Review: Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper

Grasping at Eternity (The Kindrily Series, #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper

Release Date: May 25, 2012
Publisher: Starry Sky Publishing

Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Genre: Paranormal, Reincarnation, Romance
Available Formats: eBook
My Shelf: Own (eBook)
Other Books: Tangled Tides

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories.

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she's supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah's memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her.

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be.

X-MEN meets MY NAME IS MEMORY in Karen Amanda Hooper’s latest young adult release.

Review:

“A person’s destiny is written in the stars. The sky is a storybook, and the stars are the characters in its pages.” ~pg. 69

It seems, however, that Maryah’s story is already reaching its end. The star that represents her eternal life has gone out. She grows up unaware that her story is drawing to a close, but when a tragic event strikes her biological family, she has to move in with complete strangers who seem to know more about her than she does herself. She comes to realize that she was once a part of their Kindrily, a family of superpowered, reincarnated souls that have been together for centuries. Each member of the family lives a lifetime, passes on, and then is born again with the same soul and all their past memories intact. Except Maryah. She has no memories of this family, or her soulmate, Nathaniel. Without her memories, her eternal soul is in danger of being lost forever, and when a group of people begin hunting her down for being a Kindrily, her life, and her soul, have never been more at risk.

With books dealing with soulmates and reincarnation gaining popularity as of late, it is becoming hard to find a story that is unconventional. However, Hooper never fails to deliver, and she provides a stunningly original story of love and loss. Hooper’s expressive prose and exquisitely rendered characters makes Grasping at Eternity an enthralling read, and the emotional intensity of this book is gripping and heartrending. I loved everything about this story, and Hooper has definitely become one of my favorite authors.

Grasping at Eternity is told from both Maryah’s and Nathaniel’s point of view, and this shifting of perspectives allows the reader to really get a feel for both characters. Their voices are distinct, and I have to admit I loved getting explicit peeks at Nathaniel’s thoughts. With his soulmate unable to remember him and their past lives, Nathaniel is experiencing heartbreak and emotional pain like never before. Hooper’s vivid details made his heartache feel real, and there were moments where I would be rubbing my chest in phantom pain. Maryah is thrust in a new world and family, and she has no idea why everyone seems to know who she is, or how Nathaniel knows she loves hot chocolate. Her confusion and disorientation felt genuine, and I loved how the reader pieces the story together with Maryah.

The most appealing aspect of this book for me was Hooper’s concept of reincarnation. After every life, the eternal soul is given an option: retain or erase. If you were given the choice to remember everything, both the good and the bad, and carry it with you in the next life, would you? Or would you like to have a clean slate and be able to experience everything again for the first time, like your first kiss and falling in love? It is truly a fascinating idea! Hooper also delves into the meaning of promnesia, otherwise known as déjà vu. We all experience moments or events in life that seem startlingly familiar, but we just write it off as one of those weird déjà vu moments. But what if one of those strange moments is actually a recollection from a past life? There are so many stories out there of people who believed they remember their past life, but what those stories are actually true? Hooper’s theory of reincarnation really captured my attention, and I loved how it made me think.

After reading Tangled Tides, I feel in love with Hooper’s writing, and just when I think she could not get any better, she produces Grasping at Eternity. This book blew me away with its excellent (and intriguing!) storyline, heartfelt characters, and emotional turmoil. I feel like this book should have come with a warning sign! Warning: this will put you through an emotional wringer. This book will make you laugh, make you cry, make you experience heartache, and make you discover the happiness and joy in finding your destined person. This book was everything I expected from Hooper and more, and I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next!

Lastly, I will leave you with this beautiful quote that so perfectly represents this book:

“If you love someone, put their name in a circle; because hearts can be broken, but a circle never ends.” ~Anonymous

The Greatest Escape!

Waiting on Wednesday (29)

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and it's a weekly meme mentioning an anticipated upcoming release!

My Choice:

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

Release Date: March 3, 2013
Publisher: Tor Teen

Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook
Other Information: Debut

Pre-Order: Amazon / Books-A-Million
Add to Goodreads!

16-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare. Literally. Dusty is a magical being who feeds on human dreams.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder. The setting is Arkwell.

And then it comes true.

