Title: Gabriel and the Swallows Author: Esther Dalseno Publisher: Of Tomes Publication Publication Date: March 2016 Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance Format: ebook My Rating: 4.75/ 5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: Orvieto, 1957 Gabriel, a peasant boy with a disabled mother, constructs elaborate fantasy worlds to comfort when life becomes unbearable. The monotonous days of poverty and merciless bullying are interrupted when Gabriel unintentionally attracts the attention of a mysterious creature, a girl with swallow’s wings. Navigating life with fellow outsider, the foreigner Orlando Khan, Gabriel abandons his small town for the grandeurs of Rome. But Gabriel is now a man and must choose where he belongs: the imperfect reality, or the dream world that grows stronger and more seductive with each day… My Review: Gabriel and the Swallows is a coming of age book that is not only beautifully written, but also creatively scripted . It is not another coming of age story; It is a magical story that includes diversity that is well researched, magical realism that is mind-blowing, and a writing style that will haunt you ! I found myself highlighting a lot of quotes !!!! And by a lot , I mean way too much !! He called everyone “God-damn bastardo salami-eaters, except for you Gabriel . “I am a human with bird tendencies when I am with you.And I am a bird with human tendencies when I am with them.” - Volatile “Your subconscious is a place too, as real as any other.” -Volatile If that doesn't make you want to get and read this book ASAP, I don't know what will. Gabriel's best friend Orlando, was a Muslim. Once I discovered that, I was dancing around like a fool. Esther started by showing some of the Islamic practices , before using the word Muslim or Islam. Just like any other human, Orlando made mistakes & sinned. She showed how Muslims are flawed, but not the religion itself. She also used some Arabic words with english pronunciation that I liked very much. Those who disliked this book complained about how foolish Gabriel was, and how it took him way to long to appreciate what he had. How the main characters were hard to LIKE !!! But I have to say that the fact that characters were flowed, made me love the story & the characters even more. This is a story with real characters, in a fictional world ! I only wished that the revelation part was described a bit more, especially that Esther is a wizard with words , when it comes to description. I absolutely adored GATS; it is a book the left with tears, not only because of the events that shaped the ending, but also because my journey with this book was over. I give it 4.75/ 5 stars . About the Author: Esther Dalseno was born in Australia. After living in both Portland, Oregon and Sydney, New South Wales, she headed off to see the world. Writing and teaching, she has lived in Laos, Vietnam and South Korea and has traveled the world extensively. She now lives in with her family in Berlin.
0 Comments
Title: I.D. Author: Emma Rios Publisher: Image Comics Publication Date: June 28th 2016 Format:eARC Genre: Dystopia, Comic My Rating :3/5 stars Blurb:
A dystopian tale that analyzes the conflict between perception and identity through the struggle of three people who consider a 'body transplant' as a solution to their lives. My Review: I received an eARC of I.D. from Image Comics via NetGalley in exchange with an honest review. This Comic is about 3 people who are considering to have a body transplant to escape a specific aspect of their lives. The whole point of this transplant is to offer a new life to each individual, but it isn't 100% safe. We get a peak on why each person wants to undergo this surgery, and see their lives after they body transplant. The ending was a major down-fall for me because so far, this is a standalone . So much is still to be uncovered in this story. The illustration was accurate and beautiful, but a bit unclear. The drawing being in only black and orang-brown was a bit tiring to the eyes. I give it 3/5 stars.
Title: One Chance Night ( Make a Change #1)
Author: Eliza Boyd Publisher: Patchwork Press Publication Date: May 15h , 2015 Genre: Contemporary , New Adult Format: eARC My Rating: 4/5 stars Blurb: On the surface, Chelsea Greer has it all: A loving husband. A nice house. A good job. In reality, she works hard to maintain the illusion that is her life. She's also missing the most important thing: Love. One night could change her life. One night could give her the strength to rediscover what's important. In one night, she could find love when she most needs it and least expects it. All Chelsea has to do is follow her heart after One Chance Night. My Review : I received an eARC of One Chance night from Patchwork Press via NetGalley, in exchange with my honest review . This is not just about romance; it is about getting a second chance and learning how to make the best out of it. The character building was on point! I was able to feel Chelsea's distress, Brett's charming charisma, and Wesley's jerkiness . I can rant all day on why I love Brett, and hate Wesley. Did I mention that is under 200 pages ?? Imagine how ( not so long )it took me to feel all of this ; well because Eliza is a brilliant writer. The way story was told kind of reminded me of Poison Study by Maria.V. Snyder. Not because of the plot, but because of the storytelling . You have a lot things happening to the main character, but you have no idea why her marriage sucks. You get bits of information along the way, until Boom ! The dramatic reason finally is revealed. The revelation happens much earlier than in Poison Study, but you get what I mean. The story was really interesting at the beginning, then it kind of dropped a bit , but then it returned to its "really interesting" level by the end . I did not know that this was a part of a series until I finished the book. I know, it is written on the cover .:D But the ending is not a cliffhanger for Chelsea's story. However, it is an interesting cliffhanger for the series as a whole. I already want to read the second book : Two Pink Lines! I give One Chance Night 4/5 stars. Eliza's Pinterest is filled with quotes that are related to her book, country music lyrics that were mentioned in the novel, and Character casting suggestions !
About the Author:
Eliza Boyd is a contemporary women’s fiction and romance author. Also an avid reader, she writes novels, short stories, poetry, and whatever else strikes her fancy. Born and raised in Northern Illinois, she now lives in sunny Arizona with her husband and her plethora of animals. When she’s not reading, writing, or working, she can be found walking around her neighborhood (for exercise, not for stalking), taking photos of her pets, or catching up on her favorite shows. Catching up really means binge-watching Title: The Core ( Equilibrium #1 ) Author: Kate Thomas Publisher: Patchwork Press Publication Date : February 12, 2015 Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance Format: ebook Synopsis: There’s something strange about David, something that goes beyond the way he makes Ellie feel. He’s wealthy, poised, and a complete enigma. With nothing to lose but her heart, Ellie goes in search of the truth—a search that leads her down an eye-opening path that reveals secrets about the world she thought she knew. The world’s order is held in careful balance, the essence of good and evil tilting the scale. When the fabric of reality is stripped away, Ellie is forced to make a decision to follow the path David’s constructed before her or simply walk away. The Core is missing and someone must step up and stand between the light and darkness, holding each back and maintaining equilibrium. Enter the Giveaway! Join Kate's mailing List About the Author: Kate Thomas, is the author of the upcoming Equilibrium Series, a five-book supernatural new adult series, with plans for a few more series in 2015. She is a CPA by trade, a church planter and entrepreneur at heart; however, writing and reading are passions she just can't help but indulge in. With more ideas than one person should be allowed, she is blessed to have a muse that doesn't seem to take a vacation and more energy that one might consider healthy. She writes under the following pen names: L.A. Starkey - Young Adult & Middle Grade Paranormal Isabella James - Sci-fi/Fantasy Lauren Elizabeth - Adult Contemporary Romance 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 ! |
Archives
January 2017
Categories
All
|