Book Review / If I Should Die by Amy Plum

Below is the blurb for Die for Me, the first book in the series. 

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

Published:    7th May 2013
Publisher:  Harper 
Goodreads :  Click here
Series:  Book 3, Revenants
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

Review:   10 out of 10

What I loved about this book…

Everything!  It was a little while ago when I read the first two books in the series and I did worry about not being able to pick up the story but the writer did a fantastic catch up job.  Within the first chapter or two I was immediately caught up and remember but then again with some fantastic stories they just don’t leave you.

With this story we are back in France and a reminder of another thing I really enjoyed at this series and that is the wonderful descriptions of scenery, atmosphere and people.  Its just as if you are standing right there, smelling the wonderfully French cheese and bread etc…   Even some of the characters speak French now and again…

What I was not fond of about this book…

Although I cannot say too much about this as I don’t want to spoil it for those of you who have not read the trilogy yet, I will say that there was a brand new question that sprung up for me when reading this book that left me wondering whether there may be another book in this trilogy or maybe a prequel or a spin off or something like that.  I hope there will be otherwise it would be sad not to know the answer to the question I have.  Let’s just say that there is an aspect to a main character that you find out and it would be good to know more about the history of the main character and their family to find out why what happened happened.

In summary…

There were quite a few questions that I had after reading the first two books and they were definitely answered in this final book, apart from one question that arose that has made me wonder about a possible another book or spin off in the series

An absolutely fantastic end to a trilogy that I would highly recommend.

Video Review...

Best wishes

Debs J

Book Haul - 30th June 2013

Book Review / Stung by Bethany Wiggins

In a world in crisis, children are the future. Part of the cure. Not now. Children are deadly. Marked one to ten. Fiona is a TEN. She just doesn't know it yet . . . She doesn't know her true strength. 

Fiona doesn't remember going to sleep. But she has woken to find her entire world has changed - her house is abandoned and broken, and her neighbourhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right wrist that she doesn't remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. And she's right. When the honeybee population collapsed, a worldwide pandemic occurred and the government tried to bio-engineer a cure. But instead the vaccination turned people into ferocious, deadly beasts. They have been branded as a warning to unvaccinated survivors. Key people needed to rebuild society are protected inside a fortress-like wall. Fiona has awakened branded, alone and on the wrong side of the wall . . .

Published:    4th July 2013

Publisher:  Bloomsbury

Goodreads :  Click here

Series:  Book 1, Stung

Source:  Bought

Review:   5 out of 10

What I loved about this book…

What I liked the most about the book is probably what I was not fond of most in this book and that is not knowing what is going on.  Talking about what I liked about it, I liked the mysterious start to the book where you see Fiona waking up and discovering that she is in a different world to the one that she remembered.  After waking up, you follow her journey as she tries to discover what is going on.  I liked that aspect of the story at the start, it was as if I was experiencing things as the story goes on just like the Fiona.

 I also enjoyed the ending of this story, it was a very surprising twist that made me intrigued to find out what happened next.

What I was not fond of about this book…

As I mentioned above, an aspect of this story that I did not get on well with was the mysterious aspect to the story.  Not really knowing what is going on.  Now that was ok at the beginning of the story when you want to discover things as the main character does, but when it gets to nearly halfway through the book and you still have no idea what is going on, with not even a hint, it frustrated me a bit.

There is a bit of romance in this book but I have to admit that I felt it happened far too quickly.  With the people that were in the ‘romantic situation’ I felt there should have been more history or at least a bit more of a romantic build up.  As an aside I do have to say that as this is the first in the series, there could be more history to come that I am not aware.

In summary…

I did enjoy the idea of the book and with the twist in the ending I am very intrigued to find out more but I did feel the romance side of it was a bit quick and there could have been more explanation as to what was going on before the middle of the book. 

Video Review...

Best wishes

Debs J

Series Review / Sweep Series by Cate Tiernan

Morgan Rowlands never thought she was anything other than a typical sixteen-year-old girl. But when she meets Cal, a captivatingly handsome coven leader, she makes a discover that turns her whole world upside down: she is a witch, descended from an ancient and powerful line. And so is Cal. Their connection is immediate and unbreakable; Cal teases out Morgan's power, her love, her magick. But Morgan discovers too soon that her powers are strong-- almost too powerful to control. And she begins to suspect that Cal may be keeping secrets from her . . . secrets that could destroy them both.


