Mini Reviews: Akata Witch, And Zahrah The Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor

So here's my first mini review post.

I'm doing a 365 book challenge. I'm on book 18 which is "Don't Breathe A Word" by "Jennifer Mcmahon"

So, unto my reviews.

Akata Witch
Description
from Goodreads
Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria, but she was born American. Her features are African, but she’s albino. She’s a terrific athlete, but can’t go out into the sun to play soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits. And then she discovers something amazing—she is a “free agent,” with latent magical power. Soon she’s part of a quartet of magic students, studying the visible and invisible, learning to change reality. But will it be enough to help them when they are asked to catch a career criminal who knows magic too

Review
You don't find a lot of paranormal (and young adult) African books so I was excited to read this and I'm glad I did.

The charcters (and the reader) are constantly reminded that the world doesn't revolve around them. No matter how important you (think you) are, the universe will go on without you.

The only thing I didn't particularly like was the resolution. It was too easy, considering all the foreshadowing.

4 Stars

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Zahrah The Windseeker
Description
from Goodreads
the northern Ooni Kingdom, fear of the unknown runs deep, and children born dada are rumored to have special powers. Thirteen-year-old Zahrah Tsami feels like a normal girls life.- she grows her own flora computer; has mirrors sewn onto her cloths; and stays clear of the Forbidden Greeny Jungle.But unlike other kids in the village of Kirki , Zahrah was born with the telling dadalocks.

Review
An exhilarating read.

It was a bit slow at first but it picked up towards the middle. It was a great read.
Zahrah is a wonderful character and I was rooting for her all through.

There's a lot of Alice in Wonderland in the book.

4 Stars

REVIEW: Love and Candy by Elizabeth Famous

Source: Free copy from Author

Publish Date: June 21st 2013

Publisher: The Miri Group

ASIN/ISBN: 9780989379106

Format: ebook

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Pages: 238

Date Read: December 19, 2013

Description
Samantha Montclare is not who she thought she was. Straitlaced and academically minded, she's knocked to her knees by an unexpected infatuation with the star of her local soccer team just as she discovers that her biological father is not the loving dad who raised her but a forbidding Italian aristocrat.

Within the social hierarchy of a wealthy suburban high school, Delaney Troy is so superior to naive Samantha that she can't speak to him without provoking obscene taunts from his friends. Delaney is gorgeous, but much of Samantha's fascination stems from his brazen honesty and bristling wit. His air of confidence inspires so powerful an interest he draws her in without even looking at her.

But how could she possibly date a guy like Delaney who insists he only wants to hook up -- and doesn't believe in love?
Will the scandalous truth about the circumstances of her conception threaten her happy home life?
Must she find a place in her life for an alarming new "father" just as she’s becoming an independent young woman?

---

Review
I have to admit that at the beginning I was worried about continuing this book. I was going to give it up because I didn't enjoy the last 3/4 review copies I read. Something made me continue and I'm glad I did.

I enjoyed this book. It's different from the usual boy meet girl, instant attraction, some drama, a lot of [un-steamy, overly-detailed] sex, a little more drama, more sex and they live happily ever after.
There was no insta-love and the book is very realistic. (Except for the whole openness with the parents thing.)

There's a happily ever after in this book (I hope) but it didn't follow the rest of the pattern.

Delaney & Samantha's "romance" (if you could call it that) is not the usual. There's a lot of uncertainty, feelings, arguments and so forth.

The author touches on and makes you think about bisexuality, open relationships, teenage romance, [statutory] rape and "unusuall" emotions/feelings that teenagers experience.
I like Delaney. He's a player but he's truthful. He's smart. He's a nice guy underneath his "hardcore" exterior.
He was always truthful with Samantha about their relationship and how he felt.

Samantha is difficult to like. She's a very complex character. She's mature in the sense that she doesn't allow herself to be bullied and she always speaks her mind. She's immature sometimes especially when it comes to her "relationship" with Delaney.

All in all, a good and enjoyable read. I expected fluff but this is good stuff.

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Book Links

Amazon || BN.com || Book Depository || Goodreads || Kobo || Smashwords || Sony Bookstore

Author Links

Facebook || Pinterest || Website || Twitter (@ElizabethFamous)

Rating
4 stars

Recommended
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes realistic NA/YA.

