Review: Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

 

Doon (Doon #1)
By Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon
Published August 20th, 2013 by Zondervan
368 pages

4 stars - Fantastic! 

Summary from Goodreads:

 DOON…

Veronica doesn't think she's going crazy. But why can't anyone else see the mysterious blond boy who keeps popping up wherever she goes? When her best friend, Mackenna, invites her to spend the summer in Scotland, Veronica jumps at the opportunity to leave her complicated life behind for a few months.

But the Scottish countryside holds other plans.

Not only has the imaginary kilted boy followed her to Alloway, she and Mackenna uncover a strange set of rings and a very unnerving letter from Mackenna's great aunt—and when the girls test the instructions Aunt Gracie left behind, they find themselves transported to a land that defies explanation. Doon seems like a real-life fairy tale, complete with one prince who has eyes for Mackenna and another who looks suspiciously like the boy from Veronica's daydreams. But Doon has a dark underbelly as well. The two girls could have everything they've longed for...or they could end up breaking an enchantment and find themselves trapped in a world that has become a nightmare.

DOON is loosely based on the premise of the musical Brigadoon, with permission from the ALan Jay Lerner Estate and the Frederick Loewe Foundation. Follow the journey at http://www.DoonSeries.com


Review:

Okay, so I've seen quite a few great reviews for the Doon series and I've heard quite a few different people rave about it. I'll admit that before this book I hadn't read anything having to do with Scotland or Scottish traditions/folklore. So I wasn't quite sure what I would be getting myself into by reading this series. Despite this I decided to give it a try since the e-books were on sale on Amazon. 

I'm extremely glad that I gave this book a chance because it was definitely an enjoyable read. Doon is told by two best friends, Veronica and Mackenna. I really enjoyed the two voices that these authors used. Both girls are incredible friends and have such a great bond! I absolutely love that they are stronger together and that they acknowledge that. I also enjoyed the fact that Veronica and Mackenna are different people with different likes. Veronica appealed to the book lover in me while Mackenna appealed to the music lover in me. It was so great to see both personalities getting along. 

The whole story of Doon was interesting as well. It took me a little bit to get used to the Scottish accents but I'm loving it now that I've been reading. The world is definitely easy to delve into and the characters are all really fun and interesting to read about. Jamie, Duncan, Fergus, and Fiona to name a few. The bond that these characters form with Veronica and Mackenna is pretty awesome. 

Overall, Doon was an interesting and hooking read. It was easy to get stuck in this magical world and to become invested in the characters. Their personalities were real and they were all realistically stubborn at times. :) I cannot wait to go on with the series and see where these characters end up and how they grow. I definitely recommend! 

Vanessa

Review - November 9 by Colleen Hoover

 

November 9
By Colleen Hoover
Published November 10th, 2015 by Atria Books
320 pages

5 stars - AMAZING!!

Summary from Goodreads:


Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

  
Review:
 
This book has to be one of my top favorites of Colleen Hoover's! I wasn't so sure that I would enjoy it after reading some of the mixed reviews and because I didn't LOVE Confess. I was definitely not disappointed though. In my opinion, this was such an amazing book. There were a few times that I became annoyed with the characters but I could not put this book down. I'm pretty sure I read it in one day!

I think that some people might be under the impression that November 9 takes place in just one day. I'll let you know that is not actually what happens. The two main characters are actually supposed to be meeting on November 9th of every year for a set amount of years. Fallon and Ben meet up and recap on their year apart. I thought that this was such an interesting idea and I really enjoyed watching both characters grow, especially Fallon. I did wish that we could have learned a little bit more about what happened throughout each year but it was a great read regardless.

Fallon and Ben are both awesome characters together. I really loved reading through each of their POVS. Like any other Colleen Hoover character, they had a few secrets that I didn't see coming. Their stories were interesting and heartbreaking as well. I was just so invested in what would happen to both of these characters that I could not stop reading.

I cried, laughed, and sighed in frustration. This book was everything I needed to get me out of the reading slump that I had been in. I've said before that I don't always enjoy contemporary romance. Well, yet again, Colleen Hoover is able to change this for me. I definitely recommend that you give this a try. I know that not all of Hoover's books are for everyone but if you loved Maybe Someday and Ugly Love, then I think you'll definitely enjoy this one! Check it out soon!

