Lumière by Jacqueline Garlick
(The Illumination Paradox #1)
Publication date: December 12th 2013
Genres: Steampunk, Young Adult

Book Summary

Even in a land of eternal twilight, secrets can’t stay hidden forever.

Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth is no stranger to living in the dark. She’s hidden her secret affliction all of her life—a life that would be in danger if superstitious townspeople ever guessed the truth. After her mother is accused and executed for a crime that she didn’t commit, the now-orphaned Eyelet has no choice but to track down the machine—her last hope for a cure. But Eyelet’s late father’s most prized invention, the Illuminator, has been missing since the day of the mysterious flash—a day that saw the sun wiped out over Brethren forever.

Alone and on the run, she finds the Illuminator—only to witness a young man hauling it away. Determined to follow the thief and recover the machine, she ventures into the deepest, darkest, most dangerous part of her twisted world.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Review

The Characters

This book starts out as such a tearjerker! From the very beginning of this book, Eyelet is met with so many challenges in her world. Searching for the truth about her father and the Night of the Great Illumination, she is met with horrible events that take her down a troubled path with seemingly no one to support her. Eyelet suffers from seizures, an illness that is associated with madness and therefore extremely dangerous. After her mother is accused of Wickedry, a crime punishable by death, Eyelet sees her mother just long enough to be given a mysterious glowing necklace and a plea to live.

I really feel for Eyelet and so many characters in this book. In addition to all of the challenging events in her life, Eyelet considers herself defective because of her condition and even questions why she was born at times. Angry with her father for leaving before he could fix her, she is determined to find what is called an Illuminator. A machine that is introduced in the very beginning and is somehow meant to cure her seizures.

On her trek to escape execution, she finds a clue to where her father hid the Illuminator, or Lumière, and discovers a thief towing it away into the night. As any ‘sane’ person would do, she jumps aboard the moving carriage and demands to be saved by a boy thief. Urlick Babbit is an amazing character. He saves Eyelet from a likely fall, takes her in, and can kind of be a bit of a jerk sometimes. It’s pretty great.

This book has the added bonus of including both Eyelet and Urlick’s points of view. I really enjoyed the back and forth narration. It felt very natural and was spaced very well between the characters so that the reader could enjoy finding out different perspectives of the scene without seeming repetitive. It was also very interesting comparing the characters self worth and then how they viewed each other. The relationship that developed between also seemed so natural and while they could both be very stubborn, I really enjoyed the comical appeal it brought out in the book.

It is of course my duty as a reviewer to warn you that there is cliffhanger at the end of this book. I seem to have a curse that makes me choose amazing books that make me wanting more at the end.

*Shakes fist*

The World

Lumière truly did have a very grand scope. Garlick creates a fantastical world with so many different varieties of imagery, magical, and mechanical inventions.

This is the first book in which I got to delve in a world of steampunk and it’s so exciting! I can really understand the appeal of this genre and why it’s becoming so popular. There is something very raw and gothic about the style and realm of this type of story.

I love these types of novels; the cinematic visual descriptions and action sequences really jump off the page and have me on the edge of my seat. Well…couch anyway.

I love the twists of different stories and what most appealed to me was the cohesive way that the author integrated magic and science together. Not only did it have its brand of mystery and excitement but corruption in society as well.

I look forward to reading the sequel Noir in the future and observing how the author’s writing will develop.

About the Author

I’m Jacqueline Garlick, author of young adult and new adult fiction. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. (Don’t you?)
I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper). I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology and would rather hang out with a dog, than a cat. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (currently in my writing room), and there may or may not be a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won’t find a hidden passageway, but a girl can dream, can’t she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea.

My writing style has been described as edgy and rule-breaking, and by some–a touch Tim Burton-esque. Because of this, I am often referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of YA among writing friends.

In my former life, I was a teacher (both grade school and college-don’t ask), but more recently I’ve been a graduate of Ellen Hopkin’s Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass. An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship.

Lumière–A Romantic Steampunk Fantasy–my debut novel, is the recipient of an indieBRAG Medallion!!! B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree October 15, 2014) I am so proud! (LUMIERE by Jacqueline E. Garlick is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!) Book II of the ILLUMINATION PARADOX SERIES, is out January 26th, now on pre-order.

