way because I have become so engrossed in them. I have mentioned before that this will be my first suspense type series I have read. I have always seen this genre from afar, and with Gabriel's writing, I am now in the middle, trying to figure out the mysteries as Bianca does, and now Farrugia. I love the characters in these books, they all work well together, and each installment sees each one fleshed out even more than before. We see Bianca grow so much in these books, and it's nice to have a character with growing room...who isn't already so perfect and already knows all the answers before everyone else. This makes the series even more addicting because you are there for the ride and not just the story of the mystery. So many turns and its a fast paced read!<br />
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I loved the added information we got on a part of history I had previously not been aware. It was interesting reading about this time in Italy's history, Years of Lead, and it prompted me to look into in further. I love when books give the reader information that is factual that they might not have known.<br />
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Most definitely recommend reading this series! Great read!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gabriel Valjan lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He is the author of the Roma Series, available from Winter Goose Publishing. Gabriel has also written numerous short stories and essays found online and in print.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.gabrielvaljan.com/&source=gmail&ust=1480166711263000&usg=AFQjCNEojKAs08N8xtF2Y61pISJgbisH9w" href="http://www.gabrielvaljan.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/GValjan&source=gmail&ust=1480166711263000&usg=AFQjCNEe2y6h2ksABYyePWbblUiuNbhd2g" href="https://twitter.com/GValjan" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id%3D100011325634871&source=gmail&ust=1480166711263000&usg=AFQjCNG5PuvvBxH5EUM4OqIt4riyUV3IgA" href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011325634871" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a></div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-31839833888821791852016-11-07T18:40:00.004-08:002016-11-07T18:40:55.324-08:00Bloodrealms by Aurora Whittet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Bloodrealms</div>
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Author: Aurora Whittet</div>
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Series: Bloodmark Saga #2</div>
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Received for Review</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 5 STARS</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Werewolf princess Ashling Boru's eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves' ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru's choice to win Ashling's hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling's illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling's father's rule.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn't choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her decision will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Bloodrealms is the second novel in Whittet’s Bloodmark saga.</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">MY THOUGHTS</span></b></div>
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I didn't think I would enjoy this book as much as I did the first one. I have a tendency to find sequels lacking, so I went into this with slightly lower expectations. I think that kind of worked in it's favor, because I really enjoyed this installment of the series as well.<br />
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Without going into a lot of the plot, as I tend to let spoilers out when I love books and start talking about different aspects of the story, I will say that the relationships in this book are just as tension filled and page turning as the last book. I loved reading about Grey and Ashling, and was rooting for them in the entire book.<br />
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This book sees Ashling's father being a complete tool again. He sponsors a sort of competition for Ashling's hand in marriage, even though she loves someone else... It's like he doesn't care. But I won't go into that either, because it will end in a rant of how much I thought that aspect of the book would make me hate this series. But, thankfully, it didn't.<br />
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I loved that again the characters were in the forefront of the story and all the action and plot were just kind of added background. It's really nice to read a story about a group of characters that you enjoy reading about, and they grow and transform right in front of you. I also feel that we get a better view of the culture of the wolves in this world. I liked that. I'm not very knowledgeable on werewolves in general, so to be informed on the ones in this series really helped solidify my love for this series.<br />
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I can't wait to get to the next one in the series. I highly recommend this series.BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-23998471028735456352016-11-07T07:06:00.000-08:002016-11-07T07:06:12.763-08:00Wasp's Nest by Gabriel Valjan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Wasp's Nest</div>
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Author: Gabriel Valjan</div>
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Series: Roma Series #2</div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>RATING: 4.5 STARS</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>In the highly anticipated sequel to Roma, Underground, Bianca returns to the U.S. for her former employer, the covert organization Rendition, to investigate Cyril Sargent and Nasonia Pharmaceutical. Although ambivalent about the assignment and uneasy about her online “friend,” Loki, she is enticed into researching what Sargent is doing with insect genetics that might upset the world of cancer research and treatment. Old friends Farrugia and Gennaro uncover a twisted conspiracy from their past and join Bianca in Boston where they will experience conflicted loyalties, question allies, and confront uncertain enemies, as they're drawn into the wasp's nest.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>MY THOUGHTS</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This book brought a lot of my favorite things into play. I had never really been a huge fan of mystery books, but the first in this series made me a convert. But this sequel was so easy to enjoy because it brought in the concept of wasp genetics and an investigation of a pharmaceutical company. This made this book completely up my alley and I couldn't put it down. I picked it up this morning for a Halloween type read, and finished it in one sitting. I was so engrossed in the plot, and the characters, and the mystery that I couldn't stop reading. The added mystery of what the pharmaceutical company is doing </span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;">with the wasp DNA kept me reading, and I liked that this case involved so much from my personal life (being a microbiology degree, it spoke to me :D )</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I was excited to read about Bianca working back at Rendition, and has returned to Boston. I always like added intrigue in books, and it seems that her decision to come back to work for this organization might have lasting consequences? Like Dante. I am a sucker for these plot lines, and in this book it made me want to keep reading. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I think that as a whole, I can say I'm loving this series. I never thought I would be attached to a series of mysteries, because I kind of thought they were one shot stand alones. But I know the appeal to them now. It's the characters that make the series worth reading on, and the mysteries and cases that crop up are added reading pleasure. I was on a small fence in the previous book, but Wasp's Nest pushed me over. I love this series, and can't wait to read book 3. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This book was fast paced, and had so many surprises I didn't see coming. I loved that the plot took many different roads, and it takes the entire book and then some to finally grasp what is going on, or what you think is going on. </span></span></span></div>
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I loved this book, and can't wait to read the next one in the series. I recommend this series to those who love mystery thriller series. I love the characters, and look forward to seeing what the author puts them through in the next installment. </div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gabriel Valjan lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He is the author of the Roma Series, available from Winter Goose Publishing. Gabriel has also written numerous short stories and essays found online and in print.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: magenta;">Connect with the author: </span></b></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.gabrielvaljan.com/&source=gmail&ust=1477416574425000&usg=AFQjCNEWkLlxHAwwBmBkvvhFLtsdTCPayg" href="http://www.gabrielvaljan.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/GValjan&source=gmail&ust=1477416574425000&usg=AFQjCNG_0uJfSGEN6EsaSrO5aY40l8pDXA" href="https://twitter.com/GValjan" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id%3D100011325634871&source=gmail&ust=1477416574425000&usg=AFQjCNGImZ-VSmdDKh5HRGjjr79MbaJqOQ" href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011325634871" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a></div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-38895057636492227922016-10-17T08:42:00.001-07:002016-10-17T08:42:09.345-07:00Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB0X9S8AmqiM-IfuxmIlK9NsQHC9bG-4ZGTpYx0C6DJHQbbU9niK2pM02j4s1ZtqH-S9d9inxnA6CczlawNGJbu6YtSFTSi-VLq-WOJjrJmx2fw1rdhp-sBoiI8h_mtaLkx8QFEca5cYX/s1600/18239142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB0X9S8AmqiM-IfuxmIlK9NsQHC9bG-4ZGTpYx0C6DJHQbbU9niK2pM02j4s1ZtqH-S9d9inxnA6CczlawNGJbu6YtSFTSi-VLq-WOJjrJmx2fw1rdhp-sBoiI8h_mtaLkx8QFEca5cYX/s400/18239142.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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Title: Bloodmark</div>
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Series: Bloodmark Saga #1</div>
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Author: Aurora Whittet</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy Bloodmark:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bloodmark-Saga-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00G9GWSFE/ref%3Dasap_bc?ie%3DUTF8%23nav-subnav&source=gmail&ust=1476804261781000&usg=AFQjCNGobY5nbvQCz0sMo8ultQDX4KkWXA" href="https://www.amazon.com/Bloodmark-Saga-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00G9GWSFE/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8#nav-subnav" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodmark-aurora-whittet/1116259507?ean%3D9781940014012&source=gmail&ust=1476804261781000&usg=AFQjCNGf4UKUJGz4mYJER1_KxMvyNnKi8g" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodmark-aurora-whittet/1116259507?ean=9781940014012" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 5 STARS</span></b></div>
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<i><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves—she was able to shift to wolf form at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and as a result, she is forced to live in seclusion in Ireland’s countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed and defies the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin hunting her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine—far from everything she’s ever known. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">In Maine, she crosses paths with the dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, and something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she begins to uncover long-buried pack secrets—secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear—Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey, or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?</span></b></i></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">~MY THOUGHTS~</span></span></b></div>
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<b>I will start this review off by saying I completely enjoyed
this book. Hands down, one of the best paranormal books I’ve read in a while. I
used to be all about paranormal books: witches, vampires, shifters, all of
them. And that’s all I read. But then it got to be the same story, over and
over. So, I tried to stay away from that type of story. But for some reason, I
signed up for this review tour on a whim. I think subconsciously I knew I would
love it. And love it I did.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Ashling was a breath of fresh air as a main character for
me. Especially in these type of books. Usually the main character seems to have
it all together and knows what they are doing right away in terms of the
supernatural aspect of the world. But Ashling was real. She struggled to fit in
with her family, and had conflicting emotions about so much in the book. She
didn’t know what to do next, and that was nice. I hate reading books where the
main character just inherently KNOWS what to do. It gets old, because it is a
huge plot hole. The author really took the time with this book, and with the
characters of this story. Giving them weaknesses, as well as strengths. Letting
each character play differently on another in the book. I loved it.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I haven’t read a werewolf book like this before. It was such
a surprising twist that I was sucked into the story from the first few
chapters. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Ashling. And wanted to
know more about her father, and family as a whole. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>The mystery/plot points of this book made it a fast paced
read. I was constantly in a state of need to know when reading this book.
Ashling has an enemy after her, and throughout the book I wanted to know why.
And how she was going to escape. And would he turn out to be good? Would they
fall in love instead of the character that is presented as the obvious love choice?
