Book Review: All Our Yesterdays - Cristin Terrill

Title: All Our Yesterdays (Cassandra Chronicles #1)

Author: Cristin Terrill

Release Date: September 3rd 2013

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: ARC borrowed from Dianne of Oops! I Read A Book Again
Reading Challenge: YA + MG Time Travel Reading Challenge

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Holy cow. I won't be surprised if All Our Yesterdays ends up being one of my top five reads this year. It has everything I want in a book, and I was hooked right from the start. Considering the main characters' situations, the story should have been predictable, but it couldn't be farther from that. It actually made me gasp loud enough for my brother to hear from his room and think I was having a panic attack or something.

Cristin Terrill's take on time travel is different from everything I've read before, more scientific than fantastical, making this book more sci-fi and more plausible than the others. In here, the time travelers can change the past and greatly affect the future, upping the stakes in this exhilarating ride of a book.

The characters felt very real, and even if they were "related" to each other, they all had this individuality to them and it was just impossible to mix them up. They also showed how easy it is for people to change in a short period of time. Surprisingly enough, my favorite out of the bunch is the antagonist, the "doctor". His mind was messed-up, but the extra insight (God it sure is hard to avoid spoiling this book) on him portrayed his complexity, and by the end, I pitied him more than I despised him.

And apparently, Cristin Terrill knows how to write a damn good romance—a love triangle, even—with it adding punch to the action instead of getting in the way. And All Our Yesterdays is nothing if not action-packed; putting this book down was nearly impossible because something happened in every chapter.

A story of friendship, ambition, and betrayal, All Our Yesterdays is the book I'd give to a sci-fi-wary reader. The pace is crazy and the plot full of twists, leading to a shocking end. I can't imagine how the sequel will play out since this first book was wrapped up really well, if a little vague, but I'm already anxiously waiting for it!

MY FAVORITE PART is Marina leaving James in the restaurant. It really shows how a single decision can determine the future, even of another person.

RATING:

Wow, I haven't given this for quite a while!

{Blog Tour} Excerpt + Giveaway: Nocturne - Andrea Randall & Charles Sheehan-Miles

Welcome to my stop for the Nocturne blog tour! You can view the full tour schedule here.

Title: Nocturne

Authors: Andrea Randall & Charles Sheehan-Miles

Release Date: August 24th 2013

Publisher: Self-published

Age Group: New Adult

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Savannah Marshall is a gifted flutist and daughter of musical royalty when she enrolls in the elite New England Conservatory of Music. Brilliant, eclectic and passionate, she lives music, but struggles with her plans for the future.

Gregory Fitzgerald is one of the most renowned cellists of his generation. A member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and professor at the Conservatory, he is laser focused on his career to the exclusion of friends, family and especially romance.

When Gregory and Savannah’s paths cross in the classroom, it threatens to challenge more than their wildly differing beliefs on music. Friendships, ethics, and careers are put on the line as Gregory and Savannah play a symphony of passion and heartbreak.

In the final movement, Gregory and Savannah are handed their greatest challenge, as the loss of absolutely everything they’ve held as truths hangs in the balance.

About the authors:

I started writing poetry long before writing fiction. I firmly believe Poetry is a solid foundation for all other forms of writing. It taught me that a single word can make or break the world.

I write fiction because my characters have a story and they want me to tell it.

I hope you enjoy the pieces of my soul that I share with you.

Website | Facebook

Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive, and is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America's Future.

Website | Facebook

Now for the excerpt!

{Ember Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Chaos - Christine O'Neil

Hi, everyone! I'm honored to be a part of this blog tour that features the first two titles of Ember, the newest member of the Entangled Publishing family! Here's what they have to say about it:

"Our fires burn brightly for our readers and as a way to say thanks to our readers we've launched our latest division of Entangled Teen and its name is Ember. We have two exciting launch titles: Darker Days by Jus Accardo and Chaos by Christine O'Neil. Read away!"

Entangled Teen Ember is a division of Entangled Teen that specializes in digital-first YAs.

