Book Trailer: Booke of the Hidden by Jeri Westerson

Synopsis

After a relationship gone bad in California, Kylie Strange moves to rural Maine for a fresh start. But she gets more than she bargained for when she finds a supernatural book bricked into the wall of her new tea shop, Strange Herbs and Teas. As soon as she opens the Booke of the Hidden, the quiet town of Moody Bog suddenly becomes a lot more interesting.

First the mysterious and handsome Erasmus Dark shows up unannounced, claiming to be a demon and warning Kylie of untold destruction. She waves him off, until a museum proprietor turns up dead, and the sheriff targets Kylie as a suspect. With the help of Erasmus and a ragtag group of local Wiccans, Kylie unravels the Booke's secrets, and they begin to believe the culprit is someone--or something--much more sinister than a run-of-the mill human murderer.

Award-winning author Jeri Westerson crafts a tale of magic, murder, and romance, drawing us into the mystical world that surrounds Strange Herbs and Teas.

Add to Goodreads

Watch the trailer:

Contact Jeri Westerson

Goodreads

Website

Waiting on Wednesday (162)

I received an email not long ago, and of course as soon as I seen that one of the authors was Rachel Caine, I had to share.  Honor Among Thieves is the first book in The Honors series.  I'm not sure how many books will be in this series but expect to see it out 13th February 2018


Synopsis
Zara Cole has been in and out of New Detroit’s rehab facilities for treatment of her antisocial disorder. There’s no adjusting Zara’s attitude, though. A painful past has made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in the Zone instead moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan–a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned to along with fellow Honor Beatriz, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time, along with a devotion she’s never experienced before. Yet nothing—not her Honors training or her street smarts—could have prepared her for the dark, dangerous truths that lurk behind the glitter of starlight.

Honor Among Thieves is the first book in a daring new sci-fi series by bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre.

So what are you waiting on?

Book Revew: The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

*This post may contain affiliate links

Title: The Murder Complex

Author: Lindsay Cummings
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: 10th June 2014
ISBN: 9780062220011
Stand Alone/Series: First book in the Murder Complex series
Pages: 398 pages
First Lines: It is the key to survival, the key to life.  My father's old dagger.

Add to Goodreads list \\ Buy at Book Depository

Synopsis:  An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

Action-packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.

My Thoughts:
I stumbled across Lindsay Cummings' Instagram some time ago and have been following her pics and promotion but hadn't had the chance to pick up any of her books. It was after watching one of her Youtube videos on help for writers that I realized I hadn't read anything of hers so I picked up The Murder Complex.

I had read the first paragraph in the synopsis and it had won me over to reading this so I purchased a kindle version and off I went. As you can tell it was a bit of a surprise when Meadow and Zephyr meet because I had no idea he was a programmed assassin as the synopsis had stated so it was a a big surprise. Because I was thinking this is great they'll get together... :)

I liked the world that Lindsay has created: The Shallows. Don't get me wrong, it's not a place I'd personally live in but it came alive and felt real and believable. The only thing I did think of was that the perimeter reminded me of many other dystopians that had walls keeping them in. The story needed it, but I guess I hate to say it but felt it was bordering on cliche.

The characters were an interesting mix. Meadow, a girl who would do anything to keep her family safe, including kill. Trained in combat and always on her guard, Meadow quickly became my favourite when I was reading her chapters.

Zephyr is a bit of a complicated one. He's a ward of the government and lives with all the other orphans on the reserve, and up until a certain point, I'd believed him to be fairly innocent in the story. It's not what you think though and I did really like Zephyr as a character in the book also.

Talan, Zephyrs friend and fellow ward was another one I felt I needed to mention. She's mouthy and rebellious and a great addition to TMC cast.

If you are looking for a gripping read that is a bit gory I suggest giving this one a try. I'm already itching to read the sequel to this so that's saying something.

Hope you all enjoy!


Fave Lines:  Sometimes we have to give up little pieces of our humanity so that we can keep living.
(There are too many favourite lines to list here!)
Book received from:  Purchased (Kindle)
Authors Website:  Lindsay Cummings

Book Trailer: The Fate of Ten

*This post may contain affiliate links.

