Tag Archives: YA

Absinthe of the Heart (Sins of the Heart #1) by Monica James-a review

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ABSINTHE OF THE HEART (Sins of the Heart #1) by Monica James-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 14, 2018-05-08

Two households, unlike in dignity, in the City of Angels is where we lay our scene…

London Sinclair was the boy my mother warned me about for as long as I can remember. His name alone has brought my family nothing but shame and suffering, so it’s no surprise we’ve been sworn enemies since the first moment we met.

With his bedroom eyes and cocky smile, he has all the girls under his spell. I have one more year of school left, and then I’m home free because I’m guarding a secret, one I’m ashamed to keep.

The boy who is completely off-limits is the one who drives me, Holland Brooks, wild. I want London, and I think…he wants me, too.

Some may compare it to a Shakespearian tragedy, as our surnames have fated our future, but when a single night changes my life forever, I can’t leave the City of Angels fast enough.

Ten years later, I have atoned for my sins and return to Los Angeles a changed woman. I’ve come home to get married. But the moment London walks back into my life, one thing is clear. Ten years can’t undo that night—that single, sinful night when I gave into temptation—because I want to do it again.

•••••••••

REVIEW: ABSINTHE OF THE HEART is the first instalment in Monica James’ contemporary YA to NA to adult SINS OF THE HEART romance series focusing on London Sinclair, and Holland Brooks.

Told from first person perspectives (Holland Brooks), and several third person perspectives ABSINTHE OF THE HEART is a forty-year saga of two families torn apart by love, infidelity, lies and hate. Holland Brooks grew up the daughter of two people whose lives imploded years before. A result of a teen-aged love affair Holland would bear the sins of her parents including the destruction of a love for a boy she was unable to hold.

ABSINTHE OF THE HEART follows a ‘Romeo and Juliet’ vibe in that two families have been destroyed by jealousy, rivalry, power and hate. From the rich and famous to the other side of the tracks, lives will be ruined, reputations destroyed as the cycle of hate and love perpetuates with the succeeding generation. London Sinclair has only ever loved one woman, a woman off-limits and forbidden by a feud not of their making. Sins of the past, control the present; threats are made forcing London to choose between family and love.

ABSINTHE OF THE HEART, in many respects, reads like a young adult story line with the love triangles, jealousy, mean girls, and belligerent adults who have yet to grow up. Secrets will be revealed throwing our story line heroine down a rabbit hole where the truth will kill any hope of a happily ever after. There is a fine line between love and hate, and that line is blurred one too many times.

Monica James writes an emotional and heart breaking story of jealousy and revenge; hatred and love; secrets and lies; money and power. ABSINTHE OF THE HEART is an intoxicating, stunning and tragic tale of young lovers destroyed by sins of the past. Absinthe of the Heart ends of a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.

She is a bestselling author in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.

Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

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Broken Wide (Mindjack #6: Zeph #3) by Susan Kaye Quinn-a review

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BROKEN WIDE (Mindjack #6: Zeph #3) by Susan Kaye Quinn-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 16, 2018

All he wanted was peace; all he had was hope.
Zeph had spent half his life hiding what he was—keeping his mindjack powers away from dangerous men and running away from everyone he loved to keep them safe. Now that his life is finally coming together—his mom and sister are safe; the girl he loves in his arms—the world is falling apart. The mindreader backlash against jackers is growing daily. Jacker-bigot politicians are stoking fear and gaining power. And jackers on the Fronter’s Purity list are winding up dead on the streets outside Jackertown.

Even the Jacker Freedom Alliance is tearing itself apart.

All Zeph wants is a chance to build a life with Tessa—but even she is losing faith. If there’s no peace between jackers and readers, what future could they have? Then a protest goes terribly wrong, the president starts talk of a Jackertown siege, and a MINDWARE CEO races to develop a dangerous mind-blasting technology. It seems foolish to even hope for peace, but one thing becomes very clear—the only way to put the world back together is to bring down the powerful people breaking it apart.

The conclusion to the bestselling Mindjack: Zeph series, where daring to hope for peace could be the most radical—and dangerous—move of all.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: BROKEN WIDE is the sixth full-length instalment in Susan Kaye Quinn’s young adult (YA) MINDJACK urban fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian series, and the third and final instalment focusing on Zephyr ‘Zeph’ MacCay-a young man with the ability to lock down, lock out, unlock and scramble the human mind.

