Review: Shadow Run by Adrianne Strickland & Michael Miller (+Giveaway)

SHADOW RUN
by Adrianne Strickland & Michael Miller
Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: March 21st 2017
by Delacorte Press

"Firefly" meets DUNE in this action-packed sci-fi adventure about a close-knit, found family of a crew navigating a galaxy of political intrigue and resource-driven power games.

Nev has just joined the crew of the starship Kaitan Heritage as the cargo loader. His captain, Qole, is the youngest-ever person to command her own ship, but she brooks no argument from her crew of orphans, fugitives, and con men. Nev can’t resist her, even if her ship is an antique.

As for Nev, he’s a prince, in hiding on the ship. He believes Qole holds the key to changing galactic civilization, and when her cooperation proves difficult to obtain, Nev resolves to get her to his home planet by any means necessary.

But before they know it, a rival royal family is after Qole too, and they’re more interested in stealing her abilities than in keeping her alive.

Nev’s mission to manipulate Qole becomes one to save her, and to survive, she’ll have to trust her would-be kidnapper. He may be royalty, but Qole is discovering a deep reservoir of power—and stars have mercy on whoever tries to hurt her ship or her crew.

Review: The Dragon's Price by Bethany Wiggins

The Dragon's Price
Bethany Wiggins
Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: February 21st 2017
by Crown Books for Young Readers

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Fans of Julie Kagawa’s Talon and Renee Ahdieh’s The Wrath and the Dawn will devour this action-packed fantasy adventure about a girl who chooses to surrender herself to a deadly dragon rather than marry an enemy prince.

When two warring kingdoms unified against a deadly menace laying waste to both their lands, they had to make a choice: vow to marry their heirs to one another, or forfeit their lives to the dragon.

Centuries later, everyone expects the sheltered princess Sorrowlynn to choose the barbarian prince over the fire-breathing beast—everyone, that is, except Sorrow, who is determined to control her own destiny or die trying.

As she is lowered into the dragon’s chamber, she assumes her life is over until Golmarr, the young prince she just spurned, follows her with the hopes of being her hero and slaying the dragon. But the dragon has a different plan. . . .

If the dragon wins, it will be freed from the spell that has bound it to the cave for centuries. If Sorrow or Golmarr vanquish the dragon, the victor will gain its treasure and escape the cave beneath the mountain. But what exactly is the dragon hiding?

There are no safe havens for Sorrow or Golmarr—not even with each other—and the stakes couldn’t be higher as they risk everything to protect their kingdom.

There really isn't much that THE DRAGON'S PRICE is lacking. I love the main character, Sorrowlynn. After so many years of being kept hidden and treated horribly by her mother and father, it took one ceremony/special event to help her break free from her hell. She was so brave. Instead of letting her past break her down, she chose freedom at all cost. Even if it meant her dying. Golmarr, Golmarr, Golmarr... phew! Talk about book boyfriends! This is one book boyfriend that I think all readers will fall in love with. I loved everything about him and his family.

The Dragon's Price is a unique read filled with plenty of surprises, non-stop action, and lots of magic!

My only issue with the story is that it was very predictable. I predicted the ending from the middle of the book. I wish it would have ended differently, but in the end I am happy that we get another story with these kick-ass characters!!

4 Stars!

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Review: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Title: Jurassic Park
Author: Michael Crichton
Published: June 10, 1991
Publisher: Ballantine Books (Random House)
Paperback: 399 pages

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A billionaire has created a technique to clone dinosaurs. From the DNA that his crack team of scientists extract, he is able to grow the dinosaurs in his laboratories and lock them away on an island behind electric fences, creating a sort of theme park. He asks a group of scientists from several different fields to come and view the park, but something goes terribly wrong when a worker on the island turns traitor and shuts down the power.

I know...I know...this is a random book to find on Good Choice Reading!

Jurassic Park is over 25 years old (time flies, doesn't it?) and I've already watched the movie more times than I can count. But one day, while I was sitting on the couch watching the latest remake of the film, I wondered whether the book would be better than the movie. Now, we all know that most books are infinitely better than their films, but Jurassic Park is such a phenomenal movie, could the book actually top it?

