Friday, October 19, 2012

Cover reveal/Giveaway- Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four




Title:Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four

Author:Nya Jade
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre:Supernatural, fiction
Expected Release: November 2012

The students of Green Lane Academy roam their halls unaware that below their manicured campus exists a prestigious school of an entirely different kind . . .

Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Pope has enrolled at the Campus Below: a spy academy for shape-shifters hidden deep beneath the grounds of a boarding school whose humans unknowingly protect it. There, thanks to a carefully planned schedule, she leads a double life: spy trainee Below and normal teenager Above.

As if two course loads, concealing a secret power she alone wields, and coping with her father’s recent death weren’t enough, Phoebe finds herself developing major feelings for actor and teen heartthrob Colten Chase, who attends the Campus Above and appears to be majoring in winning Phoebe’s heart. But when officials learn that Phoebe may be at the center of a startling prophecy, she becomes the target of shape-shifting assassins who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth.

Now Phoebe’s lessons about Shaper’s enemies and spycraft take on great importance as a menace stalks the campus, with Phoebe as its target. Meanwhile, what began as an unlikely relationship with Colten, quickly morphs into heartache when she suspects that something sinister lurks beneath this movie star’s glitter and fame. Suddenly, Phoebe’s caught in a mesh of lies, betrayals, and danger where she doesn’t know who to trust, and needs to rely on herself–and her secret power—to get to the truth and to stay alive. 





Giveaway:

Singer-songwriter Nya Jade is celebrating the upcoming release of her debut YA novel, Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four, with a Tiffany & Co. gift card giveaway!! 





a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
Author Links:

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Review- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary: Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.


 "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour!"

My review: This book has to be one of the best books I've ever read. Of course, I didn't expect any less from it but my god, it was more than perfect!! From the first page till the last, each and every part of this book took my breath away. The writing style was perfect, the characters were amazing (so so so amazing!! I don't think I've ever liked each and EVERY character in a book, but in this one I did!!) the story was wonderful and thoroughly engrossing and the action-sequences literally made me jump with excitement so many times!

Suzanne Collins is a very, very talented author. The way she framed and executed her story was absolutely brilliant and I'm glad to say that I didn't find a single part or scene in the story to complain about.

Initially, seeing the cover I thought that maybe the humongous amount of gushing and fanning of people all over the world over this novel was a bit extreme but oh, was I wrong. The Hunger Games is a master piece. One which I absolutely adored and loved through and through. ^_^

The main female protagonist was much more awesome than I expected. Katniss was smart, independent, strong and was definitely a kick-ass character. From the moment I started this book, I knew I'm gonna love her, if not for her awesome characteristics, then for the love she had for her small family. She was a survivor and was handling her home, her mom, her sister and a pet alone and that's really something. I loved the way she never gave up and stood tall and brave no matter what situation she was in.

Peeta's nature was quite different from Katniss. And yet they seemed to fit so perfectly together. At first, I preferred Gale over Peeta but then as the story moved on, I admired Peeta more and more until there was no doubt that Katniss and Peeta belong together. He was a very sweet guy and his character was more than lovable. If only guys like that existed in real life, *sigh* <3
Anyway, as I said before, I LOVED all the other characters. I wished there was more about Gale but then, of course the story would've been totally different. But I think Gale's gonna play a bigger part in the next book which I'm dying to read! The Hunger Games deserves nothing less than 5 sparkling stars. It has to be one of the best YA dystopian fiction of all time. So if you haven't read this book yet, you are definitely missing out on something AH-MAZINGGG! :D

That said, here's a meme that seriously made my day!



Friday, October 12, 2012

Review- Cloaked by Alex Flinn


Cloaked by Alex Flinn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary:  I’m not your average hero. I actually wasn’t your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with the curse. And the frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I’ve ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.

Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. But you’ll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got CLOAKED.


My Review:  Cloaked was an OK read for me. Alex Flinn did a great job in retelling some of the most popular fairy tales we have been reading and listening from our childhoods but somehow I just couldn't find myself being thoroughly engrossed in the story. Nonetheless, it was a readable book which I'm sure many people would enjoy.

The story was well executed but there was nothing worth getting excited over. It was like watching that funny commercial which is supposed to be funny and you do like it but are still unable to laugh. Or smile.

The action sequences were many a times boring. Johnny's adventures didn't give me the thrill you expect when you read an adventurous novel. Maybe it was the slow pace of the story, or maybe it was the fact that I just couldn't get wholly involved with the story.

The main protagonist, Johnny was a nice, sweet lad. I can't say I absolutely loved him but his POV was nicely written by the author. I just wish he wasn't so...clueless and dumb at times. It's the same problem I many a times have with the female protagonists of the story but thankfully, in this one, I really liked MEg. She was confident, sure and much more interesting than Johnny. They still made a cute pair though. :)

Overall, Cloaked was a nice, steady-paced book with some really great characters. It had a slow pace but there were some scenes which were hilarious and I mainly liked it for the wonderful punch lines. Many parts had a magical feel to them but not enough to keep my interest throughout the story. So yeah, it's definitely a solid 3 stars from me :)


Thursday, October 4, 2012

Cover Reveal/Giveaway: Tempest (Hurricane, #1.5)





Author:Jenna-Lynne Duncan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre:Paranormal romance/urban fantasy
Expected Release: Late November 2012

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

Summary:

Hayden Boudreaux couldn't decide which was worse— that he was falling in love with a mortal or that the only way to break his family's centuries-old curse would be to kill her. Of all that he was certain was the more time he spent with her, the more he knew he would do anything to protect Adriana Alexander, including sacrificing his eternity. What he wouldn't expect was that Luke - his brother that hated Ana, who wanted to kill her - would decide he would want her as his own. 


Author Jenna Duncan has also decided to host a giveaway! Enter now to win these amazing prizes!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway