Children's Review: Oh So Brave Dragon by David Kirk

Oh So Brave Dragon by David Kirk
Hardcover, 40 pages
Expected publication: May 13, 2014 by Feiwel & Friends

Dragon knows he is supposed to be brave—because that’s what dragons do. He’s so brave and valiant, he’s ready to try out his fearsome roar! But when he hears something that scares him, he turns to his forest friends to find the noise, and to help him be brave.

Young readers will relate to Dragon’s fears, and delight in his quest to be brave. Bestselling author/artist David Kirk, creator of the popular Miss Spider series, has created another beautiful, meaningful picture book to follow Oh So Tiny.   

 This review was done by my 9 year old daughter with a little assistance by me (mostly the typing and rephrasing of some things).
The characters in this story are Dragon and forest animals.  Dragon tries to act brave and protect the animals, but he's really scared of his own roar.  He talks big, like he's the bravest ever, but really, he's more scared than the little forest animals. Once he pulls all the forest friends in and they work together to defeat the monster (non-existant as far as we can tell) he's brave and with his friends by his side.

The story is really short.  It only takes minutes to read.  

The pictures are colorful and I like the dragon pictures and all the forest animals.  I like the pictures when his mouth is open and when he roars.  

This book is good for little kids cause it's really short. It teaches kids that it's okay to be scared but if you have your friends you can be together and maybe be brave.

Disclosure: We received this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.
                                                                                                                                                                                

Young Adult Review: Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

Love Letter to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

Hardcover, 323 pages

Expected Publication: April 1st, 2014 

Source: Gift

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more; though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was; lovely and amazing and deeply flawed; can she begin to discover her own path.

I've been dreading writing this review.  It's just a difficult one to really piece together my thoughts.  They are all over the place. So I'll just start from how I felt from the beginning.

The first half or so of this book was rather slow for me. Sometimes I didn't feel like reading it at all.  But I had a friend tell me that there is more to it, that it's not just about her sister dying and her grief. So then I was curious and wanted to know what the other thing is.  I wasn't expecting it to take so long, and I was expecting more hints. Any hints were so vague I couldn't really guess.  I felt like I was grasping at straws. I kept expecting something to happen and it didn't.  Not until pretty close to the end when everything was revealed.  So that was frustrating to me. But if you can just go with it then maybe it wouldn't be so bad.  It might have partly been my mood too. 

The next thing I want to mention is definitely a positive. Laurel writes letters to dead people, mostly celebrities.  I could connect with this.  Kurt Cobain was my obsession in middle and high school. He died when I was in middle school but we (my friends and I) were obsessed from right before that.  And his death was like this permission slip to go all dark about it and really obsess.  So anyway, yeah, anything Kurt Cobain has me screaming YES in my head.  And all the music mentioned in the book had a very 90's vibe, which I also liked.  90's music rocked, what can I say?  I also liked that we learned little things about the people. I already know everything about Kurt, and I still enjoyed reading those bits. But I learned stuff about Amelia Earhart and many others that I didn't know. And it wasn't all random, it fit the story.

I was surprised that we could get such a strong vibe of Laurel's mindset from her writing the letters.  But we did.  I  mean she cried a lot and acted erratically at times and had me sometimes wondering if there was something more going on with her.  Once I found out more it made sense though.  I don't know whether I liked her, which I know sounds weird. But I totally understood her.  Actually, I understood her too well. {Except one thing toward the end that I did NOT get, AT ALL.}

This book deals with a lot and I'm not going to list them since that's a spoiler.  But it's very very dark.  Like seriously dark.  It was physically hard to read at times.  I had tears running down my face.  I was sobbing. I stayed up until 3 AM because my brain wouldn't shut off. I couldn't stop thinking about the book.  That's good and it's bad.  I don't know.  It's something. It's good when a book brings out so much emotion but not good when it kind of puts you in a dark place.  I read YA to kind of relive my teen years. I remember how strong my emotions were, how much LOVE I felt. How much I FELT in general. I remember the highs and the fun and all the feelings.  And I do remember the darker things, but I kind of don't want to relive them and  this book had me reliving those darker things.  This book was TOO real. It was TOO accurate. It was TOO dark.  I needed some light things to make it easier to take in.  There's just SO much happening and so much she's going through. And you add in her friends and their issues and it's kind of a lot. But connected, I did.  I understood everything far, far too well and personally it was hard.  If I was a TEEN reading this book when going through those things, that might be different. These things are firmly in my past. I survived. I moved forward. I live a normal life and am not {too} messed up.  So this book for teens?  Probably good. Kind of scary now that I'm an adult, but it's definitely realistic and we kind of have to deal with that. Unfortunately.

