Review: The World Without A Future by Nazarea Andrews

 

Title: The World Without A Future by Nazarea Andrews
Publisher: A&A Literary
Release Date: December 1, 2013
Genres: Horror, Romance, Drama, Post-Apocalyptic
Medium: Ebook, Received For Review via Author (Thanks Nazarea!)

The World Without A Future is an action-packed, zombie-filled, sexy drama that will have you unable to stop flipping pages. It's interesting, original, and definitely worth your time.

She was born the day the world ended…

Nurrin has lived her entire life with zombies—trapped behind walls meant to keep them safe. She’s mostly happy there. But when a zombie horde breach the walls of her Haven, she has to trust her brother, Collin, and his best friend to keep her alive.

He just wants his past to die…

Finn O’Malley has given up on voicing warnings that are ignored. No one cares that the zombies are changing. Now all that matters is keeping Collin and Nurrin safe from what’s outside the walls of a Haven. But when Nurrin’s best friend picks up a contact infection, he agrees to get the medicine needed to save his life. Forced together, relying on each other in a strange Haven, zombies aren’t the most dangerous thing they’re facing.

In their world, only one thing remains true: everything ends in blood. -Goodreads.com

The plot was very interesting. From page one, you are instantly enveloped in a completely different world, one were zombies run the earth and people live in Havens, some (like Nurrin) don't even remember the world before the biters. This world is slightly different from the usual post-apocalyptic novels. This is just one of the things that makes it original. The dramatic and almost romantic tension also makes this novel so good. When Nurrin and Finn are thrown together to go in search of medicine, it is sure to make things interesting. Two problems exist: 1) they hate each other and 2) the ever present zombies. This road trip creates an attention grabbing plot and brings all the characters, lead and supporting, together to make a novel well worth reading.

The characters were also very interesting. Nurrin is everything I like in a female character. She's independent, strong, and knows what she wants. She takes charge in this novel and really changes into the person she is destined to be. And Finn... Woah. Finn is the ultimate bad boy. In the beginning, we experience Nurrin's opinion of him through her point of view. She doesn't like him at all, hates him really, but when they are thrown together with unusual circumstances, things are bound to change. Their relationship is odd, yet sexy, as they must go in search of the medications to save her friend and brother. This relationship is one of the most interesting I have come upon, and definitely one I will follow throughout the series.

The writing was also very nice. It was concise with perfect flow; there was no unecasary wordiness and never a boring moment. This keeps the reader engaged at all times and makes it very hard to put the novel down. The author perfectly conveyed the feeling of the apocalypse and what would truly happen if zombies ever really were to happen in the future. You would have the fall out and the uprising of a new government, havens, and the real emotions you see in this novel. People would miss their lives from before the zombies, and so,e would be lucky enough to not know anything but their current life. People would change and resort to different things during the apocalypse. Some wouldn't change at all. Andrews writes this all in perfectly.

Overall, this novel is a fantastic novel, and one of my favorite zombie novels to date. The zombies are terrifying, the setting is great, the characters are interesting,and the romance is hot. I will say, some of the language and sexual scenes in this novel could have been too much at times, but definitely something you can look over if needed. Frankly I really enjoyed this novel and I cannot wait to see what happens in the sequel. Taking the great cliffhanger Andrews left us with into consideration, I can say definitely say the action isn't about to stop anytime soon.

Cover Reveal: Shadows Fall Away by Kit Forbes and Giveaway

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Shadows Fall Away by Kit Forbes

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Mark Stewart is one incident away from becoming a juvenile delinquent, and his parents have had enough. They ship Mark off to London England to stay with his eccentric aunt Agatha who is obsessed with all things Jack the Ripper. After a strange twist of luck, Mark is struck by lightning, and he wakes to find himself in 1888 Victorian London.

His interest in a string of murders Scotland Yard has yet to solve make him a likely suspect. After all, why would a young boy like Mark know so much about the murders? Could he be the ripper they've been searching for? Convinced the only way to get back home is to solve the murders, Mark dives headfirst into uncovering the truth. Mark's only distraction comes in the form of the beautiful Genie Trembly, a girl who is totally out of his league and who may have already caught the attention of the infamous ripper. To save her, he'll endanger both their lives, and risk being trapped in the past forever.