Vanessa

My Favorite 15 of 2015

Hey Everybody, 2015 is almost over! Can you believe it? I know I can't. It seems like this year went by so fast and yet so slow at the same time. I actually started working retail in the summer so I feel like I haven't read as much as I usually did when I was babysitting. Work and school definitely kept me busy but I was still able to read so many great books! I was barely able to narrow it down to 15 books. I really did enjoy just about every book I read this year, but these are the ones that really hit me in the feels some way or another. Here are some of my faves in no particular order. 










November 9 
By Colleen Hoover
Published November 10th, 2015 by Atria Books

 Find summary on Goodreads.com.

I absolutely LOVED this book!! This was one of my most recent reads and I had been in such a reading slump until I read this book. It is just filled with Colleen Hoover awesomeness. No lie. (And it is probably my second favorite of her books as well). A review to come later so my love for this book will make sense. :) 

Oblivion (Lux #1.5)
By Jennifer L. Armentrout 
Published December 1st, 2015 by Entangled Teen

Find summary on Goodreads.com.

I absolutely love Jennifer L. Armentrout and I LOVE her Lux series. Daemon is just plain awesome and when I found out that he would get a whole book to himself, I was so excited. I really did enjoy reading Daemon's thoughts and the e-book has the first 3 books written in his POV! Definitely one of my faves of the year. :) 



Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4)
By Marissa Meyer 
Published November 10th, 2015 by Feiwel and Friends

Check out the summary  here!
Check out the summary for Cinder (#1) here!  

First, read this series because it is awesome! Second, Winter was just so awesome! It was such an epic ending to one of my favorite series and I had such a great time reading it. I'm going to miss my Lunar friends but it was fun while it lasted. :) 



 Sweet Temptation (The Sweet Series #4)
By Wendy Higgins
Published September 8th, 2015 by HarperCollins/HarperTeen

Summary on Goodreads.com.

This is another book told in a different character's POV. This is Kai's book and I absolutely loved it because I love all things Kai. :) Sweet Evil is the first book in this series and is told in the main character's POV. In Sweet Temptation we get to read all three books in Kai's POV and it is definitely worth it. Check it out if you sigh for Kai! ;)



Every Last Breath (The Dark Elements #3)
By Jennifer L. Armentrout 
Published July 28th, 2015 by Harlequin Teen

Summary on Goodreads.com

Yet another last book in a series. Again, Jennifer L. Armentrout is amazing and this is another YA series of hers. This one has to do with demons and gargoyles and is full of action, romance, and humor. Plus, Roth. :) I was very scared to see how this series would end but I ended up really loving it. Definitely check out the first book if you haven't yet! 



An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1)
By Sabaa Tahir
Published April 28th, 2015 by Razorbill

Summary on Goodreads 

This book!! This was such a great read and I love that it was a debut read this year. So many great characters mixed with some awesome action, fantasy, and suspense. Elias and Laia are some pretty cool characters. I cannot wait for the next book! Definitely check this one out if you love fantasy and awesome characters. ;)



The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1)
By Renee Ahdieh
Published May 12th, 2015

Summary on Goodreads.

Another beautiful fantasy with an equally beautiful cover! The physical book is incredibly beautiful and I just absolutely love it! I cannot even explain how much I enjoyed this book. The setting is just so magical and the story itself is magical as well. The ending a complete cliff-hanger and I NEED the next book now! There is such a diverse and well written book that made me an emotional wreck. In a good way...;) Definitely read this one soon!!



The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1)
By Jodi Meadows
Published March 10th, 2015 

Summary on Goodreads 

So I wasn't sure about reading The Orphan Queen because it didn't have stellar reviews. But I read it anyway because the cover is beautiful and it sounded intriguing. I really did enjoy this book despite the fact that it wasn't the best of the year. I loved the characters and I loved the ending. The ending is where things really picked up and the cliff-hanger had me wanting the next book now! The last book in this duo-logy has an equally beautiful cover and I really can't wait to read it. :) 


 Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss #1)
By Stephanie Perkins
Published July 16th, 2013 by Speak

Summary on Goodreads

This book is an older one and one that I had put off reading for awhile. I don't usually read too much contemporary romance and I was a tad bit wary with this book. Anna and the French Kiss was a truly enjoyable read. It was a contemporary book that really caught my attention and had me wanting to read more about these two awesome characters. This is just a feel good book that can be read in a sitting! :) 


Ugly Love 
By Colleen Hoover
Published August 5th, 2014

Summary on Goodreads

Another Colleen Hoover book because she is amazing! This was such an emotional read and I could not put it down. It is New Adult and I feel like Colleen Hoover is just one of the best New Adult authors out there. This book is also told in the present and in the past which makes such an awesome and emotional read! Plus, this is going to be a movie! Like, what?! So excited for that and I just really recommend that you read this. :) 


