August 29, 2014

Review: Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellision

Summary-

Sixteen year-old Breena Perdit has spent her life as a barmaid, innocent to her father’s past and happily free from the Elemental gifts that would condemn her to a life in the Egrian King’s army. Until the day that three Elemental soldiers recognize her father as a traitor to the throne and Bree’s father is thrown in jail—along with the secrets from his last mission as the King’s assassin. Secrets that could help the King win a war. Secrets he refuses to share.
Desperate to escape before the King’s capricious whims prove her and her father’s downfall, Bree bargains with him: information for their lives. It’s a good trade. And she has faith she’ll get them both out of the King’s grasp with time.
But that was before the discovery that she’s the weapon the King’s been waiting for in his war.
Now, time is running out. To save her father’s life and understand her own, Bree must unravel the knot of her father’s past before the King takes his life– and uses her to bring a nation to its knees.

Publisher-Createspace

Reviewer Rating: 5 STARS!!!

Reviewed by~Cindi Clubbs

Thank you to the author for the donation of this book to the Read for your Future book program in exchange for a honest review!

Summary-

Fifteen-year-old Farrin has many secrets. Although she goes to a school for gifted girls in Tehran, as the daughter of an aristocratic mother and wealthy father, Farrin must keep a low profile. It is 1988; ever since the Shah was overthrown, the deeply conservative and religious government controls every facet of life in Iran. If the Revolutionary Guard finds out about her mother’s Bring Back the Shah activities, her family could be thrown in jail, or worse.
The day she meets Sadira, Farrin’s life changes forever. Sadira is funny, wise, and outgoing; the two girls become inseparable. But as their friendship deepens into romance, the relationship takes a dangerous turn. It is against the law to be gay in Iran; the punishment is death. Despite their efforts to keep their love secret, the girls are discovered and arrested. Separated from Sadira, Farrin can only pray as she awaits execution. Will her family find a way to save them both?
Based on real-life events, multi-award winning author Deborah Ellis’s new book is a tense and riveting story about a world where homosexuality is considered so abhorrent that it is punishable by death.

Review-

Moon At Nine was the best biography that I've ever read! Based on the story of a young Iranian schoolgirl as told to author Deborah Ellis by the actual schoolgirl all grown up, this book will make teenagers open their eyes to how lucky they are to be in a country that allows a larger degree of freedom of choice than most others. The horrific events that protagonist, Farrin, has to live through because of her love for another girl is very hard to understand. How can so much hatred be out there in the world?
A five star book because of the honest subject matter, the excellent writing, and the fact that author Ellis and the real Farrin believe that it's essential for this story to be told, this book should be a must-read for all young adults.

Publisher-Pajama Press

Reviewer Rating: 5 STARS!!!

Reviewed by Cindi Clubbs

Thank you to the publisher for the donation of this book to the Read for your Future book program in exchange for a honest review!

Summary-

All thirteen-year-old Connor Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens, but when a run-in with the school bully ignites strange powers inside him, Connor's normal teenage life goes up in flames. Now he'll need his new powers to defeat the Darkness that's coming for him. Fast-paced and original, this book's guaranteed to keep you guessing!

Review-

The Kindling is a fun read that moves quickly with action galore. Three middle schoolers with burgeoning special powers and normal teen hormones makes for an interesting read. I love that author Braden Bell, who is a music and theater teacher, goes in-depth with the magical skills, symbols, world-building, characters, etc. However, I am taking one star off this book because, at times, Bell gets a little too detailed. Readers might get bored at certain points.

Bell does get it right with young readers by not making Conner, Lexa, or Melanie completely self-sufficient from their parents. Too many books/movies show kids that they don't need to rely on adults for advice, wisdom, etc. The three teens not only have a whole school of Magi teachers assisting them, but they also eventually involve their parents in the adventures. Bravo for that!!!

So, I would give this a solid four stars and a recommendation that middle schoolers check it out if they enjoy a really well-written adventure/magic/fantasy story:)

Publisher-CedarFort Inc

Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewed by~Cindi Clubbs

Thank you to the author for the donation of this book to the Read for your Future book program in exchnge for a honest review!

Summary-

After tragedy tears Jamie Brandt’s life apart, her only goal is to finish high school so she can leave her small hometown behind. In the meantime, riding her horse is her main source of solace, until a mysterious stable hand shows up at the barn. There’s something not quite right about the handsome new employee, and the more Jamie sees of him, the more determined she becomes to figure out what he’s hiding.
Dothan Reed came to historic Huntsville, Maryland, for one reason—revenge. But his plan can’t move forward until he finds the missing piece he needs to enhance his powers. As the only surviving Nephilim, Dothan is not only weaker than full-blooded angels; his forbidden lineage makes him an outcast in both worlds. When he discovers Jamie is the key to locating an ancient weapon, he’s forced to interact with a vulnerable human girl—a task that becomes more appealing with each encounter.
Jamie soon learns Dothan isn’t the only one with a dark secret. Each new revelation further threatens her safety, and Dothan’s betrayal shatters her heart. Forgiving him seems impossible, but the thought of turning her back on him is equally painful.
As their connection deepens, Dothan will have to make his own difficult choice: continue on his path of vengeance, or protect the girl he loves. And when Dothan’s actions thrust Jamie into an unforeseen danger, he must seek the help of his enemy…or risk losing her forever.

