Lovin' los libros

A book blog dedicated to young adult and new adult novels

Welcome to my stop on the Starglass tour hosted by Itching For Books!
Today I am excited to share my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway with you all!


Starglass
   by: Phoebe North

Publication Date: July 23, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received from Itching For Books and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 448 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars


Terra has never known anything but life aboard the Asherah, a city-within-a-spaceship that left Earth five hundred years ago in search of refuge. At sixteen, working a job that doesn't interest her, and living with a grieving father who only notices her when he's yelling, Terra is sure that there has to be more to life than what she's got.

But when she inadvertently witnesses the captain's guard murdering an innocent man, Terra is suddenly thrust into the dark world beneath her ship's idyllic surface. As she's drawn into a secret rebellion determined to restore power to the people, Terra discovers that her choices may determine life or death for the people she cares most about. With mere months to go before landing on the long-promised planet, Terra has to make the decision of a lifetime--one that will determine the fate of her people.


Excerpt:

"Do you remember the day we met?"
"We sat next to each other in school," I said. But to be honest, that was all I could remember. Everything before my mother'sdeath was hazy.
"Yeah. But that wasn't the whole story. It was the first day of class. And the other girls were making fun of me. My mother had dressed me in a ridiculous outfit, all blues and greens. That would be the style next season, but that year it was all earth tones. They called me a fish. You turned around and glared at them. You were so angry. You told them to shut up, that I was beautiful. And then you reached down and grabbed my hand and held my pinkie so tight I thought it might fall off. And I sat there thinking that if this smart, brave girl thought I was pretty, then I must not be so bad. We were always friends after that."
I couldn't help it. I crushed Rachel in a hug. She smelled like honey and violets.
"If you think I'm smart and brave," I said, pulling away. My voice was tight with tears. "Then I must not be so bad."
"No," she agreed, holding me at arm's length. "You're not. You're so courageous, Terra. I've always thought that. I might not agree with the choices you make. But I don't doubt for a second that you can do anything you set your mind to."
We stood there for a moment, grinning at each other in the shadow of the clock tower. Then the bells began to chime.


My Review:

I must say when I first saw this tour opportunity I couldn't wait! I love science fiction books set in the future where Earth is a distant memory. I really enjoyed the premise of this book and I felt North did a very thorough job of worldbuilding. I felt like I really understood Terra's world on the ship and how their society functioned as a whole. Everything is definitely not as it seems on Asherah...

Our main character is Terra, and we begin the novel with her dealing with the death of her mother. Terra, 12, is left with an older brother and her distant, cold father. Losing her mother was a huge blow to him, as he claims she was his Bashert, or his heart's twin. He is angry, detached, and not a very good father figure to Terra. He drowns his sorrows and just does not provide the comfort that a grieving young girl needs. I liked Terra as the protagonist. She is very artistically talented and yet teachers have spoken of her indifference towards many things. Terra, though she denies it, really just wants to be loved and accepted. We see a strong girl who is anything but indifferent. She dreams of finding her own bashert, and while she is not outwardly boy crazy like her best friend Rachel, she does notice one even from a young age. Silvan is the doctor's son and when we meet him again and now Terra is 16, he is cocky, arrogant, and tends to act indifferently and nonchalant towards everything. She wonders if Silvan is the one in her dreams- her bashert.

As I said, we spend a short time with Terra being 12 and then a few years later, she is now on the cusp of turning 16, which signals adulthood. She will be paid for her chosen profession and will be able to look for an intended to marry. Her father, however, has plans for her to marry his apprentice, Koen. I really liked Koen's character. He is shy and clumsy and embarrasses easily, but he is kind. Little gestures like holding Terra's hand or simply being close to her make her start to wonder if he could be the one she is supposed to be with. However, you figure out pretty quickly something is up with Koen and the more the novel went on I started to figure it out and it definitely hurt my heart a bit.

The story starts off a bit on the slower side and it really took a bit to get me engaged in what was going on. There was a lot happening, such as explaining how society worked and the requirements necessary to be a model citizen and how to fulfill your duties. For some reason it just took a bit to really draw me in. The turning point for me was when Terra witnesses a horrible event. After that she is sworn to secrecy. However, she ends up confiding in Koen, who therefore trusts her enough to introduce her to the Children of Abel, a rebel group who want to go back to the old ways on Earth. They believe in freedom and having no restrictions. They want the freedom to choose their own professions, not have it selected for them. They want to have more freedoms in who they are able to marry, not deal with a caste system.Terra really gets drawn into the rebellion- yet she is hesitant to perform some of the tasks that are given to her. However, Terra must decide between the good of the rebellion and what she feels is right- and it is not an easy decision for her to make.

