Book Review

The Wicked We Have Done – Guest Post & Review #getWicked @sarahharian @BerkleyRomance #NewRelease #MustRead

Guys, I’m totally stoked to share with you today’s blog! 🙂

A guest post from Sarah Harian, author of The Wicked We Have Done ON RELEASE DAY! This book blew me away, literally, like off my chair! She’s a phenomenal talent, and I just cannot wait to see what her career holds for us readers! 🙂

As I was reading this lovely book, I kept wondering hmmm.. .this should have a kick ass playlist.. and LO & BEHOLD! IT does, and I’m getting to share it with you today! How lucky are we!? But before I do, a little about this book, that you’ll need to pick up, like today. 🙂

Synopsis:

Darkly suspenseful and completely unexpected, The Wicked We Have Done is a debut author’s thrilling new take on New Adult romance.

Twenty-two-year-old Evalyn Ibarra never expected to be an accused killer and experimental prison test subject. A year ago, she was a normal college student. Now she’s been sentenced to a month in the compass room—an advanced prison obstacle course designed by the government to execute justice.

If she survives, the world will know she’s innocent.

Locked up with nine notorious and potentially psychotic criminals, Evalyn must fight the prison and dismantle her past to stay alive. But the system prized for accuracy appears to be killing at random.

She doesn’t plan on making friends.

She doesn’t plan on falling in love, either.

BUY IT!

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My Review:

Grade: A+ (Five STRONG stars)

HOLY COW! This book… yes, it drew me in, and yes, it had a bit of a Hunger Games feel, but seriously! *claps hands* GO SARAH! This book is so interesting and fresh, I am so glad to have gotten the chance to read it! I ❤ NEW IDEAS, and this book is one of them! As I’ve said in other reviews, romance books for me aren’t a grab, but add in a killer plot line and you’ve got me hooked! I love romance as long as I have a story to go along with it, and Sarah has done this. I feel as though the Compass Room was such an interesting idea, testing the morality of an accused killer, somewhat like Divergent’s testing, it really pulled out some wonderful character building as the story went on, and really gave us a new idea for a justice system.

Evalyn has to have her thoughts examined, all while playing a sort of game that will determine if she gets freedom or death. Her, along with other young people, who I must say, the author did a good job pulling quiet a few of them out of the background, and fleshing them out, even if they weren’t the main character, and I love to see that! The author really took a genre and concept that has been flying off the shelves for YA, and crafting into something deeper & stronger for the NA genre, and I’ve got to say, I was impressed.

Some people don’t like seeing books in the same vein as others, but honestly, it’s a theme, and there’s no rule that says author’s can’t play with it. Hunger Games pulled from Battle Royale, and so on and so forth, and I feel like yelling, “DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS THEME,” when I see people complaining. Sarah does an outstanding job putting her personal creative spin on this genre, and I adored it. The character’s had a really intangible strength to them, in the face of what they were undergoing, and I did think that you really pull the most from characters when you put them in situations like The Compass Room. She focuses on the story, over the romance, and doesn’t throw in any clichéd love triangle moments. Once you pick this book up, you’ll keep reading… it’s well written, with a lot of thought behind it, and it shines as a debut novel for Sarah Harian! I’m excited to see more from her!

Guest Post by Sarah – #GetWicked Playlist! 🙂

(As I run off to add these to my phone, and grab the book again!)

The Wicked We Have Done playlist is compilation of angsty and mostly dark songs. Since I have a very difficult time listening to music with lyrics while writing (my attention span is embarrassingly short), these songs resonated me while I was brainstorming—either in the car on my way to work or walking my dog. Here is my list of creepy, sad, and intense tracks for The Wicked We Have Done:

Spotify Playlist: https://play.spotify.com/user/sarahharian/playlist/4ybQgUDUGHEqJAynf7BIjU

“Seven Devils” by Florence + The Machine: This song is the ultimate creepy. I bought Florence’s album right when it came out, around the same time I was drafting TWWHD, and this song become instant fodder for me. I love how ghostly and chilling it is. It really parallels the book in a sense that the dark pasts of all of the characters are rebirthing.

“End of Me” by A Day to Remember: This song reflects a lot of the darkness of Evalyn’s past and losing those she cares deeply about. Instead of reflecting the grief of her loss, it reflects the anger she feels behind being abandoned.

