Friday 16 June 2017

Review - Making Faces by Amy Harmon




Title: Making Faces
Author: Amy Harmon
Pages: 405
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release date: 21st February 2017

Blurb from Goodreads:

Ambrose Young was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.

Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.
 











 My Review:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Spencer Hill Press and NetGalley*




Ambrose Young looks like he should be on the covers of the romance books Fern Taylor loves.
She is crazy about Ambrose but he leaves for war with his friends and is a different man when he returns.
Can Ambrose overcome what happened in Iraq?
Can Fern and Ambrose have a future?


Making Faces was a heartfelt, emotional read.
I really liked Fern, Ambrose and Bailey as characters. They were all likeable, relatable and I enjoyed reading their interactions.
The romance was sweet and wasn't rushed. Fern and Ambrose were perfect together.
The plot was enjoyable and there were some serious subjects that I thought the author handled well.
The writing style was easy to follow and I was gripped from the first page.


Overall this was an enjoyable read.
 

Thursday 15 June 2017

Cover Reveal - Off Planet by Aileen Erin


Off Planet by Aileen Erin
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication date: November 28th 2017
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult


From USA Today Bestselling Author Aileen Erin

Maite Martinez has always yearned for more than waitressing in a greasy diner on the polluted ruins of planet Earth. Hiding her special abilities is a full-time job on its own, even with the government distracted by the mysterious alien race – the Aunare.

When a SpaceTech officer gets handsy with her, she reacts without thinking. Breaking his nose might not have been her smartest move. Now she’s faced with a choice: serious jail time working in a chain gang on a volcano planet or join the corporate army to fight against the impending war with the Aunare. It’s really no choice at all.

As with everything in her life, Maite quickly realizes that the war with the Aurnare isn’t what it seems. And Lorne, the Aunare prince, keeps popping up everywhere she goes. Being seen with him could get her in even deeper trouble with her commanders, but he’s the first person who sees through the wall she’s built around herself and she can’t bring herself to send him away.

When the situation between SpaceTech and the Aunare escalates, Maite has a way to end the war before it even begins. There’s only one question: Can she stop the total annihilation of humanity without getting herself killed in the process?










Author Bio
 
Aileen Erin is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd–from Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek (TNG FTW), she reads Quenya and some Sindarin, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. Aileen has a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives with her husband in Los Angeles, and spends her days doing her favorite things: reading books, creating worlds, and kicking ass.








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Monday 12 June 2017

Book Blitz + Giveaway - Amnesia by Cambria Hebert


Amnesia by Cambria Hebert
Publication date: June 12th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense


I washed ashore in a little lake town.

A place where everyone knows everyone, yet…

No one knows me.

I don’t know me.

If a woman doesn’t know her own name, does she really exist?

I don’t know my natural hair color, my birthdate, or where I live.

I am invisible.

To everyone, to everything, even to myself.

Except to him.

I see the recognition deep in his stare, the way it lingers on my face as if I’m a puzzle he’s desperate to put together.

I just want answers, the truth… knowledge.

His lips are sealed. Still, his eyes beguile me.

I can’t trust anyone, not even myself. Someone wants me dead, the same someone who tried to bury me in a watery grave.

They’ll come for me again… I won’t know their face.

I don’t even know mine.

I am amnesia.













EXCERPT:


