February 5, 2015

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:

Bane Chronicles

by Cassandra Clare

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Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices can get to know warlock Magnus Bane like never before in this collection of New York Times bestselling tales, in print for the first time with an exclusive new story and illustrated material.

......

Cindi is Reading:

Amazon Burning

by Victoria Griffith

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When 22-year-old aspiring journalist, Emma Cohen, is forced to flee the comforts of her NYU student life, she maneuvers an internship from her father at his newspaper in Rio de Janeiro. There, Emma is immediately swept into a major news story--and a life-threatening situation--when a famous jungle environmentalist, Milton Silva, is mysteriously murdered.Emma must now enter the Amazon rainforest with her father to investigate; both awed by the enormity and beauty of the Amazon, and appalled by its reckless destruction. Not only will Emma have to brave the primal world of the Amazon, she must fight to survive the kidnappers, villains, corrupt activists, and indigenous tribes that lay in wait along the ever-twisting trail of the murder case. Stretched to the brink, it s up to Emma, her father and the dreamy news photographer, Jimmy, to unravel the mystery and live to tell the tale. Amazon Burning by Victoria Griffith is a spectacular debut Young Adult novel. Griffith's powerful rendering of the Amazon rainforest forms the perfect, wildly exotic backdrop for this extraordinary tale of a young urban woman coming of age in the midst of intense conflict."

February 4, 2015

Stacking The Shelves

Listed below are the books that were donated to RFYF for the last several months. It's a list full of goodies so CHECK THEM OUT and add some to your TBR shelf!

Donated For Review:

Sired By Stone, by Andrew Post
Phobic, by Cortney Pearson
What Good Men Do, by David S. Baxter
Softly Falling, by Carla Kelly
Winter Falls, by Nicole Maggi
An Uncommon Blue, by R.C. Hancock
Eruption, by Adrienne Quintana
Luminescence, by Braden Bell
Amazon Burning, by Victoria Griffith
The Watchers, by Deirdra Eden
My Soul Immortal, by Jen Printy
Some Fine Day, by Kat Ross
Saving Quinton, by Jessica Sorensen
Breaking Nova, by Jessica Sorensen

February 2, 2015

Review: An Uncommon Blue (Colorblind #1) by R.C. Hancock

Summary-

In Télesphore, the glowing color of a person’s palm determines their place in society, and touching hands with another mixes the colors permanently. When sixteen-year-old Bruno accidentally kills a royal soldier, he goes from favored to fugitive. Now Bruno's only chance at survival is to become someone else. That means a haircut, a change of wardrobe, and most important, getting rid of his once cherished Blue. Now he’s visiting parts of town he never knew existed, and making friends with people he would've crossed the street to avoid only weeks ago. At the last minute, Bruno’s parents arrange a deal to clear his name and get his life back. All Bruno has to do is abandon those in the Red slums that look to him as a leader and let an innocent Green boy die in his place.

Review-

An Uncommon Blue started off as a typical high school story about a jock, Bruno, taking finals, playing an important rugby game, getting hit on by numerous cute girls, and having a friend who is both annoying and loyal. Within the first page, though, the reader starts to understand that nothing is as it seems in this book. Bruno is a Blue and lives in an affluent part of town while Greens and Reds must live separately, as befitting their lower social status. Everything in Bruno's world depends upon what color the pouch on his hand is. Unfortunately for Bruno, an evil Green named Aaren sets Bruno up to be changed from Blue to Green.

Once Bruno is changed, the race to save his life is on. He has to leave everything and everyone behind to survive. He also has to help Baptiste, the young boy responsible for 'changing' Bruno. This book is so fast-paced and the characters are so vivid that I have to give it five stars. Any reader will find An Uncommon Blue to be enjoyable, fast-paced, exciting, and unexpected.

Publisher-Cedar Fort Publishing

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-

An endless love, for an endless price.
Jack’s immortality is exposed when he prevents a liquor store heist, forcing him to flee to protect his secret—a secret not even he understands. But when he meets Leah Winters—a mirror image of his decades-lost love, Lydia—his very soul is laid bare. He begins to question his sanity. Is she real, and if so, what does that mean for Jack and his secret?
Jack’s not the only mystery man in town. A stranger named Artagan hints at knowledge Jack is desperate to possess. But can he trust Artagan, or does the dark newcomer harbor deadly secrets of his own?
As Jack’s bond with Leah grows, so does the danger to her life. Jack must discover just how much he is willing to risk in order to save the woman he already lost once.

Review-

This book was an absolute five star for me. Romance, a paranormal aspect, a very evil bad guy, death--it has it all. Plus, author Jen Printy has done her homework regarding the various times and places that our intrepid hero, Jack, lives through. As stated in the title, Jack is immortal and has been for 170 years. Long enough to lose his one true love, Lydia, or so he thinks. He's tried for years to kill himself, unsuccessfully, and hides from society until the day he meets his love's reincarnation, Leah. But there is no happy ending because Artagan, another immortal, has come to claim those who Jack loves.

