Showing posts with label Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiction. Show all posts

7/30/2015

Review: The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon
Release Date: November 2014
Age: Mature YA, New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fiction, Mystery, Romance
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare.

Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start.

It all happened before I was born, and by the time I met Moses and my mom told me all about him, the story was old news and nobody wanted anything to do with him. People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids, and kids grow up to be teenagers. Nobody wants a messed up teenager.

And Moses was messed up. Moses was a law unto himself. But he was also strange and exotic and beautiful. To be with him would change my life in ways I could never have imagined. Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe I should have listened. My mother warned me. Even Moses warned me. But I didn’t stay away.

And so begins a story of pain and promise, of heartache and healing, of life and death. A story of before and after, of new beginnings and never-endings. But most of all...a love story.
I needed this book. And when I read this book I couldn't breathe, then I didn't need it. I didn't want it. I hated it because it made me cry. And then I loved it because it made me cry. I was lost in Moses' story, in Georgia's story, in their story. This book is raw and it packs a heady punch, a sucker punch that I saw coming but didn't believe and then it came and I cried, it's raw and awful and beautiful and broken and fixed and torn. It's real and it's not real because there's this paranormal element that I didn't realize was coming but Amy somehow made this seem real. Like it happens all the time and while I read her story it did, it did happen and I won't listen to anyone that tells me it didn't because fiction like this is real. Amy's writing is real and it's soft and crinkly and that may not make sense to you but it does to me.

I liked that it was told in alternating points of view between Georgia and Moses in the before and after over a large span of time. The characters begin the story as teenagers and end the story as adults. I was very connected to all of the characters in the book, except maybe Georgia's parents. It's a dark read full of tears and heartbreaks but the book neatly folds together.

Moses is my favorite character. He's just. He's someone you want to help but you can't reach. He's hurt and in pain but has to get through things himself. He's funny and serious and doesn't know how to love himself. I love him, don't tell my husband. But really, I do.

For such a seriously toned book, I was uplifted and inspired. No matter the story you're looking to read, read this one. Because it's not at all what you're expecting and even through all of the tears I can still smile about it. You need this book in your life, You need Amy's writing in your life.

Other books by Amy:  A Different Blue, Infinity + One, Making Faces

2/15/2012

Good for You Review

Good for You (Between the Lines, #3) by Tammara Webber
★★★★★
Release Date: December 15, 2011
Age: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Format: e-book
Source: Author
Buy it: Amazon

Other books in this series:
Between the Lines
Where You Are (Between the Lines, #2)
Reid Alexander's life is an open book. His Hollywood celebrity means that everything he does plays out in the public eye. Every relationship, every error in judgment is analyzed by strangers. His latest mistake totaled his car, destroyed a house and landed him in the hospital. Now his PR team is working overtime to salvage his image. One thing is clear—this is one predicament he won’t escape without paying for it. Dori Cantrell is a genuine humanitarian—the outward opposite of everything Reid is about. When his DUI plea bargain lands him under her community service supervision, she proves unimpressed with his status and indifferent to his proximity, and he soon wants nothing more than to knock her off of her pedestal and prove she's human. Counting the days until his month of service is over, Dori struggles to ignore his wicked magnetic pull while shocking him with her ability to see past his celebrity and challenging him to see his own wasted potential. But Dori has secrets of her own, safely locked away until one night turns her entire world upside down. Suddenly their only hope for connection and redemption hinges on one choice: whether or not to have faith in each other.
So, I'm pretty sure fans of the first 2 books are going to be a little skeptical like I was about this one, a whole book about Reid Alexander didn't seem appealing. But, I love Tammara and her books and when she sent me a copy (which I am so thankful that she did) I started it as soon as I had the chance and I finished it in record time (one sitting) loving every beautiful, and paint splattered, moment. I want everyone to know, it's by far my favorite book of the series!

The contrast between Reid's world of glitz and glamour and Dori's simple life is absolutely mind blowing, not to mention how completely different they are personality-wise.  Dori is this incredibly brilliant altruistic soul and I think anyone who has followed this series knows, Reid is far from being selfless. In books 1 and 2 he's a completely self centered and arrogant jerk who is only ever happy when he's making others miserable. But, we get to see a new Reid in Good for You, and he's pretty spectacular.

