Cover Reveal - Alone Together by Sarah J. Donovan

Alone Together

Author: Sarah J. Donovan

Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction

Release Date: May 1st, 2018

Book Description:

Sadie Carter’s life is a mess, as wavy and tangled as her unruly hair. At 15, she is barely surviving the chaos of her large Catholic family. When one sister becomes pregnant and another is thrown out, her unemployed dad hides his depression, and her mom hides a secret. Sadie, the peacekeeper and rule-follower, has had enough. The empty refrigerator, years of hand-me-downs, and all the secrets have to stop. She longs for something more and plans her escape.

However, getting arrested was not her plan. Falling in love was not her plan. With the help of three mysterious strangers—a cop, a teacher, and a cute boy—maybe Sadie will find the strength to defy the rules and do the unexpected.

Told in verse, Sarah J. Donovan’s debut Alone Together has secrets, romance, struggle, sin, and redemption, all before Sadie blows out her 16 candles. It’s a courageously honest look at growing up in a big family.

Message from the Author:

About the Author

Sarah J. Donovan is the author of Alone Together and Genocide Literature in Middle and Secondary Classrooms. A junior high English teacher by day and college education professor by night, she spends every other moment reading young adult novels and writing. She lives with her husband in Downers Grove, Illinois in a condo so she can write instead of mowing the lawn or shoveling snow. When she is not teaching, reading, or writing, she can be found playing sand volleyball with amazing Chicagoland women. (Yes, even in the winters.) You can see all her “shelfies”on Instagram @donovan_sd or tweet @MrsSJDonovan.

Author Links:

   

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BOOK REVIEW: The Misadventures of Marvin Miller by Megan E. Cassidy

The Misadventures of Marvin Miller

Author: Megan E. Cassidy

Genre: MG/YA Coming of Age / Humour

Publication Date: June 12th, 2017

Book Description:

When his friends seem to find girlfriends all at the same time, Marvin is left looking for a date with no prospects in sight. While desperately trying to find a girlfriend, Marvin and his friends stumble from one hilariously improbable situation to the next: accidentally setting a fire, causing a blackout, ruining a wedding, and creating chaos during the final basketball game of the summer season. It seems as if nothing can ever go right for Marvin, until he finally begins a relationship with a new African-American girl in town. The problem is, not all of his friends approve.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Marvin Miller is one handful, I'll tell you that. I don't think I've ever heard of someone getting up to so much mischief in such a short space of time. While he can't be fully blamed for all the mishaps that take place, he manages to always find himself at the heart of the commotion. Marvin just finished seventh grade and has a mission to start the eighth grade with a girl at his side as it's not cool to be an eighth grader without a girlfriend. The problem: many of the girls at his school despise Marvin because of his behaviour. But there's good news: there's a new girl in town, and she knows nothing about Marvin Miller and his recent catastrophes. Will he get the girl? You can never tell with Marvin Miller.

This was an enjoyable read. I got into the story right away. It was humorous, adventurous and full of adrenalin. With all the hilarious chaos caused by Marvin and his friends, the story manages to implement some hard-hitting themes, including prejudice, racism and courage. I thought the lesson and subject matter was handled with great care without being too overbearing and too preachy. I have to be honest, after about the first half of the book, Marvin's antics started to feel a little excessive. Boys will be boys, but it just seemed a little too much going from one troubling situation to the next with no real focus on anything else, and there were some interesting characteristics and storylines to these characters that I thought were hugely overshadowed in favour of seeing how much mischief Marvin and his friends could cause.

It was a good story that lost it's appeal a little in the middle. I did love the ending with the interaction between Marvin and Riley and his mother shouting out his name. It reminded me of Home Alone. It was a good read, and it definitely made me interested in finding out more, so I might read on.

VERDICT

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Own copy

Cover Reveal - Rise the Seas by Milana Jacks

Rise the Seas

Author: Milana Jacks

Publication Date: March 10th, 2018

Genre: NA Paranormal Romance / Dystopian

Book Description:

He should send her away. But her innocent touch sets off his dragon beast.

Selena

I’m the last Salazar female left on Earth, but I’m still fully human, and I’m not a bargaining chip. No way am I marrying my Dad’s business partner’s son, even if Diego does have a megatronic crotch. I’ve got to get away from the habitat. My old fly-only car won’t make it to New York, but it can take me as far the dragon island just offshore.

Lance

Ten years ago, I thought a willowy woman in white “gifting” me and my three buddies with an elemental beast was a tequila-fueled dream—until I woke up as a blue dragon, supposedly with control over water. Except I can’t seem to raise so much as a ripple in the iceberg-choked sea. Worse, unlike my friends, I’m covered in scales.

Most alien Cy know not to visit my domain uninvited. But this intruder isn’t cyborg or alien. She’s a human female seeking protection. I should turn her down. I should send her home. But her innocent touch arouses my beast. And he’s not letting her go…

About the Author
Milana grew up with tales of water fairies that seduced men, vampires that seduced women, and Babaroga who’d come to take her away if she didn’t eat her bean soup. She writes devious dystopian adult romance often about extraterrestrials and fantasy creatures roaming the Earth where she resides with her mate and their three little monsters.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Goodreads ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter

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Book Spotlight - Forbidden Tides by Kyla Stan

Forbidden Tides

Author: Kyla Stan

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Publication Date: April 17th, 2018

Book Description:

…Some would say I look like a mermaid, the essence of nautical beauty. I looked in the mirror and saw a monster....

... "Astrid, my name is Zander of the Deep Clan, and I am here to bring you home.”

Astrid Murphy, born with strange webbed hands and a thirst for saltwater, feels like a freak. She desires to look and feel normal, just like her family. But Astrid doesn’t realize that she’s meant to be the next ruler of the Deep Clan, a race of merpeople who are dying from pollution and overhunting. She is the only one who can save them.