Yes, yes it could.

This book is everything you love about Jurassic Park and more. Interestingly, most of the movie stayed quite true to the book, with no major plot points changed. But the book had even more action, more intensity, and more gore!

This book turned me into a true Michael Crichton fan. Don't be surprised if you see more books on GCR by this late, great author. I've already added all his novels to my to-be-read pile! Crichton's writing style is so unique and fun to read. He cuts off his characters in the middle of their thoughts; He keeps his descriptions short and to the point (which allows the reader to really use their imagination to fill in the blanks); and it's just so damn educated. He will blow you away with his facts and figures -- you would think he were ready to go and build Jurassic Park right then and there.

But my favorite part of his writing is the commentary Crichton makes on life and the world, in general. This book focuses on the actual moral implications of creating a park like Jurassic Park. Should we do something like this? Should we be playing God? It really makes you think about every angle and every side.

Seriously, if you like the movie, read the book. You will not regret it!

5 out of 5 stars!

Bonus: I found this on the website for Jurassic Park:  

In His Own Words

I wrote a screenplay about cloning a pterodactyl from fossil DNA in 1983, but the story wasn’t convincing. I worked on it for several years since, trying to make it more credible. Finally I decided on a theme park setting, and wrote a novel from the point of view of a young boy who was present when the dinosaurs escaped. I then sent the book to the usual people who read my first drafts.

Over the years, I’ve come to rely on five or six people who read my drafts; generally they have a range of responses. Not this time. They were all in agreement: they hated Jurassic Park.

I got angry reactions such as, “Why would you write a book like this?” But when I asked them to explain exactly why they hated it, they couldn’t put their finger on anything in particular. They just hated it, that’s all. Hated every bit of it.

I wrote another draft. They hated that one, too. Just as strongly as the one before. Whatever I had done in the latest draft, it hadn’t helped.

I wrote another draft, but the result remained the same.

Finally one of the readers said that they were irritated with the story because they wanted it to be from an adult point of view, not a kid point of view. They said, “I want this to be a story for me.” Meaning for an adult.

So I rewrote it as an adult story.

And then everybody liked it.

Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Illuminae
by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Hardcover, 599 pages
Published October 20th 2015
by Knopf Books for Young Readers

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Space Opera anyone?!  What about a Romantic Space Opera?!

If someone had told me last year that I would read (and love) a space opera book, I likely would have laughed and even asked what the heck a space opera genre was. Little did I know that Illuminae was waiting for me with its spellbinding storyline and incredible concept.

I’ve never read a book like Illuminae. It takes the reader on a new and incredible journey as it is more than just mere words on a page, it’s an experience. Within the pages of this adventure, you experience disbelief, shock, fear, awe, heartbreak and love. The journey begins before you even open the book as the covers are like nothing I’ve seen before. Before reading the book itself, I’d encourage readers to remove the dustjacket and read the front and back covers. Beautiful, right?!

The journey of Kady and Ezra are told through hacked emails, medical reports, instant messages, schematics and more. While there is romance between Kades & Ez, it is not at the immediate forefront of the story. I actually adored the cutesy, playfulness between these two. You could tell they love each other and could see a progression within their relationship throughout the story; it’s a young love that matured with each page. I’ll be the first to admit that I had my doubts as to whether I’d be able to follow along with the storyline and if I’d actually get a STORY from this method. To my surprise, not only was I able to follow along easily, the story continued to intrigue me with each page. 

Illuminae is a spectacular ride that should not be missed. Book 2, Gemina, is scheduled to be released October 18, 2016. I highly recommend pre-ordering now so that you don’t waste a single day in continuing the adventure of Kady and Ezra. 

This book is written by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. I’ve not read their previous works (separate works by each) but they have garnered themselves a new and loyal fan. I plan to check out their other books soon.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Illuminae:

“Am I not merciful?”

“”Perhaps bravery is simply the face humanity wraps around its collective madness.”

