Shade Me Book Review + #Giveaway

Shade Me
Nikki Kill #1
Jennifer Brown

Genre: YA Mystery Thriller, Suspense
Release Date: January 19, 2016
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

ISBN: 978-0062324436
ASIN: B00WR0F4D4

Pages: 448
Goodreads Rating: 3.28
My Rating: 5.0

Book Description:

Nikki Kill does not see the world like everyone else. In her eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray. Thanks to a rare phenomenon called synesthesia, Nikki’s senses overlap, in a way that both comforts and overwhelms her.

Always an outsider, just one ‘D’ shy of flunking out, Nikki’s life is on the fast track to nowhere until the night a mysterious call lights her phone up bright orange—the color of emergencies. It’s the local hospital. They need Nikki to identify a Jane Doe who is barely hanging on to life after a horrible attack.

The victim is Peyton Hollis, a popular girl from Nikki’s school who Nikki hardly knows. One thing is clear: Someone wants Peyton dead. But why? And why was Nikki’s cell the only number in Peyton’s phone?

As she tries to decipher the strange kaleidoscope of clues, Nikki finds herself thrust into the dark, glittering world of the ultra-rich Hollis family, and drawn towards Peyton’s handsome, never-do-well older brother Dru. While Nikki’s colors seem to help her unravel the puzzle, what she can’t see is that she may be falling into a trap. The only truth she can be sure of is that death is a deep, pulsing crimson.

Shade Me is award-winning author Jennifer Brown’s first book in a thrilling suspense series about Nikki Kill.

My Take on the Book:

Well that was completely unexpected.

This book was nothing like what I expected it to be... It was so much more. Nikki Kill was by far one my absolute favorite characters. This was probably my favorite book of 2015. A perfect way to end the year.

I loved everything about this book and its characters, this felt like a new twist on the classic who dun it tale. When you think you have the story solved, the author presents you with another possibility and you are left questioning your own gut.

I think what I liked most was the ending. I can't really get into what about the ending I liked as that would give away the whole story and defeat the whole purpose of you reading it! 

I can't stress how much I enjoyed this book. It was unique and enthralling and while you may have read a story like this, it will never have all the components that make this one so great.

5 Quills

I can't recommend this book enough to you all. Its got a strong female lead like no other. And while she has her moments of typical heroine stupidity, she's young so its not something thats too annoying and it doesn't mess with the flow of the story. I do wish there was more to the story because a lot is left unanswered but then again life is never really tied up all pretty in a nice little bow.

I look forward to reading more from this author and more importantly, this character.

About the Author

Jennifer Brown is the author of acclaimed young adult novels, Hate List, Bitter End, Perfect Escape, Thousand Words, and Torn Away. Her debut novel, Hate List, received three starred reviews and was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA "Perfect Ten," and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Bitter End received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. Her debut middle grade novel, Life on Mars, was released in 2014, and her second middle grade novel, How Lunchbox Jones Saved Me from Robots, Traitors, and Missy the Cruel will be released in summer 2015. She also writes women's fiction under the name Jennifer Scott.

Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area, with her husband and three children.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

   

 Enter The Giveaway Here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by,

Tour Organized By:

First Impression Review + #Giveaway

(To Follow the Tour, Click on the Banner Above)

First Impression

Shadow Maven Series

Book #1

Pauline Creeden 

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Release Date: March 31, 2014

Publisher: Altwit Press

ISBN: 978-1495303944

ASIN: B00J6MZQDY

Pages: 177

Goodreads Rating:  3.98

My Rating: 5.0

Book Description:

Chira Kelly thought she didn’t need anyone…until she met Ben. 

Because of one ugly rumor, Chira lives as an outcast at her school. Which is fine with her, because she works better alone. Always has, always will. And at least she has her one and only true friend, Tasha. 

When Tasha insists that they join a group to visit a possibly haunted abandoned old schoolhouse, she's wary, but joins her friend. Because of that decision, their lives are in jeopardy as a malevolent spirit targets the group. Tragedies and accidents pick them off one by one, and Chira finds herself drawn to the one person who can see the truth. But can he protect her?

My Take On The Book:

A ghost story with a bang! Finally, one that I can really get into. I love movies with hauntings and ghost, even the ones with possessions but I have yet to read a good book with these elements… till now/ And while there isn’t a ton of ghostly action, the ghosts and there stories do play a big part of this story right down to the book title.

The cover while beautiful is beguiling, as I read the book I realized this book was less about the romance of the 2 main characters then it was about righting wrongs and self discovery. But it did have a nice healthy dose of character chemistry and butterflies. Ben and Chira are sooo cute together is their innocence.