The romance in the book was good. I was unsure about it and took the whole book to be sure, but I can safely say that I'm happy with it.  Another thing I want to bring up is the LGBT theme. Laurel has two friends that are girls and early on we see they are attracted to each other (the other two friends, not Laurel) but they don't accept it themselves, they are definitely not ready to face anyone else and through the book it's a constant theme.  Of them loving each other but being afraid.  There are other issues with their families as well. I appreciated that this was in the book and I think it was presented realistically.

The end of the book was excellent. It had a full conclusion with things solved and wrapped up.  Laurel has a journey yet, but she's on the right path and I was 100% happy with it.

So what do I rate the book?  Seriously, I have no clue.  I'm going to go with 3.5 stars.

A reminder, I move to Wordpress TOMORROW (Tuesday) so please follow me by Bloglovin' or email so you don't miss out on anything!

Young Adult Review: Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Paperback, 436 pages

Expected Publication: April 1st, 2014 by Strange Chemistry

Source: Publisher

For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

I can tell you this, this certainly is a truly fabulous fantasy!  I had seen a lot of rave reviews for this book so I was a tad concerned about whether I could be let down because of the hype.  That has happened more than once lately.  But that certainly wasn't the case here!

Cecile is a very strong character.  She's headstrong but she also is strong in her beliefs and her sense of right and wrong.  She won't hesitate to put herself in danger to save another.  Sometimes she's a little quick to make judgement, or assumptions and may rush into something without thinking it through but by the end of the book she has this figured out and is far more cautious in thinking things through.  She is definitely a strong female character and one you should add to your list of favorite heroine's.

Tristan is also fantastic.  He's quick with the snappy comebacks and seems indifferent to Cecile at the start.  It's no big secret, we see immediately that he's much  more than his act puts on.  There's a reason for it, and even though at times he's being a true jerk, we know why.  And I have to admit, it was entertaining to read his dialogue with pretty much everyone.  We do get a few chapters from Tristan's POV. It's not often. Maybe two or three times, but it's revealing and it really helps us understand him much better and to know his motivations and mindset.

Almost the entire book takes place under a mountain, but don't be concerned about the world building, there's still plenty of it!  There's a witch's curse to break, a bonding to live through, history to learn about the trolls and much, much more.  On top of that there's politics which is kind of the center of everything.  I can see that the next book will certainly be revealing much more about the world and I'm curious to learn more about this curse.

The romance is somewhat of a slow burn.  It's rather difficult to explain how anything goes without revealing spoilers, and it's very important for you to entangle this romance yourself.  But I loved it.  I just had a few issues because their horrible communication and misunderstandings.  There were a few times I wanted to throw the book.  It was infuriating that they were both so quick to jump to conclusions.  It's not enough of a negative to take away a full star, so for this I would say it's a 4.5 star read.  Wonderfully delicious, complex and intriguing. I highly recommend!

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way. 

Middle Grade Review: Smasher by Scott Bly

 Smasher by Scott Bly

Hardcover, 256 pages

Publication Date: March 25th, 2014 by Blue Sky Press (Scholastic)

Source: Publisher

In this riveting suspense thriller, two children race the clock to stop a futuristic murderer and his plan to enslave the world.In thirty days, a cold-hearted corporate tycoon will unleash a deadly biological computer virus on the entire world. As the public eagerly awaits his invention that promises ultimate relaxation, harmony, and community, the evil big-business sorcerer plans to put an end to freedom.Can he be stopped? The world's only hope is if Charlie, a math genius with otherworldly skills, and Geneva, a robotic girl from the future, can team up to track down some very dark secrets. With a method that uses atomic particles, Geneva and Charlie use "Smasher" to break through the walls of time. They travel to find an unlikely solution. But will it work?Fresh, unique, and gripping, this page-turner also celebrates the power of love, hope, and friendship as it also raises provocative questions about technology, progress, and the nature of persecution.