“You have me. Until every last star in the galaxy dies. You have me.”

“He presses the triggers. And like roses in his hands, death blooms.”

“She runs. Not away, but toward.”

Available on...

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5 Stars!

Charmed by Michelle Krys & Giveaway!

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Indie has spent the last few weeks frantically searching for Paige. She's tried every spell imaginable, but witchcraft has gotten her nowhere, and she's going crazy with guilt. Despite what her warlock boyfriend, Bishop, tells her, Indie knows it's her fault her best friend was kidnapped by the Priory. And with the Priory destroyed, finding Paige feels more hopeless than ever-especially when Indie discovers that Paige isn't even on Earth. She's trapped in Los Demonios, an alternate dimension of Los Angeles filled with evil paranormals. No one who has gone there has ever come out.

Fueled by terror and loyalty, Indie is desperate to find a way into the underworld prison. She'll worry about getting out later. But facing the dark world's most dangerous witches and warlocks on her own means keeping her plan hush-hush-and forging alliances with some sketchy people, including a seriously sexy sorcerer.

Sometimes a witch must keep secrets from the people she cares about most. And sometimes she isn't the only one with secrets…

PRAISE FOR CHARMED...

"THIS SERIES IS EVERYTHING TO ME! I loved this book, so action packed, lots of magic and fighting! Really loved the relationship between Indigo and Bishop, he was so supportive for her and a perfect boyfriend!
Loved the ending to this book!" - BenjaminofTomes


"I was a big fan of Hexed. I absolutely loved the book and wanted desperately to read the sequel even as I was still in the middle of reading the first. Hexed was one of those books that I just knew I was going to love, and so Charmed was already a winner for me. I couldn't wait to see what was next for Indie and Bishop (my all-time favorite love interest). And I am happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed." - Christina @ The Reading Queen

"Wicked good fun!!! Indy is back and feistier than ever in this satisfying sequel to Hexed. Funny and full of adventure. I love watching Indy grow as a witch!
Teens will ADORE this sequel and the swoon-filled ending!" - Jaye Robin Brown (Website)

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Hi there! I’m the author of the YA novel HEXED, out now from Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books, as well as the sequel, CHARMED, and a separate, standalone novel called DEAD GIRLS SOCIETY. I live in Northwestern Ontario with my husband and son and work part-time as a NICU nurse. I’m repped by Adriann Ranta of Wolf Literary.

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Review: Forbidden by Lori Adams

Forbidden
by Lori Adams

ebook, 432 pages
Published April 15th 2014 by Flirt

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Lori Adams gives New Adult a haunting paranormal twist with the first novel of The Soulkeepers, a series that blends ancient legends and new myths with an enchanting mix of thrills, humor, and high drama.

When Sophia St. James learns that she’ll be moving from Los Angeles to a podunk town somewhere in Connecticut for her senior year of high school, she isn’t expecting an otherworldly encounter. But there is more to Haven Hurst than meets the eye: it’s home to a family of Guardian Angels, and she is the only one who can see them in spirit form. Sophia soon realizes she wants to see much more of Michael, an irresistible yet volatile Guardian who seems drawn to her too.

As Michael battles his forbidden desire for the beautiful young newcomer, one of Hell’s most notorious Demon Knights arrives. Handsome and charismatic, Dante has come to claim the reincarnated soul of his lost lover trapped in Sophia. Cursed with the demon of Persuasion living inside him, Dante will use his seductive charms to lure Sophia into a dangerous game that ends with the kiss of death—unless Michael, who has captured Sophia’s heart, can now capture her soul.

After taking a couple of weeks to process this story, and talk about it with my close friends who have read it, I’ve come to conclusion that I really, really enjoyed this novel.

Aside from the similarities to other books I’ve read that annoyed me to no end, it was a fantastic read. The chemistry between the characters was good. The action scenes were non-stop. There is plenty of mystery behind each character, and the romance was swoon worthy. I read FORBIDDEN in one day because I just could not put it down. Even when I was frustrated and wanted to scream at the characters like a crazy women, I just could not stop reading. I was cooking and reading. Giving my kids a bath and reading. Watching TV and reading. I could not stop reading until the very last word.

