Rain's Reviews: Tremor by Patrick Carman

Tremor by Patrick Carman

In the year 2051, some people have a second pulse… 

Like all who have “the pulse,” Faith Daniels and Dylan Gilmore have telekinetic powers—they can move objects with their minds. But there are five “second pulses” in the world who have an even greater power: Almost nothing can harm them. They are virtually indestructible.

Both Faith and Dylan have the second pulse. But the other side has second pulses, too, and they’ve been training for a war that has been brewing their entire lives. As Dylan executes a plan to infiltrate enemy grounds, he’ll have to face his only weakness, and a family secret that will threaten his very existence.

Together, Faith and Dylan are the only hope this world has left, but they must go their separate ways in order to accomplish their plan. Will their love survive?

With richly developed characters and heart-pounding action scenes, the second book in Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy continues the electrifying dystopian story of love and revenge.~Goodreads
~~~

Review

Tremor was a mind blowing sequel to Pulse. I have been a little anti-series lately but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There were small discrepancies but overall I could handle it.

Faith was a little rebelious in the first book. Somewhat unreliable, all characteristic things for a teenage girl in YA Lit, but Faith has reached an entirely new level. She is positively mutinous in this book. Its like she intentionally seeks out opportunities to go against Meredith's command. And though there were moments that I thought all of it was completely justified (I have no appreciation for a tyrannical leader) there are lines that need not be crossed. And she took her anger out on everyone, no consideration who it was. You get some answers regarding her unruly emotions and other things concerning her powers that were both useful and interesting, so that is helpful. Anyways, She felt a little less well rounded then she did in the last book but the story felt shorter as well.

Carman had a lot to squeeze into one book. Jumping around to all of the characters involved takes a lot of time. It never really gets boring for me, I love diving into everyone's perspective and seeing how they see the same situations and Carman does each one uniquely so its not like you are reading the same passage three times.

Lets just lay something right out there. All of the characters- clear cross the board- seemed less dimensional. That was a disappointment for me.

Anyways, Dylan was cool. Always the solid rock in the emotional turmoil that is this book. Never wavering, never unpredictable, a solid due you could really get behind, understand and become close to. Well not too close, he seemed quite cold until like the last page but I think that had to do with the lack of character development in anyone.

Hawk is just as awesome as ever and I wish he was my best friend. He get a bit of a darker side to him but I still appreciated his role and personality. Always awesome to have him on your side.

Dylan, Clara, Andre, and Gretchen are just as evil, vile, and generally frustrating as ever. Dylan got a little under my skin, like I almost started caring for him again but now I'm just a tiny bit confused about his true self and end game.

The book had plenty of secrets, action, and seriousness. Don't read it for a light fun summer read. But do read it. I wait impatiently for the next one.

Have you read it? What did you think, I'd love to talk about it!

~Rain

Liberty Bay Books: Tremor
Goodreads

***Hey guys! Friendly reminder. I am an affiliate with Liberty Bay Books and while that in no way effects how I review these books (as you can probably tell by my review) It benefits a great locally owned shop and myself if you purchase these great books through the link above. Thank you bunches!***

Cover Reveal: Quake by Patrick Carman

SO I just finished Tremor two days ago. I am sitting at the edge of m seat waiting for the next one right? (Hoping it was better than the last) and then I'm snooping through Epic Reads and then
BAM!

THERE

IT

IS






The new cover for Quake! Every one can feel a quake. Few can create one. dun Dun DUN....
Just rest assured you will know the second this comes out.

Rain's Reviews: Dorothy Must Die by Dannielle Paige

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy.

They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.

I've been trained to fight.

And I have a mission.~Goodreads

Review

Dorothy Must Die was original, predictable, and odd.
The lead character Amy Gumm is a Kansas dwelling miserable teen with a drunk mother and a hard school life. She arrives at Oz on a tornado and it all goes South from there. She is sarcastic, but not witty. She is a fighter, but not confident in it. Amy has been put in a situation that requires commitment, a strange mixture of trust and mistrust, common sense, and a sense of self preservation. She owns almost none of those things. She has commitment and that is about it. Despite this and her occasional stupidity induced embarrassing moments I actually liked her. Nox (cool name right?) right away and forever more reminded me of Four from Divergent.. He is the complicated, dark, serious guy that is in every fantasy novel. He had a glimmer of innocence to him that intrigued me but over all he was predictable.
Overall I think predictability is my biggest complaint. The writing style and character development were fine but I knew what was coming from a mile away and it wasn't because it was a retelling. Despite the wonderment this story contained and could have potentially contained I think that somewhere along the way it fell short.
~Rain

Quote

"No matter how tough you think you are, there are certain things that just get to you, and they are usually the little things. The one you don't expect." Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die

Liberty Bay Books: Dorothy Must Die
Goodreads

***Hey guys! Friendly reminder. I am an affiliate with Liberty Bay Books and while that in no way effects how I review these books (as you can probably tell by my review) It benefits a great locally owned shop and myself if you purchase these great books through the link above. Thank you bunches!***

Rain's Review: Trust Me I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer

Trust Me I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer

Fans of Ally Carter, especially her Heist Society readers, will love this teen mystery/thriller with sarcastic wit, a hint of romance, and Ocean’s Eleven–inspired action.

Julep Dupree tells lies. A lot of them. She’s a con artist, a master of disguise, and a sophomore at Chicago’s swanky St. Agatha High, where her father, an old-school grifter with a weakness for the ponies, sends her to so she can learn to mingle with the upper crust. For extra spending money Julep doesn’t rely on her dad—she runs petty scams for her classmates while dodging the dean of students and maintaining an A+ (okay, A-) average.

But when she comes home one day to a ransacked apartment and her father gone, Julep’s carefully laid plans for an expenses-paid golden ticket to Yale start to unravel. Even with help from St. Agatha’s resident Prince Charming, Tyler Richland, and her loyal hacker sidekick, Sam, Julep struggles to trace her dad’s trail of clues through a maze of creepy stalkers, hit attempts, family secrets, and worse, the threat of foster care. With everything she has at stake, Julep’s in way over her head . . . but that’s not going to stop her from using every trick in the book to find her dad before his mark finds her. Because that would be criminal.
~~~

