Fire Falling

Book Review

Title: Fire Falling (Air Awakens #2)

Author: Elise Kova

Rating: ★★★★★

Release Date: November 19, 2015

Publisher: Silver Wing Press

Page Count: 378

Genre: YA Fantasy

Connect with the Author: Twitter, FB, Instagram, 

Buy Me! Amazon, B&N, Book Depository

Add me on Goodreads: Fire Falling

Synopsis:

Soldier… Sorcerer… Savior… Who is Vhalla Yarl?

Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life. As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity. Will she maintain her humanity? Or will she truly become the Empire’s monster?

Fire Falling is the second book in the Air Awakens Series.

My Thoughts:

The author was kind enough to send me an ARC of her book in exchange for an honest review.

This book went beyond my expectations it was such an amazing and emotional read; five starts is not nearly enough for this novel. I loved the first one, but I adored the sequel. Vhalla is going to war and now belongs to the crown while Aldrik assures his father that she will bring victory to the Solaria Empire the Senate is sure they're sending her to her death. 

This novel had me up till three in the morning because I could not put it down and when I did finally decide to go to bed as soon as I woke up, I got right back into it; I needed to know what was going to happen and now that I'm done reading it, I wish it was February so I can dive back into the amazing world Kova has created. I can't get enough of her characters especially Vhalla and Aldrik, I loved how Aldrik opened up so much more for Vhalla and we got to see and learn so much more about him. I'm glad that we also got to see a lot of the characters that we only had a glimpse of in the first book. I love how the story is developing and how Vhalla is learning more about herself and her powers as the book progresses. This novel had me in an emotional roller-coaster and towards the end of that ride I was an emotional wreck and I didn't even care! Kova’s writing is amazing! I love this series and can't wait to see where Kova is going to take us in the next novel, which I really wish I had in my hands like yesterday. If you haven't picked this amazing series up, I highly recommend it is so good and everyone needs to read it!

-SandraTheBookWorm

Ruby's Choice

Book Review

Title: Ruby's Choice

Author: D.F. Jones

Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: July 23, 2015

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Page Count: 184

Connect with the Author: Website, FB, Twitter, Instagram

Buy Me: Amazon, B&N

Add me on Goodreads: Ruby's Choice

Synopsis:

Ditch Lane Diaries: Ruby’s Choice is the debut novel by D.F. Jones and book one of the Ditch Lane Diaries. Ruby’s Choice is a coming of age story set in the late 1970’s in Middle Tennessee with a splash of paranormal which will blossom in the second and third books of the series. Ruby’s Choice-Everglade, Tennessee, 1977 Stuck in the Middle with Two Ever since Ruby discovered an amber-encased spider web in the Campbell Ridge Cave, she has had dreams of births, deaths and glimpses into the future. Ruby’s dreams have foretold the daughter of her high school friend, Cathy, the death of her beloved Aunt Sammie, and the coming of a new love in her life. Ruby’s shift is coming to a close at Everglade General Store. As she stacks the last row of bath soap, Ruby recalls the delicious dream she had the night before. In the dream, a gorgeous guy is kissing a tickle spot, just behind her left earlobe, sending shivers up her spine. If only that dream could come true, instead of the one where a state trooper gives her a seventy-five dollar speeding ticket! Ruby snaps back to reality when she hears the store’s front door bells chime. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say the frickin’ Adonis from her sexy dream just walked through the door. Reed Jackson and Brent Brown introduce themselves to Ruby as members of the local baseball team her brother, George, manages. Brent mentions they specifically came out to the store to meet George’s hot, little sister. Ruby is slightly confused when she hears Reed murmur Tap It under his breath, but then she remembers the rumor going around campus about Reed and Brent’s dating game, where the two best friends compete to have a girl profess undying love to one of them. And Tap It is a winner takes all—all of what, though, Ruby has no clue. Ruby decides that she’ll play along, but according to her rules. She’ll suss out if either of these players is worthy of her love and respect. One thing is for sure, Ruby is no pawn. Who will be Ruby’s Choice?