This is one of those books that is hard to review because it's not a book aimed at me, it's not my genre of choice, but I believe in thinking outside the box and trying most anything. So what I didn't like about it is actually what makes it so good for it's actual targeted audience. This is a middle grade sci-fi thriller. It's very technology based but throws in some supernatural elements and time travel as well. I do like time travel, but the rest of that is not really my favorite. However, for what this is, for who it is for, it's done quite well.

These are some of the things you can expect.

• A boy from the past as the main character and a girl from the future (to us and the boy) who may or may not be a robot and who is able to time travel, camouflage and more. 
• A villain with alternating chapters featuring him (so an adult has a POV but it's third person- as is the other POV's).
• Secondary characters that we question whether they are truly devoted to the villain as we get conflicting information from them. This is not as confusing as it sounds.
• Time travel.
• Lots of technology that is not over explained but may be more easily accepted by the younger readers rather than myself, an adult that wants more thorough explanations.
• The Hum. Yeah- not sure how to explain this. Basically magic. Kind of. 
• Family, friends, humanity and a puppy. 

The beginning of the book was kind of slow for me.  It threw me off a little when Charlie comes from the past (way past) to the future (way future) and picks up on things so easily.  He has kind of an explanation for it, but I think I would have liked a little more of his awe about the whole thing.  

I enjoyed the little mysteries that were revealed but wish there had been maybe more foreshadowing so I could have guessed.  Since it's middle grade these things may not really be so important.

I struggled with the book holding my attention at times.  I guess I would say I wanted more of everything. More character development, more world-building, even more plot. But when you consider the targeted audience I wouldn't say this is actually a negative for the book.  If you gave this book to a middle grade boy or girl that was really into science and technology, you'd be placing it into the perfect hands. This book could be THE BOOK for them. The one that makes them want to read more books.  It's one I would say is probably better going to the right people rather than just recommending it anyone.  It's one I would consider gifting to my nephews who are really into technology.  

For myself I would say this is probably like a 2 star book.  But I also don't think it's fair to label it that because it's not a bad book, it's just not the book for me.  I'm rating it 4 stars because I think that it's a real winner for what it is.  I hope that makes sense.

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Young Adult Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Hardcover, 368 pages

Expected Publication: April 15th, 2014 by Simon & Schuster

Source: Amazon Vine

Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control in this heartfelt novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved; five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

There are several things in this book that really stand out and that I found myself loving a lot. The characters. Lara Jean's personality really shines through in this book, but everyone else does as well. Her family especially.  Family. Family is an important part of the story. Sisters mostly, but her father is very present as well.  Diversity. Lara Jean and her sisters are half Korean. While it's not really an 'issue' in the book, it is mentioned as well as some minor little issues she's had in life with being Korean (mostly regarding Halloween costumes).

I loved the characters so much!  I know I mentioned that but I think I need to go into detail here.  The little things can really make a characters personality come through. For example Lara Jean is terrified of driving.  When explaining how she feels about this when driving it's easier to relate to her.  I'm not a timid driver, but when I was younger I was terrified of driving in the city.  Kitty, her youngest sister, is only 9 but is the smartest little 9 year old I've read about. She's precocious, I suppose you could say. And Margot was interesting because we see her in the beginning before she moves to Scotland for college and we're seeing her from Lara Jeans perspective, so when she comes back for Christmas we can see how both of them have changed.  I loved that Peter was a popular guy but still a good guy.  At least we think so. And his interaction with Kitty was entertaining.

The romance was unique in this book because it was hard to say who the romance was suppose to be with.  We have the neighbor boy, Josh, and then we have Peter. Josh is kind of off limits but everything changes when the love letters get mailed out and Lara Jean has to deny her love for him. Hence she turns to Peter. Her and Peter's relationship isn't real but it was interesting trying to figure out who she might end up with. Who she should end up with.

This book was slow paced for me. I sometimes didn't have a strong urge to pick it up.  It felt maybe a bit longer than it needed to be and maybe had too much included that didn't need to be there.  But it may have just been my mood as well.  And really, that characters still made up for it.

I was a bit disappointed in the end. I had in my head that this was a stand alone (contemporary books tend to be stand alones more often then not) so I had expected a full conclusion.  It's not really a cliffhanger or anything, it's just not everything tied up.  But then I realized that this is the first in a series. So there is more and I can overlook the fact that things aren't completely finished. I'll definitely read the next book as I'm very curious to see where things go.  And I really am attached to this family so I'll be happy to visit them again.