Now the Dusty has to follow the clues--both within Eli’s dreams and out of them--to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

The first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. It definitely stands out amongst other YA novels! The author also posted the full dust cover, text and all, which is just GORGEOUS! (I love the mysterious and slightly creepy vibe it has.)

The premise turned out to be just as unique as the cover, which made me even more excited! A girl who feeds on nightmares? Where can I get myself a copy of this book? Throw in the main character straddling boys, a hot, prophetic love interest, and a little bit of murder, mayhem, and mystery, and I am sold! :D

The author is holding a giveaway to win an ARC of The Nightmare Affair here, if you would like to sign up!

HUGE Giveaway and Review for Auracle by Gina Rosati

*A HUGE thank you to Gina Rosati for providing me with an ARC of Auracle to review! Thank you, thank you! *

Auracle by Gina Rosati

Release Date: August 7, 2012
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Author Information: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook

My Shelf: Own (ARC)
Other Information: Debut

Pre-Order: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

Add to Goodreads!

16 year old Anna Rogan has a secret she's only shared with her best friend, Rei; she can astrally project out of her body, allowing her spirit to explore the world and the far reaches of the universe.

When there's a fatal accident and her classmate Taylor takes over Anna's body, what was an exhilarating distraction from her repressive home life threatens to become a permanent state. Faced with a future trapped in another dimension, Anna turns to Rei for help. Now the two of them must find a way to get Anna back into her body and stop Taylor from accusing an innocent friend of murder. Together Anna and Rei form a plan but it doesn't take into account the deeper feelings that are beginning to grow between them.

Review:

I point to my chest, mouthing the word me.

“Me,” he says softly. “‘That’s not me.’ That’s not you? Well, then, who is it?” He looks more confused than ever. Over at my house, the front door opens. Taylor comes out barefoot and walks slowly up the driveway toward the mailbox. She doesn’t look over, but Rei sees her, and he knows I can’t be here and there at the same time.

I mouth the word very slowly. “Taylor.” 

Auracle was a real treat to read. Rosati smoothly blends vivid details and evocative writing with an original, emotional story, heartfelt and down-to-earth characters, and a plotline that will keep you reading until the very end.

Growing up, I watched the show Charmed religiously, and I remember thinking Prue’s ability of astral projection was one of the most amazing abilities ever. To be able to escape from both your body and life, traverse to places of unforetold wonder, experience things such as sight, smell, and sound more intensely than in your physical body, it would truly be a life-altering experience. While the concept of astral projection was what drew me to Auracle initially, I quickly discovered there was so much more to love about it.

The characters themselves were exquisitely rendered, each with their own strengths and imperfections, and they felt genuinely real. Roasti brilliantly constructs deep bonds between the characters, and portrays what it means to be a true friend. Personally, I found the strongest and most compelling part of this story to be the growing relationship between Rei and Anna. Having been best friends since childhood, there were already close to one another, but I loved watching their relationship realistically and gradually change as they became aware of the romantic connection between them. (I was totally giggling the first time Anna realizes that Rei has abs! Yum! :D)

Utterly unique and emotionally gripping, Auracle is easily a book I would recommend to anyone. It has quickly been added to my list of top favorites, and it is the type of book you will reach for again and again. To put it simply, Auracle was an absolutely mesmerizing read, and I hope it dazzles you as much as it did me.  

The Greatest Escape!

Well, if that is not enough to inspire you to read Auracle, I’ll share a funny story from the author –

“I was having trouble visualizing Rei, so one day while I was using my husband's computer, I decided I needed to find a picture. Rei is half Japanese, so I Google Image-searched "Hot Asian Guys". NEVER do this from your husband's computer (or boyfriend or parent, etc.) because there is this little thing I was unaware of called Google Search History. Later that night, my husband asked me 1) why I had been Googling "Hot Asian Guys" on his computer and 2) why his computer was infested with malware. Oops! (I now know that anything Googled with the word “Hot” can lead to big trouble!) Fortunately, my husband has a really great sense of humor and he's a whiz at fixing computers.

As soon as I saw this picture, I knew I’d found my Rei (although this is really actor/singer Takeshi Kaneshiro!) And since he looks so good all drippy wet, I felt compelled to keep Rei wet as much as possible, which explains Rei’s shower obsession. Seriously. This is character development at its finest! ;)”

To view the picture of Rei, click here!

