DAC #2 Altered by Jennifer Rush

Debut Author Challenge #2

Title: Altered

Author: Jennifer Rush

Format Acquired: Book purchased from Barnes & Noble

Publication Date: January 1, 2013

Publishing House: Little, Brown & Co.

ISBN: 0316197084

Summary: 

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them. 

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Goodreads|Amazon|

Review:

Altered was an amazing debut by Jennifer Rush. This debut novel was an action packed, young adult thriller. Even though it wasn't exactly what I normally read because it was more about genetically altered traits through science fiction than fantasy/paranormal. I loved it though. It was a refreshing debut to the young adult genre. The entire story is about Anna and her relationship with the guys that are in her basement... yes I said basement. These boys are part of a program called the Branch and none of them have a memory of their life before the one that they share in the basement. Each one of them lives behind a glass wall and they are tested and asked to do tasks on a daily basis. Anna befriends all but one of them and she begins to fall for Sam. Sam is just a bit different because he is the one that hasn't quite opened up as much as Anna would like him to. She is intrigued by him nonetheless.

I loved all of the action of the novel, it literally had me on the edge of my seat for most of the time I was reading. I devoured this novel in one sitting, I just could not stop reading. I am anxiously waiting for the sequel and I hope it is just a thrilling and amazing as this one was.

Overall:

About the Author:

Jennifer Rush lives in a little town on the shoreline of Lake Michigan with her husband and two children. She grew up wanting to be an Egyptologist, but realized she hated the desert and declared herself a writer instead. She won her first writing award in the fourth grade (a Mickey Mouse pencil was the prize) and has been crafting stories ever since. In her free time, she likes to read, Photoshop, and consume large amounts of caffeine.

Author's Website

Waiting on Wednesday #6

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Let The Sky Fall

By: Shannon Messenger

Publication Date: March 5, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

A broken past and a divided future can’t stop the electric connection of two teens in this “charged and romantic” (Becca Fitzpatrick), lush novel.

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them

So what is your Waiting on Wednesday selection?

New Books!

Today, I went to Barnes and Noble to use my gift card to purchase some new books! I recently received an amazon Kindle for Christmas but I realized that B&N ebooks don't work on my kindle, so I decided to go to the store instead. I bought Splintered and Altered, which are both January Debut Author novels so they count towards my Debut Author Challenge. Since I am in a sorority and we are in social media blackout mode I am unable to instagram pictures of the books so I had to resort to my handy dandy smart phone camera. Here they are:

The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton

 

Title:The Mind Readers

Author: Lori Brighton

Format Acquired: mobi from kindle store

Publication Date: December 7,2010

Publishing House: smashwords

ISBN:

Summary:

Cameron Winters is a freak. Fortunately, no one but her family knows the truth... that Cameron can read minds. For years Cameron has hidden behind a facade of normalcy, warned that there are those who would do her harm. When gorgeous and mysterious Lewis Douglas arrives he destroys everything Cameron has ever believed and tempts her with possibilities of freedom. Determined to embrace her hidden talents, Cameron heads to a secret haven with Lewis; a place where she meets others like her, Mind Readers.

But as Cameron soon finds out some things are too good to be true. When the Mind Readers realize the extent of Cameron’s abilities, they want to use her powers for their own needs. Cameron suddenly finds herself involved in a war in which her idea of what is right and wrong is greatly tested. In the end she’ll be forced to make a choice that will not only threaten her relationship with Lewis, but her very life.

 

Review:

I received this book for free through the kindle ebook store, which is fine by me because it was awesome! I was really surprised to find that this title was originally published through smashwords because it was so polished and well written. I have found that most indie books, while good, do not always have the best syntax and grammar, but this one definitely did. 

Cameron is the main character and she has been hiding her whole life. moving from place to place, because she is different. Like her grandmother, she can read the minds of others. It isn't until she meets Lewis that she realizes that she can use these talents to help others instead of hiding in the shadows. But, as always, nothing is as it seems. Cameron's trust in different people are tested and the whole book leaves you in doubt over who is to trust in the novel.

The Mind Readers is an amazing debut title by Brighton and it shows considerable potential for the series. I am excited to have been able to get this title for free and it is definitely worth a read! In fact, it is too good of a book to pass up a free read for (it's actually too good to be free in my opinion). Overall I give it four owls.

Overall:

Goodreads|Amazon

 About the Author:

As a child, thoughts of far-off places and adventure consistently kept Lori up late at night. After graduating high school, she came to the conclusion that there was no better way to seek adventure and nourish her love of history than to become an archaeologist. She went on to receive a degree in anthropology, but digging in the dirt during humid Midwestern summers wasn’t exactly as fun as she thought it would be. 

Instead, she went to work in an air conditioned museum where she spent her days surrounded by creepy Victorian animal mounts. Still, she wasn’t satisfied.