Title: CHAOS (Kardia Chronicles #1)

Author: Christine O'Neil

Release Date: August 19th 2013

Publisher: Entangled Teen Ember

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: eARC for blog tour

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My name is Maggie Raynard. After sixteen years being just plain me, suddenly, when I lose my temper, my fingers become weapons of mass destruction. Turns out I'm a semi-god, descended from Aphrodite. Sounds cool in theory, but when I accidentally put my ex-boyfriend in a coma, things go downhill pretty fast.

Now some new guy named Mac Finnegan has made it his mission in life to continually piss me off. I'm stuck learning how to use my new powers while also dealing with regular high school problems, and with this annoying—and super-hot—guy all up in my business, I'm about to flip out.

But it gets worse. I just learned there's this watchdog council of semis who keeps an eye out for any bad apples. They think I'm the baddest of the bunch and want to take me out before I do any more damage. My nemesis Mac might turn out to be my salvation, only he's got secrets of his own...and they may just kill us both.

I don't know what exactly I expected from Chaos, but it's certainly far from what I got. This take on mythology is fresh and unique, but to be honest, what kept me reading was the characters; they all had spunk for days and I could read about them even without Maggie's semi-god drama factoring in their story.

Now let me talk about the stars of this book. I liked Maggie right from page one, but as soon as she declared herself a YA reader, we clicked. Like snap. Yep, we're total besties now. (I wish.) Being inside her head was hilarious, and add to that her snappy, sarcastic lines, and I was hooked. She made some questionable decisions, yes, but not downright-stupid ones. And even with her freaky evil power, she tried so hard to do what's right, so props to her.

Mac Finnegan, the new-ish guy who knew how to push Maggie's buttons and also made her writhe with "want", was a mystery for the most part, but it never got frustrating because the truths about him trickled in satisfying amounts. The reason for his initial douche-ness was ample so he's forgiven. But what I don't get is why he dated the Queen Bee of the Mean Girls. He didn't really seem taken by her, so now I can't help but think that he just used her. Oh, well. I didn't see any redeeming quality to said Queen Bee so whatevs.

The maddening sexual tension between Maggie and Mac, fueled even more by their frequent verbal jabs, had me both pulling at my hair and grinning like a maniac. Their advice columns were so much fun to read because knowing their conflicting takes on the same topic revealed just how different their ways of thinking were. "Opposites attract", indeed.

"Any other hidden talents you haven't mentioned?"

I mulled it over. "I can pulverize the shit out of fruits and vegetables."

"Excellent. If I need a smoothie, I know who to call."

Funny, sexy, and intense all at the same time, I definitely recommend Chaos for people looking for something a little heavier than contemporary to read. There wasn't much going on in the conflict part aside from Maggie's out-of-control powers, but I never got bored, and I'll surely be on the lookout for the sequel!

MY FAVORITE PART was Snowflake Swirl night. The Wobble scene made my heart swell :3

RATING:

 

About the author:

Christine O'Neil was born and raised in Connecticut, where she spent most of her childhood outdoors catching salamanders, frogs and colds. When she wasn't terrorizing Mother Nature, she was curled up under the covers with her nose in a book. As an adult, she's stopped stalking amphibians, but still loves books. When she isn't reading, she likes to spend her time people-watching. In fact, she's probably watching you RIGHT NOW O_O She's also pretty obsessed with writing YA books, but if she had to pick another profession she would be a ninja...or a Professor of the Dark Arts. Christine also writes adult romance under the pen name Christine Bell.

Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Also, check out Darker Days, Entangled Teen Ember's other launch title!

Waiting on Wednesday {28}

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where bloggers post about much-awaited releases!

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Stormdancer - Jay Kristoff

Hey, guys! Welcome to my stop for the Stormdancer blog tour organized by Pinoy Book Tours!

Title: Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1)

Author: Jay Kristoff

Release Date: September 18th 2012

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: finished copy borrowed from Dianne of Oops! I Read A Book Again

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Griffins are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father Masaru are sent to capture one for the Shogun, they fear that their lives are over. Everyone knows what happens to those who fail him, no matter how hopeless the task.

