Book Review: Wingless by Cydney Lawson

Wingless by Cydney Lawson, paperback edition book cover

Wingless

by Cydney Lawson

Series: Wingless #1

Genre: YA, paranormal, urban fantasy, sci-fi, romance

Editions available: Paperback, ebook, Kindle

Date published: March 6, 2011

Source: author

Buy: Amazon * Indiebound * Smashwords

Rating:

Summary (Goodreads):

Charlie thought his summer was going to end like every other summer before it. With a growing sense of forboding and a waning sense of freedom. Until Tane landed on his front lawn in a crumpled heap claiming to be from heaven. A place much darker and much greater than he’d ever imagined. Tane is on a mission to find a Septar, a citizen of Fismuth that was left behind when she was supposed to have been taken. And when she enlists the help of Charlie and his friends, she pulls them into a world of danger, love, and ultimately, heavenly rewards.

My Thoughts:

As the title says it: Wingless. This book is not about angels. But they do come from Heaven. Who landed--practically landed--on Earth. Tane, a not-angel-but-Fismuthian girl has landed from Heaven to Earth to retrieve the Septar. A Fismuthian as well.

I don't quite get the story at first but eventually I've understood it. The next chapter (and a different POV) was fun (and funny) that hooked me up right away. The world building was well-thought, the characters are pretty cool but I was hoping for more action. More unforgettable scenes like the near-end and ending have.

I can really say that this is a good book. It was fun and new and mysterious and well-written. The ending was so amazing that made me want to read the next book. I must say that I'm really impressed with Cydney Lawson's debut book. The only thing I want to demand was..more. 

Recommendations:

For everyone who loves reading paranormal, urban fantasy (and every where this book's genre landed). Try this if you're feeling like you've had enough of angels. Good for your pre-Halloween!

Book cover comment/s:

I don't think the feathers matters coz it's already on the title itself: Wingless.

Thank you so much to the author, Cydney Lawson for providing me an ebook copy of Wingless.

Blog Tour (Review + Guest Post + Giveaway): Stitch by Samantha Durante

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Click here for the complete blog tour schedule.

Stitch by Samantha Durante, paperback edition book cover

Stitch

by Samantha Durante

Series: Stitch #1
Genre: YA, new adult, dystopian, sci-fi, romance, paranormal
Editions available: Paperback, ebook, Kindle
Date published: August 1, 2012
Publisher: Samantha Durante
Source: author
Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
* Indiebound * iTunes * Smashwords
Rating:

Summary (Goodreads):

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa's body screams at her to run... but yet she's powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees - and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell - Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn't figured out yet is that she's not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university's idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface...

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

My Thoughts:

Can I first tell you how lucky I am to be part of this tour? This tour is hosted by the author herself, Samantha Durante. I've got an event invitation from Goodreads and I checked out the book before signing in. I saw that it has very nice feedback from the readers, the sypnosis is intriguing and it caught my interest. Man, they were right. Glad I signed up.

The book started with a mystery that made my heart pound. Already. I was instantly in love with it. The first chapter confuses me because it jumped to a world different from the prologue. I thought the author had got it wrong. But I kept reading, because I wanted to find out.

I was beginning to worry because the world from the prologue didn't came back. I'm like, Was I reading the wrong book? But that's impossible, of course. And then a revelation came up halfway through the book and I. Was. Not. Prepared. I was shocked, you could say that. And I almost screamed, Ohmygod. This is SO good! But really, it is.

Stitch took a big swerve and turned to be a book I wasn't expecting. The world and story building is just so good and it keeps me wanting more. Though there are few things that I didn't quite grew fond of. The third POV is fine but I hope it has less narration and more scenes/events/talking for the characters. I also want to learn more about the characters and their world.

Just like this book having several genres, it also offers you a lot of ingredients such as a feeling of thriller and mystery, amazing sci-fi world and sweet romance. I would definitely wanted to find out what will happen next on the second installment of the trilogy, Shudder. I feel like I will be getting more answers and more heart-stopping scenes from the promise it made on the ending of Stitch. 

Recommendations:

For everyone who likes dystopian-sci-fi-paranormal-romance read. You should really try this.