I know, I know, it's Reid Alexander! Aren't we supposed to hate Reid Alexander? I did, at least in the first two books (well he grew on me a TINY TINY bit at the end of book 2), but he grows a lot in this book and is almost unrecognizable. It was hard to remember that he was the same Reid from Between the Lines, this book follows just him (we do hear a little about Emma and Graham, and some School Pride co-stars make appearances) and Dori.

My favorite character was Dori, she's this self confident girl who is tough and capable of anything. Appearing perfect but with secrets of her own, I loved her. She's the perfect counterpart for Reid, and she doesn't put up with his crap. This book made me want to become a better person, it made me want to spend summers helping kids in South America and devote my weekends to building homes. It's just an overall inspiring read.

Tammara is amazing! If you aren't familiar with her work, well familiarize yourself because you're missing out! I can't wait for the next book in the series, or her new stand-alone novel!

10/05/2011

Saved by Allegra Skye Review


★★★☆☆
Release Date: June 2011
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Vampires, Fiction, Supernatural, Paranormal Romance
Format: E-Book
Source: Author
Buy it: Kindle (.99 right now)
In SAVED (Book #1 of the Shadow Vampires), Keira and Amanda, twins, move with their family to a new town, and start their senior year at a new high school. But though they are twins, the girls have different fates. Amanda, beautiful, popular, is sought out by everyone. Keira, who has always lived in Amanda's shadow, is smaller, awkward, different. Even her mother, who is so close to Amanda, doesn't know what to make of her other daughter. Keira turns to books, and to her journal, for solace, and to find out about other worlds. Amanda makes friends easily at the new school, and quickly finds a boyfriend, while Keira is left alone, an outsider. But very quickly, it is clear that something strange is going on in Everstock. The town and the school are very divided. The popular, rich kids act as if they own the school and have nothing to do with the other kids, who are poorer and live in a different part of town. Not only are the kids meaner here, but an unknown infection has gripped the town, with more and more people going to the hospital. Something here is terribly wrong. But things change suddenly, as there is a terrible accident involving the twins. Not only are Keira and Amanda's lives changed forever, but a new dimension of life begins to open to Keira. As Keira recovers, she begins to change in ways she can't expect, receiving new and mysterious powers that no one can possibly understand. At the same time, a gorgeous, mysterious new boy, Cooper, appears at the school, who grips her imagination, and who refuses to tell her what secret he is hiding. As Keira and Cooper grow closer to each other, it soon becomes apparent that destiny has brought them together-and that they may each have to sacrifice it all if they want to stay together...
I liked Saved, it has some definite potential and I may check out the rest of the series. I love the twin element and I loved hating Amanda and Keira's parents, they are awful! If there is one thing this book is full of it's emotion. Allegra Skye does a wonderful job making the reader feel exactly what the characters are feeling, which is something I look for in a good writer. If I'm crying, screaming, or biting my nails while reading it's a job well done. The story could have used a little polishing up, it's an interesting story.

Saved is an incredibly sad book, so be prepared, a lot of that emotion felt while reading is depression. Keira, our main character has a very low self esteem and a poor self image. This makes her relatable to any teen or adult who's been there.

The relationship between Keira and Cooper, our secretive bad boy, is rushed and never felt real. Keira talks about love before she's said a hundred words to the boy. I need more than one interaction to believe that something is truly there. Their relationship felt awkward and forced and some of the dialogue could've used a little sprucing up.

I was a little confused in the book when Keira tries out for a sports team. It didn't seem like something she really wanted to do, just something she did to be more like her sister and it felt very out of character. She spends a lot of time acting like she's okay with being different then goes to trying to be something else. I don't know if this makes sense I just got some inconsistent vibes from the writing, which may go back to polishing the book a little. Keira starts off in a dark place in the beginning of the story and by the end, maybe because of Cooper and the way she begins looking at life, she's grown a lot and begins to enjoy the fact that she's different.

Saved starts out as a realistic fiction book with no hint at its sudden supernatural turn. I really enjoyed that and I like Allegra Skye's writing style.