Zander’s mission was to find Astrid, bring her home, and save their world. Not to fall in love with his target. Surrounded in a web of danger, a forbidden love between princess and warrior blossoms. But Zander knows they can’t focus on each other. The Deep Clan must come first.

But it’s the one enemy Astrid never expected who will tear it all down. Her father. The one person who was supposed to love and protect her, will do anything to keep her from fulfilling her destiny with Zander. Even kill. 

As Astrid and Zander fight for their world, they learn the true depth of what it means to love, the power of hope, and what it means to be free.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Book Spotlight & Giveaway - Pen & Xander by Laekan Zea Kemp

Pen & Xander

Author: Laekan Zea Kemp

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: October 21st, 2017

Book Description:

Pen Prado has a passion for cooking. Specifically, cooking her father's food in her father's restaurant. It's the heart of their immigrant neighborhood, a place where everyone belongs, and second chances are always on the menu. Except for Pen. Despite the fact that there's something almost magic about her food, her father can't imagine anything worse than her following in his footsteps. And when Pen confesses to keeping a secret from her family, he fires her, ensuring she never will.

Xander Amaro is undocumented but that doesn't stop Ignacio Prado from offering him a job at his restaurant. For Xander, it's a chance to make amends and to sever his toxic relationship with the druglord, El Cantil--a man whose been like a father to him since his own disappeared. Soon after, his mother abandoned him too, leaving behind a void that not even his abuelo can fill. Until he meets Pen.

Both seeking a place where they feel like they truly belong, they end up finding each other, and in the face of tremendous fear and self-doubt, they end up finding themselves.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

February Favourites

Welcome to my February Favourites.

Here, you will find a list of the movies and books I watched and read in February and my favourite among them.

Books Read:

Favourite:

Buy Links:

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Movies Watched:

Favourite:

Cover Reveal - Dwarves of Calcus (Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #3) by Katie Hamstead

Dwarves of Calcus
(Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #3) 

Author: Katie Hamstead

Genre: YA Space Opera / Sci-fi/Fantasy

Release Date: March 6th, 2018

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Book Description:

When she was thirteen, Snow Sabbia crash landed on the dwarves' home planet of Calcus. After fleeing from her step-mother's huntsman, seven brother dwarves took her in to hide and protect her. She has hidden for years on the peaceful planet, tinkering with old automobiles and pushing papers in the mine office.

Then, Timothy White shows up.

The shy, nervous, nerdy heir captivates Snow before she even knows who he is, and quickly she falls in love. But his high profile in society draws unwanted attention from her vengeful stepmother, who wants Snow dead.

Geneva believed Snow died years earlier and she had consumed her innocent heart. With her late husband's wealth, Snow's inheritance, in tow, she married a young lord, Conrad. Both are using each other--Geneva for his title and to have a child, Conrad for her money and beauty. But when Conrad lays eyes on his boyhood rival's lovely fiance, Snow, his overwhelming desire for her reveals the truth to Geneva, that Snow lives.

Desperate to hold onto her wealth and power, Geneva seeks to kill Snow properly this time. Snow has the power to wield the one thing that can destroy her, so she cannot let the girl claim possession of the family heirloom, the Nevollo Sword.

Snow soon learns her step-mother knows she is alive. But she is a pacifist, so she must outwit Geneva and remain hidden... until Geneva, disguised as a child, presents her with an apple.

Previous Books in the Series (click on images for Goodreads links):

 

About the Author

Born and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush", and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing.

When her debut novel, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh, climbed into bestselling status, she believed she was onto something, and now has a slew of novels now available, and is published through Curiosity Quills Press, Soul Mate Publishing, and REUTS Publishing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports, and be a good wife and mother. She now works as an Acquisitions Editor to help support her family. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

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BOOK REVIEW: Reunited by Brittany Nicole Lewis

Reunited
(The Zion Series, Book 2)

Author: Brittany Nicole Lewis
Genre: YA Christian Fiction
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2018

Book Description:
Just as Katie's life is settling into a new normal after leaving Zion and the birth of her son, she is given news that will forever alter her reality.

Meanwhile, the moment that Michael has so desperately wished for, but never thought would come has finally arrived. He must make the hardest decision of his life, and if he doesn't choose correctly, he could lose everything, forever.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Reunited concludes this uplifting coming of age story about a brother and sister standing up for what they believe in and fighting to keep their family together. Michael and Katie have always been close, but ever since Katie's departure from Zion, the two have been living worlds apart, both trying to find their place and discover who it is they truly want to be. After discovering the reasons behind Katie's departure and learning the truth about Zion and his own heritage, Michael starts to realise that he and Katie share the same views about Zion. However, he quickly discovers that not everyone shares their views and forcing the community to change isn't as easy as he imagined it would be. When it comes down to choosing between his family and Zion, Michael finds himself at a complete loss. To choose either one would mean abandoning the other for good.

This was a good conclusion to the series. Michael's mood was a lot more controlled than it was when we last saw him, and I thought he handled the difficult choices he had to make as best he could. Although we don't get much interaction between Michael and Katie, when they do get together, you get a good sense of the bond they share, which was nice to see. What I liked most about this series was how it makes you question your own decisions. The characters are really relatable. You find yourself constantly asking what you would do if you were in their situation. It's rather compelling.

If there was something I wanted that I didn't feel there was enough of in this book, it would be a more hightened level of intensity. The ambience was unchanging throughout the book. The only spike came right at the end of the book - an ending I very much liked, mind you. I did struggle yet again with the errors, but they are minor, so nothing a little editing couldn't rectify.

This was a good read and a good ending to the series.

VERDICT

Award: Silver
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Source: Author