Mosquitoland
By David Arnold
Published March 3rd, 2015 

Summary on Goodreads


I read this pretty early on in the year and really enjoyed it. It was such an odd and unique read that stayed with me for weeks! I loved how the main character was real and honest about herself. This is realistic fiction and one that had me hooked from the beginning, which isn't common for me. :)


Ensnared (Splintered #3)
By A.G. Howard
Published January 6th, 2015 

Summary on Goodreads

This is the third and last book in the Splintered trilogy and it was awesome! The trilogy is basically an awesome re-telling of Alice in Wonderland. There are awesome characters mixed with an ethereal and magical world. I will definitely miss this series but I loved how it ended. 


 
Champion (Legend #3)
By Marie Lu 
Published November 5th, 2013

Summary on Goodreads

I actually read the entire Legend trilogy this year and absolutely loved each and every book! I was pretty skeptical at first but this was a dystopian trilogy that I truly enjoyed. The characters were so amazing and I really formed a connection with them so the last book was really hard to put down. I definitely recommend this trilogy because Marie Lu is amazing! 


Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)
By Sarah J. Maas
Published September 2nd, 2014 

Summary on Goodreads

Sarah J. Maas is another extremely talented author that I love! The fourth book in this series was published this year but I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I know that I will absolutely love it when I do read it though! This series has an insanely amazing female lead and a whole bunch of other great characters. The setting is awesome as is the plot as well. Can't wait to read the next book! 



A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1)
By Sarah J. Maas
Published May 5th, 2015

Summary on Goodreads

This book!!! This was one of my absolute favorites of the year. I already said that Sarah J. Maas is awesome but I have to say it again. First of all, this cover is amazing and so beautiful! The physical book is just stunning in my opinion. This is a loose Beauty and the Beast re-telling. It involves the Fey and a ton of wonderful romance. The ending was not too much of a cliff-hanger but I still have to know what will happen next. 


What were your favorites of the year?
Happy New Year! 
Vanessa

Review: Midnight Burning by Karissa Laurel

Midnight Burning 
By Karissa Laurel
Published July 7th, 2015 by Red Adept Publishing, LLC
280 pages

4.5 stars - Incredible! 

*I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!* 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Solina Mundy lives a quiet life, running the family bakery in her small North Carolina hometown. But one night, she suffers a vivid nightmare in which a wolfish beast is devouring her twin brother, who lives in Alaska. The next morning, police notify her that Mani is dead. Driven to learn the truth, Solina heads for the Land of the Midnight Sun. Once there, she begins to suspect Mani’s friends know more about his death than they’ve let on. Skyla, an ex-Marine, is the only one willing to help her.

As Solina and Skyla delve into the mystery surrounding Mani’s death, Solina is stunned to learn that her own life is tied to Mani’s friends, his death, and the fate of the entire world. If she can’t learn to control her newfound gifts and keep her friends safe, a long-lost dominion over mortals will rise again, and everything she knows will fall into darkness.

Review:

Midnight Burning was definitely a pleasant surprise. I was actually given this book a few weeks ago and have now just gotten some time to read it. I started this book without re-reading the synopsis so I had no idea what this book would be about. I have to say that the first few chapters were a little slower. Once I got past those few chapters I could not stop reading. 

I just had to find out what was going on this book. I had to figure out what had happened to Solina's brother and what was happening to her. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this book had mythology in it.  I hope that this isn't a spoiler but I just wanted to share my excitement about this fact. I really enjoy reading about different kinds of mythologies and this wasn't any different. 

I did enjoy reading about Solina and I absolutely loved her friend, Skyla. Both of them were pretty great characters and I loved their friendship. Then there were the male characters. Val and Thorin had some pretty interesting stories as well. They knew Solina's brother and formed relationships with her because of this. There were some times where they could get pretty annoying with Solina but I enjoyed some of the ways that she handled those times. There were other times where they could be pretty caring and awesome as well though. :) 

Midnight Burning was definitely an interesting and suspenseful read. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships as well as the whole mythology part. I was intrigued and the ending had me wanting to know what was going to happen next! I would definitely give this book a try because the writing flowed well and the story was just plain intriguing. 