I love when authors are able to elicit these questions even while finding out
the answers. Each page answered something, but then caused me to ask three more
questions. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I would highly recommend this read to anyone who loves
paranormal who thinks they might be over the genre. I think this offers
something new to the genre, and is a wonderful read. I am looking forward to
getting to the next book soon.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.aurorawhittet.com/&source=gmail&ust=1476804261781000&usg=AFQjCNEoZLqUZnv_N8iXWEcOLoTMXnREZQ" href="http://www.aurorawhittet.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/AuroraWhittet&source=gmail&ust=1476804261781000&usg=AFQjCNG_H6uHdErFUdVaxJL6XgF9fhVNUg" href="https://twitter.com/AuroraWhittet" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/AuroraWhittet/&source=gmail&ust=1476804261781000&usg=AFQjCNFG1WliV9reYjvX4YAZWIGSnCOO_g" href="https://www.facebook.com/AuroraWhittet/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.instagram.com/aurorawhittet/&source=gmail&ust=1476804261781000&usg=AFQjCNHFkBKcV3zCi4khn1mKTwT5YKAZFA" href="http://www.instagram.com/aurorawhittet/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instagram</span></a></div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-39010645800017131262016-10-11T18:41:00.003-07:002016-10-11T18:41:39.710-07:00Roma, Underground by Gabriel Valijan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Roma, Underground</div>
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Author: Gabriel Valijan</div>
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Series: Roma Series #1</div>
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Got: For Review</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 3.5 STARS </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">~MY THOUGHTS~</span></b></div>
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This book fulfilled a challenge in the Spooktober Read-a-Thon: Read a book with a creepy cover. The stairs in this cover kinda give me the creeps...so it fit.<br />
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I really did enjoy this book. I'm not always a mystery reader, as sometimes I don't enjoy the buildup of the plot of mysteries. I get impatient a lot of the time. But I found myself really enjoying the pacing of this book. It had just enough mystery, at the same time giving away details that kept me wanting to know more. I guess I never really gave mysteries a try, but this book makes me want to read more.<br />
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I liked the concept of this book. It is so unlike anything I see mysteries as. It had a financial twist in it, which I really liked. It just was an avenue of mysteries/suspense that I don't hear a lot about.<br />
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So, the story centers around Alabaster Black (love the name) who is hiding in Rome as Bianca. She was part of a secret organization that investigated financial issues in companies and uncovered crimes going on it that manner. She is hiding due to an issue she had with her last assignment.<br />
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Enter Dante. He has to be one of the most layered characters I have ever met. I mean in the beginning he is kind of painted as this Italian who is an auditor. But as the book kind of progresses, he is found out to have other "hobbies." Hobbies that are quite similar to Alabaster's life she is trying to hide from.<br />
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I will say that I enjoyed the mystery and plot of this book. As well as the characters. I didn't so much like the spattered Italian, as I had no idea what it meant, and kept having to look it up online. It just threw me out of the story. I understand that it takes place in Italy, but it just got confusing to me.<br />
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I loved the writing of the story. It flowed nicely and the pacing was spot on. For somebody who isn't into mystery pacing, it hooked me and kept me wanting to read. So for that, kudos. I think it takes a great book to introduce somebody into a new genre of reading, and I am glad I started mysteries with this one. I can't wait to get onto the next one in the series!BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-9984638286754846012016-09-06T20:24:00.007-07:002016-09-06T20:24:48.722-07:00Fresh Brewed by Pamela Ford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Fresh Brewed</div>
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Author: Pamela Ford</div>
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Series: The Continental Breakfast Club #2</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 4 STARS</span></b></div>
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Source: For Review</div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Breanna Mitchell is on her way to a relaxing vacation at the ocean. Maybe she'll even have a beachside fling to help her get over a recent breakup. But when a tropical storm makes her destination hotel uninhabitable, a chance encounter at continental breakfast delivers a fabulous option—with a catch. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">She and her friends can stay at a privately-owned, three-story oceanfront home—if she pretends to be the girlfriend of the owner's heartbreaker grandson, Ethan. Since he won't even be there, how hard could it be? </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Everything is going swimmingly until Bree drinks too much wine and regales the family with romantic tales about her relationship with Ethan. His adorable brother Adam gets suspicious. His marriage-minded grandma gets engagement fever. The beautiful woman next door gets teary-eyed. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">And then, Ethan unexpectedly arrives. Suddenly Bree is about to get everything she's ever wished for—but is it what she really wants? </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>~MY THOUGHTS~</b></span></div>
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I love romance series where each book focuses on a different character, but you still get appearances from your favorites. In this book, it's Bree's turn for love.</div>
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I loved the plot of this. It gave me an almost While You Were Sleeping vibe. Surrounding circumstances, Bree finds herself pretending to be engaged to somebody in order to spend a vacation at beach house after her original plans were changed due to a storm.</div>
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This book was just as fun as the first one. It had me laughing and smiling almost the entire way through. I just couldn't get enough of Bree and Ethan, and his family. It was adorable. It was the perfect way to end the summer, and I highly recommend picking up this series. I can't wait until the next one is released, which I hope we see Megan's love life come to bloom! :)</div>
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There isn't a lot to say, as I hate giving a lot of details away in books where the plot isn't always the main focus, so I am going to leave this review short and sweet. It's fun, its a perfect light read, and if you enjoy great friendship bonds, as well as a nice hardy dose of romance, then this series is for you.</div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-37766905642651179732016-08-09T19:03:00.000-07:002016-08-09T19:09:20.012-07:00#ReadThemAllThon TBR <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This read-a-thon has me so excited! Ever since I saw it on April's channel, I have been looking up TBRs, and have been trying to come up with mine. I love the idea and concept behind this read-a-thon, and the fact that it's 3 weeks is a huge added bonus. Week long read-a-thons are great, but unless you have the entire week off, it gets a bit stressful. At least for me. I think this one will be fun and relaxed, at the same time centered around a cool concept.<br />
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This read-a-thon goes from August 14th- September 4th, and has 8 badges to complete. You also get to pick a Pokemon, and for every book you read, the # of pages completed, and posting reviews and on social media sites, you power up your Pokemon. At the end of the three weeks, whoever has the highest CP Pokemon wins.<br />
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You can find out more information, as well as sign up for the read-a-thon yourself at the creator, <a href="https://readatmidnight.com/2016/07/25/pokemon-indigo-league-readthemallthon-sign-up/" target="_blank">Read at Midnight</a>'s blog.<br />
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This is my TBR for the challenges. I am for sure going to read these books, but more might be added as the read-a-thon progresses. Originally I had wanted to do 16 books, 2 for each challenge, but decided I didn't want to over stress myself out for the read-a-thon.<br />
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This is the Pokemon I chose, and plan to update the stats as I progress through the read-a-thon. I plan on making update posts as well.<br />
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Trainer: Kari<br />
Blog: Bookishly Devoted<br />
Type: Fire<br />
Evolution: 3 Stages<br />
Evolves @ 150 CP and 400 CP<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>CHARMANDER</b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">CP 12</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>I have been wanting to read this book since it was released. I finally picked it up a few months ago, so figured I would tackle it for this challenge. The premise sounds really engaging, so I am hoping it will be a quick read. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Zodiac by Romina Russell</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">439 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">43 CP </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for completing</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for reviewing</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Potential 83 CP for this book :)</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>It's hard to predict what books will make me cry, but I am betting that this one will do the trick. It's about a boy whose father was killed in 9/11. I will have the tissues ready when I read this one. It is a movie also, with Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks, which I didn't know, so that is another reason I wanted to get this read.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">326 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">32 CP</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for completing</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for reviewing</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Potential 72 CP for this book :)</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>I had a whole long explanation as to why I had chosen two books, but it made the post SO LONG. So basically I chose these two books because I had heard a lot of things about each one in a sort of different type of "thunderous hype." One is literally EVERYWHERE and the other book I chose I have just recently started to see/hear about a lot recently, so it's hyped to me in what I've been reading/watching/listening to. :)</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>City of Bones by Cassandra Clare</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">485 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">48 CP</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for completing</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for reviewing</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Potential 82 CP for this book :) </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNe48BG8shgCmLmrIVXPIhv4BCcuWHzuKpsowdMnHeKLaN8NZZaLjOQIEw2ZiWUvajxOriGNYCJGfZuccpODj8z3G41kFagnRcicdWrhVhnfh2GN5rviwR6TQWCu7bVa95l_K38kd5DD4/s1600/19161852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNe48BG8shgCmLmrIVXPIhv4BCcuWHzuKpsowdMnHeKLaN8NZZaLjOQIEw2ZiWUvajxOriGNYCJGfZuccpODj8z3G41kFagnRcicdWrhVhnfh2GN5rviwR6TQWCu7bVa95l_K38kd5DD4/s320/19161852.jpg" width="209" /></a><b><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: orange;">468 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">46 CP</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for completing</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for reviewing</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Potential 86 CP for this book :)</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Again, had a LONG explanation as to why I had to choose two books for this badge. One book I've been dying to read since it was released (the first one) and the other was a recent acquisition to fill a void left by another book I read. I just needed anther RomCom in the same vain as Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda. :) </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">289 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">28 CP</span></b><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>20 CP for completing</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>20 CP for reviewing</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Potential 68 CP for this book</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>255 Pages</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>25 CP</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>20 CP for completing</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>20 CP for reviewing</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Potential 55 CP for this book</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Don't know what constitutes as "epic" but I know this book has a romance in it...and it spans like 5 books, so I'm sure there is something epic about it. Plus, I've been needing to read this book for a while now, and now is the time. It's got aliens in it, so I'm there!</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRG5GMJQrZX_HHm-O2TK9wgVXOfFF12vM4oEwRt02iz3ukycIerR9_9r1rKJO6ckTlzY8Zo3YcCGSiupXMzfJqJBgrxkFUZkgKqgPKx_F9YCbr_vOK-vr_iKRZZHwWigFVbwBjeUEDOUz4/s1600/12578077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRG5GMJQrZX_HHm-O2TK9wgVXOfFF12vM4oEwRt02iz3ukycIerR9_9r1rKJO6ckTlzY8Zo3YcCGSiupXMzfJqJBgrxkFUZkgKqgPKx_F9YCbr_vOK-vr_iKRZZHwWigFVbwBjeUEDOUz4/s320/12578077.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">335 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">33 CP</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for completing</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for reviewing</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Potential 53 CP for this book :)</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJF6Ac5ILq0cSCm474p4DGA_ZjnMVR0nntIMJT6rvnAcbmbQRJu2PMMMKvkqO2B-PU81pNVTh8qF-MdooMG_ZwHLfDOFT46k3f2yWVnwsjJKdB_BdCEfY7_VFiyRAA-vV0naEwjEMTmMlr/s1600/readthemallthon-badge06-marsh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJF6Ac5ILq0cSCm474p4DGA_ZjnMVR0nntIMJT6rvnAcbmbQRJu2PMMMKvkqO2B-PU81pNVTh8qF-MdooMG_ZwHLfDOFT46k3f2yWVnwsjJKdB_BdCEfY7_VFiyRAA-vV0naEwjEMTmMlr/s640/readthemallthon-badge06-marsh.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: red;"><b>I was torn between choosing a smaller book that I knew I could finish, or picking one I have been really wanting to read that was on the longer side. And since we are reading for CP in this read-a-thon, I chose the book I have been wanting to read because I think that with the motivation of wanting to read it, and the read-a-thon atmosphere, I can push through the massive tome.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">836 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">83 CP</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for completing</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for reviewing</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;"> Potential 123 CP for this book! :)</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA008yVbzAUOVjh03uOh13XgfOJkJhdiBQ6D1ULyezBNYcenXQxXeObjxLdCde_XAfNZLIHFQjW1cCOED_hR-kiqPgYstcqlJRkRnmzh_6DqGVyGGUXiRiELBdCFLmR0MDypQhZMsIlVEu/s1600/readthemallthon-badge07-flame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA008yVbzAUOVjh03uOh13XgfOJkJhdiBQ6D1ULyezBNYcenXQxXeObjxLdCde_XAfNZLIHFQjW1cCOED_hR-kiqPgYstcqlJRkRnmzh_6DqGVyGGUXiRiELBdCFLmR0MDypQhZMsIlVEu/s640/readthemallthon-badge07-flame.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: red;"><b>This badge was easy, because I only had two books with completely red covers, and I just read one of them. So that left me with one choice. Which I don't mind because it's been one that I have wanted to pick up for ages. :)</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">352 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">35 CP</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Potential 75 CP for this book</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>I get dystopian and post-apocalyptic books confused, so this might not "technically" count, but it was the one I want to read the most....and that's what this is all about right? :)</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Article 5 by Kristen Simmons</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">380 Pages</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">38 CP</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">20 CP for reviewing</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Potential 78 CP for this book</span></b><br />