And now it is GIVEAWAY TIME! Gina is giving away a bunch of awesome prizes: a signed ARC of Auracle, two bags of Auracle swag, and a Swarovski crystal bracelet! (^o^) This giveaway is international, so anyone can join! The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. To enter, just sign up below!

The prizes (detailed): Signed ARC, beaded bookmarks, buttons, magnets, silicone bracelets, Swarovski crystal bracelet and stickers! About the bracelet: The center star and fastener are lead-free pewter. The blue crystals are Swarovski, but the large clear beads are quartz crystal, which (according to newly minted crystal geek, Gina) absorbs negative energy. Leave your bracelet on a sunny windowsill from time to time to let the crystals clear and charge up.  The bracelet pictured measures seven inches. If you need your bracelet bigger or smaller, let me know and Gina will restring to fit.

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Giveaway and Blog Tour: Retro Geeks by Karen Mueller Bryson

Retro Geeks by Karen Mueller Bryson

Release Date: March 29, 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace
Author Information: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Contemporary
Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
My Shelf: Own (eBook)
Buy the Book: Amazon

Retro Geeks is a Short on Time Books for Teens, fast-paced and fun novels for readers on the go. Remember when it wasn't cool to be a geek? That's so yesterday! Retro Geeks, chronicles the (mis)adventures of two self-proclaimed geek girls, Molly and Ally, as they attempt to land super-hot dates for their senior prom. The 80s obsessed BFFs attempt a variety of date-finding schemes, including spying on the popular girls for the 411 on fitting in, in their quest for top-tier prom dates.

Review:

What a fun, fluffy read! Retro Geeks is a nice coming-of-age story of how two girls come to embrace their individuality. Molly and Ally are self-proclaimed retro geeks, but being retro does not equate to being ‘cool’. Determined to become part of the In-Crowd, they devise a series of plans to land them popularity and handsome prom dates.

The story itself is light, and there are a few fun moments that make Retro Geeks an entertaining read. Molly and Anna have a very tightly bound friendship, and some of the schemes they concocted together were so crazy it was ridiculous. Their story is all kinds of adorable, and it really made me recall (and not miss) how over-the-top and dramatic everything was in high school.

Some moments in this book were very reminiscent of the movie Mean Girls, and Elisa and friends reminded me a lot of Regina and her crew, cattiness and all. Also, as an added bonus, there is a guy named Tucker who just so happens to be a cowboy, and his kindhearted personality is very similar to Unearthly’s Tucker Avery (*swoon* I <3 Tucker Avery!). Overall, the story can be kind of silly and juvenile at moments, and it is easy to see how the storyline will progress, but it serves well for a short, fun read.

A Decent Escape

Enter the giveaway below to win a copy of Retro Geeks! (International)

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Review: A Blood Seduction by Pamela Palmer

A Blood Seduction (Vamp City, #1) by Pamela Palmer

Release Date: May 29, 2012

Publisher: Avon
Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

Take me down to Vampire City...

Vampires live only for lust and pleasure in the eternal twilight of Vamp City. But the city's magic is dying. The only person who can restore it? A beautiful woman from the mortal world...one who knows nothing of the power she wields.

Quinn Lennox is searching for a missing friend when she stumbles into a dark otherworld that only she can see—and finds herself at the mercy of Arturo Mazza, a dangerously handsome vampire whose wicked kiss will save her, enslave her, bewitch her, and betray her. What Arturo can't do is forget about her—any more than Quinn can control her own feelings for him. Neither one can let desire get in the way of their mission—his to save his people, hers to save herself. But there is no escape from desire in a city built for seduction, where passion flows hot and blood-red.

Welcome to Vamp City...

Review:

[sigh] I had such high hopes for this book. With world building comparable to Ilona Andrew’s On the Edge series, I was immediately taken in with the idea of a vampire city overlaying the ‘real world’ of Washington, D.C. The vampires that live in this parallel world, Washington, V.C. (Vamp City- I kid you not), are complete monsters, where in addition to thriving on human blood, they also enjoying feeding off the fear and pain of humans. Humans are beaten, whipped, tortured, and enslaved, all to satisfy the desires and bloodlust of their master vampires. There are no sparkly, loving vampires here! I loved the rough, gritty feel to the world and all its occupants, but the book still ended up falling flat for me. The fault lies in the characters.