Vanessa

Review: Raining Embers by Jessica Dall

Raining Embers (Order and Chaos #1)
By Jessica Dall 
Published November 3rd, 2015 by Red Adept Publishing, LLC
280 pages

4 STARS - Awesome Start!! 

*I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!*


Synopsis from Goodreads:

Palmer Tash always follows the path of least resistance. He has an unusual disability involving his hearing. But in theocratic Latysia, being different isn’t a good thing, so he conceals his problem.

Brier Chastain’s malady is even more debilitating, and she often must take to her bed for long periods. Her days are spent in meaningless pursuits as she awaits an arranged marriage.

When Palmer and Brier are kidnapped on the same night, they meet and discover that their so-called disabilities are actually budding powers. They are the incarnations of Order and Chaos. With their country on the brink of war, the two must step into their predestined roles and learn to take control of their own destinies.


Review:

I just want to start by saying that I absolutely love this cover! I just love the colors. :) 

This book caught my attention from the beginning. It was an overall enjoyable read as well. I really enjoyed learning about Order and Chaos. I always love to read about different legends or myths and Raining Embers didn't disappoint. 

It was a little slow to start but once Brier and Palmer figured things out, things got interesting quick. Brier and Palmer had to learn about their abilities and how they came to have them. We get to see both of these characters grow in their abilities and grow as characters in general. I also really enjoyed Rosette, one of the other characters in the book. She is a young girl that Brier and Palmer come to care for. She also has a few abilities of her own and I'm quite interested in finding out more about her. I'm actually interested in learning more about all three of these characters. 

I think that Raining Embers was a great start to this new series. The idea is refreshing and the characters are pretty enjoyable. There is action, some romance, and suspense. The characters grow as the book goes on and the ending left me wanting more. There are definitely questions that need to be answered and I can't wait to find out what the answers are as the series goes on. 

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was different and the characters, as well as their abilities/stories, were interesting. I enjoyed the fact that this book wasn't incredibly long and that it was pretty easy to understand everything that was going on in the world and with the characters. I love the fantasy genre but some of them are incredibly hard to get into or to understand. Sometimes there is so much detail that I can't really focus or comprehend what is going on. This is where Raining Embers is different and I really appreciated that. Definitely give this one a try! 

Vanessa

Blog Tour - Stupid Love by Cindy Miles

 

Hey Everybody! Happy Thanksgiving! I'm one of the tour stops for the Stupid Love Blog Tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours. Check out my review, more info on the book, and a giveaway.

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Stupid Love (Stupid in Love #3)

 by Cindy Miles 
Published September 10th, 2015 by
Genres: New Adult, Romance

4 stars - Fantastic Read!!

Synopsis:

Bestselling new adult author Cindy Miles is set to capture the hearts of STUPID GIRL fans again with the grand finale of the Stupid in Love series, featuring Memory and Jace.

MEMORY
Casualties.
That’s how I refer to the guys who’ve had the bad fortune to fall for me. They only see long legs that they wish were wrapped around them, a cat-like smile, and the reckless abandon to take on any wild dare. It’s all a game to me. Show me a bridge, and I’ll leap over the side. Give me a car, and I’ll race it. Give me a heart, and I’ll break it. I always win. I even showed Death who was boss a long time ago.
Or so I thought.
Now, time is running out, and I’m losing fast…and big. I met someone. Jace Beaumont. He’s smart, and good, and I dream about spending days exploring the summit of his perfect lips. But, I’m a grenade. I know I should leave him be. I can’t.

JACE
Study, class, work, repeat. That’s all I have time for. At twenty-five years old, I have a bit more mileage on me than the average college freshman. But, that’s what happens when you spend your youth drinking, partying, and bagging girls like it’s a full-time job. Now, I have goals. There’s just one kink in my plans. Her name is Memory. She’s every guy’s dream girl. She’s intoxicating. She’s trouble. I want to stay away. I can’t.

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Review:

Before I signed up for this blog tour I hadn't actually read any of the previous books. Luckily I was able to read them before reading this one and I was soo glad that I was able to. I started the first book in this trilogy and could not put it down. I was instantly hooked and pretty much binged read the rest of the series. 

Stupid Love was not a disappointment compared to the rest of the series. Though it was somewhat different from the past two. This book was set outside of college and the characters were older. But I absolutely enjoyed reading this book and I really did love the characters. It was great to meet Memory and to learn about her as well as to see Jace again and learn more about him. Memory was definitely different from the past two female leads and I enjoyed the change of pace. She was an interesting character with neat interests. I loved her relationship with her father just as much as I loved Jace's relationship with his grandfather's friend. 

