Blog Tour: Striking by Lila Felix and Rachel Higginson

Blog Tour: Striking by Lila Felix and Rachel Higginson

BLURB:

Can two hearts be forged into one?

Cami Montgomery stole a car and smashed it into the front of a building in upscale Beverly Hills after a lousy date with the epitome of sleaze balls. The worst part, her parents are following through on threats after this latest plea for attention. Banished from her L.A. paradise and plunged into the Appalachian Mountains with her industrious aunt and uncle, Cami is about to find out how precious life really is.

Stockton Wright has been thrust into a hard life. He sacrifices everything to give his family and community what they need. He’s exhausted from life and work—and he’s only twenty four. What he needs is some change, and some sunshine. Even he will agree to that. He just doesn’t expect to find it in a stuck up, pompous, entitled Californian.

Cami bursts into Stockton’s life like wildfire, consuming all his thoughts and tangling him in her web. What starts out as a contentious rivalry evolves into a desire neither of them expected. When hammer meets metal, will they crack under pressure or be forged as one?

Cami and Stockton might just end up being exactly what the other one needs, but first their love will have to be drawn out in fire.~Goodreads
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Review:

Striking is perhaps one of the few times I understood the meaning of the connection between the two love interests. Lila Felix and Rachel Higginson did a wonderful job

demonstrating the connection between Stockton and Cami. I didn’t shake my haed at Cami when she talked about not being able to live without him. Because I understood. I think I fulle grasped what Stockton meant to Cami and vice versa.

Cami starts out as a self destructive cry-for-help self entitled brat. But is that what she really is? How much of that is to blame on her upbringing? You can’t blame a hamster for acting like a hamster. So though she wasn’t the most lovable person I found I had a bit of a soft spot for her. And she was so eager to please that you couldn’t stay mad at her for long.

Stockton is another story. He is sweet, protective, loving, caring. He wants nothing more than to provide for his family. And in the process he has had to grow up quickly and has carried around quite a lot of misplaced guilt. And somewhere in there he started to be a real jackmouth to certain blonde newcomers. And though he has made a 180 it took my a minute to fully warm up to him. But now that I have he is a great guy.

This book has some great secondary characters and some bad ones but they all serve a purpose so just keep trucking when the going gets tough. Willa in particular is awesome. The rest of the factors were good too, the writing style, the language. There were a lot of suggestive comments and innuendos that I could have lived without but overall, a good read.

~Rain
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Lila Felix made the decision to write a book after being encouraged by friends. She is a stay at home mom to three wild children and three boisterous dogs and her high school sweetheart husband encourages her daily. Between writing books, she loves to read and watch sappy 80's movies. Favorite things: ice cream, anything purple, roller derby and any kind of music she can get her hands on. If you're looking for her, try looking in the swamp, she's probably duct taping something under the shade of a Cypress tree.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLilaFelix

https://twitter.com/AuthorLilaFelix

http://authorlilafelix.blogspot.com/

 

Rachel Higginson was born and raised in Nebraska, but spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka. But came back home to marry her high school sweetheart and now spends her days raising her big family. In those few spare moments she has, she is either reading or writing Young Adult Fiction.

https://www.facebook.com/rachelhigginsonauthor

https://twitter.com/Mywritesdntbite

http://www.rachelhigginson.com/

SEPT 1 - Ashley http://www.happilyeverhungover.com

SEPT 2 - Mandy http://twimom101bookblog.blogspot.com/

SEPT 3 - Christy http://christyswrittenwordlove.wordpress.com/

SEPT 4 - Michael http://fabulousandfun.com

SEPT 5 - Amy http://turnthepagebookreviews.blogspot.com

SEPT 6 - Chris Woo Lunasbooksweets.blogspot.com

SEPT 7 - Jenn http://fabulousandfun.com

SEPT 8 - Kelly http://paperbackcowgirl.blogspot.com/?m=1

SEPT 9 - Rain http://rainsreaderroom.blogspot.com/?m=1

SEPT 10 - Mary www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com

SEPT 11 - Caylie http://halesandcalesreads.wordpress.com/

SEPT 12 - Regan Reganclaire.com

SEPT 13 - Kathryn http://www.tsktskehattoread2.blogspot.com

SEPT 14 - Candace www.lifebeteweentheages.com

SEPT 15 - Holly Hollyshotreads.wordpress.com

Rain's Reviews: The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow, shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.

Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

Jennifer Castle’s debut novel is a heart-wrenching, surprisingly witty testament to how drastically life can change in the span of a single moment.~Goodreads

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If you know me, you would know that I have a love/hate relationship with all of her books. My biggest complaint and one of the things I like about her books is that they all move very slowly. I like that it provokes so much thought and really feels like literature and a book worth keeping instead of a real quick romance that you’ll forget about in a few weeks. And when I picked up The Beginning of After I had heard that Jennifer Castle was similar to Sarah Dessen. So needless to say I was really excited.