Review

Trust Me I'm Lying was a very captivating book. It was a mystery with a criminal edge that keeps you awake at night reading. I wasn't able to guess at things that was going to happen (though I can't usually anyways). The characters were OK. I'm not a big fan of love triangles but this one was really understated and I'm not sure that I would call it a love triangle. The romance that did happen was cut but I ffel like it was stuck awkardly in there far to out of proportion to the issue at hand. The action- well I really liked it. There wasn't a ton of guns firing life or death stuff but there was fun stuff like car chases, narrow escapes, and snooping. It was totally up my alley.
Julep was great fun-except for when Tyler was around until she got used to him. It wasn't the the interection that botherd me so much as the self talk that became really repetitive. Other than that she wa a breave, smart, strong female character that gives me a reason to keep reading young adult romances.
Sam and Tyler were both nice of a bit tragically  under developed but I think that that's just me being greedy.For the story they got their job done with no gaping holes in their story or the books plot. They were both really fun to read though I personnaly liked Sam better (shhh....).
The book overall is deffinitly something I would recommend. The language and romance were clean and though some of the action was shocking none of it was inapropriate. Happy reading y'all and pick this up in stores in Oct!
~Rain
~~~
Liberty Bay Books: Trust Me, I'm Lying
Goodreads

Rain's Reviews: There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She’s witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will’s travel journal. It’s the place he felt closest to God, and she’s hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She’s the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she’s been looking for has been with her all along? ~GoodReads~~~

Rain's Reviews

I was waiting to read this book for over a year. I got kind of stuck in a I'll buy this one next cycle and never really got out of it until I went on a major Library book haul. And omageeze I am astounded at how spectacular this book was.
I expected it to be a Romance with some traveling and her finding her happiness in her famous boyfriend that she finally started dating after an entire book of fighting with this guy.
BUT, it was positively 100% better. I probably would have realized that if I had done my usual research and realized that the author was a Christian Fiction author. I was so happy with this book. The writing style was phenomenal. The story line was edge-of-your-seat fantastic. The characters were all a joy (well you know, they were constructed well), Only one or two of the characters seemed under developed in their roles but it was easily over looked.
Finley has gone through the past few years in devastation and personal failure. She has everything riding on her audition and she thinks that God has stopped caring about her. She is lost and hurt and angry and completely losing control of everything in her life. She tries to do everything she can to fix it and she honestly thinks she is doing the right thing. I connected with her so well and could really put myself in her shoes. I have never personally gone through every single thing she has but I still felt a connection.
Beckett Rush is misunderstood. Plain and simple. Everyone thinks he is someone he isn't and even Finley is surprised by who he is after she thinks she has it all figured out. I am not going to say to much about him but he was a joy to read and though romance was definitely not the sole purpose of this book it still had some great elements.
Finley's host family in Ireland is funny, loving, and fun and I absolutely fell in love with them all.
Finley meets some challenging people and they all get under her skin in different way's but she treats each situation exactly how she knows is best I am proud of how she did it.
This book made me want to read every single book Jenny B. Jones has written and makes me want to visit Ireland tomorrow. I am definitely going to buy this to put on my permanent shelf and I hope you enjoy it as much as me.
~~~

Buy Links

Goodreads
Amazon

The Open Heart Chronicles

FINDING ME AGAIN by Amber Garza:

I know most people don’t find the love of their life at sixteen. But I did. At least that’s what I thought when I fell in love with Tripp Bauer. That’s why it was so hard when we drifted apart after high school graduation.

But I’ve never stopped loving him.

