Book Blast: Primordial Dust by Sarah Daltry

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the book blast for Primordial Dust! :)

This book sounds so epic (the title, the cover, everything!), and I can't wait to read it! :D

Synopsis:

A princess, trained to behave. An assassin, betrothed to her. A thief, whose eyes she dreams of at night. A kingdom at war, torn apart by the suppression of magic and truth, as well as family secrets that threaten to destroy decades of peace.
Questions of loyalty, of morality, and of free will culminate in a fantasy novel about forging one’s own path and choosing one’s own destiny.

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Primordial-Dust-Sarah-Daltry/dp/1500294349/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=jamesval-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=3QAQUDGR4ASWDQ6V&creativeASIN=1500294349
B&N: http://click.linksynergy.com/link?id=OSM9yXwjjU4&offerid=239662.9781498998468&type=2&murl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.barnesandnoble.com%2FPrimordial-Dust%2FSarah-Daltry%2Fe%2F9781498998468
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/441741

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id882388686

KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/primordial-dust

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-primordialdust-1522644-153.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She’s written works in various genres – romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn’t as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she’s been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships – romantic, familial, friendly – because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn’t matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future – human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah’s stories.

Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.

When Sarah isn’t writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.

TWITTER: @SarahDaltry
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahDaltry
WEBSITE: http://sarahdaltry.com/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7012679.Sarah_Daltry

GIVEAWAY

Giveaway is open Internationally | Must be 13+ to Enter

3 Winners will receive an E-Copy of Primordial Dust by Sarah Daltry.
1 Winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and Swag pack by Sarah Daltry.
1 Winner will receive a Swag Pack by Sarah Daltry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and Book Nerd Tours for allowing me to participate in this book blast! :)* 

Unhinged

Author: A.G. Howard 

Release Date: January 7th, 2014

Publisher: Amulet

Genre(s): YA Fantasy

Pages: 400

*2nd book of a series*

~SPOILER FREE~

Summary(Goodreads): 

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

Review:

I’m overwhelmed by my feels for this book, so I’ve decided to just start with the most basic thing: the cover.  GORGEOUS.  Oh my goodness, how is it possible that Morpheus looks EXACTLY like how I’d picture him?? *swoon*

I love this book (obviously ;)). With my state of mind right now, this review will most likely turn into gushing more than an actual review, but bear with me. ;) 

So, the first thing first: the romance. SQUEEEEEE! Team Morpheus FOREVER. Morpheus just killed it (figuratively speaking xD) in the book.  The incredible amount of depth I saw from him here was amazing (double positives?).  Of course, there is some bias on my part since I’ve been Team Morpheus since the beginning, but needless to say, the cover fits perfectly for this book.  He’s the embodiment of Wonderland, the logic behind the illogical, and throughout the book, we see this time and time again.  I will admit he’s not perfect; he is a liar and manipulator, BUT it’s his actions (which are really sweet) that show his true intentions and feelings (the logic behind the illogical).

This book focused more on Alyssa’s life, which I thought was very curious ;).  In the first book, it was action, action, action.  Here, for roughly the first half of the book, we take a step back from the action and take a deeper look at Alyssa’s (oops almost typed Alice ahaha) life after Wonderland and the effects it had on her.  It also explores her personality more in depth; I found it curious (not in a bad way AT ALL) because it made the book seem almost like a companion or side novel rather than a direct sequel.  The action parts don’t really happen until the second half of the book.  I really liked that; not because I don’t like the action (Oh, I do), but I also do like being able to connect with the characters and emphasize with them.  Alyssa is a reluctant heroine.  Her time in Wonderland’s mad world has affected her severely (how could it not?), and I loved how the first half of the book explored that.  She’s by no means perfect; she goes back and forth  between choosing her human life (what she wants) and her Wonderland life (which is the right thing) a LOT in the first half of the book.  I don’t usually like to do this, but I’m going to do this anyways (>.<): the Forever Song (which I read literally right after I read Unhinged- so the comparison is sort of natural) was kind of like this too in the beginning, where the main characters were stalling and going back and forth and not much action happening.  The difference is that while the first half of Unhinged is a bit slow-and seems a little like filler- it focuses on the character dynamics and developing the characters. It’s not just “stuff,” for the lack of the better word.  So by the time we get to the action in the second half of the book (and btw the action parts are awesome too!), I’m even more enamored with all these characters. However, I will admit that at a certain point, I was a little worried that the romance would consume the book and would bury the plot; but, as the book went on, the romance sort of BECOMES a part of the plot.  (SQUEAL!!!)