Also, check out my young adult contemporary romantic/mystery serial, IF ONLY, where reluctant telepathic sleuth Kyla Cooper must embrace her powers and risks all to solve the mystery of what happened to her boyfriend Denver Munro, becoming his voice of truth, before he has no voice at all…

I love hearing from READERS! Please contact me, either at my website: www.jacquelinegarlick.com, or catch up with me on twitter @garlick books, or on facebook: http://bit.ly/jegarlickfb

I’m open to reviews and interview, requests for skype visits, guest blogs, pod casts and book club meetings! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM READERS!

Author Links

Pinterest | Goodreads | Blog

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour Organized By

//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Title: LIFER
Publication date: December 16, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Beck Nicholas
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Summary:

Asher is a Lifer, a slave aboard the spaceship Pelican. A member of the lowest rung of society, she must serve the ship’s Officials and Astronauts as punishment for her grandparents’ crimes back on Earth. The one thing that made life bearable was her illicit relationship with Samuai, a Fishie boy, but he died alongside her brother in a freak training accident.

Still grieving for the loss of her loved ones, Asher is summoned to the upper levels to wait on Lady, the head Official’s wife and Samuai’s mother. It is the perfect opportunity to gather intel for the Lifer’s brewing rebellion. There’s just one problem—the last girl who went to the upper levels never came back.

On the other side of the universe, an alien attack has left Earth in shambles and a group called The Company has taken control. Blank wakes up in a pond completely naked and with no memory, not even his real name. So when a hot girl named Megs invites him to a black-market gaming warehouse where winning means information, he doesn’t think twice about playing. But sometimes the past is better left buried.

As Asher and Blank’s worlds collide, the truth comes out—everyone has been lied to. Bourne Identity meets Under the Never Sky in this intergalactic tale of love and deception from debut novelist Beck Nicholas.

My Review:

Lifer is a very original story about a girl, a Lifer named Asher, that just lost her brother and boyfriend in a freak accident on board the ship called The Pelican, and is requested to serve The Lady which also happens to be Samuai’s mom, the boyfriend that died. The Lady requested her specifically to help her uncover what has happened to her son. Asher willing helps The Lady and does what she can to unlock the mystery surrounding the mysterious death of her brother Zed and boyfriend Samuai. As she uncovers more and more she begins to feel drawn to the mysterious brother Davyd.

The story also follows Blank, a nameless boy that can’t remember who he is that awakens in a pond on Earth. Earth is a very strange place after the Upheaval. The Company seeks out and kills the remaining refugees that refuse to side with them. Blank begins entering the gambling games to seek information about who he is. As he uncovers the truth he also begins to develop feelings for Megs whom helps him along the way. And as Asher and Blank draw closer and closer to the truth, their lives collide in a very surprising way.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lifer, it was refreshing to read something so different. I feel like the author really excels at world building. She paints an amazing picture of the life on The Pelican, and the world they left behind on Earth. I personally really enjoyed Asher’s story more. I feel like her story is intriguing and really takes off. Plus the mystery of what happened to her brother and boyfriend is an alluring plot. Blank on the other hand was less exciting. I didn’t feel drawn to his character like I was drawn to Asher. But his story is very interesting. It’s just there’s so much to love about Asher, that I really feel like her story shines. Plus her interactions with Davyd are pretty awesome and intense. There were a few things about Blank’s storyline that really irked me and I won’t say on here to refrain from spoilers. Let’s just say, if I could sit down and have a few words with him I so would! Not to say he isn’t a good person, because he is, but after that ending (which is pretty epic, intense, and awesome) I want to have a few choice words with him! Hopefully one of the other characters (maybe Davyd) will get the chance to sit him down and have a talking to him in book two! Because that boy needs to be put in his place!

Honestly the only thing I didn’t really enjoy about the novel was the love stories, aside from Asher and Davyd’s. Their story makes perfect sense, and I love their interactions with each other. Plus they have known each other their whole lives, and their build up with each other is spectacular. But Blank’s and Megs? I’m not entirely sold on it. And honestly (you would have to read the book to understand this) I felt as if  Blank’s love triangle took away from the story a little. Maybe it was because I was so angry with him!

I simply loved Davyd. He is secretive, and mysterious. His intentions are unknown, but I feel as if Davyd has a good heart and I cannot wait to find out more about him in book 2.  It would have been awesome to have some of Lifer in Davyd’s POV. He’s just so dark and mysterious. I want to know what he’s thinking!

Becky Nicholas has invented an amazing world and a truly gripping story about truth, friendship, love, and doing what’s right no matter the costs. Overall Lifer is a an inspiring and intriguing read. It definitely leaves you wanting more. I love the world Becky Nicholas has created, and I love Asher and Davyd. I can’t wait for their story to continue. Some questions are unanswered (purposefully) and I can’t wait to find out the answers to them in the sequel! Hopefully we’ll have a sequel soon so I can get those answers 🙂

Definitely be sure to check out Lifer! I highly recommend reading it!