SOME BACKGROUND: In a world where mindreading is the norm (due to decades of contaminated or purposely poisoned water) there are those with more powerful abilities than most. These are their stories of discrimination, betrayal, retribution and control. Throughout the years the human population has developed various forms of mind-reading, mind altering and mind controlling abilities due to environmental toxins. And to complicate matters those without the ability to mindjack are purposely setting out to bring war between the have and the have-nots fearing for their own peace of mind.

Told from first person point of view (Zeph) BROKEN WIDE continues to focus on Zeph, and his underground group of mind ‘readers’, and mind ‘jackers’ as they struggle to prevent anti-jacker technology destroying them all. Zephyr MacCay, blessed with powerful abilities beyond anyone’s comprehension finds himself imprisoned by warring government factions whose primary goal is to eradicate the mind jackers, and everyone they love. From the proverbial frying pan into the fire Zephyr must ‘sell’ himself to the man in charge but not before placing a plan into motion to reveal the truth about what happened and what is about to go down.

BROKEN WIDE is an infinitely detailed, well-written, extensive look at discrimination at the highest levels. From ‘fake news’ to autocratic and authoritarian government leaders BROKEN WIDE reveals the fight for power and the destruction of the mind as greed, authority and the right to control are at the center of a decades old scientific disaster that has led to the bigotry, hatred and injustice for all. Susan Kaye Quinn pulls the reader into a potential future marred by secrets, lies and inexcusable experiments resulting in a world determined to destroy itself one mind at a time.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Mind Games (Mindjack Origins 1)
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
The Locksmith
The Handler/ The Scribe (Mindjack Origins 2 & 3)
Keeper (Mindjack Origins 4)
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Elementals: Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman – a Review

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Elementals: Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman – a Review

 

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Description:
Everyone in Vallen knows that ice wolves and scorch dragons are sworn enemies who live deeply separate lives.

So when twelve-year-old orphan Anders takes one elemental form and his twin sister, Rayna, takes another, he wonders whether they are even related. Still, whether or not they’re family, Rayna is Anders’s only true friend. She’s nothing like the brutal, cruel dragons who claimed her as one of their own and stole her away.

In order to rescue her, Anders must enlist at the foreboding Ulfar Academy, a school for young wolves that values loyalty to the pack above all else. But for Anders, loyalty is more complicated than obedience, and friendship is the most powerful shapeshifting force of all.

 

 

Review:

Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman is the 1st book in her new YA/Middle Grade Fantasy Elementals series. I do enjoy Fantasy, and even though this is middle grade/ya, it is a story that anyone can read and enjoy. 

Anders and Rayna are brother & sister twins, who lost their family years before and at the age of 6 they left the orphanage they were living in for fear of being separate.  They both live in the streets of Vallen and work closely together  to survive using their skills to steal, which they do very well, and seem to have fun in doing so. 

The city they live in is protected by Ice Wolves, who guard the city against attacks by Scorch Dragons.  Every month the leaders have a trial for those coming of age (12) to be tested if they have wolf blood and thereby be sent to Ulfar Academy to train to be Ice Wolves and become in time Wolf Guards.  Anders and Rayna always attend the meetings in the village, since it is a good day to pickpocket.  However, as they try to escape being caught stealing, they end up on the line to be tested.   Rayna touches a magic staff, and shifts into a scorch dragon. Anders watches in horror as Rayna is attacked, but manages to escape and fly away. Anders, who no one knows is related to the scorch dragon is tested and shifts to a wolf.  Though he wants to go to the academy and learn how to fight dragons, Anders is determined to find his sister.  The next day he finds her at a secret hiding place, and they both do not understand how twins of the same blood can be different species.  Before they could talk more, Rayna is spotted and dragons come to her rescue and take her away.

The story now centers on Anders at the academy, where he meets other Ice Wolves, and makes friends with other students, especially one who he will learn to trust, Lizabeth.  Anders is determined to learn all he can to fight dragons, and find special artifacts that could help him find Rayna.  Though he has hated dragons all his life, it is Lizabeth, who feels that dragons may not be as bad as they all think; since they were at peace years before.