I won't say much else about what goes on in this book because I don't want to give anything away. I'll let you know that there are some guest appearances from some favorite past characters. :) There were funny moments, heart warming, and heart pounding moments all mixed into this book. It was definitely a great end to the trilogy, although I really wouldn't mind a few more. ;) 

If you have not read the previous two books, then definitely read them! And read this one as well because it is not one that you should pass up. A great contemporary fiction that is full of fun and loving characters! 

Vanessa  
 

Find on...Goodreads

Purchase at...

Amazon
 B&N

AUTHOR BIO:

National bestselling author Cindy Miles writes edgy romance, ranging from contemporary love stories to sexy paranormals. A native of southern coastal Georgia, she loves reading (naturally), baking swoon-worthy desserts, traveling abroad, yoga, and classic rock. The cover for her debut New Adult romance, STUPID GIRL, was featured on USA Today’s Happily Ever After blog. In the novel, a volatile mix of bad boys, sassy smart girls, dark secrets, and red-hot romance add up to one wild ride through college. The second book in her Stupid in Love series, STUPID BOY, features a wickedly handsome law-breaker who falls for a beautiful, straight-A college student with an ugly past of her own.

Author links:

http://www.cindy-miles.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/275252.Cindy_Miles

https://www.facebook.com/officialcindymilesfanpage

https://twitter.com/cindymilesbooks

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A Vanishing Glow by Alexis Radcliff

 A Vanishing Glow (The Mystech Arcanum #1-2)
By Alexis Radcliff
Published October 1st, 2015 by Fatecaster Press
338 pages

4 stars - Fantastic! 

*A copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!*


 Summary from Goodreads.com:

A VANISHING GLOW is the exciting opening to THE MYSTECH ARCANUM series, a deep and thrilling blend of steampunk and flintlock fantasy with mature themes.

It is an Age of Revolution, an Age of Industrialism. Constructs, living men who are as much brass and steel as they are flesh, man the factories and wage the wars of a ruling elite who gorge themselves on the fruits of the common man’s labor. Mystech, a brilliant fusion of magic and machine, gives rise to a new class of privileged inventors and merchants even as the country festers with wounds from decades of internal strife.

Only one man holds the promise of a brighter future: Nole Ryon, the crown prince. When his childhood friend Jason Tern answers his call for aid, the two of them set out to fight for the change their country needs in order to survive, even as shadowy foes frustrate their efforts. But soon, Jason and Nole’s idealistic mission of hope becomes a furious manhunt for a political murderer as the nation balances on the precipice of a country-wide civil war. Can they cut through the threads of intrigue to discover their true enemy before everything is lost?

Sweeping from the ancient cities at the heart of the nation to the dusty edges of the war-torn frontier, A Vanishing Glow tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and assassins, friends and lovers, who come together in a time of epic struggle. Here a brave officer risks everything to win back his estranged father’s respect; a brilliant young engineer attempts to atone for her sins; a war-weary commander tries to pick up the pieces of the life he lost; and a man touched by the gods struggles to prepare a nation for the coming of an ancient evil which only he can see. In the dying light of a once-prosperous society, amid twisting plots, suffering and betrayal, lost love and shattered dreams, all must fight for what they hold dear. Who will taste the fruits of victory and who will lie bloodied on the ground in the light of a vanishing glow?

Review:

A Vanishing Glow is unlike what I have read in the past. It is an incredibly intriguing book that incorporates mature themes, neat ideas, and interesting characters.
  
I was hooked from the start. I wanted to keep on reading to find out who was behind the murders. I can honestly say that I didn't see any of it coming. I was surprised until the very end. There was a ton of action, suspense, and thrilling sequences. Readers will definitely be kept on their toes throughout this book. 

The characters were interesting and I enjoyed reading through more than one point of view. There are many different stories told and that made the book that more enjoyable. Each character had to go through some pretty tough situations but they were able to grow from them some in the end. 

Then there was the whole fantasy and steampunk feel to this book. Alexis Radcliff's world building and descriptions helped to create a world that felt incredibly real. It felt like I was in a different yet similar world to my own. Radcliff definitely came up with some interesting ideas. I enjoyed the whole idea of magic and mechanics and of people with brass limbs. 

All together, this book was a great read! I was interested from the beginning and there were many elements that added together to create something pretty cool. There was action, suspense, love, friendship, and growth. As well as interesting ideas of magic and machine. A pretty great start to this series! Definitely pick up today if you are even slightly interested! 

Vanessa