On a trip back to our hometown, I run into Tripp and the spark between us is undeniable.

Is it possible for us to find our way together again? Will I really get the happily ever after I’ve longed for?

Don’t miss the stunning conclusion to Tripp and Hadley’s story!

CONSEQUENCE by Shelly Crane:

Maggie and Caleb are married, leaders of their people, parents to their children, and happier than they ever dreamed, even with the visions they saw of it to prove it so. The council is still rebelling against Maggie’s changes, but this time it’s different. It’s almost as if something…or someone is behind them, pulling the strings and making decisions for them.

And Maggie is having strange visions that only she can see, leaving Caleb helpless to help her. But when her visions start to warn her that their daughter, Ava, will one day be in danger, they’ll do anything it takes to find out what’s going on and how to stop it, even paying a visit to a previous Visionary.

Maggie and Caleb must find out who or what is behind it all and stop them before Maggie is one vision too late.

~~~
HEART BREAKER by Lila Felix:

Breaker James isn’t the boy who is imprisoned in his home anymore. He’s not the guy who is afraid to leave the house. He doesn’t need Ash twenty four hours a day anymore.

Hell, he might not need her anymore at all.

He’s a heart breaker, pure and simple.

Love is easy when you’re secluded from the world within four walls.

Ash now has to learn how to let Breaker love her—without being his crutch.
~~~
ALWAYS by Amity Hope:

~Always is a companion novella to Ditched.

Now that Holly and Max are finally together, life in Harmony Bay should be nearly perfect. Their first Valentine’s Day together is quickly approaching. Between school, interfering family, and long lost friends that have reappeared it has the potential to turn into a complete disaster.

Or it could turn into the kind of night that neither of them will ever forget.
~~~
BREATHLESS MAGIC by Rachel Higginson: 

And they lived happily ever after…

Or that was supposed to be how the story ended. Unfortunately for Eden Kendrick, a new enemy threatens her beloved Kingdom, one more dangerous and deadly than ever before.

After enjoying a deliciously elongated honeymoon, Eden returns to the Citadel with her husband and happiness intact. She’s unexpectedly pregnant, but that’s just one more blessing to add to her blooming happiness.

Eden’s heart is full and her endless life has never been more happy. That is until Dmitri Terletov returns from the dead and threatens everyone she loves and the Kingdom she worked so hard to build.

This time around, Eden is supposed to be shielded from the conflict. She has her growing babies to protect now and Kiran wants her as far from the battle as possible. Although she’s a little stir-crazy with idle hands, she agrees that keeping away from Terletov and his deadly experiments is definitely the right course of action.

Unfortunately, Terletov doesn’t agree. And when he arrives at the Castle, uninvited and desperate for the Magic Eden once stole from him, she has no choice but to fight once again to save the people she was born to protect.
~~~

DERIVE by Jamie Magee:

Aden, son of Tarek, is a seer—an elite member of The Selected which stands guard before The Fall, the border between light and dark realities. Darkness was foretold at his birth along with the words ‘lavender waters will set you free.’ What Aden assumed to be a mythical prophecy, is eventually manifested in a ravishing beauty with long, lavender hair.

Skylynn had seen their future, the sacrifice and divide set before them. She told him they had three days—three days before they must part to meet in a distant future. Aden dares to challenge the limits set before him by empowering his innocent lover with words and energy as he plots to face the darkness predicted before it claims her—and their rightful future together.

Rain's Reviews: The Paradox of Vertical Flight by Emil Ovtroski

The Paradox of Vertical Flight

What happens when you put a suicidal eighteen-year-old philosophy student, his ex-girlfriend, his best friend, and his newborn baby in a truck and send them to Grandma's house? This debut novel by Emil Ostrovski will appeal to fans of John Green, Chris Crutcher, and Jay Asher.

On the morning of his eighteenth birthday, philosophy student and high school senior Jack Polovsky is somewhat seriously thinking of suicide when his cell phone rings. Jack's ex-girlfriend, Jess, has given birth, and Jack is the father. Jack hasn't spoken with Jess in about nine months—and she wants him to see the baby before he is adopted. The new teenage father kidnaps the baby, names him Socrates, stocks up on baby supplies at Wal-Mart, and hits the road with his best friend, Tommy, and the ex-girlfriend. As they head to Grandma's house (eluding the police at every turn), Jack tells baby Socrates about Homer, Troy, Aristotle, the real Socrates, and the Greek myths—because all stories spring from those stories, really. Even this one. Funny, heart-wrenching, and wholly original, this debut novel by Emil Ostrovski explores the nature of family, love, friendship, fate, fatherhood, and myth.~Goodreads

~~~

Review

The Paradox of Vertical Flight is a devastatingly intriguing book. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to explain what makes it so fantastic. The characters Jack, Tommy, Jess, and Socrates are so real and believable. Jack, the main character and narrator of the story, has a philosopher's brain with no one around except a baby to listen so the internal dialogue is pretty interesting.

Jack is constantly asking questions that make you feel like you can feel the enormity and infinity of the universe. And that coupled with a sarcastic edge makes his narration and personality unique and refreshing.

Tommy is Jack’s best friend and though he doesn’t operate on the magnitude of Jack he can keep up and is a great source of entertainment. With Jack and him in the car (or anywhere) together you will laugh until you cry.

Jess is the butt head ex-girlfriend that i could barely tolerate until near the end of the book. But perhaps I just didn’t understand her the way I was supposed to. To me she was a bitter whiny *bad word* that couldn’t say one nice thing to Jack or anyone else.


The baby is, well, something else. But you’ll have to read to find out what. The whole book was a discussion of the purpose of life and the definition of infinity that just so happened to be taking place in the midst of an impromptu and slightly illegal trip to Jack’s grandma’s house.

~Rain