My Thoughts:

The author was kind enough to send me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't put this book down once I started it. The ending was such a crazy twist I did not see coming. Ruby and her friends were exploring a cave when they stumbled into a hidden room where Ruby finds a hidden stone; after she leaves the cave with the stone she begins to have dreams that foretell the future. So, when the guy she dreamed about Reed walks into her job she is very excited especially because he is very HOT. What she doesn't know is that Reed and his friend Brent walking into the store was no coincidence, they walked in to meet her and to start a game called TapIt where they both try get the girl fall in love with one of them, but as the game goes on Brent and Reed really fall in love with her and one of them confesses the rules of the game it is then that Ruby decides to play the game as well, but someone will get hurt she just hopes its not her.

This book was so good! Ruby was such a strong character she didn’t take crap from anyone and when it came to the game she was the one calling the shots. I fell in love with Reed immediately he was such an amazing character and knew what he wanted; I also really liked Brent even though he did come across as a little over possessive at times.  This love story had me in an emotional roller-coaster towards the end I had my ugly crying face on lol. When you start the book it seems that it's going to be a paranormal, but Jones focuses mostly on the love story aspect, there is paranormal throughout the book, but like I said it mostly concentrates on the love story. The ending was much unexpected, I mean really unexpected I was in shock when I finished the book.  I really loved all the characters in this book they all have a special place in my heart. I really enjoyed this book and it’s the perfect coming of age story with a splash of paranormal in it. 

-SandraTheBookWorm

Übermensch Release Day

(For Release on October 5^th, 2015)

Übermensch

By: Mathew Babaoye

From new author Mathew Babaoye, comes a science fiction debut set in a far future dystopian world, where the natural is artificial, the unreal is real, and one is either Master, or slave…

________________

TO SERVE IS ALL

The world is vast, a tapestry of sea and land and sky, representing resource, wealth, and almost endless possibility.

But the Masters would not share, and split the world into Domains, one for each of them, to do whatever they would with the land allotted, each section a realm of inviolate rule.

And, as for the rest of us…

We serve…

Gladly.

________________

Ubermesnch is the diary of a young posthuman, and a twisted coming of age story. Grand in scope, meticulous in detail, and a staggering work of imagination, experience it from the start, and learn the ways of service…

About the Author

Mathew Babaoye is a writer.

www.mathewbabaoye.com

Buy Me: Amazon

Add Me On Goodreads: Übermensch

Excerpt:

               I woke up ready to serve.…

Eyes blink repeatedly.

The oval cell is white and bare.

I am standing.

Memory slowly blooms…

“Attend,” orders a disembodied voice.

A portal irises open.

I step through, into a dim dark hall twinkling with floating motes of pale green luminescence.

Beneath: a blue glow forms, moving swiftly forward in a line…

I follow it.

Down the hall, and through another portal -

- into another white cell.

Turning…  I see the portal iris shut.

Successive waves of blue light pulse from floor to ceiling.

Brightness above.

I pass up and outside.

Wind blows soil-fragrance; puffy white clouds are arrayed in geometrically perfect lines across azure sky, rows of tended barley lined perpendicular below, blue leading forward through, towards a barn.

… something about this place is not quite right.

I pass by rows of barley, where -

Everything changes.

Wind howls at night on a dark city street, a lone streetlamp shining in the distance.

Something about this place is not quite right.

The blue leads me towards the light, passing by shuttered tenements…

… then turns, down a dark alley.

A menacing growl issues from the end.

I head towards it, where -

Everything changes.

A vast white square, surrounded by dark sky purpling, and breeze of thin air…

I turn.

Twelve identical beings - tall, black robed, grey-skinned, crowned with thorns - stand at the edge. In unison: they turn, eyes flashing.