Title: SHADOWS FALL AWAY
Publication date: September 23, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Kit Forbes

Kit Forbes has been a lover of books, history, and all things paranormal for as long as she can remember. She lives in Western Pennsylvania with her youngest daughter and an assortment of cats who give new meaning to the world bizarre.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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World Book Night 2014!

Guess what today is? GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS? It's Hump Day!

 

No not really. Actually, yes, it is Hump Day, but guess what else it is?

 

 

WORLD BOOK NIGHT 2014!

Hello wonderful blogglings. Yes, it officially that time of the year. World Book Night is an annual day when over 25,000 people across the world hand out free books to those who do not normally have access to books. Whether the person is elderly, poor, or just does not normally have access to books, World Book Night is designed to give those people their own book. For free. Thanks to the wonderful publishers, authors, and every one else behind the scenes, they forget their royalities for one day and send out hundreds, maybe thousands of their novels to promote reading across the world. This year, I decided to help out.

I live in a small town in Southwest Virginia. The population is barely over 2,000 people, and around 15% of those people live below the poverty line. Our county's population is a little over 23,000 and about 17% of its total population lives below the poverty line. The adult illiteracy rate in our county is almost 15% as well. Because of these large numbers of the poor and illiterate in my area, I thought my town (and surrounding area) would benefit greatly from an organization such as World Book Night. Because of this, I signed up and filled out a form to register to be a 2014 World Book Night giver. And I was accepted, along with 25,000 other individuals world-wide.

Today, April 23rd, 2014, I will be walking around in my area, handing out 20 copies of The Perks of Being A Wallflower to teens in my area, and 20 copies of one adult book. I will simply be walking down the streets asking people if they are avid readers or not. If they say yes, they are not to receive a book. Only those who do not regularly read (whether because they cannot afford a book of their own or do not have the means of getting one) will receive a WBN special edition copy of the novel of their choice, free of charge. At the end of the day, I plan on taking copies of Steven Chbosky's great hit The Perks of Being A Wallflower to the several underfunded schools in my area, and the adult books to the women's shelter or retirement home. Anyone who wants to read should be able to read, no matter their financial state.

I'm handing out books this afternoon. Stay tuned for my next post, telling of all the people I managed to meet and their stories. Until then, happy World Book Night 2014!

Review: Losing It All by Marsha Cornelius

Title: Losing It All by Marsha Cornelius
Publisher: Hickory Flat Books
Release Date: March 8, 2013
Genres: Contemporary, Drama, Romance
Medium: Paperback, Received For Review (Thanks Marsha!)

Losing It All by Marsha Cornelius is one of my favorite novels ever. It was painfully realistic, interesting and dramatic, and full of romance and plot twists that you never see coming. Honestly, this novel is a roller coaster from beginning to end, a gripping and edge-of-your-seat novel that is so painstakingly real, you are entranced from page one. Addicting and one of the most realistic contemporaries I have ever read, this novel takes hold of both your mind and heart and takes you on an emotional ride.

Frank Barnes is content living on the streets of Atlanta. A soup kitchen and a makeshift shanty sure beat his days as a POW in Vietnam. But Chloe Roberts can’t handle the eviction that sends her into the hell of homelessness. With no family or friends to turn to, Chloe and her children are sucked into the traumatic world of night shelters, and dangerous predators.

When they bump into each other at the soup kitchen, Frank offers Chloe a glimmer of hope that she can pull her life back together. She rekindles his lost sense of self-worth by taking his mind off his own problems. But they will not meet again until Frank is riding high as a working man, and Chloe has hit rock bottom. 

By helping Chloe rebuild her broken life, Frank banishes the demons from his own past. Unfortunately, the past comes strolling back into their lives, threatening to destroy the happiness they have finally found. -Amazon.com

The plot is fantastic. As I have previously said several times by now, this novel is both tragically and beautifully realistic. It perfectly showcases the ups and downs of basic human life and displays relationships and flawed lives in flawless clarity. There is no sugar-coating in this novel. It plainly tells the truth, not trying to make the blows of life any easier. Several touchy subjects are confronted in this novel, including divorce, rape, war, and especially the subject of the homeless and those in women's shelters. These subjects are carefully weaved into this novel, so that several topics are covered, many that will change your mind and leave you questioning. Both the topic of returning Vietnam soldiers and those who are living homeless on the streets resonated deeply with me, and left me with newfound knowledge. These weren't the only things in this novel that made me rethink, but they were two of the most prominent. The plot is perfectly paced and flowing so that you are never bored and never confused on what is going on. It's intriguing, educational, and full of emotion and a rawness so shocking, it's hard to imagine how the author came to compose this novel.