But the mission proves far less impossible, and far more deadly, than anyone expects – and soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled griffin for company. But trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and Buruu soon discover a friendship that neither of them expected.

Meanwhile, the country around them verges on the brink of collapse. A toxic fuel is slowly choking the land; the omnipotent, machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure; and the Shogun cares about nothing but his own dominion. Yukiko has always been uneasy in the shadow of power, when she learns the awful truth of what the Shogun has done, both to her country and to her own family she's determined to do something about it.

Returning to the city, Yukiko and Buruu plan to make the Shogun pay for his crimes – but what can one girl and a flightless griffin do against the might of an empire?

One negative review was all it took to turn me off from reading Stormdancer around the time it was released. It mentioned the overuse of Japanese words and whatnot, and I knew I'd have a problem with this book. But when PBT announced that they were organizing this tour, I thought, why the hell not? 

And I'm glad I gave it a chance.

A lot of people had a hard time getting past the beginning of this book, and I'm one of them. The first hundred pages were a struggle, wordy but with little action; I actually dozed off after every two chapters or so, but even with those breaks, I missed no detail. I thoroughly understood each of the numerous characters and could clearly envision the dystopian world polluted by proud leaders, blackened rain, smothering air, and cowardly tyrants parading around in iron suits. Anyway, as soon as I got past Part 1 (there are three, if I remember correctly), this book got infinitely better and I started devouring it.

Aside from Yukiko, the MC, a few other characters had their share of narrating. As someone who's read three of the A Song of Ice and Fire books, that didn't daunt me, but my aforementioned splattering of Japanese words did. Well, it irritated me, to be exact. They were often unnecessary to the story, and my life-long affinity for everything Japanese was the only reason why it didn't confuse me. If you've watched a decent amount of Samurai X, I reckon you'll be fine, too.

Yukiko is one of those all-around likable main characters. She wields her katana like it's nobody's business and stands up for what she believes is right, even when faced with the impossible. But even then, she's still a normal sixteen-year-old who can get wounded and fancies boys. Her transformation throughout this book is remarkable, hardening her already tough spirit, and she made me facepalm only once with her romance with the green-eyed samurai (Don't even ask me how he, a lordling from an elite family so there's no freaking way he's bi-racial, got those green eyes.) Mad love wasn't what they had—it was mad lust.

Perhaps the other main character in Stormdancer is Buruu, the mythic creature that ended up becoming Yukiko's closest friend and companion. At first he was a beast with a mind sharper than the other animals, but his time with Yukiko made him almost like a human in thoughts. Watching him and Yukiko slowly learn to trust and care for each was fun and endearing.

Plot-wise, Stormdancer wasn't as complex as I'd hoped it would be, and I attribute its length to the clutter that was the prose. Still, its story is a fun, unpredictable adventure that I enjoyed, and I will surely make time for the sequel in the future.

MY FAVORITE PART is Yukiko and her father's bittersweet team-up in the ending.

RATING:

 

Giveaway!

Top Ten Tuesday {7}

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where we post our top tens of anything bookish. This week's topic is Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters. I fail at differentiating secondary from main characters, so please don't stone me if you see mix-ups in this post XD Also, Warner from the Shatter Me trilogy is a main character for me so if he isn't, then know that he'd be in this list if I were more knowledgeable lol.

Double Cover Reveals: Hothouse Flower; Without You

You read it right, guys—I have two cover reveals for you today, organized by YA Bound Book Tours! They're both somehow related to books that I really enjoyed, so without further ado!

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Interim Goddess of Love - Mina V. Esguerra

Hi, everyone! I'm so glad to be a part of this blog tour for the Interim Goddess of Love trilogy by author and fellow Filipina, Mina V. Esguerra! 

Title: Interim Goddess of Love (Interim Goddess of Love #1)

Author: Mina V. Esguerra

Release Date: January 14th 2012

Publisher: Bright Girl Books

Age Group: New Adult

Source: eARC for blog tour

Goodreads | Amazon | Smashwords

College sophomore Hannah Maquiling doesn't know why everyone tells her their love problems. She's never even had a boyfriend, but that doesn't stop people from spilling their guts to her, and asking for advice. So maybe it shouldn't be a surprise when the cutest guy in school tells her that she's going to have to take on this responsibility -- but for all humanity.

