Waiting On Wednesday

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TheTheory of Everything by Kari Luna

Sophie Sophia is obsessed with music from the late eighties. She also has an eccentric physicist father who sometimes vanishes for days and sees things other people don’t see. But when he disappears for good and Sophie’s mom moves them from Brooklyn, New York, to Havencrest, Illinois, for a fresh start, things take a turn for the weird. Sophie starts seeing things, like marching band pandas, just like her dad.
Guided by Walt, her shaman panda, and her new (human) friend named Finny, Sophie is determined to find her father and figure out her visions, once and for all. So she travels back to where it began—New York City and NYU’s physics department. As she discovers more about her dad’s research on M-theory and her father himself, Sophie opens her eyes to the world’s infinite possibilities—and her heart to love.
Perfect for fans of Going Bovine, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and The Probability of Miracles.

(Courtesy of Goodreads.)

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What DOESN'T look good about this book?? And you know me....big time GEEK GIRL so I'm eagerly waiting......:)

Cindi

Champions of Power (Age of the Aura, #1) Contest and Free E-books

Age Of The Aura (Phase 1: Champions of Power)
by Samuel Odunsi, Jr.

The Blessed Galaxy has no other name. After being gifted with the Auras—five great powerhouses of celestial creation—the title was a suitable fit. For millennia, the governing bodies have ruled their respective reaches of the Galaxy while harnessing the might of the Auras. But now they face the threat of a calamity, from an unlikely source, that could shake the lives of all.

Lowen Sars, a devout man of science, decides to take on the burden of saving the Galaxy’s people once he learns of the calamity. But he soon realizes that the role of a hero was a calling not meant for him, even with his sudden promotion. In his process of self-discovery, Lowen begins the fateful saga of not only the Blessed Galaxy, but also the kingdom in possession of the corrupt Aura.
(Blurb courtesy of Goodreads.)

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Download this book for FREE on Amazon!
June 24th to June 28th ONLY!
HERE!!

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Enter to Win an Autographed Copy of Phase I!

June 24th to July 24th ONLY!

HERE!!

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About The Author:

 Samuel is an American-born child of Nigerian immigrants with a unique upbringing. His various influences in martial arts, movies, television, and literature over the years have helped him develop his story, Age of the Aura. With his different perspective, Samuel’s hope is to bring an original science fiction tale to those that enjoy the genre.

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Author Links: 

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/TZ7SyV

Twitter: http://bit.ly/ULggkh

Google+: http://bit.ly/T3cdS7

YouTube: http://bit.ly/V2oqqG

Radio: http://bit.ly/XMPbRl

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:)

_______________________________________

Lora is reading: Fallen (Guardian Trilogy, #1), by Laury Falter

Lora is listening to: Divergent (Divergent, #1), by Veronica Roth

Cindi is reading: Tears of Min Brock by J.E. Lowder &

Martyr's Moon by J.E. Lowder

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Review: Eliza's Forever Trees by Stephanie Lisa Tara

Summary-

Suddenly Mother jumped to her feet and ran to one of the trees, a three-hundred-foot-tall redwood. "Forever tree! Forever tree!" she cried, smiling. She swept the skinny girl up into her arms. The child's pale skin shimmered in the golden forest light. "Forever trees, forever trees," they sang, spinning in circles. The memory melted into the fog, and Eliza felt very tired. The question came again to her. It appeared out of the gray, out of the damp, out of the cold corners of this new house. The question whispered it always did the kind of whisper that sounded very loud indeed: Where had Mother gone? Shadows appeared and disappeared in Eliza's mind. Still, she couldn't remember. She simply could not remember anything after that last story in the forest. For some reason, she wasn't terribly worried. She was a little worried, for sure, but not terribly worried, because a strange calm held the shadows and the question. It held Eliza, too. Because love is forever.

 

Review-

Eliza is a ten year old with a bad heart. She's sickly, pale, and sad. For some reason, her mother disappeared and she is now living with her crazy old grandfather in an old cabin in the woods. Her mother was a librarian and the million books she had collected and read to Eliza are now in Grandfather's house being used as firewood, stepladders, material to cover roof holes, and other household uses. Eliza can't live this way---watching her beloved books burn, mildew and rot. Her new friend, Butterfly, is horrified also. Together they embark on a journey to find Mother Redwood Tree to find Eliza's mother. Along the way, they meet Owl, Auntie-Deer, a french-speaking squirrel, musical snakes, ladybugs and a host of other wonderful woodland creatures.