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<b>So...there it is. An extremely LONG post, but I did it! I have chosen the books I want to read to fit the badges guidelines! :) These might change, as I'm a heavy mood reader, and what I want to read now will change by tomorrow morning. I am excited for all the books I have chosen, so I am going to do my best to get to these...but I have A LOT of books that I want to get to...so who knows. :) I'm extremely excited for this read-a-thon and can't wait to talk to everybody about the books that they are reading and get ideas for books to add to my TBR.</b>BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-34993998865945175502016-08-03T00:00:00.000-07:002016-08-15T19:45:55.674-07:00Sovereignty by Anjenique Hughes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Sovereignty</div>
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Author: Anjenique Hughes</div>
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Source: For Review</div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy the Book:</span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.amazon.com/Sovereignty-Morgan-Fiction-Anjenique-Hughes/dp/1630478180&source=gmail&ust=1470147514792000&usg=AFQjCNEdO3j9-7k7PQLwOvLDj5D0y76FVw" href="http://www.amazon.com/Sovereignty-Morgan-Fiction-Anjenique-Hughes/dp/1630478180" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sovereignty-anjenique-hughes/1122934885&source=gmail&ust=1470147514792000&usg=AFQjCNGjzjw2MMhJFTEXdsCQo4Eo7D_H6w" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sovereignty-anjenique-hughes/1122934885" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eP3QaLeqwMg1HGfspGUa8eN0jWbcmZv4bF8ICx3fpSE2q8BmUAF6eWnorAD60NFn1W3e8UEtRVXPRP5msbp7DYajCKy18KGedX1YP9AkSB36h8C8vc3IQItIt1dFk3w2-_LQjwc7P1NG/s1600/unnamed-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="52" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eP3QaLeqwMg1HGfspGUa8eN0jWbcmZv4bF8ICx3fpSE2q8BmUAF6eWnorAD60NFn1W3e8UEtRVXPRP5msbp7DYajCKy18KGedX1YP9AkSB36h8C8vc3IQItIt1dFk3w2-_LQjwc7P1NG/s320/unnamed-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 4.5 STARS</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Under the totalitarian reign of the 23rd century's world's government- The Sovereign Regime- control is made possible by the identity chip implanted in every human being, recording everything that is seen, done, and experienced.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>No more bank accounts.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>No more smart phones.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>No more secrets.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>When Goro inadvertently overhears an exchange of sensitive information, causing him to confront the truth about his world and prompting him to choose his true loyalties, his dream of revolution kicks into high gear. Goro doesn't know he has covert intel in his possession both the SR and the resistance movement are desperate to acquire.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Determined to attempt the impossible task of bringing down the world government, he and his closest friends gain access to the key to ultimately deciding who has sovereignty.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>But who will get to Goro first: The resistance or the Sovereign Regime?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>~MY THOUGHTS~</b></span></span></div>
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Dystopian books are kind of my guilty pleasure reads. Its the type of genre, that no matter how many times it's done, I still love it. I don't know why, but I can't get enough this genre. And that is the main reason I signed up to review this book. The three sentence blurb above is enough to have made me go out and purchase the book. But even beyond that, I completely got sucked into this story.</div>
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The government system in this book is kind of typical dystopian fare. The government controls all, and basically monitors your every move. In this world, it's done through chips. Again, like usual, the main character, Goro, doesn't conform to what the government wants, and is fighting to find out what is being hidden from them. But for me, and I am sure a lot of people, this is the type of book that's just easy to get lost into. I find myself zoning out when reading books like this, and getting caught up in the world, imagining myself in the situation that is being portrayed on the page. I don't know what it is, but it's fascinating. And like I said, this book was no different. I followed Goro's story with complete attention, and didn't want to put the book down.</div>
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I felt that the world was expertly portrayed and wasn't just thrown in the readers face. It was a kind of slow burning journey through the world, and it was nice to see it through Goro's eyes. Most dystopians that I read feature female characters, which I enjoy, but it's nice to see it from a male's perspective. And I thought Goro was well fleshed out as a main character. Which is nice. Sometimes, with world building and future government setups, the actual characters get kind of lost in the mess, but the author didn't do that hear. Goro is front and center and his decisions in the book held true to what you see his character doing. </div>
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Goro has learned of some stuff he shouldn't, and this kind of sets the wheels in motion for the rest of the book. </div>
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I did find it a bit off putting being thrown in and out of perspectives. I saw that some people didn't necessarily mind it, but i kind of threw me out of the story. When it happened, I found myself almost forcing myself to not set the book down and think about the shift. That's why it lost the .5 stars. It was going to be 4 stars, but I really enjoyed this book, even sort of despite this "issue" I had.</div>
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I do think this book is a prime example of how dystopian novels can be done well, and I would recommend to fans of the genre. It was fast -paced, and kept my interest throughout the book. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: magenta;">Author's Bio:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With master's degrees in education, special education, and counseling, Anjenique "Jen" Hughes is a high school English and math teacher who loves teaching and mentoring young people. She enjoys traveling and has worked with youth on five continents. Saying she is "young at heart" is an understatement; she is fluent in sarcasm, breaks eardrums with her teacher voice (students have complained when they were within earshot), and cracks sarcastic jokes with the best of her students. Her work with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse youth has inspired her to write books that appeal to a broad variety of students seeking stories of bravery, perseverance, loyalty, and success.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.sovereigntyseries.com/&source=gmail&ust=1470147514792000&usg=AFQjCNHG-MmT6jA-0y33ByF46j8eMZL4YQ" href="http://www.sovereigntyseries.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/SovereigntyJen&source=gmail&ust=1470147514792000&usg=AFQjCNGGYns7Jy3AgTMpREHkWSlxt2qSKw" href="https://twitter.com/SovereigntyJen" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://m.facebook.com/sovereignty&source=gmail&ust=1470147514792000&usg=AFQjCNGCH2V6fBt3P3kaAMMD5Q-C5kkAOQ" href="http://m.facebook.com/sovereignty" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a></div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-30663377268298578592016-08-02T00:00:00.000-07:002016-08-15T19:45:55.670-07:00Over Easy by Pamela Ford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Over Easy </div>
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Author: Pamela Ford</div>
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Series: The Continental Breakfast Club #1</div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy the book: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.amazon.com/Over-Easy-Continental-Breakfast-Club-ebook/dp/B01CYV27I0/ref%3Dsr_1_fkmr0_2?ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1461868204%26sr%3D8-2-fkmr0%26keywords%3Dpamela%2Bford%2Bfresh%2Bbrewed&source=gmail&ust=1470147514679000&usg=AFQjCNFm-XLCuAtJd3BFskcmpUJm3ad44A" href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Easy-Continental-Breakfast-Club-ebook/dp/B01CYV27I0/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1461868204&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=pamela+ford+fresh+brewed" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/over-easy-pamela-ford/1123855439?ean%3D9780990594260&source=gmail&ust=1470147514679000&usg=AFQjCNGRHE25dmClnXlDNwge4jGd-QYNjA" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/over-easy-pamela-ford/1123855439?ean=9780990594260" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a></div>
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Source: For Review</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 3 STARS!!!</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Allie Parker's had enough. Just because she's a dog groomer, her overachieving family of doctors and lawyers treats her like a child. She's convinced that a successful husband is all she needs to change their attitudes. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">So when she and her friends come up with a brilliant new way to meet eligible men, Allie squeezes into her sister's stylish clothes and sneaks into continental breakfast at an upscale hotel to find herself the perfect guy. Before Allie has taken her last bite of syrup-laden waffle, she's met the man of her dreams. But what she doesn't know is that he's a jewel thief who mistakenly thinks she's his contact—and so does everyone else who's after his stash of diamonds. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Suddenly Allie's world is crazily upended. And as she scrambles to prove her innocence and get back to her old life, she discovers happily ever after sneaks up when you least expect it. </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">~MY THOUGHTS!~</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This book was definitely cute. It's one of those books that you just get sucked into and absorbed in and it's fun. It wasn't emotionally draining, or overly tense. And so that made it a perfect summer read! I enjoyed this book. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Allie is a dog groomer among doctors and lawyers, so she wants to prove herself, like the synopsis </span></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">says, by getting a successful husband. I loved the idea of sneaking into expensive hotels continental breakfasts in order to meet guys. It was unique, and something I had never read about before. It made for a great story, and I loved that it was a group of girls, instead of just Allie doing this. It gives more story, and I love when the main character isn't the only one the reader gets to know. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I enjoyed the little twists and turns the book took in regards to the jewel thief and ending up with a stolen ring. I liked that this wasn't just a fluffy contemporary but had a little extra in regards to plot. The mystery aspect of it was light enough that it didn't take away from the light and funny feel of the book, so that was all balanced well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I am looking forward to finding out more about the other girls. I like contemporary romance series for this exact reason. You get a main character romance and introduced to side characters who then show up in later books and it's a cycle.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I would recommend this book for anybody looking for a light contemporary read with a side of humor and adventure. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: magenta;">Author's Bio:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pamela Ford is the award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance. She grew up watching old movies, blissfully sighing over the romance; and reading sci-fi and adventure novels, vicariously living the action. The combination probably explains why the books she writes are romantic, happily-ever-afters with plenty of plot - and often lots of laughter.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After graduating from college with a degree in Advertising, Pam merrily set off to earn a living, searching for that perfect career as she became a graphic designer, print buyer, pantyhose sales rep, public relations specialist, copywriter, freelance writer - and finally author. Pam has won numerous awards including the Booksellers Best, the Laurel Wreath, and a gold medal IPPY in the Independent Book Publisher Awards. She is a Kindle Book Awards finalist and a two-time Golden Heart Finalist. She lives in Wisconsin where she is working on her next novel.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.pamelaford.net/&source=gmail&ust=1470147514679000&usg=AFQjCNGoqMb8LiofK-VlvIE4Ic4nAVg8_Q" href="http://www.pamelaford.net/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/pamelafordbooks&source=gmail&ust=1470147514679000&usg=AFQjCNEsN1AJ91bfIYFsWLuzjjNLeEYVjg" href="https://twitter.com/pamelafordbooks" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://facebook.com/pamelafordbooks&source=gmail&ust=1470147514679000&usg=AFQjCNFt-Hrtt8SIGFJMup5dqe-0hscO0w" href="http://facebook.com/pamelafordbooks" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/993891.Pamela_Ford&source=gmail&ust=1470147514679000&usg=AFQjCNHXz730VFVCccZvAMdZOmwqUJVCPw" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/993891.Pamela_Ford" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads</span></a></div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-2754295675431208682016-08-01T07:35:00.002-07:002016-08-15T19:45:55.666-07:00Loreena's Gift by Colleen M. Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Loreena's Gift</div>
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Author: Colleen M. Story</div>