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Chapters Indigo! | IndieBound | Google Play | BAM

TOUR SCHEDULE

About the Author:

I always wanted to write.  I’ve worked as a lab assistant, a pizza delivery driver and a high school teacher but I always pursued my first dream of creating stories. Now, I live with my family near Adelaide, halfway between the city and the sea, and am lucky to spend my days (and nights) writing young adult fiction.

Author Links:
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Organized by:

//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Melophobia
by James Morris
Publisher: Kindle Press (September 22, 2015)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Rating: 4/5

Book Summary:

Melophobia: fear or hatred of music.

The time—now; the place—America, but in a world where the government controls all forms of art and creativity. Any music sowing the seeds of anarchy is banned—destroyed if found—its creators and listeners harshly punished.

Merrin Pierce works as an undercover Patrol officer assigned to apprehend a fugitive musician who threatens the safe fabric of society, only to confront everything she thought to be true – her values, upbringing, job, and future.

Can love survive in a world without music?

Publisher’s Weekly called it “a convincing alternative history novel and…an accomplished coming-of-age love story that asks big questions about freedom and expressiveness in the face of oppression.”

My Review:

This book is unlike anything I have ever read before. It’s quite literally the War on Music. Imagine a world where music is illegal. Where the sounds that make you feel all those wonderful emotions, happiness, sadness, that make you laugh and cry are stripped from society. You can’t listen to it. If you do, and you get caught, then terrible things happen to you. Melophobia takes place in present day America, but with a government that controls and regulates all things music. The government in the story wants to suppress people by taking away the one thing that could truly make them feel. The Minister approves all things Musak, a form of sounds that is dull and monotonous, completely unidentifiable and in no ways original or spectacular, or makes us feel anything at all. This Musak is given in place of music. The Minister also happens to be the father of the undercover Patrol officer Merrin Pierce. Merrin goes under several sting operations, posing as a music lover in order to shut down underground clubs and place the illegal music listeners in jail where they belong. Merrin works with Anders, a former boyfriend that now serves as her dutiful partner in handling each case. As Merrin’s success grows, she is given the biggest assignment of her life. To find The Source. The Source is a secret identity for the person, or the group of persons responsible for handing out the illicit music to the people in charge of the underground music scenes. The equivalent of a drug lord. The supplier. The one that makes the music–the one that makes such beautiful sounds.

Merrin, determined to find The Source and shut down all things music is forced to go even deeper undercover. To listen to music she’s never listened to before, and to do whatever it takes to find The Source and shut The Source down. But Merrin feels an undeniable tug from the illegal music. From the sounds that make her feel. She tries to ignores it, sure. But how long until the music takes root inside of her and becomes a part of her that she can’t deny?

Melophobia is a story about love, about the undeniable beauty in music and how it makes us feel. The story starts off a little slow, but really builds once the author sets the stage for the type of world Merrin and Anders live in. A wonderful crescendo in the story. The further Merrin goes undercover, the further she’s lulled by the power of music, the more she falls for a man named Rowan that writes Musak for her father, the more you want to read until you get to the last page with the big letters THE END and think wait, what? I want more! And then your heart races and you retrace the pages back and re-read the words THE END again. And then you think: holy cow, that ending! This is a book that sticks with you, I like to call them book hangovers. Melophobia is sure to give you a book hangover. Those are always my favorite types of books. The books you need a moment to process and think about for a time before you are ready to pick up another book. The books that are awe-inspiring, deeply moving, and you can’t stop thinking about. Melophobia has definitely given me a book hangover. There are so many great things to love about this book, and so many things to think about.

Melophobia is definitely it’s own symphony, it’s own incredible masterpiece. And the ending is quite the finale! Don’t miss out on your chance to read such an incredible unique story! James Morris is a very talented author. His ability to world build is incredible, and he gives us such memorable characters as we read through their struggles and their gains. Merrin Pierce starts off as a person that would do just about anything to uphold the law, but then we see the music transform her as her story unfolds and it’s quite beautiful to see that transformation.