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Starling Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

I'm excited to host a stop on the Starling blog tour! This is the third book in The Secrets of the Eternal Rose series by Fiona Paul. This tour is hosted by Book Nerd Tours and you can find the tour page here.  I have a review and a giveaway for you all!

Starling (The Secrets of the Eternal  Rose #3) by Fiona Paul

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published: March 20th, 2014 by Philomel

Source: Publisher for Tour

The dark, seductive conclusion to the thrilling Secrets of the Eternal Rose trilogy!
In the final book in the trilogy, Cass and Luca are back in Venice trying to find the Book of the Eternal Rose to clear Luca's name and keep them both out of prison. But the hunters become the hunted when the Order of the Eternal Rose figures out their plan. Filled with twists and turns, danger and torrid romances, this novel brings the Secrets of the Eternal Rose novels to a thrilling, heart-pounding, sexy conclusion.

Like the description says, this really was a heart-pounding conclusion! Once I started reading I really didn't want to put it down. It has constant action and very little time to sit back and read. I liked this though and it kept me reading when other books have lost my interest because of their slower pace.

The streets and canals of Venice in this time period are vibrant and alive. It's easy to imagine the setting itself, but also all the people within it, even those that are just passersby.

Cass has always felt like a strong character to me. While she might be slightly torn in where her heart lies, she knows strongly in her heart what is right and wrong. When she knows people are being killed she knows she will do anything to save them. To bring down this Order even if she has to do it by herself. Her strength shone in Belladonna but it came through very much in this one as well. There was a time or two that I wasn't so sure she knew what she was doing, making some rash decisions, possibly putting trust into the hands of people she maybe shouldn't. But in the end she really came through and I enjoyed her growth in this one.

A large amount of her growth was obvious in the romantic sense. She had to make a decision about who she loves. We may have thought she already decided, but there are things that come into play here that we don't quite know for sure. Fortunately, she does. While I'm not a big fan of a love triangle, this felt like a realistic one. I can't get into it without spoilers, but you have to remember the teenage heart and how easily it is to get swept up into romance. How it all played out left me happy.

I'm sad to see the series end but I'm very happy with this conclusion. I most definitely recommend this series!

4 stars!

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

    

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fiona Paul lives in the Midwest but travels a lot since she can’t breathe if she spends too much time away

from the ocean. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in psychology and spent a year teaching English in Seoul, Korea while she was deciding what she wanted to be when she grew up. Answer: everything. In addition to being a teacher and writer, she’s also worked as a saute cook, sporting goods manager, veterinary assistant, and registered nurse. When she’s not working, you can usually find her kayaking, reading, or helping turtles cross the road. Her future goals include diving with great white sharks and writing more books, not necessarily in that order. Venom is her first novel.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adult Audiobook Review: Written in Red by Anne Bishop

Written in Red by Anne Bishop

audiobook

Published: March 5th, 2013 by Penguin Audio

Source: Audible.com (credit)

No one creates realms like New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities—vampires and shape-shifters among them—who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.
As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

 

I'm really slow with getting through audio books. I listen at least 20 minutes a day when I take the dog on the longer walk and once or twice a week I listen for closer to an hour while I fold laundry or do dishes.  With kids always talking at me it's hard to fit in time to listen without someone saying "Mom, mom, mom" the whole time. Usually I just turn it off and pay attention to them (the best I can). But with this audiobook I really didn't want to stop. I'd get back from my walks and go directly into the bathroom to get peace and quiet for just a few more minutes.  It was hard to turn off each day as I always wanted more. I almost bought the book just to read it, but the audio was done so well I didn't want to spoil it by reading it. So I slowly made my way through this long audiobook.

 

This is an urban fantasy series, but it's different because it's more of an alternate world. There are familiar things like movies and cars, but the world is just very different.  So it's kind of more fantasy. Another difference to 'most' UF is the narration is in third person and multiple points of view. We mostly get Meg, but we get some from the bad guys POV, and some from some of the other characters.  We only get it when it's necessary and it makes it easier to follow the story as we know more about what's going on.  It worked really well and made it easier for me to connect with everyone.  

Meg is a quiet and sweet girl. We know she's been through some horrible stuff so we only want to see her find some peace and happiness.  Her voice makes her feel a bit naive, well, she is a bit naive, but it's because of her situation.  She learns things quickly and is actually a very strong person.  

