Read For Your Future

November 12, 2013

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!

"I glance down at the stretcher. Eve's got a serious bruise coming up under both eyes. Still, you can see the resemblance to her mom. High cheekbones, big, deep-set eyes. Tall, slender. " p. 11

Eve and Adam

by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

November 11, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This is a fun meme that allows other 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: Insurgent (Divergent, #2) by Veronica Roth
AND
Crash Into You (Pushing The Limits #3) by Katie McGarry
Cindi is reading: Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

November 9, 2013

Review: Avenging Amethyst (Immortal Eyes #1) by Kaitlyn Price

Summary-

Avery and her mother have always been on the run. After her mother is murdered by something supernatural, she is left to fend for herself, alone and filled with questions. She receives a note by a stranger, giving her the opportunity to get some answers, and Avery warily accepts. She would rather face the truth than continue to be on the run.

Review-

I would recommend this book for anyone that is into the darker species like vampires and werewolves. This is a great book and hard to put down.

Publisher- CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Review Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewed by~Emily Combs (Student at Franklin High School)

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-

Eighteen-year-old Madison Sheller has everything—she’s beautiful, rich, popular, and her parents are famous chefs. She’s also materialistic, shallow, and bored with her life. When she and her friends decide to have a party to see who can bring the absolute worst date, Madison invites church-boy Daniel Harper. But Daniel turns her down… repeatedly. And now Madison can’t get Daniel Harper out of her head.

Review-

A sweet story that should remind readers that everyone has problems--young, old, beautiful, ugly, rich, and poor. Every single person in this huge, crazy world has a story to tell and a burden to carry. In The Boy Who Loved Me, Madison's burden is two rich, famous, and talented chefs who own restaurants world-wide and love their work a bit too much, plus a group of friends who really only like her for her wealth. Madison has been raised by her housekeeper, doesn't ever see her parents, and is a miserable young woman on the verge of adulthood with no one to guide her. She and her rich, beautiful, spoiled girlfriends decide to have a party where they invite the biggest losers as their dates. Whoever brings the best candidate wins a $900 purse. Madison's choice, Daniel, doesn't want to attend a party with her. He has more important things to deal with, like taking care of his aging grandmother, work, church, volunteering, and generally being a good-hearted Christian. Eventually he agrees to hang out with Madison and get to know her. After all, once he realizes what she's really like, he HAS to want to go out with her, right?! Ultimately, though, it's Madison who figures out who she really is and it's a life-changing surprise for the 'princess'. The journey is a heart-warming read and a huge life lesson about understanding why and how people can become cruel and hard-hearted. All human beings really want is to be loved.

Publisher-Ketina Publishing House (July 30th 2013

Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewed by~Cindi

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-

Told through real-life journals, collages, lists, and drawings, this coming-of-age story illustrates the transformation of an 18-year-old girl from a small-town teenager into an independent city-dwelling college student. Written in an autobiographical style with beautiful artwork, Little Fish shows the challenges of being a young person facing the world on her own for the very first time and the unease—as well as excitement—that comes along with that challenge.

Review-

Little Fish follows Ramsey Beyer, or Rams, as she journeys to Boston to attend an art college as a freshman. Born and raised in tiny, rural Paw Paw, Michigan, Rams thinks she's ready for the wonderful changes awaiting her. That isn't exactly what happens though. Typically a happy young girl, Rams now feels hurt when her art teachers critique her work, fearful when she realizes that one of her new male friends wants to date her, confused because when she's home she wants to be at college and when she's at college she wants to go home. Rams is learning that it's hard to grow up.
Written with lists, commentaries, diary-type entries, and comic-strip characters, Rams opens up about her most personal feelings in this memoir. It's always fascinating to look into someone else's mind so I read through this book within several hours. I like her personality because she's fun and eclectic and unusual--just the type of person I enjoy being friends with. It's was basically like talking to a new friend. Rams also discusses her feelings on important issues like dating, being vegan, feminist rights, politics, and her parents' divorce. Teenagers will love this book!