I am a huge music fan. I’ve played the piano since I was 10. I received my undergrad in Music Composition. I even went to graduate school for a little while, working towards my masters in music therapy. Music is very much a part of my life. Now as a special ed teacher, I use music every day. Music does so much for us. And it’s hard to imagine a life without music. Without the ability to feel from music. When I go to the movies, and I hear a beautiful, emotional composition, not going to lie, I cry from how beautiful it is. Music is such a huge part of my life. I breathe music. The world is very well painted in Melophobia, and my heart really ached for the people that were so desperate to hear music and what happened to them once they were caught. If music was never really a part of my life, and then all of a sudden it was around me, I can only imagine how big of a sensory overload it would be for me, and how much I would be willing to do in order to keep it a part of my life. And there’s people throughout history and even now, that aren’t just talented, but truly gifted with music. That can create such wondrous sounds. The thought of taking that gift away from people truly effects me. This book really hit home for me. And it has come to my realization that there is no possible way I could survive in the world of Melophobia!

Melophobia is definitely a unique and inspiring read. It’s action packed, with a beautiful, memorable, heart wrenching love story. Melophobia is definitely a must read! For the love of music, I highly recommend reading it!

About the Author:

James Morris is a former television writer who now works in digital media. When not writing, you can find him scoping out the latest sushi spot, watching ‘House Hunters Renovation’, or trying new recipes in the kitchen. He lives with his wife and dog in Los Angeles.

Readers, if you enjoyed one of my books, please feel free to leave a review!

Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The 5th Wave
by Rick Yancey
Series: The 5th Wave (Book 1)
Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Speak; Reissue edition (February 10, 2015)
Rating: 5/5

Book Summary:

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother–or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

My Review:

I simply loved this book. From the very beginning it’s a gripping read. Once you get about a third of the way through the book it is non-stop, filled with action, love, and suspense. I can’t even put into words how incredible this book is. It was a wonderfully designed plot, and intricate characters. If you like apocalyptic, science fiction stories filled with aliens and the end of the world scenarios, and an incredible love story than this book is definitely for you!

Cassie.
Not Cassie for Cassandra.
Not simply Cassie.
But Cassie for Cassiopeia.

Evan Walker.
Not just a farm boy.
Not just a boy who has lost his entire family.
But Evan. Complicated. Conflicted.

Ben Parish.
Not just your average jock.
Not just a boy Cassie used to have a crush on.
But a soldier. Honest. True. Honorable.

These three have survived the first four waves from the aliens that came from the skies. The waves had wiped out most of humanity, but still, these three survived somehow. Cassie is alone, trying her best to survive, not really sure where to go or what to do to get her brother back. And as she travels she has flashbacks from their arrival. Flashbacks of what happened to her mother, her father, people that survived the first four waves and made a camp together. Along her journey of trying to figure out what to do Cassie is shot by a silencer and left for dead. But Evan, farm boy, shy, sweet Evan finds her and helps her. Evan and Cassie are instantly drawn to each other, their attraction for each other undeniable. Evan encourages Cassie to stay with him, that he’ll take care of her, that going after her brother is suicidal, but Cassie won’t be swayed. She has to rescue her brother even if it means her death. Just one problem, Evan refuses to let her go without him. Together they set out to rescue Sammy, but secrets and betrayal surround them. Despite it all, Cassie has to do whatever it takes to save her baby brother. Still the question lingers, can they infiltrate Camp Haven and save her brother from the inevitable 5th wave?

Meanwhile, in Camp Haven, Ben has miraculously survived the virus and is trained to be a soldier. The soldiers at Camp Haven have uncovered a horrible truth. Ben suits up, stricken with grief over the death of his family, but pushes his sorrow way down inside of himself. He trains, hard. Desperate to get back at the aliens that took so much from him. He befriends the members in his squad, and they become a formidable team. Once they’ve completed their training, they are sent out on a mission to take care of alien hostiles. But what they find is an undeniable truth. A truth so dark, it turns your insides out.

Inside the camp and outside the camp the world is crumbling and people are turning on people, all because of the horrible things the aliens have done to them. But despite it all, can these three overcome all of this and save the one thing they have in common? A little boy that has come to mean so much to them. To Cassie, her brother. To Ben, his friend and a promise he refuses to break. And to Evan, what it means to be human.

I simply couldn’t put this book down. I read this book because I saw the movie trailer and just couldn’t believe how exciting it seemed. The book is amazing, gripping, with a wonderful fast paced plot, completely action packed, a great love story that is gripping and intense, truly marvelous memorable characters and so much more. Be sure to check it out before the movie comes out in January. And just in case you haven’t seen the trailer be sure to check it out too!