Synopsis:

 The sixth book in the thrilling, action-packed, New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series! For years the Garde have fought the Mogadorians in secret. Now all of that has changed. The invasion has begun. If the Garde can't find a way to stop the Mogs, humanity will suffer the same fate as the Lorien: annihilation.

There is still hope. When the Elders sent the Garde to Earth, they had a plan—one which the Garde are finally starting to understand. In the climax of The Revenge of Seven, a group of the Garde traveled to an ancient pyramid in Mexico known to their people as the Sanctuary. There they awoke a power that had been hidden within our planet for generations. Now this power can save the world . . . or destroy it. It will all depend on who wields it.

Add to your Goodreads List!  // Buy this at Book Depository

Waiting on Wednesday (160)

Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I'm definitely looking forward to The Last Star by Rick Yancey.  This is out 24th May 2016.

Synopsis

We’re here, then we’re gone, and that was true before they came. That’s always been true. The Others didn’t invent death; they just perfected it. Gave death a face to put back in our face, because they knew that was the only way to crush us. 

It won’t end on any continent or ocean, no mountain or plain, jungle or desert. It will end where it began, where it had been from the beginning, on the battlefield of the last beating human heart.

What are you waiting on?

Way Down Dark by JP Smythe

Title: Way Down Dark 

Author: JP Smythe
Genre: Young Adult / Science Fiction / Fantasy
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Publication Date: 2nd July 2015
ISBN: 9781444796322
Stand Alone/Series: The Australia Trilogy #1
Pages: 288pages
First Lines: The story goes taht Earth was much older than the scientist thought.

Synopsis:  
The first in an extraordinary new YA trilogy by James Smythe, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.

There's one truth on Australia: You fight or you die. Usually both.

Seventeen-year-old Chan's ancestors left a dying Earth hundreds of years ago, in search of a new home. They never found one.

The only life that Chan's ever known is one of violence, of fighting. Of trying to survive.

But there might be a way to escape. In order to find it, Chan must head way down into the darkness - a place of buried secrets, long-forgotten lies, and the abandoned bodies of the dead.

Seventeen-year-old Chan, fiercely independent and self-sufficient, keeps her head down and lives quietly, careful not to draw attention to herself amidst the violence and disorder. Until the day she makes an extraordinary discovery - a way to return the Australia to Earth. But doing so would bring her to the attention of the fanatics and the murderers who control life aboard the ship, putting her and everyone she loves in terrible danger.

And a safe return to Earth is by no means certain.

My Thoughts:
Thanks to Hachette Australia for sending this to me.  I must admit that the first few pages in, I struggled.  Not with the writing because it was amazing, but the scene that it painted.  Of a life that you had to fight tooth and nail for survival and there being no escape.  A life where children die for something as simple as getting in the road, or for being in the wrong gang, or for just existing.  So this was hard, being the mother of a six year old, and reading about the struggles that Chan and the people on Australia had to face just to survive.

In saying that, It's been a while since I've picked a book up that has contained so much grit and drama as Way Down Dark had, that I struggled to put it down.  Chan is a strong willed and determined character to do what's right, not just what's selfish and not just 'staying alive'.  Because she believes there to be a better way.  

JP Smythe paints a bleak atmosphere for the occupants of Australia.  On one half of the ship are the lows.  A gang that is violent and cruel doing whatever it takes to claim more of the ship.  They encroach on the free area and this spurs Chan into action, against the warnings from her dying mother and that of her mother's friend Agatha.

The one thing I'm the most happy about is that you find out right at the beginning that this is part of a Trilogy.  In all honesty after reading other books about people in space, I'm not sure what it was about those, but I've never gone for anything that has been space related.  The synopsis on the back of this did suck me in though.  Once I started reading, it's not that you forget that they are on the ship, because it's there in the description but it's so wonderfully done, that it feels real and it feels legit.  So I can't wait to go looking for more of this Author's writing.

Overall I recommend this read to others to try.  Be aware that it is graphic at times, in both it's words, and what it doesn't say, so you have been warned, but in saying that, don't pass up on this.

I look forward to reading what happens next for Chan and the characters of Way Down Dark.

Book received from:  Hachette Children's Book

Waiting On Wednesday (150)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

Looking forward to reading The Cage by Megan Shepherd which will be out on the 4th March this year.

