Blog Tour: Fateful Eyes

Hey guys! Today I'm hosting the Fateful Eyes Virtual Book Tour presented by Sage's Blog Tours and including a giveaway by the author! Check below for the book cover and synopsis, my review, the contest and info about the author!

Fateful Eyes (Volume 1)
By Panos Nomikos
Published June 25th, 2012 by IUniverse
520 pages

3.5 stars 

Fateful Eyes is a story about a life spent searching for love, accomplishments, and true fulfillment, within the world upheavals that, unfortunately, characterize the beginning of the new millennium. In his own life, Panos Nomikos (the author) has traveled in many continents, has been acquainted with many different people from different cultures, and he has also humbly attempted to comprehend the dizzying pace of events that are unfolding in such a frenetic tempo around us.
Panos aspires to share those experiences by narrating the story of “Peter”, a cosmopolitan who is traveling around the world at several exotic places, trying to solve a great puzzle, trying to locate a mysterious lady who came from his distant, youthful, and lustful past, and upset his life and his relationship with his affectionate lover. All the while, she is trying to fend-off by the threat posed by that mysterious rival in his heart.
Yet, the puzzle itself is not the essence of this novel. The puzzle is only a “pretext” to justify the exposure of Peter’s tortuous and twisted path in life, as well as to narrate the lives of everyone around him, as they all become unwittingly entangled into the rolling thunder of the world’s current upheavals, terrorism, wars, and economic crises. Like a modern Odyssey, the real essence of this novel is Peter’s long and tormenting journey towards his destination, towards the completion of his mission. Notwithstanding the mystery, the problems, and the upheavals, this story also celebrates love, affection, optimism, and the enthralling beauty of marvelous life.

First of all I want to say that I'm happy to be the last stop of the Fateful Eyes Book Tour and I'd like to thank Sage for contacting me about it. 

Ok so on to my review of Fateful Eyes. It's kind of difficult for me to review this book because it's pretty different from what I usually read. But lately I have been trying out new types of books so I'm not just stuck in the same genre. Anyways the book was different but it was good as well although I feel that if I was older I might have liked it even more. Again that's not saying that Nomikos didn't do a good job at intriguing the reader because I think he did. 

So I don't make this post any longer than it needs to be I'll get down to the main points. Peter has a daughter or does he? Peter has just learned that he might have a daughter that he never knew about. While he is excited about the news there is just one problem, he doesn't know where she is. He doesn't know her name, what she looks like, where she lives or who the mother is. So Peter sets off on a journey to many different countries to find his daughter, if she is even real that is. And in the midst of all this some pretty terrible world tragedies occur. The book is in written in Peter's perspective along with a few other characters and it shows us past and present events. 

In the beginning I'll admit that I was a little bored but as the story went on I became more intrigued. I was even stumped trying to figure out who Peter's daughter was or if she was even real. There were some times when I thought I might be on to something and then realize that I didn't really have it. So I would like to see what the outcome is for Peter and his search because the ending left in a cliffhanger. Overall I think that this was a good first book and well written. It has an authentic feeling I guess because it is written in the style of a Greek person speaking English. And again although it was a good story I feel that maybe if I was older I'd have a better time at connecting with the characters. So saying that I would recommend it to anyone in their adult years. Check this one out and don't forget to check out the contest below! 

Vanessa

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Solve the puzzle and win a journey…
Read “Fateful Eyes”, try to guess the solution of the puzzle (that will be finally revealed in the forthcoming 2^nd volume) and win a trip for two persons, for one week, all expenses paid, to the beautiful country that is the final destination of the protagonist in this story, and also win books and other prizes. Contribute your ideas at http://panosnomikos.wordpress.com/about or by email to pnomikos@ath.forthnet.gr

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I am Panos Nomikos and I was born in 1961 in Athens, Greece, this beautiful country that has become lately the epicenter of the raging global financial crisis. During my carefree, youthful years, I roamed the idyllic islands of my home country having fun on the golden beaches under the sun with my friends and lovers. Later on, I studied for a Ph.D. in the UK and I started a career in Information Technology in the maritime sector, roaming again across the world on intercontinental business trips in faraway places in Asia, Europe and America. In the course of my career I have authored numerous essays and articles in professional publications.


