The Final Six by Alexandra Monir: A ARC Review

Title: The Final Six
Author: Alexandra Monir
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: March 6th 2018
Pages: 345
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | iBooks

When Leo, an Italian championship swimmer, and Naomi, a science genius from California, are two of the twenty-four teens drafted into the International Space Training Camp, their lives are forever altered. After erratic climate change has made Earth a dangerous place to live, the fate of the population rests on the shoulders of the final six who will be scouting a new planet. Intense training, global scrutiny, and cutthroat opponents are only a few of the hurdles the contestants must endure in this competition.

For Leo, the prospect of traveling to Europa—Jupiter’s moon—to help resettle humankind is just the sense of purpose he’s been yearning for since losing his entire family in the flooding of Rome. Naomi, after learning of a similar space mission that mysteriously failed, suspects the ISTC isn’t being up front with them about what’s at risk.

As the race to the final six advances, the tests get more challenging—even deadly. With pressure mounting, Naomi finds an unexpected friend in Leo, and the two grow closer with each mind-boggling experience they encounter. But it’s only when the finalists become fewer and their destinies grow nearer that the two can fathom the full weight of everything at stake: the world, the stars, and their lives.

This was a fast paced sci-fi dystopian book. It roped me in from the beginning and had me page turning every step of the way to find out what happens next. I really enjoy this authors writing style and I can't wait to read more of her books, as this is the second book by Monir that I have had the chance to read.

In this one we have two perspectives, but it wasn't confusing, which was a nice change. Leo and Naomi. Leo seems very genuine and Naomi is head strong. And they both embark on this mission for different reasons. While Leo is gun hoe about going since he has nothing left for in his flooded Rome, Naomi is resistant and a bit hesitant about going due to leaving her ill brother behind. These two unlikely teens share a bond and you can see that right from the start.

I really enjoyed this book and I'm hoping for a sequel as this ended on a cliffhanger. If you like dystopian and science fiction and space travel, then this book is just for you.

Alexandra Monir is an Iranian-American author and recording artist. Her debut, Timeless, was a Barnes & Noble Bestseller and an Amazon Best Book of the Month and was followed by its sequel, Timekeeper, as well as Suspicion, The Girl in the Picture, and The Final Six. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Find Alexandra: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free from Miss Print to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

**Book info obtained through Goodreads. 

***Book Cover Obtained through Goodreads. 

****Author photo obtained through author website.

Read More

Otherworld by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller: An ARC Review

Title: Otherworld (Otherworld #1)
Author: Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publish Date: October 31, 2017
Pages: 355
Source: Publisher for Review
Get Yours: Amazon | Book Depository

The company says Otherworld is amazing—like nothing you’ve ever seen before. They say it’s addictive—that you’ll want to stay forever. They promise Otherworld will make all your dreams come true.

Simon thought Otherworld was a game. Turns out he knew nothing. Otherworld is the next phase of reality. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.

And it’s about to change humanity forever. Welcome to the Otherworld. No one could have seen it coming.

I had such high hopes for this book. I mean, the synopsis of this sounds amazing, and my daughter and I enjoyed the Nightmares! books. But this book just wasn’t my thing once I started reading. The main character is supposed to be what, 18 years old? He seems very immature, like he’s 15 or younger. He stays at home to play VR video games and steals his moms credit card to pay for the equipment he needs to play it with. He acts as if it’s ok to do this. And then his dad finds out and had a temper tantrum and beats the crap out of this $6000 equipment with his golf clubs as if to teach his son a lesson. Why do that? Why not show you are an adult and return it? After I got to this part in the book I just had to put it down and walk away. 

Now on the other hand, I did give this a 2 star rating and that’s because the concept of this alternate video game world was pretty amazing. Everything seemed very well thought out and it seemed, from what little I had read, very believable. Probably more so than the reality in the book.

I might try this one again later and update my review, but for now, this was a no go for me sadly.

 About Jason:

New York Times bestselling author Jason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, he's learned that the things we're most afraid of are the things that can make us strong...if we're brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets and Despicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Nightmares! is his first novel.

Find Jason: Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

About Kirsten:

I write books.

Some of my books are what librarians call middle grade. (Kiki Strike, Nightmares!)

Some should be kept away from small children and people with weak stomachs. (How to Lead a Life of Crime, The Eternal Ones, Otherworld)

I write some books with Jason Segel.

I've written quite a few books on my own.

I'm an Aquarius.

My favorite food is cauliflower. (No joke.)

I will eat almost anything. And I'm weirdly proud of it.

I believe New York City is the most magical place on earth.

I love Dolly Parton and David Attenborough. Equally.

I cannot sing or play any musical instruments.

I'm obsessed with sewers and sanitation systems.

I once broke into a Mayan temple with my brother, Spike.

