Review: Furthermore: An Anthology

Name of book: Furthermore (An Anthology)
Author(s): Amber Garr, David Estes, Karen Amanda Hooper, Leigh Michael, Rebekah Campbell, Stephanie Judice
Publication: December 11th 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal and Dystopia
Source: Provided by the kind authors...

A first date, a lottery, treachery and deceit. Sometimes fate has other plans. Sometimes there’s more to tell.

In Furthermore: An Anthology, eighteen original stories take you on a journey through worlds here and beyond. From the depths of the earth to the embrace of the sea, your favorite series continue. Prequels, alternative views, and new scenes give readers a chance to experience more than originally told. 

Including stories from Rebekah Campbell, Amber Garr, David Estes, Leigh Michael, Karen Amanda Hooper, Stephanie Judice, and Mayandree Michael. And most importantly, in honor of those who lost the battle and those who continue to fight, all proceeds from this anthology will be donated to cancer research and support.

SURPRISE VISITOR -Emily has never been a fan of surprises but Eric has something up his sleeve to change her mind. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

GETTING TO KNOW THE HEAVIES - The two Sullivan bodyguards are still human beings underneath it all. And everyone has a weakness. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

PEOPLE CHANGE - When Eric asks his dad a question about his mother, it’s time to go back to where it all began and then went so badly wrong. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

COLD FEET - Kain witnesses Eviana’s deceit on their wedding day and is forced to deal with the consequences of her behavior. (The Syrenka Series)

RIFT - Daniel encourages the group to make a detour to the Grand Canyon, as the distance between the friends begins to rival the great ravine. (The Syrenka Series)

DISCOVERY - Leila’s first encounter with her psychic mentor is nothing short of memorable. (The Leila Marx Novels)

HUMAN RESOURCES – Blake finds a new job while Mac finds a friend who reminds him of home. (The Leila Marx Novels)

THE RUNAWAY- TAWNI’S STORY - After learning of her parents’ treachery, Tawni leaves home seeking to make amends for their transgressions. (The Dwellers Saga)

THE LIFE LOTTERY- A STORY FROM YEAR ZERO - With the survival of the human race on the brink, there’s only one way to decide who will be saved in the underground caves: The Lottery. (The Dwellers Saga)

FATE: Experience Annabelle’s struggle to fulfill the ABA Prophecy in a new light through the parting words of Adrian, Aurelia, Blake, and Lady Katherine. (Annabelle’s Story)

THE SOUND OF LOVE - Glimpse into one of Nathaniel’s previous lives and see how his soul mate reacts when tragedy strikes. (The Kindrily Series)

MUIRNE’S MELODY--To escape her master’s vile desires, Muirne flees into the snow-swept night, finding a green-eyed stranger and a mystical destiny. (Saga of the Setti Series)

JEREMY’S HEART: Calm, cool, and complete scoundrel, Jeremy realizes the loss he’s suffered means nothing compared to true love. (Saga of the Setti Series)

FALL FROM GRACE: Warped by centuries of darkness, the creature Sveigja plots to capture Clara as his queen. (Saga of the Setti Series)

-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     This is the first time I read an anthology. I have found them intriguing, just never came across them as much as novels. But from now on, I will always be on the look out. These six authors provided me with samples of their different flavored cakes, and I am definitely ordering the whole collection!

     I cannot review all the stories together. What stuck with me the most was David Estes' The Life Lottery and Stephanie Judice's Jeremy's Heart. So, I will rate them and review them independently:

Surprise Visitor by Rebekah Campbell: Four Stars. This one was cute and romantic, loved the clumsiness of the main character and her sweet boyfriend. Cute and fluffy.

Getting To Know The Heavies by Rebekah Campbell: Three Stars. Didn't really get what the two bodyguards do. Except that they do some dirty work for their employer. Loved the interactions between them, though.

People Change by Rebekah Campbell: Three and Half Stars. This was a sad, but a very realistic story of love. And it teaches a great lesson, people do change, you cannot expect them to stay the same over time.

The Runaway (Tawni's Story) by David Estes: Four Stars. Loved the writing style of the author. This definitely had me intrigued to read The Moon Dwellers, which I have a digital review copy of. Tawni is an interesting character in a horrible dystopian world. Loved her strength and courage.