Then there’s Jeb.  He took like 20 steps backward in the book.  I’m sorry, and I know he’s not purposely being a jerk, but this book was really Morpheus’s. I do hope Alyssa ends up with Morpheus. (PLEASE OMG THAT SCENE-not gonna say!- WAS JUST TOO CUTE) It’s frustrating because he’s doing everything for them to be together, and yet that very thing is pulling them apart.   Don’t get me wrong, he’s still her knight in armor- but that armor ain’t shining much right now.  

THAT DEVELOPMENT WITH HER PARENTS. (IT’S SO HARD TO FANGIRL WITHOUT GIVING AWAY SPOILERS GRRRR) OMG OMG OMG OMG!! IT JUST BLEW MY MIND YA KNOW? At the same time, I did have this nagging feeling that there was a lot more to her mom than what met the eye, but HER DAD. HOW MUCH DO I LOVE THAT HER WHOLE FAMILY IS IN SOMEWAY OR ANOTHER RELATED TO WONDERLAND???

Final thoughts?  WHY 2015??!?!?!?!??  THAT'S LIKE A WHOLE 6 MONTHS OF WAITING!!! WHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! D:

Rating: 4 out of 5

Happy readings!:)    

The Rose Master Blog Tour: Guest Post by Valentina Cano

Hi everyone! 

I'm super excited to introduce Ms. Valentina Cano, who wrote an awesome guest post on historical fiction! :) Check it out below! 

Historical Fiction: How Does One Start?

by Valentina Cano

It’s all in the details. This is the one very important thing I learned while writing The Rose Master. Yes, we know people in Victorian England drove around in coaches and carriages, but what kind? Did they have two horses or four?

These were the types of questions I asked myself as I wrote the novel. As someone who has loved England’s Victorian period, I knew that I wanted it as my setting for The Rose Master. I knew the basics, like an outline in chalk, but I needed to fill in all the details that make historical novels so wonderful to read. You want to be immersed in this other era, to wholly place yourself in these drawing rooms and foyers, so the author has the large task of bringing these rooms to glittering life.

In The Rose Master, since the protagonist is a parlor maid, a lot of my research went to maids’ everyday lives. I researched how early they got up, when they had their breakfast, how they treated their masters and mistresses and how they treated one another. There was so much to learn about the way they cleaned silver and wooden floors. Even how they made toast, because it’s not as if they had toasters laying around. All of these elements were vital to bringing the Victorian lifestyle to the page.

I started by gathering everything I knew from all the previous Victorian novels I’d read, especially those that had maids or governesses as protagonists. Then I moved on to actual research, buying books on Victorian cleaning methods and other esoteric topics. If someone had looked at my shopping cart in Ebay, they would have been very confused.

It was a fascinating few weeks of reading. Although it was time-consuming and I was itching to get started on the novel, I knew that the more research I did, the more prepared I would be to write.

A historical novel depends on all of the details that make days complex. Just think of the countless little things we do every day, and then try to imagine how they would be done two centuries ago. This is the kind of work that a historical novel needs, but it is also what makes it such a rewarding adventure to write and to read. 

*************

Thank you so much to Ms. Cano for stopping by! :) 

Bio:

Valentina Cano is a student of classical singing who spends whatever free time she has either reading or writing. She also watches over a veritable army of pets, including her five, very spoiled, snakes. Her works have appeared in numerous publications and her poetry has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Web. She lives in Miami, Florida.

Website – Twitter – Facebook - Goodreads

*Thank you so much to the author and Reuts Publications for allowing me to participate in this blog tour! :) *

Release day! The Rose Master: Giveaway

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be participating in this release day blitz! This book sounds so good, and I can't wait to read it!:D

Blurb:

The day Anne Tinning turns seventeen, birds fall from the sky. But that's hardly the most upsetting news. She's being dismissed from the home she's served at since she was a child, and shipped off to become the newly hired parlor maid for a place she's never heard of. And when she sees the run-down, isolated house, she instantly knows why:

There's something wrong with Rosewood Manor.

Staffed with only three other servants, all gripped by icy silence and inexplicable bruises, and inhabited by a young master who is as cold as the place itself, the house is shrouded in neglect and thick with fear. Her questions are met with hushed whispers, and she soon finds herself alone in the empty halls, left to tidy and clean rooms no one visits.

