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Saturday, September 5, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Ice Kissed by Amanda Hocking
Photo by Goodreads
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Summary:
Bryn Aven has always longed to be a part of her Kanin world. Though she has no social status because she’s a half-breed, she refuses to give up on her dream of serving the kingdom she loves. It’s a dream that brings her to a whole new realm…the glittering palace of the Skojare.
The Skojare people need protection from the same brutal rival who’s been threatening the Kanin. And being half Skojare herself, it’sa chance for Bryn to learn more about her heritage. Her boss Ridley Dresden is overseeing her mission and wants to help. He’s always been her most trusted friend—but as their undeniable attraction heats up, it’s a distraction she can’t afford. She’s about to discover that the Skojare world is full of secrets, and as she’s drawn in deeper, she doesn’t know who to trust. And matters worse, as she gets closer to Ridley, she can’t even trust her own heart.
First of all, look at the beautiful cover!! Gorgeous!
It was exciting to see this on Netgalley after reading Frostfire, the first in the Kanin Chronicles by Amanda Hocking. Since I am a fan of Amanda Hocking, and the Trylle Trilogy, I jumped right at the chance to dive into this series which is taken from that story.
It was fun getting to know the troll world again, especially other tribes and the worlds they live in. Frostfire was a lot of world building, which was so interesting and fun... but Ice Kissed really kicked the story in gear!
Brynn grows a lot in this book. She gets to know her heritage and all that comes with it. There is kidnapping, murder, royal conspiracies, attraction, lust, deceit, forbidden love, and prejudices. Some friends from the Trylle series make an appearance which are a welcoming and a fun treat.
As far as other characters, only a few have stuck with me. Of course Ridley is one I can't forget. He is the swoon-worthy one, so far but I am just waiting for Amanda to throw in another one somewhere. I kinda thought Kennet might be someone of interest, but that changed quite quickly.
Just when I thought I knew where this was going, the ending just completely threw me completely out of the water!! It's what makes Hocking such a great writer, she knows how to keep a reader interested and wanting more! I definitely want more and more! I am enchanted with the world of the Trolls!
**Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read the ARC of Iced Kissed.**
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Numbers Game Book Blast Giveaway!
Numbers Game by Rebecca Rode
Treena is nervous for Rating Day. A single number will brand her forever—a valuable citizen, or a pathetic waste of space. Her top-Rated boyfriend is confident their scores will coincide so they can attend the academy together. But when the big day arrives, her true number shocks everyone.
To get her life—and boyfriend—back, she must go undercover and expose a military spy. Doesn’t sound too hard, except that someone wants her dead. And then there’s Vance, the mysterious soldier with a haunted past and beautiful brown eyes. Together, they discover a dark numbers conspiracy, one that shatters the nation’s future. Treena must join up with Vance if she is to survive the dangerous game of numbers—and the terrible war that rages within her heart.
Excerpt
“Your Rating is wrong,” Vance said. “Their precious Rating system says absolutely nothing about you and what you’re capable of.”
I shook my head. “So far, everything I’ve done has proven my number absolutely correct.”
“Treena.” His tone softened. “I don’t know why you that happened to you. But I do know one thing.” He stopped on the step below me, and I whirled to face him. We were the same height now, and his expression was fierce. “You are the most loyal, the most determined, and the most fascinating girl I’ve ever met. No number could ever describe you.”
The deadness inside cracked, and the pain came flooding back. I felt like a five-year-old again. Falling, grasping for a handhold, for something to save me. “It doesn’t matter now. Tali’s dead.”
He gave me a long look. Then he sat down, right on the steps, easing me down next to him. I lay my head on his shoulder and let him pull me close. The warmth of his embrace felt completely and utterly right. For a long moment, I allowed myself to forget about the past few days. There was no empress, no punishment mode, and no mission. There was just us. The world was cool and dark, and his touch sent my heart pumping as if it had just awakened from hibernation.
“Dying isn’t the worst thing to happen to someone,” he continued thoughtfully. “Anyone coward can die. The hardest thing is being left behind, trying to make sense of a world without them.”
