The Courtlight Series: Sworn to Raise

Author: Terah Edun
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Source: Goddessfish Promotions
265 pages

Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the empire. But beneath her empire’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.

Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.

But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.

This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.

Excerpt:
Sworn To Raise Excerpt (Book One)

She stared at the longbow arrow jutting from the animal’s ribs. However, it wasn't enough to bring him down. Only a blade or magical blast to the heart could do that. In pain and fury, the white hart elk whirled around to face his tormentor. He saw the general a dozen feet away and charged. Ciardis watched as the elk raced toward the general, who now clutched a sword in his hands. The elk lowered his rack to spear the invader.

The general knew that he would have one chance to slay the beast. He just needed to get underneath its jaw and pierce straight through to the heart. Ciardis scrambled up and dashed toward the two combatants. She couldn't do anything from here; the elk's magical protection was already going down, thanks to the verbane-laced arrow, and there was no way she'd get a heart-shot in from behind.

Barnaren glanced at her. His concentration had been broken by Ciardis's movement, and he quickly looked away. The elk reached him in that moment and Barnaren had to dodge to the side and under its angry hooves. It wasn't quite enough. His sword stroke missed, but as the stag raced past, it managed to spear the general's thigh with a tine. The tine snapped off in a clean break, but another immediately grew in its place.

The blood poison of the tines did its work within seconds. General Barnaren collapsed, unable to move his leg. His sword lay a few feet to one side.

Sempre ★★★★☆ | #COYER Book Review

Author: J.M. Darhower
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Young Adult
Source: NetGalley- Gallery Books
530 pages

Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco had vastly different childhoods. Haven, a second-generation slave, grew up isolated in the middle of the desert, her days full of hard work and terrifying abuse. Carmine, born into a wealthy Mafia family, lived a life of privilege, never having to answer for anything he did.

Both now seventeen, a twist of fate causes their worlds to collide, making them question everything they ever believed. Entangled in a web of secrets and lies, they learn that while different on the surface, they have more in common than anyone would think.
     So much happened in this book I'm not sure where to start.  This book encompasses so much.  It's not just about human trafficking.  It's not just about the mob.  It's definitely not just any young adult romance.  I feel silly saying it but I had a hard time starting this book.  I was expecting something set in South America and that there would be a lot of violence in the book.  There was some violence but the story of Haven and Carmine make up for it in spades.  There were so many twists, turns and surprises in this book it blew my mind.  I found myself getting anxious thinking my gosh what can happen next?  By the end I was so totally engrossed with the book that I read for 4 hours straight to finish it.

     Haven was born a slave.  I thought since reading the synopsis that since she was a slave this book was set in another country because we aren't supposed to have slavery anymore in America.  The book starts out in California where haven has lived for her 17 years.  Just as there are all kinds of other illegal activities after reading this book I can believe that there are still slaves.  That thought is very upsetting.  Haven has spent her entire life secluded from the outside word.  Her views on things are sometimes very funny in their simplicity.  Haven gets taken from the house in California and her mother at the beginning of the book and is taken to a new house in North Carolina to live with the DeMarco's.  She has to adjust to a whole different life and her journey was interesting to read.

     There are 2 DeMarco sons.  Dominick and Carmine.  Dominick is your regular high school student.  Carmine is just a mess, there's no nicer way to put it.  He's seen some terrible things in his 17 years and in addition to that is considered a mafia prince.  He drinks and does drugs a lot.  He gets into fights with everyone.  But he can't understand why Haven doesn't like him.  The changes in Carmine once he decides to be nice to Haven and try to get her to like him are great.  The relationship between Haven and Carmine is one of the best I've read in a book considered Young Adult.

     Why do I say the book is "considered" Young Adult?  Well, it might be categorized as that since they are technically both 17 and then 18 in the book but there is drinking, drugs, sex and violence in this book.  I would say that it should be considered New Adult despite their ages.  The topics that this book covers are something that I'm not sure that many teenagers would be able to understand or enjoy.

     When the book finished I thought to myself huh I think there could be a second book... and there will be.  Apparently Sempre is book one of the Forever series.  Book two is called Sempre Redemption and I'm sure it will be even more action packed than the first book.  Its publication date on Goodreads is December 23rd.

Picking a few favorite quotes has been difficult with this book.  I highlighted a lot!

Favorite Quotes:

"Colpo di fulmine.  The thunderbolt, as Italians call it.  When love strikes someone like lightning, so powerful and intense it can't be denied.  It's beautiful and messy, cracking a chest open and spilling their soul out for the world to see.  It turns a person inside out, and there's no going back from it.  Once the thunderbolt hits, your life is irrevocably changed."

"The girl who had never been able to call her life her own taught a boy who had the world at his fingertips exactly what it meant to live."