Published:    Originall Published in 2003
Publisher:  Originally published by Puffin
Goodreads :  Click here
Series:  Books 1 to 15, Sweep
Source:  Bought

Review:   10 out of 10


My Review

Waiting on Wednesday: Starglass by Phoebe North

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog.



Expected Release Date:  23rd July 2013
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)

Goodreads link is here.

My darling daughter,

Know that I never would have left the Earth if it hadn't already been doomed. . .

The generation ship Asherah coasts through space, bound for a planet its passengers have never even seen. On the eve of their arrival, sixteen-year-old botanist Terra discovers that her orderly society has fractured. Walking home one night through the long-abandoned engine rooms, she witnesses the murder of an innocent man. Now, called on by the Children of Abel, a group of rebels intent on destroying the High Council, Terra must prove her mettle--assassinate the ship's rising captain. In order to carry out her task, Terra must betray her father, deceive her teacher, and challenge everything the Council has ever taught her was true.

The rebels think that Terra has nothing left to lose. But when she falls for Silvan Rafferty, the boy that she's meant to kill, Terra learns that "doing your duty" isn't always as easy as it seems

Book Haul - 25th June 2013

Dusty Reads: Yesterday's Sun by Amanda Brooke

Dusty Reads is a Tuesday meme that I found at Ya-aholic.com and was originally started at Xpressoreads.com. 

This is a meme where I intend to showcase a book that has been on my shelf for a while and haven’t got to yet.  If you have read this or have heard of this book, I would love to hear your comments on whether you  like it or not, or have heard great things about it.

This week, my  Dusty Read is:

 How could you ever choose between your own life and the life of your child?

Newly-weds Holly and Tom have just moved into an old manor house in the picturesque English countryside. When Holly discovers a moondial in the overgrown garden and its strange crystal mechanism, little does she suspect that it will change her life forever. For the moondial has a curse.

Each full moon, Holly can see into the future – a future which holds Tom cradling their baby daughter, Libby, and mourning Holly’s death in childbirth…

Holly realises the moondial is offering her a desperate choice: give Tom the baby he has always wanted and sacrifice her own life; or save herself and erase the life of the daughter she has fallen in love with.

     

   

     
   

 

 
 
    

Waiting on Wednesday: Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog.



Expected Release Date: 27th August 2013
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)

Goodreads link is here.

Seventeen-year-old Penelope (Pen) has lost everything—her home, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother. Like a female Odysseus in search of home, she navigates a dark world full of strange creatures, gathers companions and loses them, finds love and loses it, and faces her mortal enemy.

In her signature style, Francesca Lia Block has created a world that is beautiful in its destruction and as frightening as it is lovely. At the helm is Pen, a strong heroine who holds hope and love in her hands and refuses to be defeated.(

Dusty Reads: Prisoner in the Palace by Michaela McColl

Dusty Reads is a Tuesday meme that I found at Ya-aholic.com and was originally started at Xpressoreads.com. 

This is a meme where I intend to showcase a book that has been on my shelf for a while and haven’t got to yet.  If you have read this or have heard of this book, I would love to hear your comments on whether you  like it or not, or have heard great things about it.

This week, my  Dusty Read is:

 London, 1838. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?

Meticulously based on newly discovered information, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

     

   

     
   

 

 
 
    

Author Interview: Aris Whittier

Logan Richards is doubly blessed. Not only is he a genius but he has a rare gift, he remembers things and not just from this life but all his lifetimes. He lives a life of wealth and luxury and has never lacked any material possession. There has never been an obstacle his intellect couldn’t overcome. But Logan has a problem: every night he dreams of the same woman, a woman he has dreamt of all his life. He knows she is real and he is determined to find her and convince her she belongs with him, forever.

Amber Lewis, a waitress for a five-star restaurant in Dana Point, California, is overworked and stressed. Her sister’s death has left her weary and wondering if there’s something more to life than mere existence. Then, one evening while working she meets Logan Richards, a chivalrous man who feels deeply familiar.