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Source: For Review</div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy the Book:</span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.amazon.com/Loreenas-Gift-Colleen-M-Story/dp/1938103475&source=gmail&ust=1470147514872000&usg=AFQjCNFZEzKdM6hKtCnmr9fk1nttVKFJYg" href="http://www.amazon.com/Loreenas-Gift-Colleen-M-Story/dp/1938103475" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loreenas-gift-colleen-m-story/1117040498&source=gmail&ust=1470147514872000&usg=AFQjCNEw_Wsvw43SR6e45Zry7R0r6zgu1Q" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loreenas-gift-colleen-m-story/1117040498" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.bookdepository.com/Loreenas-Gift-Colleen-M-Story/9781938103476&source=gmail&ust=1470147514872000&usg=AFQjCNF7vBQ_nCdI-jLFyUQ5L71c8kt3LQ" href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Loreenas-Gift-Colleen-M-Story/9781938103476" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Depository</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/loreenas-gift/9781938103476-item.html&source=gmail&ust=1470147514872000&usg=AFQjCNGC2Ng5s5W3XJ9aRiKrZajvQ5O-ow" href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/loreenas-gift/9781938103476-item.html" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapters Indigo</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>RATING: 3.5 STARS</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>A BLIND GIRL'S TERRIFYING "GIFT" ALLOWS HER TO REGAIN HER EYESIGHT--BUT ONLY AS SHE FERRIES THE RECENTLY DECEASED INTO THE AFTERLIFE.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Loreena Picket thinks she knows herself. A blind young woman who lives with her uncle, a reverend at a small-town church, she's a dutiful niece and talented pianist for the congregation.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>But they're both hiding a terrible secret. Loreena can kill people with the touch of her hand.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>While her uncle sees her as an angel of mercy, helping usher the terminally ill members of his flock into the afterlife, Loreena has her doubts.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Torn between doing her uncle's bidding and the allure of the fleeting moments when her eyesight returns on the journey to the other side, Loreena cooperates with her uncle until her troubled older brother returns to town. When she reveals her power by saving him from a local drug dealer, she is drawn into a sinister and dangerous world that will test the true nature of her talent and force her to consider how far she is willing to go to survive.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>An exciting debut that crosses fantasy and literary fiction, Loreena's Gift is a thought-provoking meditation on life and death and what ultimately lies beyond this world.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>~MY THOUGHTS!~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">There are character types that show up in a lot of books. Everywhere we look, we are getting a lot of the same cookie cutter characters with minor differences thrown in for good measure. This works because the stories differ, but there are times when, as readers, we would like a fresh story with fresh characters. And this book delivered that. It has a main character who is blind. I will admit that when I saw that in the synopsis, I immediately signed up for the tour. I have a few "buzz words" that if they show up I automatically need to read that book. And "blind main character" isn't necessarily a trope (maybe not the right word, but can't think of anything at the moment) I go out and seek. But when it is there, I will read it simply for that. You don't see characters with disabilities enough in YA, or as main characters. So that was a winning factor for me with this book. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Another great thing about this book is that not only is the main character Loreena blind, but this isn't just a contemporary book about her life and how she deals. This is so much more. It has those elements in the story, because that is how we learn Loreena as a character. But this has supernatural elements. See, Loreena's touch will kill. I liked how the author incorporated this into the story nicely. And it didn't feel over the top. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Loreena lives with her uncle, who is a pastor, and with him she helps people cross over. This is the storyline, and we watch it unfold as Loreena fights how she feels when she is doing this "job" and we are given some complications with her brother, Saul. I really loved how well rounded Loreena was as a character. We got to see the strong side, as well as the side that grapples with what she is doing. And whether or not it's right. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I enjoyed this book a lot. I felt that the story was paced just right, and I didn't find myself looking ahead at chapter breaks and the like. I would recommend this book for the story and the well written characters, as well as a little something different when it comes to the main character. I felt the author was able to pull off all the elements in this book. And I would read more by this author in the future.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Author's Bio:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Colleen M. Story writes imaginative fiction and is also a freelance writer, instructor, and motivational speaker specializing in creativity, productivity, and personal wellness. Her latest novel, "Loreena’s Gift," was released with Dzanc Books April 12 2016. Her fantasy novel, "Rise of the Sidenah," is a North American Book Awards winner, and New Apple Book Awards Official Selection (Young Adult). She is the founder of Writing and Wellness (</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.writingandwellness.com/&source=gmail&ust=1470147514872000&usg=AFQjCNHUZEHwNLL1MXnXq1a_SnQiz22iUg" href="http://www.writingandwellness.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">writingandwellness.com</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) a motivational site for writers and other creatives. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author:</span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://colleenmstory.com/&source=gmail&ust=1470147514872000&usg=AFQjCNGiXANu4hdXyaK09AOCWze535fYag" href="http://colleenmstory.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/colleen_m_story&source=gmail&ust=1470147514872000&usg=AFQjCNErPIfCvimw9Plcf0Yyzn4GzQPpug" href="https://twitter.com/colleen_m_story" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-74795108321404894222016-07-28T00:00:00.000-07:002016-08-15T19:45:55.682-07:00Endurance by Lance Erlick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Endurance</div>
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Series: Regina Shen #4</div>
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Author: Lance Erlick</div>
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Source: For Review</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Rating: 4 STARS</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Outcast Regina Shen is caught between rival Department of Antiquities’ inspectors amidst political struggle over who will become the new World Premier. Used for her ability to find hidden ancient treasures, Regina hunts rich enough barter to free her sister. Stretched to her limits, her new journey tests her endurance and her ability to recognize opportunities and avoid getting captured.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>~MY THOUGHTS~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I want to start this by saying that I am normally terrible at reading series. I will start a million series, and never pick up the next ones to find out what happens. And I almost just signed up to read and review the first book in this series. But boy am I glad I got all four that were out! I loved the ride this series took me on. And I would highly recommend this series.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Without telling anything away about previous books, in case you haven't read them...which you definitely should! I want to give a few generalizations (which I have touched on in previous </span></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">reviews but that's okay). First of all I loved the characters in this series. Lance Erlick really knows how to take a character and make them the best/worst. In each case in this series, I felt like the characters were portrayed perfectly how they are meant to be. Regina is a kick-ass, smart, awesome female. And the people after her are perfectly bad. I don't know how to explain it, but this is one of those series that when characters pop up, I'm not inwardly groaning that it was a paper cut out scene. They all have depth. And especially in a dystopian, I don't see a whole lot with entire casts. So A+ there!! And also the world building. It was this great idea in the first book and the author ran with it and gave it background and meaning. And really made the story his own. I loved it. I think that is what makes this series so readable is that you get invested in the world and the characters. So there is so much more at stake while reading. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This particular book has Regina hoping to barter for her sister. Volpe and Demarco are after her. So much happens, and I am left needing more. I can't even fathom waiting for the next book to be released, because this one was just released this year!! As of right now, I don't see anything on Goodreads to indicate another book, but I hope there is! I love this series. And will definitely be re-reading them in hopes/preparation for following releases. I also will be putting Lance Erlick on my author to watch out for more books list because I feel that anything he writes will be fleshed out and wonderful!!!!</span></span></div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-56791501909651251062016-07-23T07:52:00.001-07:002016-08-15T19:45:55.678-07:00Regina Shen: Defiance by Lance Erlick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Defiance</div>
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Author: Lance Erlick</div>
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Series: Regina Shen #3</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 5 STARS!!!!!</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Abrupt climate change melted ice caps, flooded coasts, and expanded deserts. Outcast Regina Shen is a fugitive the World Federation believes has DNA that can stop human extinction. Rival Federation agents fight over capturing Regina to gain power amidst turmoil over who will become the new World Premier. Regina has to flee from Virginia through desert and wilderness to Alaska to hunt a treasure big enough to barter for her freedom and that of her sister. Can she find allies and tools to remain free long enough to find something to trade?</i></span></div>
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This series just keeps getting better and better! This book didn't feel filler, as some 2nd and 3rd books can tend to be. It had it's share of adventure and plot movement, and stood on it's own (not in terms of being read alone, I don't recommend that at all) but as it was a legit addition to the series and needed to be there for the continued growth of the series. </div>
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The character development in this series is starting to surprise me. I have read so many series where I enjoy the ride the characters take in personal growth, but this one has taken the cake. I have grown so attached to Regina and her journey that I find myself talking about this book whenever I can. I feel for her, and root for her. She is just such an unseen character in some of the YA dystopian books. She has a brain, and she uses it. It isn't an afterthought for her. And it's nice to see a strong, SMART, female lead for a change.</div>
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In this book Regina is still on the run, and now looking for her sister. This added to the adventure and page turning for me. I couldn't stop reading because I needed to find out what happened. We find out a lot about the world Regina lives in this book as well, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I love when series just get stronger as they progress. I can't wait to find out what happens in the last book! I have so many unanswered questions and feelings about certain characters: like the mother and the Chief Inspector. I just need to know what happens and know that it all works out for Regina :)</div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-9606341280806165882016-06-23T00:00:00.000-07:002016-08-15T19:45:55.688-07:00Regina Shen: Vigilance by Lance Erlick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3toEdKsaet8UdMiDk54X3alhbPk2UF1YREDWK7W3Tt0M0xlenKWCcLACw7hiCoeGmvYs746f_gD9VAY0ga32wzQkVj7Ssj0diqZuyWHM8SN5jcia6npEtdgRmGNMy47KPDDqToGiMJysq/s1600/25182782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3toEdKsaet8UdMiDk54X3alhbPk2UF1YREDWK7W3Tt0M0xlenKWCcLACw7hiCoeGmvYs746f_gD9VAY0ga32wzQkVj7Ssj0diqZuyWHM8SN5jcia6npEtdgRmGNMy47KPDDqToGiMJysq/s400/25182782.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Title: Vigilance</div>
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Author: Lance Erlick</div>
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Series: Regina Shen #2</div>
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Source: For review</div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>MY RATING: 5 STARS!!!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Abrupt climate change melted ice caps and flooded coasts. Outcast Regina Shen has unique DNA that the World Federation believes can prevent human extinction. Not trusting them, Regina jumps the barrier wall into the Federation to hunt for her sister, kidnapped two years earlier. She reaches the well-guarded university near where they’re holding her sister. Two rival inspectors close in on her. With time running out, can she escape campus and rescue her sister from an obvious trap?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">So, I loved this book! I think this is quickly becoming one of my favorite series of the year. It's so much fun, and it packs a punch. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This book talks place a few years after the last one ended. I loved that this book was unpredictable. I have become weary of dystopian books because of the almost formulaic setup of most of them. But this series has proven to be unlike the rest. And, I would like to add, that this book didn't suffer from sophomore book syndrome. It was just as engaging and fast paced as the first one. I didn't feel as if this one was filler in the least. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I loved the character development Regina underwent in this book. And I can see that she will continue to grow as a character throughout the series. I love the setup the author has given her for the future books, and hasn't let her growth be set aside for plot and shock value! Kudos to you Mr. Erlick for giving us a well rounded character that doesn't fall flat! :) I also liked the introduction of new characters, and look forward to seeing how they flesh out in the later books. I love when more characters are introduced in addition to the ones we already know and love and not just to replace them. It makes the world and series more full. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I can't wait to get to the next one because the ending of this book was, just WOW! I highly recommend this series! </span></span></span></div>
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BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-88432451284772950332016-06-03T16:07:00.000-07:002016-08-15T19:45:55.685-07:00Regina Shen: Resilience by Lance Erlick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Resilience</div>
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Series: Regina Shen #1</div>
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Author: Lane Erlick</div>