I'm not sure what to say about the story without giving stuff away.  It was fantastic, I'll tell you that. And very, very unique.  I haven't read anything even close to it and I enjoyed every single minute I spent learning about this world and the characters in it.

The audio narration was amazing!  It took a little to get use to her voice but once I settled in, she really did perfect.  She had different voices for everyone and made them easy to tell apart.  There are quite a few voices, so this was quite a feat!

I give this book, story itself and the audiobook, 5 stars.  It was brilliant. And all the amazing stuff you've been hearing? It's all true. Just listen (or read) this one already!

Middle Grade Review- Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady by Irene Adler

Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady by Irene Adler

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published: Jan. 1st, 2014 by Capstone

Source: Publisher

While on summer vacation, little Irene Adler meets a young William Sherlock Holmes. The two share stories of pirates and have battles of wit while running wild on the sunny streets and rooftops. When Sherlock's friend, Lupin, joins in on the fun, they all become fast friends. But the good times end abruptly when a dead body floats ashore on the nearby beach. The young detective trio will have to put all three of their heads together to solve this mystery.

This is a very fun middle grade mystery adventure.  We get the story from Irene and she's telling it in the future, relating what happened. So we know she knows more than she's letting on and throws in nice little clues, or things we might think are clues, to keep us on our toes. Some things may end up being kind of false leads, but it works well because it makes the mystery so much better.  And it's things she may have thought of at the time, so it's not like she's just trying to mix us up.

Irene has a great voice and is very fun to read about.  She's a bit of a rebel (for the time period) and goes off to spend her days with her new friends Sherlock and Lupin.  One day shortly after meeting each other they find a body on the beach.  From there it's easy to guess that of course they are going to try to solve the murder.  There's plenty of action in the book to keep it moving, but there's the necessary character development there as well.

As anyone knows of Sherlock, he's a bit of a quirky guy and as a kid he is as well. It felt like a realistic portrayal of him and it was easy to imagine as him.  Lupin also had a strong personality that came through well.

This was a very fast read that I devoured in just over an hour. It was entertaining and fun but had it's 'scary' bits as well.  I definitely recommend this one to fans of Sherlock and as an introduction to him for kids.  As a bonus, this is a beautifully packaged book. Gorgeous cover with nice little illustrations right inside the cover and in the back.  I'll definitely be hanging on to this one and giving it to my daughter to read when she turns 10.

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

You can win a copy of this book and another HERE.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Hatshepsut's Collar by A.W. Exley

I'm excited to be hosting a stop for the Artifact Hunters tour that features Nefertiti's Heart and Hatshepsut's Collar by A.W. Exley.   This series is new adult / Mystery / Steampunk, recommended for ages 16+ (there's some mature content, especially in the second book). The tour runs March 3-14th.  Check out the tour page for the full list of tour stops.

Nefertiti's Heart (Artifact Hunters #1) by A.W. Exley
Page Count: 284 pages
Published: February 4th, 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press
Genre: NA/Mystery/Steampunk
Recommended Age: 16 and up

Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer might cure that. Permanently.

London, 1861. Impoverished noble Cara has a simple mission after the strange death of her father – sell off his damned collection of priceless artifacts. Her plan goes awry when aristocratic beauties start dying of broken hearts, an eight inch long brass key hammered through their chests. A killer hunts amongst the nobility, searching for a regal beauty and an ancient Egyptian relic rumored to hold the key to immortality.
Her Majesty’s Enforcers are in pursuit of the murderer and they see a connection between the gruesome deaths and Cara. So does she, somewhere in London her father hid Nefertiti’s Heart, a fist sized diamond with strange mechanical workings. Adding further complication to her life, notorious crime lord, Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is relentless in his desire to lay his hands on Cara and the priceless artifact. If only she could figure out his motive.
Self-preservation fuels Cara’s search for the gem. In a society where everyone wears a mask to hide their true intent, she needs to figure out who to trust, before she makes a fatal mistake.

Check out my review of Nefertiti's Heart HERE. (Hint: I loved it!)

Links:

Curiosity Quills Page 

Goodreads | Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

Hatshepsut's Collar (Artifact Hunters #2) by A.W. Exley
Page Count: 274
Published: November 13th, 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press

An ancient Egyptian artifact is driving Queen Victoria insane, and that’s not top of Cara Devon’s growing list of problems.

Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is a man of numerous secrets, but there is one in particular that threatens his fledgling relationship with Cara. Stunned by Nate’s revelation, and before she can absorb the ramifications of his actions, he is arrested, charged with treason and imprisoned in the grim Tower of London. He stole something the mad queen wants, and only has days to deliver, before his date with the executioner.
Although sorely tempted, Cara can’t let him die on Tower Green, not when their connection means she would share his fate.
Only together can Cara and Nate figure out how to wrestle Hatshepsut’s Collar from around the queen’s neck, before she plunges Britain into a world war. The search for answers sends Cara to the opulent Winter Palace of St Petersburg and the frozen depths of Siberia, with every step shadowed by an enemy with his own dark plans.

I am SO loving this series! The first book was 5 stars and this one I've been back and forth about it. I think maybe it's a 4.5 star book so I'm not sure whether I should go up or down with that.  I seriously really loved this!

The first book was pretty clean without any explicit sex. This book gets much more detailed with sex, though it never overtakes it in any way.  Actually, it's mostly just in the beginning part before the action starts and things get crazy.  It wasn't really that much, but because the first one was so clean it kind of surprised me. But it fit the book well.  Just a warning, it does get a bit steamier!

Cara is such a great character! She may not act like the girls of that time period, wearing inappropriate clothing, demanding she's the boss of herself, going into establishments not fit for a lady... just a few examples; but I loved her for it! Maybe it's not realistic, but being as it's a steampunk book with paranormal, it didn't bother me at all.  I sometimes get annoyed with too much modern slang or terms being used, but this book didn't feel like it was too much.

Nate. Oh what do I say about this man?  I'm not sure what I can say without giving spoilers. In the first book you don't know if he's good or bad. If you can really trust him, even though you really, really want to. In this book something happens in the beginning that makes us wonder again, but it all gets sorted without too much drama and angst, which I appreciated. This couple is never at odds for long, which is a bonus.

The steampunk aspects are wonderful! I didn't think they were too extreme or hard to understand. Mostly things that are pretty easy to imagine. The mystery is definitely different from the first. Not really a mystery so much, but definitely an adventure!  We got to visit Russia! It was a book that was easy to keep reading with wonderful banter and dialogue to keep you reading. It's not just the main characters that are colorful and brought to life, but the secondary ones as well. {I am really hoping we can get a book for pirate captain Loki. Oh yes indeed. He does deserve his happy ending.}

Once I started reading I was compelled to continue. I didn't really want to set the book down as I was eager to see how everything would play out.  It ended up having a full conclusion (like the first book) but with a new task at hand to bring us to the next book.  Which I will most certainly be reading!  Delightful read, highly recommend!

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.
 

Links:

Curiosity Quills Page

Goodreads | Amazon US | uk | de |  fr | it | es | Kobo

Anita Exley's Biography:
Books and writing have always been an enormous part of A.W. Exley’s life.
She survived school by hiding out in the library, with several thousand fictional characters for company. At university, she overcame the boredom of studying accountancy by squeezing in Egyptology papers and learning to read hieroglyphics.
Today, Anita writes steampunk novels with a sexy edge and an Egyptian twist. She lives in rural New Zealand surrounded by an assortment of weird and wonderful equines, felines, canine and homicidal chickens.

Author Links:
Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway:

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This tour was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

 

Secrets, Spies & Sherlock Blog Tour: Excerpt, Review & Giveaway

Welcome to Day 8 of the SECRETS, SPIES & SHERLOCK BLOG TOUR, featuring two exciting new middle grade mystery series: Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady by Irene Adler and Secrets & Spies: Treason by Jo Macauley. Each stop on the 2-week tour will feature fun posts and a chance to win a set of finished copies of the books!  Today’s post features Treason by Jo Macauley.
Excerpt:

(A little background on John: Junior clerk at the Navy Board, handsome John imagines himself in more daring, adventurous circumstances, and he soon has the opportunity when he meets Beth Johnson and becomes part of her gang of spies.)

Clutching the accounts, John made his way back up to the top floor of the building. His nerve faltered somewhat as he stood before that great oak door again, but he was boosted by imagining Beth was watching him, impressed by his bold move. He knocked firmly. There was no reply, but the door had not been closed properly and it swung open as soon as his knuckles made contact, revealing an apparently empty office. John pulled back for a moment and checked that the corridor was clear, trying all the time to bring his nerves under control. He would leave the accounts on Jones’s desk and come back again later to inquire about Will. He took a cautious step inside, then a couple more. 