The Goddess of Love has gone AWOL. It's a problem, because her job is to keep in check this world's obsession with love (and lack of it). The God of the Sun, for now an impossibly handsome senior at an exclusive college just outside of Metro Manila, thinks Hannah has what it takes to (temporarily) do the job.

While she's learning to do this goddess thing, she practices on the love troubles of shy Kathy, who's got a secret admirer on campus. Hannah's mission, should she choose to accept it, is to make sure that he's not a creepy stalker and they find their happily ever after -- or at least something that'll last until next semester. (As if she could refuse! The Sun God asked so nicely. And he's so, well, hot.)

I've been meaning to read Interim Goddess of Love since January of last year, and now I'm mentally kicking myself for waiting this long to read it. I sure had been missing out! This book is very cute, fun, and light, but that doesn't mean its plot lacks complexity. There are so many aspects to this story aside from what is indicated in the title, and to mix all that in less than two hundred pages makes this a gripping read—not to mention the Philippine setting makes it easier to envision the story.

With her smartness, determination, and practicality, it's impossible for me not to like Hannah. She doesn't let anything stop her from reaching her goal and faces everything head-on, even if it's deities from Filipino myth who are stopping her. One of the very few issues I have with this book, though, is her characterization. Even with the first person POV, I don't feel like I connected much with Hannah.

Filipino myth—which I shamefully know little about—isn't the only thing that Interim Goddess of Love is full of. Get this: cute boys. A whole lot of them. Well, not really, but three of them. And they're in one group of friends, like, just as Hannah says, a freaking boy band. First is Quin, the Sun God and Hannah's boss. The mixed signals he keeps on sending confused and frustrated me just as much as they do to Hannah, but the little snippets of memories that enter her dreams suggest a whole other thing. Next is Diego, the moody bad boy who never fails to find, or start, trouble. He's more like a new friend at this point, but there are two more books... And then there's Robbie, the nicest and most normal of the bunch, and the one I'm currently rooting for. 

"Where is the Original Goddess of Love?" That's a question I'd been distracted from up until the final quarter of the book. I'm pretty sure it's not my failing memory, so I'm disappointed that this question doesn't get an answer in this first book. But I'm sure we'll get that and a deeper knowing of the characters in the next books, which I'll certainly get to before this year ends!

MY FAVORITE PART is Bash night :3

RATING:

 

About the author:

Mina V. Esguerra writes contemporary romance, young adult, and new adult novellas. Her young adult/fantasy trilogy Interim Goddess of Love is a college love story featuring gods from Philippine mythology. Her contemporary romance novella Fairy Tale Fail won the 2012 Filipino Readers' Choice award for Chick Lit. Through her blog Publishing in Pajamas (minavesguerra.com), she documents her experiments in e-publishing.

When not writing romance, she is president of communications firm Bronze Age Media, development communication consultant, indie publisher, professional editor, wife, and mother. She created the workshop series "Author at Once" and #romanceclass for writers and publishers.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Giveaway!

Cover Reveal: Kiss the Sky - Krista & Becca Ritchie

I have a cover reveal for y'all today, and I'm really happy to be sharing this because it's a spin-off to one of my favorite NA series, Addicted! So, without further ado...

Waiting on Wednesday {27}

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where bloggers post about much-awaited releases!

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Antithesis - Kacey Vanderkarr

Hi, everyone! Welcome to my stop for the Antithesis blog tour! 

Title: Antithesis

Author: Kacey Vanderkarr

Release Date: July 21st 2013

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: eARC for blog tour

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

My name is Gavyn.

Liam doesn’t care that I only have one arm. He actually likes my red hair and freckles. I might forgive him for kidnapping me.

My name is Gavyn.

I lost my Liam. I’ve lost them all. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t show up again.

My name is Gavyn.