Book cover comment/s:

I think it was amazing. I loved the emphasis made to their green and blue eyes. I thought it would caught anyone's own eyes.

***

For the guest post, I asked author Samantha Durante if she can tell why she chose the Stitch's genre on her first book. And look at the irony, there are two of us bloggers who is scheduled for the tour stop today--and we have asked the same thing (genre) for the guest post. Samantha talks about why she chose dystopian here, while she discusses why she chose paranormal to Stephanie @ A Dream Within A Dream. Check it also out!

Why I Chose Dystopian by Samantha Durante, author of Stitch

Thanks so much to Michelle for hosting the Stitch Blog Tour today! I’m so excited to be here and to share a little about why I chose to write Stitch – my very first book – in the dystopian genre.

There are literally HUNDREDS of book genres to choose from, but when I started coming up

with ideas for Stitch, there were only two that I knew right away Stitch might fall into: paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi. (And in fact, I wasn’t able to choose just one, so it’s actually a little bit of both!)

Dystopian stories have been incredibly popular lately, particularly in the young adult market (see: Hunger Games, Divergent, Pandemonium, etc.). And though I didn’t realize it until I discovered all these new dystopian series recently, I’ve always been drawn to dystopian settings – The Giver, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451 were some of my favorite books as a kid. So this begs the question of what exactly it is about dystopian books that’s got me and all these other readers so excited.

And after giving it some thought, I think it comes down to a few factors: uncertainty, morality, and hope.

1. Uncertainty. We’ve all seen the news reports the past couple years – between the economy, the environment, and the unending global violence, it’s pretty obvious: our world is on a downward spiral. At least, it certainly feels like that sometimes. And when you look into the future and it’s all of a sudden unclear where things are going, it gets you thinking: what if things actually got worse? Like, much worse? What would it be like? Am I prepared? Could I survive?

2. Morality. So the media has got us down on ourselves and wondering if our civilization can

even make it, and as soon as you open that can of worms, all kind of difficult questions present themselves. What would I do to survive? With limited resources, how do you decide who gets to survive? Who makes that decision? What happens if I don’t like the answers to these questions? How could I do things differently? But am I any more qualified to come up with answers than the next guy? We all know what’s right and wrong in the normal day-to-day but what happens when the world gets turned on its head? Do the rules change?

3. Hope. And I think this is really the crux of the whole dystopian genre – when the world ends, and everything is terrible, and you’re forced to do things you don’t even want to think about just to keep on living, what do you have left? Hope. Only hope.

I think this is a fundamental feature of human beings – that inner optimism, the ability to remind ourselves that there’s something out there worth living for even when our world crumbles beyond our wildest nightmares. So we start thinking about how we can solve the problem – how would I structure our society to make something better? What could I change that would create a better outcome? After all, every dystopia is just a failed utopia – someone’s unsuccessful attempt at making the world a better place. So dystopian books force us to ask ourselves what we would have done differently, and thereby tap into that inner well of hopefulness, that unbreakable conviction that somewhere there is a right answer, even if we haven’t figured it out yet.

For me, dystopian books are all about the “What If,” and that’s a game I love to play. So with the Stitch trilogy, we’ll get to play “What If” through (the protagonist) Alessa’s eyes – to see how she answers these questions, how far she’s willing to go, and what factors will push her to bend her own rules. And as we watch Alessa struggle to find her place in a transitioning society, we get to ask ourselves: what would I do?

***

About the Author:

Samantha Durante lives in New York City with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. Stitch is her first novel. Learn more about Samantha at www.samanthadurante.com.

Social Media Links:

Facebook:

Stitch - http://www.facebook.com/stitchtrilogy

Author Samantha Durante - http://www.facebook.com/authorsamanthadurante

Goodreads:

Stitch - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15779886-stitch

Author Samantha Durante  - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6453465.Samantha_Durante

LibraryThing:

Stitch - http://www.librarything.com/work/12870151/book/88297636

Author Samantha Durante - http://www.librarything.com/author/durantesamantha

Shelfari:

Stitch – http://www.shelfari.com/books/30363286/Stitch-(Stitch-Trilogy-Book-1)

Author Samantha Durante - http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a1002689147/Samantha-Durante/

GIVEAWAY!
-open internationally (!)