REVIEW: The Birth of Vengeance by P.A. Ross

Source: Free copy from Author
Publish Date: May 28th 2012
Publisher: Scarlett-Thorn
ASIN/ISBN: B008732YPQ
Format: ebook
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Pages: 168
Date Read: December 17, 2013

Description
You've been beaten, bullied and betrayed but vengeance is at hand. One swift stab of a needle and the vampire formula will coarse through your blood. It will give you the immortal powers of the vampire for the night. Your fangs will bite and claws will rip at their flesh. No human will stand in your way. You will taste blood and feel the thrill of the hunt, but tomorrow you will be human again.

Can Jonathan Harper resist such temptation? He wants vengeance on a gang that have driven him to despair. The vampire formula can give him vengeance but at what cost.

This dark urban fantasy series embarks on an action packed adventure, as Jonathan must face the consequences of his decisions. “The Birth of Vengeance (Vampire Formula #1)” is the first novel in a series of new vampire books.

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Review
This is probably one of my worst of 2013.

I give the author 2 stars for effort and for writing about vampires from a new/different angle and talking about a very important issue; bullying.

The story, the characters and the writing was all disappointing.
There was a lot of repitition, unnecessary details and inconsistencies (with the characters).

Jonathan was always going on and on and on about being bullied and wanting vengeance and feeling guilty for abandoning his friend.

Jonathan is a moody, uncertain character who is always whining. Even after all the training and everything. It got a bit tedious after a while.

The story in general just wasn't working for me and at the end, there was a failed attempt at throwing a curveball.
My reaction was: "oh please"

This story could have done a lot better.

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Find The Book
Amazon || BN.com || Kobo || Smashwords

Find The Author
Goodreads: Paul Andrew Ross

Rating
2 Stars

Recommendation
This book wasn't my cuppa but you might enjoy it if you can get over the constant whining. It's supposed to be horror but it doesn't cut it for me.

REVIEW: Once Upon A Road Trip by Angela N Blount

Source: Free copy from Author
Publish Date: November 01, 2013
Publisher: Artifice Press
ASIN/ISBN: 978-0-9895809-7-7
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult, Memoir
Pages: 370
Date Read: November 19, 2013


“Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere; and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.”

Description
Eighteen-year-old Angeli doesn’t "fit in." She’s never been on a single date, and she lives vicariously through an online world of storytelling. With the pressures of choosing a practical future path bearing down, she needs a drastic change. Too old to run away from home, she opts instead to embark on a solo 2- month road trip.
But her freedom is tempered by loneliness — and anxiety tests her resolve as she comes face-to-face with her quirky internet friends.

Aside from contracting mono and repeatedly getting herself lost, Angeli's adventure is mired by more unoreseen glitches — like being detained by Canadian authorities, and a near-death experience at the hands of an overzealous amateur wrestler.
Her odyssey is complicated further when she unwittingly earns the affections of two young men. One a privileged martial artist; the other a talented techie with a colorful past. Bewildered by the emotions they stir, Angeli spurns the idea of a doomed long-distance relationship. But she is unprepared for the determination of her hopeful suitors. In the wake of her refusal, one man will betray her, and the other will prove himself worthy of a place in her future.

Angeli sets off in search of a better understanding of herself, the world, and her place in it. What she finds is an impractical love, with the potential to restore her faith in happy endings.

A true story with an unapologetically honest outlook on life, love, faith, and adventure -- Once Upon A Road Trip is a coming-of-age memoir

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Review
Characters
There are a number of characters.
Angeli is the main character. She was well-meaning but was a bit overbearing and a know-it-all. I didn't really like her at the beginning but she turned out good at the end. It was truly a story of personal growth for her

I know, I know…there’s something cliché about that. The heroine initially wanting to clobber a protagonist male, but later realizing that he’s grown on her and she actually really likes him. Technically, I’m not supposed to find that appealing. But maybe real life is a lot more cliché than anyone wants to admit. Or maybe there’s just a fine, subjective line between the cliché and the poetic.

Don was a jerk. Zak started out being a jerk too, but he happened to be a nice guy. And I loved his sister. One of my favourite characters in the book.

Scott seemed to be okay. Not nice. Not a jerk but he ended up being a creep and a jerk.

Vince was "offish" and weird at first but I really liked him. And I felt for him. He was really sweet and protective. Sometimes a little overboard but generally a sweetheart. He explained later on in the story why he was acting weird and rude when he first met Angeli.