As the feeling of being watched grows, she begins to realize there is something else in the house with them--some creature that stalks the frozen halls and claws at her door. A creature that seems intent on harming her.

When a fire leaves Anne trapped in the manor with its Master, she finally demands to know why. But as she forces the truth about what haunts the grounds from Lord Grey, she learns secrets she isn't prepared for. The creature is very real, and she's the only one who can help him stop it.

Now, Anne must either risk her life for the young man she's grown to admire, or abandon her post while she still can.

REUTS - Goodreads

Bio:

Valentina Cano is a student of classical singing who spends whatever free time she has either reading or writing. She also watches over a veritable army of pets, including her five, very spoiled, snakes. Her works have appeared in numerous publications and her poetry has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Web. She lives in Miami, Florida.

Website – Twitter – Facebook - Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Characteristic Wk 2

This meme is hosted by the awesome reviewers over at Sugar and Snark!
:)

This week's cover characteristic is Children's books!

  

 

:)

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

 Author: Jenny Han

Release Date: April 15th, 2014

Publisher:    Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genre(s): YA Contemporary 

Pages: 288
*1st book of a series*

~SPOILER FREE~

Summary (Goodreads): 

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

Review:

It was so sweet! To be honest, I wasn’t really a big fan of Jenny Han.  The Summer I Turned Pretty wasn’t that great, and even though it had its good moments, the obsession Belly had with the boys was weird and a bit creepy.  However, this book was totally different.  I’m usually a very picky person when it comes to books.  (I’m picky because I care! :) ) I can’t deny that this one doesn’t have flaws, but overall, it was a sweet, feel-good book with honest emotions.    

There were a couple directions the book could have taken, and I’m glad it chose this particular road.  The title/synopsis was a bit misleading because this book wasn’t really about those letters; rather, those letters were an important catalyst to the story.  The book explored mainly Lara Jean’s fake relationship with Pete, one of the guys who got her letter.  She and Peter already have some history, which complicates things.  Throw in Josh, who also got a letter, was her major crush, AND was her sister’s old boyfriend (who her sister hasn’t quite gotten over yet), and complication is an understatement.  ;)

What I loved most about this book was that it was about relationships.  Whether its family, friends , or boyfriends, the heart of this book was about relationships. My favorite relationship was Lara Jean with her sisters.   It was sweet, and it reminded me so much of my own relationship with my brother.  We fight, we argue, and we know how to hit each other in the worst ways.  BUT that doesn’t change the fact that we’re siblings, family, and at the end of the day, we’re always there for each other and always have each other’s backs.  That’s what family is, and I loved that strong bond between all of them.  :)

My next favorite was Lara Jean’s relationship with Peter.  It was so cute!  They have such a sweet chemistry, and I really loved how Peter wrote all those notes for her. He may tease her relentlessly (he’s like a grade schooler who pulls the piggy-tails of the girl he has a crush on ;) ), but it was obvious he really liked her.  What I loved about this relationship was how it was slowly built up.  They went on dates (they were fake, but still!), they talked, and they just hung out with each other.  Even though it didn’t start out that way in the beginning (in fact, because they weren’t a real couple, I felt this fact actually helped them grow closer together in a different, but deeper way), they began to enjoy each other’s company.  I love nothing more than to see two bickering people coming together, sort of forced by the circumstances, and then falling in love with each other.  ;)

Third on the list is Lara Jean’s relationship with Josh. I didn’t think this was the best relationship. It was sweet, but Josh didn’t really show up much in the book (save for the beginning).  I mean he was there, but more of just lurking in the mind of Lara Jean.  They didn’t really have a solid chemistry, not like Lara Jean and Peter, but more so an implied chemistry? Like, Peter and Lara Jean had some history behind them, but we still get to see them build up their relationship as the book goes on.  However, with Josh, it was sort of like since they’ve known each other forever, they were supposed to be close.  It was a little bit like insta-relationship, where we’re just supposed to go along with the fact that they’re close. There was also the beginning of a love triangle, which I had hoped would be squashed, but I fear this will be dragged into the second book (more on that later).

Last on the list is Lara Jean’s relationship with all the other boys who got her letters.  Nothing in particular stood out to me here, except that one scene where she went to meet one of the boys.  It was a nice what-if, and I liked the choice that Lara Jean made. Sometimes it’s enough to just know that someone remembered you, and that’s a memory you’ll hold in your heart forever. 