- 1 winner will receive ebook copy of Stitch (winner's choice of format)
- ends December 2nd

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Slammed by Colleen Hoover, ebook edition book cover

Slammed

by Colleen Hoover

Series: Slammed #1

Genre: YA/new adult, contemporary, romance

Editions available: Paperback, ebook, Kindle

Date published: January 4, 2012

Publisher: Colleen Hoover/Atria Books/Simon & Schuster UK

Source: Netgalley

Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

* Book Depository * Indiebound

Rating: 

Summary (Goodreads):

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

My Thoughts:

When you see a book listed together with Fifty Shades, Beautiful Disaster, Bared to You, etc with the title Intense and "Angsty" Romance in Goodreads...it makes you wanna stay away from that book especially when all you want is a clean, but really good romance book. But something about this book makes me don't wanna miss it. Especially with consistent high reviews and ratings.

Saw it on Netgalley. Requested. Got approved. And here I am.

I never expected I'd like this but... I. Love. This. Book! Awesome. Awesome. Awesome!

It's seems like a love at first sight for Will, and Layken was just being friendly since she just moved in. Usually, this kind of sequence would irritate me, but no. Never this time. Coz after this cliché intro, I was pretty hooked up with the story and characters. 

I loved how Colleen Hoover created Will, as the swoon-worthy male leading character without describing how hot he is in over-exaggerating adjective words. He is adorable because he's being a real and lovable person. He's being real through poetry. Layken confuses me sometimes, though. One time, she's being adorable, one time she's being like a spoiled child. The story wasn't clearly I expected. It contains a powerful romance, and holds a dilemma neither I can't help but think of ways how to fix it. I also loved the Slammed in the book and poetry (you'll see what I meant when you read it).

Slammed is a book about love. Love for your family, parents, sibling, job, your life...and that special person. Reading this book made me realized that my heart was never torn since Dear John by Nicholas Sparks (which was a million years reads ago), or be into a whirlwind of emotions. I was never prepared for any of it. It is also a book that talks about the reality of our life. It is true, it is honest. Any reader would learn a lesson and fall in love from this book. Everything about this book is lovable.

I'm about to request Point of Retreat (Slammed #2) now... ;)

And oh, have I told you that is a clean contemporary romance?

Recommendation:

For everyone who wants a good very good love story. Teens and above of age.

Book cover comment/s:

A stage and a spotlight. It represents Slammed (not the book--but the Slammed that is in the book). But whoever who's gonna came across this book for the first time, seeing the cover alone won't appreciate it right away, I'm afraid.

Alternate cover:

Slammed doesn't really have an alternate cover with different picture, like other books does. But I would like to show you the updated cover (published by Atria Books) with a praise on it and the "New York Times Bestseller" tag. It deserves to have one and lot more--because it really is good.

Check out my review of Point of Retreat (Slammed #2) here.

Book Review: What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor

What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor, ebook edition book cover

What I Didn't Say

by Keary Taylor

Genre: YA, contemporary

Editions available: Paperback, Kindle, ebook

Publisher: Createspace / Keary Taylor

Date published: May 6, 2012

Source: Netgalley (approved by the author;

THANK YOU SO MUCH!)

Rating:

Summary (Goodreads):

Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat. 


His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.


When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.







My Thoughts:


I've missed reading contemporary that's why I had my full concentration and excitement with this one. What I Didn't Say was told by Jake Hayes'--male protagonist--POV--another reason why I'm psyched to read this. I have read books with a guy's POV (alternate with the girl's) but this is the first novel with a guy's POV for the entire book I've read. And it's really cool.


I love the way I'm into a guy's mind, for a change, but sometimes it's kinda weird to think of a girl to adore. LOL. I LOVE Jake. He's this rare stick-to-one guy (especially in high school) and easy to like. What happened to him was unimaginable and heartbreaking. Although it really helped him change for the better and the people around him.


There's a lot to love about this book. First, the characters. I told you already that Jake is hard not to (especially what he's done after the after the accident). Samantha is another main character to love. She's independent and hard-working; a definite role model. I also love Jake's family Taylor created. They are helpful, kind and loving.