This story is a beautifully-written, lyric book similar to the old stories like Toad and Frog, The Velveteen Rabbit, and other young adult stories of animated, talking animals. The nurturing and mothering that Eliza receives from the animals and the love they offer to her make this book a must read for young people today. The voice that author Stephanie Lisa Tara uses to tell Eliza's story will bring tears to the reader's eyes and the last several chapters leave you breathless. Five stars for an awesome story!

 

Publisher-Stephanie Lisa Tara Children's Books®

Reviewer Rating: 5 STARS!!!

Reviewed by~Cindi

Review: The Collector (Dante Walker #1) by Victoria Scott

He makes good girls...bad.

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.
Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

 

Review-

The Collector is the typical story of boy meets ugly girl, makes her fancy herself up, and then realizes that she looked better before. The old sayings that you can't judge a book by it's cover or that beauty is what's on the inside certainly apply to this story of the Devil's favorite Soul Collector Dante Walker and his newest assignment, ugly girl Charlie. Charlie does charity work, Dante thinks he's too cool to help other people. Charlie would rather listen to the world outside then Dante's loud dance music. She has a bad limp, frizzy hair and acne, while he wears red Chucks signed by a famous ball player and can make any black t-shirt look hot, hot, hot.

Dante is so arrogant that I had to laugh many, many times throughout this story. Once the plot twists were revealed, however, I felt sadness for these kids who had to learn life's lessons quickly in order to save the world. It's a great read about Heaven versus Hell and what the right way to live is. It was enjoyable because Victoria Scott really gets what kids are like today--the struggles they deal with daily concerning their weight and popularity, the cool kids, being all alone in the world. This is the first in a series and I'm definitely putting the rest of the collection on my wish list. Solid four and a half stars.

 

Publisher-Entangled Teen

Reviewers Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewed by~Cindi

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

Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop

RFYF's Five Star Summer Reading List

"Five Star Summer Reading List"

We reviewers, here at Read For Your Future, are tough raters. There are many, many books rated three, or four, or four and a half stars on our site--not many are five stars. We decided to compile and share the special five star gems that we encountered in 2012 so that you lovely readers may have a list of pure awesomeness to read on your vacations, staycations, cruises, long car rides, etc. This list has something for everyone--young and old. So please enjoy----from our readers to yours!

Five Star Nominees (in alphabetical order):

• Auracle, by Gina Rosati
• Bad Kitty, by Nick Bruel
• Blaze, by Laurie Boyle Crompton
• Clockwork Princess, by Cassandra Clare
• Dare You To, by Katie McGarry
• Dark Kiss, by Michelle Rowen
• Eve (The Series), by Anna Carey
• Everneath, by Brodi Ashton
• Fuse, by Julianna Baggott
• Isabella, Star of the Story, by Jennifer Fosberry
• Last Breath, by Rachel Caine
• Ordained, by Devon Ashley
• Radiance, by Alyson Noel
• Sipping From the Nile, by Jean Naggar
• Sweet So Fragile, by Margaret Chatwin
• Talisman of El, by Alecia Stone
• Time's Twisted Arrow, by Rysa Walker
• Truly, Madly, Deeply, by Hannah Jayne
• The Dead and Buried, by Kim Harrington
• The Plum Tree, by Ellen Marie Wiseman
• The Sweet Evil Series, by Wendy Higgins
• The Things I Can Do, by Jeff Mack
• Undeadly: The Reaper Diaries, by Michelle Vail

Get Out There and Get Reading!!!!!

Waiting On Wednesday

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Weather Witch (Weather Witch, #1)

by Shannon Delany

Published by St. Martin's Griffin

Released 25 June 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:)

_______________________________________

Lora is reading: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (Necromancer, #1), by Lish McBride
The Keep (The Watchers, #4), by Veronica Wolff

Cindi is reading: Tears of Min Brock, by J.E. Lowder

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! 

Pg.49
Nobody said a word
Nobody but Brook.
"Ow cut it out you guys!" Her blue eyes popped open and swung around until they found me. "Ugh, So not cool. Really Sam. You dont just drop someones head. Especially a friends.Like being stuffed in a box and being bounced around for an hour wasnt bad enough"

 

Childrens Book Review: The things I can do by Jeff Mack

Summary-

Want to see what Jeff drew? It's a book about him and all the things he can do! He can make his own lunch!  He can get his own drink.  He can take his own bath—pretty cool, don't you think? Get ready for a riotous time as Jeff explains, in words and self-drawn pictures, all the things he can do—in a book he made all by himself! A Neal Porter Book.

 

Review-

This book is amazing. The drawings in the book are unique and really neat. The story is easy to follow and kept my 6 year old entertained. He couldn't wait to see the next page. It is well written and well executed and the character is so cute. If you have a chance to get this book, It would make an awesome gift for any occasion. Highly recommend!!