Spike is an alias. It's not his real name.

I also have a sister. She prefers to remain anonymous.

We have the same birthday.

Yes, that sucks.

I think that's all you need to know.

Find Kirsten: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

**Book info obtained through Goodreads. ***Book Cover Obtained through Goodreads. ****Author photo obtained through author website.

Read More

4 Star Review: Duplicity by N.K. Traver + #Giveaway @NKTraver

Title: Duplicity
Author: N.K. Traver
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Genre: Teen, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Release Date: March 17th 2015
Source: Publisher
Purchase: Amazon

In private, seventeen-year-old Brandon hacks bank accounts just for the thrill of it. In public, he looks like any other tattooed bad boy with a fast car and devil-may-care attitude. He should know: he’s worked hard to maintain that façade. With inattentive parents who move constantly from city to city, he’s learned not to get tangled up in things like friends and relationships. So he’ll just keep living like a machine, all gears and wires.

Then two things shatter his carefully-built image: Emma, the kind, stubborn girl who insists on looking beneath the surface – and the small matter of a mirror reflection that starts moving by itself. Not only does Brandon’s reflection have a mind of its own, but it seems to be grooming him for something—washing the dye from his hair, yanking out his piercings, swapping his black shirts for … pastels. Then it tells him: it thinks it can live his life better, and it’s preparing to trade places.

And when it pulls Brandon through the looking-glass, not only will he need all his ill-gotten hacking skills to escape, but he’s going to have to face some hard truths about who he’s become. Otherwise he’ll be stuck in a digital hell until he’s old and gray, and no one will even know he's gone.

I really enjoyed reading this one. It reminded me of the matrix with the computers with a bit of a thriller twist to it with the "duplicates". I am extremely glad that I received a copy of this for review from the wonderful publishers. 

The characters were relate-able, and the voices were believable. I absolutely loved the characters and the story and it blended well together, that's what was great about it. The author created this world where you feel as if it could be real and it made me feel as if I was there watching all this unfold. I especially liked the ending. The author made it feel as if it could continue but didn't leave it wide open for the sequel in case it didn't. It did draw the whole story together nicely and left you thinking about what happens next.

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

As a freshman at the University of Colorado, N.K. TRAVER decided to pursue Information Technology because classmates said “no one could make a living” with an English degree. It wasn’t too many years later Traver realized it didn’t matter what the job paid—nothing would ever be as fulfilling as writing. Programmer by day, writer by night, it was only a matter of time before the two overlapped. Duplicity is Traver's first novel.

Find N.K.: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

One winner will receive a hardback copy of Duplicity by N.K. Traver

Giveaway open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

DNF Review: The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig #DNF @FrancescaHaig #Giveaway

Title: The Fire Sermon (The Fire Sermon #1)
Author: Francesca Haig
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Teen, Science Fiction
Release Date: March 10th 2015
Source: Night Owl Reviews
Purchase: Amazon

When Zach and I were born our parents must have counted and recounted: limbs, fingers, toes. We were perfect. They would have been disbelieving: nobody dodged the split between Alpha and Omega. Nobody.

They were born together and they will die together.

One strong Alpha twin and one mutated Omega; the only thing they share is the moment of their death.

The Omegas live in segregation, cast out by their families as soon as their mutation becomes clear. Forced to live apart, they are ruthlessly oppressed by their Alpha counterparts.

The Alphas are the elite. Once their weaker twin has been cast aside, they're free to live in privilege and safety, their Omega twin far from their thoughts.

Cass and Zach are both perfect on the outside: no missing limbs, no visible Omega mutation. But Cass has a secret: one that Zach will stop at nothing to expose.

The potential to change the world lies in both their hands. One will have to defeat the other to see their vision of the future come to pass, but if they're not careful both will die in the struggle for power.

I had such high hopes for this book. When reading the synopsis it sounded absolutely amazing. The idea of people being born into pairs and then being split into different societies after birth really had me. But when I started to read this, the words and writing just couldn't seem to grab my attention and pull me in. I really tried and tried to get into this, but with no luck. I may try to read this again at a later date, but as for now, it just is not for me.

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

Francesca Haig is an author and academic. Her poetry is widely published, and her novel The Fire Sermon (the first in a post-apocalyptic trilogy) will be published in February 2015 by HarperVoyager (UK) and March 2015 by Simon & Schuster (US and Canada), and is being translated into more than 20 languages. She gained her PhD from the University of Melbourne, and her principal research area is Holocaust literature. She grew up in Tasmania, and currently lives in London.

Find Francesca: Twitter

1 Winner will win a hardback copy of The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig. 

US entrants only.