I really enjoyed it! When you first start reading it you can sort of predict what would happen next, but once you reach the middle, the story completely changes. Every chapter pretty much surprised me. I cannot wait for the second book! I am happy I read it and in the end enjoyed it enough to look past my little issues with it. I think this book is going to be devoured by many.

It is labeled New Adult, but I can tell you right now IT IS NOT. Well, at least to me it wasn’t. This felt like a young adult novel one hundred percent.

A Good Choice for Reading! ;)

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Expected publication:
May 13th 2014
by Delacorte Press

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A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it. And if anyone asks you
how it ends, just LIE.

This has got to be the weirdest book I've ever read. I can honestly say I did not enjoy this book. The writing style is completely different from any other book I've ever read or what I'm normally use to. It was written in verse and fragments. It wasn't at all enjoyable. In fact, this review will probably be the only one that will be the least enthusiastic about it, because this book got amazing reviews. So in my opinion this review shouldn't be valid to those that can read all types of writing.

Okay, so there seems to be a trend with books lately that main characters get amnesia. I'm not usually one to complain about things like that. Because usually authors somehow always finds a way to make it work for them. But maybe because I didn't like the story, the reason for her amnesia wasn't believable enough for me. Even though, I'm sure that any sudden tragedy can cause amnesia. 

However much I didn't like the writing style or the story, it did continue to pique my interest. The relationship between the "Liars" was interesting. And the developing romance that was completely forbidden was my main focus in this story. There's also the parents of these "Liars". The adults in this story might as well been kids themselves by the way they were behaving. They were selfish and very self absorbed. Complete turn off. 

But during the course of the book the main character is going through her own issues, one being her love interest. She has issues with her family being selfish and a complete mess as I mentioned before. She also has daddy issues. And something is going on with the "Liars" that she can't put her finger on. So the author did throw in lots of little dilemma to add to the big picture. But the ending was what kind of threw me off. I didn't see it coming at all. So that alone made the book worth reading.

So do I need to say any more? I didn't enjoy this book much. I think this book has more potential in the hands of others who enjoying fragmented writing. I give this book a 3 stars.

Review: One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy

ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND
by Monica Murphy
Kindle Edition, 290 pages
Published May 6th 2013 by Loveswept (Random House)

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New Adult Contemporary Romance

**Mature situations and sexual content - recommended for ages 17+**

Temporary. That one single word best describes my life these last few years. I’m working at a temporary job until I can finally break free. I’m my little brother’s temporary mother since our mom doesn’t give a crap about either of us. And I’m that temporary girl all the guys want to get with because I give it up so easily. According to the rumors, at least.

But now I’m the temporary girlfriend of Drew Callahan, college football legend and all around golden guy. He’s beautiful, sweet—and he’s hiding way more secrets than I am. He’s brought me into this fake life where everyone seems to hate me. And everyone seems to want something from him. The only thing he seems to want though is…

Me.

I don’t know what to believe anymore. All I know is, I think Drew needs me. And I want to be there for him.

Forever.

Review: Acid by Emma Pass

ACID
by Emma Pass
Paperback, 431 pages
Published April 25th 2013 by Corgi Children's Books

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2113. In Jenna Strong’s world, ACID – the most brutal, controlling police force in history – rule supreme. No throwaway comment or muttered dissent goes unnoticed – or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.

The only female inmate in a violent high-security prison, Jenna has learned to survive by any means necessary. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID – and to uncover the truth about what really happened on that dark night two years ago.

I absolutely love dystopians -- especially the ones like ACID. Where the story is a page turner, non-stop action packed, and focused mainly on the world building. ACID delivers all that and more! This book was not even on my radar until I came across it on Around The World ARC Tours. I signed up to read it mostly because of the cover. The girl on the cover gave me the impression that the book was not only filled with action, but that the main character was a kick-ass character with no fear. And I was right. 