Synopsis

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

What are you waiting for ??

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Red Queen

Author: Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Young Adult / Sci-Fi / Romance/ Dystopia / Fantasy
Publisher: Orion Books (Hachette Australia)
Publication Date: 12th February 2015
ISBN: 9781409155843
Stand Alone/Series: Red Queen #1
Pages: 383 pages
First Lines: I hate First Friday.  It makes the village crowded, and now, in the heat of the summer, that's the last thing anyone wants.

Synopsis: 
This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, living in the shadow of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from the Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Then Mare finds herself working at the Silver palace, in the midst of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

My Thoughts: 
In all honesty, I wasn't real keen on picking up Red Queen.  Without even reading the Synopsis, I imagined this being a romantic Victorian times book, something that wasn't really up my alley. Thank god I was wrong.  Very!

It is even being mentioned that it is for fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games.  Well there certainly are aspects from Red Queen that I would have likened to these two also.

For me, I got to about page 12 before thinking, yeah this is interesting.  I can see myself reading more.  By the time i hit half way that book was NOT leaving my hands.

I really liked the main character Mare/Mareena.  She's a red girl caught up in the politics of a silver world and as you can gather from the synopsis, Mare's world is divided between Reds that are slaves, servants, workers and poor, and Silvers, royalty, upperclass, with super powers.  Two very different people.  But when she gets thrown into the deep end at the arena, she discovers she has powers of her own.  Something not heard of among the red people.  So the Silver Royal family does the only thing it can.  They lie and welcome the long lost Mareena from House Titanos soon to be betrothed to the Queen's son Maven.

The moment this happens, the book sped up pace for me.  I felt up until that point the first part of the book sets the scene of the Reds and their way of life.  It was interesting but hadn't quite completely grabbed my attention up until that moment.  There is pressure for Mare to in the beginning too.  Her 18th birthday nears, and with that the compulsory conscription of the army looms over her.  Those lucky enough to have someone train them get to stay, for those that don't, it's off to the army. Probably never to be seen again.;

There is romance in this, but it's not what I'd call the main event of the book.  I'd certainly think the Scarlet Guard takes most of the focus.  So if you are looking for a book for romance alone.  This won't be it.

But in saying that, the action for me was what propelled the story to the end.  The worldbuilding is pretty awesome.  The author has definitely put alot of thought into Mare's world and while we only catch fleeting glimpses of both the Red and Silver's world, I dare say we will get a more look-see with the second and third books.

If you are after a decent fantasy read, I suggest giving this one a go.  I'm curious to find out what Victoria has in store for the next two books.

Fave Lines:  Anyone can betray anyone.
Book received from:  Hachette Australia

Unwanted by Amanda Holohan

Title: Unwanted

Author: Amanda Holohan
Genre: Young Adult/Dystopian/ Sci Fi/Post Apocalyptic
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Publication Date: 28th January 2015
ISBN: 9780143571094
Stand Alone/Series: Stand Alone I think!
Pages: 336 pages
First Lines: It was coming for her.  She sensed it following her through the empty crumbling alleyways - tracing the scent of her body, already slick with sweat

Synopsis:  All her life, Bea has wanted nothing more than to become a sniper on the wall and earn the coveted ink of a Dread warrior - a mark of distinction among her people. She knows that one day the terrifying Erebii might break through the city's outer defences, and if her people aren't prepared and the wall is breached then the last human city will fall. But everything Bea thinks she knows is about to be challenged... What does the ink really do as it flows underneath their skin and who is the mysterious Unwanted boy that keeps appearing in her life? 

My Thoughts:  I think what I enjoyed the most was the unique detail this dystopian had over other books in the genre.  It made the book stand out for me.

I love all things dystopian but there has to be an aspect that hooks me from the beginning that some books tend not to have.  For Unwanted it was the swirling ink and the crows and the Erebii.  The further along in the story and there were more aspects that made this book stand out. (I shall not mention these as they may spoil the book for others)

Unfortunately there were a few things that I didn't like.  The first one, and this could be personal preference, but the chapters in the beginning of the book seemed too long.  I don't know whether anyone else found this out, but I found that first chapter a bit of a struggle.  I was just getting to know the character but I felt there needed to be a break, even if the chapter was halved, though I know it would have been hard considering what she was doing.