The main character, Quinn, has some magic in her blood, enabling her to see into V.C. When a friend goes missing, she accidently stumbles into the vampires’ world and meets Arturo. This is when everything hits the fan. Quinn ran me through an emotional gamut. She would be terrified of Arturo one minute, then desire him, and then hate him, all within a couple of paragraphs. Her emotions and feelings toward Arturo would shift so quickly that it was impossible for me to keep up with them. She would be scared witless but still crave him. I thought emotions like fear, hate, and desire in a relationship were mutually exclusive (unless someone is an extreme masochist, which Quinn is not). Even at the end of the book, her feelings were still ambiguous, where I was unsure if she trusted him and how much she liked him.

Another thing about Quinn is she is weak, both physically and emotionally. Arturo told her not to trust him, that his allegiance was to his vampire master, Cristoff, first and foremost. However, she would believe him when he was lying to her, expect something from him, and then cry when he betrayed her. This happened over and over again. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. She also couldn’t fight to save her life. I kept expecting her to pull out some big guns and show the vampires who was really boss, but she spent most of the time cowering in fear. It is hard for me to get behind a character like that. It also gives me a newfound respect for other characters like Kate Daniels or Mercy Thompson, who always stay strong and fierce, regardless of what is being thrown at them.

Arturo is a whole other type of monster (literally). He lies and betrays Quinn so much throughout this book that I had to keep asking myself, Is this guy really Quinn’s love interest? I still question whether he actually cares for her. There were a few snippets in the book where the reader knew what he was thinking and begins understand why he did what he did, and just when I think he is about to redeem himself in some grand gesture, he goes and demolishes any progress he made. I am all for the dangerous bad boys or the dark, broody types, but when a guy shows how much he ‘cares’ for you by turning you over to his master who he knows is going to torture you, I quickly fall off that guy’s bandwagon. No, thank you, sir. Even at the end, after he helped Quinn escape, he says that he will kidnap her again at a more convenient time and once again give her to his master (who has threatened to cut off appendages next time he finds her). Hmmm, I think this guy does not understand one crucial thing….

Dear Arturo, that is not the way you care for a lady. Allow me to help you out here. A real woman would prefer chocolates or flowers, maybe even candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach for the more romantically inclined, not torture and pain and death. Most women do not find physical and mental torment romantic. Just some advice you should take note of.  From a concerned bystander, Bri.

Overall, the world was intriguing and I loved Palmer’s take on vampires, but the characters were lacking. I found Arturo and Quinn’s relationship to be extraordinarily unhealthy and disturbing, making it hard to really appreciate what this book had to offer story-wise and romantically. I may try out the next book in the series, but I am going to be hoping it turns out better than A Blood Seduction. 

A Small Escape

Review: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

On the Edge (The Edge, #1) by Ilona Andrews

Release Date: September 29, 2009

Publisher: Ace
Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
My Shelf: Want to Buy
Other Series: Kate Daniels series
Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.

Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn’t turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off the books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power).

But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them—or they’ll devour the Edge and everyone in it.

Review:

How do you know when a book is going to be amazing? When the main character has to shot her zombie grandfather to prevent him from eating dogs’ brains, yells at one of her younger brothers for bringing the dead back to life and tattle tailing, and scolding the other brother, a feline shapeshifter, for constantly chasing and eating birds. All within the first 10 pages. She then proceeds to almost run over royalty and kill off an evil hell hound, all while getting a pretty good deal on a new pair of sneakers for one brother. Yep, this book is going to be a good one!