ACID is also filled with lots of suspense, secrets and betrayal. Jenna thought she had it bad in prison. That everything inside was a lot worse than the outside. But when she breaks out of prison she slowly realizes that EVERYTHING is a lie, and just about every person she comes across has some kind of secret they aren't telling her. I loved that more than half the book I kept playing the guessing game. Living on the outside is no better than being locked up. 

Jenna still tries to build a new life and leave her past behind. Then she meets a boy who tries to mug her and again, she finds her world torn upside down. 

I love everything about Jenna. She was brave, fearless, and very forward. What I did not like, though, was that towards the ending I felt her character changed a bit. She wasn't the same and I think it's because of the slight romance thrown in. A romance blossoms eventually throughout the story, but not until the very near end. I think this sort of threw her character off track and I would have been okay without it. 

Aside from that, I enjoyed this story a lot and think Emma Pass did an excellent job bringing the world and characters to life. Every detail matters in this book. There are a couple of twist that leave you with your mouth open. This is a great read! 

Review: Burning by Elana K. Arnold

Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: June 11th 2013
by Delacorte Press

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Ben: Having just graduated from high school, Ben is set to leave Gypsum, Nevada. It's good timing since the gypsum mine that is the lifeblood of the area is closing, shutting the whole town down with it. Ben is lucky: he's headed to San Diego, where he's got a track scholarship at the University of California. But his best friends, Pete and Hog Boy, don't have college to look forward to, so to make them happy, Ben goes with them to check out the hot chick parked on the side of Highway 447.

Lala: She and her Gypsy family earn money by telling fortunes. Some customers choose Tarot cards; others have their palms read. The thousands of people attending the nearby Burning Man festival spend lots of cash--especially as Lala gives uncanny readings. But lately Lala's been questioning whether there might be more to life than her upcoming arranged marriage. And the day she reads Ben's cards is the day that everything changes for her. . . and for him.

Burning is such a cute story! From the blurb I thought it would be a bit paranormal, but it's definitely contemporary.

Burning is about two teens who are trying to discover themselves. They have no clue what’s next for them, and what's out in the real world aside from what they've learned growing up. One meeting and they both realize they want more out of life. They also have this chemistry and pull to one another that take them both by surprise.

Lala and her family camp out right outside of Ben's town for the festival that is taking place called, The Burning Man. It's a popular festival and a great way for Lala and her family to make some money telling fortunes.

You can tell from the first couple of pages inside of Lala's mind that she feels like a bird in a cage. She wants more from life, but has learned to accept the way things are. She loves her family and they are all she's ever known. Their way of living isn't normal to others, but to Lala it is. The first time she meets Ben she begins to see things differently. She doesn't understand why he is all she thinks about, or why she craves another meeting with him. These feelings are so foreign to her. Eventually she gives in and her curiosity gets the best of her.

I loved how the author describes the world of the Gypsies. I don't know much about Gypsies except from what I've seen on television, so I am not sure how much of it was true, but Elana K. Arnold did a great job creating Lala's world and going into details about their way of living. I was very intrigued and found myself looking up Gypsies on google. (Yes, I am a dork like that. LOL!)

The romance between Ben and Lala is an instant one, but when you learn Lala's story you sort of understand it. Ben was a sweetheart and every girls dream. He's gentle, emotional, and manly at the same time.

My only issue was the ending. I am not sure if this is a series or not, but the ending is definitely not a HEA. It wasn't a horrible ending, but not one I saw coming at all. I would have liked it to end differently. It leaves room for a second book, though, so we’ll have to wait and see. It seems everything is a series these days.

This is my first book by Elana K. Arnold and it won't be my last.

A Good Choice for Reading!

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Disney Teen Star to publish YA series with Random House Children's Books!

RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS ACQUIRES YOUNG ADULT SERIES AUTUMN FALLS BY TEEN SENSATION BELLA THORNE,

STAR OF DISNEY CHANNEL’S ORIGINAL SERIES SHAKE IT UP 

First Book in the Series to be Published in Summer 2014

New York, NY, April 25, 2013—Random House Children’s Books has acquired 15-year-old actress, dancer, and singer Bella Thorne’s teen book series, AUTUMN FALLS, it was announced today by Beverly Horowitz, Vice President, Publisher of the Delacorte Press Young Readers Group. Executive Editor Wendy Loggia will edit the books.

