Title: Once Upon a Dream Author: Liz Braswell Publisher: Disney Press Publication Date : April 5th 2016 Genre: Retelling, Fantasy, YA Format: Paperback My Rating: 4.5/5 Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dreammarks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. It should be simple--a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess's, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over. With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up? My Review: This lyrical Sleeping Beauty retelling will take you on a luscious, insane journey . I know what some of you are thinking. Another retelling/spin off of the Sleeping Beauty; how many versions of this story is this Industry going to remake ? Let us start by saying that Once Upon a Dream is not an over-said-and-done plot. It glows with novelty, and sparks with creativity . I believe that even parents could enjoy reading this book with their kids. When the story begins, I was presented with a lie about Maleficent that itself, could have been made into another great tale. I really hope that Liz would someday consider writing a novella based on that lie being actually true. Something that really mesmerized me is that our Aurora seems to have developed a mental illness, Wait, let me correct myself. She had it from the beginning of the book, but we learn more about it later on. I am not going to say what illness, but I will let you know that it fits perfectly with the the original tale's most renown events. I a absolutely enjoyed this adventurous lyrical read, and I plan on reading Liz's entire fairytale retelling series. I give it 4.5/5 stars. About the Author: After the sort of introverted childhood you would expect from a writer, Liz earned a degree in Egyptology at Brown University and then promptly spent the next ten years producing video games. Finally she caved into fate and wrote Snow and Rx under the name Tracy Lynn, followed by The Nine Lives of Chloe King series under her real name, because by then the assassins hunting her were all dead. She also has short stories in Geektastic and Who Done It and a new series of reimagined fairy tales coming out, starting with A Whole New World—a retelling of Aladdin. She lives in Brooklyn with a husband, two children, a cat, a part-time dog, three fish and five coffee trees she insists will start producing beans any day. You can email her at [email protected].
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Title: Dreamology Author: Lucy Keating Publisher: Harper Teen Publication Date: April 12th 2016 Genre: Contemporary, YA, Fantasy Format: ebook My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist. But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped. When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough? My Review: This book captured my attention because of its concept, which can obviously be seen from the title. Dreams !!! I believe that dreams are the gates to one's soul and subconscious . I get to discover more about myself through them, and take every theme represented into consideration when observing real life events. That is enough, we are not here to discuss me !!! In Dreamology, we see Alice and Alex having amazing adventures & falling in love, but that only happens in the dream world. When Alice begins attending a new school, she sees the boy of her (DREAMS!!) sitting right there. But life is complicated, and they thought each one was having a perfect imaginary friend/lover. How do they adjust to this, was Alice the only one having those dreams, why is she having them,etc? Find out by reading this book. I found myself laughing a lot + enjoying swoon-worthy moments + appreciating such an intriguing plot . Do I need to explain more why I loved this ??? This book will definitely make you SWIGGLE " Swoon+Giggle" The characters are well built . They doesn't get to be more realistic than than that. This was a 5 star read up until I reached the last few chapters. I wished that there was more of the story to be told, but that barely affected how much I loved the book . Lucy did a brilliant job with this debut novel, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Lucy lives in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, attended Williams College in the Berkshires, and still misses the East Coast very much. When she's not writing, Lucy can usually be found obsessing over the latest music, inventing new flavors of ice cream, or having what she feels are perfectly acceptable conversations with her dog, Ernie. You can follow Lucy on Instagram @lucy.keating, and Ernie The Dog @ernsboberns Title: Light Author: Rob Cham Publisher: Adarna House, Inc Publication Date: October 4th, 2016 Genre: Silent Comic My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: This wordless comic book follows the exploits of a backpack-toting adventurer in a quest to find a mysterious treasure. Framed in black, the illustrations offer delightful bursts of color and are sure to entertain readers of any age. My Review: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review. This is my very first silent comic, and I wasn't disappointed ! I fell in love with the illustration work. This comic shows how a picture is worth a thousand words.The color switching from one contrast to another , was highly appreciated. I highly recommend swapping instantaneously through such pages , to enjoy a short stop motion animation. I wish I understood why he killed a lot, or what lead to having such creatures guiding the elemental crystals. Definitely a little bit of too much violence for kids; there is a lot of killing that happens one after another. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Rob Cham is a freelance illustrator, designer, and comic artist who's done illustration works for notable publications and magazines like Rouge, Smile, Esquire, the Philippine Star. He has also worked with brands like McDonald's and Adidas. Cham has also worked with various government agencies, namely the Department of Social Welfare and Development as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs. Title: Heart and Brain ( Gut instincts ) Author: The Awkward Yeti, Nick Seluk Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing Publication Date: October 18th, 2016 Genre: Comic , Humor My Rating : 5/5 stars Links : Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts is the follow-up to the tremendously popular New York Times bestseller, Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection. The Awkward Yeti's Heart and Brain comics perfectly illustrate the ongoing, internal struggle betwixt head and heart. Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts features the same lovable characters as the first book and introduces a host of other vital organs like insatiable Tongue, irritable Bowels, and abused Stomach. My Review: I received an e-ARC of this comic from the publisher via NetGalley , in exchange with an honest review. Nick Seluk will capture your attention, mock your guilty pleasures, and make you L.O.L ! If you have ever heard Selena Gomez's " The Heart Wants What it Wants", then you know who usually wins the battle of "Taking the best, practical decision VS taking the most fun one." This comic will perfectly show you that this isn't an equation that can be balanced. The right action to take can not be presented as a monopoly ; it basically differs from one scenario, to another. Think of it like a seesaw . We get to see this in how Brain and Heart discuss matters. Mostly, they disagree and see things differently ; but sometime, they get to learn from each other. In this second issue, we get to see how the Gut reacts to every day activities that we usually engage in. In my opinion, it is a smart, entertaining representation of what happens inside the body. I believe this could be a very beneficial way to educate people, both young and old. Visual stimulation is, in my opinion, the best way to learn . I absolutely loved this comic. It made laugh at this generation's social norms, experience life from the point of view of different organs, and fall in love with biology again. I can't wait to read the next issue. Listen to your Gut Instincts & pre-order your copy. I give 5/5 stars. About The Awkward Yeti: The Awkward Yeti encompasses multiple series by cartoonist Nick Seluk. The ongoing self-titled strip, The Awkward Yeti, follows Lars the yeti as he experiences everyday social awkwardness at work, in his social life, even while dating. The popular spinoff, Heart and Brain, follow the inner dialogue between the cynical, society-influenced Brain and the impulsive, optimistic Heart. Together, the three characters were metaphorically inspired by the concept of the Id (Heart), the Ego (Lars) and the Superego (Brain) but have developed their own personalities over time. In addition to the two regular series, miscellaneous comics explore life, science and many other topics through ridiculous personification of organs, animals, and even rocks. Title: Sun Dragon's Song #1 Author: Joyce Chng Publisher: Rosarium Publishing Publication Date: September 21st 2016 Genre: Fantasy, Dragons My Rating: 3/5 Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: More than anything, young Ho Yi wishes to become a Sun Dragon Rider, the courageous human guardians of the magnificent beasts that roam the sky and keep watch over the land. But confined to crutches, bullies giving him a hard time, and his parents being away at war, Yo Hi is up against almost impossible odds! Can he still keep hope alive, while suffering in his tiny village, to become the valiant hero only he feels he's destined to become My review: I received an e-ARC of this book from Rosarium Publishing via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review. A great plot with an Asian protagonist who faces bullying, and feeds the dragons. That sounds very intriguing , but I believe that we should have seen more of the story, understood more about the world where Ho Yi lives in ,before wrapping part 1 up. I will definitely keep an eye for the next book. I truly believe that this story could go places. I give it 3/5 stars. About the Author: I am Singaporean. I write SFF and YA. ;) I also write urban fantasy under J. Damask. Title: The Replacement Crush Author: Lisa Brown Roberts Publisher: Entangled Teen ( Crush ) Publication Date: September 6th, 2016 Genre : YA, Contemporary, Humor Format: e ARC My Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: True love can’t be strategized. After book blogger Vivian Galdi’s longtime crush pretends their secret summer kissing sessions never happened, Vivian creates a list of safe crushes, determined to protect her heart. But nerd-hot Dallas, the sweet new guy in town, sends the mission and Vivian’s zing meter into chaos. While designing software for the bookstore where Vivian works, Dallas wages a counter-mission. Operation Replacement Crush is in full effect. And Dallas is determined to take her heart off the shelf. My review: I received an e-ARC of The Replacement Crush from the publisher via NettGalley, in exchange with an honest review. The Replacement Crush will leave you with an aching jaw, painful cheeks, and lots of looking like a fool as you swoon , scream, and laugh ! I really loved the fact that the main character was a book blogger. This made the book even more interesting for me. I love how creative was Lisa when she created the rating scale for Viv's book blog. It was not only creative , but also hilarious. A good way to display how the little things always matter is to look even beyond this book's plot, and focus on how people interacted in this story. A simple question like " Are you vegetarian/ vegan?" can give others a sense modesty, and respect. At first, I wasn't sure why the book was that long. I had a feeling that the story