~~~

Quote

" 'I live," the man says, "always here. Never there. 'Til one day I'll be ever there and never more here, if, that is, there's a there at all.' "

~~~

Goodreads

Liberty Bay Books: The Paradox of Vertical Flight

Rain's Reviews: Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Roomies by Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr

Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.

~~~

Roomies was a quick read with unexpected depth. The story focused on two teenage girls who are going through rough times and their summer after high school and before college.

It was an honest representation of life as an older sibling with multiple youngling running around, and I am assuming it was just as honest when it came to the only child.

I enjoyed the way it was written and set up. There were a few lags but most of the time I did not want to put this book down.

Elizabeth and Lauren were great girls in the end but they definitely had their moments that I was like, “Come on get a grip!” But I suppose such is life. Lauren was kind of hard to get to like but once I warmed up to her she was not nearly as hard to keep up with as Elizabeth.


Overall it was a good read. The romance goes all the way, and there is some harsh language. At the same time I still recommended it to my sister after I finished, let me know how you feel if you read it. I would most assuredly like a second opinion.

~Rain

Rain's Reviews: What We Saw in the Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard

What We Saw in the Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Allie Kim suffers from Xeroderma Pigmentosum: a fatal allergy to sunlight that confines her and her two best friends, Rob and Juliet, to the night. When freewheeling Juliet takes up Parkour—the stunt-sport of scaling and leaping off tall buildings—Allie and Rob have no choice but to join her, if only to protect her. Though potentially deadly, Parkour after dark makes Allie feel truly alive, and for the first time equal to the “daytimers.”

On a random summer night, the trio catches a glimpse of what appears to be murder. Allie alone takes it upon herself to investigate, and the truth comes at an unthinkable price. Navigating the shadowy world of specialized XP care, extreme sports, and forbidden love, Allie ultimately uncovers a secret that upends everything she believes about the people she trusts the most.

~~~

What We Saw in the Night was good. It is a mystery-adventure type book told by a 17 yr old girl with XP. I can’t say to be well versed in XP but you do learn a bit about it in the book which I thought was pretty cool.

Allie Kim is a confused teenager that doesn’t really know what to do in her waking hours. She has two best friends Rob and Juliet. She just rolls with the punches and lets life pass her by. But when her life becomes shaken up she decides to take notice. It took a while for me to really like her and though I’ve warmed up to this female lead she isn’t really my fave. Her passive aggressive attitude and utter obsession with Rob really doesn’t make her appealing. When the action starts to heat up you get a hysterical vibe from her and as weird as it sounds I liked that because that’s how any sane person would be.

Rob is a sweet guy who I enjoyed but I don’t think he was developed enough. He is kind of two dimensional, I would have liked to get to know him better. And then there’s Juliet the Great and Terrible. the biggest self absorbed butt face I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.

But of course every one loved her and she is a huge part of the story *wink wink*

What We Saw In The Night was written well and if you like mysteries then this will definitely be up your alley. The romance between Allie and Rob went all the way and was hastily thrown in and was entirely unnecessary. However despite that is was still a good read.

What We Saw At Night
Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Rapture (Elfin Series Book 2) by Quinn Loftis

Rapture (Elfin Series Book 2)

By Quinn Loftis

Synopsis

Triktapic, the deadly dark elf assassin, has been restored by the Forest Lords to his rightful place as king of the Elven realm. Now, he must face his former comrades as he attempts to stop Lorsan, king of the dark elves, from enslaving the human race. Lorsan has already begun distributing Rapture, the irresistible drink that destroys those who unknowingly become addicted to it. Will Cassie, his Chosen, be able to give Trik the strength he needs to face his dark past?

Meanwhile, Cassie’s best friend, Elora, is in a fight for her own life. Elora, her mother, Lisa, and a small band of light elves have traveled deep into the dark elf realm in hopes of rescuing Cassie and Trik. But their mission quickly turns into a battle for their own lives as they are surrounded by Lorsan and his warriors. Though outnumbered ten to one, the humans and elves fight heroically. They fight for a King once lost, but now found. They fight for the human realm that doesn’t yet know it is in need of saving. They fight for love; a love that has already been discovered and a love that is waiting to be revealed. Despite their valiant efforts, the band is captured and held captive by the dark elf king.

The peaceful world that Cassie and Elora knew is long gone, shattered by their realization that elves walk secretly among them, and are bent on their destruction. Soon, each of the girls will be forced to choose her own path. Cassie must decide to which world she belongs and Elora must decide if she will fight for a warrior hell bent on keeping her from his side.

Two species, human and elf, stand on the precipice of war, united in one goal; shatter the dark elf king’s plan, and unite a divided race under the rule of the one true King.

Coming December 2013

About The Author

 

Quinn lives in beautiful NW Arkansas with her husband, son, Doberman and cat (who thinks she is a ninja in disguise). She is beyond thankful that she has been blessed to be able to write full time and hopes the readers know how much all of their support means to her. Some of her hobbies include reading, exercising, crochet, and spending time with family and friends. She gives all credit of her success to God because he gave her the creative spirit and vivid imagination it takes to write.

Links

Website: http://www.quinnloftisbooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuinnLoftisBooks?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthQuinnLoftis

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5014564.Quinn_Loftis

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Quinn-Loftis/e/B005HJPD9C/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1370647120&sr=1-2-ent

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/quinn-loftis?store=allproducts&keyword=quinn+loftis

Add to GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18457506-rapture?from_search=true

Rains Reviews: Seeking Havok by Lila Felix

All she wanted was a friend---one that knew her and not her circumstances. She needed somewhere to call home. Hers was an open door for countless men looking for the services her mother offered them. She camouflaged herself against lockers and blackboards to avoid the stares and whispers at school.

And then she found Cal...and Fade.

Cal lives like Frankenstein, rising at night to work and just trying to make it until dawn. He avoids most relationships, afraid of the things he will be asked to do. He moonlights as Fade, a radio station DJ who spends hours counseling his peers on their troubles. It was all mundane until Jocelyn called the station.

Cal and Havok pursue a friendship.

Jocelyn and Fade pursue a relationship beyond the confines of the radio waves.

But when Havok disappears, Cal will find that Havok has been guarding a lifetime worth of secrets. And when Fade and Jocelyn’s all night phone conversations cease, he finds a link between them he never saw coming.
~~~
Seeking Havoc. Hmm. How about a quote?