Movie Trailer:

About the Author:

Rick is the author of fifteen novels and a memoir. His books have been published in over thirty languages and have earned numerous accolades and awards from around the world. His young adult novel, The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, was named a “Best Book of the Year” by Publishers Weekly and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. In 2010, Rick received a Michael L. Printz Honor for The Monstrumologist. The sequel, The Curse of the Wendigo, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His latest novel, The 5th Wave, the first in an epic sci-fi trilogy, made its worldwide debut in 2013, and will soon be a major motion picture for GK Films and Sony Pictures.

Book Summary

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Review

What intrigues me most about a story is the depth of its characters and the secrets it holds. A book titled Cage of Deceit certainly lives up to its name. Back and forth these characters have secrets they keep from those around them, with just a few being revealed and many teased throughout the book. How frustrating! Enjoyable, but frustrating.

By tease I mean truly, repeatedly, almost jokingly dangled the truth to some nefarious plot these characters conceived. I’m actually a bit upset now that I didn’t start a tally on how many times a character was ready to reveal some mystery before being interrupted. I mean this in the best way, of course, who doesn’t love a good cliffhanger? Especially writers?

I’m not a fan of spoiling too much for the reader so here’s what I have to say. This book has amazing characters! Sometimes when a book tends to have so many characters and plot lines, minor and even major characters can bleed together or seem one-dimensional. I really felt that everyone in this book was very real though. They were flawed with occasional quirks and awkward moments. They teased one another in a way that you knew they had a history beyond the pages. Inside jokes and past events came out and were so refreshing to find in the day-to-day conversation. The action scenes had you rooting and the amazing imagery made it easy to imagine you walking alongside Allyssa and sharing her hurried life as a princess, vigilante, and key to discovering the secrets to prevent a war in her kingdom of devastating proportions. Sound exhausting? Alyssa takes naps. I found this oddly hilarious and endearing to her character.

Of course, Jarvik’s character as well shone through in this story. Despite his overall bossy and sometimes shifty actions, there was something so likable about him. He clearly has only the best intentions for the kingdom he came from and seems to stop at nothing to reveal any nefarious plots in Emperion. Right to the point of enraging a certain temperamental princess.

I do have to say that when I first started this book it seemed to be a very lighthearted story. As it developed, the pace and Allyssa really grew in maturity. Her friendships, her determination to be a good princess, and her relationships with the people she loves really grew. She took responsibility for her actions and remained quite selfless even when people called her spoiled or didn’t see her true self. Still, she remained strong in who she was and made decisions the reader can admire.

About the Author

Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her best friend and high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity.

Author Links

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway

(Clean Teen Publishing Mystery Box)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour Organized By

//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Nameless
by Jennifer Jenkins
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC
Publishing Date: October 6, 2015
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Paperback: 336 pages
Rating: 5/5

Book Summary:

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.

Purchase Links:

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Indiebound | Kobo | TBD | Google Play | iBooks

Check out the Tour Schedule here!

My Review:

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

There is so much to love about this book! It’s heart wrenching, heart racing, page turning, and just so epically awesome. It’s a hard book to put down. Zo is an incredible protagonist that decides from the beginning of the book to risk her life in order to save the clans outside of the wall. Little does she realize her sister follows her to Ram’s Gate and is taken inside the wall along with her. Both her and her sister are immediately enslaved into the services of the Rams and are forevermore called Nameless, a slave with no name. The Rams find out that Zo is a healer and puts her skill to work, telling her that if one soldier should die then her sister will die. The problem with this is that Zo’s abilities to heal come with a price, she can only heal someone she cares about. And how do you care for someone you hate?

The story also follows Gryphon, a Ram soldier with a conscience. Gryphon fights for the cause, sure, but he also is honorable and doesn’t kill unnecessary. Gryphon’s friend Joshua is the first wounded soldier Zo has to heal. Joshua befriends Zo, and Zo has a hard time pushing him away even though she tries. Zo is never a nameless to Joshua. Gryphon at first forces himself to see Zo as a nameless, but as time goes on he begins to see much, much more.