What follows is watching Anders learn to be more self sufficient, and being to realize that perhaps Lizabeth is on the right track, since she feels that it is in the best interest of everyone to get the wolves and dragons to talk.  While it was nice to watch Anders make new friends, and learn how to fight, the last 1/3 of the book is very exciting, as he and Lizabeth will leave to help rescue Rayna.  What they find will change the game, and open things up for future books.  Will Anders and Lizabeth survive in Dragon territory?  Will Anders find Rayna safe?

Ice Wolves was a good start to this series, and I really enjoyed the characters that Kaufman has created.  I loved the cute relationship early on with Anders and Rayna.   I really enjoyed the friendship between Anders and Lizabeth.  I will warn everyone, that Ice Wolves ends in a cliffhanger, which has us anxiously awaiting the next book.  Of course, I hate cliffhangers. Lol    If you like fantasy, teen heroes, then you should read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Looking for Dei by David A. Willson – a Review

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Looking for Dei by David A. Willson – a Review

 

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Description:
Fifteen-year-old Nara Dall has never liked secrets. Yet it seems that her life has been filled with them, from the ugly scar on her back to the strange powers she possesses. Her mysterious father refuses to say anything about her origins, and soon, she and her best friend must attend the announcement ceremony, in which youths are tested for a magical gift.

 

A gifted youth has not been announced in the poor village of Dimmitt for decades. When Nara uncovers the reason, she uses her own powers to make things right. The decision sets her on a path of danger, discovery, and a search for the divine. In the process, she learns the truth about herself and uncovers the biggest secret of all: the power of broken people.

 

Review:

Looking for Dei is the debut novel by David A. Willson.  The story takes place in the Great Land.  Fifteen year old Nara Dall lives in the small town of Dimmit, on the Southeastern corner of the Great Land.  She was raised by Bylo, the only man she has known as a father.   Nara knows she is different from other girls; the scars on her back prove that.  And she has special powers, magic.   She can do things others can not.  And because of that,  Bylo has instructed her to keep her gifts hidden from everyone -that includes her best friend Mykel.  The Great Land consists of the gifted people (those with magical powers), regular people and the cursed.  The gifted consists of a bear – which has magical strength, a knitter – which is a magical healer, a watcher – a great hunter that with vision would detect animals far away and help feed others, and a harvester – a collector of magic for others to use. You are considered blessed if you held two or more of the gifted powers.   Then there was the cursed – the cursed would be put to death right away as they were an affront to the church.  Every few years an announcement ceremony is performed.  Children who recently entered adolescence would partake in the ceremony.  During this ceremony they would find out their destiny.  This year’s ceremony would turn out quite different than expected and have traumatic and life changing results.  The results would mean that Bylo, Nara and Mykell would need to leave Dimmit in a hurry.   Once on the run Mykel finds out about Nara’s magical powers – of which he has always known her to be special.  And Mykel has come into some magical powers all of his own.  But neither of them knows if they are the good or bad kind of power.  From here they encounter an old woman named Anne, who claims to want to help them on their journey and Gwyn, a watcher who has tracked and found the scarred girl she has been looking for.  Gwyn was hired to find Nara and bring her to Minister Vorick, a blessed and powerful man.  But he has his own reasons for seeking her out.  He knows she is not like any other.  And he must have her for his own selfish reasons.  But will Nara willing help him?  Or will she use all of her powers to defeat the minister? 

Nara isn’t a typical teenager.  She knows she is different.  She has a horrific scar on her back to prove it.  And her bright red hair makes her stand out in a crowd.  She knows she harbors magic powers and has always had to keep them hidden from everyone.  But she is strong.  And all she wants is  to help others and to take care of those in need.  I truly enjoyed her character.  She is stubborn, but with such a goodness in her heart that her intentions are always for the good.  She embraces her magic and as we watch her grow and come into her own it is truly brilliant.

Mykel is also scarred with a birth defect, which I believe is why he is such a good friend to Nara. He truly loves her and would do anything for her.  But when Nara saves his life it has earth shattering results.  The consequences is that it will change both of their lives dramatically.  I loved how he cared about his little brother, took care of him, and watched out for him even though his brother could take care of himself for the most part.  He stood beside Nara and care for her with true love and kindness. They both make is very easy to fall for them and want only the best for them.

The story is written in magic.  Magic, runes, ancient manuscripts, and hereos are just a few of the wonders awaiting.  The author immerses you within the Great Land and he paints a portrait of the world around you.  I have sometimes struggled with books that portray other lands as I sometimes can not grasp the world being painted.  But this was not the case. This story is beautifully written and the landscape painted before you like a portrait that you want to step into. As the story unfolds you realize that we have only started on this journey.  I look forward to continuing with this series and with this author.

