Title: The Darkest Lie Author: Pintip Dunn Publisher: Kensington Publishing Publication Date: June 28th 2016 Genre: YA, Mystery , Contemporary Links: Amazon . Goodreads . My Rating : 5/5 stars Blurb: “The mother I knew would never do those things. But maybe I never knew her after all.” Clothes, jokes, coded messages…Cecilia Brooks and her mom shared everything. At least, CeCe thought they did. Six months ago, her mom killed herself after accusations of having sex with a student, and CeCe’s been the subject of whispers and taunts ever since. Now, at the start of her high school senior year, between dealing with her grieving, distracted father, and the social nightmare that has become her life, CeCe just wants to fly under the radar. Instead, she’s volunteering at the school’s crisis hotline—the same place her mother worked. As she counsels troubled strangers, CeCe’s lingering suspicions about her mom’s death surface. With the help of Sam, a new student and newspaper intern, she starts to piece together fragmented clues that point to a twisted secret at the heart of her community. Soon, finding the truth isn’t just a matter of restoring her mother’s reputation, it’s about saving lives—including CeCe’s own… My Review : I received an eARC of The Darkest Lie from JenHalliganPR in exchange with my honest review . This is my first Pintip book to read; honestly , I wasn't disappointed . The writing style perfectly entwines with the plot of the story. It will keep you on your toes, anticipating to flip every single page to unravel the mystery . I really liked the topics that Pintip discussed in this book . It is more than just suicide . There are things that I can not mention without spoiling the book, but I can tell you this. It includes topics that many authors choose to stay away from , and refrain from discussing it. The Darkest Lie made me stay up till sunrise to finish it, just because I couldn't bare the idea of sleeping without knowing how the story ends. This is one of the 3 books that helped me overcome my very long reading slump, so there is that ! I really enjoyed The Darkest Lie, and I can't wait to read more of Pintip's books. I give this book 4.5/5 stars. About the Author: Pintip Dunn graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. She also published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,” Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. Her debut novel, Forget Tomorrow, is a finalist in the Best First Book category of RWA’s RITA® contest. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network. She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. You can learn more about Pintip and her books at www.pintipdunn.com
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Title: Everything, Everything Author: Nicola Yoon Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers Publication Date: September 1st, 2015 Genre: Contemporary , YA, Fiction, Romance Format: ebook My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: GoodReads Amazon Blurb: My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. My Review: I received an ecopy of Everything,Everything from Random House via NetGalley. Everything, Everything is everything you need in a YA diverse book ! As if this wasn't enough, the author was able to catch my attention from the first few pages. I was going to start by saying "If you enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars, then you will love Everything, Everything; HOWEVER, I did not really like TFIOS, but enjoyed reading Everything, Everything ! I felt like I am experiencing something epic ,especially with all of the images, doodles,and 1 sentence book reviews. Observing these images made the book very unique; Nope, it is not a Graphic novel, or a picture book. Something that always crossed my mind is how Nicola would feel if people reviewed Everything,Everything, the way Maddie did ,in one sentence .Honestly the way she did it was impressive. Short, but very expressive! I kind of saw the plot twist coming , but I still enjoyed the story anyway because the events that lead to the plot twist,and followed it were very captivating . One of my favorite quotes: "For the first time in a long time, I want more than I have"- Madeline While reading this book, my grandma passed away. I stopped reading for a while, but found my way back to favorite thing to do because of Nicola's story,Maddie, and Olly. The ending was simply.......PERFECT ! I really enjoyed reading this book,and I can't wait to read Nicola's upcoming novel, The Sun Is Also A Star. I am so happy that this book is going to be turned into a movie;I even cried upon reading her tweet ! I give this book 4/5 stars. About the Author: Nicola Yoon grew up in Jamaica (the island) and Brooklyn (part of Long Island). She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and daughter, both of whom she loves beyond all reason. Everything, Everything is her first novel. Title: Placid Girl Author: Brenna Ehrlich Publisher: All Age Press Publication Date: August 25th , 2015 Genre: YA Format: e ARC My Rating: 4.5/ 5 Pre Order link : Amazon Blurb: Punk was created for the malcontents, something that loner and aspiring drummer Hallie understands all too well. Trapped in a