“I know you can take care of yourself,” he said, with absolute conviction. His vivid eyes probed hers. With the same underlying resolve, he lifted a hand and brushed her cheek with his fingertips. “I just think...you shouldn’t -have- to.”

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the style of writing. It reads like a novel and that made it enjoyable.

We follow Angeli on her trip across the US and even into Canada. Where she stays with people from her online writing community.

There's a lot of drama on the way. The story got really really interesting in the third part. The romance between Angeli and Vince was interesting. It wasn't first sight, I-just-met-you-but-I'd-climb-a-thousand-mountains-to-make-you-happy type of love. It built up as the story went on.

“There’s so much I don’t know, I think it’s been distracting me from what I do know. I know you have a good heart, an amazing mind, and the potential to do great things. I know I respect so many things about you. And...I like who I am when I’m around you.” She felt a smile forming on her face as she gathered her courage. “I guess what I’m trying to say is—if you’re still sure about this—then I suppose we can give it a try.”

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Find Book
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Find Author

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Rating
4 stars

Recommendation
I really enjoyed this book and although it's targeted at young adults, I'd recommend this to everyone.

Blog Tour: Unchosen by Michele Vail [REVIEW]

The Book

I thought the worst of my reaper training was behind me… turns out I was wrong. Dead wrong.

Molly Bartolucci has done a lot of growing up but after being accused of using illegal magic at her school for necromancers, reaper-in-training Molly is treading lightly. As the destined leader of Anubis’s Chosen, she needs to study hard, train harder, and stay out of trouble.

Uh, right.

It doesn’t help that she’s feeling more than academic about her melt-your-bones hot reaping instructor, Rath.
And if her relationship drama isn’t enough to drive her over the edge, she has to deal with mother issues, nosy little sisters, suspicious friends, and an unnamed force stalking her at school.

Then her family is attacked, and her bio-dad ends up comatose in the hospital. Now, Molly has to uncover who’s trying to hurt her loved ones—and all without the help of Anubis.
Amazon || Book Depository || Goodreads

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Review

This is a great paranormal story.
I like the storyline and the characters are great.

Molly is very funny and sweet. She has an undefined relationship with Rath that isn't properly developed.

I haven't read the first book in the series (Undeadly) but I wasn't confused or lost or anything like that.
It was pretty easy to follow and understand.

There's a little action and there's never a boring moment in the book. I couldn't stop reading and I finished in under 2 hours.

There's a big twist and cliffhanger at the end. The next book seems interesting A great read and is highly recommended.
Especially if you're a paranormal fan that's tired of vampires and werewolves.

Rating
4 stars

Publisher: A Freeman Publication
Release Date: October 29th, 2013
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction

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Favourite Quote
“You want good advice? If something big, bad, and ugly is chasing you, don’t trip. Dumb ass.” ~Secret History of Reapers, Author Unknown

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The Author

Michelle Vail
writes young adult paranormal fiction about zombies and reapers.

She likes reading, dogs, cats, board games, ghost-hunting shows, and Halloween. She believes in magic, inthe impossible, and in the restorative powers of chocolate.

Michele lives happily-ever-after with her Viking and their family.
Facebook || Goodreads || Google Plus || Twitter || Website || YouTube

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club

Promo: When The World Ends by J.J. Marshall [Excerpt]

About The Book

“We’re here as a terrorist cell looking to bring down the Board of Officials that essentially controls the entire Human Race. Those on Earth may have their own figures of authority in the Spheres but whether they ultimately live or die depends on decisions that the Board make. If we take them down then Humanity after they’re gone can only be better” At the dawn of the 22nd Century, the Earth is dead. A lethal alien organism has rendered the planet uninhabitable and a small fraction of humanity has retreated to Space and the Moon.

Those that remain on Earth are trapped in huge Spheres that encompass entire cities, tinted to defend against the deadly UV radiation that the atmosphere no longer protects Humanity from. 17-year-old Alec Corbett lives aboard the adapted International Space Station. One ordinary day in his mundane life he transforms his potential when he discovers information that could expose the corruption of the Board of Officials that now controls humanity. Armed with nothing but knowledge and his friend Jonah Jones by his side, Alec’s righteous judgement leads them on a merciless and unforgiving path. For there is one key problem – the information comes from his father Landon Corbett; a member of the Board. Pitted against his own flesh and blood, Alec finds himself in a unique position to end the Board of Officials’ dictatorship over Humanity.