  

Freak of Nature ★★★★★ | #COYER Book Review

Author: Julia Crane
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance
Source: NetGalley- Indie Inked
284 pages

Donate Body to Science. Check.
When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) ★★★★☆

Author: Gena Showalter

  Let me start by saying that Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series is one of my all time favorites.  I'm also a big fan of the spinoff series Angels of the Dark.  I keep meaning to read the Intertwined series but haven't.  The funny part about that is I actually have 2 of the books from that series but not the first so I have never read them!

     I have no idea why it took so long for me to read this book.  I was totally jazzed for it the second I saw it in the bookstore.  Not only was it by one of my favorite authors but it also involved zombies!  I am a huge zombie fan.  I was a little shocked when I read some of the reviews for this book before I started it.  It seems that a lot of people expected it to be based on Alice in Wonderland.  Also, there was quite a bit of critisim over the use of a different kind of zombie.  I have always been a fan of authors who differentiate themselves by choosing to come up with something unique.  Anyone can base something on the regular ole zombies and an apocolipse.  But it takes a lot of forethought into coming up with something new and creative like Gena Showalter did in this book.  I say good for you and go on with your bad self!  It seems to have worked because I have been seeing tons of reviews for the sequel Through the Zombieglass.

     So this book is about Alice.  She loses her whole family in a tragic accident and goes to live with her grandparents.  Can I just say that her grandparents use of slang was absolutely hilarious?  For example when Pops says "get all up in her biznez."  LMAO!  Alice meets her best friend Kat shortly after her family dies.  If you like Anya in Lords of the Underworld then you'll love Kat.  Of course I have to mention Cole as well.  I expected more of a relationship with Cole from some of the reviews.  I'm wondering if it blossoms more in the next book.  I liked Alice and her friends.  Alice blames herself for her family's death.  I blame her parents for not sharing everything with Alice and her sister Emma.  If they wouldn't have waited, if they wouldn't have thought they were too young it might have convinced them and saved them all.

     Zombies!  I do luv me some zombies.  As I mentioned before this book's version of zombies is very different.  They're more like ghosts in a way but not really.  Gosh, describing them is difficult.  The zombies are only seen by some people.  They live on a spiritual plane and they crave basically lifeforce.  Their darkness is drawn to the light in people.  If someone is infected and dies they become one of these zombies. Whew!  I hope I did a good enough job describing them!  I loved the chapter titles.  My favorite was: Hungry... Need Brains... Will Have Yours.

My favorite Quotes:
"It's an endless cycle, like a mouse running inside a barbed wheel, bleeding and dying as those sharp tips dig deeper, with no way to stop the lethal momentum."

The Sea of Tranquility ★★★★★

Author: Katja Millay

     I really have no idea where to start with the review for this book.  I suppose the best way to start is to say I absolutely loved it.  This book was recommended to me by my friend Melissa.  It is one of our current reads for Melissa's Book Club.  I am so glad that she picked this book!  I'm more of a paranormal junkie so this is not a book that I would have picked up to read myself.  I've decided that I need to broaden my horizons and after the awesome reviews for this book I decided it would be perfect.

     The book is about Nastya.  She was a victim of random violence that resulted in her being so traumatized that after remembering what happened to her she no longer speaks.  Her injuries include the mutilation of her hand.  This results in her no longer being able to play piano which is a big deal because she was a piano prodigy.  She is not your typical teenager throwing acting out.  I found myself totally entranced with her.  I felt her pain so thoughly that this book had me crying quite a bit.

     Other characters in this book are Josh and Drew.  Josh has recently been emancipated and lives alone.  All of his family has died one by one since he was eight leaving him now alone.  When Nastya shows up in his garage one night he doesn't know what to think.  She continues showing up and they build a friendship that buds into one of the best and most realistic romances I've ever read.  Drew is Josh's best friend and builds a friendship with Nastya as well.  He is tired of his player persona and uses Nastya to keep girls away.

     I can't say enough about how much I loved this book.  It made me feel so much joy and sorrow.  When I finished reading it I felt wrung out.  Lately as soon as I finish a book I'm on to the next.  This book affected me so much I just sat and stared into space after finishing it.  Wow what a read!  Katja Millay is an author to watch that's for sure.  I'm so glad I took a chance on reading something out of my normal genres.  I will have a hard time picking favorite quotes from this book that's for sure!

Favorite Quotes:

"I have one of Josh Bennett's secrets now.  He gave it to me.  I wish I could give it back."

"I couldn't really be so self-destructive as to fall in love with any girl, much less a girl who is cracked in a thousand places and who will leave me as soon as she's put back together again.  But I guess the ability to think rationally has left me because I don't deny it at all."