boring suburban life – dysfunctional parents included! – Hallie drowns her angst in the angry songs of Haze, a masked musician who has not been heard from in five years. So naturally she’s surprised – and more than a little skeptical – when someone who seems to be Haze starts flirting with her via her favorite photo-sharing app. Is he who he says he is? What does he want from her? The questions only multiply when Hallie — along with bandmate Sarah and aspiring music journalist Steve — roadtrip to Haze's comeback gig to unmask the reclusive musician once and for all. My Review: I received an e ARC copy of Placid Girl from All Age Press via Net Galley, in exchange with an honest review. One of the most thrilling books that I have ever read ! The author will keep you on your toes with every page you turn. You know how sometimes a chapter begins with a classical quote; well this one begins with a lyrics from one of Haze's songs. I wish Haze was a real artist. You know what, scratch that ! I just wish that both albums existed in real life. Brenna will make you experience the music written as if you were at a live concert. Every beat will move you, and the lyrics will change you. I really liked the concept of the story. We follow Hallie, Sarah, and Steve as they try to " unmask " Haze. The journey itself is rough. It is filled with a mixture of receiving secret messages, parent abuse, parent neglection , uncovering past events, falling in love , running away from the police......see? It is pretty awesome. There was a time when these secret messages were very creepy, and I was surprised to how Hallie reacted to them! However, after finishing the novel, I read something about how this book was somehow related to Lolita, which made me accept Hallie's actions. I wished the author explained what was happening at Sarah's house, instead of referring to it was bad over there. I was curious to know the events. I loved Stevie ! Although he could be rude at times, I totally shipped those short Stellie moments. I also never saw that Sarah-Hallie thing coming. I loved the ending ! It was just perfect. It was one of the 4 predictions that I had in mind, so I was not disappointed . To anyone who read the book, let us discuss the last sentence !!!!!! In other words, Placid girl was an original, refreshing read. I give it 4.5 stars out of 5. Title: Hydro ( Aurelia #1) Author: A.C Waltower Publisher: Self Published Publication Date: December 2014 Genre: YA, Sci-Fi Format: e Arc Rating: 2 stars ( D-) Blurb: The year is 2091. 75 years ago, a nuclear war desolated Earth. The top 2% of the world fled to Hydro, a compound on the Moon. The rest of the population were left trying to survive on a barren Earth. Seventeen-year-old Blake lives on Earth with his dad and little brother. When Blake’s father is given the grave sentence of terminal cancer, Blake decides to save his dad by sneaking onto Hydro and making a deal with Hydro’s council. In exchange for them saving his dad, he will give them the answer to everyone’s problem; the location of a new habitable planet. The unexpected and unannounced arrival of Blake leaves many citizens with mixed feelings, none more confusing than those of sixteen-year-old Ziva. The more she learns about Blake and where he comes from, the more she learns that not everything she is being told about the situation on Earth in true, including those told by her beloved grandfather. Why has he been lying to her? And more importantly what is he hiding from her? My Review: I received an e ARC of Hydro in exchange with an honest review. I would like to praise the author for coming up with such fresh, post apocalyptic story. The plot itself has lots of potential, but the writing got in the way. I had huge problem with Blake's dialogues, he seems to only "order people around". It just makes the the character look a jerk and sound boring if after everything he says, the phrase he ordered follows. Not exactly everything, but a lot ! I found the element of conflicted feelings out of place because no one should convinced that easily over an important matter in only a few lines. If a person is conflicted, that person would stay in doubt for a very long time and would simply change allies that quickly. Not mention a couple of plot holes in novel. I think the book was published way too early. It definitely needed 3-4 more rounds of editing to serve the plot some justice. I am probably not going to stick around for the rest of the series, but I hope that the next book is well edited because it would be such a shame to have such a great idea left unread I give this book 2/5 stars and a D- according to my own rating scale. Title: Rebel Wing ( Rebel Wing #1) Author: Tracy Banghart Publisher: Alloy entertainment Publication Date: July 29th, 2014 Genre: New Adult, War, Dystopia, Sci-Fi, Romance Format: eARC My Rating: 5/5 ( A) Blurb: The Dominion of Atalanta is at war. But for eighteen-year-old Aris, the fighting is nothing more than a distant nightmare, something she watches on news vids from the safety of her idyllic seaside town. Then her boyfriend, Calix, is drafted into the Military, and the nightmare becomes a dangerous reality. Left behind, Aris has nothing to fill her days. Even flying her wingjet—the