Deciding the people in her imagination were slightly more exciting than the dead things in a museum basement, she set out to write her first romance novel. That book was soundly rejected. As was the next. Years went by and she began to wonder if she’d ever see her dream fulfilled. Until one day she came up with an idea for a book that brought together her love of history and adventure: a book now titled Wild Heart. Since Wild Heart's release, Lori has written Historical Romance, Contemporary Paranormal Romance and Young Adult.

Lori currently resides in the Southern U.S., where she juggles her time between a husband, a son, a golden retriever, a cat and the many, many people in her imagination.

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

Title: A Shade of Vampire

Author: Bella Forrest

Format Acquired: pdf provided by author for honest review

Publication Date: December 14, 2012

Publishing House: self published

IBSN: 1481280767

Summary:

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's 17th birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.

A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. 

She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.

An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. 

Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince. 

Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.

Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

Review:

I actually really enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would. I have't read about vampires in quite a while, but I found myself drawn into the world of vampires that Forrest created. At first glance at the cover, I probably wouldn't have picked up this title. I know it may seem shallow, but I do tend to pick out YA books with covers that fascinate me or I am drawn to. Neither of these were present in the cover of this book. I was pleasantly surprised to know that the story within was much better than I expected.

At first glance, Sofia seems to be timid and very dependent on her best friend. But after reading a little bit into the novel you discover that she is actually a tiny ball of fire. She is fiercely independent and I lover her character. Derek is one of those misunderstood types that you can't help but fall for. The two together was just like watching one of those love stories that you just swoon over.

Overall, I really did like this book. I really wish it was longer because I was a bit disappointed at it's length and lack of action. I am hoping that the next book will help remedy this. 

Overall: 

(But more like 4.5 owls)

This novel can be found at:

Goodreads| Amazon| Facebook

DAC #1 - Reaper by L.S. Murphy

Debut Author Challenge #1

Title: Reaper

Author: L.S. Murphy

Format Acquired: mobi provided by publisher for honest review

Publication Date: January 7, 2013

Publishing House: J. Taylor Publishing

IBSN: 9781937744199

Summary:

There's no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.

She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.

It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.

Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.

Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.

Maybe ... just maybe ... that’s okay.

It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is

Review:

This book is indescribable  At first, when I first started reading it I thought that it might be one of those typical YA novels where the girl is the 'queen bee' and falls for the 'loser.' But, this book is so much more than than; it goes a lot deeper. This story is about life and death and how to enjoy life to it's fullest. I found myself actually crying while reading this book because I felt so many emotions. Reaper did not only appeal to my interests but it touched my heart. 

Quincy is the main character in the book, and she is the character that grows the most. At the beginning of the novel she is trying to find her place in the popular group, and in turn loses herself throughout the process. Ben becomes the figure that helps her find herself once again. Both of these characters were very enjoyable and it also helped that Ben was just too adorable, I loved him! The reaper Forsyth, Destiny and Fate also come into play in this book. They all have a role in helping Quincy find out what life really is and how to enjoy it, even if it takes her a while to figure out her destiny and fate. 

Overall, this novel was touching. It was an enjoyable and heartfelt story of coming of age and finding oneself  The paranormal factor gave it a surprisingly refreshing twist on life. I would recommend this book to all my friends.

Overall:

December "Out of the Owl's Nest" Review

"Out of the Owl's Nest" is a monthly spotlight review centered on a book that I normally wouldn't read, in other words it is anything not typically supernatural/romance/fantasy YA. This month's spotlight review is:

Title: Stained Glass Summer

Author: Mindy Hardwick

Format Acquired: epub from author for an honest review

Publication Date: June, 2012

Publishing House: Musa Publishing

IBSN: 9781619378582

Summary:

Twelve-year-old Jasmine adores her photographer Father and wants to be an artist just like him. But when Dad abandons the family, Jasmine is sent to spend the summer with her Uncle on a Pacific Northwest Island. Soon, Jasmine is learning stained glass from island glass artist, Opal, and thinking she might just be developing a crush on Island boy, Cole. But, it’s not until Jasmine finds herself mentoring another young artist that she can truly let go of her Father and call herself an artist by her own terms.

Review:

This book is one of those coming of age tales that everyone needs to read when they're in their pre-teens. It is a touching story about Jasmine and her father. Jasmine is left alone by her father and is then sent to a place for the summer. In this story she must overcome her father's abandonment and become her own self. She must learn to become the artist that she truly is. In this, she must also learn what crushes are and how to be the person that she wants to be. 

Since this story was so touching and it was a great coming of age tale that I would recommend to any preteen that is struggling to find his or her place in the world and to become their own person I would give this five owls. It's definitely a cute story you should check out!

Overall Rating:

This novel can be found on:

Goodreads| Amazon| Musa Publishing