The other thing that bothered me was that Gus wasn't as strong a character as I'd hoped him to be.  I mean I'm not after a super hero but a bit more fight for her would have been nice.  Maybe just me.

In saying that, I loved Bea and Red.  Two of my favourite characters for sure!  There was enough mystery about Red and it kept me itching to find out what the go was with him.

Even though there were a few things that bothered me, I absolutely loved the ending!  I fully expect a sequel!!  I can't find anywhere that there will be but I have to know what happens next.  I need to know!

I'll be keeping an eye out for more work by Amanda Holohan for sure!

Book received from:  Penguin Australia

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

Title: The Infinite Sea
Author: Rick Yancey
Genre: Young Adult/Sci-Fi
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Publication Date: 27th August 2014
ISBN: 9780141345840
Stand Alone/Series: The Fifth Wave #2
Pages: 336 pages
First Lines: There would be no harvest.  The spring rains woke the dormant tillers, and bright green shoots sprang from the moist earth and rose like sleepers stretching after a long nap.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST BOOK!

Synopsis:How do you rid the earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.
Cassie Sullivan and her companions lived through the Others' four waves of destruction. Now, with the human race nearly exterminated and the 5th Wave rolling across the landscape, they face a choice: brace for winter and hope for Evan Walker's return, or set out in search of other survivors before the enemy closes in. Because the next attack is more than possible – it's inevitable.
No one can anticipate the depths to which the Others will sink – nor the heights to which humanity will rise . . .

My Thoughts:
I must admit I was super excited when this rocked up on my doorstep.  Completely over the moon.

I started reading and the first chapter in had me hooked completely.  Drew me in to this group but wow by the end of the chapter I was shocked.  I knew that this would play a part further into the book so I kept reading wondering when this would pop.

The story itself is told through various characters: Cassie, Ringer, Evan Walker, some in first some in third.  This itself caused me a bit of an issue at the beginning when I thought I was in Cassie's POV then found out it was Ringers.  It wasn't made obviously clear to begin with but I did eventually tell the two apart. Especially towards the end of one of the scenes with Ringer and Teacup.

The one problem I had was that I was confused a bit of the time.  It had been so long since I'd read The Fifth Wave and when there were references and things that came up I felt a bit lost.  So if you intend on reading this, I suggest refreshing with the last couple of chapters of The Fifth Wave before moving on.  I think I have to blame this a little on the fact I read way too much lol.

I'm interested to see where Rick takes this story.  There were a few revelations and we find out a fair bit about the main characters in the book including a few new characters!  So I'm itching for the next book.

I must say the only thing that bothered me a little was that this seemed be more Ringer's story than Cassie's.  I felt like we spent alot more time in her head than Cassie's.  I begun to really like her but I wonder how the third book will turn out!

Good read!

Book received from:  Penguin Australia

The Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore

Title:  The Revenge of Seven

Author: Pittacus Lore
Genre:  Young Adult/Sci Fi
Publisher:  Penguin Australia
Publication Date: 26th August 2014
ISBN:  9780718178369
Stand Alone/Series:  Lorien Legacies #5
Pages:  320 pages
First Lines:  The nightmare is over.  When I open my eyes there's nothing but darkness.

Synopsis: 
The have killed four of us.
 They will not rest until we are all dead.
 They will not stop until your planet is theirs.
 They think we are broken.
 We will not be defeated.
 We are all that stands in their way.
 We know secrets they thought hidden.
 We have power they never expected.
 The time has come for them to fall. The Garde have suffered the ultimate betrayal: Number Five has allied himself with the Mogadorians, killing Eight and helping the Mogs to abduct Ella from the safe house. Now the fight for Earth's survival has just become that much more impossible. The Garde may not have time to mourn their fallen ally, but they'll make sure to avenge him. And help is at hand from the most unlikely of sources: Adam, a Mogadorian, has turned his back on his people. He might just be their lifeline, but are the Garde repeating past mistakes by putting their trust in him?

My Thoughts:  I received this book a little while ago, but because I'm one of these readers that wants... no NEEDS to read things in order, I picked up Fall of Five first. Once I'd finished that I was so glad I had The Revenge of Seven to keep gong because seriously things couldn't be left as they were.