The sight that met his eyes stopped him dead in his tracks. Arthur Jones’s chair lay on the floor on its side. Papers from his desk were strewn around it, splashed with black ink from an upturned inkpot and red ink from . . . John felt his heart begin to thump against his ribs. He walked over to the desk and took a closer look at the papers. That wasn’t red ink. It was blood! It was splattered all over the table and the papers, forming a trail across the floor. John dropped his accounts down onto the desk. What on earth had happened here? The bloody trail led to a door at the back of the room. He had no idea what — or who — was on the other side, but he knew that he ought to investigate. Something very bad had surely happened here and he couldn’t just walk away and do nothing, however much he might want to. John followed the blood trail right to the door and turned the handle. It opened onto a narrow, dimly-lit passageway. Taking a deep breath, he set off into the shadowy corridor, where he could just make out the trail of vivid red splats going all the way along the passageway and around a corner. They looked like circular warning signs surrounded by crimson exclamation marks that spoke of danger. It was only when the trail came to an end that John looked up. What he saw made his heart stop.

END

Enter below for a chance to win Treason and find out what John found at the end of that trail, as well as a copy of The Dark Lady by Irene Adler!

***Stop by Through the Looking Glass tomorrow for the next stop on the SECRETS, SPIES & SHERLOCK BLOG TOUR and another chance to win!***

Secrets, Spies & Sherlock Blog Tour Schedule:

February 24th: The Dark Lady at The Write Path

February 25th: Treason at I Read Banned Books

February 26th: The Dark Lady at Buried in Books

February 27th: Treason at Loves2Read

February 28th: The Dark Lady at Akossiwa Ketoglo

March 3rd: Treason at GeoLibrarian

March 4th: The Dark Lady at Bookshelf Banter

March 5th: Treason at Candace’s Book Blog

March 6th:  The Dark Lady at Through the Looking Glass

March 7th: Treason at Unconventional Librarian

About Secrets & Spies: Treason by Jo Macauley:

Fourteen-year-old Beth Johnson is a talented and beautiful young actress. She is also a spy. The year is 1664, and Charles II is on the throne, but all is not well in the bustling city of London, and there are those who would gladly kill the king and destroy the Monarchy. One morning, a mysterious ghost ship drifts up the Thames. Sent to investigate by the King's Master of Secrets, Alan Strange, Beth quickly finds herself embroiled in a dangerous adventure. Will Beth be able to unravel the plot to kill the King before it's too late?

Amazon/Barnes & Noble

About Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady by Irene Adler:

While on summer vacation, little Irene Adler meets a young William Sherlock Holmes. The two share stories of pirates and have battles of wit while running wild on the sunny streets and rooftops. When Sherlock's friend, Lupin, joins in on the fun, they all become fast friends. But the good times end abruptly when a dead body floats ashore on the nearby beach. The young detective trio will have to put all three of their heads together to solve this mystery.

Amazon/Barnes & Noble

Treason (Secrets and Spies #1) by Jo MacAuley

Paperback, 225 pages

Source: Publisher

Fourteen-year-old Beth Johnson is a talented and beautiful young actress. She is also a spy. The year is 1664, and Charles II is on the throne, but all is not well in the bustling city of London, and there are those who would gladly kill the king and destroy the Monarchy. One morning, a mysterious ghost ship drifts up the Thames. Sent to investigate by the King’s Master of Secrets, Alan Strange, Beth quickly finds herself embroiled in a dangerous adventure. Will Beth be able to unravel the plot to kill the King before it’s too late?

I was really excited to read this because Secrets and Spies.  I mean, that right there had me saying yes to this one.  While I do enjoy middle grade books it seems like sometimes the historical ones just don't have enough oomph for me. I tend to feel they lack in something to really make them great.  There are a few though that I've loved over the years. Bloody Jack (the series) is one of them and this book might not have been quite as amazing, but it was pretty darn great!  This might be technically middle grade, but it works fine for YA readers.  It's just clean and maybe less creepy than it could be as YA or Adult.

Beth is 14 years old, but I would have guessed 17.  Of course back then 14 was old enough to do quite a lot and so it works just fine that she's so mature.  She is an actress and a spy and in this book she uncovers a plot to kill the King.  Along the way we get to see London a bit through her eyes, which was a pleasant experience, as always.