“You will serve me.”

A shiver runs down the spine…

Pleasurable.

“I will serve.”

Each points to their feet.

“Kneel before me.”

I hesitate… then walk to the nearest.

And kneel.

I stand and walk to the next.

And kneel.

I stand and -

Overlapping laughter.

“The tweaks in your design are effective. You are different.”

All vanish - but one.

Something inside me… settles.

I walk before it.

And kneel.

“Rise.”

I stand.

It turns away, looking beyond the edge again.

I wait.

After a time: “what do you see?”

I come to stand beside it, looking beyond the… roof, of the Tower, across a landscape of mist, kilometers below. Far afield, where mist thins, are the silhouettes of twisted trees, the horizon glimmering shoreline, pre-dawn a pink blush.

“I see land.”

It frowns. “I am the Master. You see my Domain.”

I consider.

Yes, the Master owns. The Master owns the land. The Master owns the Tower.

The Master owns me.

“I did not understand the question,” I clarify. “Yes, I see your Domain.”

The Master looks at me intently. “What do YOU own?”

Anxiety. “I am not the Master. I do not own.”

“Relax.”

I relax.

The Master nods. “Certain emotional responses are to be expected, given your design.” A pause. “And my own. Hm.”

It walks from the edge, humming distractedly.

I follow.

A low thrumming…

We rise upon an upwelling white platform, tiers of white coming after, and white drips upward, silvering into bright screens, which float into wide orbit around a center-portal-ascending techno-throne…

… and all the rising smoothly stops.

The Master sits upon the throne.

I kneel. “Master.”

“Rise.”

I do so.

“You are as I hoped, strong and quick-thinking. But…” Grey lips purse. “I would prefer you to call me by my name.”

“What is your name?”

The Master smiles. “My name is Gabriel.”

“Yes, Master Gabriel.”

“You will be called Id.”

“Yes, Master Gabriel.”

The Master frowns. “Are you being impertinent?”

“Never!”

Still frowning. “The Tower is my home, and the place you will inhabit, at my will. Memories and knowledge of my Domain are implanted in you, but a tour by our sAI node will demonstrate that it took.”

I am suddenly standing meters back, bright-orbiting screens ahead, obscuring...

“Id,” calls a feminine voice.

I turn.

By the lowest tier, dawn warming red, floats a golden sphere…

“Let us begin.”

-SandraTheBookWorm

Steam (The Legend Saga #3)

Title: Steam

Author: Stacey Rourke

Rating: ★★★★★

Date Published: September 14, 2015

Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing

Page Count: 228

Genre: Paranormal/ Fantasy

Meet The Author: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Buy Me! Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords
Add to Goodreads: Steam
Add the First Two: Crane, Raven

Synopsis:

Trapped within the essence of the Headless Horseman by the guilt of slaughtering her best friend, Ireland Crane follows the father of science fiction, HG Wells, in search of freedom from the curse that binds her. Instead, she discovers even he has a hidden agenda. A dark, relentless passion to be reunited with the woman he loves has driven him to manipulate time and a murderous Horseman. 

Yet heed my warning, as the Raven flies,
The Hessian will come … and you will die.

All that prevents Ireland from abandoning Wells’ twisted pursuit, or introducing him to her sword, are the undead witches haunting her. Begging for freedom from a vile succubus, the ghoulish coven leads Ireland and her crew on a journey through Salem’s sordid past. There, they learn there is more to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s history than a scarlet letter, and the secret they’ve uncovered seeks to destroy them all.

My Thoughts:

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't even know where to start; this book has left me speechless! Stacey did it again she combines amazing legends we all have grown to love and makes them her own. We're back with Ireland and the whole gang trying to help HG Wells in his pursuit to find his long lost wife which leads everyone to Salem. 