I tilted my head back and allowed myself to look up into Vance’s eyes. They were dark, pulling, as if absorbing all the light that entered, saving it for some future purpose. His eyebrows were choppy, untrimmed, and his lips chapped. But somehow, it worked. It was simply . . . him. No surgeries, no tallies of volunteer hours and checklists. Vance just took life one day at a time, keeping his family safe, trying to put the pieces of himself back together. I could see it, the pain in his heart. It was something we shared now.
A warm feeling spread through my chest until I thought it would burst. This was who he really was. The tumultuous battle within him seemed to have trickled away, leaving one gallant, vulnerable boy. A boy who was looking at me as if I were something precious—who looked at me, instead of at my Rating. His eyes flitted between mine, his confidence replaced with uncertainty.
“It feels good to finally choose sides, doesn’t it?”
“Whose side are you on, then?”
His chin was just above mine, and he lowered it until our eyes were level. Then his hand tilted my chin upward toward his. His fingers brushed the side of my face, cradling it gently in his firm hand. I felt his breath on my face, felt the battle within him as well as I felt it in myself. But something pulled me toward him.
“Yours,” he said. He closed the distance between us, slowly, then paused.
And our lips met.
Praise for the Book
“Gripping, from beginning to end . . . a tale as action-packed as Divergent yet as introspective as The Giver. . . . Sure to be an instant classic in the genre.” –R.J. Craddock, author of The Children of Cain series
“Fluent and engaging . . . brimming with fabulous characters and intrigue that will keep you flipping pages. Can’t wait to read the next book in this series!” –Adrienne Monson, author of the Blood Inheritance trilogy
“Had me hooked from the first page to the last . . . Thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend!” -Randy Roberts, BoredShorts TV (Kid History/Kid Snippets)
Author Rebecca Rode
REBECCA RODE is an award-winning author and journalist. She is the author of the inspirational book, How to Have Peace When You’re Falling to Pieces, and writes for Deseret News, KSL.com, FamilyShare, and Provo Daily Herald. However, her true love is writing for teenagers. She enjoys playing with her four children, traveling, reading, and martial arts, and she has a ridiculous addiction to her husband’s chocolate-banana shakes.
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/9/15
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Solstice by Jane Redd
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Summary:
Four ways to get Banished from the last surviving city on earth are: 1. Cut out your emotion tracker, 2. Join a religious cult, 3. Create a rebellion against the Legislature, 4. Fall in love.
Jezebel James does all four.
Jez is on the fast-track to becoming a brilliant scientist, with one goal—to save her city from total extinction. Her caretakers have entrusted her with a secret plan to stop the rain from flooding the rest of the earth and start civilization anew. But the more Jez learns about the price of a fresh beginning, the more she realizes that carrying out the plan will lead to few survivors, and among the dead will be those she cares about the most.
I was given this book to read for an honest review and to be honest, I had a hard time finishing it. It was difficult to get into it and I couldn't really understand what was going on and not sure I really do now. I would put it down, taking a break from it for a while, and when I picked it up again it seemed to make a little more sense but I think I just got too impatient. I felt like I really wanted it to end so I could end my confusion, but it ended as a big cliffhanger!! UGH!
The writing was great, I liked the characters but it just didn't click for me. I was really frustrated with not being able to keep up with Jez (the main character) and her feelings. Reuben was my favorite person in the whole book and wished he was in the story more.
Taking everything into consideration, the most I could give this was 3 stars. I hope the next book will have at least some of the answers to most of the questions I have because this just seemed way too confusing! Do you get the idea that I was a little confused?
Excerpt:
Jezebel, you must not laugh.
My caretaker had warned me about this day. Of course, I didn't believe her at the time.
Jezebel, don't let them see your tears.
I hadn't cried for years, and even when I was a child, it was in the dark haven of my bedroom. My heart beat harder with each second that passed while I waited for Sol to some into the classroom. The other student were already scrolling through the previous day's assignments on their desk consoles, oblivious to the warmth that had spread to my cheeks as I waited. Their pale faces, dull eyes, and blue and gray clothing matched the endless rain outside.
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