“New Tricks” by Great Northern: Eerie and whimsical, this track is reminiscent of the strange horrors the characters face while in the forest of the Compass Room. It also parallels the moment when Evalyn decides to take matters into her own hands.

“Sink” by Brand New: This song is a delicious bundle of angst. It’s ragey and twisted. I feel like it represents the states of mind of all of my characters in the Compass Room, and the lengths they go to help each other when it comes to survival.

“Peace of Mind” by The Jezabels: When I first heard this song, I was in the process of revising a death scene. I cried, obviously. I think this song gives meaning to the little hope that the inmates have when they start making relationships with each other, and the refusal to believe that friends and lovers could die at any point within the prison.

“Come Clarity” by In Flames: I’ve loved this song for a long, long time. To me, it is about reflection, the presence of someone new, and their ability to erase the nightmare of the past.

“Millstone” by Eisley: This song IS Evalyn, particularly the line, “There’s not a moment to relive my time and space/ There’s not a moment to undo anything”. It encompasses her confusion and heartache in both The Wicked We Have Done and the sequel A Vault of Sins.

Don’t you love this?! Shout out! Tell me if you’ve read the book, or if you love any of these songs! I promise you, fans of NA Romance, The Hunger Games or even Thrillers, will love this book! I’ve still got it’s hook in me, and I can’t seem to shake it! So I’ll be reading it again! 🙂

About The Author:

Sarah Harian grew up in the foothills of Yosemite and received her B.A. and M.F.A. from Fresno State University. When not writing, she is usually hiking some mountain or another in the Sierras, playing video games with her husband, or rough-housing with her dog.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook

Marie F Crow’s Abigail and Her Pet Zombie : Zoo Day! Release Day & Review! Plus Sale!

Today is the day! Both the paperback edition and the kindle edition of Abigail and Her Pet Zombie: Zoo Day have been released! This is the second Abigail book that Marie F Crow has done, and it doesn’t disappoint!

Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle

Check it out on Goodreads!

Synopsis:

Abigail and her pet Zombie have been waiting
all week for their special trip to the Zoo.
When not everyone finds her pet Zombie lovable,
what is the pet Zombie to do ?

Abigail and friends, with help from her Uncle,
must teach the pet Zombie that the most
important thing is to just be you and to not worry
about what others might think.

This is the second book of the Abigail and her pet Zombie Series from author Marie F Crow. It is a humorous story of a little girl and her comical pet. This is an illustrated, lighthearted, fun short story for ages 3 to 8.

Review:

Grade: A+ (Five Stars!)

This was wonderful! I was obsessed with Abigail from the first book. This sweet child who has a zombie as a pet. It was wonderful way to help children work on acceptance with such a fun twist that’s so relevant to our society today. Zoo Day is even better. In this next story, Abigail is going to the zoo, but once she gets there her poor zombie has to deal with the people who don’t accept him. He just wanted to play with the children and smilie at the babies. In this story, Abigail’s uncle has to help people come to understand just because the zombie looks different and a bit scary, that he’s not harmful and he’s actually very friendly. I loved this story. I loved when the zombie swam with penguins and the monkeys stole his arm! This is just precious! Plus, The Risen fans will get a special easter egg of an appearance of one of the members of G.R.I.T! How great is that?! Overall, fantastic book with a great lesson and humor for the whole family! Check this out as a wonderful addition to your family library this holiday season!

*I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Plus, in other news, The Risen: Remnants kindle edition is free this weekend! Dec 13-15th! Go grab a copy! 🙂

About The Author:

Marie F Crow is the author of the post-apocalyptic series, The Risen. She weaves her stories around the human element of the horror verses the “monsters” themselves. She believes that the real horror of life does not come from the expected, but from the unexpected responses of the human nature and what depths of trauma a person has to survive in certain situations. She began writing The Risen series when feeling that the popular genre was slipping too deep into the realm of pure “slasher” and forgetting what the horror of zombies can mean for a story.

Now with her children’s series launched, Marie hopes to use her favorite “monster” as a teaching tool to inspire children to understand that not everything that looks scary, is scary. With Abigail and Her Pet Zombie series, Marie hopes to further spread her love for all things “that go bump in the night” with small children showing them that it’s okay to be different and to embrace those same differences in those around them.