I had a life with Liam, but he couldn’t give me what I need. Then I killed his father. I don’t expect he’ll forgive me for that.

My name is Gavyn.

Antithesis didn't turn out the way I'd thought it would. That blurb is so vague, so misleading, that my jaw dropped when I found that my theory about this book couldn't be farther from the truth. And if you're wondering, I'd assumed this book was psychological, that Gavyn was crazy. She wasn't.

Now, before you stick around any longer, I'll tell you that I plan to be as vague as possible in this review and keep the air of secrecy that the blurb-writer intended. Let the book surprise you.

The plot kicked off nicely right in the first chapter, and my brain was just like "WTF is happening?!" Like I said, utterly wrong theory. The sci-fi element *hint hint* was a big surprise, and one reason why I really enjoyed Antithesis was because I haven't read lots of books about said sci-fi element. I do believe it's becoming quite the crazy lately...

Gavyn was a likable character. Her handicap made her unique, not bitter. She was actually quite the normal teenager with worries, insecurities, raging hormones, and a ridiculous bucket list. But one thing I disliked about her was how she constantly ranted about her red hair as if it was a handicap like her one-armed-ness. I'd love to have red hair!

What is it with fictional guys named Liam? Each one I've read so far have all been smart, hot, and a little bit naughty—written to make me insane, I think. But Liam's not as memorable as his relationship with Gavyn. It's easy to find swoon-worthy boys in books, but swoon-worthy couples? Nuh-uh. These two were so hilarious and awkward yet still sexy and sweet together. I may have snorted and giggled a lot.

Gavyn and Liam's crazy adventure made for a fast-paced, unputdownable read. I have to admit that the climax felt like a cop-out, but the ending sure has me up for a sequel if there'll be one!

MY FAVORITE PART is the shower scene! Sweet baby Jesus (hmm, JLA reference?).

RATING:

 

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, crazy cats, and two bearded dragons. 

Twitter | Blog | Facebook

 

Giveaway!

Top Ten Tuesday {6}

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where we post our top tens of anything bookish. This week's topic is Top Ten Things that Make Your Life as a Reader/Book Blogger Easier. I've been book blogging for almost a year now and if not for these things, I'd probably be dead by now.

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: The Dirty Secrets of Markham Savoy - C.C. Dalton

Welcome to my stop for The Dirty Secrets of Markham Savoy blog tour! You can view the tour schedule here.

Title: The Dirty Secrets of Markham Savoy (Colebrook Confessions #1)

Author: C.C. Dalton

Release Date: August 6th 2013

Publisher: Twist Literary

Age Group: New Adult

Source: ecopy for blog tour

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Even though he safeguards the secrets of his classmates, Markham wouldn't be caught dead sharing his own, and he never lets romantic entanglements get the best of him. But when Piper Harrington marches into his life, he’s forced to give her something in exchange for her cooperation in his schemes--his very own Colebrook Confession. And that's not the only time Piper brings out an unexpected side of himself.

Will the dirty secrets of Markham Savoy be his crowning glory...or his undoing?

The Dirty Secrets of Markham Savoy is a unique book in that it's really short, kind of like a novella in length, and it made me think of the first episode of a new TV series where you're introduced to the story, the main characters, and their issues, then poof, you have to wait for the second episode to know more. This might put off readers who want a complete story arc by the end of a book, and I'm usually one of them, but not with this one.

I've watched every single episode of Gossip Girl, and from that you can deduce that I have a thing for egotistical teens who wreak havoc with their fat bank accounts and act like they own the world, and Markham Savoy was exactly that... and more. He's smart, practical, and an environmentalist too, but like most great men, a great woman was his undoing.

I finished this book in one hour, but that wasn't just because of the length. The plot was very interesting and progressed fast that I couldn't stop reading. It wasn't just Markham who made the story compelling—the other characters also had a lot to do with that. Strangely enough, the one character who I found a tad bit boring was the girl of Markham's dreams, Piper Harrington, but I sensed an underlying complexity to her so I guess she'll get better in the next books.