I maintain a blog at http://panosnomikos.wordpress.com to write about my favorite themes related to my beautiful home country, Greece, its position within the world-wide socioeconomic transformations, and its current upheaval in the midst of the worst financial crisis that we are experiencing here. I am especially writing to talk about ordinary Greeks, those living within the country, but also those who live and distinguish themselves around the world, trying to understand their vivid pulse and their feelings of belonging to the world-wide Greek diaspora.
Similarly, I have always aspired to share all those views and experiences and my quests to discover my own ‘true meaning of life’ by writing books. 

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Fateful Eyes can be found on Amazon www.amazon.com/author/panosnomikos in paperback or e-book formats. You can also follow Panos Nomikos here:

Blog: http://panosnomikos.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/panosnomikos

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/panosnomikos

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/panosnomikos

Remembrance Review

Remembrance (Transcend Time Saga #1)

By Michelle Madow

Published July 27th 2011 by Dreamscape Publishing

314 pages

3.5 - 4 stars

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

I saw Remembrance on Goodreads a couple of months ago and ever since then I've wanted to read it. Well mission accomplished because the kindle version is currently free on Amazon. Anyways I was finally able to read it a couple days ago and it was pretty good. I'm aware that I rated it 3.5 to 4 stars and that's because I'm still unsure as to whether its a 3.5 or a 4. I feel like it might be somewhere in the middle because despite the fact that it was interesting I still had a few problems with it.

So Remembrance is basically about a girl and boy that have been reincarnated and for reasons that you'll find out in the book. I really enjoyed the whole reicarnation thing and everything that had to do with it in the book, it's an interesting topic. I liked how the characters didn't know each other at first and how they started learning about their past through memories.And for the most part I enjoyed the characters, except Jeremy. Most of the time I just wanted to slap Jeremy but maybe you'll feel differently :). The story between Drew and Lizzie was interesting but at the same time I felt like there maybe could have been more. Though I suppose that more will be covered in the following books. 

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that for the first book in a series, Remembrance was a pretty good start. It was enjoyable and at some parts suspensful. I would really like to know what the future looks like for Lizzie and Drew, especially with the ending that the book had. I look forward to seeing all the characters grown and for the relationship between Lizzie and Drew to grow. Oh and I thought it was great how Michelle thought of the idea for this book after watching Taylor Swift's Love Story music video! So despite all my rambling and confusion I do encourage you to check this book out and right now it is free! 

Vanessa

Review - Evanescent by Gabriella Lepore

Evanescent
By Gabriella Lepore
Published March 15th, 2013 by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly
164 pages


4.5 stars - Fantastic Read!



“Then it is settled,” Felix declared. “Come hell or high water, when this is all over, at least one of us here will not make it out alive.”

When Bronwen Snow is pulled from her cottage in the middle of the night, she finds herself seeking the help of three mysterious boys who reside in an abandoned castle deep in the hillside. With only a hasty handwritten note and a vague sense of dread to guide her, Bronwen is forced to put her trust in the eccentric and willful Felix Cavara and his eternal curse – immortality.

Review:
I was pretty intrigued after reading the synopsis of this book but I wasn't completely sold on whether or not I'd like it. A chapter or two into the book I was absolutely sold! Evanescent was a fantastic book and I think the only thing I didn't like was that it was so short! I feel like if the book was a little longer then maybe the story could have had more detail or the characters could have grown more. But then at the same time I think that the length was good for not drawing out the story too much or stopping the inevitable.

I loved all the characters, especially Felix. The relationship that the three boys had was great and really heart warming. You could tell that they had gone through a lot together and even though they weren't related they were almost like brothers. Bronwen was an interesting character as well and amazingly strong. Maybe she wasn't physically strong or able to fight off what was chasing her on her own but in the end she made some pretty tough decesions. Bronwen lives with her grandmother because her parents died when she was just a baby. Even though she doesn't have her parents Bronwen's life is pretty good until one night where her psychic grandmother tells her to run to an abandoned castle in the woods. She doesn't give her an explanation but tells her to trust her and keep safe. Her grandmother sends her to Felix with a note that gives an explanation and a reward for keeping her granddaughter safe. A gift that will help him and his two friends with their eternal curse. 

Man, I just really loved this book! It made me think and it made laugh and cry. I loved the characters and I enjoyed watching them grow in the short amount of time they had. The story of Felix and his friends and of Bronwen was definitely interesting. I cared about the characters and even though the ending made me bawl I l respected how different it was than what is usually written. This book is one that you should definitely read and really think about. It's fast and enjoyable and might even make you cry but what fantastic book doesn't? So check this one out! I hope you enjoy it!

Vanessa