Marie F. Crow

Torn by Kim Karr – Blog Tour

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Rock star River Wilde brought Dahlia London back from the brink of hopelessness with his unwavering love and devotion. But their entangled history is about to test the strength of their relationship

Dahlia was certain she had found true love and met her “Once in a Lifetime’ when she reconnected with River. But Dahlia’s world comes crashing down when someone from her past resurfaces, and all of River’s carefully hidden secrets are exposed.

River wants to show Dahlia that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass—it’s about dancing in the rain. But how many times can one broken heart be mended? Will River and Dahlia be able to stay together or will they be torn apart?

Reviewed by Kayla for Sunshine & Mountains

I received an ARC of Torn from Kim Karr and I am so thankful that I was!!!

It was an AMAZING read! I finished it in about 2 hours! It had me on an emotional roller coaster!

I loved Dahlia and River in Connections and was so excited when I found out when Torn was coming out. Then being given an ARC I was thrilled beyond words.

This book was amazing and I love this series. There were a few things that broke my heart in this book but the passion and love that Dahlia and River share is inspiring. I would love to have a connection like that. I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone but the twist this book takes is awesome and Kim Karr did an amazing job!

I can’t wait for her next book Mended!

I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I’ve always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions—writing.

I wear a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of the family. However, I always find time to read. One of my favorite family outings use to be taking my kids to the bookstore or the library. Today, my oldest child is in college and my twins are juniors so they no longer go with me on these outings. And although I don’t need to go to the actual store anymore because I have the greatest device ever invented—a Kindle, I still do. There’s nothing like a paperback. So now my four year old and I make dates out of going to the bookstore–it’s time I love and cherish.

I like to believe in soulmates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. I love to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

The giveaway rafflecopter runs from the 10th – 12th! 1 eCopy of Torn! 🙂

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Review: The Red Sun Rises by Victoria Kinnaird – @TheRedSunRises – Couldn’t have love it more!

***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***

The Red Sun Rises

by Victoria Kinnaird

Published by Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing

Synopsis:

Eren Anderson is a freak among freaks. At 17 years old, he doesn’t fit in with his peers in the tiny town of All Hallows and despite being born into it, he most certainly doesn’t fit in among The Order of Our Mother, the secret nature worshipping society that has harnessed the ability cast spells and believes vampires are not only real, but their deadliest enemies. Eren is turned into a vampire after an attack by the local coven master, but that is the least of his worries…

In a post-Twilight world, “The Red Sun Rises” is a YA novel intended to give vampires their bite back but it should not be read as simply another vampire novel. “The Red Sun Rises” is a story about growing up, responsibility, falling in love, facing your fears and taking fate into your own hands.

Check out the amazing book trailer!

Add this to your TBR Shelf

Interested in Buying?

Amazon

Review:

Grade: A+ (Five Bold Stars! 6 if it were possible)

Alright, let’s start by saying, I didn’t even know what this book was about when I bought it. Cover looked cool, and I was hanging out at the release party and wanted to support the author! No freaking idea what I was in for, then as I’m hanging out with my NerdGirl group, they needed some reviews, so I said sure, I bought the book, I’ll write a review for them to post.

So I’m reading this book, causually.. getting into the story.. when I realize I’m completely lost in it. I mean, basically almost miss my stop on the bus lost. Dying to read it after work even though I’m totally beat lost. This book grabbed me without my knwoledge and kept me. The work is written beautifully, it’s described well, and the plot is well thought out and organized. There’s no technical flaws to this book at all, that I could see anyway. But that’s not the only reason I gave this book 5-6 stars!

Eren is a beautiful character. He is such a breath of fresh air for the vampire genre. This book mixes literary fiction with vampires, and brings us something unique, touching and action filled. This book isn’t wimpy, it stands along with other vampire novels, but this book could also stand it’s ground with a John Green novel with the wonderful amount of actualization the characters go through, and the way they make the reader feel. This book mixes charming coming of age story with a kick ass vampire / witch story. She takes both world and pulls them together perfectly. I couldn’t have loved it more. This is not your average romance, this romance between two men is touching, simple, and completely grounded. It’s a great message, a great moral, and so incredibly interesting.