The Life Lottery (A Story from Year Zero) by David Estes: Five Stars. My favorite read of the whole anthology. It's such a cruel, cruel world and David Estes' writing is plain and real. I just loved this, and the end was damn spectacular.

Cold Feet by Amber Garr: Three Stars. I loved Kain. Sweet and caring. But Evianna and what she does to him, not so much. This does nothing to explain the series, so I didn't see the point of it, except feeling Kain's pain.

Rift by Amber Garr: Three and Half Stars. This one was rushed a little, but I appreciated the group of characters. Eviana is more like-able, but I still cannot help but think about what she did in Cold Feet. Kain is adorable as ever. I think that I will start this series sometime.

Discovery by Amber Garr: Four Stars. The main character, Leila is a very resourceful but lovely young woman. Loved Amber's writing style in this story the most. Supernatural abilities, and supernatural murders? I AM IN!

Human Resources by Amber Garr: Three Stars. Didn't really understand the effectiveness of this story. But Mac is funny, and the way he used his abilities to entertain was fun to read about.

The Sound of Love by Karen Amanda Hooper: Four Stars. The title of this story firs perfectly, and the two characters are so believable and lovely. Nathaniel and Mary are so funny and they are like, soul mates. I cannot wait to read the book.

Muirne's Melody by Stephanie Judice: Four Stars. I loved being able to read Muirne's story, definitely needed some background clear-up on that. But I loved it, and loved Muirne's character.

Jeremy's Heart by Stephanie Judice: Five Stars. Ahhh "swoon" Jeremy. I am in love with the dark, sarcastic, metal-lover guy. He is pure awesome and I loved reading from his POV. This story was so cute and Stephanie Judice nailed her secondary characters.

Fall From Grace by Stephanie Judice: Four Stars. I liked this, definitely needed some clearing up on Sveigja's motivations. And he was an interesting character to read about.

Fate by Leigh Michael: Four Stars. This story is told in four different POVs. And I loved all four of them. Specially Blake and Lady Katherine. This story definitely intrigued me to read this series, and I might do that soon. Love mermaids and water spirits!

     So, now you know a little on every story, and you know that this anthology is absolutely amazing! I cannot wait to read more by the authors, all of them. You go pick this up!

Blog Tour: Normalish by Margaret Lesh!

Name of book: Normalish

Author: Margaret Lesh

Publication: October 5th 2012 by Musa Publishing Euterpe Young Adult 

Genre: YA Contemporary

Source: Provided by the kind author / tour organizer

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, love, her role in a harsh universe, and life, in Normalish.

People tell you high school's so great and wonderful, but they're lying. It's mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you're in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you've really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was -- smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with a guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing.

High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know.

Where to Purchase Normalish:

Amazon / Musa Publishing

 Margaret's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

California girl Margaret Lesh lives with her husband Steve and son Andrew in a quiet suburb near Los Angeles. Co-creator of StoryRhyme.com, she writes middle grade, young adult, and women’s fiction. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about baked goods, especially donuts, far too often. She believes tacos are magic.

-- My Rating --

4/5 Cupcakes: Really Liked It.

 -- My Thoughts --

     I absolutely love contemporary novels. Specially YA ones. Since they are exactly fit for my age-group and I can feel so much with the characters. I dove in expecting a light, sort of cliche read. Who knew this book would make me CRY? This book was one heck of a contemporary read! 

     Stacy is at her freshman year in high school, and as she finds out, high school is not all it's cracked up to be. Her best friend has left her, her guy friend is acting a little too weird. Her sister is getting strange everyday. She absolutely hates math. And she does not have a boyfriend. (If you have read so far, you think this is the most typical, all too familiar contemporary read, but it's not)

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Maybe I should ask someone I don’t know (because sometimes the truth is easier to take from a stranger).

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      We dive into the story as Stacy tries to deal with her chaotic high school life. I have never felt so connected to a contemporary character before. She absolutely reminded me of myself, the challenges I face, the dreams I have, and the choices I make. It was like watching my life unfold in front of me. And it was beautiful to watch. Margaret Lesh has a fabulous writing style, she DID NOT write Stacy. She BECAME Stacy. Like, one and the same person. That was fully unexpected.