“A great book should leave you with many experiences and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.” ~ William Styron

Yep, pretty much. This book wasn’t in any way anywhere near a feel good happy romance. But I liked that about it. Because life is crappy and it throws you off your groove. And though Havok hasn’t had a good homelife, though she is struggling, though she is in a bad situation she hasn’t given up. Not completely, not remotely- not really. And I admire her for that. Don’t get me wrong, she has her bad judgment calls and her own brand of naivety she is a fighter even if she doesn’t always think so.

Fade is a typical sweet, caring, swoon worthy guy that I wouldn’t expect anything less than from Lila. He listens to, cares for, and worries about Havok, Jocelyn and everyone else who need it. He is an all around stand up individual. And inside that awesome thing he calls a heart he finds he most cherished spot to put Havok. The safest most wonderful spot and that is where he puts his girl. Because that is where she deserves to be.

Seeking havok is a heavy book that made my tear up and laugh and fear and, yes, swoon. You’d think with statistics and human nature at least one of lila’s books wouldn’t be a home run but no. Way to beat the odds Lady Lila.

~Rain

~~~

Goodreads

Amazon

Lila Felix

Rains Reviews: The Fairy Ring by Mary Losure

The Fairy Ring by Mary Losure

The enchanting true story of a girl who saw fairies, and another with a gift for art, who concocted a story to stay out of trouble and ended up fooling the world.

Frances was nine when she first saw the fairies. They were tiny men, dressed all in green. Nobody but Frances saw them, so her cousin Elsie painted paper fairies and took photographs of them "dancing" around Frances to make the grown-ups stop teasing. The girls promised each other they would never, ever tell that the photos weren’t real. But how were Frances and Elsie supposed to know that their photographs would fall into the hands of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? And who would have dreamed that the man who created the famous detective Sherlock Holmes believed ardently in fairies
— and wanted very much to see one? Mary Losure presents this enthralling true story as a fanciful narrative featuring the original Cottingley fairy photos and previously unpublished drawings and images from the family’s archives. A delight for everyone with a fondness for fairies, and for anyone who has ever started something that spun out of control.

~~~

The Fairy Ring was an informative book on fairies in england 1900s. How nice to know they actually exist! That there is solid proof! And you know, that everyone is so easily fooled when they want to believe in something.

Frances and Elsie were oh so very different but they meshed. Frances was the quiet type that like to stay under the radar. She was sort of sensible I guess you could say. She saw fairies and thought nothing of it. They were just there, why do something about it?

Elsi was the artistic type and though she wasn’t an outgoing Social butterfly her shell wasn’t as thick as Frances’.