Ms. Creeden hooked me from the first line… any opening unlike any other and you are instantly drawn into the world of The Shadow Maven Series. Usually while I read a book I enjoyed as much as this one, I wonder where the male POV is or vice versa but in the case of ‘First Impression’, I loved the use of one singular POV. You discovered this world, all its faults and all its characters through Chira’s eyes… Observant ones if you take the time to notice. And truth be told, to those wishing for Ben’s POV keep in mind that, being in his mind would completely ruin the book and its intrigue… there would be no mystery.

5 Quills

This is definitely a book I would recommend and if my stack of paperbacks wasn’t so ridiculously large and if I had a proper place to put them I’d definitely want this in paperback…oh who am I kidding lol I want in paperback regardless of my space issues :D. But any who, there is nothing in terms of books that I have read and enjoyed that I could compare this to so you lovelies are just going to have to take a leap of faith and get the book and read it for yourselves. It has everything most people look for in a good book, great writing, relatable characters, solid story, romance, chemistry, humor, tragedy and mystery.

Purchase Link

Amazon

About The Author 

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long. Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. 

www.paulinecreeden.com | @P_Creeden | facebook.com/paulinecreeden

Enter The Giveaway Here

Signed Paperback + Swag |US Only|

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by,

 “I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own”

Tour Organized By:

Broken Skies Review + #Giveaway

Broken Skies

Broken Skies Series

Book #1

Theresa Kay

Genre: YA Science Fiction Dystopian

Release Date: March 14, 2014

ISBN: 978-1495468896

ASIN: B00IXMVY5M

Pages: 380

Goodreads Rating:  4.65

My Rating: 4.5

Book Description:

Thirty years ago, there was the Collapse. A massive war fought with biological weapons and followed by plague. Almost everyone died. 

Ten years ago, the aliens showed up. They made one of our cities their own and that's where they stay, for the most part anyway.

One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.

Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do whatever it takes to get him back even if it means partnering up with the enemy, an alien boy who makes me think things I shouldn't and makes me feel things I don’t understand.

My Take On The Book:

There is so much to say about this book and yet I find myself at a loss for words.

First let me say how much I enjoyed reading about each character seen through the eyes of Jax, and while she has her own opinions, he own likes and dilikes I was able to make my own assessment of these characters. Their stories were crafted beautifully if not heartbreakingly so. But not only were the characters and their stories unique and surprising but kinda uplifting. I’ll explain that more later.

In this story you are introduced to a whole heap of characters most notably is the female lead and narrator Jasmine (Jax). She is extremely vulnerable, jaded and pretty much shattered (broken is to simple a word to describe her) but Jax is also fierce, loyal and loving. The next character I came to hold in high regard is the beautifully mysterious alien boy Lir. Its hard not to fall in love with him. But the most entertaining thing about this book besides the romantic development between the 2 leads was the stories conflicts. The book is littered with prejudices and heartbreak but while that was a main focus for the character’s choices and actions what I remembered most after finishing was not the negative but the positive that comes in the form of family, friendship and love, an undying loyalty to those you care most for.

Its an enthralling tale and a perfect first book to this series. I’m eager to learn more about this damaged world and the people/aliens inhabiting it.

The Great (Pros):

• The Ending. The highest praise I can give this book is to its ending. While it is a cliff hanger, one that will leave you jonesing for book 2 ‘Fractured Suns’. It’s an ending that will most definitely leave you with a heavy heart and your throat tight.  

• Unpredictability. While there are some elements in this story that you might suspect, there are a hell of a lot that you won’t see coming.

• Jax. As I said earlier, Jax is a shattered girl. As the synopsis says, she killed to men and went bonkers but her character has this way of persevering and there is so much strength in her it hard not to admire her. She has a survival instinct that also conflicts with her conscience and she so utterly human and flawed you want to see a happy ending for this fierce a loyal warrior.

• Lir. Prepare to swoon on sight. He is so charming and maybe just a tad smug. I love the way Ms. Kay describes him. The differences between the humans and the aliens is kinda breathtaking.

The Not So Great (Cons):

• Something. I’m not sure what that something is but it made me want to skim over some parts of the story it was a constant struggle for me to keep my mind on the current page. It was harrowing, I just wanted to get to the end… maybe it was too much emphasis on the anticipation.

4.5 Quills

But over all it was a great read with consistent characters and a beautiful story. While reading this book and writing this review I caught myself thinking about the shows ‘Star Crossed’ with Matt Lanter and ‘Rosswell’ with Shiri Appleby. Its funny cause now that’s all I want to watch. Its books like these that make me love this genre.

About The Author 

The only person she knows who had a subscription to Writer's Digest at eleven and was always excited to write research papers, Theresa has been putting words to paper since a young age. She writes predominantly in the sci-fi and urban fantasy genres. Residing in central Virginia, she juggles two kids, a husband and a full-time job in addition to her writing and in her free time she reads almost anything she can get her hands on.