This is the kind of YA novel we need now, this is something I wish I could see on every shelf, in every store, in all libraries and schools. This book makes a statement. It’s a book for all of the outcasts, the people who didn’t fit in for whatever reason. This book makes sense to them. It’s a story about being an outcast, fitting in, making your own choices, and standing up for what you believe in. There’s so much to this novel, comparing it to any other vampire novel, especially Twilight would do nothing but dim it!

Look past your preconceptions, keep an open mind, and experience this wonderful piece of YA fiction that is great for teens and for adults. This book needs to be read, read it, and share it. Buy a copy for your friend. You won’t regret it. I can’t wait to buy a paperback of this book, and keep in on my table! I want everyone i know to read it.

Thank you Victoria Kinnaird for writing something different.

P.s: We have a favorite band in common two. She mentions two bands at the end of the book. I like the one, but the other is my favorite band as well!

**This is an honest review for a book I purchased myself. Nothing was given to me, nothing promised, just honesty **

About The Author:

Victoria Kinnaird is 25 years old and lives in Glasgow, Scotland. She graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 2009 with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Journalism, Creative Writing and English Lit. Victoria has been writing since she was 15 years old. “The Red Sun Rises” is her debut novel and she has been writing it on and off for five years. She loves rock music, and ll of her tattoos are related to bands that she loves!

Links:

Facebook Page

Victoria’s Amazon Page

The Red Sun Rises on Twitter

Victoria’s Goodreads Page

Publishing Company

Review: Beyond Fate – Jackie Weger – Beautiful and Emotional

Beyond Fate by Jackie Weger

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Synopsis:

Overcoming the demons of the past is never easy, but when fate comes a’calling and love works its magic, two lives may be changed forever. Lust and love burn hot in this sweet, classic romance.

Fletcher Maitland, perennial bachelor, falls in lust and love with the beautiful new arrival in Big Mama’s fish camp. All he asks for is a cup of coffee. What he gets is more … much more.

Cleo Anderson lives her life in the shadow of her mother’s sin. As Cleo begins to fall in love with Fletcher Maitland, the demons in her past rise to taunt her, and she must choose between a life lived in guilt and shame or a future beyond fate.

Review:

Reviewed Catherine for Sunshine & Mountains

Grade: B (4 – 4.5 Stars)

Raised by her grandmother, Cleo has lived her life in the shadow of her mothers sin. When she falls in love with a fellow camper in the Okefenokee Swamp, she struggles to vast off the shadow and come to terms with her last and her future.

This was an emotionally charged book, I did a lot of crying throughout the whole book. The characters are so realistic, I could actually imagine them as people I know. The way Cleo learns to love and finally let go of her past is inspiring. She is very sweet and Fletcher is a southern boy that is so full of himself, it’s actually hilarious.

I felt as if some of the storyline was not needed. It would have been a 5 star review if not for that. But in all, it is a good book. I really loved all of the characters.

**I was given this book for an honest review in return.

Review x 2: Wicked Wind by Sharon Kay – Interesting and different!

Wicked Wind by Sharon Kay

Synopsis:

“Born with the ability to command the wind, Nicole Bonham spends her life hiding her gift. Deciding to take control of her power, she dispenses her own brand of vigilante justice in Chicago’s worst neighborhoods. Stealth and surprise are always on her side.

UNTIL A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH A WARRIOR DEMON

Lash demon Gunnar prowls Earth and several supernatural realms to help maintain peace among the immortal species. His chance encounter with Nicole creates a hurricane of sparks between them, and he can’t let her out of his sight until he discovers her true identity. In his two hundred years, he has never seen a creature like her.

PLUNGES THEM BOTH INTO A FIGHT FOR HER LIFE

Nicole and Gunnar race to discover who – or what – is stabbing the city’s most destitute residents and stealing their blood. The fire that forged their bond explodes into white-hot passion, weaving their souls together on an unexpected level. Haunted by the past, Gunnar’s fiercely protective instincts battle with her need to defeat the creatures she was born to fight. As they track the mastermind behind the attacks, will Nicole’s unique talent unwittingly send her straight into his lair?”

Quote:

“She wanted to kiss the hurt away, but knew from her own life that it would always be there. The sadness would remain, but it would exist next to new, buoyant memories. He had come through his own fiery trial as she had hers, not unscathed, but forged into something altogether different and stronger.”

Review:

Review by: Kayla

Grade: B+

I won a copy of Wicked Wind and was able to read it for Sunshine and Mountains blog. Wicked Wind was interesting and different from the usual books that I read. I loved the characters and all their different powers. Nichole controls the wind. I think it’s pretty neat that she can control where the wind goes. I never would have thought someone would have that kind of power. There is a lot of action in this book and it had a good story line. Wicked Wind is the first in this series of books. I’m sure we will learn more in the coming books about the other characters introduced in this book. There was a lot of good chemistry in this book.

**Kayla won a copy of this book in a giveaway and decided to allow the blog to post her review **

Review:

Review by Cianna

Grade: A

This book was quite good. I’m a fantasy person, so this paranormal romance was up my alley enough that I was willing to take a chance! I think your basis for novels definitely influences review, and for me, I quite enjoyed this book, even though, I’m not the biggest romance reader. The idea behind it interested me, and vaguely reminded me of some awesome airbending scenes from Avatar: The Last Airbender TV show, so I was drawn in at that idea.

The characters were great, a strong male and female. The descriptions of Nicole and Gunnar were quite good, detailed enough, but not overly so. The chemistry between them felt realistic and wasn’t forced. It’s a pretty steamy connection between them, but it reals pretty honest and real. Gunnar becomes quite the male hero in this novel, and he and Nicole has a pretty great adventure. Nicole is pretty badass, and that’s nice to see in a romance!

The plot was interesting, a lot happened in about a week’s time, so it’s a pretty fast paced novel, and it kept me reading. There was a lot of suspense, and action, and it was a little edge of your seat for a bit, but that’s good. A paranormal romance that doesn’t neglect it’s paranormal side is always a win for me. I’ve read so many romances classified like this that introduce something paranormal like, and then just head into the romance and don’t get back to the other action! I liked that Sharon Kay kept us up on the paranormal action side of things as well! 🙂

The book is well written, I didn’t really notice any grammatical errors, or issues that caused me to stop reading. It followed well and even though it has two dimensions it dealt with, the transitions were clear and I wasn’t confused. The idea is unique, detailed, and kept me reading. I thought the ending was good, and I expect to see good things from the next books in this series! 🙂

** I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

About this author:

Sharon Kay was bitten early by the writing bug. At age twelve she wrote a short story, about a magic ring, that won a statewide contest. With her nose always in a book, she read the most novels for her age group in her local library’s summer reading program.

In her teens, writing took a back seat to fashion, as she was determined to find clothes different from what everyone else bought at the mall. And what she couldn’t find, she created. She learned to sew, worked in a fabric store after school, and spent her spare time with a needle in hand. Her black and orange prom dress is still one of her favorite creations.

She majored in apparel design in college, spending her summers working in costume shops and bridal boutiques. She worked for ten years in the Chicago garment industry, and then switched her focus to apparel production logistics before becoming a stay at home mom.

Sharon lives in the Chicago area with her husband and son, and didn’t expect to write again. But Wicked Wind and the Solsti series formed in her head one weekend and refused to stay quiet until she put pen to paper. Her characters tend to keep her up at night, as they banter, fall in love, and slay endless varieties of power-hungry demons.

www.facebook.com/sharonkaynovels

Twitter: @sharonkaynovels

Review: Unlikely Hero by Kemmie Michaels

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Unlikely Hero by Kemmie Michaels

Synopsis:

“Erin never would have expected a hot, passionate affair. Never. Not with her past, not with her fear. She never dated; she didn’t even allow herself friendships. She didn’t trust her judge-of-character skills enough to allow anyone close…until Marcus. With him, hot and passionate happened in spite of the walls she’d so carefully constructed around herself. As for Marcus, his self-confessed rage fueled every part of his life, with the exception of her. Marcus dares to make the connection that leads to a passionate affair which holds the potential to heal them both.”

Review:

Review by: Kayla

Grade: A+

I have got to say that I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this book. Erin was broken and barely living. All she did was work and go to the gym and go home. When she decided to start living again she got a notebook and started writing in it to get her feelings out. One day she left it at work on her desk and the janitor Marcus found it and read her journal. Marcus wrote Erin a note back telling her she was strong. At first she was mad that he had read her thoughts but then she was excited to have someone to talk to. They wrote back and forth for months and then finally they met. This story is so heartwarming and I absolutely loved it.