Beautifully written and magic abounds.  If you are a fan of fantasy and magic this book, this series will pull you in and take you on a magical ride.  Highly recommend.

Reviewed by Erin

Copy supplied for review

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The Final Six by Alexandra Monir – Review & Giveway

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The Final Six by Alexandra Monir – Review & Giveway

 

 

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Description:
When Leo, an Italian championship swimmer, and Naomi, a science genius from California, are two of the twenty-four teens drafted into the International Space Training Camp, their lives are forever altered. After erratic climate change has made Earth a dangerous place to live, the fate of the population rests on the shoulders of the final six who will be scouting a new planet. Intense training, global scrutiny, and cutthroat opponents are only a few of the hurdles the contestants must endure in this competition.

For Leo, the prospect of traveling to Europa—Jupiter’s moon—to help resettle humankind is just the sense of purpose he’s been yearning for since losing his entire family in the flooding of Rome. Naomi, after learning of a similar space mission that mysteriously failed, suspects the ISTC isn’t being up front with them about what’s at risk.

As the race to the final six advances, the tests get more challenging—even deadly. With pressure mounting, Naomi finds an unexpected friend in Leo, and the two grow closer with each mind-boggling experience they encounter. But it’s only when the finalists become fewer and their destinies grow nearer that the two can fathom the full weight of everything at stake: the world, the stars, and their lives.

 

 

Review:

The Final Six by Alexandra Monir, which is the first book in an unnamed YA SciFi/Dystopian series/trilogy. Having read Monir before, she writes YA very well, and I looked forward the reading this new one.  I am happy to say I loved The Final Six, and will wait impatiently for the next book.

In The Final Six, Earth is going through terrible climate change with the sea rising (tsunami’s) to dangerous and death defying heights.  The world as we know it is slowly dying, with cities throughout the world going under water,  and with little hope of survival.  The International Space Committee has devised a desperation plan to send the most talented 16-18 years old young adults to Europa (Jupiter planet) to find a new habitual planet to send survivors to live before Earth is totally destroyed.  The plan is to quickly send 24 of the chosen ones to America’s Space center to quickly train them, and then pick the final six to go to Europa.

Right from the start, we meet Leo (a champion swimmer), who lives in Rome, and watched his whole family drown in the devastation that flooded his city.  Leo is despondent, and just about ready to kill himself, when he sees the announcement of the 24 chosen ones is about to be revealed.  He decides to go watch, hoping someone he knows will become part of this.  To his shock, his name is called and he is thrilled to be one of those to help find a solution to the world’s troubles.

Naomi Ardalan, is an American Science genius, who is also one of the chosen 24.  Naomi is the opposite of Leo, she is very unhappy to have been chosen, as she does not want to leave her family, especially her younger brother, whom she helps take care of.  

Naomi and Leo will become friends, and eventually find themselves falling for each other.  This is not really a romance at this point, but it has started and they become even closer nearer to the end.  They both will work together, as Naomi suspects that something is not right, and she uses her hacking ability and other skills to delve into the truth.  Leo wants to protect and help Naomi, but he is also determined to be one of the final six.  There are a number of twists and turns, especially as we get closer to the end.

What follows is an in-depth look at the overall competition, as all participants have to go through so many mind boggling situations to train them on space travel and surviving on a foreign planet.  I loved everything about the complex completion, even if I am not really a Sci Fi buff.  Leo and Naomi were great heroes, and I did like a number of the other secondary characters. Of course, there are a couple of villains that we know to watch out for.  Will Leo and Naomi be part of the final six?  Will Naomi be able to find out the truth behind this mission?

The Final Six was a wonderful story line that kept our attention throughout.  I am amazed at the writing by Monir, especially with all the sci fi details.  I will not give spoilers, as you need to read this to enjoy everything.  But I will say there are some amazing surprises at the end, and of course, the dreaded cliffhanger.  I hate cliffhangers, but I will be there when Monir gives us the next book. If you enjoy YA dystopian, Sci Fi, competition,  great characters, mystery, and at little romance, I suggest to read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by publicist

 


Alexandra Monir is the Iranian-American author of the upcoming YA sci-fi novel The Final Six, the best-selling time-travel romance Timeless, and three other young adult novels. She is also a professional recording artist and composer. Alexandra lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband and newborn son, where she is at work on her next novel. To learn more about Alexandra, visit her online at www.alexandramonir.com.