This book was absolute perfection and a great ending to the saga. Stacey had me at the edge of my seat with so many twists and turns, I was not expecting! It was so good; I had to read it in one sitting because I could not put it down. Like I've said in my previous reviews, Stacy's writing is just superb she makes the stories and characters come to life and I absolutely love it! I really enjoyed the character development all the characters go through. I also love the way Stacey weaves in new characters into the story; it’s done so well it feels like they have been part of the story all along. I really enjoyed reading about Preen and HG Wells they both have a special place in my heart along with all the other characters. This book took me through and emotional roller-coaster; it scared the hell out of me at points, made me laugh and had me in tears. The ending, oh, the ending I don't want to spoil it so I'm just going to say and some may disagree with me, but I think it was perfect. 

This book was a bitter sweet ending to an amazing saga I have grown to love! It was very hard to say goodbye to all the amazing characters, but Stacey made sure to give them an amazing ending we will never forget. I'm currently in a book hangover that was caused by Miss. Stacey's magnificent writing, but I'm not mad; it’s going to take me a while to recover from it. Now with that said. if you have not picked this saga up, what are you waiting for?! It's amazing and the perfect October read! I myself need to get the physical copies! I just want to have them in my hands and just hold them close to me and then reread them! Yes, I'm weird. 

-SandraTheBookWorm

About The Author

-RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel

-Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012

-Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013 

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series as well as the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. 

Unrequited

Book Review

Title: Unrequited

Author: Val Frazee

Rating: ★★★★

Date Published: July 17, 2015

Publisher: CreateSpace

Page Count: 200

Genre: Romance

Meet The Author: Website

Buy Me: Amazon

Synopsis:

Post 9/11, Caroline Fontenot has been happily married for five years to Chandler, a sweet country boy who stole her heart in college. At least that is what she thought until the past came back to haunt them. The country is at war and all she can think about is the love that never was. Once again the ghost of Aidan Patrick haunts her dreams and now, her reality.

My Thoughts:

This was a very enjoyable light, contemporary read. I liked how the book focuses on learning to let go of the past to be able to move forward. Caroline has always been living with the ghost of her ex-boyfriend and first love Aidan, but she has always been able to keep it from taking over her completely until the day she receives a letter from Aidan's brother with some horrible news and the ghosts of her past start to consume every second of her day and start to interfere with her marriage.

I really enjoyed this read! I really liked how it went back and forward from the present to future, it really helped understand why Caroline was having such a hard time letting go of Aidan;  I also really likes that there was letters and diary entries it would pull the reader in and make the book that more enjoyable. Val hit me with a twist I wasn't expecting that made me tear up; this book made me laugh, cry and want to punch a certain person in the face. I do have to say that Chandler is an amazing guy; every man should read this book and take some notes on how to be an amazing and understanding husband. Overall I really enjoyed this book and for being Val's debut novel it was a great story! I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a light contemporary read. 

-SandraTheBookWorm

One Fling To Rule Them All

Book Review

Title: One Fling to Rule Them All

Author: Deanna Dee 

Rating: ★★★★★

Date Published: June 9, 2015

Publisher: Self Published

Page Count: 178

Genre: New Adult Contemporary 
Meet The Author: Deanna Dee Goodreads Page

Buy Me: Amazon

Synopsis:

It began with the forging of a great friendship.

For three months, Lydia Bell has watched Craig, her best friend and the love of her life, be in a happy relationship with someone else. But she’s over it. Or thinks she is until she hears Craig’s voice on the phone. Desperate to put her romantic feelings behind, she joins her roommates for a night out. Maybe she'll meet someone.

And meet someone she does—a guy named Scott, who looks a lot like Craig. Despite their awkward introduction, flaming arrows fly, and soon Lydia is running off the dance floor to get away from feelings she shouldn't have. So much for getting over Craig, and so much for Scott.

Until Monday morning, that is. Turns out Scott goes to her school. Worse, they share a class. As if that’s not weird enough, Scott is also trying to get over someone. To help both Lydia and himself, he proposes a fling, and reluctantly, Lydia agrees. Now she just has to hope this fling rules and doesn't crash into a fiery mountain.