We also meet John who is a bit shy and timid.  We see that he's brave inside, he just has to tap into it.  He's a bright kid, but hasn't been given a chance to really show his strengths. Strengths he never knew he had.  We also meet Ralph, who has a very strong personality and adds  a lot of fun to the story.  We have some other side characters that were less important, but they all played their roles perfectly.

This book had it's more intense moments, but it was still a light and fun book.  I'll be very curious and anxious to continue the series!

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

One set of the books: Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady and Secrets & Spies: Treason

Open to US only.

Must be 13 or older to enter.

Giveaway provided by the publisher.

 

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Young Adult Review: Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published: Feb. 25th, 2014 by Point

Source: Publisher

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

I really love Elizabeth Eulberg and her writing.  For me though, it's her characters that really stand out.  The books are usually on the lighter side, and while dealing with normal teenage issues and whatnot, they balance the serious and the fun.  And Better Off Friends definitely did that. 

The narration of this was different. We're getting a first person past tense from both characters.  So they alternate chapters. And in-between the chapters there's little conversations between Macallan and Levi as they discuss what happened in that chapter.  So it's like they are telling us how they met, how they became friends, the ups and downs of their friendship and all that.  And we know everything works out because of them discussing in-between the chapters.  I really liked the narration style and loved that there was discussion between them so we know that things really do end up okay.

Because we get first person narration from both of them it was easy for me to connect with them.  Their personalities really came through strongly.  Macallan will stand up to anyone who disses her friends or family but she's more of a quiet person who enjoys school and cooking.  She has a strong sense of right and wrong and can be stubborn. But when someone is her friend, she is 100% there for them.

Levi, while feeling like a normal teenage boy, seemed nicer than most.  He wouldn't say something mean just to fit in (for example).  He's there for Macallan for anything she goes through, but he has a vulnerable side as well.  He sometimes has to put up a bit of a wall to try to keep himself from getting hurt, though Macallan is the same way.

Levi and Macallan have an intense bond.  They are best friends.  People tease them about being more than friends but they don't want to ruin their friendship and for a long time don't even consider anything more.  I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm not going to get into it, but it's not really an unpredictable sort of book. It's easy to see where things are going, but the ride to get there is wonderful. 

This was a fast and easy read and I was cheering them on the entire time.  I did get emotionally invested in it and when things were rough between them I wanted to cry or scream.  I connected with their friendship because I've had my share of boy- friends (friends that were boys) when in middle school and high school and I remember being given a hard time as well. 

I definitely recommend this book. It's a fun ride with some deep moments.

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Young Adult Review: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Hardcover, 352 pages

Expected publication: April 15th, 2014 by Little, Brown

Source: Amazon Vine

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

The first time I read this description was right now, posting this review.  And wow, it really tells you everything that happens. I was carefully constructing a review in my head without too much detail and then I read that and wow, it really covers it all.

So, I'm all about the cute and happy little books. I wanted a nice summer read. I don't know that this was exactly what I was thinking it was, but I hadn't read the description, so I'm not sure what I was thinking.  I guess this didn't feel 'light and summery' but it wasn't deep, dark and depressing either.

I liked Lucy and Owen both. I liked that Lucy had these big dreams of visiting Europe and Owen wanted to see the West.  They both get to see these dreams come to light in this book but it was disappointing to not really get any real emotion about it.  What we do get from them is that they can't stop thinking about each other even though they didn't even get a chance to really get to know each other.  I understood this, that they felt a pull toward each other, but sometimes ignored it.  I know what that's like, when you feel like you are probably just obsessing and they probably don't even care.  So I understood when their communication would drop here and there. It was a bit frustrating that they really spent very little time together in the book and for that reason I didn't really feel that connection between them.  I also feel like because we not only switch POV's, but also large chunks of time, that I never really truly connected with the characters.  I liked them, but I didn't love them.  I did get a few of the things they are each going through though. Owen has lost his mom and his father and him are having a tough time. His bits of thinking about her made me understand him better.  Lucy has been kind of neglected her whole life while her parents set off to visit all these exciting places.  I understood Lucy's loneliness and was happy when things started getting figured out for them.

I enjoyed visiting different places but the descriptions were super brief and I never really felt anything. I never felt I was there with them or even any emotion they felt by being there.

This was a cute read. I like the idea of it all. But what it comes down to is that I didn't feel blown away. So I'm going to give this one three stars.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.