 

Publisher-Roaring book press

Reviewer 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!

Stacking The Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is a fun weekly post that RFYF participates in, courtesy of Tynga's Reviews, where we share the books, physical and otherwise, that have been procured for this site for review and subsequent donation to the kids at Franklin High School. We welcome you to join us in sharing the books that you won/bought/borrowed/downloaded over the past week! You may include books in any format, of course.

                               Tynga'sGuidelines:

• Create your own Stacking The Shelves post. You may use the graphic supplied on Tynga's page or create your own.
• You may set your post in any format that you wish. A book list, covers, pictures, vlogs, the sky is the limit.
• I post Stacking The Shelves on Saturday or Sunday, but please feel free to post yours any day that fits your schedule! 
• Visit Tynga's Reviews on Saturday and add your link so that others can visit you!!

Donated For Review:

• The Emblazoned Red, by Dawn McCullough-White
• Horde (Razorland, #3), by Ann Aguirre
• Viral Nation, by Shaunta Grimes
• Mortal Fire, by Elizabeth Knox
• Neptune's Tears (Timedance, #1), by Susan Waggoner
• The Clock Of Life, by Nancy Klann-Moren
• Untethered, by Katie Hayoz
• A Really Awesome Mess, by Trish Cook, Brendan Halpin
• Quarantine: The Loners (Quarantine, #1), by Lex Thomas
• Quarantine: The Saints (Quarantine, #2), by Lex Thomas
• Fall of Night (The Morganville Vampires, #14), by Rachel Caine

Interview: Veronica Wolff author of The keep (Watchers #4)

 

 

We haver Varonica Wolff with us today. She is the author of the series The Watchers. If you havent read it you are missing out!

1. How did you come up with the storyline for this book?

Honestly, some of the inspiration came from you bloggers! Many reviewers have commented how much they wanted to know what was in that vampire castle, and I decided it was time to sneak inside.

 Also, I’ve been doing a lot of Jiu-Jitsu and often I’m the only woman in class. I live by the beach, which means many classes find me grappling with big, strapping surfers. (Rough, huh?) I think a lot about how to use leverage when fighting someone much bigger than myself, and it was a natural next step that Drew ended up exploring it on the page for me.

 2. How did you come up with the names for the characters?

Some of them just come to me (Drew), some are names I’ve liked for some time (Carden), and others are results of random web searches, trawling for interesting sounding names (Alcántara).

 3. How much are you and the characters alike?

Oh wow, I dare not think about that one too much! Seriously, though, seeing as I’m the one who’s conceived of all these people, they’re all in me somewhere. There’s not one character I can point to, rather, there are little bits of me in each person on that island. I believe it wouldn’t be a very good character if there weren’t some part of them that I personally found sympathetic.

 4. Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?

I read like a crazy person. I’m voracious. Mostly young adult, with a smattering of romance (I love Regencies), and I also snatch up the occasional non-fiction, horror, or classic. I recently even devoured a teen manga. I’m usually reading one book and listening to another on audio. At the moment I’m reading Green Darkness by Anya Seton, listening to Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, and also occasionally tucking into My Mistress’s Sparrow is Dead: Great Love Stories, from Chekhov to Munro, a collection of short stories curated by Jeffrey Eugenides (can you tell I’m a fan?!)

 5. What made you decide to go Vampires?

I like scary things. I enjoy the romance of today’s teen vampires and found myself wanting more of that, but with more horrific, terrifying twists.

 6. What will you do now that this series is finished?

Actually, the series isn’t over for me! I’m currently working on a novella written from Ronan’s point of view. I can’t seem to leave Drew behind…

 7. So what is your next project and when is it due out?

I’m working on my Ronan novella, as well as a top-secret YA contemporary—no vampires in that one, just a cute boy.

 8. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?

I’m lucky to be a full-time writer, but I’ve got two kids at home, so there’s a lot of carpooling and volunteering in there, too.

 9. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about peoples reactions to your books?

I had a job that I hated, and writing was a way to have something to think about during the day that belonged only to me. Then, when my daughter was born, it was a way to keep my identity and sanity. And yes, I was very worried about people’s reactions, though my bulletproof vest gets thicker every year.

 10. One last thing do you collect anything personally?

With two kids and a few rescue pets at home, sometimes it feels as though mostly I collect Legos from where they’re hiding in the rug, furballs from beneath the bed, and bobby pins from under the bathroom sink, but no, other than that, I don’t really collect anything. (Though, now that I think about it, who doesn’t love a good tourist mug?)