My Thoughts:

The author was kind enough to send me an Ecopy of her book in exchange for an honest review! I absolutely loved this book; I had a goofy grin throughout the whole thing. 

Our main character Lydia has been in love with her childhood friend Craig, but he has a girlfriend; Scott is in love with Cath and she doesn't seem to be interested. One night Lydia decides to go out to club with her roommates and is there where she bumps into Scott who turns out to be in one of her classes. When she bumps into Craig and Molly she fibs and tells them there is more than friendship between her and Scott. When Scott sees that Lydia and himself are in similar situations he proposes they have a fling to try and get over Cath and Craig. 

I adored this book! I felt that both Scott and Lydia's situation was very relatable; who hasn't been in love at one point in their lives, knowing the other person doesn't share the same feelings. I loved the author's writing style it just kept me turning pages; I also really liked the character development both Lydia's and Scotts. I just want to take a moment to ask the author, where I can find myself a Scott?! He was absolutely perfect so swoon worthy! I would love to read more books about Lydia and Scott in the future. I also really enjoyed how the author wove in a game similar to Dungeons and Dragons it made the book so different from other contemporaries and even more enjoyable. The unexpected twist she hit me with really took me by surprise,I didn't see it coming. Overall I loved, loved this book! Everyone needs to pick it up is such a fast, fluffy read that everyone will enjoy. There is a book before this one, but is a companion and does not have to be read before this one.

-SandraTheBookWorm

Ignite The Shadows

Book Review

Title: Ignite The Shadows

Author: Ingrid Seymour

Rating: ★★★★.5

Date Published: April 23, 2015

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Page Count: 400

Meet the Author: Ingrid Seymour

Buy Me! Amazon, B&N, Book Depository

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Marci Guerrero is one of the best teen hackers in Seattle. However, she’d give up all her talents to know she isn’t crazy.

Marci feels possessed by what she perceives as shadowy spectres that take control of her body and make her do crazy things. While spying on the clandestine group known as IgNiTe, she’s confronted by the leader, James McCray. His presence stirs the spectres inside her brain into a maddening frenzy. Her symptoms and ability to control them don’t go unnoticed by James, who soon recruits her and shows her the awful truth.

Half of the world’s population is infected by sentient parasites. They bind themselves to the human brain and replace the pathways for all thoughts and actions. The creatures then morph their hosts into grotesque monsters with extraordinary strengths. Winged, clawed, fanged half-humans become living nightmares. Now Marci wishes she was crazy, because the truth is worse.

She’s infected

My Thoughts:

The author of this book was kind enough to send me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was CREEPY and I LOVED it!! This book gave me a nightmare and I'm not ashamed to say it, no book has ever done that before.

Marci has been fighting the shadows taking over her body since she was five. They seem to take advantage of her at her weakest, but she has found a way to keep them at bay she just has to keep her mind busy. When Marci meets James the leader of IgNite is when she finds out what's actually going on with her which is way worse than she thought. Marci is infected with a parasite that latches on to the human brain and takes over your body and can also change the hosts bodies into whatever they desire. James is going to teach Marci how to control the parasite. 

I really enjoyed this book I'm not a big fan of sci-fi, but this book has changed my mind on that genre and I'm definitely going to venture more into it. I loved Ingrid Seymour's writing it was fast paced and kept you turning the page. Our main character Marci is such a bad ass, I also loved how she never gave up on fighting the shadows and that she never backed down from a task no matter how hard it was or how terrified she was. One thing I want to point out is the love interest; I loved that Xave and Marci had known each other since they were little and that the love they had for each other had grown over the years and it was not insta-love; it was a fresh breath of air and not seen in young adults books very often. I would recommend this book to anyone! It's such a great read that everyone should pick up. 

-SandraTheBookWorm