AUTUMN FALLS is the story of a 14-year-old girl whose high school life unexpectedly changes after an encounter with magic.   

Delacorte Press will publish the first novel in the multiple book series in hardcover in the summer of  2014.  AUTUMN FALLS is Thorne’s publishing debut, and she will co-write with Elise Allen. A multitalented teen star, Bella is best known for her lead role playing aspiring dancer “Cece Jones” on the hit Disney Channel original series Shake It Up, which is in its third season.

“I am very excited to be working with Random House and am so happy that AUTUMN FALLS will have a home there,” says Thorne. “This book, although mysterious and magical, is inspired by different aspects of my personal life, which I hold very near and dear to my heart. I wanted to write a book that teens could relate to, but with a little bit of magic. I am thrilled and hopeful that my audience will grow with me throughout the series.”

“We are so pleased that Bella will make her publishing debut with Random House Children’s Books” says Horowitz. “Her authentic and passionate voice will captivate girl readers, who we know will relate to Bella and her characters.”

“Bella’s got fantastic energy and is a true original—her fans are going to love seeing her creative and cool vision come to life in AUTUMN FALLS,” says Loggia.

Loggia negotiated the book deal for Delacorte Press with Matthew Elblonk of DeFiore & Company representing Bella Thorne. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

BELLA THORNE is the star of the hit Disney Channel original series Shake It Up and the Disney Channel Original Movie Frenemies. In addition to her starring roles with the Disney Channel, Thorne has had roles on other hit series such as HBO’s drama Big Love, NBC’s My Own Worst Enemy, Billy Baldwin’s Dirty, Sexy Money, and Cheryl Hines’s daughter on In the Motherhood. She followed up on her acting successes with her first solo single TTYLXOX which was included on the Shake It Up soundtrack selling over 400,000 singles to date and making it onto the Billboard 100 charts. Recently, Thorne was signed to Hollywood Records.

Thorne was recently the spokesperson for the Staples and the  DoSomething.org campaign for last years’ back-to-school season and she shared her story on how she overcame dyslexia in Disney Channel’s The Time I… (Dyslexia), which was nominated for a 2012 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Short Format Daytime Program. This year she was nominated for “Favorite TV Actress” for the ALMA Awards, and was also nominated and won “Best Young Actress/Television” at the IMAGEN Awards. She is currently nominated for a Radio Disney Music Award. Thorne is a Global Ambassador for StompOutBullying.org and works closely with the Dyslexia Foundation. 

Random House Children’s Books (www.randomhousekids.com) is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann SE & CO. KGaA, a leading international media company.

Review: The Book Of Blood And Shadow By Robin Wasserman

The Book of Blood and Shadow
By Robin Wasserman
Amazon † B&N † Author Site
448 pages
Published April 10th 2012
By Random House Children's Books

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

      Review:

I am a Roman Catholic, but I am by no means very active in my faith. With that being said, I truly enjoyed reading this book. I avoided reading The Da Vinci Code because I thought it would have a heavy religious presence. I was reading this book and was thinking this is probably similar to The Da Vinci Code and yet I am so hooked on Robin's book that I could barely put it down. The way she told this story kept you guessing and wondering about what exactly is the Lumen Dei and who could possibly be after them and willing to kill to get it.

In the beginning of this story I wanted Chris to be with Nora but alas that was not meant to be. Chris ends up dating Adriane, making the duo a trio, whom become inseparable. That is until Nora meets (Chris' roommate) Max, while they are translating Latin manuscripts, and falls for him. The four friends seem to have it all until the night Chris is murdered.

That night leaves Nora with one dead best friend, one friend who is catatonic, and one boyfriend missing and presumed the murderer. Now Nora is on a race against time to find her boyfriend, to prove his innocents, and find the real murdered of her best friend Chris before they all end up dead. Nora's search starts in Prague where mystery assailants dog Nora and Adriane at ever turn. But the more Nora finds out about the Lumen Dei the more Nora realizes for the sake of all humanity she must continue on her quest no matter what may happen.