The characters were some of the most deeply interesting characters I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Frank's character was one I was instantly enamored by. He starts out kind of questionable; he's known as a bum on the streets, when actually it is much deeper than that. Once a star football player with his life going great for him, it wasn't long until he was drafted into Vietnam. When he got back home, not only was he met with the nation's anger and scorn, he was also faced with the fact that his life was going downhill. He ended up on the streets trying to survive. Dynamic, funny, romantic, and a very caring person, you find much more to Frank then one would first thing. This is because of the amazing character development you find throughout the entire novel. Chloe, the other side of the story, is also a very interesting character to experience. Her character begins as a troubled mom who can never stick up for herself and is left homeless and alone with her two children after her husband runs off and leaves her with nothing. Evicted from their apartment, Chloe and the kids are forced to stay in a women's shelter and face many more challenges before crossing paths with Frank... And everything changes. Truly interesting, addicting, and both having a part in a simply emotional and complicated relationship, these characters will always leave you wanting more.

The writing was absolutely amazing and everything I had been wanting. Cornelius writes with the mind-blowing capability to copy reality to paper almost effortlessly, and show real and raw human emotion. It's real writing, not forced or fake, but true. There's no "filler" type writing, no unnecessary wordiness, no lengthy passages that seem to drag on forever and forever... Every word is vital to the plot and conveys its meaning perfectly. I really can't say much more than the fact that Cornelius harness fantastic writing ability and a complete understanding of reality and human emotions.

Overall, this novel is an exciting and emotional tour de force, full of completely unexpected plot twists and true life situations. The writing is clearly there, the plot is fantastic, and the novel will quickly become a favorite of yours. Five stars, without a doubt.

Review: All That Is Red by Anna Caltabiano

Title: All That Is Red by Anna Caltabiano
Publisher: New Generation Publishing
Release Date: May 20, 2012
Genres: Drama**
Medium: Paperback, Received For Review

I'm going to start off this review by saying that I'm not really sure how to write it. There was a few things I didn't like about the novel, but there is also many things I did like. Overall, this all boiled down to this novel being slightly confusing and overly poetic, but still a very creative and interesting novel.

If you could choose a world without loneliness, without shame, grief, misery, or feeling of any kind, would you, if it also meant that you lost the simple pleasure of a picnic on a sunny day or the joy of falling in love? Would the allure of a comfortable numbness prove too tempting to resist? Could you choose between feeling pain and not feeling anything, ever again?

A girl is caught in a world where this choice is fiercely contested. In the cross-fire between the Red and White empires, the feeling and the unfeeling, each bent on the other's destruction, the girl must choose between emotion and oblivion, joining the ranks with the Reds as they fight to resist the Whites, but all the while struggling with her own desperate ambivalence. All That Is Red is a story of survival and a journey through the human condition, revealing how the intimate euphoria of pain can sometimes be all we have to remind us that we are alive. -Goodreads.com

The plot of this novel is very interesting. The beginning is slightly confusing in the way that neither the main character nor the reader has any idea where they are or what is going on. The war between the Red and the White feels a little overly-complicated and more than a little metaphorical. I understand what the author was trying to convene here, the difference between feeling and unfeeling and how feeling emotions is a good thing, but the plot about the battle between Red and White seems a little 'out-there.' The point of the novel is "feeling emotions is a good thing" and though I see what the author was trying to do when she wrote this, I feel like that point could have been better exemplified in a different, less-confusing matter. To be honest, when I started reading about the Red and White world and the three-faced people, I was instantly reminded of Alice and Wonderland for some reason. It is that type of unbelievable, almost fairly-tale fantasy. Not to say I didn't enjoy it though. It was original and creative, and definitely one of kind, seeing as I have never read anything like it before (this should explain my trouble of coming up with ideas on how to write this review and difficulty picking out a genre.) It was magical, flowed at a good speed, and was slightly interesting.

The characters were also very unusual and interesting. The main character (who has no name, mind you) suffers from self-harm, and who has flashbacks of cutting herself throughout the novel. She finds herself in this world where the Red and the White (the feeling and unfeeling) are at war with each other, and she must lead the Red cause. There is some nice character development going on here as she matures into a leader, but sometimes feels rushed, because she goes from being a normal teenage girl who has no clue where she is in this world and pages later, is thrust into the position of being a leader. It comes a bit too fast. Then there is her friend (also nameless, until the last few pages of the book; simply called "The Boy") who helps her lead and fight the White, and also finds himself in the process. There is several supporting characters who also have a share in the fight, like the girl's possible love interest, a three-faced Red creature called a Trigon. These characters all bond together to fight an impossible fight between feeling emotions and the rather.

I will say the writing is nice. It is not spectacular, but neither is it terrible. It felt quite "put-on" really. For example, the writing could be very complicated and unnecessarily wordy at times, then be very plain and sparse at others. There was no real balence here. There was several instances of lengthy and almost pointless inner conflict and dialogue that could be described as poetic rambling. Most of the time, while reading this novel, I felt like the author felt a need to use big strong words and lengthy descriptions, yet in reality, the plot really went nowhere. It was fake feeling because the writing was very robotic and forced. I wish there had been a few things cleaned up about the plot, and the writing needed some polishing, and honestly, some time to mature and grow. In my personal opinion, when writing an emotionally-charged novel, there needs to be some discipline here, otherwise the writing gets very hard to read and get through, almost like trudging through waist-deep mud. It also causes novels with good potential to become very DNF-worthy. In this case, I stuck through it to see how it would end.

The plot description of the novel asks what you would do if you could choose between feeling emotion (heartache, pain) and not feeling these emotions, if you would choose to not feel them, if it meant not being able to experience love or pleasure. This sounds like a very good hook for a novel, but in reality, the writing inside this novel doesn't match the plot description that much. The plot's definitely one of a kind, but yet almost in a bad way. The writing could use some work, but I respect the fact that the author was at the time 15 and chose to write about a subject so controversial as self-harm. I commend her for this, and because of it, I will watch her in the future to see how her writing progresses. I think she has real potential if she could hone her craft.

Overall, I found this novel to have had very good potential, but yet came out lacking.  With some more polishing and some time, this novel could have been much better. Yet, It is nicely paced and full of creativity and things I never would have thought of. Even with the few problems I had with the novel, I still found it to be a very interesting read written in a unique perspective that is quite original and interesting.

Review: Angel Fever by L. A. Weatherly

 

Title: Angel Fever by L. A. Weatherly

Publisher: Candlewick

Release Date: November 26, 2013

Genres: Fantasy, Drama, Romance, Paranormal

Medium: Hardback, Received For Review. Thanks Bauer Teen!

 
Angel Fever is the exciting third installment of the Angel Trilogy by L. A. Weatherly. Dramatic, action-packed, romantic, and full of plot twists you never see coming, Angel Fever is a novel sure to satisfy the hunger of the fans of the series. Or in my case, excite readers who are new to the series.

As half-angel Willow strives to save the world from her parasitic otherworldly kin, romance and tension heat up to a climactic finale.