About the Author:

Phoebe North spent the first twenty-two years of her life in New Jersey, where she lugged countless library books home to read in the bathtub, at the dinner table, in front of the television, and under the blankets with a flashlight when she should have been asleep.
After college, Phoebe went south, enrolling in the University of Florida’s MFA program to study poetry. But after studying children’s literature with kidlit scholars (and geniuses) Kenneth Kidd and John Cech, she started writing books about magic, robots and aliens for teenagers. And realized she loved it almost as much as she loved Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
Now, Phoebe lives in New York State with her husband, and many licensed novels. She likes to cook, watch Degrassi, sew, take her cat for walks, and, of course, write. Despite many soaked pages, she still loves to read in the bath.

Giveaway:
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Welcome to my stop on the Motocross Me tour hosted by Itching For Books!
Today I am excited to share my review, playlist and a giveaway with you!


Motocross Me
     by: Cheyanne Young

Publication Date: June 26, 2013
Publisher: 336Love
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received from IFB and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 252 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars


When Hana Fisher moves to the small town of Mixon, Texas to live with her dad, she dreads having to work at the boring pile of dirt he fondly calls a motocross track. But when she gets there, she finds the rinky-dink dirt bike track from her childhood has grown into the most respected racing track in the state.

Now popular by association, Hana endures the pain and sweat of working in the summer heat in order to fit in with a sport she’s growing to love. She gets a real family, a best friend and not just one, but two of the fastest racers trying to win her heart.

When Hana abuses her status as the track owner’s daughter to help the gorgeous Ryan Russo cheat in the biggest race of the year, she risks more than just losing her job. Every good thing in her life is at stake now- her friends, her dad’s trust, and Ash Carter- the kind-hearted racer who may not be as alluring as Ryan, but is proof that nice guys don’t always finish last.


My Review:

Ok, who remembers that movie on Disney Channel about motocross? Motocrossed? I loved that movie. So, when I read the summary of this book I had to be a part of the tour. I really enjoyed this book. I loved learning more about motocross and I think it had some really great lessons to go along with it. This is a young adult novel and there is definitely some teen drama involved.

The story is about Hana, a girl who escapes to her dad's for the summer as she is fighting with her mother. Hana's dad owns a motocross track and Hana instantly gets swept up into the motocross world. She helps work at the track where she meets the gorgeous Ryan, who she easily develops a crush on. Ryan was not very likeable for me and I was suspicious of his intentions the whole way through. He is confident, cocky, and flirtatious. I never once felt he really liked Hana- I felt like he was using her for some higher purpose. She also meets Shelby and her twin brother Ash, who is also a motocross racer. Ash is nice, kind, and just an overall good guy. He likes Hana, but unfortunately she is too busy mooning over Ryan to really take notice. She does find him attractive though (even with the dreads!). Shelby and Hana end up becoming good friends, which was exactly what Hana needed. She had someone to gossip with about guys and share clothes with and Shelby, who wasn't exactly a tomboy, is a motocross kid, but hanging out with Hana really excited her and brought her out of her shell.

So Ryan or Ash? Well, that's easy. Ash! He's a good kid, he's a gentleman, doesn't care about how Hana dresses or how much make up she wears, and he is just a genuine guy.

I liked Hana well enough- but I did find her to be self-absorbed at points. (She's a high school girl! Most high school kids are quite egocentric.) She would tend to zone in on certain things, not paying the least bit of attention to outside factors going on around her. She did flip flop a bit between boys which irritated me, because I really felt like she had her decision made. She just wasn't getting the reception she needed from the one she wanted, which made her question things.

I thought the pacing in this story went extremely well- I didn't reach that point where I was turning pages to just get to more action. I think Cheyanne did a great job of keeping the reader engaged. The world of motocross is just so neat and interesting so I couldn't help but get excited when Hana was spending time at the track.

 This story shows Hana that sometimes the thing you think you want the most is the one thing you need the least. She learns that people can be manipulative to get what they want, but she also learns that the best people don't have to come from money and that appearances don't matter. It's what's inside that counts.

My one hang up? I needed more kissing. :)

This is a cute summer read and I would recommend if you're looking for something light and fun.