Slivers of light pricked my eyelids, which up until this moment seemed far too heavy to lift. As I lay against something soft at my back, thought and awareness barely registered.
The gritty feeling as I struggled to raise my eyelids scraped and burned over my eyeballs as if warning me it wasn’t a good idea. Swallowing past the sandpaper in my throat, I stopped working and lay still. Cognizance slowly came forward in the form of something weighing me down and the echo of footsteps nearby.
Adrenaline jackknifed through me, and my body arched upward with the force of my gasp. The weight of whatever held me caused severe panic to fill me, and I began to fight against it.
“No!” I screamed, flailing about, trying to escape the binds. “Let me go!”
High-pitched beeping filled my ears, and the footsteps I’d heard grew more insistent and much closer.
He was coming!
“No!” I screamed.
Strong hands grabbed my arms and pinned me down. I tried to fight back, but they were much stronger than me. Kicking my legs, I tried to free them, but even more weight came down, holding them still until I was gasping for breath and ready to beg.
“Please!” I pleaded as wetness coated my cheeks. It made me realize the grittiness under my lids was rinsed away, and my eyes sprang open.
A man was leaning over me. He had graying hair and wore some kind of white shirt. The scream that ripped right out of me scared us both.
More hands and voices came out of nowhere, and I thrashed around again.
“Miss!” the man yelled. “Miss, calm down.”
“Get away from me!” I screamed again.
“Miss!” another voice yelled, a woman this time. Turning in her direction, I saw a pair of kind brown eyes staring at me. “We aren’t trying to hurt you.”
I calmed some, but the thundering of my heart made me feel as if I might spiral out of control. “You aren’t?”
“No.” The woman, who was also dressed in white, spoke. “You’re at a hospital. You were in an accident.”
“W-what?” I stammered, collapsing back against the bed, no longer straining against the binds.
“You’re at a hospital.”
“You’re trying to hold me down!” I accused.
“We don’t want you to hurt yourself.” the woman explained. The hands, even the man’s, remained.
“I don’t like it,” I admitted, recoiling.
The man straightened, stepping back. The nurse was slower to withdraw, but she did so after a few seconds.
“My legs,” I rasped. Suddenly, my throat hurt.
“It’s just the blankets.”
A quick glance down proved I was covered with blankets. Between suspicious glances at the people crowding my room (there were four), I gazed around, concluding I was in fact in a hospital.
“I don’t understand,” I admitted, all my weight pressing into the bed.
“It’s okay,” the man replied. He was a doctor, with a name badge and a stethoscope. “It’s completely normal and expected to be confused after the ordeal you’ve been through.”
“What ordeal?” I asked instantly, anxiety pressing in on my ribcage.
“We were hoping you could tell us,” the doctor said.
“What?” My brows furrowed.
The nurse leaned close, over the side of the bed. I noticed the railings were pulled up on each side. It made me feel as if I were in jail. Instantly, I hated it and began shoving at the bars, trying to push them down.
“Okay, hang on,” the nurse said and put the rails down. Once it was done, she pinned me with an insistent stare. “You have to stay still. You can’t thrash around. You’ll rip out your IV and reinjure yourself.”
“What happened to me?” I asked for what felt like the fifteenth time. I looked around at the four people in the room, hoping one of them would just spit it out.
The doctor motioned to two of the nurses and then quietly left the room.
I glanced back at the nurse. “Can you tell us your name?” she asked.
“My name?” I nodded once, then opened my mouth… only nothing came out.
Anxiety spiked in me again; I started to become agitated. “I… don’t know.”
“Calm down.” The nurse reminded me.
How dare she tell me to calm down? I couldn’t even remember my name.
Oh my God, I didn’t know my own name!
“I don’t remember!” I gasped, jerking up into a sitting position. “Why can’t I remember?”
Before I could fling the covers off and jump out of bed, the doctor was there, pinning me back down. “If you don’t calm down, we’ll have to sedate you. I don’t want to do that. You’ve been out long enough.”
I stilled. “How long?”
“A while.” The nurse hedged.
I ignored her. She was terrible with questions. “How long?” I demanded.
“A little over two months,” the doctor replied.
I gasped. “What’s my name?” I yelled.
I’d been here for two months and they were asking for my name? Shouldn’t they know it?
The doctor wasn’t looking at me; he was looking at the nurse, giving her a curt nod. She rushed out of the room.
“No!” I shouted. “No drugs! Please! Tell me my name. I just want to know my name.”
“You need to calm down. You’ve had a great deal of trauma, miss.”
I dropped back against the pillow, boneless. He called me miss. “You don’t know my name, do you?” I asked, meek.
Sensing all my energy was drained away, he moved back. A frown pulled at his lips. “You were brought in with no identification.” He began.
Fear unlike anything I’d ever felt wrapped around my heart and squeezed. I searched every corner of my mind for something. Anything.
There was nothing.
“I don’t remember…” I whispered.
The doctor seemed to soften. “I know this must be very scary, to wake up and be so disoriented.”
I laughed, but it wasn’t a humorous sound. I wished I were disoriented right then.
“You’ve been through a lot. Give it a few days. Now that you’re awake, your mind will catch up and you will remember.”
“I will?” I asked.
“There’s a good chance.”
Disappointment speared me. “If I don’t?”
“Let’s take it one day at a time.” He placated me.
“Easy for you to say. You know your name.”
A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. “Time.” He reminded me.
The nurse came through the door, holding a syringe, and I cringed away.
“I don’t think we’re going to need that,” the doctor told her.
I let out an audible sigh.
He glanced around again. “Now that you’re awake, I’ll get you down for testing.”
“What kind of testing?” I asked.
“Routine stuff for someone who’s been in a coma.”
Nothing about this was routine. I was in coma… for two months. And I didn’t even know my name.
When both the nurse and doctor were gone and I was alone, my eyes overflowed with tears and a formidable feeling of dread crowded inside me. The doctor said there was “a good chance” I would remember my name very soon.
The problem was it wasn’t just my name I needed to remember…
It was everything.











Author Bio
 
Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.









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Friday 9 June 2017

Review - All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda




Title: All the Missing Girls
Author: Megan Miranda
Pages: 384
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Release date: 2nd February 2017

Blurb from Goodreads: 

It's been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared without trace. Then a letter from her father arrives - 'I need to talk to you. That girl. I saw that girl.' Has her father's dementia worsened, or has he really seen Corinne? Returning home, Nicolette must finally face what happened on that terrible night all those years ago.