In the devastated remains of the world, millions of people live in "Edens" provided by the angels who have all but enslaved humanity. As the angelic stranglehold on humanity tightens, Willow and Alex are recruiting and training new Angel Killers while struggling to hold ground on the celestial battlefield. Willow continues to struggle with feelings for Seb, and her love and resolve are tested as a shattering revelation sends Alex on a separate journey. Now that the final battle versus the angels is about to begin — and the fate of the world hangs in the balance — each of them must face the consequences of their own choices. Will love endure? Will the human race survive? -Amazon.com
Angel Fever is a fantastic, exciting novel of epic proportions. In just the first few pages, I was already literally blown away by both the plot and the style of writing. The plot was fresh, dramatic, and completely unique and original. I am a big fan of paranormal fantasy, especially when the theme at hand is a heavenly creature like an angel. Paranormal angel fantasy, however, is usually very repetitive and feels like the same story over and over, because authors refuse to do anything new with the subject. There's always a predictable love story playing out between a simple human girl and a bad-boy dark angel. And because of this lack of originality, most readers will pass up on a fantastic series like this one the second they see the word "angel" in the plot description. You really should pick up this novel anyway, despite the subject of angels, because this novel is completely original and unique. In this novel, all angels are bad (and not in the hot bad-boy way.) They feed on humans as they threaten to take over our world. And coming to the rescue is a small group of humans called the Angel Killers, and they must take down the angels one by one. This plot makes for a dramatic and exciting conclusion that will leave you gasping in surprise and flipping pages as fast as you can. Some of the things that happen in this novel surprised me so much that I literally yelled out in frustration. You know a book is fantastic when it makes you want to throw it across the room. It was that dramatic and addicting.

The characters in this novel were just as addicting. It is very hard to write this review without giving away many plot twists and spoiling the whole thing. Actually, I'm debating spoiling it right now. It seems impossible to describe the characters without telling what big part they each played in the big dramatic finale battle between the angels and the Angel Killers. But I will try. First of all, Willow is an inspiring, strong, independent female who is faced with the fact that she is the key to saving the world. She is also faced with the dilemma of being caught in a love triangle and having to choose between her guys... especially when something happens to one of them so sudden, it will leave you nearly in tears. Alex, her faithful, protective boyfriend is determined to finish his father's plans on how to save the world from the angels, no matter what the cost- Even if that means risking his life... Seb, Willow's devoted, confused best friend is convinced he is in love with Willow... even though she only sees him as a brother. This exciting love triangle and the plot that weaves through it creates exciting twists and dramatic relationships sure to keep readers immersed.

The writing in this novel was also fantastic. L. A. Weatherly manages to write a flowing, concise novel with constant plot twists and turns, and still keep the fantasy believable. It is very easy to imagine yourself in the shoes of Willow, the main character, as Weatherly writes a novel that is as believable as it is imaginative. The plot flows at great speed; fast, and this makes it very hard to put down. The novel is concise and every single word of the novel feels perfectly chosen. There is absolutely no "filler" type writing in this novel. My favorite parts of this novel were the exciting and unexpected plot twists and the steamy romance brewing between the main character and her lovers. The realistic and relatable human relationships in this novel make it all very enjoyable. I had absolutely no qualms with this novel and I loved every single bit of it.

First, I must also mention that I still have not yet read the first two novels. Even though I started out reading the final novel and will likely just have to read the series over in order, it was very easy to catch on to what was happening. L.. A. Weatherly wrote well enough so that you can pick up the series at any point in the story. Overall, this novel is an amazing paranormal fantasy with a new variation of angels. There is killer-action, steamy romance, and dramatic relationships, and when these things are mixed with a perfect plot, you get something amazing and well worth your time. Five stars.

Review: Forget Me Not by Stacey Nash

 

Title: Forget Me Not by Stacey Nash
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: March 27th, 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Medium: Ebook; Received for Review Via Author

Where do I start? Forget Me Not is an amazing and creative twist in the world of fantasy. Descriptive, enchanting, and full of wonder, this novel is sure to take fans of fantasy by storm. It'll keep you reading for hours straight, keep you up all night flipping pages, always starving to read a little more.

Forget Me Not features a tenacious main character, a bad boy hero, and a bucket load of secrets.

Since her mother vanished nine years ago, Anamae and her father have shared a quiet life. But when Anamae discovers a brooch identical to her mother's favorite pendant, she unknowingly invites a slew of trouble into their world. When the brooch and the pendant are worn together they're no longer pretty pieces of jewelry - they're part of a highly developed technology capable of cloaking the human form. Triggering the jewelry's power attracts the attention of a secret society determined to confiscate the device - and silence everyone who is aware of its existence. Anamae knows too much, and now she's Enemy Number One.