It's worse after reading this book because I now have to wait HOW LONG to find out what is going to happen after this crazy as cliffhanger.  Like seriously!!

So,  The Revenge of Seven for me wasn't gripping enough to be read in one sitting.  It was good don't get me wrong.  But I found myself putting the book down alot in the beginning.  It wasn't that it WASN'T good.  I just wasn't compelled to fly through this like some books.  But in saying that I still thoroughly enjoyed the read.  I couldn't help but feel like this was just setting things up more or less for book 6 because apart from a few smallish revelations which threw a few curve balls at the reader, there was no "Oh my God" moments up until the VERY end and then it was like. No don't end on THAT! But obviously it did!

The garde split up a few times during the book having each group heading in different directions.  They are left to deal with less than ideal circumstances and I must admit I was on the edge of my seat just as something big was going down only to have the Author switch to another character!

There was one really surprising element in the form of Adam.  Of course this is all I will say but deep down I was cheering for him a bit.  Another surprising thing were the amount of Chimaerae (or however it is spelt) in this.  Finally Bernie Kosar is not completely alone!

There was a funny moment in the book that has stuck with me even now after finishing this off, and that one of the chimaera goes from being a canary to a rhino midflight.  Amusing to say the least.  I'd love to see this done in cinema, but alas I shall keep wishing.

There are a few things that are revealed in this book as well.  Obviously you will have to find these out for yourselves!  I'm surprised to find when Six and gang reach their destination and find out the outcome of their mission.

Once hitting the halfway mark I couldn't put the book down.  I needed to know what was going to happen to John, Marina (Seven) and the gang and by the last page I was trying to magically manifest the next book along unsuccessfully.

If you have been reading the Lorien Legacies series don't stop reading this book because there are a few slow spots because at the end you are going to be wishing that the next book was right there in front of you!


Book received from:  Penguin Australia for review.

Waiting on Wednesday (146)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I have been itching to get a hold of the second book in the 5th Wave series by Rick Yancey and can't wait for the 16th of September when we will see The Infinite Sea out!!

Synopsis
How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

What are you waiting on?

Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick

Title:  Monsters

Author:  Ilsa J. Bick

Genre:  Young Adult / Dystopian / Science Fiction

Publisher:  Egmont USA

Publication Date:  10th September 2013

ISBN:  9781606841778

Stand alone or series: Ashes Trilogy #3

Pages:  688 pages

First Lines:  Alex had fallen like this only once in her life.  That happened when she was nine and took a wild leap from Blackrocks Cliff off Presque Isle into the deep sapphire-blue of Lake Superior.

Possible Spoilers if you haven't read Ashes and Shadows!

Synopsis:The Changed are on the move.
The Spared are out of time.
The End...is now.
When her parents died, Alex thought things couldn't get much worse--until the doctors found the monster in her head.
She headed into the wilderness as a good-bye, to leave everything behind. But then the end of the world happened, and Alex took the first step down a treacherous road of betrayal and terror and death.
Now, with no hope of rescue--on the brink of starvation in a winter that just won't quit--she discovers a new and horrifying truth.
The Change isn't over.
The Changed are still evolving.
And...they've had help.
 With this final volume of The Ashes Trilogy, Ilsa J. Bick delivers a riveting, blockbuster finish, returning readers to a brutal, post-apocalyptic world where no one is safe and hope is in short supply.
A world where, from these ashes, the monsters may rise.

My Thoughts:
This is by far the longest book in the Trilogy and I'm grateful for it.  It also took the longest to read but being the last book in the Trilogy I really wanted to savour the world and its characters before it was all over too soon.

I have to also point out that there is a list of Characters at the end of the book that will help freshen the memory of what's happened so far.  I thought it be a good idea to tell you it all now so that if you are like me, and take a little bit to remember what happened in the last book.  This is a big help.

The first thing I noticed with Monsters was that it wasn't as goretastic as the other two books.  Don't get me wrong, there's violence but not to the extremes(or shock value) of the first two books.  There's more backstory  for the characters than I had noticed in the first two, and this is good because it fleshes (excuse the pun) the characters out more and I guess there was a little more empathizing with the less likable characters.