Fate has brought them together, but will their growing love prove strong enough to resist the forces that could pull them apart?

1.  If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why? I would love to work with Judith McNaught because not only is she my favorite author but historical novels are my favorite genre. I’ve never considered writing a historical romance but I would jump on the opportunity if I were to write it with Judith McNaught.

2.  What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write? I don’t sit at my computer and writer for a certain amount of time each day. I’m a mom, with two kids, so they come first. But I do like to try and write one book every year or so. I prefer to write first thing in the morning and in my office.

3.  What is the hardest part of the writing for you? I write in spurts and that is very frustrating. Sometimes I’ll write dozens of pages in a day and other times I can barely get a paragraph written.

4.  When and why did you first start writing? I never aspired to be a writer. However, I’ve always loved to read and write. Growing up, I would read anything from Readers Digest to Stephen King. When I was younger, I used to love to tell stories…my mom called them lies…but I considered it creative story telling… LOL. When I was 16 I picked up my first romance book and I fell in love with the genre. When I was in college I wrote my first romance novel and it was then that I knew I wanted to be a writer.

5.  How did you come up with the idea for the book your book? Across Eternity was inspired by a dream. I dreamt the entire book one night and sprung out of bed at about 3 in the morning scrambling into my office and immediately began writing—I didn’t want to forget it! Across Eternity is an amazing love story and I hope it makes the reader think and question certain aspect about life, love, and ourselves. And most importantly what do you believe in and is your Logan out there somewhere?

6.  Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now? I am a very big reader. I love to read! I love books on health and nutrition. What I’m reading on my Kindle right now is The Wild One by Danielle Harmon. I am loving this book so far!

7.  Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers? My advice is to never give up. And write about what you love. Oh, and develop a very thick skin because you’re going to need it. Everything will be judged and nitpicked—your writing, your plot, your characters, your query, your book cover…get used to it. Some of the criticism will be worthy and some of it not. You’ll know what to take in and what to just let roll off. Trust your instincts!

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ArisWhittier

Feel Free to use whatever link you like:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/across-eternity/id455164635?mt=11

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Across-Eternity-ebook/dp/B004RVB2EG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299979362&sr=1-1-spell

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/across-eternity-aris-whittier/1100060322

Book Haul - 16th June 2013

Book Review: A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks

Miles Ryan's life seemed to end the day his wife was killed in a hit-and-run accident two years ago. As deputy sheriff of New Bern, North Carolina, he not only grieves for her and worries about their young son Jonah but longs to bring the unknown driver to justice. 

Then Miles meets Sarah Andrews, Jonah's second-grade teacher. A young woman recovering from a difficult divorce, Sarah moved to New Bern hoping to start over. Tentatively, Sarah and Miles reach out to each other...soon they are falling in love. But what neither realizes is that they are also bound together by a shocking secret, one that will force them to reexamine everything they believe in--including their love.

In A Bend in the Road, Nicholas Sparks writes with a luminous intensity about life's bitter turns and incomparable sweetness. His affirming message carries a powerful lesson about the imperfections of being human, the mistakes we all make, and the joy that comes when we give ourselves to love.

Published:    1st April 2005
Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing
Goodreads :  Click here
Series: N/A
Source:  Bought
Review:   8 out of 10

What I loved about this story...

As with most Nicholas Sparks books, what I loved the most was the romantic build up.  You have two characters who have been through a lot, meet and things gradually start to happen.  Defiantly not an instant love scenario.  With the gradual romantic build up, it gives the whole story a laid back, slow paced, feeling and that is another reason why I love Nicholas Sparks' books.  Its truly a story that you can sit back, relax and enjoy - digesting one piece at a time and somehow the effect of his writing seems to last a lifetime afterwards.

What I was not fond of with this story...

For me, I was not very fond of the ending in this story as I was hoping for another completely different ending.

In summary...

A very emotional and romantic story with a tragic twist..  For all those of you who love chicklit and romance books, I would definitely recommend this one.

Video review...



Best wishes

Debs :-)