Publisher- Zest Books (Sept 3, 2013)

Reviewer Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewed by~Cindi

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-

A ruthless murder and a stolen shipment of gold.
At school, sixteen-year-old Nikaia Wales endures the taunts of bullies who call her a “half-breed.” At home, she worries about how her family will react if she reveals her growing feelings for the quiet boy next door.
Those are soon the least of her troubles. Nikaia discovers a hidden cache of gold, and when police find a corpse nearby, her father becomes a suspect. Worse, Elias Doyle is circling, hungry to avenge his brother’s death.
Nikaia desperately searches for clues to save her father. In her quest to find the killer, she learns about the power of family, friendship, and young love.

Review-

Silt & Stone tells the story of a sixteen-year-old half Indian half White young woman in 1863. It's a difficult time for a young girl who is a 'half-breed'. Unfortunately, Nikaia lives in town with her parents and younger sister so she gets bullied quite frequently by the townies. She is at the age where she needs to start thinking about getting married. Plus, the Smallpox has been killing Indians, her beloved aunt being the latest victim. Nikaia's life is miserable until she meets Yee Sim, the new Chinese boy at school. When Nikaia and Yee begin spending their time exploring the woods, Nikaia makes a big mistake and sets her father up for a murder charge. Frantically, she tries to uncover the real killer but Yee Sim has decided that it's wrong for an Indian and a Chinese teenager to be involved. Completely alone, Nikaia puts herself in very real danger but family and friendship comes through for Nikaia in some unlikely places.
Usually I find historical novels a bit dry because of boring facts and dates. Author Harvey Chute made this a fun read by combining unusual aspects of history along with young adult romance and adventure. He touches on riverboats, gold miners, the saloons and the young women forced to work there, the food commonly eaten during this time period, and the goods at the mercantile that Yee Sim's family owns. The thrill of Nikaia attempting to decipher clues in order to find stolen gold and free her father from jail makes this a book that the reader won't want to put down until the end.

Publisher-Red Adept Publishing

Reviewer Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewed by~Cindi

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 day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive. . . .
Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision. . .

Review-

Awesome book! I compare this book to the movie ʺThe Day After Tomorrowʺ, because the character's both get trapped because of the snow. Except in the movie they get trapped in a library and they don't eat anyone... I Love this book and would read it again! I would also recommend this book to any Young Adult.

Publisher-Scholastic Press

Reviewer Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewed by~Sierra Wells (Student at Franklin High School)

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-

In darkness I count my blessings like Manman taught me. One: I am alive. Two: there is no two. In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake a boy is trapped beneath the rubble of a ruined hospital: thirsty, terrified and alone. 'Shorty' is a child of the slums, a teenage boy who has seen enough violence to last a lifetime, and who has been inexorably drawn into the world of the gangsters who rule Site Soleil: men who dole out money with one hand and death with the other. But Shorty has a secret: a flame of revenge that blazes inside him and a burning wish to find the twin sister he lost five years ago. And he is marked. Marked in a way that links him with Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitian rebel who two-hundred years ago led the slave revolt and faced down Napoleon to force the French out of Haiti. As he grows weaker, Shorty relives the journey that took him to the hospital, a bullet wound in his arm. In his visions and memories he hopes to find the strength to survive, and perhaps then Toussaint can find a way to be free ...

Watch the official book trailer for In Darkness

Review-

AWESOME!!! Read it as soon as I got it! I wish I could go over to Haiti and help fix it up after their earthquake. Shows me how Haiti is now days and how Haiti evolved but still is interesting and not just educational.

Publisher-Bloomsbury Publishing

Reviewer Rating: 5 STARS!!!

Reviewed by~Sierra Wells (Student at Franklin Highschool)

Thanks to the author/Publisher for the donation of this book to the Read for your Future book program in exchange for a honest review!

