Starcrossed Review

Starcrossed (Starcrossed #1)

By Josephine Angelini

Published May 31st, 2011 by HarperTeen

487 pages

4 stars - Intriguing book!

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like Starcrossed when I first picked it up but once again I was pleasantly surprised. The book just had some sort of mystical feeling to it. 

Starcrossed has to do with demigods and everything that has to do with Greek Mythology. I feel like some might think of it as some modern day Romeo and Juliet but it really has it's differences. It's intriguing, especially the history of the demigods and the Fates. There are twists and turns, suspense and romance. I also enjoyed most of the characters in this book. Helen was a pretty good main character and I enjoyed watching her grow into her true self and figure out her powers. I really loved reading about Lucas and his family, there were a few humorous times between all of them, but you could really tell the love that was there. 

Basically Starcrossed is a book that, I think, is worth your time. I am very much looking forward to being able to read the rest of the series and finding out what happens to all my favorite characters. The ending is definitely infuriating at parts and makes you dislike a few characters. Either way I felt that Starcrossed was a great start to what I hope is a great series. So check this out for yourself, especially if your into Greek Mythology. 

Need Review

Need (Need #1)

By Carrie Jones

Published December 23rd, 2008 by Bloomsbury

306 pages

3.5 stars - Interesting!

Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The white world goes dark and I know what's about to happen.

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.

Need is quite an interesting read and is pretty different from what I've read recently. I think one of the things that I found most interesting was the constant listing of phobias. You'd think it be annoying and I guess it could be for some people but I truly liked learning about all those phobias that I didn't even know were real. 

So I guess that Need could kind of be compared to the book Wicked Lovely but instead of faeries they have something else. I won't say just so I don't spoil anything but I will say that the sleepy Maine town is residence to more than just humans. The stories of what the town holds were pretty interesting and there was some humor, romance and suspense. At some points I felt like it was a little slow but nonetheless Need was a pretty good first book to the series. 

Zara was a pretty nice character to read about and I liked how she grew through out the book despite everything that she had gone through. I loved her friends and the main love interest, they were funny and lovable  :) I'd like to learn more about the "creatures" that inhabited Zara's town and I thought it was neat how they had different kind of "weres". I'll let you read the book to figure out what I mean by that. Anyways Need was a quick and entertaining read and intrigued me enough to read the next one. But find out for yourself and pick up the book.

Vanessa

Glimpse Review

Glimpse (Zellie Wells #1)

By Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Published May 9th, 2010 by Write Free

262 pages

3.5 stars - Pretty great!

Zellie Wells has a devastating crush on Avery Adams, the son of her mom’s high school sweetheart. At her sixteenth birthday party, held in the basement of her dad’s church, she finally finds the courage to talk to him. Turns out, the devastating crush is mutual.

As Avery takes her hand and leads her out onto the makeshift dance floor, Zellie is overwhelmed by her first vision of his death; shocking because not only are they both covered in his blood, but they’re old, like thirty-five, and she is pregnant.

Afraid to tell anyone about the vision, (she’d just be labeled a freaky black magic witch, right?) Zellie keeps the knowledge of Avery’s future to herself and tries to act like any other teenager in love. When they get caught on their way to a secret rendezvous by her mom and his dad, they are forbidden to see each other.

Convinced that their parents are freaking out unnecessarily, Avery and Zellie vow to be together no matter what. They continue their relationship in secret until Zellie learns that their parents are just trying to prevent her and Avery from suffering like they did. The visions are hereditary, they’re dangerous, and if they stay together the visions will come true.

Now Zellie must choose between severing all ties with Avery, like her mom did to prevent his father’s death, and finding a way to change Avery’s future.

So this book in free for the Kindle on Amazon and it has been so every time I type in free books this book shows up. And every time I saw this book I always figured that it wouldn't be that great to read. But I was wrong because when I finally started reading it I realized that it wasn't that bad. 

Glimpse is a different kind of book and different from what I've read so far. Zellie has just started having visions about her family and friends and of course Avery, a boy that she has a major crush on. And it turns out that these visions are hereditary and are of things that no one wants to come true. But the vision that is important for Zellie to try and prevent from coming true is the one that she has of Avery right after they realize that they both like each other. Now their relationship is forbidden by her mom and his dad. Zellie has to figure out a way to keep things from going downhill and fast.

I think the reason that this book intrigued me so much was because it started off with characters that were as real as you and me. Zellie is like any normal 16 year old and so is Avery. Her family is real and some of the problems they face are normal as well. But then Zellie learns that she is anything but normal and she has these powers that no one else has. She grows up throughout this book even though its only the first one. And by the way it's a pretty good first book as well. Though sometimes it did seem a bit slow but then there were times when there was suspense and drama. There were shocking moments and moments that made me mad. But overall I did enjoy this book. I enjoyed the relationship between Zellie and Avery and Zellie and her sister and best friend. Some characters I didn't enjoy as much. Glimpse is a different kind of book and it's interesting. I can't wait to read the second one because I have a feeling that we will learn even more about Zellie's powers and all the other people that have them as well. So check this one out and don't wait like I did!

Vanessa

The Elite Review

The Elite (The Selection #2)

By Kiera Cass

Published April 23rd, 2013 by Harper Teen

323 pages

4 stars - Good Sequel!

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.


Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

After reading The Selection I was excitedly looking forward to reading the sequel. The Elite wasn't a bad sequel though I've seen that some people have thought is was kind of slow. Honestly I thought it was a pretty great sequel that gave us more information about The Selection and the palace and the kingdom's rules. 

America is still in the running for Prince Maxon's heart and while it's obvious that Maxon has feelings for her America isn't as sure about her feelings. And while Maxon has the Elite to choose from America has Aspen and Maxon to choose from. Throughout the book America tries to figure out who her heart belongs too and at times I guess at times it could be annoying because I wanted her to already figure it out and choose someone. Maxon at the same time is trying to figure out who to keep and who to let go and maybe wondering if he should totally give his heart to America. America is also becoming stronger and realizing what she could do for the country.

Anyways I guess some could say that not too much happened during The Elite but I liked how America's character grew. She's been learning about the history of Illea and she's realizing that there could be a plus to becoming princess. She could help out the country and her people in the lower castes. So this book is full of drama, love, confusion, suspense and figuring out who one really is. All in all this was a good sequel and kept me wanting to read on and figure out what will happen to Maxon and America and Illea. So check this out for yourself!

Vanessa

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

                                                        -----------------------------------

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. 

                                                         -----------------------------------

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