My Playlist:

1. I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace (Opening scenes: this song reminds me of Hana's frustration with her mom)

2. Kick it in the Sticks by Brantley Gilbert (Hanging out at the track)

3. See You Again by Miley Cyrus (Hana's wanting to see Ryan again)

4. Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen (After she gives her number to Ryan)

5. Nice Guys Finish Last by Green Day (Ash's anthem- racing against Ryan)

6. One Thing by One Direction (Describes Hana's feelings for Ryan)

7. Broken by Lifehouse (At the hospital with the Carters/scene in Ash's room)

8. Counting Stars by OneRepublic (Hana thinking about Ash)

9. Complicated by Avril Lavigne (Scene in the garage with Ash and Hana)

10. Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not by Thompson Square (Also the scene in the garage)

11. Thinking of You by Katy Perry (While Hana is at the lake party with Ryan)

12. I Will Wait by Mumford and Sons (When Ash brings Hana home from the lake)

13. Feel Good Drag by Anberlin (Just an upbeat song to get you hyped for Nationals)

14. I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin (Ash and Ryan's pissing contest)

15. What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts (After Ash finds out about Hana and Ryan's kiss)

16. Miss You by Foster the People (After everything goes down at Nationals)

17. Perfect Time of Day by Howie Day (end of the book)





About the Author:

Cheyanne is a native Texan with a fear of cold weather and a coffee addiction that probably needs an intervention. She loves books, sarcasm, Xbox and paid holidays. She lives near the beach with her daughter, one spoiled rotten puppy and a cat who is most likely plotting to take over the world.








Giveaway:
 

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Welcome to my stop on the Lost tour hosted by Itching For Books!
For the full tour schedule please click here.
 
Lost (Lost & Found #1)
   by: Nadia Simonenko

Publication Date: March 25, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: received a copy from Shane @IFB and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review
Page Count: 235 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars


Sometimes you need someone else to help you find your way.

Maria's life was torn apart when she was fifteen, and for seven years she's kept her terrible secret hidden from the world. Now, in her final semester of college, she still struggles against paralyzing fear just trying to speak up in class, and the terror and helplessness linger on in her nightmares.

Across campus, Owen sees his scars in the mirror every morning while he gets ready for class. They remind him of the broken home he left behind, the father he hates and fears, and the little sister he couldn't protect. Now, in his final semester of college, he's scared that he may have to return to the hell he called home after staying away for almost five years.

When Owen becomes a teaching assistant for one of Maria's classes, they find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. As the two learn each other's secrets and grow closer, they realize that although they may be lost, they're not alone anymore.

This new adult contemporary romance is recommended for ages 17+ due to heavy subject matter.
                                              -goodreads.com description

My Review:

Nadia Simonenko brings us a very emotional, but beautiful read with the first book in the Lost and Found series. Told in dual POV, we are able to see the depth of just how broken and emotionally scarred these two main characters really are. From the very first page, we are hit with a cold reality that no child should ever in their life have to face and yet so many do on a daily basis. We meet Owen first, who has grown up with a very abusive, alcoholic father, a mother who refuses to step in, and an innocent younger sister that he would move heaven and earth for. However, after one fateful moment, one moment he considers himself a coward, Owen will live his life haunted by what ifs and what could have beens.

Maria, on the other hand, has grown up with a stable family, but after an incident when she was fifteen, her life has never been the same. Her relationship with her family has also become strained, due to her being unable to talk to them about what happened. That incident stole so much of her life from her and she now lives as a shell of a girl, too afraid to be in crowded areas, and go out like a normal college girl. She still lets that incident control her and is obsessive about recording every nightmare, every flashback.

"This book is where I write all the things I don't want to remember. I started doing it thinking that maybe my brain would let me forget them, knowing that they were all sitting safely in this horrible book in case I ever wanted to bring them back to life. It hasn't worked yet, but I'm still holding out hope." (pg. 42)

Because of what has happened to Owen and Maria, I personally don't believe they have reached the emotional maturity level that they should be at for their ages. Both have a childlike innocence that you really see when they later begin to have more interaction with one another. The smallest of gestures puts a smile on their faces and makes them so incredibly happy. Maria especially takes baby steps when it comes to Owen. She agrees to go out with him for sushi and comes home gushing to her best friend about how amazing it was that she was able to carry on a conversation with him and not have a panic attack. Seeing her take that small step out of her shell is so heart warming you can't help but feel so proud of her.