I both liked and hated that there were so many viewpoints.  Alex, Ellie, Tom, Greg, Peter, Chris. You see my point.  Right when I was getting into one viewpoint Ilsa flips over to another character.  I know this is to be expected to keep you reading... and by god did I do some reading to get back to finding out about that particular character.  But then I'd be pulled into another character .. the cycle goes on.

I couldn't help but wondering all throughout the book.. when are Ellie, Alex and Tom getting back together. And, I have to say that this time reading about Ellie, I didn't want to reach in a throttle her as much as I wanted to in the first book.  She's grown up since we've last heard from her and thank god for that.  It was actually nice to see a more mature POV from her.

Tom on the other hand seemed to be slowly falling apart at one point.  His time away from Alex really plays on his mind and in doing so, starts to form cracks in his sanity.

Wolf was a curious character I'm not sure whether I really liked or whether I was turned off from such a descriptive telling of smell lol.  He shows more so than ever the protectiveness  towards Alex but it all came back to me as Why!  Why has he changed.  And that I guess is where my answer was.  Evolving.  While I wish some other characters did a little more evolving, my shock at which characters had changed had me thinking.. HOW is this going to end.  Because right now.. she aint gonna be pretty!

While I wouldn't say this is the most ideal ending I wanted to happen, I think I'm pretty happy with how it did turn out.  I'm not sure if bittersweet is the right word I'm thinking of, but it's quite close to it.

Book Received from:  Netgalley (Requested)

No Safety In Numbers by Dana Lorentz Book Trailer

I've only just come across this book and had to share.  No Safety in Numbers will be a book I'll definitely be adding to my To Be Read List.  Enjoy!  P.S No Safety in Numbers is the first in a series!

Waiting on Wednesday (141)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

Definitely looking forward to the fourth addition to the Lorien Legacy; The Fall of Five by Pitacus Lore.  Expect to see this out towards the end of August of this year!  yay! Pre-order The Fall of Five at Book Depository!

Synopsis

The Garde are finally reunited, but do they have what it takes to win the war against the Mogadorians?

John Smith—Number Four—thought that things would change once the Garde found each other. They would stop running. They would fight the Mogadorians. And they would win.

But he was wrong. After facing off with the Mogadorian ruler and almost being annihilated, the Garde know they are drastically unprepared and hopelessly outgunned. Now they’re hiding out in Nine’s Chicago penthouse, trying to figure out their next move.

The six of them are powerful, but they’re not strong enough yet to take on an entire army—even with the return of an old ally. To defeat their enemy, the Garde must master their Legacies and learn to work together as a team. More importantly, they’ll have to discover the truth about the Elders and their plan for the Loric survivors.

And when the Garde receive a sign from Number Five—a crop circle in the shape of a Loric symbol—they know they are so close to being reunited. But could it be a trap? Time is running out, and the only thing they know for certain is that they have to get to Five before it’s too late.

The Garde may have lost battles, but they will not lose this war.
Lorien will rise again.

What are you waiting on?

In the After by Demitria Lunetta

Title:  In The After

Author:  Demitria Lunetta

Genre:  Young Adult/Scifi/Dystopian

Publisher:  Harper Collins 

Publication Date:  25th June 2013

Stand alone or series:   In the After #1

Pages:  261 pages

Book Received from:  Bought (e-book)

First Lines:  I only go out at night.  I walk along the empty street and pause, my muscles tense and ready.

Possible Spoilers if you haven't read this.  

Synopsis:
They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.
Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.
After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.
Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.

My Thoughts:
I was really drawn in with the synopsis and I mean look at the cover.  Awesome right?!

The books split up in to three Parts: Part One After, Part Two New Hope, Part Three Guardians.  I have to say the strongest part of this book for me was definitely Part One.

Part One, we are introduced to Amy and Baby, the two main characters in the book.  The story is told in Amy's POV first person present tense.  I have to admit, I really liked Chapter One.  The fact that she can only go out night is definitely the opposite of what I would do and what most would do if there are zombies or aliens.  I mean look at Legend.  Hole up in a bathtub with the dog for the night and fingers crossed make it through until the morning.  Well these monsters "thankfully" can't see well in the dark.  Hearing is ultra fine but the bad eye sight is a definite plus for the survivors.