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“Normal” is all about perception.

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     There were some twists and turns in this book that are not in every contemporary read. How Stacy deals with her sister's little strangeness was believable, and the challenges she faces when she find out the truth, were also believable and realistic. There was some part in the book that had ME crying my eyes out! Stacy's depression, her lack of will to live, to do anything, hit a sensitive chord in my heart.

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But that’s just the way it is when you’re a fool in love. Or maybe just a fool.

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      I loved the emotions I experienced through this novel. I loved the realness of this. Loved the uniqueness and beliefs expressed through this. Normalish is definitely not a normal read! It's extraordinary, abnormal, in the best way possible!

-- Giveaway --

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release-Day Review: Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Name of book: Exposure (Twisted Lit #2)
Author(s): Kim Askew and Amy Helmes
Publication: January 18th 2013 by Merit Press
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind publisher...
Goodreads

Double, double, toil and trouble. Sometimes, the quest for high school royalty can be deadly! In this emotionally-charged twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a self-conscious shutterbug named Skye Kingston navigates a treacherous school year in Alaska fraught with unspoken secrets and tragic twists of fate. Along the way she encounters three strangely prophetic BFFs; one social-climbing, sociopathic cheerleader; and a heart-stopping hottie named Craig McKenzie: the man who would be Prom King. Can Skye save the boy she loves — and herself — before they get caught in the crosshairs?

-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     I absolutely loved Kim and Amy's first co-authored book, Tempestuous (see my review here) This is it's companion novel, and it's based of Shakespeare's Macbeth, my favorite play of all time. Right from the start, I knew this would be darker than the first book, and much more developed. I was right.

     Skye is off into college, but the rumors follow her exotic beauty and her strange ways. But Skye has a dark past, and she is begins to tell her story. High school is a dark, scary place, but is full of new expectations, new experiences, and new feelings. And jealousy is a dangerous thing, especially between friends. Curious, huh? Go read the book. I am not giving away anything more.

     Wow. I didn't expect anything that happened in this book. This is a very dark read, but also a very light one. I don't know how to explain. The emotions you experience through this novel are raw and real, which I loved. The characters are wonderful, all multi-layered and three-dimensional. Kim and Amy know how to give a different voice to every single one of their characters. I started comparing Skye to Miranda, the other heroine in Kim and Amy's Tempestuous. But they were so different, like polar opposites, but lovely and relate-able still.

     This novel was enjoyable, and so different form its first companion novel. I anxiously waiting for more from these two talented authors and their unique characters. This book is unique, intriguing, and completely captivating!

Review: Luminaire by Ciye Cho

Name of book: Luminaire (Florence Waverley #2)
Author: Ciye Cho
Publication: December 1st 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: Provided by the kind author...
Goodreads

Being the only human in a world of merfolk... isn't easy. Florence Waverley chose to stay in Niemela, but things have gone awry. Secrets have risen and the prince she cares about has pulled away. All the while, dark dreams warn her of a tragedy that only she can stop. But in order to save the merman she loves, Florence will have to enter the Life Path tournament: a brutal test of fear and madness.

The tournament is a rite of passage--a maze where young mermaids and mermen battle to find their purpose. It is also a place where Florence will face grave danger: mermaids with evil magic, tunnels filled with sea fire, and guardians who wish to use her as a pawn in their secret plans. But will Florence be strong enough to survive the tournament... or will she perish inside it?

Everything hangs in the balance: her life, her world, and her love.

-- My Rating --

5/5 You NEED to read this...

-- My Thoughts --

     Wow. I read the first book, Florence (find my review here) a few months ago. And I fell in love with Ciye Cho's amazing world building and character development. This book was even better.

     Florence is settling down in Neimelia, but without a life path, she feels useless. She cannot be a mermaid, and Rolan is slipping more and more away. So, when the tournament starts, she decides to join, too. But is choosing a life path that easy? Will she get out of the tournament alive? Will she figure out the conspiracy that is threatening to destroy everything she believes in? Find out more when you read Luminaire. Unique. Action-packed. And spell-binding. You will never get bored with this.