She's forced to leave her father behind when she's taken in by a group determined to keep her safe. Here Anamae searches for answers about this hidden world. With her father kidnapped and her own life on the line, Anamae must decide if saving her dad is worth risking her new friends' lives. No matter what she does, somebody is going to get hurt. -BarnesAndNoble.com

The plot was wonderful. It was clever and original, full of fantasy while yet still being believable. There was non stop action taking place in this novel. From page one to the very last word, there was action and drama, romance and friendship, and everything in between. You have many different plots intertwining in this novel, creating a complicated web of plot. You have Anamae's jewelry that is actually technology and the trouble it causes, the kidnapping of Anamae's father and the father-daughter bond there, and the introduction if several new friends, including a possible love interest.

The characters were outstanding in this novel. They were developed, deep, and interesting, and each one was unique and special in their only way. The father-daughter bond between Anamae's and her father is a real, deep relationship that tugs at your heart. Anamae's loyal friend Will and supportive bestie Lily are both friendships that very closely resemble real life relationships. There is depth there, yet also the light comedy that can only be exchanged between friends. This is represented perfectly in this novel. Then there is Jax...  Sexy, guarded, protective Jax. A character I definitely enjoyed reading about and loved getting to know. And Anamae... She was a delightful, strong, independent character who had a feisty side and was a joy to read from.

The writing was also wonderful. It was descriptive, flowing, and powerful. I really enjoyed it. Stacey Nash is very talented at what she does and has no problem at all switching between steamy romance to hardcore action. She throws in several different genres into one novel and writes them all in effortlessly. The dialogue was good, the plot was very nice, and the characters were well formed and unique. Very creative novel.

ARC Review: The Here And Now by Ann Brashares

Title: The Here And Now by Ann Brashares
Publisher: Delacorte
Release Date: April 8th, 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Medium: ARC Paperback, Received For Review

The Here And Now is a wonderful, imaginative fantasy story of time travel, romance, drama, and action. Addicting and mind-boggling, this novel is sure to keep readers flipping pages and even more sure to leave your mind overwhelmed with such unbelievable yet believable fantasy.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins. 

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. 

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. -From Amazon.com

The plot is an amazing mix of several different genres, including fantasy, romance, drama, and action, focussing mainly on the theme of time travel. You are given an intricate plot that Is full of suspense and romance, centered around Prenna's character, a girl from the future who has traveled back in time to 2010, in order to correct mankind's mistakes and prevent the future destruction. This is a task shared between her and her community of time travelers, but she soon realizes it is up to her and her friend Ethan to ultimately save the world. Fast-paced and exciting, this novel is riveting and full of believable fantasy.

The characters in this novel were also very interesting. Both Prenna and Ethan are amazing intellectual characters full of depth and personality. Prenna's origin makes her vulnerable and shy at first, but after she is faced with the rough situations and forced into certain positions, she slowly develops into a strong leading character. Ethan started out and stayed a strong character throughout the entire novel. Both his protectiveness and his nerdy personality shine through, and make him very desirable. Together, they are a dynamic duo to be reckoned with as they venture to save the world from it's seemingly inevitable future.

Overall, this novel is a spectacular thrill ride from beginning to end. It's exciting, full of fantasy, and a wonderful novel to please your imagination. Also very romantic. My only issue I found with the novel was that Prenna and Ethan seemed to experience what I call "insta-love." It seemed like they hadn't been talking but for a few days, when they were rolling around in bed together. If the romance had been taken a little slower, giving the relationship time to mature, then I would have been alright with the "bed-rolling." Instead, the relationship felt forced and fake, and the romance felt way too fast-paced. Other than that, this novel was a delight to read, and I can't wait to experience a sequel or any other novels by the author!

ARC Review: Faking Normal by Courtney Stevens

Title: Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: Febuary 25th, 2014
Genres: Drama, Romance
Medium: ARC Paperback Via Publisher

Faking Normal was an dramatic, itelligent, engrossing read that refused to let me go long after reading it. It was poignant and interesting, and definitely a novel I would recommend to of most everyone, since the subject of this novel is something so important to educate about especially this day in age.