Places to find Veronica
Goodreads
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Places to find Veronicas books
B & N
Amazon
Goodreads

 

Review: Fairy Metal Thunder (Songs of Magic #1) by J.L. Bryan

Summary-

A rock & roll fairy tale.
Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they're going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on their lead singer, but she doesn't seem interested in him at all.
Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world. Soon the band is enchanting crowds, and Jason is a step closer to the girl of his dreams, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic they can't control.
Their shortcut to success has cost a troupe of innocent fairies their livelihood and turned Jason and his band into enemies of the powerful Queen Mab, who sends supernatural bounty hunters to track them down, including one of the most dangerous horned creatures in Faerie...a small unicorn named Buttercake.

 

Review-

 It's nice for a change to read a fun, light hearted story. Not that it doesn't have a few close calls. The storyline is light & energetic with just the right amount of seriousness. The main character is a likable young man with good friends. Of course, being a teenager only guarantees a certain amount of trouble. They do find an unexpected ally. Also,some really creepy foes. The author leaves just enough un-done & un-said to have a good lead into the next book. It will be interesting to see how the story & characters evolve. This book is easy to read and follow. A good series for younger teens to read. Hope you enjoy it too. Happy Reading!!

 

Publisher-Createspace

Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewed by~Mechele

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!

Review: Dance the Moon Down by R.L. Bartram

Summary-

In 1910, no one believed there would ever be a war with Germany. Safe in her affluent middle-class life, the rumours held no significance for Victoria either. It was her father's decision to enroll her at university that began to change all that. There she befriendes the rebellious and outspoken Beryl Whittaker, an emergent suffragette, but it is her love for Gerald Avery, a talented young poet from a neighbouring university that sets the seal on her future. After a clandestine romance, they marry in January 1914, but with the outbreak of the First World War, Gerald volunteeres but within months has gone missing in France. Convinced that he is still alive, Victoria's initial attempts to discover what has become of him, implicate her in a murderous assault on Lord Kitchener resulting in her being interrogated as a spy, and later tempted to adultery. Now virtually destitute, Victoria is reduced to finding work as a common labourer on a run down farm, where she discovers a world of unimaginable ignorance and poverty. It is only her conviction that Gerald will some day return that sustaines her through the dark days of hardship and privation as her life .

 

Review-

This book follows protagonist, Victoria, as she enters college at 16 years of age in the year 1910. She is a strong-willed and intelligent young woman from a family that has never suffered from poverty. Once she enters college, however, life drastically changes for Victoria. She gains independence, meets her future husband, loses her father, and, of course, World War 1 begins. Don't think that this is a dry historical novel. This book is the complete opposite! Similar to Forest Gump, Victoria has her hand in many historical events: the first military tank, moving pictures, automobiles, mustard gas, the suffrage movement, women gaining the right to vote, etc. Unlike Forest Gump, though, author Bartram spins a story that is believable and very moving. Throughout this plot there also runs a mystery--Victoria's beloved poet husband has been missing in action. Will he be found? If anyone can succeed, it's Victoria. Even if she is labelled a spy, a traitor, an anti-war sympathizer, she will move Heaven and Earth to find out what happened to him. Beautifully written, well-researched, enjoyable, entertaining, and emotional, this book is an absolute five star. A MUST-READ!

 

Publisher-Authors Online

Reviewer Rating: 5 STARS!!!

Reviewed by~Cindi

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

Review: Othermoon (Otherkin #2) by Nina Berry

Summary-

Everyone has secrets. I had no idea mine would lead me into shadow. Dez has found the place where she belongs. With the otherkin. With Caleb. Or so she thought. As the barriers between our world and Othersphere fall, a wall rises between Dez and Caleb, leaving her fiercest enemy her only friend.
And maybe something more.
Now Dez must make a devastating choice: keep the love of her life, or save the otherkin from annihilation.

 

Review-

 This is a very different kind of shifter story. The characters in this book have a whole array of powers & talents. It is a good-guy vs. bad-guy theme with a lot of action, friendship, love, hate & self discovery thrown in. Which makes this a very interesting & suspenseful tale. I really liked the way the author seems to weave all those elements flawlessly together to make this one wild & unexpected delight. There truly is never a dull moment. The main character and her friends are typical teens with attitude. Very likable characters. They are all faced with their own doubts and problems but always come together in the face of adversity. A very fast paced read. I feel a special connection to the main characters shifter animal. I'm definitely a Cat person...Lol. There are also very important facts; ways to contribute in the back of the book. Please look those over and visit the sites. Even one person can make a difference! A very good series to read. Happy Reading!!

 

Publisher-K-Teen

Reviewer Rating:  4 Stars

Reviewed by~Mechele

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!