I really enjoyed Joshua. He’s such a sweet boy, and despite him being a Ram, anyone would have their heart warmed from that kid. The other character I found myself surprised to like was Gabe. At first I was thinking there would be some sort of love triangle going on, but honestly it wasn’t like that at all (I’m not a fan of love triangles). So at first when I thought this was going to be just another one of those love triangles, I didn’t really like him. But over time as I got to know Gabe, and realized he was part of Zo’s past, a past she never thought she would see again, it all came together really well. And despite how he might feel for her, and how she might not feel for him, Gabe says and does some pretty note worthy things that definitely wins him a few points. He’s incredibly observant. And he risks his life for her by staying close to the wall and waiting for her. And despite how horrible that situation ends up for him, he’s still just a great person that is definitely willing to do anything for her. There’s even a part in the book, which I won’t give away, that had to do with him and Gryphon fighting and oh my goodness, I thought my heart would pop out of my chest. The author really knows how to put these characters in impossible situations where you really think something absolutely horrible is going to happen to everyone involved, and then you have to keep reading because you need to find out what happened to them. Because the characters are just that lovable despite them being enemies.  Honestly the true enemies in this story are the Gate Master and the Chief. They are truly villainous. They are the kind of villains that make your skin crawl.

Both of the main characters have their own inner journey as they realize more and more about the Rams, the Nameless, and the other clans. Zo’s inner journey deals with her hatred for what the Rams have done to her family and learning that not all Rams are evil, some just haven’t been taught any better. Some just have never befriended a Nameless. Gryphon’s inner journey is in discovery that there’s more than a brutal world and in realizing there’s a line one simply cannot cross when it comes to the innocent. Though both points of view are exceptional, I really enjoyed Gryphon’s journey. Of the two, I feel like he had the biggest growth to make. He is her enemy and she is his. He grew up in a brutal world. Participated and accepted the violence around him, telling himself that it was just the way of the world despite how he truly felt. But getting to know Zo completely changes him and he becomes such a strong, trustworthy character that tries to do the right thing despite the horrible situations he ends up in. His story really takes off and it’s hard to not be invested in his story.  Zo is a lovable character too, and you really sympathize with her. Her parents were brutally killed by the Rams. She has every reason to despise them. And yet, as the story progresses, Joshua finds a way into her heart.

Jennifer Jenkins has created such an astounding world. The characters are wonderful. It’s a gripping read from beginning to end with an incredible, intense ending that leaves the story open for more. I read the entire book in one day, that’s how incredible it is. It’s simply a must read! I cannot wait for the sequel!

Exciting news! NAMELESS is in development for film by Benderspink! That’s the same company who optioned Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen and produced the I AM NUMBER FOUR film!

About the Author:

With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.

Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).

Visit her online at jajenkins.com

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

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Blog Tour Organized by:

The Lost Tribe
by Matthew Caldwell
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: May 27, 2015
Paperback: 348 pages
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Book Summary (Goodreads):

1939. Harry Pike struggles with the rest of the country through the latter stages of the Great Depression. As a sportswriter, he watches as his jobs keep disappearing. As a Jewish zamler, or luck pusher, he feels the need to help his friend Abner, who is lost in the minor leagues in his quest to play baseball.

But when German forces challenge America to a baseball series, another need arises—Harry knows he must mend the broken zamler trails to get the European Jews to safety before the war machine crushes them all.

Review:

The Lost Tribe by Matthew Caldwell is a captivating tale that grabs you from the very first page. Prior to the start of World War 2, Jewish sympathizers are being rounded up and taken to concentration camps. On one such night a twelve year old boy named Johann is given a set of instructions from his father that will take him to America. Johann, a German with a great fondness for baseball, is sent on a path that will lead him to Harry Pike with a message from his father. The European Jews, including their zamlers, are in trouble and they need help. When Johann finds Harry, he is in the process of gathering a team to Germany to play a baseball game against the Germans. Harry, a zamler himself, puts together a team that has different ethnicities and even a female baseball player. Prior to getting this team together, Harry had spent a great deal of time searching for his friend Abner, a Jewish baseball player that has gone off the radar. Once Abner receives word of this baseball team he arrives to help Harry, and together they take the team to Germany to play an epic baseball game of their lives. Harry goes as their sponsor, but goes on a secret and dangerous mission himself to mend the broken zamler trails to save the European Jews.

One thing I absolutely loved about this book is how much history it holds. I had no idea about the happenings of baseball at this time. I didn’t even realize that there were Jews playing on baseball teams or how hard the Great Depression really impacted everyone and how if a Jew worked on one of their spiritual or holy days in order to support their family that it was looked down upon by others from their community. Another thing that surprised me with this book is the fact that I’m not actually a fan of baseball, but I really enjoyed this story regardless. It’s such a heart warming story that takes place in such a dark, dark time.