If you can't already tell, I totally enjoyed The Dirty Secrets of Markham Savoy. It had me at page one because I genuinely wanted to know more about Markham and his world. I recommend it to people looking for a short, light read, and I'm certainly eager to read the next books!

MY FAVORITE PART is Markham repaying Piper. So adorable!

RATING:

  

Giveaway!

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: The Oathbreaker's Shadow - Amy McCulloch

Eeep, this day's finally arrived! Welcome to my stop for The Oathbreaker's Shadow blog tour organized by Pinoy Book Tours! You can follow the tour here.

Title: The Oathbreaker's Shadow (The Knots Sequence #1)

Author: Amy McCulloch

Release Date: June 4th 2013

Publisher: Random House Children's Publishers

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: ARC borrowed from Kai of Amaterasu Reads for blog tour

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Fifteen-year-old Raim lives in a world where you tie a knot for every promise that you make. Break that promise and you are scarred for life, and cast out into the desert.

Raim has worn a simple knot around his wrist for as long as he can remember. No one knows where it came from, and which promise of his it symbolises, but he barely thinks about it at all—not since becoming the most promising young fighter ever to train for the elite Yun guard. But on the most important day of his life, when he binds his life to his best friend (and future king) Khareh, the string bursts into flames and sears a dark mark into his skin.

Scarred now as an oath-breaker, Raim has two options: run, or be killed.

A gripping YA action-adventure fantasy, the first part of a planned duology.

I don't get to read lots of them, but I have mad love for high fantasy. I think of them as the summit of fiction because their setting takes the story to a whole new level of unreal, and The Oathbreaker's Shadow is definitely a great addition to the genre.

What first stood out for me was the seamless introduction of the characters and the world, which is what most high fantasy books have trouble accomplishing. We learn what we have to when we have to, so no info dumps or whatsoever in here, people. Amy McCulloch's richly-imagined setting is easy to envision, and the idea of the oath-binding knots is very original and, in Raim's world, very dangerous.

Raim initially came across as such a pushover when it came to Khareh but, his best friend being the future king, who could blame him? Their friendship was endearing and questionable at the same time, and it wasn't until their parting that they realized their true selves. Character growth was prolific in this book, and it wasn't just Raim's, although, being the main character, we see most of his as he grew into the person he wanted to be by being the thing he despised the most.

The mystery behind the knot on Raim's wrist and just what oath he had broken kept my eyes glued to the pages, but that wasn't the only thing that drove the story forward because Raim wasn't the only one who was experiencing or doing something life-changing. The other characters were all significant and had their own equally compelling story arcs, and this book is a brilliant tie-up of all of them.

Plot-wise, The Oathbreaker's Shadow is an astonishing work of art, and it's so fast-paced that Raim never seemed able to get a break. Full of shocking twists, unexpected allies, and surprising enemies, this is a story of loyalty against ambition, and I can't recommend it enough.

MY FAVORITE PART is Raim and Draikh's friendship, particularly their bickering :))

RATING:

About the author:

Amy McCulloch was born in Kingston-upon-Thames, UK, and moved to Ottawa, Canada, when she was 11. She attended Immaculata High School, where she developed a love of geeky things like science fairs, yearbook, RPGs and The Lord of the Rings. After high school she started studying at the University of Toronto, where she graduated with a B.A. (Hons) in English, specializing in Old English and Medieval literature (her love for Geoffrey Chaucer will never die).

After a year out backpacking around Africa, Australia, New Zealand and South-East Asia (you can read her travel blog here), she moved back to London, UK, to find a job in publishing. She now works as commissioning editor for HarperVoyager, where she works on such amazing authors as George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb and Raymond Feist, and edits brilliant new stars of SF & Fantasy like Blake Charlton, James Smythe and Janet Edwards.

At the beginning of 2011, she signed with the amazing Juliet Mushens of The Agency Group for her debut YA fantasy-adventure novel The Oathbreaker’s Shadow, the first book in a planned duology. Random House Children’s Publishers will be publishing on 6 June 2013.

Giveaway!