The Frances and Elsie were teased for believing in fairies. So they decided they were going to do something about that.

Through two simple pictures they made an entire country come to attention. They had all of england asking about fairies, believing that they were real and that two simple country girls caught them on camera!This rouse lasted their entire lives. But they didn’t know it would did they?

This story was told in distant third person and was a fast moving retelling of the event that shaped their lives and changed a country. It was interesting and welcome and I greatly enjoyed this short novel.

~Rain

~~~

Goodreads

The Fairy Ring: Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World

Mary Losure

Blog Tour: Twisted by KayCee R

Tour Schedule

Twisted Cayden Rivers wants nothing more than to be normal, but we don’t always get what we want. For years he has been hiding a secret, afraid of being labeled a “freak”. Every day he goes to school, plays football, spends time with his girlfriend, and helps carry his drunken adopted father to bed. Nobody knows the truth about his unnatural speed and strength, including his life-long friend Camilla. Suddenly, four strangers enter Cayden’s life, and not only do they know his secret, they also have one of their own. With their help, Cayden discovers there is more to his power, something much more dangerous. Something other people will kill to possess. Camilla wishes her parents were around more. She gets lonely sleeping in her big empty house night after night. Sure, she has all the money she could ever need, but the only person who is there for her is Cayden. He has his own family and a girlfriend who takes up most of his time, so Camilla knows he won’t be there for her forever, and recently he’s been acting really strange. Will Cayden be able to keep his secret and his friendship with Camilla, or will his new found power destroy everything, including his own life? Switching between Cayden and Camilla's point of view, Twisted will leave you aching for more.  
~~~
Excerpt
I pushed the guy’s weight off me so I could get up to see if Dom caught the ball, but I stopped short when I looked up at who had tackled me. It was… me? I must have hit my head. Hard. I heard cheers roaring, but they felt like they were coming from far away. That I was watching from a distance, even though I was there on the field.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

  KayCee R KayCee is a 24 year old self-published author from Cleveland, Ohio. KayCee has always loved reading. After a re-occurring dream she decided to try writing about it. She wrote the first installment of Twisted when she was 20. “I kept having this dream about these twins, and then I just decided to run with it. I wrote the beginning, the end, and then filled in the middle.” KayCee finished the book in 8 months and then decided to share the book online. After seeing people get interested in the book and the characters, she decided to write another book and turn Twisted into a series. KayCee has finished four novels in the Twisted series and is currently working on the fifth book.

Twitter * Facebook * BookRix

Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/4/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rain's Reviews: The Descendants Second Coming by Vrinda Pendred

Between kisses, Aidan kept asking her questions: Where do I come from? Who was my father? Who made me? Why am I here?

The Ancients are coming for them. In fact, they’ve already landed on Earth and now they’re searching for the boy who will lead them to the Wisdom.

Some say the Wisdom is ultimate knowledge of the Creator; others say it’s just a myth. But the golden giant Quetzal knows better. The Wisdom was lost thousands of years ago, and only its recovery will stop the Ancients from dying.

Meanwhile, Aidan is desperate to discover the identity of his birth parents…and the real reason why he was led away from home in pursuit of the black pulse of his dreams. Can Itzy protect him from the truth that threatens to divide them?

~~~
The Descendants Second Coming is just as astounding as the first. The adventure, Mystery, and romance of it all is amazingly woven together into a fantastical tale. Itzel, Aiden, Oz, Seth, and the rest of the gang and trying to protect the wisdom- kind of.

Itzel Loveguard has grown up. She has gotten more confident in herself and her powers but she still has a lot to learn. That, however, didn’t keep me from loving just as much the second time around.

The book was written in an encore cast all told in third person with the focus on Itzy, Sethe, Aiden, and the ancients mostly. Yep-the ancients- you get to meet them and see new sides to the already interesting cast.

The mystery was very well written and balanced. I didn’t figure anything out unless the characters did. I actually thought I’d gotten clever and figured it out a couple times but there was always another twist- silly me.

There was a lot more romance in this book, and much more steamy. I must admit that I was a little disappointed. It was very blatantly stated that they went past PG-13 and though there was no description I had always- for some fantastical childish reason hoped that Itzel was the type to wait. Nevertheless It was all such a small insignificant part of the story that I don’t think it would keep me from recommending it to a friend. Moving on.

The climax had a lot of build up and didn’t happen until the very end of the book as per Vrinda’s usual M.O. *Sighs* I have a theory that when Vrinda started writing she had an amazing mentor whom she grew to trust completely and always took his advice. Then one day Vrinda came to him with a problem- she couldn’t figure out how write the ending of a book. And her mentor in all his gentle wiseness told her, “then don’t. Leave your readers in miserable agony until you write the next book and then eventually when the time comes, and ending will present itself. Until then just stop and publish it at the least and yet most opportune moment.” And since that was the most she had ever heard her very old- slow to speak mentor talk at once she decided then and there to do exactly that; every single time. Congratulations old man you’ve cultivated an exquisite author with the ability to make lives and powers and fairytales come to life and I think you should be proud of her, dear fictional man. Lets just hope no one has to wait too long for the next installment, I think she might be responsible for a few admittances in to a psych ward if they have too long of a wait.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

~Rain

Rain's Reviews: Pulse by Patrick Carman

From New York Times bestselling author Patrick Carman, a teen fantasy-adventure of epic proportions. In 2051, some teens have a “pulse,” the power to move objects with their minds. Compulsively readable, with thrilling action scenes and a tender love story.

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning, action-filled triumph about the power of the mind—and the power of love.~Goodreads
~~~