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<a href="https://lanceerlick.com/" target="_blank">Author's Website</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Regina-Shen-Resilience-Lance-Erlick-ebook/dp/B00VDIZ72O?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00VDIZ72O&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&ref_=x_gr_w_glide_bb&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a> (only .99!!!!)</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25182758-regina-shen?from_search=true&search_version=service" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">RATING: 5 STARS!!!!!</span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Abrupt climate change melted ice caps and flooded coasts. Regina Shen is an outcast condemned to live on the seaward side of barrier walls. A hurricane threatens to destroy Regina’s world, tearing her from sister, mom, and home.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">The World Federation’s notorious Department of Antiquities polices barrier walls and suppresses knowledge from the past. Regina thrives on salvage from sunken cities, including illegal print books from before the Federation. With photographic memory, she defies Antiquities by reading books not available in the Federation. Antiquities claims Regina has unique DNA that could single-handedly stop human extinction. It's too bad she doesn't trust them enough to barter fairly, let alone with her life.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">As the storm worsens, Antiquities and their allies doggedly pursue Regina. Does she have the resilience to survive the storm and avoid capture while hunting for family?</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">~ MY THOUGHTS! ~</span></b></div>
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I knew instantly that this was going to be a favorite series of mine. I loved Regina straight from the get go, and the plot was seriously made for me. This covers many buzzwords for me, a few being DNA, environmental collapse, climate change. When I got the email asking for sign ups, I didn't even hesitate, because it had it all. And I am so glad I was chosen! I honestly haven't read a book from this iRead Tours that I haven't liked, so I'm pretty happy about that.</div>
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Regina was such an awesome character. I felt that she portrayed so much that many authors like to hide about characters, the human side. She was a young teenager, living in a tough time, and she rose to the challenge, but at times you could still see that 15 year old shining through. And I loved that aspect. It's nice, and it brings the story to a grounded level, one that as a reader I can connect with. So that small writing of Regina made this story click in so many ways. I just loved it that much more.</div>
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The plot of this book was perfect. It has Regina on the run from a Department of Antiquities officer due to Regina's special DNA. This entire part of the book had me completely enthralled, and I can't wait to find out more. It's a storyline that, personally, I haven't seen done. And done this well. Lance Erlick really knows how to keep the story moving, but at the same time giving the reader enough information that they aren't fumbling along.</div>
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This book takes the much used dystopian trope and gives it a new set of wings. I think Lance Erlick did a fantastic job spinning a unique tale, and once that I can't wait to continue one with. I am so glad I have book two waiting and ready to be started!</div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-16548148002099955662016-05-28T08:46:00.003-07:002016-08-15T19:46:23.555-07:00DC Universe: Rebirth #1 by Geoff Johns (Kinda review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAo1CQoZ-IhaLBsyQ7lvfRLs871WC5phMLnaMC8GRbXJYHd8AHBeNJlDEaGn4GhxaRlgouX27vxFr6A6Kdi2dQ0zMXmmVqROzftrKcSVuTeD5gw-ga3VpNokvMwB_z-KturF6Fdkw9-pK/s1600/29848428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAo1CQoZ-IhaLBsyQ7lvfRLs871WC5phMLnaMC8GRbXJYHd8AHBeNJlDEaGn4GhxaRlgouX27vxFr6A6Kdi2dQ0zMXmmVqROzftrKcSVuTeD5gw-ga3VpNokvMwB_z-KturF6Fdkw9-pK/s400/29848428.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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Title: DC Universe: Rebirth #1</div>
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Author: Geoff Johns</div>
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<b><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-size: large;">RATING: 4 STARS!</span></b></div>
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<i><span id="freeText12558568175635539868" style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">It all begins here. Do not skip to the last page. Do not let a friend or message board ruin this comic for you. The future (and past) of the DC Universe starts here. Don't say we didn't warn you!<br /><br />THEY SAID IT: "Rebirth is about focusing in on the core of the character and their respective universe," says writer and DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns. "It brings back what has been lost: the legacy of the characters, the love and the hope of the DCU!"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-size: x-large;"><b>~ MY THOUGHTS! ~</b></span></div>
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So this is a thing I have been anticipating since I knew it was happening. And that was quite a few months back. And I am a little bit torn. <div>
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Let me start this review off by saying I have never been into the Big Two. Neither DC nor Marvel gave me much to look forward to or anything really that I felt like trying. I was late to the whole comics fan club, so I stuck to the stories I knew I liked. And those were, and still are being published by BOOM! and Image comics, almost exclusively. I do dabble here and there in other publishers works, but for the most part, I like the types of stories that Image and BOOM! studios delivers. I am the audience for those comics, and I've always been okay with that. The whole capes comics never really interested me, from either Marvel or DC. </div>
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That changed, however, when I heard that DC was resetting it's entire Universe. And for me, that seemed like the perfect opportunity to jump on the bandwagon of some pretty iconic superheroes. I thought that it was my chance to see what I've been missing, as I would be on the same ground floor as everybody else.</div>
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So, I waited. And I looked into websites, and blogs, and others opinions of the reset. And I did my research as to what titles were coming out, who was on the team, when they would be released. I have an entire three page outline of release dates for the comics in this reset I wanted to get my hands on (basically ALL of them). I've been counting down the release of the 80 page intro to the new world for over a month now. This has been one of the first events in a long time that I have anticipated this hard. That I have been this excited for. And I'm torn.</div>
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Release day happened this past Wednesday, and of course I had to work. So, I avoided all social media all day. Easy enough, I was supposed to be working... Then I got to the store, and saw the SOLD OUT card where my copy of this glorious start was supposed to be. I literally felt like crying. But I looked again, and saw the last copy of a variant cover (not the one I wanted, but it would due to get me the story). And I grabbed it. I wasn't leaving the store without it.</div>
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When I got home, I sat down and started. Straight out of the gate I was let down, because there at the bottom of page one, there was a little publisher note saying that this story, the reset story, the beginning of the entire world, needed to be read after Justice League 50 and Superman 52. Well, I didn't have either of those comics, because from all the research I had done, this was going to start the entire thing off. So I hadn't expected being behind from the beginning. And that feeling carried throughout the comic. There were references to many characters that I frankly don't know, backstories and alternate worlds were referenced, again that I don't know. And the ending, the big reveal....it was about characters and a story that I DON'T KNOW! </div>
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Even through the confusion, I kept reading. How could I stop? This was the single most anticipated comic for me, well since I had started reading comics. Everything up until this point had always already been released, I didn't have to wonder or wait. The next one was always already there. With this DC Rebirth, I felt like a part of something. And I got left behind out of the gate. But, I finished it. And sat and thought about it. And then looked up spoilers, which I will refrain from mentioning because of, well spoilers. I had already read the comic, I just need clarification. </div>
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I ended up really liking it. For what it was, a start to a new Universe. A reset, if you will. But not completely. I had this change of heart from my initial let down because I felt like I had a fresh perspective. I had no real expectations going into this series, I had no love of a certain character that was being let go or reintroduced. I was, if you will, falling for the Universe and it's inhabitants as the creative teams deemed fit to introduce or get rid of them. I may be a slight bit lost as to plot line direction, or even how the reveal was so shocking, but I still got the story for what it was. </div>
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And I figure, we all have to start somewhere. Comic readers of now weren't reading comics back when all these superheroes were first introduced probably, so they were new at some point. And I am new, and I am glad I get to be on this bandwagon. This story was most definitely a feels read for me. And I liked that there seems to be a level of emotion going on with this direction of these stories. I look forward to reading the first issues of a lot of the characters that we see in this Rebirth issue #1 come June 1. </div>
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I feel as if this wasn't a review of the actual comic story but of my journey to where I am now. But that is okay, I felt it necessary to talk about. And it's almost one in the same as with a review of the comic. </div>
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I was once intimated by the Big Two, and the long list of backstory issues that I had missed, as well as trying to follow along with continuity and the vast perimeters the words of DC and Marvel encompass. But, thanks to DC Rebirth, no more! I am a cape fan, and look forward to the journey this will take me. This was a win in my book. A win for an entire new type of story that I will now be enjoying. </div>
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And PS...DC please make sure I see a TON of Aqualad! He is by far my favorite introduction so far! :)</div>
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BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-62899901964975840552016-05-19T17:20:00.002-07:002016-08-15T19:46:23.583-07:00The Berlin Package by Peter Riva<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HLiEsdx5X2jnV5gu1u0HkyIbWWYxL4dFTqACfWnFmnF733p4ZPUQQlM6FNhPfk7Tl0NQ7JNLr-kaT_laPpGCck8Ii5MXULHSJUrgi7j2smdYMuQphopThJDUx4Jev1Kxc5wsglyKiwyW/s1600/25898398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HLiEsdx5X2jnV5gu1u0HkyIbWWYxL4dFTqACfWnFmnF733p4ZPUQQlM6FNhPfk7Tl0NQ7JNLr-kaT_laPpGCck8Ii5MXULHSJUrgi7j2smdYMuQphopThJDUx4Jev1Kxc5wsglyKiwyW/s400/25898398.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Title: The Berlin Package</div>
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Author: Peter Riva</div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy the book: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.amazon.com/Berlin-Package-Thriller-Peter-Riva/dp/1631580825/ref%3Dsr_1_1?ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1455562246%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dthe%2Bberlin%2Bpackage&source=gmail&ust=1463783573874000&usg=AFQjCNH9j1K5RMNX5lo16eY2JTFupDbiOQ" href="http://www.amazon.com/Berlin-Package-Thriller-Peter-Riva/dp/1631580825/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455562246&sr=8-1&keywords=the+berlin+package" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-berlin-package-peter-riva/1122378317?ean%3D9781631580826&source=gmail&ust=1463783573874000&usg=AFQjCNGiX_cOSz4PWxkXxGrqE5PLaa-nEQ" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-berlin-package-peter-riva/1122378317?ean=9781631580826" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.bookdepository.com/The-Berlin-Package-Peter-Riv/9781631580826&source=gmail&ust=1463783573874000&usg=AFQjCNEyo5OKRKivuf-VZjfaJYV4AQjmbw" href="http://www.bookdepository.com/The-Berlin-Package-Peter-Riv/9781631580826" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Depository</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-berlin-package-a-thriller/9781631580826-item.html?ikwid%3Dthe%2Bberlin%2Bpackage%26ikwsec%3DHome%26ikwidx%3D0&source=gmail&ust=1463783573874000&usg=AFQjCNHOTogZHKnVguA8icuAUZ5PCBXGiw" href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-berlin-package-a-thriller/9781631580826-item.html?ikwid=the+berlin+package&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Chapters / Indigo</a></span></div>
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Rating: 4.5 Stars!<br />
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<i><strong style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">A film producer, a handsome star, and an African safari guide must race to protect themselves and the world from a terrorist nuclear trade.</strong><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Film producer Pero Baltazar thought he was taking a Berlin filming assignment. He needed the work, needed to get back in the saddle after fighting off a life-threatening experience in East Africa—al-Shabaab had attacked his crew, intent on a much larger terrorist attack. Suddenly he finds himself under orders from his part-time employers at the State Department and the CIA when he is handed a mysterious package. It’s an assignment he doesn’t want. The problem is, it’s a job contracted by mysterious patrons who are prepared to kill him if he doesn’t deliver.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Pero—now in far too deep—turns to friends, old and new, to help him unravel the mystery of the package, uncover connections to Nazi concentration camp gold recently sold by the US Treasury, and thwart the ex–Stasi chief, now head of a powerful banking group.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">In this fast-paced sequel to </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Murder on Safari</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">, Pero calls on Mbuno, his friend and East African safari guide, to anticipate the moves of his enemies as if they were animals—dangerous vermin—who have kidnapped both the film star and director. Mbuno’s tracking skills may keep them from getting killed—provided Pero can rope in more help and keep the CIA at bay.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Exhilarating and expertly crafted, </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">The Berlin Package</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> is a gripping, page-turning thriller set in post–German reunification Europe.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>~ MY THOUGHTS! ~</b></span></div>
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So, like all Peter Riva's other books, I loved it! It was a tad slow in the beginning, which is why it didn't get the full 5 stars, but other than that I didn't have any problems.</div>
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This book brings back Pero, and he is in yet another situation that could mean his death. I love that Pero seems to always find himself in some serious predicaments. It makes for a great story. And I love that with this character, the constant dram level issues he is facing is believable. It isn't this goose chase of plot fillers. It seems to honest to goodness be Pero, and his life. This is one of the reasons this series intrigues me so much. I was worried before going into the first one that it would seem forced. And still had my reservations before this one, but it isn't. It just seems like another story in the life of Pero, and I sure hope there are more to come!</div>