However, all is not as it seems and as the stakes grow increasingly higher, Humanity reaches the brink of all-out-war. Only Alec and his group of friends can peacefully negate the situation, but it all depends on whether or not anyone will listen to a 17-year-old boy.

Amazon US || Amazon UK || AuthorHouse || BN.com || Goodreads || Kobo

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Excerpt

‘They’re running out of space across the human empire’ Andrew said. His voice was deep and thick and Alec imagined that if he were to shout the sound would reverberate well. ‘Which is ironic considering we’re surrounded by it’.

‘It’s like they’re giving up on Earth’ Lola said. Her voice was laced with heavy traces of a Spanish accent and Alec wondered if she spoke the language. He hadn’t heard another language other than English…ever, he realised.

‘They are’ Alec confirmed. ‘They’re leaving them to it. As far as the Board of Official’s see it, people left on Earth have their Spheres and there’s just no room left’.

‘But the Spheres were never a long term solution’ Riley said. ‘In fact, they were never a solution at all. They were only supposed to be a temporary measure until more Moon bases were constructed. The Spheres aren’t sustainable; they’ll burnout after another ten years or so’.

‘By the sounds of it, it’s a sacrifice that the Board is willing to make’ Jay sighed heavily.

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud, metallic ringing. Alec looked around bewildered whilst everyone else turned to the handset that was fixed to the wall in the kitchen.

‘No one ever calls’ Andrew frowned, causing his glasses to slip down his nose slightly. ‘Not since we discovered that calls were always monitored’.

‘Must be important then’ Jay said, stepping from the carpet to the linoleum and picking up the receiver that hung from the wall. Alec recognized the attachment as something which he had once seen in an old-Earth film but he couldn’t recall the name of the device. ‘Hello?’ Jay said, taking the oblong-shaped gadget and holding it against the side of his head. One end reached towards his mouth whilst the other end was pressed against his ear.

Jay remained silent and listened, nodding to himself and saying ‘yes’ or ‘okay’ on the odd occasion. After a few minutes he thanked the caller and placed the device back on the wall.

‘Who was it?’ Riley asked unable to contain her anticipation.

‘Apparently this habitation just won a lottery which we were entered into on our last food order’ Jay said, his eyes dull and his voice flat. ‘Our reward is a place on MoonBase1’.

Everyone’s expression fell slack and they stared in disbelief.

‘It’s begun’ Alec realised. ‘They’ve already started the scheme!’

Jonah turned around and opened the front door. Out in the corridor people were already chatting excitedly, the hot words on everyone’s lips being ‘lottery’ and ‘MoonBase1’.

‘They’ve already called the people they’re going to transport’ Jonah said, unable to bring himself to state their true destiny.

‘We have to stop this’ Alec said adamantly. Every muscle in his body was clenched and everyone else had also tensed in anger against what the Board was planning on doing. ‘We can’t allow this to happen’.

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About the Author:
"I am currently studying a B.Sc. Physical Geography Degree at the University of Reading in Berkshire, England, with the intention of pursuing a career in teaching secondary school pupils.

I was born and raised in England and am presently twenty years old. "When the World Ends. . ." is my first publication and I'm incredibly excited to be working with the people at AuthorHouse in bringing my story to real, tangible pages! Writing has always been a hobby and a passion of mine from a very young age; I can recall writing a novel on my first family computer which was inspired (as well as a being blatant rip-off!) of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. It was really this book; the first full novel I had ever read by myself, that inspired me to write for myself and to create worlds beyond our own and fictions that can redefine the past or give suppositions about the future.

I would list J.K. Rowling as one of my top inspirations, as well as the likes of Anthony Horowitz, Ian Banks, Charlaine Harris and Suzanne Collins. I also draw inspiration from T.V. shows and scriptwriters, such as Joss Whedon, J.J. Abram, Maurissa Tancheroen, Steven Moffat and Jane Espenson. Their work and the way that they construct characters and stories spur and challenge me to create my own little realities. So welcome to one of my little realities! I hope you enjoy it.
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Blogger Interview: Kaitlin of Reading Is My Treasure

Tell us a little bit about yourself
I’m a bookaholic with an overflowing bookshelf and a passion for young adult books. I can never come up with anything good to say in introductions.
You’ll learn more about me in the rest of the interview!