The zamlers  was something new and interesting to me and of course I had to go research it. These zamlers really are a part of the Jewish Community and from what I can tell from what I’ve researched is that they are collectors of scattered things. I loved how it’s used in this book, and I loved the slight element of supernatural the author uses with the term zamler. In this story, a zamler  is a luck pusher. And they seem to have a good or bad feelings about different things. Like they go with their gut, their intuition. When I first started reading the book the slight insert of supernatural kind of caught me off guard because I wasn’t expecting it at all. But I think it was a nice blend of history, baseball, and that ever so slight insert of supernatural abilities that really made this story interesting and exciting to read. There’s so much detail, so much character development, and overall just an amazing story.

My favorite character in this story is definitely Harry Pike. He is such an honorable and noble character. And when he gets the message from the boy he doesn’t even bat an eyelash about it. He simply moves into action and begins planning a way to help the European Jews. He is such an amazing character. I also really liked the boy Johann. His escape from Germany was so incredible and intensely written. I couldn’t even put the book down until I knew he made it safely to his destination. I really enjoyed Abner as well and my heart really ached for him. For part of the book Harry is searching for Abner, a baseball player that pretty much goes MIA. Abner is a character that would do anything to support his family to ensure they have food on the table, that feels like the only thing he is good at is baseball, and is basically shunned by his people because of a decision he makes to ensure his family gets fed, causing him to go under the radar.

The story itself is magical. It’s purely inspiring. It’s heart felt and deeply moving. The characters all stand their own, and each of them are enchanting. It’s an incredible story that takes place in such a depressing time of our world, and yet there’s so much hope that exists on the pages of this story and even though our characters are stacked against all odds, it shows us what people are willing to do in order to save humanity.

If you enjoy history, baseball, a unique tale, great characters, a little supernatural, and a story that makes your heart warm and weep then this story is definitely for you! I highly recommend reading it!

Giveaway Details: Since I loved this book so much The Page Unbound is hosting a giveaway for one ebook copy of The Lost Tribe. Opened International.

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Stepping Stones (The Stone Series, #1)
by Kacey Vanderkarr
Release Date: 08/25/15
Urban Fey Press

Summary from Goodreads:

Onnaleigh Moore is part of a plan—and it isn’t hers. When her brother dies in a car accident, Onna is desperate to preserve the tatters of her family. Any hope of finding normalcy vanishes when her mother runs off and her dad turns to booze to numb his pain. Onna’s grief is crippling, but the boy who showed up just when she needed him is helping her cope.

Everett’s presence is comforting, though he knows things—Onna’s name just before they met, where she lives, and sometimes he comments on thoughts she doesn’t say aloud. She pegs him for a stalker, or maybe psychic, but the truth is deadlier than she imagines. As their feelings for one another deepen, Everett confesses a horrifying secret: Onna’s brother is only the beginning of the plan, and some fates are worse than death.

Add to Goodreads

My Review:

I really liked this book.  It was well written and kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next.  That said, this was a very hard book for me to read.  I cried through the whole first part of the book.  Onna’s brother dies in a car accident and the author describes her feelings, the wake , and the funeral so well that it brought back memories of my own brothers death, which also occurred when I was a teenager.I will warn you that this is a very sad book and the death of Onna’s brother is just the beginning.  Onna’s life seems to be ruled by Murphy’s law: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.  After reading the book, I understand why all this tragedy was necessary, but it is still very sad.

What I liked about the book:

The book was well written and the characters were fairly well developed.  I liked all of the main characters.  My favorites being Onna and her best girlfriend, Hunter.  Through thick or thin, Hunter is always there for her.  Everett is a great character too.  He obviously adores Onna, but he is full of secrets and may not be trustworthy.  The book ends at a good spot, but this is definitely the first book in a series, because we are left with a lot of unanswered questions.  I like a book that keeps me guessing and  this book did that in spades.

What I didn’t like about the book:

The fact that it made me cry through a good portion of the book.  I will be honest here.  This is not the kind of book that I normally read.  If I find out a book is sad, I usually stay away from it.  I don’t enjoy crying and I’m not one of those women that looks beautiful when they cry.  I’m a mess and it’s ugly.  Of course the real reason is because I have had more than enough tragedy in my own life.  But I’m not sorry that I read this book and I did enjoy it in spite of the crying.

The other thing I didn’t like was how wishy-washy Onna was when it came to Everett.  She would beg him to tell her what he was hiding, but then when he did, she would run away and vow never to see him again.  Then after a few days, she would go back to him.  He even warned her that he wasn’t a good person, but she just kept going back.  Either your with someone and accept them good and bad or you’re not with them.

This book is a good start to Kacey Vanderkarr’s new series.  I think that Kacey is a good author and I love her Reflection Pond series.  I am already hooked on this new series and I will be reading the next book to find out the answers to my unanswered questions.  I give this book 4 stars.