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This story is a little different, as it kind of follows Pero and his connections in the State Department, which we got to see in the last book. It takes place in Berlin, and Pero must deliver a package. In this book we see Pero and some of our old friends from the previous books. Mbuno makes his appearance, which pleased me to now end. I loved how the author incorporates the kind of feel of the previous book into this one as well, even though it isn't taking place in East Africa, but in Berlin.</div>
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I enjoyed this book immensely. It was slow, like I had said, but it sure picked up fast. Once it started going, I was unable to put the book down until the end. If you are looking for a quick and immensely action packed read, I suggest you pick up this book. As well as the previous one. They are great, summer blockbuster reads, for sure! </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peter Riva has spent many months over 30 years travelling throughout Africa and Europe. Much of this time was spent with the legendary guides for East African hunters and adventurers. He created a TV series in 1995 called Wild Things for Paramount. Passing on the fables, true tales, and insider knowledge of these last reserves of true wildlife is his passion. Nonetheless, his job for over forty years has been working as a literary agent. In his spare time, Riva writes science fiction and African adventure books. He lives in Gila, New Mexico. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author:</span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.peterriva.com/&source=gmail&ust=1463783573874000&usg=AFQjCNF7TEWW1T-Nd_8kLStoBkEd-5acEw" href="http://www.peterriva.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/peterrivaauthor&source=gmail&ust=1463783573874000&usg=AFQjCNEiNGGDkE2aDU3G9JFMufWRO7hYVA" href="https://twitter.com/peterrivaauthor" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/peter.riva&source=gmail&ust=1463783573874000&usg=AFQjCNGx2UM05tIWqD8CwWL1y3xfLMCv-w" href="https://www.facebook.com/peter.riva" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a></div>
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<br />BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-72033123564032472002016-05-19T16:50:00.000-07:002016-08-15T19:46:23.587-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Soulless</div>
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Series: Parasol Protectorate #1</div>
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Author: Gail Carriger</div>
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RATING: 5 STARS</div>
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<i><strong style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations.</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire--and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">~ MY THOUGHTS! ~</span></div>
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BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-86913747538306098062016-05-12T19:43:00.002-07:002016-08-15T19:46:23.601-07:00Reaching Angelica by Peter Riva<div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Title: Reaching Angelica</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Series: Tag #2</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Author: Peter Riva</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Source: For Review</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy the book:</span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.amazon.com/Reaching-Angelica-Book-2-Tag/dp/1631580698/ref%3Dsr_1_1?ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1455560532%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dreaching%2Bangelica&source=gmail&ust=1462924405131000&usg=AFQjCNGMPh8F_3O4NCW1fP0vrq7e-2_9XQ" href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaching-Angelica-Book-2-Tag/dp/1631580698/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455560532&sr=8-1&keywords=reaching+angelica" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reaching-angelica-peter-riva/1122098934?ean%3D9781631580697&source=gmail&ust=1462924405131000&usg=AFQjCNGs8ThjpDj5fb6gWuW4rRqJoZLxxQ" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reaching-angelica-peter-riva/1122098934?ean=9781631580697" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.bookdepository.com/Reaching-Angelic-Peter-Riv/9781631580697&source=gmail&ust=1462924405131000&usg=AFQjCNGmnJO4JV2QDgKkA9pKuczd9ayISA" href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Reaching-Angelic-Peter-Riv/9781631580697" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Depository</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/reaching-angelica-book-2-in/9781631580697-item.html?ikwid%3Dreaching%2Bangelica%26ikwsec%3DHome%26ikwidx%3D0&source=gmail&ust=1462924405131000&usg=AFQjCNEvph012K7GWopVZBWc8gWy9B66Hw" href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/reaching-angelica-book-2-in/9781631580697-item.html?ikwid=reaching+angelica&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Chapters/Indigo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>RATING: 5 STARS!</u></b></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">In a massive spaceship destined for Alpha Centauri B, with a genesis crew including Zip the telepathic dog, his old friendly nemesis Cramer, and a computer being name Ra (now inhabiting a human form and calling herself Aten), Simon Bank emerges from a hundred-year coma and is hailed as an awakened hero. Stuck with unwanted responsibility, he is forced to try and solve the entire enigma of the universe—a small undertaking—before the spaceship, his friends, and all life on Earth are swatted out of existence by super beings he has accidentally awakened.</span></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Simon’s only hope is to plunge into other dimensions with his mind—into the secrets of the universe’s pan-dimensions—as only he knows how. The fate of all life hangs in the balance as he struggles to prove himself worthy of the Path and the absolute trust his friends place in him. Simon knows all too well that if he fails there is no hope—none at all—for anyone and that includes his best friend, an artificial intelligence computer called Apollo, which he sadly left behind. Besides, Zip would not be pleased, either.</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">For fans of cyberpunk and classic science fiction, Reaching Angelica is the second book in Peter Riva’s Tag series, the comic, thrilling, and continuing saga of Simon Bank—ex–master system computer wrangler and very unlikely savior of the universe.</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>~ MY THOUGHTS ~</b></span></span></div>
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Peter Riva has done it again. I have completely fallen in love with yet another one of his books! I think, after this one, I only have one more of his to read that is out, and I am both excited and saddened by this prospect. Because I have grown to love the characters and stories and worlds this author creates. </div>
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Reaching Angelica is the sequel to The Path, and it again follows Simon, who is just the most unique character that I have been given the opportunity to get to know! And I love the premise of this one, where Simon has just awoken from a coma, one that has lasted a hundred years, and has to save Earth. He is accompanied by Zip, who is a dog...a telepathic dog, Cramer, and Ra/Aten. All of these characters are lovely and just add to the wonderful dynamic that this book creates. Peter Riva is able to blend personalities together to make a group of characters you won't soon forget. </div>
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I greatly enjoyed the concept of using the mind as the tool to save humanity. And won't go into all the details of the hows and stuff, but it just added a layer to the story that made me want to keep going. There is all sorts of added plot points that keep this story on the fast track to amazing. </div>
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The fun doesn't stop there. This book is packed full of twists and turns, and has a serious case of bind bending awesome writing. I couldn't believe how quickly I was able to lose myself into this book and Simon's newest adventure. Because I tend to suffer from Sequel Syndrome, in which I hardly like to touch a sequel with a ten foot pole. I don't know what it is, because it isn't a lack of wanting to know what happened, but more of a worry that the next book won't be as good as the first, and then I am disappointed, and yeah. But I am going to assume, from here on out, that all Peter Riva's books, sequels or first in a series or stand-alones or the directions to his microwave, will be great and a must read. Because after reading this, I now have a better appreciation for the urge to read an author's complete backlist and futures list. </div>
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If you like science type books with killer character development and quirky awesome side characters, great story, and all the awesome you can imagine in one story, then this series is for you. I don't want to go to much into the plot, as it's a sequel, and I hate accidentally reading spoilers in reviews/blurbs of books. But I will say that this book is a must read if cyberpunk books are your thing! Read the first one The Path, and then quickly have this one ready as you will want to read it right away. </div>
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**I did receive this book for review as part of a blog tour. All opinions are my own, and have in no way been altered based on the acquisition of the book**</div>
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I received this book for iRead Tours</div>
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BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-49965846005314054652016-05-12T19:03:00.004-07:002016-08-15T19:46:23.576-07:00Sex Criminals #1 by Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarksy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb43qQ6kd1KfUFDFuYrmtjAK1GUDJazph__TcOkQTvFEs3ni_SmbWoCbIDo9KLJO5CIPNEE9sqK7pl2WT1UctoEYVAi3noTfF4B9MxxBjfhyphenhyphenaUVgPZd9NUdHe-CjJvsySVFJD2kx42YQe/s1600/18711980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb43qQ6kd1KfUFDFuYrmtjAK1GUDJazph__TcOkQTvFEs3ni_SmbWoCbIDo9KLJO5CIPNEE9sqK7pl2WT1UctoEYVAi3noTfF4B9MxxBjfhyphenhyphenaUVgPZd9NUdHe-CjJvsySVFJD2kx42YQe/s400/18711980.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Title: Sex Criminals #1</div>
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Suzie Down in the Quite</div>
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Author: Matt Fraction</div>
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Artist: Chip Zdarsky</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 4 STARS</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">A SEX COMEDY FOR COMICS</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Suzie's a normal girl with an extraordinary ability: when she has sex, she stops time. One night she meets John... who has the same gift. And so they do what any other sex-having, time-stopping, couple would do: they rob banks. In the vein of THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN and BRIDESMAIDS, Image Comics invites you to come along with MATT FRACTION (Hawkeye, SATELLITE SAM) and CHIP ZDARSKY (Prison Funnies, Monster Cops) for the series that puts the "comic" back in “comics” and the "sexy" back in “sex crimes.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">~ MY THOUGHTS! ~</span></b></span></div>
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So, I picked this trade up back when it first was released, and it sat on my shelf with countless other comics, unread. I finally decided that I wanted to get back into comics with the coming DC Rebirth and my subsequent childlike excitement over being at the ground point of a new Universe for characters I had previously written off as unaccessible to me, as an extremely late comics reader. With all that said, I used to buy a LOT of comus, in both single issue and trade, and for whatever reason kind of just stopped reading them. It wasn't that the ones I was reading were bad, I just kind of lost interest. But now I want to read what is on my shelf so I am free and open for all the new stuff that will be coming out next month! :) </div>
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That long introduction out of the way, I really enjoyed the first issue of Sex Criminals. I figured it would be one that I absolutely fell in love with and obsessed over and wanted, no needed, ever single issue EVER. But sadly, it wasn't the best thing in the world. But it was pretty darn close. I went into this with too much expectation. I wanted another Saga, another We Stand on Guard...basically another Brian K. Vaughan. And that is my fault. I tend to get obsessed with writers and then everything I read is compared to the other writer, and it isn't fair to the book/comic at hand.</div>
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This was a fun and definitely very good start to a comic series I will be following. I haven't decided if I am going to only collect the trades, as I have the first one, or if I am going to start picking these up as the are released in single issue. That decision will be determined at a later date, when I have read the 4 remaining issues I have left.</div>
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I thought this issue opened the story out great. It hooked the reader with this insanely unique plot and ran with it. I liked the direction that this story is going with Suzie and Jon. I don't usually see great plot direction in the first issue of a series, as the writer and illustrator have a lot of ground work to cover to introduce the story and blah blah. But Matt Fraction was really able to tell you a story and show you where it might go, and get you to want to follow these characters. </div>
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With all the sex and the explicitness of the series, there is an added layer of depth and realness that I really appreciated. I liked the backstory we are given about Suzie in the first issue, and think that even though this is supped to be a comedy of sorts, Matt and Chip are able to add something more to the series, to give it that extra edge, so to speak.</div>
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Very interesting start, and I will be continuing on. Solid read, and thing the artwork is absolutely stunning and fits the story very well. I love when the art and story just match up perfect! It makes for a more rounded experience with the comic, in my opinion.</div>
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That is all for now, but I highly suggest picking up the trade of this if you have the chance. Interesting and super engaging story...just should have not had We Stand on Guard be the last comic I had read so long ago...might have been 5 stars :D</div>
BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-72050007892767626422016-04-26T19:40:00.001-07:002016-08-15T19:46:23.591-07:00The Cadence of Gypsies by Barbara Casey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW0CZm1cbLujxXBgLr6xJv5HdOWXh2Eqoi4B0djINvfZrKEKGMRMlw0JnHub2nEwRusRKdcen1np81g3TWbcZDAgFiZdmGfLYNEUSfuB7x-EjhF8FDIOdkUZnk5U74wciRvax3j_6jnkF/s1600/9309485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW0CZm1cbLujxXBgLr6xJv5HdOWXh2Eqoi4B0djINvfZrKEKGMRMlw0JnHub2nEwRusRKdcen1np81g3TWbcZDAgFiZdmGfLYNEUSfuB7x-EjhF8FDIOdkUZnk5U74wciRvax3j_6jnkF/s400/9309485.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
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Title: The Cadence of Gypsies</div>
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Author: Barbara Casey</div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy the Book:</span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.amazon.com/The-Cadence-Gypsies-Barbara-Casey/dp/0982081286&source=gmail&ust=1461514915486000&usg=AFQjCNFNm1FlHAR1G2a-4JqM7mdlgHdLpw" href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Cadence-Gypsies-Barbara-Casey/dp/0982081286" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cadence-of-gypsies-barbara-casey/1023490053?ean%3D2940151552363&source=gmail&ust=1461514915487000&usg=AFQjCNEn3LNwFlEYoJLqSIa0YEw09UGByw" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cadence-of-gypsies-barbara-casey/1023490053?ean=2940151552363" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">MY RATING: 4 STARS</span></b></div>