Summary-

Spencer doesn't have a choice.He can't choose to be different than what he is--the son of the town's worst enemy, the weakling who can't stand up for himself, the loser without friends.He can't change the way things are.Or maybe he can.Immediate confidence.Rapid change.Instant hope.These are the things Spencer believes he needs to fix his life, and that is what the steroids promise--a quick fix.But promises can be broken and shortcuts are often treacherous, and Spencer must decide if those risks are worth the perceived rewards--if "artificial" hope is strong enough for him to be fixed, by force.

Review-

I really liked this book. Only took me two days to read it. It was really good. I can relate to this because I have a guy friend who had went through steroid use and I was there for him through everything. I just Spencer(main character) would have had somebody for him through the whole thing. Any preteen-teenager can read and understand this book.

Publisher-Westbow Press

Reviewer Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewed by~Sierra Wells

Thanks to the Author of this book for the donation of this book to the Read for your Future book program in exchange for a honest review!

1. How did you come up with the concept for this book?
I noticed a while back how popular steamy romance has gotten, even for teens. I decided I wanted to give them what they wanted--romance, but without the steam. I wanted to show them that romance can be exciting and passionate without being smutty. A boy who loves and respects you for who you are, not what you can give him, is a wonderful thing. I also love comedy and wanted to do something funny. As for the plot, I think I originally got the idea from a movie I saw when I was young--Dog Fight. The girls even talk about the movie in the book.

2.How did you come up with the names for the characters?
I know Madison is a popular name and I wanted her character to be current and trendy. I just like the name Daniel and think it sounds sweet.

3.How much are you and the characters alike?
I'd like to think I'm nothing like Madison at the beginning of the book! I really love the Madison character, though, and I think we are all like her in some ways--no matter how we appear on the outside, there may be a lot more going on in the inside than anyone realizes. I hope I am always learning and growing, just as Madison does throughout the story.

4.Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?
I read constantly, mostly audiobooks though, due to time constraints. I am currently reading (listening to) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

5. What made you decide to go Young adult?
I love the age group and saw there was a need. It is such an impressionable time in a person's life. I wanted to give teens books they would really enjoy without making them feel like they had just been preached to for four hours. I hope they come away from my books feeling refreshed and inspired as well as having been entertained.

6. How is the reaction to the fact they are faith based?
Always good from those who realized they were faith based when they picked them up. I think some teens pick up my books without realizing they are faith based, though. Mostly the reaction I get is really positive. I have had several people tell me they don't usually read Christian books, but they loved mine because it was still a great story with a great message and it wasn't heavy-handed or preachy. I have also gotten a couple of angry responses. As a Christian, there will always be those few who are offended by your beliefs. That really goes for all belief systems. You can't please everyone, but you can try to love everyone.

7. How did the cover come about?
My wonderful husband did my cover for me. There is a blue purse in the story. It plays an important role in the plot, but I guess you'll have to read to find out what it is!

8. So what is your next project and when is it due out?
After releasing two books back to back, I am taking a little breather. Then I'd like to get started on a sequel to The Boy Who Loved Me.

9. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?
I am a full-time homeschooling mom to one ten-year-old daughter and a full-time zookeeper to another two-year-old monkey, er, I mean daughter. I fit in writing whenever and wherever I can.

10. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about peoples reactions to your books?
I was a voracious reader growing up, and I always thought about trying to write a book. Then one day I told myself to stop thinking about it and just do it. My initial stuff was pretty bad. The first story I wrote that I thought might actually be good was The Day We Met. It sat on my computer for years before I decided to release it as an eBook. I was very worried about the kinds of reviews I would get, and I honestly didn't think it would even sell. The sales and reviews far surpassed my expectations. I can't believe it's one of the highest rated teen religious books on Amazon. But I'm still always nervous about what reviews and reactions are going to be like when I release a new book. I think all writers feel this way.

11. One last thing do you collect anything personally?
Mostly books--cookbooks, audiobooks, Kindle books. I love cooking, so I have tons of kitchen tools. My family and I like to pick up a snow globe or Christmas ornament (or both) on every trip we go on, so those collections are building too.

Find out more about The Boy who loved me:
Goodreads
.99 cents on Amazon