Thank you to the great author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

6/27/2011

The Wrong Path

★★★★★
Release Date: July 2, 2011
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Fiction
Source: Author
Format: E-book
Buy it: Amazon and Smashwords available Saturday July 2, 2011
Annabelle's life was finally going according to plan. She had the right group of friends. Her childhood crush had finally started to notice her. She was pretty, popular, and in love. And then one terrible night at a party Will enters her life and everything changes. Will is the polar opposite of his older brother Trevor—Annabelle’s new boyfriend—the popular, straight-A, quarterback high school star. He's wild, charismatic, and full of secrets. He's completely different from anyone Annabelle has ever known, and soon their accidental run-in becomes a pattern as Annabelle finds herself seeking him out wherever she goes. Despite his open hostility with his older brother, Annabelle is drawn to him, wanting to be with him. Will opens a new world for Annabelle, one where she can shed her carefully constructed mask and be herself. But being with Will comes at a price. And when tragedy strikes, she has to make a choice between the two brothers. And the wrong one means losing everything forever.

I have to start out with a squee! I absolutely positively loved this book. I seriously cannot stop thinking about it. The Wrong Path is a love story. It's a coming of age, finding where you fit in and who you want to be-love story. With that two people from different worlds aspect thrown in the mix. Think: Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Simone Elkeles books. Like those? You'll love this!

It follows Annabelle, a high school junior who fits perfectly with the popular crowd at school but feels like in order to be friends with them she can't be herself. Typical high school drama, only more dramatic if you will. While her friends are extremely shallow and remind me of the Plastics from Mean Girls, Annabelle is such a sweetie. Almost annoyingly so. But, she's the nice girl who is friends with everyone, and I liked that. She's a lovable character.

When she begins dating the most popular senior in school, Trevor (the boy she lives next door to and has had a crush on forever) she feels like her dreams are coming true.  But, now that she has everything she's ever wanted she still feels like she's missing something. In pops Trevor's younger brother Will. Poor Annabelle, how does anyone choose between two amazing but completely different guys? I must make it known, I love-love triangles! They make everything more exciting. Oooh that should be a bumper sticker!!

Trevor is the boy every boy wants to be and every girl wants to be with. He's nice, fun, and sweet. Football superstar and all around great guy. Will is my top fictional boyfriend right now. Yes, that boy just moved to the #1 spot on my list. He the knight in shining armor. Dark, mysterious, and secretive. Ahh so cute! So, how does a girl choose? You'll have to read it to find out!

The writing was easy to follow and fun to read. Full of emotion and heart. I couldn't put this one down. I read it in one sitting, staying up late into the night because I couldn't let go of the story. It's definitely a page turner.

The love story in this book is so beautiful and broken at the same time. One minute we're rooting for one outcome and the next another. Read it!

The Wrong Path is a wonderful novel brought to us by an amazing writer, and I will definitely be checking out more of her stuff in the future. If you're hearing anything I'm trying to tell you you're already looking into buying it. I can praise this book all day, but I'll stop gushing. It is truly amazing!

Thank you to the stunning author for the opportunity to read and review this great read!

5/17/2011

What Happened to Goodbye?

★★★★☆
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: Penguin
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Chick Lit 
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought

In the past two years, Mclean Sweet has moved four times. At each stop, she assumes a new persona, but it never quite works. Whether she's an effervescent cheerleader or an intense drama queen, nothing can permanently dispel the turmoil and rage at her mother since her parents' divorce. Sarah Dessen's novel about a teenager and her restaurant manager father captures the vulnerability that young people often experience after the dissolution of their family. A compelling story; strong characterization; and with a touch of romance.

I have been anticipating this release for a while now. Having read all of her books I'm some what of a Dessen fanatic at times! I recommend her books to people all the time-not like random people off the street I usually know them first. Although isn't that a great idea, stand on the corner and preach Sarah Dessen books! Anyway. It was refreshing for me to get out of the paranormal genre for a little bit and focus on a story that could have happened to anyone, but it happened to Mclean. It's a clean and enjoyable coming of age story done by the best!

First I will say it's a summer beach read with just enough humor and family drama. It's light, easy to get into, and easy to finish in one day. If you are looking for something like that, here's your book.