Chapter two onwards we get a bit of the back story and everything leading up to Baby.  I have to admit, this story is the strongest when both Amy and Baby are together.  Their relationship for me makes the story all that more captivating.  The best thing is the way they have learned to communicate with each other since the creatures have turned up.

Part Two got a little confusing.  The chapter starts with what I thought was flash backs and then what happens currently but it didn't make sense.  The way I understand it now was the italics start off small to begin with and it's like this is the current scene but she's drug addled thanks to the Dr.. and because the story that she's telling is longer it becomes the main focus.  I guess maybe because she's dreaming or whatever.  Towards the end the italics become clearer until it clicks that wow.. it's not what I thought at all.  Once I got past Part two I thought,  even though it was a little jarring, it was pretty smart.  Get two of the most important parts and weave them together.  I think if it was done a little bit differently it could have been better.

Others who have reviewed this book comment on the romance as lacking.  It's almost none existent for me that I almost didn't notice it.  I'm happy with the way that Part Three played out.  I don't want to say too much else and ruin it but there are some big revelations in Part Two and Part three.  For some of you it may be a let down, for others it will be nowhere near what they expected.  I was in the latter of the group.  And I can say that I'm looking forward to the next book In The End which will be out next year.

For those of you that may or may not have enjoyed The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey, this might be up your alley!

Age of the Aura Guest Post and Giveaway by Samuel Odunsi Jr.

Age of the Aura, Phase I: Champions of Power (SYNOPSIS)

Genre: Science Fiction (Space Opera)

The Blessed Galaxy has no other name. After being gifted with the Auras—five great powerhouses of celestial creation—the title was a suitable fit. For millennia, the governing bodies have ruled their respective reaches of the Galaxy while harnessing the might of the Auras. But now they face the threat of a calamity, from an unlikely source, that could shake the lives of all.

Lowen Sars, a devout man of science, decides to take on the burden of saving the Galaxy’s people once he learns of the calamity. But he soon realizes that the role of a hero was a calling not meant for him, even with his sudden promotion. In his process of self-discovery, Lowen begins the fateful saga of not only the Blessed Galaxy, but also the kingdom in possession of the corrupt Aura.

Read more behind the story! http://ageoftheaura.com/universe/

Download Phase I for FREE on Amazon! (June 24^th-28^th ONLY!)

http://amzn.to/M8k1vf

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Champions of Power

by Samuel Odunsi Jr.

Giveaway ends July 24, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Watch the Book Trailer!

Book Reviews for Phase I

The Indie Book Review

A Book So Fathomless - "3.5 out of 5"

Beth Art From the Heart - "4 out of 5"

Voracious Reader - "3 out of 5"

Sadie S Forsythe - "3 out of 5"

Nik's Picks - "4 out of 5"

Dee's Reads - "3 out of 5"

My Cozie Corner - "5 out of  5"

Confuzzled Books - "4 out of 5"

Cheryl's Book Nook - "4 out of 5"

The Guide to Good Books - "5 out of 5"

Paranormal Sisters - "3.5 out of 5"

Books With Leti Del Mar - "3 out of 5"

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey Book Trailer

I have read this and really enjoyed it.  So glad I come across the Book Trailer so I could share with all of you.  Hope you enjoy this and it makes you want to pick up the book.

 

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

Title:  The Fifth Wave

Author:  Rick Yancey

Genre:  Young Adult/Sci-fi/Thriller

Publisher:  Penguin

Publication Date:  7th May 2013

ISBN:  9780141345819

Stand alone or series:   Book 1 in the Fifth Wave series

Pages:  480 pages

Book Received from:  Penguin (Publisher)

First Lines:  There will be no awakening. The sleeping woman will feel nothing the next morning, only a vague sense of unease and the unshakable feeling that someone is watching her.  Her anxiety will fade in less than a day and will soon be forgotten.

Synopsis:

The 1st Wave Took out half a million people.
 The 2nd Wave Put that number to shame.
 The 3rd Wave Lasted a little longer. Twelve weeks . . . Four billion dead.
In the 4th Wave , You can't trust that people are still people.
And the 5th Wave? No one knows. But it's coming.
On a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs. Runs from the beings that only look human, who have scattered Earth's last survivors.
To stay alone is to stay alive, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be her only hope.
Now Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death.