 If there was one thing I absolutely hated, then it’s the fact that there’s going to be a sequel (and possibly an entire series).  NO. NO. NO. NO. PLEASE NO!!  Honestly, this book was perfectly fine as a standalone, and I liked the open ended way the book ended.  A sequel would just ruin it.   In addition, there were the beginnings of a love triangle (that wasn't quite a love triangle); I have a terrible, terrible fear that this will be expanded on in the second book (with much angst and brooding), and we’ll take  100 steps backwards from how far we’ve come in this book.

Final thoughts? A sweet book about relationships and growing up.   I also loved that the main character was half-Korean! It’s been a while since I’ve seen a book with a Korean main character ;) 

Happy Readings!

Rating: 4 out of 5 

Test Your Vocab!

(credit at weheartit.com)

 Hi guys!:)

So, I found this pretty neat site called testyourvocab.com . It's a small quiz that measures how many words you know in the English language.  There's even a graph that tells you the average amount of words for people around your age.  I got 24,800 words- which is mind-blowing to me.  I'm always having trouble writing and expressing myself with the right words (when I need 'em, I can never think of 'em!), and here this quiz is telling me I know about 24,800 words.  That's so weird and cool at the same time ahaha :)

I encourage everyone to try it out! Share your results below!:)

Feature and Follow #7

 

This meme is hosted by the awesome Alison over at Alison Can Read and the wonderful Parajunkee!!

:)

This week's question:

What are your favorite books of 2014 so far?

 THESE COVERS ARE SO PRETTY. *.*
:)

What are your picks? Leave a comment below!:)
Thanks for stopping by!

Waiting on Wednesday Wk 13

This meme is hosted by the fabulous Jill over at Breaking the Spine!

:)

My pick:

It's so pretty *.*

Plot blurb:

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.

____

Sounds like my type of story!! :)
I can't wait for it to come out!! 

Released on March 10th, 2015!  ( :(  )

What are you guys waiting on this week?
:D

The Forever Song

Author: Julie Kagawa

Release Date: April 15th, 2014

Publisher:   Harlequin Teen

Genre(s): YA Paranormal/Science Fiction

Pages: 393
*3rd (final) book of series*

~MAJOR SPOILERS ARE NOT COVERED UP! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!~

Summary(Goodreads): 
Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. 

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.


Review:

When I first finished the book, I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t form a proper thought. Now… I wish the overwhelming feels hadn’t stopped. >.<

I honestly wish I could say this was an epic conclusion, but it fell short, and I was a bit disappointed.

Let’s start from the beginning.  Now, I understand that Allison had just witnessed the love of her life supposedly die (not a spoiler if you read the first two books!), so her personality change, though extreme, was justifiable.  It was just… I couldn’t buy into it.  That wasn’t who she was; this new personality felt so… fake (?) and forced (?).  I’m not sure if those are the right words to use because it was real, to her, but at the same time, as I was reading the book, it felt like the author was forcing this personality onto her until that turning point where we knew she’d come to her own self. When that finally happened, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking we were going to get back that strong girl, who, even though didn’t have everything figured out, was always fighting to choose her own path.  I, however, breathed too soon (is that even an expression? Lol), and I was wrong. So wrong.  Allie didn’t really do anything in this book; in fact, really looking back and thinking about this book, the majority of it was spent with her bickering with Jackal ( with Kanin pulling the “don’t make me turn this car around”) and, when they found Zeke, her and Zeke constantly going back and forth on the vampire thing (more on that later).  She hardly kicked any butts, and it was mostly towards the end where she actually started to do something.

I don’t know how to even start with Zeke. So, that beginning where he had that 360 character change because he was brain-washed was justifiable- I didn’t like it, but justifiable.   But that also felt a bit forced upon, like he HAD to have a personality change, so the best way to go about it was brain washing. Ummm… okay.   After that was over,  he was very angsty about his situation, and that I could totally and completely understand; it was exactly intune with his personality, and it made sense.  It was also really emotional; you felt so bad for him, and you didn’t want him dead, but you knew it would be torture for him to be alive.  But what came after just irked me. Zeke was not Zeke of the previous book; being a vampire changed him, but instead of focusing the darker side of him and how he changed, the book was more focused on his CONSTANT angsty and wishy-washiness between yes vampire and no vampire.  Once or twice, I get it, but this was just drilled into our heads.  It doesn’t help that every time he began on his wishy-washiness, Allie was right there next to him, assuring/comforting him with the SAME words over and over and over again. *face palm* 

Then there was Jackal. Honestly, I thought he’d gotten about 100 times more obnoxious in this book than the first 2; I was really starting to warm up to him, and then this book’s Jackal came along.  (I think I need to start thinking about the characters of the first two books as separate people from this book because seriously, I think all of them had a major personality rehaul.) Yes, he does attempt to set things straight with Allie and Zeke (read: he yells at them to stop being so whiny), which I felt was sorely needed, but right after he went back to being really, really obnoxious.  I guess he was supposed to be the “comic relief,” but I thought he was tastelessly snarky and decidedly cruder.