Another to love--I loved--about this is the story. It's not your average YA contemporary. What I Didn't Say is a story about standing up again from a fall and mistake, loving and appreciating the people around you--especially your family--and every single blessing that you are receiving everyday, believing in yourself and having the guts to say what you're wanted dying to say.


I'm so lucky to get approved of this book, read and share it to all of you. I really enjoyed it and loved every single of it. I loved the combination of teen romance and the meaningful messages of this book to the readers, young or not. And this book made me want more from Keary Taylor.


Recommendations:


This is YA contemporary with romance, real-life issues and moral lesson that I sure know readers or not of the genre will love. To all of you!


Book cover comment/s:


Couldn't they be more sweeter? Awww.

Book Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally, ebook edition book cover

Catching Jordan

by Miranda Kenneally

Genre: YA, contemporary

Editions available: Paperback, ebook, Kindle

Source: own

Rating:

Summary (Goodreads):

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

My Thoughts:

I'm not a sporty type of person. In fact, I don't like sports or do any. I know what is football, but doesn't know the game/rules. But even if, I enjoyed and loved reading Catching Jordan.

Jordan Woods--the female protagonist--was like, one of the coolest characters I read (contemporary). She's the captain and the quarterback of their football team. She never had a boyfriend even though she's surrounded by a bunch of guys in her team and she never cares what she looked in front of them--or any other men. Until there's Ty. Ty's so hot that Jordan, the best quarterback, began to *unconsciously drop her jaw. She then started to think of ways on how to get noticed and wear fitted tee (for her, fitted tee is dressing up).


Eventually, Jordan and Ty started dating. It was fun for Jordan and new, but there's something missing. It's like, she's still looking for that someone.


(I don't want to spill some more beans, but it's hard to tell what I really liked about this if I'm not gonna include it. So.. let me continue.)


Usually, I wouldn't like books like this--the turn of events--but in Catching Jordan, I loved every word of it. Ty is really great but there's some attitude he got. Sam Henry or Henry, meanwhile, was the best friend. The cool best friend Jordan got. He didn't got my attention right away because all I thought was that he's only the 'best friend of the protagonist'. But I started to notice and like him on times that he's being a cool and at the same time, great friend to Jordan, he's also funny like, when they were going to sleep on opposite direction and he would shove his foot on Jordan's face. Funny and sweet. He's so sweet that made me develop my suspicion..


Anyway, I love this book! So fun to read, with swoon-worthy scenes. It made me fall in love and smile, and even after reading this, it makes me smile whenever I remember this book. I would definitely read more books from Miranda Kenneally!



Recommendations:


YA, YA romance readers. Seeking for something light and romantic. One of my great reads of YA contemporary, so if you're a fan of Anna & The French Kiss, read this!


Book cover comment/s:


Sweeeet. :)

Book Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pandemonium

by Lauren Oliver

Series: Delirium #2

Genre: Dystopian, YA

Editions available: Hardback, paperback, Kindle, ebook,

international, audio CD, audiobook

Source: own

Rating:

Summary (Goodreads):

I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, 
pushing aside thoughts of Alex, 
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, 
push, 
push, 
push, 
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.


Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

My Thoughts:

They say that Pandemonium is so much better than Delirium. I agree with them.

We met Lena on Delirium as the obedient, quiet girl. But as she fell in love, she learned how to do what is right and escape the world of lies. The first book's ending was unbelievable. Alex can't die!

But I knew he really didn't. Duh, he's Lena's love. The one who infected her. I just looked forward on how will I be meeting him on the second book. And that was another un-freaking-believable. But I'm not telling anything. Remember, no spoilers!

Now on Pandemonium, Lena has become more fearless and less innocent. I liked the way she grew to know how to fight and defend herself and the people she cares about. The story also has become more action-packed and heart-pounding, though there are still dull moments. It was told in alternate time: Then and Now. It came across to my mind that What if I read Thens first then Nows? I like to do it because I don't like hanging on the edge reading heart-stopping Now then will jump into reminiscing Then. But I didn't. Because I'm afraid I might miss on something. But if you're thinking the same thing, here's a tip: Go for it. You wouldn't miss anything at all. 