The Shepherd ★★★★☆

The Shepherd by Travis Luedke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is nothing like any other YA book I've ever read. It's hard to even describe it without giving away half of what happens. While I did like the book a lot I have to admit I did have a hard time finishing it after some surprises that I hadn't expected. I guessed the biggest secret fairly early on in the book... most likely because I'm so familiar with "that type". If anything if you're looking for a little freaky read it's worth the time, hehe.

So by looking at the cover you may think the book is narrated by Nadia but it is actually by Mike. I haven't read many YA books narrated by a male, it's a different perspective that's for sure. Mike is pretty cool. He's a skate-boarder and he has visions of the future. He's clueless once it comes to girls, as most 16 year olds are. He meets Nadia at the beginning of the book. She's just freaky. There's no other description. Then there's Anita, Mike's latina best friend. I loved how the author didn't make her that model-perfect girl. Anita is a great character. Curvy for her age without the best self esteem, she can still tell a person off with the best of them. The rest of them I didn't like, especially Rachelle.

So if you're looking for something different than your usual read and you like the YA genre this one might be for you. Even if you don't usually read YA, you might still like this book... it's not your usual YA book. There's a little romance, paranormal and some mystery too.

**ARC copy provided by Travis Luedke**

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Closed Hearts (Mindjack Trilogy #2) ★★★★★

Closed Hearts by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to say now that I have finished this book I feel like my mind has been jacked! Wow what an action-packed and emotionally draining book! Now, if you are looking at this book and wondering if you can skip Open Minds I would strongly suggest against it. You would be lost. This book is so action packed and has so much going on you won't be able to put it down!

I love Kira but I actually expected her to be different in this book somehow. More like Anna, which is ironic because Kira even looks at Anna and thinks she should be more like her. I think this is what Julian was expecting Kira to be like too. But really why should an author do what we expect? What fun is there in that??? So she's struggling with everything and isn't living up to the person that she could be. She's so bogged down in fear it's holding her back. I think we'll see a big change in the next book. I have to admit I was totally team Julian from the moment they met. I sooo hope there's something there! Now, don't take my comments about Kira badly. Kira is cool. Like how she can't park. Or her names for people and things... Camp of Flies, Granite Guy, Mr. Muscle, ect. I thought all the new mages in this book were great. I was shocked by all of the anti-jacker technology that turned up so fast and Jackertown coming together.

Did I mention I am team Julian? Well here are my favorite quotes from the book to go along with that. Hehe.

"What about when they realize we're jackers? What are you going to do? Give everyone a sudden urge to fulfill the mating instinct?"
"Julian was a puzzle that was hurting my brain."
"Oh man-now I was starting to think like Julian." One more book left in the trilogy, but first I want to read the Mindjack Origins series... they are novellas. Oh and fyi, when you read the book: grab a box of tissues!

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Open Minds (Mindjack Trilogy #1) ★★★★☆

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was much more than expected. Kind of a mix between the Psy-Changeling series and the Divergent series. I'm having a hard time even describing it. Basically chemicals were put into the water in our time that made people able to read others minds. In the time of the book, which is about 90 years later, everyone can read minds. If you can't you're an outcast of society. The world that the author created is pretty cool. They mind-link to their technology and run everything through thought.

There's no way to give a long review on this book without giving away the best parts of the book so you'll have to read it for yourself.

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Dearly, Departed (Gone With the Respiration #1) ★★★★★

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My kids will say that I speak zombie blasphemy but it must be said: I liked Dearly, Departed more than my favorite tv show The Walking Dead! There, I said it, whew. I loved this book. What's not to love really? There's zombies, steampunk, victorian, it's futuristic, romantic ect, ect. I swear I highlighted the hell out of this book there were so many good quotes. I shared a lot of them on my updates. I always say that the perfect book will make you laugh and cry. It will make you feel such deep emotions that you connect with the characters. This book did this and more. The chapters are set up similar to The Song of Ice and Fire series. Each chapter is titled by the character that is narrating that chapter. This confused me quite a bit through the book because I had to stop and remember who the chapter was about, it was especially confusing when Bram, Pam and Nora were in the same place.

Lia Habel created such a unique world. I am extremely impressed. I too love victorian books but find them terribly boring. Boring this book was not. Her take on the zombies was captivating. If something happened simialar to how it is set up in the book I can totally see there being people like the Punks and their steampunk creations. I never would have thought that an author could fit so many different things into a book but she did it perfectly.

My favorite character was Bram. He took what had happened to him and made the best of it. I can't decide if I liked Pam or Nora better. I loved how Pam took charge of her family and did what had to be done. Nora was so strong despite everything that happened. I'd rather not talk about my other favorite character due to that being a spoiler. All of Z company was great. I could just gush about this book! But you would be better off reading it than my review. :)

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