My Thoughts:
This has got to be one of the best books I've read in 2013.  After reading the synopsis of this I had no idea what I was going to expect when I started reading it! And once I finished it, I wished I could have read it in one sitting because it is seriously that good!  The suspense to pick it up while I worked was just about killing me.  I needed to know what Cassie was going to do. How Sam was, and how Zombie was coping.

The very first part drew me in with the narrative.  Eerie and to the point.  We are then introduced to Cassiopeia ("Cassie") the main character of the novel. She's a strong character and one I grew to admire!  She's alone in the woods trying to survive the beings that have landed on earth.

What I liked most about this book was that it didn't start at the first wave but began just before the fifth wave.  So Cassie goes back over what happened in the last four as well as what has happened to her family.  It kept me hanging on every word of her POV.

Admittedly, once I got to Wonderland the narrative threw me.  I wasn't expecting another character to take over and had to read it a couple of times when he referred to his sibling as Sissy and not Sam and then it clicked, POV change.  God sometimes I feel slow.  The narrative swaps between Cassie, Zombie, and a random chapter of one of the "Others", and Sam so we all get an overall feel of what is going on, not just being stuck in just the two POV's.

Along the way Cassie meets the elusive Evan Walker.  Strange and caring Cassie breaks her two rules: Trust Noone and the only way to stay alive as long as possible is to stay alone as long as Possible.  Csssie's promise to Sam weighs heavy on her shoulders though and as soon as she's able to she will find him.  Whatever it takes

The Fifth Wave is one of those read-all-at-once books.  Once you pick it up, you'll be gripping the book as hard as it's grip is on you to finish.  It's exciting and scary and has you wondering who you can trust when you can't tell the difference between friends and the enemy.  For YA Sci-Fi this has got to be up there with the best!  Bring on book 2!

And just to share with you all, the film rights have already been sold.  I cannot wait!!

Shadows by Ilsa J. Bick

Title:  Shadows

Author:  Ilsa J. Bick

Genre:  Young Adult

Publisher:  EgmontUSA

Publication Date:  25th September

ISBN:  9781606843789

Stand alone or series:   Ashes Trilogy #2

Pages:  525 pages

Book Received from:  Publisher - EgmontUSA (Galley)

First Lines:  FUBAR: That was Jed's name for it.  Once a Marine, always a Marine

Synopsis: The end of the world in Ashes was just the beginning. Now Alex must face the realization that Rule was not the safe haven she thought. In fact, the people there are protecting themselves by feeding The Changed. Shadows picks up right where Ashes left off, but before anything in this dystopian world improves, it will get worse. A whole lot worse.

My Thoughts:
I was so excited when I requested it and it was approved.  I'd been hanging to find out what had become of Alex, the Changed and most of all Tom.

After reading Ashes, I was thrown a bit when in Shadows it's not just Alex's POV that we have.  Now with extra main characters including Tom the story's action seems a constant.  I'm not complaining, but alot of chapters end us on a cliffhanger which I have to admit pushed me through the story that little bit quicker.

I'm confused about a few things but.  Ellie isn't in this story at all.  There are a few mentions of her but it's like she has dropped off the face of the earth.  Even though she was quite annoying in the first book I had begun to like her towards the end.  

I also like how Ilsa has made the whole "Changed" concept an evolving sickness - if that's what it is.  I do worry about the other main characters but. 

We are also confronted with another group known as the Bounty Hunters/Private Militia.  While I won't say too much on this part I hope that their plans backfire on them.

There are a few parts where I felt the scenes stretched a little long for me.  I did find myself wanting to put the book down nearing the climax.  I did like reading about the other main characters but only two mattered for me the most: Tom and Alex.  I find it hard with some series when the author introduces more characters into the narrative that were only secondary characters in the first book.  It sometimes takes a whole book before some characters grow on me and I felt that only the main characters from Ashes really stuck with me over the others.  

Shadows is a great addition to the Ashes Trilogy.  Expect action, gore - a fair amount of it, and the urge to yell at the characters every now and then.  I look forward to reading the next book in the Trilogy.  Oh.. and remember, Ilsa likes her cliffhangers :)