Simply put, On the Edge is pure, unadulterated satisfaction. The world Rose, her brothers, and Declan lives in is brilliantly crafted and rife with originality. I loved discovering more about their world, and Andrews does a wonderful job in presenting it, making the dynamics of The Broken, The Edge, and The Weird easy to understand. The characters were also exquisitely done. Rose is prickly and untrusting, but with her attempted-kidnapping track record, it is easy to understand why. She has the ability to use white flash, a type of magic only used by nobles in The Weird, and this ability makes her a valuable commodity in The Edge. Not one to be used or walked on because of her magic, she tends to shoot first and ask questions later. She is fiercely loyal to her brothers, and I admired her resilience and strength. Declan is perfect for Rose. He is a noble from The Weird, a trained fighter with white flash abilities of his own. He is egotistical (but Rose quickly puts him in his place), infuriating, swoon-worthy, and unabashedly protective of Rose and everyone in her life. Together, Rose and Declan make a great pair, and I loved watching their relationship develop. To top everything off, there was Jack and George. I LOVED THEM. If there was a way I could put them in my pocket and keep them forever, I would do it. Even though they are young, they are mature and knowledgeable, and despite having completely different personalities, there is a strong brotherly bond between them that tugs at the heart and left me grinning like a ninny.

Overall, this book was everything I expected from Ilona Andrews and more. On the Edge is the beginning of what I am sure will be an amazing new series, and I cannot wait to read the next installment!

The Greatest Escape!

Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Release Date: June 14, 2012
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Author Information: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook

My Shelf: Want to Buy
Other Information: Debut

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

Review:

Every once in a while, there is a book that just grabs your attention and surpasses all expectations. Recently, I had given up hope for a good, solid YA romance title with no excessive teen drama, real characters and a relationship I could invest in, and a story that just makes me smile. I am happy to say that I’ve found a keeper in My Life Next Door.

Samantha Reed spends her time watching the chaotic Garrett family next door. Her own life is rather lonely and solitary, with a mother who is almost never home and a sister away for the summer, but the Garretts’ house is a flurry of activity with kids constantly running around and squealing. The Garrett family has everything that hers doesn’t: a fatherly presence, a mother and father with a steady, loving relationship, and a place that can be called home, and Samantha only wishes she could be one of them. When Jase Garrett surprises her one evening and they start talking, the two begin a whirlwind romance that tugs at heartstrings and shows the beauty and magic of falling in love for the first time.

This book thoroughly charmed me. Blissfully absent of love triangles, teen angst, and unnecessary relationship drama, My Life Next Door casts a realistic light on teenage love. I completely fell for Jase. He is lighthearted, easy to be with and talk to, mature, patient, and an all-around nice guy who just wants to make the person he loves happy. Samantha was reserved and tended to keep to herself, but Jase slowly brings her out of her shell, and I loved watching her undergo this transformation. In any relationship, the person you are with should make you into a better person, helping you rid yourself of doubt and fear, and that is exactly what Jase and Samantha’s relationship epitomizes. They really brought out the best in each other, and watching their romance develop was a real treat. The Garrett family, in all their craziness, was another added bonus. With too many comical moments to count, they had me in stitches most of the time. George is ridiculously adorable, and I would love nothing more than to just pinch his cheeks and give him a bear hug (considering he is actually wearing underwear/pants).  

For her debut work, I do not think Fitzpatrick could have done much better. She created an enchanting love story filled with practical and loveable characters and swoon worthy moments that will leave the reader feeling so many heartfelt emotions, it will be difficult to process them all. While the ‘incident’ at the end of the book could have been handled a little more efficiently, this book is still one of the best debuts to come out in 2012. I loved Jase, I loved Jase and Samantha’s relationship, and I loved this book. I cannot wait to see what Fitzpatrick will have for us next! 

A Great Escape!

Waiting on Wednesday (28)

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and it's a weekly meme mentioning an anticipated upcoming release!

My choice:

Let the Sky Fall (Let the Sky Fall Series, #1) by Shannon Messenger

Release Date: March 5, 2013

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Author Information: Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Pre-Order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million

Add to Goodreads!

Vane Weston should have died in the category five tornado that killed his parents. Instead, he woke up in a pile of rubble with no memories of his past—except one: a beautiful, dark-haired girl standing in the winds. She's swept through his dreams ever since, and he clings to the hope that she's real.

Audra is real, but she isn't human. She's a sylph, an air elemental who can walk on the wind, translate its alluring songs, even twist it into a weapon. She's also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect him at all costs.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra has just days to help Vane unlock his memories. And as the storm winds gather, they start to realize the greatest danger might not be the warriors coming to destroy them, but the forbidden romance growing between them.

Set amongst the desert airstreams of Coachella Valley in California, LET THE SKY FALL is about two teenagers broken by their pasts, divided by their futures, and bound by love.