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I was given my copy in exchange for an honest review</div>
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<i><span id="freeText10124327790020877147" style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">On her 18th birthday Carolina Lovel learned that she was adopted and was given a letter written by her birth mother in an unknown language. After years of research she travels to Italy on a mission to find the truth about her past. Carolina is accompanied by three extremely gifted but mischievous students the FIGs from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. In an effort to help their favorite teacher, the FIGs will have to use their special abilities to decipher the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, and the one thing that is strangely similar to what Carolina was given. Their search will take them into the mystical world of gypsy tradition and magic, more exciting and dangerous than any of them could have imagined.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>~ MY THOUGHTS! ~</b></span></span></div>
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I wasn't originally going to sign up for this book tour. Why? Because I din't know at the time if I would have the time to commit to this book, and the cover, honestly, didn't appeal to me. So I had opened it, scanned the email talking about the tour and had exited out of my email for the night. Then, in the morning, I had decided to take a look at the email again, before deleting it. And got to thinking, gypsies. This book is about gypsies. Which is something I had never read about, or seen much of in the terms of TV and movies. I am reminded of a character in a show I had watched a few years back, the name is escaping me, as it's fairly late. But there was a gypsy like character in that TV show...it had werewolves in it....</div>
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But needless to say, I decided to sign up and give it a go. And I'm glad I did. This book was such a great introduction into the world of gypsies. And I had a blast reading it. </div>
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It follows Caroline, and her "research" project. And there are also a group of girls, who are named the FIGs (Females of Intellectual Genius). These group of girls aid there teacher, Caroline, in her continued endeavor to decipher a manuscript. And this is about where the story starts.</div>
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I loved it. At first, I was a little confused, but that was promptly remedied as the story progressed. I loved the friendship in this book. I don't see a lot of female friendships in books, mainly because it seems the ones I read don't have them in it. I don't go searching for them in books, but it's nice to see when they do crop up. And in this book it was a great asset to the overall story and book. </div>
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I loved that the author gave you a kind of bread trail to follow as you were reading. It wasn't a huge information dump in the beginning and the end, with little going on in the middle. That wasn't the case at all. It was evenly paced, and I flew through it. I had started it kind of late due to work obligations, and was worried I wouldn't get it finished before I had to sleep, or that I would be up super late. But I got home, and sat down after dinner, and finished the rest of the book in now time. </div>
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This was such a fun story. I recommend it to those who enjoy gypsy stories (obviously) but also witches. As it states very early on in the book, the two were basically the same thing. So I think this book will appeal to those who have a witch obsession (I know I do...that might be why I liked this book so much). Basically, it comes down to: give this book a shot. I have to admit, the cover might not grab your attention, but it's one of those what's inside is the most important part! I, like the majority of readers, find myself drawn to certain covers and not to others. This was the perfect lesson in why that is a bad practice. Or, at least, I need to do more research into synopsis of certain books to find out if they are hidden gems, like this one! :)</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Author's Bio:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency, established in 1995, representing authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In 2014 Barbara became a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in true crime and other cutting-edge adult nonfiction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix, Fitz, a miniature dachshund, and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author: </span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barbaracaseyagency.com/&source=gmail&ust=1461514915487000&usg=AFQjCNHJKXi_fCpzq2Dtl8atLB8OsXWgPw" href="http://www.barbaracaseyagency.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Website</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Win 1 of 5 print / 1 of 5 ebooks of The Cadence of Gypsies (international)</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One winner will also receive a $25 Amazon gift card</span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><b>~ GUEST POST~</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>THE VILLA MONDRAGONE: A BEAUTIFUL SETTING IN </b></u></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><u><b>THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES </b></u></i></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>by Barbara Casey</b></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Dara Roux</b></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;">, abandoned when she was 7 years old by her mother. Exceptionally gifted in foreign languages. Orphan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Mackenzie Yarborough</b></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;">, no record of her parents or where she was born. Exceptionally gifted in math and problem-solving. Orphan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Jennifer Torres</b></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;">, both parents killed in an automobile accident when she was 16. Exceptionally gifted in music and art. Orphan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;">Three high-spirited 17 year olds with intelligent quotients in the genius range, accompany their teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, to Frascati, Italy, a few weeks before they are to graduate from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. Carolina's purpose in planning the trip is to remove her gifted, creative students from the Wood Rose campus located in Raleigh, North Carolina, so they can't cause any more problems ("expressions of creativity") for the headmaster, faculty, and other students—which they do with regularity. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carolina also wants to visit the Villa Mondragone where the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, was first discovered and attempt to find out how it is connected to a paper written in the same script she received on her 18th birthday when she was told that she was adopted.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the background for </span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Cadence of Gypsies.</i></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Constructed in 1573, the </span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Villa Mondragone</span></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> still stands today on a hill 416m above sea-level, in an area called, from its many castles and villas, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelli_Romani&source=gmail&ust=1461514915427000&usg=AFQjCNGKiUmlU4E4M8Sc2vTl9-2xNYrx1w" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelli_Romani" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Castelli Romani</a> about 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Rome, near the ancient town of <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tusculum&source=gmail&ust=1461514915427000&usg=AFQjCNHe0AxjQgQDpk1qKt0CNuP4CXUoJQ" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tusculum" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Tusculum</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 1912 <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfrid_Michael_Voynich&source=gmail&ust=1461514915427000&usg=AFQjCNELy-sbis3Q2CaH9CITraPHikyJhg" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfrid_Michael_Voynich" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Wilfrid Michael Voynich</a> purchased 30 manuscripts from the Jesuits at the Villa Mondragone, one of which was later to be known as the Voynich manuscript, a work that dates to the early 15th century, and is considered the “most mysterious manuscript in the world.”</span></span></span></div>
<br />BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-24466894817538977972016-04-24T20:55:00.000-07:002016-08-15T19:46:23.559-07:00Murder on Safari by Peter Riva<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Murder on Safari</div>
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Author: Peter Riva</div>
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I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review</div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>Rating: 4.5 Stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy the book (really, I'm doing you a favor by putting these links so easily accessible :) </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Safari-Thriller-Peter-Riva/dp/1631580418/ref%3Dsr_1_1?ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1437506030%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dmurder%2Bon%2Bsafari%26pebp%3D1437506032820%26perid%3D0NBM70298Z7S0D6ZCDBC&source=gmail&ust=1461514915681000&usg=AFQjCNGRUYULVDp_7tMHok71kxJ_I-DvVw" href="http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Safari-Thriller-Peter-Riva/dp/1631580418/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437506030&sr=8-1&keywords=murder+on+safari&pebp=1437506032820&perid=0NBM70298Z7S0D6ZCDBC" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-on-safari-peter-riva/1120009751?ean%3D9781631580413&source=gmail&ust=1461514915681000&usg=AFQjCNEvPZXAylI17VGdgRBUxqKqvEt0UA" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-on-safari-peter-riva/1120009751?ean=9781631580413" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/murder-on-safari-a-thriller/9781631580413-item.html?ikwid%3Dpeter%2Briva%26ikwsec%3DHome%26ikwidx%3D2&source=gmail&ust=1461514915681000&usg=AFQjCNELb_x7bDOqs2vDEnlMBOsw4LHuxQ" href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/murder-on-safari-a-thriller/9781631580413-item.html?ikwid=peter+riva&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=2" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Chapters/Indigo</a></span></div>
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<i><strong style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Only a reality TV producer and an expert safari guide can stop a terrorist attack.</strong><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Every adventure starts at the fringes of civilization. For expert safari guide Mbuno and wildlife television producer Pero Baltazar, filming in the wild of East Africa should have been a return to the adventure they always loved. This time they’d be filming soaring vultures in northern Kenya and giant sea crocodiles in Tanzania with Mary, the daughter of the world’s top television evangelist, the very reverend Jimmy Threte.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">But when a terrorist cell places them in the crosshairs, there is suddenly no escape and they must put their filming aside and combine all their talents to thwart an all-out al-Shabaab terrorist attack on Jimmy Threte’s Christian gathering of hundreds of thousands in Nairobi, Kenya.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">The problem is, Pero has a secret—he's been working as a clandestine courier for the US State Department for years. If anyone finds out, it may get them all killed. Exciting and expertly plotted, </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Murder on Safari</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller set in the great wide-open plains of East Africa.</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">~ MY THOUGHTS! ~</span></b></span></div>
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Have you ever had an author that you knew you would enjoy every book they ever wrote, no matter how different each book was from the other? I have found that author. Because I absolutely loved Murder on Safari, which is completely different than the previous book that I had read by this author, The Path. It doesn't pertain to this particular book, but I do suggest reading that one as well. It was such a great book, and completely took me by surprise at how much I was completely enamored by that book! </div>
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But we are here for Murder on Safari, so without further ado, here are my thoughts.</div>
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This book started off at full speed. I have been known to read a book or two that kind of just jumped into the "deep end" so to speak, and wasn't able to pull it off. But Mr. Peter Riva was able to do so masterfully. I was worried that with the action happening so early on, I wouldn't be connected to the characters that it was happening to. But I was wrong. It was like an instant switch was flipped when I started reading this book with the characters. I loved them all, and thought they were all well written and well-rounded characters. Even the ones that didn't get much playing time in the book, I still could remember them and distinctly point them out in my head as I was reading the book. </div>
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With that said, I had a particular attachment to Mbuno. I don't know why, and am not particularly sure if Riva wrote him that way on purpose or if it's just me. I thought he was an interesting character to get to know, as well as watch things unfold around. He was meant to be a main character, that is for sure. But I am certain most people will connect with Pero more, but not me. And I am excited to know that there is another story containing Mbuno, so I will be picking that up very, very soon. I didn't read much of what it was about, because quite frankly Peter Riva is now an auto-need all his books author. But I do think it has to do with some story that is kind of eluded to in this book, so I am looking forward to learning more about that, hopefully. But whatever it is about, I'm sure it will be great, because it has my favorite safari guide in it!</div>
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The action in this book was spot on. I am not one to usually be driven by a lot of action, as I can read slower books and still enjoy them equally as much. But I have to admit, that I was forced to sit up a little straighter while reading bits of this book. I guess the phrase "at the edge of your seat" would pertain quite accurately to this book. I felt that it was paced just right to keep you needing to read more. It started off almost immediately with one Pero's crew me members being murdered, and that isn't really a spoiler as it's on the back of the book. This kind of explains my earlier statement of how it kind of just jumps into the plot straight off, because this happens day one of the filming. And once that happens, it's kind of all downhill from there, with a lot of stuff happening all over the place. </div>
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I will briefly touch on the setting of this book, as many people before me have better written about it. I loved that this book took place in areas of Africa that I have never read about. And Peter Riva was able to capture the setting of each new place just so that I was able to picture them perfectly in my mind, with little to no knowledge of most of the places. The setting came to life, and that is hard to do for a reader that hasn't experienced any of those places much, even in school. </div>