Why did you start blogging? Why do you continue to do it? How long have you been blogging?
I started blogging in June of this year because I wanted to have somewhere to post my reviews where people would actually read them and leave comments. I also wanted to improve my review writing.
I still blog because it’s fun. It’s an outlet for me to use to share my thoughts. I love the people in the blogosphere, too. :)

Why do you review?
I started to review books because I noticed that when I ask someone about a book or vice versa, the common response is along the lines of “it was very good,” or “eh, it was okay.” I wanted to give more detailed reasons why I recommend reading a certain book. I also wanted a way to better remember what happens in books by writing down the reasons why I did or didn’t like it.

Are you influenced by other reviews when choosing a book?
Yes, definitely. Actually, they influence me more than book descriptions because I find myself only skimming those.
Reading someone else’s thoughts on a book, and what the world is like, how the characters are, how entertaining the book is, gives me much more insight on what the book is like on the inside, past the cover and description.

What are your other favorite things to do, other than reading and blogging?
I love playing cards, like rummy, speed, crazy eights, idiot, war, and others.

What’s one thing that not many people know about you
Most people offline don’t know I review books. And most people online don’t know what I look like because I hate putting pictures of myself online.

What do you think will be the next big change in the book industry?
Honestly, I have no idea. I probably won’t see it coming.

Where were you born and where do you call home?
I was born in the same place (city, not house) I call home, which is in Oregon. :)

What do you think about book trailers? I don’t have much of an opinion on them. I’ve only seen a handful of them, but I guess they’re a nice promotion method and treat for those who do like watching the trailers.

What are your opinions on authors commenting on reviews of their books
I think it’s better if they don’t comment on them because reviews are targeted (at least, mine are) towards fellow readers, not the authors.

Have you written a book or are you planning to in the future?
I don’t actually like writing very much, so at this moment, I’m pretty sure I won’t write any books.

Is there a particular movie or TV series that you preferred over the book version?
I loved How to Deal with Mandy Moore in it, but I didn't like the two books it was based on ( That Summer and Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen) nearly as much.

5 things you can't leave home without
School bag/purse, phone, IPod & headphones, hair ties, and a good attitude (well, at least one that isn’t bad).

How many books do you read in a month on average?
Depending on how much schoolwork I have to do, I can most likely finish six to ten books. During the summer though, I read a lot more.

What book are you currently reading? TBR?
My TBR pile is huge, but some of the ones high up on it are Sia by Josh Grayson, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, The Liberator by Victoria Scott, and Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock.
I just finished The Eternity Cure (which was great) and I’ve started Damselfly by Jennie Bates Bozic.

If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, fictional or real, who would it be? why?
Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief, but an older version of her after the war ends.
It would be amazing to hear her tell her story of what happened.

You will be stranded on a deserted island and. bring 3 luxury items.
A nice comfy bed, a few super soft pillows (are those even luxury items?), and Hermione’s handbag with the charm on it. Wait, is that cheating?

Random
Fave TV show? movie? - Supernatural (but I’m way behind in watching it) is one of my favorite tv shows, and for movies, Remember Me and Les Miserables are what I think of first. They are so good!
Fave colour - Purple
Coffee or tea - Tea
Fave dessert - Angel food cake
Fave Name - I really like my own. When it’s spelled correctly.
Vanilla or chocolate - Chocolate
Sound you hate - my dad’s yawn. It’s this really annoying yodeling sound. It's like the sounds of birds in the morning.
Fave Word - Hmm. . . *picks random word that I really like* Cantankerous. I’m not really sure why I like it. I think it’s the “k.”
Least fave word - Loins. It just reminds me of really bad poetry or really awful and corny scenes.

Find Kaitlin
Reading Is My Treasure Blog
Her Goodreads page
Twitter: @KaitlinS16
Pinterest: KaitlinS16

REVIEW: Winter Shadows by Casey Bond

The Book
Source: free copy courtesy of author
Publish Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises
ASIN/ISBN: 9781627467575
Format: ebook (pdf)
Pages: 183
Date Read: September 15, 2013

Description
There is nowhere to hide from evil. It's everywhere.