If there was one character I liked but wished had more of a voice (in the beginning, that is) was Kanin.  I loved Kanin from the start, and he ended up being the only character that I didn’t want to smack by the end.  Yes, I do wish he had more of a presence in the novel, and it would have been nice if he did talk more in this book. But no matter, his personality was steady and his wisdom was moving. And that ending? Gut-wrenching ):  I did go into this book expecting either Jackal or Kanin to die (didn’t even think about Zeke, considering what had happened in the previous book), but even so, it was heartbreaking to see Allie’s ever patient mentor and wise friend get his redemption like that.  But the worst part?  I get the feeling the author killed him just because she felt like she needed to kill a character.  It was too easy, too convenient that the freaking cure would be in him, and that the only way to give it to the rabids was to sacrifice himself.  I know that that was the only way he would have his redemption and his peace, but there was no guarantee that a) the cure would work (the logic was flimsy at best) and b) EVERY SINGLE rabid would get the cure!!!! ARGHHH! BUT at the same time, redemption!! He finally got what he wanted at the end, and this act was Kanin through and through.  This is going to sound so weird, but there was a part of me that was glad that he finally got his peace-even if it was in this way. For hundreds of years, his sole purpose for staying alive was to end what he had started- and he died knowing that he did.  His sacrifice was not only for the sake of the world, but also for himself.  

And then Sarren? OH. MY. GOODNESS.  HAVE THESE CHARACTERS LEARNED NOTHING?! IF A VAMPIRE (PARTICULARLY THIS ONE!!) JUST DISAPPEARED OVER THE SIDE OF THE BOAT AND YOU DID NOT CUT OFF HIS HEAD OR STAKED HIM OR SAW HIM BEING KILLED- NOT DISAPPEARING!-WITH YOUR OWN TWO EYES, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT HE’S NOT DEAD!!!  AHHHHHHH!!!

Besides the characters, the plot too was kinda bad.  About half the book (maybe more. A lot more) felt like filler to me. It was mostly them walking, occasionally getting into small trouble, finding Zeke, and the constant angst. I mean if the filler had been focused on developing their relationships and their characters, then I would have been okay with it (even without the action); but in all honestly, it was just stuff to keep us busy until the real meat.  The real action started happening towards the end.

Even though I made this book out to be a total monster (see what I did there :D), it was actually okay overall.  The book did have its good moments too, even if a lot of those good moments were towards the end.  And despite my qualms about the characters and plot, the description/imagery and sheer intensity of the world itself sucked me into the novel. (The author has a wonderful gift for world-building and details.)  But also, I can’t deny that maybe the delusional fangirl within me (along with Kanin’s redemption scene and all the great quotes and themes scattered throughout the book), who just adored the previous books too much, was reluctant to rate this book any lower.

One last thing: the book wasn't exactly satisfying as a whole (just okay), but the ending (the very last scene and one of the "good moments") sort of (with a BIG emphasis on the sort of) pulled the book back up by its boot straps.  The thing about that last scene was that it had this irrepressible feeling of hope and purpose.  After all they’ve gone through and done, finally there was hope.  Sure, it was there in the scenes with Zeke and Allie’s times with the group going to Eden, but even then it was a wary type of hope.  But this last scene, the author allowed us to feel that hope in full bloom- and gosh darn it, have I missed it so much.  

Thanks for reading!:)

Rating: 3 out of 5

This Summer: Trailer Reveal + Guest Post

I am so excited to be participating in the trailer reveal for Katlyn Duncan's THIS SUMMER! It’s looks like an AWESOME summer read, and I can't wait for its release on July 9th!

I am also thrilled to be able to share a guest post in which characters Hadley and Lily share their Top "Summer to Remember" Must Haves.

If you haven't yet heard of this upcoming release, the book's description is below. And if you haven't yet "met" the author, her details and places to find her online are also below.

But first, here is the THIS SUMMER Trailer. I can't wait to share it with you! :) What do you think?