**I received this book from the author for an honest review.

Review Time! The Bachelor Famers by Brenda Sorrels

Amazon | B&N |Goodreads

Synopsis:

Set in Northern Minnesota in the winter of 1919, THE BACHELOR FARMERS tells a story of two Norwegian brothers who learn the meaning of love from a most unlikely source.

Hans and Jon, the youngest of four immigrant brothers, have just inherited land from their recently deceased father and set out to develop it, thus perpetuating the family dream of success in America. When Jon learns that the husband of Mahal, a beautiful half-breed, Ojibwa woman, has been injured on their property and cannot work, he hires her to be their personal cook.

Under the eye of his disapproving brother, Jon finds himself falling in love, but when a terrible blizzard blows into town without warning, the three of them must deal with the consequences and make decisions that will ultimately reshape their lives in profound and unimaginable ways.

THE BACHELOR FARMERS takes us into a world where true meaning and healing are found in the complexity of human relationships and in the choices that are made in the face of adversity.

Add it to your TBR on Goodreads

Review:

Reviewed for Sunshine & Mountains by Kayla

This review does contain spoilers.

Grade: A+

I could not put this book down! I love the way this book started out! The prologue was so heartwarming. The love that their father had for them was wonderful. This family may have been separated for years but when they finally got to come back together they took care of one another. This is a story of love and loss. Hans and his brother Jon both fall in love with Mahal. Mahal is married and working for the brothers until her husband can get on his feet. Mahal finally realizes that she has feelings for Hans when she lives with Hans. She gives into him after being snowed in together. However her husband comes and takes her as soon as the snow clears. The brothers never see her again. Then you jump forward 20 years when Jon meets a young man at a horse auction and realizes it’s his nephew, who was abandoned after Mahal died during child birth. When Jon confronts Hans and something bad happens and Hans is killed. The story ends with Jon speaking to his nephew, Nathaniel about his mother, and possibly about his real father. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was so different than anything else that I have read. Brenda did a wonderful job on this book and I am so thankful that Brenda gifted this book to me at Sunshine and Mountains blog!

Thank you Brenda!!!

Magyk by Angie Sage: A Children’s fantasy tale that wove me in! @HarperCollins @AngieSageAuthor

Magyk (Septimus Heap #1)

by Angie Sage

Hardcover, 564 pages

Published May 11th 2005 by Harper Collins

Synopsis:

The seventh son of the seventh son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby’s father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a new born girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take this helpless newborn into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?
The first book in this enthralling new series by Angie Sage leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters and magykal charms, potions, and spells. Magyk is an original story of lost and rediscovered identities, rich with humor and heart.

Review:

A+

I don’t often read children’s books, I’ve moved on to YA now.. at 23, no, that’s a lie, I love children’s books. Occasionally the cover of a children’s book will catch my eye, and I’ll have to pick it up. That’s what happened here. Browsing our local used book shop, my boyfriend and I came across Magyk just sitting on the shelf.. The cover looked cool, the synopsis was interesting. It fit the bill and I bought it.

What I didn’t except was for my inner child to adore this book, this world, and these characters! This is an amazing fantasy series, and I’m honestly surprised I haven’t heard more about it. It’s not just for little kids, honestly, I think it’s a little too scary for young kids.. maybe 8+ would be fine, but there were some parts that even creeped me out! This series is wonderful. It’s honest, refreshing, full of fantasy and cool names and magic spells and shield bugs and dragon boats! There’s evil too, very evil, dark magic, but this series has it all.

I grew up on Harry Potter, and Lord of The Rings, and I’m just so bummed I didn’t discover this series sooner! Septamus Heap is such a wonderful character, even if you don’t meet him right away, and the story is unbelievable catching! There’s the chase scenes, and the action, but there’s the humor and the jokes between siblings. The Heap family would rival the Weasley family for most entertaining group of siblings. There were times when I seriously laughed out loud at this book and the situations. I was also drawn into the action, the suspense and the dark magyk that they had to keep away from.

This is just the first book, and I’m on the second as I write this and I’m still in love. I love the way Angie Sage writes. It’s got wit, humor, and some seriously good action scenes! I love Septamus, Jenna, and the dragon boat! These characters stick with you, even when you’re not reading! I find myself thinking about it and wishing it was right next to me so I could just keep reading, just to find out a little more!Check this series out, you won’t regret it. Yes, it might be a bit kiddie, but don’t we all need a bit of kiddie now and then?