thing she loves most, aside from Calix—feels meaningless without him by her side. So when she’s recruited to be a pilot for an elite search-and-rescue unit, she leaps at the chance, hoping she’ll be stationed near Calix. But there’s a catch: She must disguise herself as a man named Aristos. There are no women in the Atalantan Military, and there never will be. Aris gives up everything to find Calix: her home. Her family. Even her identity. But as the war rages on, Aris discovers she’s fighting for much more than her relationship. With each injured person she rescues and each violent battle she survives, Aris is becoming a true soldier—and the best flyer in the Atalantan Military. She’s determined to save her Dominion . . . or die trying. For fans of Divergent, Code Name Verity, and The 100, Rebel Wing is an epic sci-fi adventure that explores just how far one girl will go for love and country. My Review: I received an eARC of Rebel wing from Alloy Entertainment via NetGalley in exchange with an honest review . The beginning of the story itself is a kind of a retelling of Mulan. We follow the story of Aris,a girl who loves to fly and can hardly wait to be promised by the love of her life Calix. However things do not go according to plan when Calix is chosen to join the Military and leave Aris unpromised. feeling heart broken, she lost her love for flying and when she was offered a chance to join the military as flyer, she takes it. But women aren't allowed to enter the Military , and entering means being highly fit. Could Aris overcome her fragility and make it in? Will she reunite with Calix? Could she actually fit in and help rescue other people? I know, it sounds kick Ass right? I loved the transformation that Aris has gone through, which was from being dependent on everyone to being strong enough to stand for what she believes. The Author did that in a very impressive way through out the book. I was able to connect to how each character was feeling very easily. It was as if I was right there;like I was in their shoes. This is book that I had a really hard time to put it down. The book was a perfect escape route from my exams. Each reading session left me eager to read more and quite refreshed to carry on with my studying. I loved this book and I believe that it is going to be one of my favorite series. It has this perfect mix of character development, action, and love. I give this book 5/5 stars and an A according to my own rating scale ! Title: Footprints Author: Duncan Wills Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd Publication Date: August 29, 2014 Genre: Middle Grade, fantasy Format: e ARC My Rating: 3/5 stars ( C+) Blurb: It’s the 1950’s. Sammy is a quiet loner who has recently suffered personal tragedy. At the bottom of a wardrobe he finds a dusty old book which his dad brought back from the war. Unbeknown to him it is an ancient magical book possessing massive powers. Also unknown to him evil people in far off lands are searching for the book. My Review: I received Footprints from Troubador Publishing LTD via Netgalley in exchange with an honest review . This was magical middle grade read, where we observe Sammy's story with encountering a old magical book . The book seems to hold onto all kind of secrets and knowledge about the world and in the wrong hands, the consequences might be lethal. Sammy's life literally changes once he finds this old book, which is really interesting to read. However, 80% of the entire story was absolutely predictable for me, so I was not that affected by the story. I still think it a pretty fine Middle grade read; something young children might really enjoy reading. I give Footprints 3/5 stars and a C+ according to my own review scale! Title: Tin Lily Author: Joann Swanson Publisher: Cranky Owl Books Publication Date: July 6th 2014 Genre: YA, Psychological,Thriller Format: eARC My Rating : 2/5 stars ( D+) Blurb: Just because you survive doesn’t mean you’re alive. One moment fifteen-year-old Lily Berkenshire is sitting in her bedroom, favorite song blaring through her earbuds, history book open on her lap. The next, her alcoholic father is shooting and killing her mother. Then he’s pointing the gun at Lily and pulling the trigger. Click. He’s out of bullets. My Review: A story packed with emotions , psychological events, and lots of fine description that; however, was not able to influence me or touch me deep inside. I think that author is really good with describing and painting a beautiful portrait of events. However, our main character, Lily was supposed to be hollow in the beginning, just like a tin. She is a person who has no room for fear or love, so how can such a person notice and embrace such descriptions. The thing that I really liked in this book was lily's cat, Binka. The way the author gave her human traits was interesting and surprisingly true. Cats actually do that in reality . I think the concept of this story is really good, but for some reason I was not able to connect with it. I think it was a bit bland for such a topic and I was definitely expecting it to affect me deeply. There was a bit of humor every here now and then, which helped me get through the book. I really loved this quote though : "If we forget, we might do the same thing. If we remember, we can work hard to be something different." _Lily I liked how the book recommend other book titles, I love it when authors do that. I give this book 2/5 stars and a D+ according to my own rating scale. Title: Tortured Souls ( The Orion Circle #1) Author: Kimber Leigh Wheaton Publisher: Sea Dragon Press Publication Date: July 1 2014 Genre: YA, Supernatural,Suspense,Paranormal Edition: eARC My Rating: 4/5 stars ( B+) Blurb: Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option... Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity. My Review: I received an eARC copy from Sea Dragon Press via NetGalley in exchange with my honest review. A stunning Paranormal story that is perfect for The Ghost Whisper and The Medium lovers! I could totally understand now how fitting is this cover with what happens in the story. This is a great fast read packed up with great paranormal events . A great choice if someone is going through a reading slump . There is always something worth anticipating for in the next chapter. I kind of felt that sometimes things where fast paced a bit , well actually. two things where fast paced. Mild Spoiler Alert!!! 1) The love story 2) When her father finally listens to what Kacie says and actually tries to believe. Why not before? I also had the impact that Kacie was too dependent at times, it was a bit annoying, but the story is great so those where kind of easy to disregard. I love the other characters, especially Carl ! Why is everyone so mean to him ?? :D Each character brings in a different shade of awesomeness to add to the story. I can't wait to see how the series go on, literally waiting to grab book 2 whenever is out! I give this book 4/5 stars and a B according to my own scale Blurb:
Make him pay, Bayley. Make him pay. It’s as if the wooden chest is luring me, urging me to open it – daring me almost. Open me up. Look inside. Come on, just for a second; it won’t hurt. Celina O’Malley was sixteen years old when she disappeared. Now, almost forty years later, Bayley is sleeping in Celina’s room, wearing her clothes, hearing her voice. What does Celina want? And who will suffer because of it? A ghost story. A love story. A story of revenge. My Review: I received this book from Switch Press via NetGalley in exchange with my honest review. Portraits of Celina is an intriguing story with elements of Mystery and Supernatural events that will keep you guessing what actually happened. The dialogue between Oliver and Bayley is hilarious . I had a ridiculous grin glued to my face while reading them. Although I kind of correctly guessed the mystery, it was still interesting knowing exactly how it happened. Besides, I had at least 3 more guesses, which shows how the author skillfully diverts your thoughts throughout the book. A great read with the theme of everything is not what it seems, which includes burying your burdens, secrets, lies and much more. I really enjoyed reading Portraits of Celina and I am interested in checking out more of Sue Whiting's Novels. I gave this book 4/5 stars and a B according to my own rating scale. Title: Maddy Kettle ( The Adventure of the ThimbleWitch ) Author: Eric Orchard Publisher: Diamond Book Distributors Publication Date: September 3oth 2014 Genre: Children's Fiction,Graphic Novel,Fantasy Edition: eARC My Rating: 4/5 ( B+) Blurb: Eleven-year-old Maddy loved working in her parents' bookstore... especially when joined by her pet flying toad Ralph. But that was before the mysterious Thimblewitch turned her mom & dad into kangaroo rats! Now Maddy's on the adventure of a lifetime. To save her parents, she'll need to sneak past an army of spider-goblins, scarecrow warriors, and much more... Fortunately, an assortment of new friends await, including the cloud cartographers Harry and Silvio, a bear and raccoon who explore the world in their moon-balloon. They'll help her along the way, but in the end, the fate of everyone will depend on Maddy's courage, compassion, and creativity. Full of surprises and stunning artwork, Maddy Kettle is a truly magical debut for Spectrum-Award-winning cartoonist Eric Orchard. Climb aboard and let your imagination soar. My Review: I received an eARC of this Graphic Novel from Diamond Book Distributors via NetGalley in exchange for an honest Review. This Graphic Novel is going to take you on a journey of awesomeness with its fascinating fictional characters and creative settings. The illustrations are beyond beautiful and this was really useful in graphic novels because sometimes looking at the picture alone gives lots of extra information that wasn't told . The plot grabs the readers attention and takes him/her on an exquisite journey filled with magic and friendship. There were few moments were I got a feeling that something was missing in form of text. But it could only be nothing. It might just be that the character was so Naive during that scene. I really enjoyed the first book from the Maddy Kettle series , and i would absolutely read the next installations. This is a brilliant read for children. I highly recommend it. I gave this book 4/5 stars and a B+ according to my own rating scale. |
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