The two have a lot of obstacles to face throughout this book. Their pasts are a looming shadow over them and together they must learn how to not let it affect their present and place their trust in one another.

As broken as Maria is and as weak as she seems- she is actually a very strong character. She is protective of Owen and will not allow anyone to hurt him. She takes care of him when he can't take care of himself and offers reassurance, even when she doesn't feel it for herself. She does have moments where she relapses, yet Owen is there for her and protective of her also. He ends up sharing his past with Maria much sooner than she does with him, yet he never pressures her and when she does have a relapse, he is there to comfort her and bring her back from the edge of darkness.

Watching these two find strength and hope in one another is so heartbreakingly beautiful. It really shows you that two people, beaten down by my life and circumstance can still find happiness and move forward and live their lives.

Maria's best friend, Tina, is awesome. Tina is aware of what happened to Maria and is there to pull her back from the darkness and is just a great friend and support system for her. She wants to help Maria move forward and take chances, but yet she knows her limits and is respectful not to overly push her. I also liked Craig, Owen's roommate. He and Tina dated while they were freshmen, so they already knew each other and were really the catalysts for Maria and Owen spending time together. It's always good to have friends who know what direction to push you in and are able to see beyond what you do.

Overall, although this is a very emotional read, it all comes down to not letting the past dictate your present and your future and that no matter how bleak the circumstances, you should never give up hope. You never know when your saving grace will be there to pick you back up.


About the Author:

Nadia Simonenko is a scientist and author currently living in Indianapolis with her husband, two cats and a dog. When she isn’t writing, she develops new oncolytic compounds and dreams about someday getting to take a vacation.







Giveaway:
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Welcome to my stop on the Armored Hearts tour hosted by Itching For Books!
For the full tour schedule please click here.

Armored Hearts
   by: Pauline Creeden & Melissa Turner Lee

Publication Date: May 20, 2013
Publisher: AltWit Press
Genre: Steampunk
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by author and Shane@IFB.
Page Count: 155 pages
Order Links: Amazon
My Rating: 3/5 stars


When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother's side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales. Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park, left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair. Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.

Favorite Quote:

As they made their way back to the carriage Jessamine whispered. "You were downright friendly. I'm in shock." Gareth responded flatly. "So am I." (p. 122 ARC copy)

My Review:

I did not know in the beginning that this would be a series. I am so glad to know that now! After the rather abrupt ending I was quite disappointed- until I saw there would be more! Yay! I thought this was a promising first start to the series. We get a bit of everything in this book: mystery, fantasy, steampunk, budding romance... just to name a few.

I will be honest, I am curious to see where the steampunk aspect is going to go in the next book. As of right now, I feel the fantasy (fae) storyline is going to be more a bit more dominant. I love reading about the fae, especially the Seelie and Unseelie courts. It's something I've always been fascinated with, so I like the little bit we did get in this first book.

Gareth is our main character, and unfortunately is a cripple. At a young age, he ends up saving a girl from falling out of a tree. This is when Gareth realizes he has a gift: he can fly. (You don't find out right away how this is, so until then it was quite unbelievable and you just have to go with it.) Years pass and Gareth is still the same closed off, sullen boy who despises his condition: except- he can fly while no one is watching. His 'aunt' Tabitha, is the only one who knows and keeps a look out for him. The two are very close- she is really the only one who can make him smile and he vows to protect and watch out for her (she is younger than him).

Tabitha's friend Jessamine, from America, comes to stay and her attentions are drawn to Gareth. She is a bubbly, determined girl who is not afraid to speak her mind. I loved that about her: she doesn't back down willingly and will fight for what she wants.

Watching the two of them interact is a lot of fun because they have drastically different personalities. She is the light to his dark and as much as he wants to keep himself closed off from her, he's finding it more and more difficult as she maneuvers herself into his life.

Overall, this is a very short novel and a fast read. I have quite a few questions that remain, but I expect they will be answered in the coming novels. I hope to see a lot more of the fantasy aspect in the future, and also am anxious to see how the romance continues.


About the Authors
Pauline Creeden
In simple language, Pauline Creeden breaks down Biblical stories and applies them to real life in new ways. Her methods of teaching have brought new light to old scriptures. Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy.In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.
 