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All in all, this book was great. I feel that if you are a reader of thrillers, you will get great enjoyment out of this book, with added bonuses all throughout with the descriptions of the animals and places, and the added filming aspect (which I thought was a great bonus to this plot of this story, and extremely interesting to read about...even though I am just now touching on it). And if you aren't a reader of thrillers, but just like really well written books with awesome characters and a drivable plot line...this is also the book for you. So glad I was able to be a part of this tour, as I had received an email about the sequel and wanted to join, but hadn't read this one yet. So, thank you Mr. Riva for sending me this book and the sequel for review, I look forward to picking up your next book and all the future ones you write! </div>
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Signed,</div>
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A lifelong reader! :)</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peter Riva has spent many months over 30 years travelling throughout Africa and Europe. Much of this time was spent with the legendary guides for East African hunters and adventurers. He created a TV series in 1995 called Wild Things for Paramount. Passing on the fables, true tales, and insider knowledge of these last reserves of true wildlife is his passion. Nonetheless, his job for over forty years has been working as a literary agent. In his spare time, Riva writes science fiction and African adventure books. He lives in Gila, New Mexico. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with the author:</span><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.peterriva.com/&source=gmail&ust=1461514915681000&usg=AFQjCNEZ3xWrp6jK0S82y_S0YGlOO2kxqA" href="http://www.peterriva.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/peterrivaauthor&source=gmail&ust=1461514915681000&usg=AFQjCNFBij-95QuTsPuN4-QPNIarmU8tXA" href="https://twitter.com/peterrivaauthor" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #515151; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/peter.riva&source=gmail&ust=1461514915681000&usg=AFQjCNEUFwt2SaBaEqDBX2CWtBJ-zACQmw" href="https://www.facebook.com/peter.riva" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Win 1 of 5 sets of print copies of Murder on Safari and The Berlin Package and </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 of 2 $25 Amazon gift cards (open internationally)</span></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="defcd44e182" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/defcd44e182/" id="rcwidget_ppviogfr" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-49221287169121972242016-04-11T16:39:00.000-07:002016-08-15T19:46:23.573-07:00Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbBiBiG5i70GD7EhgKnTwzk39a40ojMfRpD3XSadKAoJXrlPYMGPek-7I3AUEIPjkK8qTnfKC53lk7aZZtBwI1n4hJDyW1itmqjgUzzaLruy7uzBjpweonziBlk3_yyRNkP9n6yAZ6kgm/s1600/84981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbBiBiG5i70GD7EhgKnTwzk39a40ojMfRpD3XSadKAoJXrlPYMGPek-7I3AUEIPjkK8qTnfKC53lk7aZZtBwI1n4hJDyW1itmqjgUzzaLruy7uzBjpweonziBlk3_yyRNkP9n6yAZ6kgm/s400/84981.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Title: Tuck Everlasting</div>
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Author: Natalie Babbitt</div>
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Genre: Children's Fantasy</div>
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Source: Bought....a long time ago (19+ years)</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">RATING: 5 STARS</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Doomed to - or blessed with - eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less a blessing that it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">~~MY THOUGHTS~~</span></b></span></div>
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I hadn't read this book, or even thought about it much, since probably middle school. I picked it up to fulfill the "read a book that has been on your TBR for over a year" challenge in the #TBRTakedown 3.5 readathon that I participated in this past weekend. It has been sitting on my shelf for almost 19 years, ever since I read it in school and then picked it up at one of those scholastic book fairs. So, even though I had read this book, it wasn't this particular copy, and I figured it was time to revisit this childhood classic.<br />
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I always worry about revisiting old favorites. Especially children's books as an adult. But I needed worry on either account with this book. It help up to both just a re-read (I worry that I will predict each thing as it happens and take away from the enjoyment level of the read) and as an adult reading a children's book (it completely help my attention and had me captivated just as it did all those years ago).<br />
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I loved the messages throughout this book. It blew me away at how thoughtful and beautiful and poignant the author was in what she wanted to say with this story. And even as an adult, I was able to get so much out of this read that I wasn't expecting. It made me think a lot, and that always makes me happy when books are able to do that, but especially children's books. Because even though they might not get the same depth out of the book/message, they are going to get something the author is trying to portray, and that is a wonderful thing.<br />
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I was a little shocked by some of the scenes in this book, as it is intended for a younger audience. But at the same time really liked that the author didn't shy away from certain aspects of human nature when faced with immortality just because it was for younger readers. That makes the book even more of a hard hitter, and that much more important. Even though I was surprised by these moments, I wouldn't have wanted them told any other way, because they mean something in the story, and the characters development depend on them.<br />
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Winifred and the Tucks were such amazing characters. They jumped out of the page, in such a short amount of time I grew to be attached to them and their story so much. I wanted so much more story than we got, just based on the kind of cut scene at the end, but then again it was short because of the audience intended, so it made a lot of sense to do it the way the author did. I kind of felt that the development was a little uneven as far as the Tucks went. It seemed almost like an old '90s band cover. Jesse Tuck being the close-up and the other Tucks kind of faded in the background. I would say that the father might have been almost even with Jesse, but other than that we got little attachment to Miles, in my opinion. And that little bit kind of bothered me a bit as an adult reading it.<br />
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Overall, I was pleased with this read. It really got me thinking about how much more adults can get out of reading children's books. I don't know if my experience would have been different if I hadn't already had a connection with the story, and was already familiar with it, but I do recommend this for anyone. It packs a punch, that is for sure. And it is such a fun read overall.BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-27460232842199548382016-03-08T05:15:00.000-08:002016-08-15T19:46:23.563-07:00Kira by Ross Harrison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: Kira</div>
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Author: Ross Harrison</div>
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<a href="http://ross-harrison.com/" target="_blank">Author Website</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009JVSDN2/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B009JVSDN2&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> (it's ONLY $1.70!!)</div>
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Series: Kira #1</div>
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Genre: Steampunk</div>
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Source: Got for review back when it first came out...will purchase in physical form if/when the novellas get put together...hint hint :D</div>
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<b style="color: magenta;">5 STARS :)</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Kira's town has so far survived the destruction wrought by the Government on so many others. But for how much longer? In the middle of a blistering desert, her people are out of fuel, out of clean water, and out of options. The Government will destroy them sooner or later, and they won't survive relocation. Their only chance is to attack first. But Kira knows that's no chance at all.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>~MY THOUGHTS~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">So this was a re-read for me. I had originally read it a few years back, when it was first published. I remembered loving the novella, but when I was trying to explain to a friend why they needed to buy it because I thought they would really enjoy it, I was overcome with the sudden urge to need to rediscover it for myself. So that's what I did. And it sure brought back all the original feels! :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">This story is such a fast-paced romp to read. I mean it is a novella, so it's page count is short (much to my sadness when I reached the final page and thought it had been longer in my memory), but I believe that even if it were a full length novel (which I would stand in line for) it would be a quick read. The pacing of the story just lends itself to needing to get to the next page as quickly as possible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The story centers around Kira and her scouting for her town, known as a Wasteland. It is one of the few towns that have refused to join the Government, and won't pay the price for all the technology seen in New Haven. It starts with her scouting in New Haven for a reason that is revealed kind of early on, but I would rather you just read it find out the particulars of they whys and stuff...since it is only 40 pages, and anything can be considered a spoiler at that length.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">But the action in this book literally starts with the first line. And it keeps going. Also, there is just so much happening in the span of this novella, that I was felt as if I was reading the development of a full length novel. So kudos for that Ross Harrison! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The characters all seemed to come alive. Especially Kira. She was just such a fun character to read about. She had a distinct personality that I really enjoyed! But Ross didn't just flesh her out, he gave other characters depth and in a short novella that is hard to do. And it worked well. It made me want to know more about the Elders, and Michael, and Flip, and all the townspeople that we weren't introduced to. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The ending leaves me wanting more...and I know there is a sequel already out, so I will promptly be picking that up. But I can tell that the world of New Haven and this oppressive Government, and Kira, is one that I will want to keep visiting over and over again, to check up on the characters I'm attached to, to see what twists there are in store (because holy hell in 40 pages I didn't see that coming), and just to learn more about this world that Ross Harrison has created. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">So, after all that, I recommend picking this up. It's fast, and it will not disappoint. I think this was the most fun I had had reading it quite some time! :) </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><b>5 STARS!!!!</b></span></span></div>
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BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297675176917120169.post-59538352493408126652016-02-21T18:49:00.001-08:002016-08-15T19:46:23.579-07:00Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqnWegGLDM9xPDwT7Fkl2IYAkgIfpRPrFiwO1-9c-2rv5hLadYP0LuaLvjawyYwXCnvU45YmeVGZ8Sd7_G45lXJpBvQgFcmJitulKUm6mDkmRM18qI3tfPmbiLLX1JREsgJ-06nqObQJZ/s1600/17571742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqnWegGLDM9xPDwT7Fkl2IYAkgIfpRPrFiwO1-9c-2rv5hLadYP0LuaLvjawyYwXCnvU45YmeVGZ8Sd7_G45lXJpBvQgFcmJitulKUm6mDkmRM18qI3tfPmbiLLX1JREsgJ-06nqObQJZ/s400/17571742.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
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Title: Ten Tiny Breaths</div>
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Author: K.A. Tucker</div>
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Series: Ten Tiny Breaths #1</div>
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Genre: New Adult</div>
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Source: Bought...recommend you doing the same :)</div>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b>5 STARS :)</b></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">~MY THOUGHTS~</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">So, I read this book because it was February, and February you read romance books that completely put you on a roller coaster of emotions and leave you empty inside when you finish because you realized the book is over, right? I thought so, so it has been a successful February for me in that regards.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">I can't remember when I picked this book up. It hasn't bee that long ago, because I got it on bargain at Books-a-Million because it was on bargain...enough said. I didn't know anything about it, except I recognized the title from blogs and BookTube, etc, it was cheap, so purchase was made. It then sat on my shelf for a little while, and then I picked it up because why not? I honestly expected so little from this book because I have been in a pretty rotten reading slump, but uh, I can whole heartedly admit that I was wrong! </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">This book was so much more than the synopsis gives it credit for. It took me on this roller coaster of a ride and when I flipped to the last page, I was just left staring at the book. I haven't felt so many emotions while reading a book in a while, and such a broad spectrum too. I started loving the book, then I hated it so much that for a few days I read little, to absolutely loving this book again (what gave me away...the 5 stars?). </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">But for real, I can't give away any of the plot because it is best read without knowing anything. Just go into this book knowing you are in for a ride. I will say that the romance might not be for everyone, and it's one of those things that my reading experience is what caused me to love it so much. But I did indeed love it. And I will be checking out the companion novels that follow other characters that we met in this first one. I hope that Kacey and Trent are in the next one and all of them, but if not I will be happy seeing other characters that I am getting to know and love...</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">The one disappointment I have is how Storm's relationship wasn't a complete book on it's own. It could have continued and developed a great deal more in it's own book, and I would have been perfectly happy with that...why didn't she get her own book?? Also, could we not let Nate have a love interest? Okay so those are my only two disappointments, and really the author could read this and rectify both! </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">On a serious note, this book was great! It delivered on all fronts: romance, edge of your seat tension, friendships, family. It was just a beautiful, heart wrenching, wonderful book. So glad I gave this book a chance this month!</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">5 STARS!!!!!!</span></div>
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BookishlyDevotedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05257806649145293796noreply@blogger.com0