     I absolutely loved this book. First, Ciye Cho is one of the most amazing world-builders I have ever seen. His imagination is so vivid, I felt like I was there. Beneath the dark, scary waters, with Florence. His descriptions will never bore you, since he has a way of turning everything ordinary into extraordinary. Ciye Cho is a pro. I loved all the new characters he added into this round. Specially the wickedly lovely mermaids with their long, deadly braids. Second, his characters. They are so easy to relate to, to fall in love with. All of them are multi-layered with believable motivations and back-stories.

     I could go on and on about the amazing-ness of this book. I loved it as much as the fins in the waters. But you have to read it for yourself to find out. This is one of the best fantasy series out there! It's screaming "TURN ME INTO A MOVIE!".

Review: Tempestuous by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Name of book: Tempestuous (Twisted Lit #1)
Author(s): Kim Askew and Amy Helmes
Publication: December 18th 2012 by Merit Press
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind publisher...
Goodreads

Recently banished, unfairly, by the school’s popular crowd, former “it girl,” Miranda Prospero, finds herself in a brave new world: holding dominion amongst a rag-tag crew of geeks and misfits where she works at the Hot-Dog Kabob in the food court of her local mall. When the worst winter storm of the season causes mall workers and last-minute shoppers to be snowed-in for the night, Miranda seizes the opportunity to get revenge against the catty clique behind her social exile. With help from her delightfully dweeby coworker, Ariel, and a sullen loner named Caleb who works at the mall’s nearby gaming and magic shop, Miranda uses charm and trickery to set things to right during this spirited take on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     I am a great fan of Shakespeare's plays. I loved Hamlet and Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet was epic. But I haven't read The Tempest, so I'm not sure about the similarities  but this book was one twisted piece of literature (in a good way)!

     Miranda was always the "it" girl, the "go-to" girl, the most popular girl at her high school. Until, she decided to open up a little win-win website, but soon, everything spirals out of control, and she falls down her popularity mount, unfairly. They say "The taller you climb, the harder you'll fall" (something along these lines)...

     Everyone at her high school hates her, and her father is devastated. Now, Miranda is working at a corn-dog stand in the local mall, to pay up for everything she earned in her little plan. But one night, as a huge blizzard hits, she is locked inside with a bunch of other teenagers. But Miranda is set on one thing: get revenge in the truest way!

     I loved this novel. Who would have thought that I could fall in love with such a light, almost-cliche sort of read. But, surprising myself, I adored this. And since I need to organize my thoughts, I will write this review in points:

1- Kim and Amy's writing is exotic. It is light. It is believable (for a teenager). Their writings blended together in perfect harmony that I couldn't tell the difference, at all.

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Her boundless enthusiasm and my healthy sarcasm went together about as well as a helium balloon and a bucket of rusty nails...

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2- Most of their characters were layered. Miranda is very unlikable at first. But I absolutely loved her once I got into the story. She tends to help everyone, and she is sarcastic. Ariel, Miranda's co-worker is such a sweet, sweet girl! I adored her. She reminds me of, well... me. And rarely books make me feel like that. A couple of the characters fell flat for me, but I didn't mind.

3- The Romance. A slow-building, love-hate relationship between Miranda and Caleb. An A+ for the authors on the romance. I loved noticing the growing attraction between them and how they pushed each other away at first. But even if there were not enough one-on-one moments, I felt their chemistry. 

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A simple guitar slung over a guy's torso can transform even the most feral-looking guy into someone, well, kind of hot...

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4- The mystery. Yes, there is a mystery. Something occurs in the mall and someone is responsible. This part was a little predictable, I found out who it was a couple of chapters before Miranda did. But THAT did not stop me from enjoying how the characters treated the discovery. When contemporary authors add a mysterious feel to the story, I always end up disappointed. But this was not the case here. The mystery part added to the story, and it led to a great character development.

Sarcastic. Funny. Spellbinding. A promising debut from two one-in-a-million authors! I cannot wait to read more from them! Go, grab a copy, NOW!