---

The Trailer

---

The Guest Post

Hadley and Lily’s Top ‘Summer to Remember’ Must Haves

Hadley: Hey everyone. My best friend, Lily, and me are going to tell you our top must haves for this summer.

Lily: This girl is headed to college in the Fall and it’s our last summer together before “growing up”. I’ll start! My number one is boys.

Hadley: (eye roll)

Lily: What? Boys are important for a summer to remember. And now that we’re both single we can have a little fun with them.

Hadley: Are you done?

Lily: Fine. What’s your number one?

Hadley: (grins) My best friend.

Lily: Oh! And a job working with your best friend.

Hadley: Yes that too.

Lily: (pauses dramatically) And on a serious note…sunscreen.

Hadley: UV protection is important.

Lily: I was thinking more along the lines of awful tan lines.

Hadley: Okay…

Lily: Next is…parties. And oh! Older brothers who can get supplies for parties, if you know what I mean.

Hadley: Oh my God…

Lily: So we have boys, best friends, a job WITH a best friend, sunscreen, parties, brothers, what else?

Hadley: Camp!

Lily: That counts as a job with your best friend.

Hadley: Camp should be a category of its own—

Lily: Here we go…

Hadley: But without camp we wouldn’t have had the best summers of our lives. And we will be a part of making that happen for the kids.

Lily: Yeah. I’m still sticking with boys.

Hadley: You’re hopeless, but I do love you! Well that does it, everyone. Be sure to make this summer, a summer to remember. And comment below with your must haves I’d love to hear them!

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About This Summer

Release date: July 9, 2014
Publisher: Carina UK
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
ISBN: 9781472096449

Description...

Before college, before responsibilities, Hadley Beauman and best friend Lily are determined to have a summer to remember. There will be all the usual dramas - ex-boyfriends who don't seem to know what 'ex' means, pesky younger brothers with unrequited crushes, but what Hadley didn't anticipate was the out-of-the-blue return of the seriously hot boy-next-door, Will Carson. The boy who broke her heart when he skipped town two years ago.

Will may have shot up a foot and filled out (oh yes), but inside he carries the weight of guilt - for leaving, for coming back... Now he's just passing through to tie up loose ends but it's clear the old chemistry still crackles between him and Hadley. Trouble is, it's built on two years of lies...

This summer might just be the best time of their lives, but is Hadley ready for everything to change - again?

Find it at...

Amazon | Amazon UK | Goodreads

Coming soon... iBooks, Nook UK, Kobo, Google Play, & Sony Store.

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About Katlyn Duncan

Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them.

Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TUMBLR | YOUTUBE | GOODREADS

Thank you so much to Rockstar Book Tours, the author, and the publisher for allowing me take part in this!! :D

Movie Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Hey guys!

I've never done a movie review before- actually this isn't really a review but more of my general thoughts on the movie ^.^- but I've seen ones for Divergent pop up (I still haven't seen that movie arggggh), so I've decided to try one out. :D

SMALL SPOILERS- nothing too detailed about the movie, and I do reference the book. :D

I'm going to be frank and say that compared to the book, the movie was lackluster.  I'm sorry, but that's just how I saw it.  The movie took out A LOT of the scenes from the book, and even though I know it's impossible for a movie to have everything, I felt it did suffer from the lack of those scenes.  It made me feel like their relationship was rushed, but again, that's sort of inevitable.  I think the main thing was that I was expecting a lot more out of the movie, and while, it was a good movie, it was nothing spectacular. That isn't to say the movie was all bad.  Nope not all.  It was actually pretty good- just on its own, without comparing it to the novel.  

The actors, however, really did an AWESOME job.  I had loved the actress for Hazel ever since I saw her in the Spectacular Now, and she did not disappoint.  She was the perfect Hazel. I had my doubts about the actor for Augustus because a) I've never seen him act before b) he looked way too friendly (like the boy next door type) to play such a pretentious guy and c) the only perfect casting for Augustus is Augustus himself. ;)  However, he blew me away.  I was so impressed with his emotions and his smirk and gosh! He was PERFECT.  Not only that, but the chemistry between them was great.  They WERE Hazel and Augustus, and I shall never again doubt John Green's casting choices :D

With the exception of scenes being taken out (and that ending scene!), the movie-as far as I remember- didn't put anything in or altered anything drastically.  It was really faithful to the novel. They did change the ending scene a teensy bit (no, he still dies- that's never going to change *SOB*), but I actually was okay with it.  :D

So what did you think of the movie? :)