Laurel just lost her mother, father, and brother due to a terrible accident in a car that their neighbor was driving. Laurel has to deal with living in a house that holds countless reminders of her family, a friend that she feels is drifting away, and interacting with the guilty man’s son. I don’t know about you but I think I would hole myself up in my room for all eternity and not come out till judgement day. But that's not what she does. Laurel being the strong, brave and normal-seeking girl she is, jumps back into her life days after this horrible tragedy. Laurel loves animals, and beneath the sad and thoughtful exterior you see a girl that just wants to be “cool” and have her crush notice her. I think this little tidbit lessened the book for me. I mean your family has died you have all these things going on and you still want to be noticed by the snobs and get a guys attention? It made her feel a little shallow to me.

Daniel the guilty man’s son, and Joe her crush both pull at Laurel and gives this book a bona fide love triangle. Daniel deals with his grief by running. His mother died in that same car crash and the impact put his father into a coma. Joe the awkward guy that draws superheroes notices Laurel for the first time after she starts school again.  And don’t get me started with her best friend Meg. The whole situation seems doomed. Can a teenage girl-life long friend or not-  deal with kind of change in Laurel’s life? Can Meg and Laurel get through their own problems to see the other one is hurting and needs a hand? This situation demonstrates a persons selfishness and how, even though they don’t see it, they can be so absorbed in their own troubles not to notice someone elses. 

The Beginning of After is a study in grief and how life moves on. It showcases the most unlikely of romances without that being the sole purpose of the book. And I definitely recommend it to Sarah Dessen fans.

~Rain

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“That's the whole thing about grieving... It's part of the deal: You get to be alive and to love, but in exchange you also have to put in some serious hurt time.” 

Goodreads
Amazon
Jennifer Castle's Website

Rain's Reviews: Gated by Amy Christine Parker

Gated by Amy Christine Parker

Do the gates keep the unchosen out or the chosen in?

In Mandrodage Meadows, life seems perfect. The members of this isolated suburban community have thrived under Pioneer, the charismatic leader who saved them from their sad, damaged lives. Lyla Hamilton and her parents are original members of the flock. They moved here following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking to escape the evil in the world. Now seventeen, Lyla knows certain facts are not to be questioned:

Pioneer is her leader.

Will is her Intended.

The end of the world is near.

Like Noah before him, Pioneer has been told of the imminent destruction of humanity. He says his chosen must arm themselves to fight off the unchosen people, who will surely seek refuge in the compound's underground fortress--the Silo.

Lyla loves her family and friends, but given the choice, she prefers painting to target practice. And lately she'd rather think about a certain boy outside the compound than plan for married life in the Silo with Will. But with the end of days drawing near, she will have to pick up a gun, take a side, and let everyone know where she stands.

~~~

Review

I have written this review twice.  This is my third time trying to come up with the words to illustrate the depth of this book. So when in doubt I will do what I always do, quote John Green.

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

This is how I feel about this book. The world cannot resume rotation, brownies cannot finish baking, nothing in this world can happen until the entire population read this book and take it to heart. I know- weird. 

“This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Algonquin Wits

Sometimes you will just want to put the book in the freezer and take a breath and once you've regained your composure you will come back to it and start where you left off. But you can’t! That’s the thing about this book. There is no point in time that you have enough control over any part of your body than do anything but what it takes to complete this story while reading it. 

I feel odd not telling you a lot about the storyline, plot, romance or, anything but I went into this book blind and I think that is the best way to read it. I’ll tell you this- I really enjoyed Lyla, her character, and personality, and thoughts were so human, so intelligent, so real that is gives you a new view on cult members. You hear about cults like People’s Temple, or Heaven’s Gate and as people we automatically, whether subconsciously or not, think that they are incompetent, unintelligent people who don’t know left from right but that’s wrong. And to them we are the stupid ones. 

Gated is this.

“The greatest book is not the one whose message engraves itself on the brain, as a telegraphic message engraves itself on the ticker-tape, but the one whose vital impact opens up other viewpoints, and from writer to reader spreads the fire that is fed by the various essences, until it becomes a vast conflagration leaping from forest to forest.”
― Romain Rolland

~Rain

~~~

Teaser 

"For a brief moment I imagine us linking arms like the characters did in "The Wizard of Oz" when they were preparing to meet the wizard. I'm the Cowardly Lion for sure. I can practically hear my knees knocking together. Will's definitely the Scarecrow with his extra-long arms and legs; Marie, the ruby-lipped Dorothy; and Brian makes a perfect stiffly postured Tin Man. I wish we really were headed down that long hallway in Emerald City, but instead we're making uor way around the stables to the corral." p.100