I just have to start out by saying that I ADORE the cover! Love, love, love it!! The title is also pretty epic. The premise of this story is super interesting (love the air elemental factor), and forbidden love stories, while sometimes heartbreaking, always makes me fall in love with the characters. I cannot wait for this one! We only have to wait…. 9 months. [sigh] 

Giveaway and Blog Tour: Caterpillar by Kate Oliver

Caterpillar by Kate Oliver

Release Date: April 10, 2012

Publisher: MAB Books
Author Information: Facebook

Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal/Sci-fi

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

Other Information: Debut Work

Buy the Book: Amazon

In a small college town in northern California, a lonely young man is working himself to the bone to solve a sixty-year-old problem ... a stranger with a will of iron and eyes the color of ice is searching for someone he can't identify ... and a girl who loves plants is about to grow roots of her own.

When Cara Gallagher's parents are transferred overseas again, she's off to spend her senior year of high school living with her sister, a graduate student at the famed McNair University. Cara, a girl with a passion for science and an indifference to people, hopes this move will be her first step in claiming the independence she craves. Cara has her future planned down to the letter: her college, her major, her career.

Then she saves Will Mallory's life, and both of their futures are completely rewritten.

The last years of Will's life have been spent shifting from one identity to the next, dodging the FBI, and trying desperately to find a way home. But Will's home is forty-four light years away, and to reach it he'll have to outwit the man who's hunting him--and leave behind the only love he's ever known.

Review:

I have to admit, I was a little worried about this book once I started getting into the story. I tend to stray from stories involving aliens falling in love with humans (unless the story has Daemon from the Lux Series in it- I would not mind at all then!), and seeing how Caterpillar is exactly that type of alien/human love story, I approached it with trepidation. I ended up being worried for nothing! Overall, the story was well written, and the romance, save for the slight instant attraction factor, was very believable. (I did not get any creepy alien-loves-mortal vibes, so that was a good thing!) Caterpillar was a pleasant surprise and a wonderful debut by Kate Oliver.

I liked Cara as a female lead, but my heart went out to Will. He is a guy who is wracked by loneliness, has never really experienced what it means to care for someone else or be cared for, and just seems to have an inability to connect to those around him. He feels like he lives on the periphery, and he just ends up feeling a large disconnect to the life he is leading and his emotions. He meets Cara, and he is slowly able to show more of himself and find beauty and love in the life he is leading. I loved the deep, emotional connection between Cara and Will. Cara is also a bit of a loner, a girl who is just looking to outrun her emotionally turbulent past and her mother’s complaints. When she and Will come together, they bring out the best in each other, and I loved reading about their budding relationship.

Caterpillar is the first book in The Metamorphosis Series, but it can be read as a stand-alone work. There is a no cliffhanger and the conflicts with the villain were resolved. Seeing as to how this novel can be read by itself, I am not too sure how the series will progress. The issue with Will being basically immortal and Cara being only human is still open, so maybe the next book will settle that? I am not too sure what to expect, but I will definitely be checking it out!

A Great Escape!

ITS GIVEAWAY TIME!!! 

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Waiting on Wednesday (27)

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and it's a weekly meme mentioning an anticipated upcoming release!

My choice:

Level 2 (The Memory Chronicles, #1) by Lenore Appelhans

Release Date: January 15, 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Author Information: Blog / Twitter

Other Information: Debut

Pre-Order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million

Add to Goodreads!

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow prisoners, Felicia passes the endless hours downloading memories and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and the boy she loved, Neil.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber disappears, and nobody but Felicia seems to recall she existed in the first place. Something is obviously very wrong. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, she learns the truth: a rebellion is brewing to overthrow the Morati, the guardians of Level 2.

Felicia is reluctant to trust Julian, but then he promises what she wants the most—to be with Neil again—if only she’ll join the rebels. Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself in the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

Oh man, Level 2 has some of my favorite story elements compounded in ONE book! Crazy! I am all for rebels overthrowing the powerful, especially when they are ghosts/dead (but not creepy, like zombies). Also, Julian and the whole “dangerously charming” thing? Yeah, I do not think Felicia will be the only one swooning over him (because you know she will!). The only thing that I am not liking about this book is the release date. Getting excited about a book only to see it will be released in 2013 is just heartbreaking. [sigh]