There is so much more I want to say but anything further would ruin this nail biting book for everyone. This truly was an amazing book. On a scale from 1-10. I give The Book Of Blood And Shadow a BIG HUGE 10. This book was extremely hard to put down and never disappointed me. I encourage everyone to run out and pick up a copy and help Nora track down Chris' killer and find out what the Lumen Dei really is.

            Raquel @ www.skyla11377.blogspot.com

Review: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Hardcover, 370 pages
Expected publication: September 11, 2012 by Random House Books for Young Readers

ARC received via NetGalley

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Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

I really wanted to love Unspoken, but unfortunately, I didn’t. I didn’t hate it either. There were elements that I loved and some that really disappointed me.

First off, the blurb leads you to believe this is a romance. It’s not. If it’s supposed to be, the romantic elements were lost on me. I kept waiting for it to take that turn, but I didn’t see it. I’d call it a “mystery” more than anything. To say that Kami is in love with the boy in her head is either an exaggeration, or unconvincing writing. So I’d say don’t expect to be blown away by a romance, because I don’t think there’s really one there.

The beginning of Unspoken was rough for me. I almost gave up on it a few times. It jumped right into everything, and while that will be appreciated by some, it was annoying to me. I had no idea who these characters were yet, and I felt that everything was moving too quickly.  However, about a third into the book, I couldn’t put it down. It had me absolutely engrossed, despite the fact that it was still moving too quickly and yet I had no idea what was really going on.

I loved the characters. They’re all well written with strong personalities. The dialogue was very entertaining.  Kami and her best friend Angela made me laugh numerous times. The dialogue is enough for me to recommend it. That’s definitely something I *loved* about Unspoken. But (of course there’s a but) the way Kami and the boy in her head dealt with their relationship didn’t seem consistent enough to be believable. Their actions made absolutely no sense to me.

I hated the ending.

Despite not getting the romance we’re pretty much promised, the plot is still entertaining in its self. The Lynburns are a fascinating family and I look forward to seeing more of them. Perhaps if I hadn’t expected a romance, I wouldn’t have been quite so let down by it. As mixed as my feelings are about Unspoken, I would still recommend it. The story is worth reading and the characters are a lot of fun. I’ll be looking forward to the sequel with fingers crossed in hope that it fixes that ending.

3/5 Stars

Review: Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould
Hardback | 262 pages
Published: March 13th, 2012 by Random House

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Venice, 1585.
When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura's father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice's fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo. Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segreta, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segreta seems like the answer to Laura's prayers. The day after she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister's death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segreta and the women she has come to trust.

My thoughts:
From the very first sentence, I knew this book would be more than just words on a page. In a lot of ways, it was almost a painting the way the author was able to create such a magical world. A place I had never visited and definitely a time i would never be able to see. Yet, I felt like I was there in Venice along with Laura.

The characters in this book each had a very short part, yet they were all important in their own way and I was able to feel the same emotions Laura felt at the time. (Seriously, Sasha Gould has a way with words!)
There is something about historical fiction that seems so grounding, it shows you how simple life can be yet the characters seem happy (when they're not trying to solve their sisters murder or get out of a marriage to a very creepy, very old man.)

When Laura goes to a dinner to meet her arranged husband, she meets a boy, Vicenzo who she can't seem to forget. He's not rich and now that her father is rapidly losing money, he most definitely wouldn't be allowed in their family. But she learns of the Segreta and through them and her strong will she fights to get what she wants.
There were a lot of twists and events that I wasn't expecting in this book, so it kept me on my toes the entire time.
I loved the scenery, the gorgeous world of Venice, the heartbreak and strength of Laura, the romance of it. Everything.

I can't wait to read more of historical fictions and more from Sasha Gould. If you love historical fiction, mystery, romance, or all of the above. You'll love this one!

4/5 stars!