Overall, I liked it. But I missed Alex a lot. Can't WAIT for Requiem and see what happens next!

Btw, I'm team Alex. How about you?

Recommendations:

Fans of Delirium!

Book cover comment/s:

Even the cover has  improved! Don't get me wrong, Delirium's cover was pretty but Pandemonium's, as Lena became, has more edge on it--showing Lena's half jaw and fierce eyes. I also love the color.

Alternate cover/s:

Check out my review for Delirium.

Book Review: Effortless by S.C Stephens

Thoughtless by S.C Stephens, ebook edition book cover

Effortless

by S.C Stephens

Series: Thoughtless #2

Genre: Romance

Editions available: Ebook, Kindle, paperback

Source: own

Rating:

Summary (Goodreads):

A continuation of the novel, Thoughtless...


A lot can happen in a year. You grow, you change, you learn from your mistakes. And Kiera had made a lot of mistakes to learn from. But she had learned, and she was determined to never cause a man pain again, especially the amazing man who currently held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera’s love is put to the ultimate test, will it come out the other side unscathed?


Love is easy…trust is hard.



My Thoughts:


You think The End has written in Thoughtless because finally, Kellan and Kiera are together? No. Effortless is the continuation--or should I say, start--of their bizarre love story.


Here in book two, Kiera became the Rockstar's Girlfriend. Her patience, understanding, trust and love was tested for being one. Like we're all most aware of, it must be hard being the girlfriend--especially if your boyfriend was not just popular, but also hot.


I liked this better than the first book, I guess. The first book is quite painful because of the affair. Kellan and Kiera tried to stay honest to each other while Kellan was away for the tour. But even as much as they tried, there're still some issues they can't seem to tell each other.


It almost break my heart and made me pissed again with all these secrets and issues but when I reached the 'revealing' part, I was more like, understood their situations. The ending was wonderful, and yes, swoon-worthy.


Reading this book, I also understand the role/s of a popular guy's (more like artist/actor) girlfriend. She have to trust and be proud of her guy. She must not get the girl fans under her skin--because when you really love each other and know that you're both faithful, any story lies or amount of girls would never rip you apart. On/off spotlight, it will all come down into just both of you.




Recommendations:


Thoughtless (book one) fans! *Adult content!




Book cover comment/s:


Now that's better than the cover of Thoughtless.


Alternate cover:

Cover for Kindle and paperback editions--Kellan playing the guitar!

Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium

by Lauren Oliver

Series: Delirium #1
Genre: Dystopian, YA, romance

Editions available: Hardback, paperback, special edition, ebook,

Kindle, special Kindle, audio CD, international

Source: own

Rating:

Summary (Goodreads):

THEY SAY that the cure for Love

will make me happy and safe

forever.

And I've always believe them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed.

Now, I'd rather be infected

with love for the tiniest

sliver of a second than

live a hundred years

smothered by a lie.

My Thoughts:

Another dystopian tale, about a world where love is considered as a disease. It is forbidden and being treated before people got 'infected'.

Lena is the kind of girl who is obedient. She never break government rules and willing to be get cured. Then one day, weeks before her procedure, she fell in love. She learned how to lie, sneak and most of all: break rules. But no secret will remain hidden.

Lauren Oliver was proving a point in a creative way in this book series. Love, as forbidden and treated like a disease, was hard to resist. It is the most natural wonderful thing humans have. Love is also worth fighting for--even if your whole world--the world you thought was right--is against it.

Delirium was told in Lena's point of view, and the way the tale was being told, you'd know what kind of person she is. There are, honestly for me, dull parts and a lot of reminiscing--that made it looked like slow-paced story. I also noticed the repeated words like, run, run run. Think. Think. Think. that I feel like I am reading a poem. And poems in a dystopian novels reminds me of Matched. And then I started to realize that Delirium has somehow similarity with Matched.

But overall, it is a good read and I liked it. I'm hoping to read some with action scenes with Lauren Oliver one day, though.

Recommendations:

Dystopian, YA, romance readers. If you don't like/can't stand slow-paced books, then this is not for you. 

Check out my review for Pandemonium (Delirium #2).