Connect with Theresa:

http://www.theresakay.com/ | facebook.com/TheresaKayAuthor 

Enter The Giveaway Here


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour Here

Thanks for stopping by,

“I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own”

Tour Organized By:

The Memory Witch Review & Excerpt + #Giveaway

The Memory Witch

The Memory Witch

Book # 1

Heather Topham Wood

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

Release Date: December 15, 2013

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

ISBN: 978-1939173614

ASIN: B00HB67IWY

Pages: 230

Goodreads Rating:  4.08

My Rating: 4.0

Follow the Tour Here

Book Description:

Ten years ago, Quinn Jacobs’ mother made a bargain with a local witch—steal away Quinn’s memories from the first eight years of her life and in return, Quinn would spend a year in servitude to the witch.

On Quinn’s eighteenth birthday, she’s forced to leave her home and friends behind. For the next year, she’ll live at the Chadwick House, learning everything she needs to know about being a spellcaster. As her powers grow, Quinn begins to unravel the secrets of the past and the reason her mother was so desperate to conceal the horrifying truth.

My Take On The Book:

I’m not completely sure how I feel about this book. The story was unique and entertaining and it flowed well enough that I was able to read it quickly but I felt like it was missing something. A certain je ne sais quoi.

The main character Quinn was likeable enough but I felt desensitized to her turmoil. While I was remorseful and disgusted with many if her struggles they weren’t hard to guess and due to the speed of the story, I wasn’t able to forge an emotional connection or investment in Quinn or any of the other characters.

The Great (Pros):

• Storyline. Interesting and unique. Its definitely a book you can get behind.

• Mason. Mysterious yet caring. One of the only character that really seemed to show some sort of development.

• Stella. Quirky old woman. Flawed but you get a very grandma-ish feel from her.

• Connection. One of the things I really liked from this story was the connection between each character. I myself may have struggled to forge an emotional bond with these characters but I liked how their bonds formed and solidified as the story progressed. The way they interact with each other and lastly the way that all the events that transpire connect with each other on some level.

The Not So Great (Cons):

• Pace of the story. It wasn’t slow and it wasn’t fast but it was just there. There didn’t seem to be much time for character development.

• Lack of emotional connection with the characters. Like I said before. Something kept me for actually feeling something for the characters.

4 Quills

There was a lot about this book that I liked and a lot that would like to see unfold in the future books of this series. While there are some parts that I was not a fan of and parts that I consider to be cold in description the writing style and talent are most definitely there. I can’t wait to read more work from this author and while there is no word on the release of book 2 I’ll be keeping an ear out and my eyes open for any news on that.

Excerpt from The Memory Witch

I didn’t have a single remembrance before the age of eight. The first day of kindergarten, losing my first tooth, my first best friend—these memories vanished into an unexplained chasm and were still missing ten years later.

My mother would never explain the root of this anomaly to me. The only thing she’d say is that losing my father that year did something irreversible to my brain. A crater opened up inside of me and every early memory fell into oblivion.

I had eight years with my father before he died—but I didn’t have one memory of him. I didn’t know what it felt like to be inside of his embrace. I had no recollection of the scent I breathed in when he gathered me up into his arms. I had to imagine the memories through a haphazard collage of photographs and videos left behind.

My father was murdered in a fumbled burglary attempt at our home. My mother told me I should be grateful we weren’t home that night because we would be six feet under right alongside him. The ice in her voice made me wonder if she blamed him in some way for being killed.

Mere weeks after we laid him to rest, we moved two hours away from our New Jersey hometown to Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania. A visit to his final resting place was a rare occurrence and we were estranged from my father’s side of the family. The part that I always had a hard time wrapping my head around was that my father’s unsolved murder never plagued my mother. She never sought out the killer to exact justice for taking a father away from his young daughter.

She insisted we needed a fresh start. And for ten years, I lived a seemingly normal teenage existence with the exception of my unique case of amnesia. My mother never brought me to a team of doctors to analyze my brain and she has never pushed me to remember. I comprehended the oddities surrounding my life, but we’d lived this way for so long that it became normal.

Until the day that everything changed.

About The Author 

Heather Topham Wood’s obsession with novels began in childhood while growing up in a shore town in New Jersey. Writing since her teens, she recently returned to penning novels after a successful career as a freelance writer. She’s the author of the paranormal romance Second Sight series and the standalone The Disappearing Girl .

Heather graduated from the College of New Jersey in 2005 and holds a bachelor's degree in English. Her freelance work has appeared in publications such as USA Today, Livestrong.com, Outlook by the Bay and Step in Style magazine. She resides in Trenton, New Jersey with her husband and two sons. Besides writing, Heather is a pop culture fanatic and has an obsession with supernatural novels and TV shows.

www.authorheather.com | twitter.com/woodtop255 | facebook.com/HeatherTophamWood

Enter The Giveaway Here
1 $30 Amazon GC
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks for stopping by,

 “I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own”