One aspect of this story that is a little different from her others is the amount of parental involvement. We actually get to meet and get to know mom and dad! That was pretty cool, very different from Lock and Key. One thing Dessen is excellent at writing are friends! She always has the most amazing characters in general, but mysterious and fun BFFs are her specialty. There is such an eclectic group of personalities in this story it's sure to relate to everyone in some way.

I wish there was more to this book, simply for the definition of the relationship between Mclean and a certain gentleman. I felt let down at the end like "really," give us more Sarah!! Overall, a fantastic read done with greatness. If you enjoy books by Deb Caletti (Stay, Nature of Jade), Rachel Cohn (Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, Nick and Norah), and Susane Colasanti (Something Like Fate, Take Me There) then you should give this one a try and make sure to check out my two favorite Dessen books (which I'm sure I've recommended before!). This Lullaby and The Truth About Forever

4/28/2011

Colin Preston Rocked and Rolled




★★★☆☆ 
Age: Adult
Genre: Fiction
Source: Author
Buy it: Amazon

It's September 1985 in the bosky precincts of Elerby University (though it conveys the intimacy of a small liberal arts college) in upstate New York. Colin is entering his sophomore year with a lousy love life and a lousy relationship with his father, but he does have a good friend in Karl (a handsome natural athlete who has a way with women) and in the Beatles—"when you love a band so much that its songs fill the empty spaces inside your head and heart." But along comes Jasmine, a serious dish with lips like butter, who really gets inside Colin's head and steals his heart.

The first thing I will point out is that this book is not a young adult book. It's a book about college and includes its fair share of drugs/alcohol, language, and sex and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 18.

Colin Preston is a likeable guy. He's an inexperienced college nice guy who falls in love with a free spirit who is sure to break his heart, but he's also much more than that. Colin was a real person and he could be anyone. His story is one of hope, loss, and hurt.

While part one of this story started out kind of slow for me (as its setting up the book),  part two and three made up for it. Betrayal is one word I would use to describe his journey, and Bert Murray does an excellent job portraying this betrayal in words. His writing is emotional yet easy to read, not too deep (which I find to be a good thing).

I enjoyed this debut novel from Murray, it was charming and a pretty accurate detail of college soul searching. Colin's reactions to situations are nothing short of what I expected. Murray didn't hold back in that department. The other characters in his story are another reason I really liked reading it, and one character in particular was Chester, my heart goes out to the guy. I haven't read many books set in the 80's but this one was pretty timeless and really could've happened in any setting.

It's a very relatable story and one told from the guys perspective, which is something I rarely read. It was refreshing and different for me. I am also a huge music fan and the inclusion of so many great singers/songwriters/artists from the time and before was a bonus for me! I am so happy I was given the opportunity by the author to read this book, Thank You!


I'd like to pass this book onto someone who would like to read it. Let me know if you're interested by Email Carole McKenzie

4/27/2011

The Lipstick Laws


The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
★★☆☆☆ 
Release: April 4, 2011
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Fiction, Chick Lit
Source: Publisher

At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.   For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.   But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay?



Lipstick Laws is one of those books you pick up and think "This might be cute" but you get into it and you know you've read it before. It reminded me of the movie Mean Girls, shallow girls and predictable plot.


Now, I was laughing out loud at some of the witty dialogue in the beginning of the book, Amy Holder has amazing potential, but we need an original story line here. The dramatic high school experience and dorky girl beginning to stand up for herself has been done, and redone.


The story follows April, a high school sophomore dying to be noticed. Her best friend has moved away and she is incredibly lonely and vulnerable. I did not like April, she could be strong and funny one moment and then boom she was back to being insecure and shallow herself. I wasn't able to connect or relate to her character at all. She is so dumb, I found myself shaking my head at how naive she acted throughout the book.

Britney, the Regina George of Lipstick Laws is exactly the person you expect her to be, no surprise there. This book just didn't do anything for me. I know there's a fan base out there for it, its an easy fun read for the beach or vacation when you don't really care how silly the plot is, but I was not really a fan.

I'm hoping to read some more of what Amy Holder comes out with, the woman's got talent, but I found this book to be average at best.