Winter Shadows is a coming-of-age story following Claire, a young lady who is struggling to find her place in the world after losing her mother to cancer. After a corrupt American government declares a pandemic and forces its residents into quarantine encampments, Claire and her father, along with other members of her church and community, go into hiding in a cave system in rural West Virginia. While coping with the losses of her mother, home, friends, sense of safety and normalcy, Claire begins to pick up the pieces of her past, finding a new normal despite the darkness that surrounds her.
While adjusting to a new environment, and the group of people she finds herself surrounded by, Claire is faced with several important decisions that will influence the path her life will take. Who can she trust? Who should she love? How can she survive? Forced to choose between Ethan's steadfast, mature love for her and the love of mysterious and dangerous Colin who appears, Claire learns the difference between infatuation and love. Claire finds herself by learning to bind together with those around her in order to survive. She becomes self reliant and strong.
Despite of her newfound confidence in herself, and the isolation in which she resides, evil is able to find its way to her. While fighting against it, she reestablishes her faith in God and opens her heart to the possibility of love.

My Review

The Cover
I love the cover. It's just so cool. The pictures reflecting in the shades is a nice concept.

The Characters
There are a lot of characters. Claire, Ethan and Colin being the major ones.
I like Claire. She's a strong heroine. She's so easy to like. Although, at the beginning, her constant complaining was so annoying.

Ethan is nice. I don't feel much concerning him

I wasn't excited about Colin coming into the story but he is an interesting character.

The character development was good and easy to follow.

The Story
The plot is strong. I was into the book from the first page.
There is a lot of suspense and you just want to know what happens next.
The characters and the situation they are currently in was a source of strength for their small community.
There's a lot of Christianity referenced in the book. In fact, Claire is a pastor's child

Generally
I'm not really a fan of dystopian but I've been reading the good ones lately. This is one of the good ones.
Apart from a few writing errors, I loved it.

Find The Author
Tate Publishing
Twitter
Pintrest
Goodreads

Find The Book
BN.com
Goodreads

Recommended To
The book is targeted at young readers but I think older readers would enjoy it. If you don't mind the references to Christianity.

Rating
4 stars

In The News: J.K. Rowling To Write 'Harry Potter' Spin-off For Warner Bros

Warner Brothers and author J.K Rowling have announced a new Harry Potter spin-off movie series based on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

According to Rowling, "The new movie series is "neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world,"

Warner Brothers explained that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will focus on an original story and will be the first in a new film series. The movies will mark Rowling's first foray into screenwriting.
The series will focus on the character Newt Scamander, the fictional author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them -- which was a book referenced by characters in the Harry Potter series.

--from examiner.com

Are we excited or no. I don't know how I feel about this.
I've seen all the Harry Potter movies but I have read only one of the books and I can't remember which because it was such a long time ago.
I tried to get all the books in the series but the prices were too high.

Will there be books for the new series?

What do you think?

**image from Google search

REVIEW: Love, Carry My Bags by C. R. Everett

Received a free copy courtesy of the author

Finished: August 10, 2013
Rating: 4.5 stars

“Love isn’t always going to be foo-foo drinks garnished with mini umbrellas and skewered fruit,” I said, hoping to remove any rose tinting from their vision. “Sometimes it’s hot cocoa when you come in from the snow, nothing fancy, but makes you warm inside. That’s how it should be.”

“When you miss someone a lot, you stop living.” I picked up Mouser, snuggling his soft fur to my face. “When you miss someone a little, you never take them for granted and you appreciate every little thing.” I thought about my girls and my home, the journey along the way. “If you don’t miss them at all, you lose all that.”

The Book*
Camryn Johnson’s world is turned upside down when long lost love, Reese Dahlgren, re-enters her life at a pivotal point in her already challenging marriage. She faces an excruciating predicament: choose between a broken home for her daughter or a broken life for herself.
After her parents' divorce, Camryn first meets high school basketball star, Reese, at the Harvard Milk Day Festival bed races. Reese hides baggage of his own… until Camryn melts his heart and learns secrets entrusted only to her. Still, the weight is too much to bear. Unable to cope, Reese unwittingly backs Camryn into a corner during his air force enlistment—love him from afar, or leave him.
Enter aerospace engineering student, Glenn Conroy. Persistent and savvy, he woos Camryn during her junior year of college and wins her heart. Or does he?
When Reese re-enters her life, further disrupting her tenuous marriage, Camryn turns to best friend, Megan, for advice, but refuses to believe Megan’s suggestion that she’s caught in a “simple” love triangle.
Camryn unveils hidden mysteries and secrets as she embarks on a life-changing journey of revelation and forgiveness, transcending doormat qualities inherited from her mother, and in the process finds what life's struggles are really all about.