Pulse is an intoxicating read that make you bite your nails in anticipation and scream for answers. Mr. Patrick has mastered the art of suspense. Sounds slightly diabolical but, hey, everyone has their hobby’s. Apparently his include making readers fear for, cry with, laugh at, and empathize with these characters he skillfully crafts in a way that brings them to life.

Faith is a multifaceted young woman. She is rebellious in a way that usually gets her in trouble. She is quick witted which has endeared her to me. She is intelligent, a quick study, and artistic. But she also lets her emotions rule. She has a short fuse and is prone to let her emotions control her actions.

Hawk is a great little guy. He is hilarious, super friggin’ smart, and knows how to play situations to his advantage.

The rest of the characters play a very important role in the book. Patrick is not one to waste words on fluff. The description though minimal was well thought out and you learned about people and situations when he saw fit. The entire book was an entire spider web woven together and interconnecting in a way that kept me reading all day long. Great Read. And definitely an original apocalypse.

~Rain

~~~

Goodreads

Patrick Carman's Website

Pulse

Southern Book Carnival

Today we are going to have a speaker(ish)! Mrs. Shelly Crane who is a 100% Southern Beauty!

Shelly is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author from a small town in Georgia and loves everything about the south. She is wife to a fantastical husband and stay at home mom to two boisterous and mischievous boys who keep her on her toes. They currently reside in everywhere USA as they happily travel all over with her husband's job. She loves to spend time with her family, binge on candy corn, go out to eat at new restaurants, buy paperbacks at little bookstores, site see in the new areas they travel to, listen to music everywhere and also LOVES to read.

Her own books happen by accident and she revels in the writing and imagination process. She doesn't go anywhere without her notepad for fear of an idea creeping up and not being able to write it down immediately, even in the middle of the night, where her best ideas are born.

Shelly Crane is who you have to thank for this blog. If it wasn't for her significance series I would have never gotten into reading as much as I have. Don't get me wrong I loved reading before but I always had a really hard time finding books that I'd enjoy that was age appropriate. So my spotlight today is the best author ever!

How many of you have ever played two lies and a truth? You have great! Oh you haven't, ok well it goes like this. I'm am going to tell you two lies and one truth about Shelly Crane and your going to tell me which one you think is the truth. Are you ready?

• Shelly has three kids.
• She hates cats.
• She doesn't like chocolate.

Which one do you think it is?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Southern Book Carnival

Derby Bout! Love and Skate series by Lila Felix

Hey y’all! I’m so freaking happy you're here! You are just in time for the derby bout! Today’s spotlight is the Love and Skate series by the infamous Lila Felix. What book would win the derby?!?

Love in skate pulls ahead and body slams How it Rolls out of bounds. Caught in a Jam calls the foul and Down ‘n Derby skates to replace Love and skate. After two fouls by How it Rolls she is thrown from the game and its a battle for the win between Love and Skate and Down ‘n Derby. After the biggest tension filled match off seen in Reader’s Rink ever seen Caught in a Jam calls the game and Love and Skate scraped past with the win.

Who would win in your Roller Derby match?

Pick your favorite or most likely to win Love and Skate book and the winning eBook will be added to the pot of awesome prizes!!
Poll a Rafflecopter giveaway

Southern Book Carnival Day One

'Just Listen' Music Spectacular!

HEY Y'ALL! So today is the kickoff of the Southern Book Carnival! How many of you are excited? I know I am! So each day of the carnival I am going to do a different feature, one day I will feature a series, the next a book, the next an author and the next a character. I am so excited to spread around this southern book love and I hope you enjoy the event as much as I do.

Today I kicking off with a music spectacular!!

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

I absolutely loved Just Listen’s story and characters and writing but above all, I loved the emphasis on music. So here is my playlist for Just listen.

So I have 10 songs on this playlist, but its missing something. Can you think of a song that should be added? Think clean please. Comment the name of the song and the artist, I’ll listen and pick the top two and you will get an extra entry into the pot for the awesome prize pack!

A little help if you haven’t had the chance to read this rocking book:

Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything" — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.

This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.

Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends. ~Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: Twisted by KayCee R

Tour Schedule

 