LINKS: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

 

 

 

Alexandra is graciously is graciously offering a paper copy of THE FINAL SIX to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

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4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

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8. Giveaway is open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from March 5 – 10, 2018

 

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Secret Lucidity by E.K. Blair-Review Tour

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SECRET LUCIDITY by E.K. Blair-review tour

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GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33539943-secret-lucidity

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 26, 2018

(A forbidden romance stand-alone.)

This wasn’t supposed to happen.
But it did.
This wasn’t supposed to be my life.
But it was.

I was just a typical girl, living a typical life. Nothing was out of the ordinary until tragedy threw me into a turnstile I couldn’t see my way out of. That was, until him.

I never could’ve imagined my heart falling the way it did. Hard, fast, and with unbounding beauty.

The only problem?
He was off limits.
Forbidden.

But he became my everything, and I became his, so we risked it all. It was only a matter of time until I realized that our risk came with unimaginable consequences.

My name is Camellia Hale and his is David Andrews, and this is our love story.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: SECRET LUCIDITY by E.K. Blair is a stand alone, YA/NA forbidden romance story line focusing on the taboo relationship between seventeen-year old Camellia ‘Cam’ Hale, and thirty-one year old high school English Lit. teacher/swimming coach David Andrews.

Told from first person point of view (Camellia) with a closing chapter by David SECRET LUCIDITY follows the taboo relationship between thirty-one year old high school English Lit teacher and swimming coach David Andrews, and seventeen-year old Camellia ‘Cam’ Hale. Rising swim star Cam Hale had everything until the day she lost it all to a drunk driver that destroyed her sense of well-being and took the life of her beloved father. Unable to handle the grief of loss, and the harrowing aftermath of whispered pity and self-loathing, Cam struggles to find her place in a world turned upside down leaving her to battle her demons alone. The one bright spot in her life, swimming, no longer harbors the appeal until new swim coach and English Lit teacher David Andrews becomes her beacon in the storm. What ensues is the forbidden romance between David and Cam, and the fall out when their relationship is discovered.

The relationship between David and Cam is slow to build as both struggle with their growing attraction to one another; the taboo of the student/teacher romance; and the potential fall-out if and when their affair is discovered. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The mandatory YA story line characters are present: the adult figure in our heroine’s life is a mess; a lost cause, self-absorbed and without the capacity to parent. The requisite mean girls are alive and well; the best friend is caught between hatred and support; the one-time boyfriend is a lost puppy who is unable to let go of the girl he loves.

The dictionary defines lucidity as ‘clearness of thought’: a presumed capacity to perceive the truth directly and instantaneously, and with that in mind, perception is real when rumors begin to circulate. Our couple are well aware of the likelihood that if caught their lives and futures could be destroyed. Staying away from one another is a continuous battle, a battle they will lose in the end. Love and the heart know no boundaries including the taboo of a student/teacher relationship that will eventually damage and dismantle all thoughts of a happily ever after. The heartbreaking premise will captivate your attention; the characters are shattered and lost; the romance struggles in the face of the forbidden and the law. SECRET LUCIDITY is an emotional and powerful look at two people caught in a firestorm of controversy, disapproval and the taboo.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

EK BlairE.K. Blair, takes her readers on an emotional roller coaster with her dynamic and intense writing style. Noted for her ability to create fleshed-out characters that will evoke a realm of reactions, you can be assured that her stories will linger with you far beyond the last word.

A former first grade teacher with an imagination that runs wild. Daydreaming and zoning out is how she was often found in high school. Blair tends to drift towards everything dark and moody. Give her a character and she will take pleasure in breaking them down, digging into their core to find what lies underneath.

Aside from writing, E.K. Blair finds pleasure in music, drinking her Starbucks in peace, and spending time with her friends. She’s a thinker, an artist, a wife, a mom, and everything in between.

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The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk – a Review

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The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk – a Review

 

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Description:
Music brought Autumn, Shay, and Logan together. Death wants to tear them apart.

Autumn always knew exactly who she was—a talented artist and a loyal friend. Shay was defined by two things: her bond with her twin sister, Sasha, and her love of music. And Logan always turned to writing love songs when his love life was a little less than perfect.