Goodreads
Liberty Bay Books: Gated
~Prices are the same as Amazon, and I'm an affiliate with this wonderful bookstore, so please take a look :) ~

Waiting on Wednesday: Sacrifice of Love by Quinn Loftis

Waiting on Wednesday: 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. The last of the series. Well not really but the next one is a prequel so-though I am looking forward to it- for all intents and purposes of this post its that last of the series. I am so sad! and excited! I honestly get so excited and jumpy when someone brings up this book! It is killing me to have to wait so long. But then I get sad, just thinking about how my journey with these characters that I have become so close to are about to end. Its bittersweet. But that doesn’t change the fact that I am buying this book the day it comes out and if you haven’t started this series- it is an absolute must.

Rain's Reviews: Tent City by Kelly Van Hull

Tent City by Kelly Van Hull

After a devastating plague, introverted 17-year-old Dani Campbell and her family find themselves living in a very different America, one run by a cult-like leader, who forces children to move to "safety camps" designed to protect the human race. Encouraged to flee by her parents, Dani and her five-year-old brother seek refuge in the Black Hills of South Dakota. On the run with danger around every corner, Dani must fight to ensure their survival in this new world while trying to unmask the mystery of how it all came to be. ~Goodreads

~~~

Tent City is the book to read if you like post apocalyptic survival adventures. It’s a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat and you can’t stay away for long. It plunges you straight into the action and you don’t have hope of getting anything done while reading it.

Dani has watched the world fall apart. She watched life transition from normal to searching for rations and praying the council doesn’t kill you.  She is stuck in a world of poverty, concentration camps, and tyranny. Can she live through this as the insecure, unhappy, and unwildernessy girl she is? And What happens when through the dangerous events she gets herself into she starts to fall for two very different people? (Yes, there is a love triangle)

Bentley and Jack, the leader and the healer. They couldn’t be any more different and yet they are indispensable to the story.  Bentley, the fearless leader who is always ready for a fight and seeks revenge for lives lost. Jack the doctor who wants to just get through this and helps in anyway possible even if it costs his freedom.

Kit and Brody were great secondary characters. I just wish they weren’t so one- dimensional and I had a hard time getting a reading on Kit. The setting, story, characters, and writing all added up to a great book.  

~Rain

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Amazon

Goodreads

I am an Affiliate!!

Hi, all! I am down right bouncy this week and I cannot wait to tell you why! I have  become an affiliate! With whom? you may ask. With what has got to be the best indie bookstore ever, Liberty Bay Books. Though you may not of heard of it before let me tell you, its pretty kick-butt. And I am so delighted to become an affiliate. So what that means is:

• Every book you buy through my blog on http://libertybaybooks.com/ I get a percentage back.
• And it means that I have yet another excuse to spend so much time blogging :). yay!!

And keep in mind, despite their indie status they have great prices. And I’m not just saying that;). 

So, I figured I would just give you, my lovely readers, a heads up and share this exciting news.

Rain's Reviews: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

“I’ve had a most amazing time....”

 
So begins the Time Traveller’s astonishing firsthand account of his journey 800,000 years beyond his own era—and the story that launched H.G. Wells’s successful career and earned him the reputation as the father of science fiction. With a speculative leap that still fires the imagination, Wells sends his brave explorer to face a future burdened with our greatest hopes...and our darkest fears. A pull of the Time Machine’s lever propels him to the age of a slowly dying Earth.  There he discovers two bizarre races—the ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks—who not only symbolize the duality of human nature, but offer a terrifying portrait of the men of tomorrow as well.  Published in 1895, this masterpiece of invention captivated readers on the threshold of a new century. Thanks to Wells’s expert storytelling and provocative insight, The Time Machine will continue to enthrall readers for generations to come.
~~~

So I am a huge Science Fiction fan. Give me space, and aliens, give me future progress, evolution of the human and earth hierarchy. Douglas Adams- Brilliant. Doctor Who- Fantastic. Star Trek- Can’t get any better. So you might be a little surprised when I say this is the first H. G. Wells I’ve read on my own. Time Machine however did not disappoint. I will admit, it took a minute to get used to the writing given it is older and thus the people spoke differently but I always have that problem, Pride and Prejudice was most difficult to understand for me. The story was interesting and original. Filled with action, adventure, mystery, and discovery.

The Time Traveler (thats what they call him) is an eccentric man with an abundance of ideas and quite a bit of time and money to see them through. The most recent of his being- you guessed it- time travel. And one evening he proposes this idea to his friends. This is his story of a future so unbelievable and fantastical.

H.G. Wells is a master and all you need is a quiet place and some time to become lost in this world he creates. Just don’t forget your matches!

~Rain

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Goodreads

Amazon