About the Author
Kacey Vanderkarr is a young adult author. She dabbles in fantasy, romance, and sci-fi, complete with faeries, alternate realities, and the occasional plasma gun. She’s known to be annoyingly optimistic and listen to music at the highest decibel. When she’s not writing, she coaches winterguard and works as a sonographer. Kacey lives in Michigan, with her husband, son, and crazy cats. Along with her novels, Reflection Pond and Antithesis, Kacey’s short fiction can be found in Sucker Literary Vol 3, and the upcoming Spark Vol 7, Ember: A Journal of Luminous Things, and Out of the Green: Tales from Fairyland.

Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

Cover Reveal Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

a Rafflecopter giveaway

//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Unexpected
by Lilly Avalon
Publication Date: July 21, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Rating: 2/5

Book Summary (Goodreads):

Ever had one of those days? Alina Lyons is having one. Everything keeps falling apart and going wrong. Just when she thinks it couldn’t get worse, it does. After a case of mistaken identity and a broken heart, she finds herself questioning the things she thought she knew. She wonders who she can turn to or trust anymore.

An unlikely bond with her former best friend’s ex, Ryan Wilcox, sends her life in a new direction. He offers her a place to stay while she gets her life back on track. His friendship is exactly what she’s been missing—what she’s been needing. Alina’s never felt this alive. As time goes by, the dynamic of their relationship becomes more than either of them expected. A few innocent kisses could lead them in a new direction, but are they prepared for what’s on the other side?

Only one way to find out.

My Review:

I wanted to love this book, I really did. Lilly Avalon is a sweet, and wonderful person, and that more than anything made me want to love this book. But I just couldn’t.

Unexpected follows the characters of Alina and Ryan on an unexpected path of love and friendship. The premise is great. Alina needs help getting her life together, she just caught her boyfriend cheating on her, she no longer has a place to stay, she quit her job and has no income. She needs help and Ryan, whom is pretty much perfect in all ways, takes her under his wing and helps her get back on her feet. And as he helps her love blooms between them that they can’t possibly deny. I love the general idea of the story, I think it has the building blocks for an enjoyable read.

Where it fell flat for me is that it felt like half the book was filled with very detailed sex scenes. I was surprised with how many scenes there were. I typically don’t read books with a lot of sex scenes, and I would have been willing to look past the sex scenes in this case if the rest of the story kept my attention. But unfortunately it didn’t. To me, and this is just my opinion, there wasn’t much character growth. There was no mystery to the story. The characters had no real depth. To me it didn’t feel like a genuine love story because their physical relationship in the story was very prominent. There was no real “problem” in the story, sure Alina needed help, but besides that there was no real drama, no real problem to fix, no climatic ending. The two characters push each other away for, in my opinion, reasons that don’t make sense. Even though their first encounter in the story consists of them kissing each other (and a little more), Ryan tries to keep the relationship platonic because they are just friends, right? And Alina agrees with him, because they are just friends, right? Maybe she was scared of trusting someone else, but a person that is truly scared won’t continue kissing a person they are falling in love with. They won’t stay in their house. They won’t encourage sleeping in the same bed with them. No, if she was truly scared of trusting someone because of how hurt she was, she’d be running full on the other way.

I think the author did okay letting us see who Alina is and to learn more about her. But I felt like I knew next to nothing about Ryan. I couldn’t connect with either of the main characters. And honestly, Ryan was too perfect. Don’t kid me wrong, the two characters were very cutesy together. And there was some REALLY cute and sweet moments between the two. But I need more than that to keep my interest. I need complexity. I need dynamic. I need character growth. I need a story with some sort of climatic ending and maybe even a deeper meaning in the story. Unfortunately for me this book did not meet those needs.

I received an ARC from the author for an honest review. And I was very impressed with Lilly Avalon when she still wanted me to post my review even though I didn’t like the book. I think that says a lot about an author. Please don’t not read this book because of my review. Who knows, you might actually enjoy it and see something more to it than I did. I personally couldn’t connect with the characters but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to. If you like simple, steamy love stories than this book just might be for you. Would I try further reads from Lilly Avalon? Yes I would.

About the Author:

Lilly Avalon is the author of the RESIST series as well as other erotic romances. She’s somewhere in the midst of her twenties and lives mostly in the stories in her head. When she’s not enveloped in the worlds she creates, she’s out in the real world making stories happen. That or reading other romances. It’s a toss-up.

Author Links:
Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

aRafflecopter giveaway//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js