My Opinion
The beginning was a bit too slow for me. It was also a bit confusing as I had to re-read some parts to know if the author was still talking about the same time or we had moved to a different day.

Apart from the slow start, I loved the book. It was beautiful, emotional and real. It was good to see a book that doesn't follow the usual high school sweethearts get married and live happily ever after.

This is a good and realistic book. Sometimes, Camryn was stupid and her actions annoyed be, sometimes I felt sad for her. Sometimes I was happy with her. She's a very relatable character. how she grew as a person and learnt from mistakes -hers and others.

This was a great read and is really good for a debut. All the characters including the minor ones were important to Camryn's growth. There are some lessons to be learnt from this book.

It touches on religion sometimes. Not too much but enough for me to tag it as a Christian book. Sort of. Camryn is a preacher's kid. Her mom is an extremist and she struggles with her faith. Or lack of it.

All in all, apart from the slow and confusing start it was a great all round read.

Get it on
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Sony Bookstore

*summary from goodreads

REVIEW: Forever Mine by Elizabeth Reyes

I got this book free from the author

Read: July 28, 2013
Rated 3.5 stars

The Book
This is the first book in the Moreno Brothers series.
Sarah has just moved to California to stay with her aunt after her mum goes to jail for embezzlement.
in her new school, she develops a relationship with star player Angel but things are complicated because of her relationship with her best friend Sydney back home in Arizona.

My Thoughts
This is a great read. I loved the characters although they had their flaws. The writing was okay. The plot was great and the flow was wonderful.

It's a short, quick and easy read

I thought that Angel's "overprotectiveness" was too much and got tiring sometimes. Sarah was a bit gullible about the whole perv coach issue for someone who's supposed to be so mature and wise.

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REVIEW: More Than This by Jay McLean

I received a free copy of this book from the author.
This book contains strong language and sex
Read on July 21, 2013
4.5 stars
“Every Princess has one Prince to share the loves and joys of life, and do you know how that princess knows which prince is hers?”
“How mommy?”
“From the kiss.”
“But how?”
“The very first kiss with your Prince will change your life. When your lips touch for the first time, the earth will feel like it stops moving, but in the same moment the world around you spins. It’ll feel like fireworks in the night sky. Like a bright light in the darkness. You’ll feel your heart beat fast in your ears but silence will surround you. And when you pull apart and open your eyes and look at each other and really see each other.You’ll know it in that moment through that kiss, that you’ve just let someone own a piece of your heart, and you’ll live happily ever after.”

The Book
Mikayla (aka Kayla/Micky)'s happy life is turned upside down on her prom night when she discovers that her boyfriend of 4 years (James) has been cheating on her with her best friend Megan for 2 years, she meets Jake and 5 of his friends who cheer her up.
After prom, she goes home to find her family of her mum, dad and sister, dead.
Thus begins a new chapter in her life with Jake and his family and friends.
My Thoughts
I honestly wasn't expecting much from this book but I was blown away.
I looooooooooved this book. it was so intense and emotional and beautiful and funny and tear jerking.
This is one of those books you read and you want everyone you know to read it so you can talk about it
I love how everything is not oh so easy and rosy. I love how the author told us the story from two different POVs
I love how the author uses language that teenagers actually use. I have read a number of books in which the author's attempt at writing the way teenagers speak failed miserably.
The writing is great. I could feel with and for the characters. I could connect with the book. I was so sucked in, I finished it in one sitting.
It was well written and there were a lot of emotions.
Only two things didn't really. connect for me:
1. That Jake's friends were so accepting of Mikayla. In my opinion and experience, teenagers do not open up so quickly to a new person in their circle.
2. Jake's accent.
I can't wait for the next book in the series.
I also think the cover could have been much better. It looks like it's for a paranormal.
Recommended for everyone.(except people who are sensitive to strong language)
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UPDATE: So there's a new cover which I love