Twisted Cayden Rivers wants nothing more than to be normal, but we don’t always get what we want. For years he has been hiding a secret, afraid of being labeled a “freak”. Every day he goes to school, plays football, spends time with his girlfriend, and helps carry his drunken adopted father to bed. Nobody knows the truth about his unnatural speed and strength, including his life-long friend Camilla. Suddenly, four strangers enter Cayden’s life, and not only do they know his secret, they also have one of their own. With their help, Cayden discovers there is more to his power, something much more dangerous. Something other people will kill to possess. Camilla wishes her parents were around more. She gets lonely sleeping in her big empty house night after night. Sure, she has all the money she could ever need, but the only person who is there for her is Cayden. He has his own family and a girlfriend who takes up most of his time, so Camilla knows he won’t be there for her forever, and recently he’s been acting really strange. Will Cayden be able to keep his secret and his friendship with Camilla, or will his new found power destroy everything, including his own life? Switching between Cayden and Camilla's point of view, Twisted will leave you aching for more.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

  KayCee R KayCee is a 24 year old self-published author from Cleveland, Ohio. KayCee has always loved reading. After a re-occurring dream she decided to try writing about it. She wrote the first installment of Twisted when she was 20. “I kept having this dream about these twins, and then I just decided to run with it. I wrote the beginning, the end, and then filled in the middle.” KayCee finished the book in 8 months and then decided to share the book online. After seeing people get interested in the book and the characters, she decided to write another book and turn Twisted into a series. KayCee has finished four novels in the Twisted series and is currently working on the fifth book.

Twitter * Facebook * BookRix

  BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/31/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rain's Reviews: Sacrifice of Love by Quinn Loftis

Sacrifice of Love by Quinn Loftis

As one evil falls, another rises in its place. The powerful witch, Desdemona, has finally been killed by an alliance of wolf, elf, and fae. But Reyaz, brother to Cypher the warlock king, has vowed retribution for a life that was taken from him. Now Cypher must decide not only how to protect his newfound mate and his people, but also how to destroy the only family he has left.

Meanwhile, Jen’s pregnancy progresses and the fateful due date draws ever nearer. The thought of losing Decebel’s child constantly threatens to overwhelm her. With each passing day, Decebel grows more distant, causing Jen to wonder what toll the impending loss of their child is taking on him. Unbeknownst to Jen, in an act of desperation to protect his unborn child and mate, Decebel strikes a deadly bargain with the Great Luna—his life in place of his child’s. There is only one way for that to happen; the bond between he and Jen must be broken.

As Jen as Decebel struggle through their darkness, another kind of darkness is infiltrating Fane’s heart. Doubts and questions linger as he tries to cope with the emotions brought on in the aftermath of Desdemona’s curse. He knows what happened wasn’t real, but still he can’t rid himself of the terrible images seared into his memory. Jacque is his light, the one who keeps the darkness at bay, yet he won’t let her inside to do just that.

Sally continues to learn what it means to be a gypsy healer and Costin struggles to protect her as she runs full speed ahead to help her wolves, heedless of her own safety. She sees her best friends struggling, each enduring their own trials. She’s desperate to help them, but can she keep them safe?

With all of these things hanging heavy over the heads of the Serbia and Romania packs, their attention is divided. The wolves do not even realize a threat has slowly infiltrated their midst. Will they recognize the threat in time to save the lives that precariously hang in the balance?

Against this backdrop of darkness, choices will be made, fears will confronted, and the ultimate sacrifice will be made. Will the wolves stand together to defeat the threats arrayed against them, both from within and without? Will love conquer all? Or will the beleaguered wolves finally succumb to their demons? ~Goodreads

~~~

Sacrifice of Love sucked. Not in a bad way- not at all. But in a sad way. In a way that you feel as though you need to go to your friend and vent about all these things that go on in the book. It sucked in a way that you didn’t want it to finish because you knew it was the end. That is was all ending on the last page. Actually, for me, I don’t think the gravity of the situation set in. Sacrifice of Love is it. fin. there will be no more Grey Wolves Series. No more Jaque, Sally, or Jen. Not really. No more Fane, Costin or Decebel. No evil witches, deranged werewolves, psycho warlocks. I started this series the first weekend of November in 2012. I read the first, what four books? Five books? through out my move and reread them countless times. Probably each book at least four times in that period of time. Sally, Jen and Jacque have been a part of my life for almost a year on the tip of my tongue and present in my mind. How am I supposed to let them go? In this final book the entire gang is back together to defeat Cyphers crazy-butt brother. the twists and turn were heart wrenching and mind blowing. I am so wrought with emotional now trying to write this. I can’t go into detail- there are to many thing I might unwittingly reveal. And if you’ve been reading this series for this long you shouldn’t need me to tell you to read this book. Go out Grey Wolves readers, lovers, friends, I know you won’t be disappointed.

~Rain

Goodreads
Amazon
Quinn Loftis' Website