 
Melissa Turner Lee
Melissa Turner Lee is  a stay-at-home mom of three of the CRAZIEST boys ever. She's also the wife to a wonderful man she met when at 17, who is also the inspiration behind her awesome Painter series. Melissa has a degree in Journalism and Marketing, which she has never used. One day her husband sent her to the local book store for a day to herself. Melissa picked up Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and her life changed. She remembered being 17, falling in love. But most of all she remembered herself. She'd become "Mommy" and forgotten all about Melissa, the girl who dreamed of being a writer, but suddenly she remembered and the writing started. And It hasn't stopped.

 
 
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Today is my stop on The Storm blog tour hosted by Itching for Books! Today I have my review, favorite quote, and a giveaway for you to enter!


   by: Madison Louise

Publication Date: April 14th, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received from Itching For Books and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 323 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars


Nothing was ever the same again.

Millicent Parker, and her two brothers, have been alive for over two centuries and counting.

Ever since a storm changed their lives, a storm that gave them powers to create storm elements, Millicent and her brothers have been through every war, trend and crisis throughout history since then.

When it's time to come out of hiding yet again, Milli sets out to what she thinks will be yet another long three years of high school, another long school year without friends, another long life without Felix.

But when Felix somehow appears at her new school after 282 years, Millicent is excited, confused, and heartbroken. Felix doesn't want her anymore, his attention is focused on his new girlfriend.

Then, something strange happens...Millicent finds out that her and her brothers aren't the only ones with storm powers.

Felix Walter can control thunder.

But when disaster strikes, taking everything, and everyone she's ever loved and cared about. Will Millicent fight back? Or will she give into the people who took everything from her?

                        -goodreads.com description 

Favorite Quote: 
            "You would think after 282 years that my heart would have gotten more mature. But it hadn't. It still had issues, it was hard to understand. And maybe it had matured, after I had put walls up around it, but Felix came and knocked them all down." (p. 182 ARC copy)

I came across this quote and instantly went to write it down because I am such a quote person and this one just really stuck with me.
Review:

   My Rating: 3/5 stars

It took me a bit to figure out this book, mainly because I felt thrust into this world without really gaining an understanding of what was actually happening. We know that Millicent (Milli), our main character, and her two brothers Matthew and Michael, are different. They have special abilities that allow them to produce weather. We learn that they were in a storm back in the 1700's that changed them, giving them these abilities, as well as immortality. I would have liked to learn more about the inner workings of the storm and find out how and why this happened.I didn't really have a clear understanding of how they got their abilities and that is something I would have liked to see.

Otherwise, I found the book to be enjoyable. The plot was simplistic and linear at first and the writing was a bit choppy and abrupt, but then it really threw us for a twist toward the end that I definitely did NOT see coming. I love it when I can't figure books out, and I don't think I could've figured that twist out!

Milli's relationship with her brothers is really sweet and real. They've been together for centuries, of course they're going to bicker and fight! There were times that Milli and Michael acted more like a 16 and 17 year old, than an actual 282-283 year old, which I found amusing. However, no matter how angry or irritated they were with each other, they still loved one another unconditionally and would drop everything if one needed help.

Trying to keep a sense of normalcy, Milli and Michael attend high school again and again much to Milli's dismay. At this point, I really felt for Milli because she didn't see the point in making friends when she knew they would just have to leave again to keep from detection. She also knew it was too hard to watch people she cares about grow old and pass on, where she would always stay the same. That is the sad, unfortunate price to immortality.

The one bright spot in attending high school is that Milli is finally reunited with her fiancee from the 1700's, Felix, which she thought to be impossible. Milli finds out that Felix is like them, also having been in the storm. Again, I wish Louise would have expounded on this, as we just had to take it at face value. The only problem with Felix is that he doesn't even acknowledge her presence, which hurts Milli greatly. We learn the reason behind that later in the book.

The action and the build up at the end of the novel felt somewhat forced and rushed to me. It just didn't fit naturally into the storyline that had been created. Louise still managed to make it work and threw in some surprise twists and betrayals that kept me reading to the end to find out how it was all going to turn out.

You are definitely rooting for Milli, Felix, and her brothers to find their HEA at the end, as well as a chance to live their lives without constantly living in fear of being detected.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Author Spotlight

Madison is a teen homeschool writer, writing away the stresses of life.
She lives in Ohio, with her parents and her younger sister. She also loves to dance, (she’s a whiz at Just Dance) and reads as many books as she has time for. The songs she listens to be inspiration are from Disney Channel’s Camp Rock and High School Musical. Her computer is full of unfinished books.


Her debut novel, Shadow Future, is about a girl who tries to find herself, and tries to get through life, as it throws it's worst at her—paranormal style.





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