But when tragedy strikes each of them, somehow music is no longer enough. Now Logan can’t stop watching vlogs of his dead ex-boyfriend. Shay is a music blogger struggling to keep it together. And Autumn sends messages that she knows can never be answered.

Each of them wonders: How different would my life be if this hadn’t happened? And now that it has . . . what’s next?

 

 

Review:

The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk is a standalone YA novel about a group of young people brought together by music, and separated sadly by death. The story follows the POV of three people who have lost someone very close to them. We follow them as they grieve over the deaths that have left them emotionally damaged, with each dealing with it their own way.

Shay has lost her twin sister, Sasha, to cancer, and though she knew this was coming, she has a hard time dealing with her loss.  As she says: she is now ‘twinless”

Autumn lost her best friend, Tavia, in a car crash. She releases her grief by writing emails to her dead friend daily telling her about life without her.

Logan has lost his ex-boyfriend to an overdose.  Though a few months have passed since his boyfriend, Bram, dumped him, Logan has trouble dealing with his death.  He will need the help of a psychologist to eventually help him.

All three of them know each other through music and band, though they are not together to help each other.  Grief is always sad and emotional for everyone and their family or friends.   The story gives us a look at their grief, and how they are emotionally affected by the loss, which also has them cutting themselves from their other friends; as we get to see their pain, anger and at times their self blame.

We also get to meet each of their families and/or friends who are also affected by the deaths, and in time they will each come together in their love of music, and the band that was the link between them.  This is a difficult review to write, as it is a story that needs to be read.

Though at times I did find it a bit slow, the story was very well written, and grief can be depressing.  Even with this subject, Woodfolk did a very good job keeping this emotional story moving and not allowing it to stagger.   I thought this was a good story, though not my type of book.  If you like YA novels with action, suspense and exciting, then this is not for you. 

The Beauty That Remains is a well written story, with an excellent cast of characters that must find a way to get past their grief’s and move forward in life.  Essentially they need to see the beauty that remains in life.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross – a Review

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The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross – a Review

 

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Description:
When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

 

 

Review:

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross is the 1st book in a trilogy. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but I am happy to say I loved The Queen’s Rising, and the fantastic writing of a new author for me, Rebecca Ross.  This is YA Fantasy at its best, and a fascinating world created by Ross, which I could not put down.

Brienna, who at 10 years old, was sent by her grandfather to Magnolia House, which was sort of an elite boarding school, but with students who would live together for 7 years to develop their passion  ( art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge).  But Brienna did not excel at any passion, though in her last three years, she mastered her passion in Knowledge.  Brienna has lived in the kingdom of Valenia all of her life, but she has visions about being a Maevana girl.  She has no idea who her father is, and her grandfather refuses to talk about it.  So while she studies knowledge, Brienna, with her master teacher . studies and obsesses over everything about Maevana.

I really enjoyed seeing Brienna with her friends at Magnolia House, as they all were expected to receive an offer from a Patron at graduation. Only Brienna did not.  But a Patron will come forward, once it is learned that she has visions of the past from Maevana.  The crux of this worldbuilding:  the violent king of Maevana is destructive, killing anyone at will, including woman and children. Maevana was always ruled by a Queen, who had magic to fight off evil. 25 years ago, the Queen was murdered, and the Stone of Eventine (which controls the magic), was stolen, and many were slaughtered. Three Lord’s of the Houses in Maevana escaped.  Brienna’s visions are memories of one of the bad guys during that revolution, with clues that could help bring the kingdom back to its glory days.

What follows is an exciting, interesting, and mindboggling journey that will have Brienna finally find out the truth about her heritage, and  bring her back to her homeland.  A war is once again on horizon that will reveal secrets, betrayals, intrigue and a plot that could kill them all. As we raced to the climatic finish, the final half of the book was intense, with us holding our breaths until the very end.   I loved Brienna, as she turned into a strong and loyal heroine.  The wonderful secondary characters that are her friends, family and teacher are created so well by Ross.  Even the villains of this book were created to be truly evil.  

The Queen’s Rising was a fantastic, fascinating, page burner adventure into a magnificent world that sort of felt like old time Ireland.  I cannot tell too much more, as it would be major spoilers.  You need to find out everything for yourself.  I loved every moment of this book, with its amazing characters, history, family, war, and love.  Bravo to Rebecca Ross for this wonderful journey.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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