could have been over by 80%. Then, things happened that made reconsider that thought, and even admire this book much more. Lisa is the Queen of Contemporary Romance and Humor; she always find a new way to tell her stories and make her readers giggle and swoon. I think I just came up with a new word ! Wait for it !!! Lisa never fails to make me Swiggle ( Swoon & Giggle ) I really enjoyed The Replacement Crush, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. About the Author: Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn't recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life's painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way. Title : Hungry ( Remade S01E02 ) Author: Andrea Phillips Publisher: Serial Box Publishing Publication Date: September 14th 2016 Genre: YA, Sci-Fi My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: GoodReads . SerialBox Blurb: Every minute, 108 people die. On October 14th, 2016, from 9:31-9:32 p.m. EDT, 23 of those deaths will be teenagers. Now they are humanity’s last hope for survival. Awakened in a post-apocalyptic world and hunted by mechanical horrors, these teens search for answers amidst the ruins of civilization. Fate, love, and loyalty face off in this adrenaline -pumping YA adventure. ReMade will unfold in 15 episodes. My Review: I received an e-ARC copy of Hungry from the publisher via NetGALLEY , in exchange with an honest review. In this episode, we get to know more about the place where Holden & those who were with him had arrived, which was revealed by the end of episode one. Not only that, but also we get to see some flashbacks for one of the characters' past lives , May's. You might be thinking, oh look at these poor teenagers . They are almost always starving, and living in a dangerous place. But can you imagine a person who is allergic to various types of food in that situation? It is like, should I die starving, or should I perish because of my allergies? It is important to see these situations, so that people in real life aren't so (close-minded ??) & selfish towards anyone who isn't similar to them.. The fact that she has food allergies adds such a crucial element to the book. I really appreciate it when authors make their main characters suffer from some illness or disability. It is an important method to get people to understand the struggle, and erase some their Ignorance . So thank you, Andrea Philips ! We also begin to see some typical human traits kick in. I can't wait to see the full of effect of that. It took me awhile to get into the story, but I ended up really enjoying it. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Andrea Phillips is an award-winning transmedia writer, game designer and author. She has worked on projects such as iOS fitness games Zombies, Run! and The Walk, The Maester's Path for HBO's Game of Thrones, human rights game America 2049, and the independent commercial ARG Perplex City. Her projects have variously won the Prix Jeunesse Interactivity Prize, a Broadband Digital award, a Canadian Screen Award, a BIMA, the Origins Vanguard Innovation Award, and others. Her book A Creator's Guide to Transmedia Storytelling is used to teach digital storytelling at universities around the world. Her independent work includes the Kickstarted serial The Daring Adventures of Captain Lucy Smokeheart and The McKinnon Account, a short story that unfolds in your email inbox. Her debut novel Revision is out on May 5 from Fireside Fiction Co. and her short fiction has been published in Escape Pod and the Jews vs. Aliens anthology. You can find Andrea on Twitter at @andrhia. I mean, if you like that sort of thing. Title: Forget Yesterday #1 Author: Pintip Dunn Publisher: Entangled Teen Publication Date: November 3rd 2015 Genre: YA, Dystopia, Fantasy Format: Ebook My Rating: 3.5/5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided…by your future self. It’s Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she’s eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they’re meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist. Or in Callie’s case, a criminal. In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo―a prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes the hellish prison. But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all. My Review: I have to say that the concept that lead to this book is amazing !! Maybe I am being biased , since my WIP is based on a similar world. This is a book that will grab your attention right from the start, and leave you wondering what is going to happen next all of the time. My favorite thing about this book is the world that it is set in. In a world where (who you become in the future, affects what happens to you in the present), a lot of things could go wrong. Which is exactly what happened to our protagonist. I got some Delirium vibes, which is more than okay because that book is amazing ! I found the romance to be very rushed, especially when it comes to Callie. She didn't show any signs of affection towards Logan until he started talking to her again after 5 years of no communication what so ever. I don't want to mention any spoilers, but some of the revelations towards the end of book didn't click for me. I am counting on the sequel to clear these up because the main story has great potential . There is too much that need to me explained !! The Cliffhanger at the end was simply, perfect ! Overall , this was a good read. I give it 3.5/5 stars About the Author: When her first-grade teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, Pintip replied, “An author.” Although she has pursued other interests over the years, this dream has never wavered. Pintip 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. Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. She is a 2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. |
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