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: No Reverse - Marion Croslydon

Hey, guys! Welcome to my stop for the No Reverse blog tour! You can view the tour schedule here.

Title: No Reverse

Author: Marion Croslydon
Release Date: August 12th 2013

Publisher: Carlux Publishing

Age Group: New Adult

Source: eARC for blog tour

Goodreads | Amazon  

A girl who needs to undo the past.
A boy who wants to forget it.
In love, there’s no way back.

At high school in Steep Hill, Kansas, Cassie O’Malley and Josh MacBride were the poster couple for quarterback/cheerleader romance until they starred in their own tale of teen pregnancy. No need to say: their shotgun wedding was low-key. But when there was no baby anymore, they went their separate ways.

Five years later, Josh has breezed through Georgetown and is about to finish his post-grad degree at Oxford University. He is set to join a lobbying group on Capitol Hill, owned by his new fiancée’s father. For Josh, the sky is now the limit… only he must first take care of a tiny legal matter: technically, he’s still married to the girl who broke his heart.

Meanwhile, Cassie has been waiting tables in Steep Hill to pay for her sick grandmother’s care. On the day of the old lady’s funeral, Cassie is served with two sets of papers. Josh is asking for a divorce. Her heart squeezes, but, well, he moved on a long time ago. But the second envelope shakes Cassie to the core. So, for the first time, she leaves Kansas and heads to good ol’ England.

There, Cassie finds that Josh has not just “moved on,” he’s freakin’ engaged to some blue-blooded heiress. The feelings Cassie had buried deep rush back to her. But no matter if he keeps thrusting the divorce papers under her nose, she needs him to save the only person she loves more than Josh, more than life itself...

No Reverse is one of those books that had me at the blurb. It sounded so unique and mysterious, and I knew I just had to read it. Unfortunately, it's left me underwhelmed.

The first problem I encountered in this book was the main characters. They were both indecisive and grudging, and they kept pushing then pulling each other, but let me discuss them in detail.

I don't like the choice that Cassie made years ago because she really should have trusted Josh to know what he wanted, but at the same time, I understood why she did it. It was stupid but selfless of her. Ugh, go figure.

Josh,on the other hand, was said to be this perfect guy, smart, ambitious, driven, blah blah blah, but I never really saw that brightness. He was actually reckless most of the time, but he had an undeniably good heart. And I pitied him when Cassie finally told him the truth—a truth that's not very hard to guess, but I'll keep my mouth shut anyway.

Apart from the main characters, the secondary ones shined. They were infinitely more interesting, particularly Josh's and Cassie's other love interests, and no worries because they'll be getting their own books. Or at least Sam will.

Even though I wanted to thump the MCs on the head a lot of times, I still enjoyed No Reverse, and that's saying a lot because my liking of the characters usually determines my enjoyment of a book. But what did this book in for me was the ending. It was so abrupt and solved almost nothing. I'll check out the sequel for sure, but I won't be rushing to do so.

MY FAVORITE PART is Josh and Big Fat Spoiler's touching first meeting.

RATING:

 

About the author:

Marion’s parents are terribly disappointed with her...

They wanted her to have a serious job, providing financial stability and social standing. For years, she really tried to make them happy; she studied hard, got into top schools, graduated with honors and found a high-achieving job.

But deep down, Marion was miserable. She never wanted to be a top executive, brokering deals in New York, London or Tokyo. Marion wanted to be… a ROMANCE WRITER. She wanted to spend her days in that good ol’ tracksuit of hers, in front of her laptop, popping down Oreos like there was no tomorrow. She wanted to fall in love with a different man each time she wrote the first line of a new book (while being happily married to the most handsome man in Great Britain).

That’s exactly what Marion does these days, and it makes her incredibly happy. She loves to share these happy vibes, talk book crush, fictional boyfriends and sexual chemistry with like-minded people. And because she spends most of her days on her own deep inside her writing cave, you are welcome to come and say “hello” from time to time. Just to make sure she doesn’t sink into insanity.

Her friends, family and arch-enemies (there are quite a few) will be forever grateful for your help.

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