About the Author:

Angie Sage (born 1952) is the author of the Septimus Heap series which includes Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, Darke and Fyre, the final book which is scheduled to come out later in 2013. Also, she wrote The Magykal Papers, an additional book with extra information about Septimus’ world. She is also the illustrator and/or writer of many children’s books, and is the new writer of the Araminta Spookie series.Angie Sage grew up in Thames Valley, London and Kent. Her father was a publisher. He would bring home blank books that she could fill with pictures and stories. Sage first studied medicine, but changed her mind and went to Art School in Leicester. There she studied Graphic Design and Illustration. She began illustrating books after college. Then she progressed to writing children stories, including toddler books and chapter books. Her first novel was Septimus Heap: Magyk. Angie Sage is married and has two daughters, Laurie and Lois.

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Review: Fae by @cjabedi – I just love a great fairy story.. this is no exception!

C.J Abedi

Young Adult – Fairy

Published by Diversion Books

Published July 29th, 2013

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Synopsis:

The battle between Light and Dark is about to begin.

Caroline Ellis’ sixteenth birthday sets into motion a series of events that have been fated for centuries. A descendant of Virginia Dare, the first child born in the lost colony of Roanoke, and unaware of her birthright as the heir to the throne of the Light Fae, it isn’t until Caroline begins a tumultuous relationship with Devilyn Reilly that the truth of her heritage is revealed.

Devilyn is the only Fae who is both of the Light and of the Dark, and struggles to maintain that precarious balance to avoid succumbing to the power of the Dark within him. He is the only one who can save Caroline from those who would destroy her and destroy all hope for unity among the Fae. He promises Caroline that he will protect her at all costs, even when it means protecting her from himself.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Caroline and Devilyn, FAE draws on mysteries, myths and legends to create a world, and a romance, dangerously poised between Light and Dark.

Review:

Grade: A-

I love stories about fairies, fae and sprites. All of them. YA lit has had tons of them floating through, some notable ones like The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa and Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr to name a few. I have read those series and many others. I love the magic, the mysticism, the lore of the fair folk. There’s so much that you can do with them from cute to scary. Each tale has a bit more to it then the last, and all the authors do an amazing job weaving the fae legend in their own way.

C. J Abedi is no exception. I’ve read the reviews, I’ve seen people’s opinions, but honestly, no, this is not the “next twilight”, to say that would be to lessen the impact of this book. This book is an original. It’s not like any other book, so don’t come into reading this book thinking, “Oh man, this is totally going to be like Twilight,” because it’s not. It’s a wonderful fantasy story dealing with light & dark fae, destined rulers and a whole lot of other drama! It’s a perfect YA book. Just enough romance, drama, suspense to keep the plot moving and littered with wonderful fantasy build from lore. This book will appeal to the readers of the Iron Fey series and Wicked Lovely series for sure, so if you’ve read these books, loved them, and are dying because either the next one isn’t out, or they’ve ended. Pick this book up. You won’t be disappointed.

The characters are very realistic, dispite being Fae, but at times can be a tad bit shallow, but if you look into the fae and the ideals, the fair folk are vain. They are shallow, and a bit shelfish, it is their nature, so I wasn’t really put off by this, because you can’t expect characters to be perfect in book one. They need to grow, develop and have life thrown at them. The characters do tend to focus on their relationship, or lack thereof quite a lot, and I think it was a bit of an overkill for book one, but it didn’t make me stop reading.

Another awesome addition was the hints of Norse mythology in this book. It wasn’t a prevalent theme, there’s no Thor or Loki, but I think with the fairy lore as well this made a very interesting dynamic for the whole book.

I am glad I requested this title from NetGalley and if the second on is/will be on there, I’ll request it as well, if not, I’ll probably check Amazon and the library. I love fairy stories, they have a special place in my heart and this one will be among them, yes, it wouldn’t be the best fairy book written, but it’s just starting out, it has so much potential for future books, and the author could create one of the best fairy stories. Time will only tell.

** I got this title on NetGalley with the promise of an honest review **

About The Author:

C. J. Abedi is made up of the sister writing team Colet and Jasmine Abed who wrote the upcoming series Fae. They have always had a love of writing and began collaborating on many projects when they were very young. Their passion for all things creative led them to the world of the entertainment industry where they have worked since completing their education.