I haven't given any spoilers because, what I've written above is told in the first part of My Soul Immortal. The action and adventure really kick into overdrive after Jack makes these discoveries--of lost and found loves, of evil following him. So you'll have to read it yourself to find out whether there really IS a happy ending or not and why Jack is immortal!

Publisher-Red Adept Publishing

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-

What do we want for Christmas? To get organized! This book is designed to make your plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years enjoyable for you as much as for your guests. With calendars, checklists, budget sheets, guest lists, planning tips

Review-

This is definitely a Five-Star book! Unlike typical holiday organizers, this book features three months: November, December, and January. After all, the holiday season really DOES start after Halloween, right? The thoroughness of each section is also awesome with pages, lists and calendars for every single itty-bitty detail necessary to make entertaining a snap. The first pages are a three-month at-a-glance calendar. The rest of the book is divided into three sections--one section per month. There is a monthly calendar at the beginning of each section, then a To Do list, then a budget and decorations lists, followed by guest lists, party planning, photo pages, menu pages, things to make and buy, shopping lists, recipes, thoughtful anecdotes...whew!! And many more excellent pages.

Another thing that I liked about this book and its set-up is that the pages are in chronological order. First, you have a calendar to determine when the festivities will be scheduled. Then the budget page is next. Too often we forget to budget for the holidays and end up maxing out the credit cards. Guest list is next and then decorations and menu and so on. This is the order that I would use to coordinate a party myself.....well, if I was more organized, lol. Next year, I'm buying this book in October so I'll be ready for the holidays way ahead of time!

Publisher-Plain Sight

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-

“The Watchers” are supernatural beings in human form, charged with protecting mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, some of these Watchers go bad.

Deirdra Eden’s The Watcher’s Series is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl’s discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions.
Watch the amazing Knight of Light book trailer http://youtu.be/m-RxVN_FKL8
In England, 1270 A.D., Auriella (pronounced yurr-ee-ella) flees her village after being accused of witchcraft. Pursued by nightmarish creatures, she struggles to accept the truth about her humanity.
Filled with fairies, dwarves, pixies, dragons, and monsters, Knight of Light is an enthralling tale that will capture the imaginations of readers young and old.

Review-

A wonderful fairytale that is an enjoyable and exciting read, Knight of Light is an excellent book for all ages. In the Acknowledgement section, author Deirdra Eden explains that she started writing this story at the age of 15 but didn't publish it until the book had passed through many hands, been critiqued, finessed, and finally published when Eden was in her 30's. Because I read this first, I could easily imagine a young girl, maybe a bit shy and insecure, writing this story and dreaming of the day when she would eventually fit into her own skin.

Protagonist Auriella becomes an orphan, then an outcast, a slave to an evil witch, a non-human hunted by evil creatures, and finally a hero. That is what life is all about: Kissing frogs to get to the prince. Looking at the clouds to find a silver lining. Being patient, waiting for our happy endings. Knight of Light brings a bit of that to the reader in a heartwarming way. This positive message combined with Eden's writing style definitely make this a Four Star Read!!!

Publisher-Eden Literary

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 exchange for a honest review!

Summary-

“The Watchers” are supernatural beings in human form, charged with protecting mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, some of these Watchers go bad.

Review-

Publisher-Eden Literary

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 exchange for a honest review!

Summary-

The truth will test you...

For fans of Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games: high fantasy and dystopia meet in this high-stakes tale of a civilization built on lies and the girl who single-handedly brings it down.
When Eva’s twin brother, Eamon, falls to his death just a few months before he is due to participate in The Testing, no one expects Eva to take his place. She’s a Maiden, slated for embroidery classes, curtseys, and soon a prestigious marriage befitting the daughter of an Aerie ruler. But Eva insists on honoring her brother by becoming a Testor. After all, she wouldn’t be the first Maiden to Test, just the first in 150 years.
Eva knows the Testing is no dance class. Gallant Testors train for their entire lives to search icy wastelands for Relics: artifacts of the corrupt civilization that existed before The Healing drowned the world. Out in the Boundary Lands, Eva must rely on every moment of the lightning-quick training she received from Lukas—her servant, a Boundary native, and her closest friend now that Eamon is gone.
But there are threats in The Testing beyond what Lukas could have prepared her for. And no one could have imagined the danger Eva unleashes when she discovers a Relic that shakes the Aerie to its core.

Review-

FANTASTIC!!! I have been waiting for a story like this to come along. It is not the typical YA novel of the day. A very refreshing and unique storyline. I absolutely love the inquisitive, determined & brave personality of the main character. The way she describes her surroundings and trials makes the story just pop right off the page. I don't want to say too much or give things away. I think you should have the delight of discovering this wonderful world for yourself. Just let me say, I can't wait to see how the author will continue this eye opening quest in the future. I'd love to read more along this storyline and follow this young lady on her adventures. Highly recommended book, Happy Reading!

Publisher-Soho teens

Reviewer Rating: 5 STARS!!!

Reviewed by~Mechele