Review-

Divine Fall reminded me of Twilight but in a more realistic manner. The protagonist, Jamie, has lost her mom to cancer, had her dad desert the family when she was born, and fiercely picks at her cuticles when nervous. Sadly, all fairly common occurrences that happen every day. The hot young man that Jamie falls in love with is not so common though. I will give you a hint: He is NOT a vampire! I won't spoil the rest for you, lovely readers:)

Author Kathryn Knight has written a book that teenaged girls everywhere will love. Jamie has made some hard, but wise, decisions as a teenager, which suddenly makes her a target for hateful pranks among her classmates. It's always sad to hear about teen bullying but luckily, this story has a positive message and Jamie is a strong young woman. The book reads so quickly with the action and romance that I was disappointed when I read the last page. There is no indication that Knight is planning to make this a series but I will keep my fingers crossed!

Publisher-Wildflowers Books

Reviewer Rating: 4.5 Books

Reviewed by~Cindi Clubbs

Review and Blog Tour: Green teen cookbook by: Laurane Marchive and Pam McElroy

Summary-

Going green is hard to do—especially when it comes to food. There are acronyms to learn, labels to decipher, seasons to accommodate, and grocery stores to navigate—and that’s before you even turn on the stove! The Green Teen Cookbook cuts through the chaos and shows teens how to shop smarter, cook more consciously, and eat a healthier diet. And in addition to the 70+ incredible recipes (created by teens, for teens), the book also includes:
✳ Illuminating essays about freeganism, flexitarians, vegetarianism, and more
✳ Tips about how to shop on a budget and get the most out of what you already have in your pantry
✳ A seasonal key that ensures the freshness of the recipes (and a minimal carbon footprint)
✳ Photos for each of the 70+ recipes
Eating locally grown, organic, and cruelty-free food is a laudable goal, but it’s hard to achieve without some help. The Green Teen Cookbook provides that essential assistance. It’s more than just a cookbook: It’s an all-in-one guide for going green and eating well.

Review-
This book is a really neat book. It has recipes from teenagers all over the country. At the top of each recipe is a picture of a teeager with a remark from the teenager. It is definitly teen oriented. The pictures of the foods are colorful and vibrant. They will make you hungry. The recipes are not hard to make they are written for all seasons and they are very yummy sounding. I would highly recommend this book for any teenager who wants to cook. It would make a great gift.

Learn more about this book HERE!

Publisher-Zest Books
Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by~Lora

This book was donated to the Read for your Future Book Program in exchange for a honest review!

Summary-

Sticky Fingers is a vibrant, easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to creating amazing projects with the hottest crafting material on the market today—duct tape! The book includes tons of photographs alongside directions designed to make creating a wallet and making a bag even easier, while also providing a steady stream of ideas for personalizing and embellishing your duct tape creations. Each project includes icons showing difficulty level and project time, as well as helpful hints, such as how to keep your scissors clean and what to do with end pieces. So grab a roll of duct tape, pick a project, and get started!

Review-

When i first got this book for review I thought duct tape projects really? BUT...This is such a really neat book. I do a lot of DIY projects but this is one of the neatest instruction manuels. Its a step by step guide to duct tape projects. I never dreamed of doing anything like this with duct tape everything from book marks to purses. who knew right? This book has vibernt colored pictures. The pictures match the step by step instruuctions. It is really a neat book. The author did an awesome job writing this book. She knows what shes doing and she does a good job breaking it down so that anyone can do them. What i love is that each project has a star system to tell you the difficulty that project is. From one star meaning easy to five stars meaning hard. This would make a great book for any teenager also for a birthday, holiday or a just because its neat thing. It is really a neat book so please check it out you will love it! I know i did!

Publisher: Zest Books

Reviewers Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewed by: Lora

Thank you to the publisher for the donation of this book to the Read for your Future book program in exchange for a honest review!

Sooooo....what book are we waiting on here at RFYF? A scary book (my favorite!!), of course!

The Winter People
......

by Rebekah L. Purdy

Release Date: 2 September 2014

Publisher: Entangled Teen

An engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore or Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world.

Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the back of the property.   

Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.

(Goodreads Summary)

August 26, 2014

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:

Grab your current read.
Open to a random page.
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

While the guards laughed, Farrin felt Sadira lean back to find her. She shifted around on the floor of the truck until their backs were pressed against each other. It was a little like hugging. Their hands, tied behind their backs, found each other, and they entwined their fingers.

p. 165

Moon At Nine

by Deborah Ellis

August 25, 2014

It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading?

This is a fun meme that allows bloggers to get an idea of what everyone else is reading and perhaps help to find our next must-read. So check out what WE are reading and tell us what YOU are reading!!

Lora is Reading:

Small Town Superhero

by Cheree Alsop

......

Cindi is Reading:

Moon at Nine

by Deborah Ellis

......

August 20, 2014

Clear your shelf giveaway Hop

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:

Grab your current read.
Open to a random page.
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!