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer by her backyard pool. Instead, she hides in her closet, counts the slats in the air vent, and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox—"the Kool-Aid Kid"—moves in with the Littrells after a family tragedy, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in this quiet, awkward boy who has secrets of his own. As their friendship grows, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her summon the courage to find her voice and speak up. -From Amazon.com

The plot of this novel was actually one of the most interesting plots I have read from lately. The plot was simple, yet so very detailed. It is very hard to describe. The plot is very simple, in the way that you have a normal and yet horrible occurance taking place, yet the characters and their emotional impact on each other, along with creative dialogue and small plot twists makes this novel intricate and emotional. It was set at a good, steady pace, with unexpected plot twists happening at every page, stirring up a cute love story between two broken people.

The characters were also very addicting. The relationships they create and the friendships they share are some of the most natural and realistic human relationships I have ever seen. This novel is completely realistic and believable. Alexi is a very relatable character who is going through problems that so many other girls are facing today. Although she has trouble admitting what happened, Bodee (another ferociously relatable and realistic character) slowly convinces and coaxes her into accepting and coming to terms with what really happened at a party over the summer. Through all of this, friendships, romances, and complicated drama blooms and keeps you turning pages. Wonderful simple dialogue, human relationships, and drama that resembles reality so good, it's like a real reading from a real life soap opera.

The writing was also spectacular. It was raw, emotional, and original. Stevens crafts a story with such 
authenticity, it's a wonderful breath of fresh air in the world of young adult literature. The writing is so emotional, from the dialogue to even the main character's thoughts, that the emotion is palpable by all readers. It was refreshing and heartrenching, yet uplifting and joyful at the same time. I cannot wait to see what else Courtney C. Stevens has in store for us.

Overall, this novel was an epic emotional tale of both redemption and real romance. The plot was riveting and dramatic, the characters were interesting and realistic, and the writing ties everything
together perfectly. This is a novel I would definitely recommend to readers of all genres, especially females of all ages. Wonderful.

Cover Reveal: Mending The Shroud by J.M. Bray!

The exciting sequel to Tearing the Shroud is coming July 1, 2014 and here's the cover! Once again Escape Publishing did an amazing job on the artwork and tying the two books together visually. JM is hard at work on the third book, so keep a lookout for it.

When you’ve learned to take possession in stride, love should be easy. Right? It might be if your life and the lives of people you loved weren’t threatened by an invasion of monsters.

Vincent thought saving the world once was a challenge, he didn’t figure on retribution putting a price on his head. It means college takes a back seat again as he’s possessed by Coleman to fight a new battle with the Kafla. But this time he’s not alone, Jule, the woman he loves is also is possessed.

Together they hope to stave off the invasion and take the fight to the Realm, where only a supreme sacrifice can Mend the Shroud and save their worlds.

About the Author

J.M. Bray lives in Southern California with his college sweetheart and their two dogs. After a lifetime together, they are happier than the moment they met. 
When not writing or working his "day job", he loves to cook, play the guitar, and travel with his wife. Every chance he gets, he races an old Porsche named "Tuffy" at tracks in the southwest.

 Buy book one, Tearing the Shroud 

Twitter: @jmbraybooks

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Stacking The Shelves: March (#10)

Stacking The Shelves is a monthly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where I showcase all the books I was gifted, bought, won, received for review, etc.

Received For Review:

Angel Fever by L.A. Weatherly (Thanks Bauer Teen!)

Losing It All by Marsha Cornelius (Thank you Marsha!)

All That Is Red by Anna Caltibiano (Thanks Mrs. Mia Wong!)

Won:

Open Minds by Susan Keye Quinn

Lost Covenant by Ari Marmell (ARC!)

Wake world by Kerry Schafer

Bought:

The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore (signed!)

The Abc's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro (signed!)

Kiss Me, Kill Me by Lauren Henderson (signed!)

Bought:

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Making Waves by Katherine Applegate

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Hardcover!)

Precious by Sapphire

Won:

16 Bookmarks (7 signed!)

Won: 

5 postcards (2 signed!)

3 Signed Stickers

1 "The Last Echo" Bookmark

So overall, it was a great month for stacking the shelves! Except the fact that my shelves are getting so full, I may need a third one! In total, I received 15 physical novels (3 signed,) 6 ebooks, 16 bookmarks (7 signed,) 5 postcards (2 signed,) 3 signed stickers, and a bracelet. It was a greets haul! 

What did you get?