Then, another young woman goes missing, almost to the day of the anniversary of when Corinne vanished. And like ten years ago, the whole town is a suspect. 

Told backwards - Day 15 to Day 1 - Nicolette works to unravel the truth, revealing shocking secrets about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne. 











My Review:
 
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Atlantic Books and NetGalley*



 
Ten years ago, Nicolette 'Nic' Farrell's best friend, Corinne, disappeared. Then Nic did a disappearing act of her own, leaving her small home town behind for the city and university.
Now Nic receives a letter from her father who has dementia, claiming that he saw Corinne the night she vanished.
Nic returns home and a few days later another girl goes missing.
Can the police find Annaleise?
What happened to Corinne all those years ago?


All the Missing Girls is told backwards from Annaleise's disappearance from Day 15 to Day 1. I thought this was a refreshing and unique way to tell a story. There is also a mixture of the past and the present, both of which I enjoyed reading but probably more so the sections about the past.
Nic was an okay protagonist but I didn't have any strong feelings about her or any of the other characters, except maybe Corinne who seemed horrible.
The plot was interesting and I didn't guess what had happened to Corinne or what would come of Annaleise.  
I liked the writing style and found it easy to follow.


Overall this was an enjoyable, unique read.
 
 
 

Thursday 8 June 2017

Release Week Blitz - Why I Loathe Sterling Lane by Ingrid Paulson



Hello Readers! Welcome to the Release Week Blitz for
Why I Loathe Sterling Lane by Ingrid Paulson!

If you haven’t checked out this series yet, what are you waiting for? Grab your copy today!


Congratulations Ingrid!




Per her 537 rules, Harper Campbell keeps her life tidy—academically and socially. But the moment Sterling Lane transfers into her tiny boarding school, her twin brother gets swept up in Sterling’s pranks and schemes and nearly gets expelled. Harper knows it’s Sterling’s fault, and to protect her brother, she vows to take him down. As she exposes his endless school violations, he keeps striking back, framing her for his own infractions. Worst of all, he’s charmed the administration into thinking he’s harmless, and only Harper sees him for the troublemaker he absolutely is.
As she breaks rule after precious rule in her battle of wits against Sterling and tension between them hits a boiling point, she’s horrified to discover that perhaps the two of them aren’t so different. And maybe she doesn't entirely hate him after all. Teaming up with Sterling to save her brother might be the only way to keep from breaking the most important rule—protecting Cole.



Why I Loathe Sterling Lane by Ingrid Paulson
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen










Ingrid Paulson does not, in fact, loathe anyone. Although the snarky sense of humor and verbal barbs in Why I Loathe Sterling Lane might suggest otherwise (and shock those who think they know her best).
Ingrid lives in San Francisco with her husband and children and enjoys long-distance running, eavesdropping, and watching science documentaries. She has always loved books and writing short stories, but was surprised one day to discover the story she was working on wasn’t so short any more. Valkyrie Rising, a paranormal girl power story was Ingrid’s first novel. Expect another humorous contemporary romance to join the list soon.






Friday 2 June 2017

Review - The Last Thing You Said by Sara Biren




Title: The Last Thing You Said
Author: Sara Biren
Pages: 320
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release date: 4th April 2017

Blurb from Goodreads: 

Last summer, Lucy’s and Ben’s lives changed in an instant. One moment, they were shyly flirting on a lake raft, finally about to admit their feelings to each other after years of yearning. In the next, Trixie—Lucy’s best friend and Ben’s sister—was gone, her heart giving out during a routine swim. And just like that, the idyllic world they knew turned upside down, and the would-be couple drifted apart, swallowed up by their grief. Now it’s a year later in their small lake town, and as the anniversary of Trixie’s death looms, Lucy and Ben’s undeniable connection pulls them back together. They can’t change what happened the day they lost Trixie, but the summer might finally bring them closer to healing—and to each other.












My Review:
 
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to ABRAMS Kids and NetGalley*




Ben and Lucy's lives are turned upside down when Trixie, Ben's sister and Lucy's best friend, dies unexpectedly.
Grief stricken, Ben and Lucy, who were moments away from revealing how they felt about each other, grow further apart. But Lucy still loves Ben, despite the things he has said and done since Trixie's death.
Can Ben and Lucy overcome their grief?
Can Lucy forgive Ben?

The Last Thing You Said to me was an emotional read.
I thought that the author handled the subject of grief well and in a believable way.
I felt sorry for both Ben and Lucy but there were times when I wanted to give them a shake - more so Ben who could have done with a kick up the butt. However, I could understand why they were acting the way they were.
When Simon was first introduced I hated him - I was rooting for Ben the whole time - but by the end I felt bad for him.
Emily was really cute and I liked that Lucy told her 'Trixie's' - stories about Trixie.
The plot was good but I wasn't gripped and nothing happened that surprised me.
The writing style was enjoyable and held my attention.

Overall this was an enjoyable read.