Winner has 48 hours to respond to email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

[Spotlight] Contaminated 2: Mercy Code by Em Garner + #Giveaway @EgmontUSA @EmGarnerBooks

Welcome to my Promo/Spotlight stop on this wonderful weekend giveaway of Contaminated and Contaminate 2: Mercy Code! Make sure you stop by the next blogs on the tour, A Bookish Escape and Caffeinated Book Reviewer! Happy Hopping!

Contaminate 2: Mercy Code 

By Em Garner

Publication: August 26 2014

A gripping survival story, the second in a series by a best-selling author, of a strong girl rebuilding her life in a post-apocalyptic society where a contaminated drink makes victims act like zombies; just right for fans of James Dashner, Carrie Ryan, and The Walking Dead.

Seventeen-year-old Velvet, her little sister, Opal, their mom, who is recovering from the Contamination, and Velvet's sweet boyfriend, Dillon, are attempting to build a new life amid the rationing and regulations of the post-outbreak nation. But the outbreak isn't over: more people turning into "Connies," more madness erupting, more killings occurring. And what they are being told is not the truth; the truth is far darker and more threatening.

She began writing at a very young age, always preferring the stories about what goes bump in the night. An avid reader of horror, science-fiction and fantasy, she first turned her hand to short stories about the sorts of things that hide under the bed…and she kept right on going.

Now Em spends most of her time in front of her computer, writing away at all the ideas she has swirling around in her head and hoping she can get them into a story before she forgets them.

She loves zombies, unicorns, and rainbows, the color purple and the smell of roses. She hates the smell of lilies, the feeling of corduroy and biting sandpaper. (Well. Who doesn’t?)

She lives at the beach with her family, where she spends a lot of time reading and sticking her feet in the sand. She is afraid of sharks, but that doesn’t stop her from going in the water.

Find Em: Website | Goodreads | Twitter

**Giveaway will last for 1 week

**Open to US/CAN residents only

**Winner has 48 hrs to contact Jump Into Books or new winner will be chosen

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

[Review] Imposter by Susanne Winnacker @SusanneWrites @RazorbillBooks

Title: Imposter (Variants #1)
Author: Susanne Winnacker
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Romance
Release Date: May 28th, 2013
Source: Purchased

Summary From Goodreads:

Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late? 

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. 

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I actually had signed up with the tour for book two and hadn't read book one, so I went out and bought it, not knowing what it was about, and when I cracked it open to read, I couldn't put it down.

This was a great mystery mixed with science fiction type powers. The characters of this awesome story have something of super powers. From super strength, mind reading, invisibility, powers of persuasion, healers, and shape shifters. It is totally worth the read.

Tessa is a shape shifter. She can change into anyone she wants to be, providing that she has touched them first. She has never been on a mission, only been training to hone in on her talent, her Variant. That all changed one day when Major told her she would be on her very first mission, to take over and step in for a dead girl, to locate her killer.

This was just a phenomenal story from start to finish. The characters were enjoyable and the mystery had you guessing who did it all the way through. Just when you thought you had it figured out, a curve ball is thrown at you. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy science fiction, mystery and romance.

  

Susanne Winnacker studied law before she became a full-time writer. She lives with her husband, a dog and three bunnies in Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals. When she isn't writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen, experimenting with new vegan dishes.

Her YA thriller IMPOSTOR will be published on May 28, 2013. It has been optioned for TV by Warner Brothers!

Find Susanne: 

Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Read More

[Review] Crossed by Ally Condie @penguinusa @allycondie

Title: Crossed (Matched #2)
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Children's
Genre: YA, Dystopia, Fantasy
Release Date: November 1, 2011
Source: Purchased

From Goodreads:

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake. Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Crossed to me, was a little bit better than the first book, Matched. This picked up where it left off and didn't leave the reader hanging trying to figure out what has happened and feeling lost and confused.

This one is mainly about Cassia and Ky trying to find their way back to each other. While Ky doesn't know Cassia is pretty much going above and beyond and stops at nothing to find him. Ky is digging trenches and holes to bury the dead and secretly planning a way to get back to Cassia in the Society.

Cassia and Ky are so much more determined in this book. They are more headstrong and they don't give up easily to fight for what is theirs, or what they believe is theirs. There are also some pretty great supporting characters in this one. I enjoyed Vick, he was a bit secretive, but he seemed to have been a great friend to Ky. There was also Indie, very determined and a bit untrusting, but in the end turned out to be pretty decent. And we can't forget Eli, he seemed like a sweet kid and easily took up the role of a follower. He followed Ky and really looked up to him, something like a brother.

The first book was about two people finding each other in a Society that didn't “match” them. This second book is about those same two people finding each other again and locating, what Cassia believes, is a better cause. I can't wait to see what the third book, Reached, is about and to find out the conclusion of the story.

Ally Condie is a former high school English teacher who lives with her husband, three sons and one daughter outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, running, eating, and listening to her husband play guitar.

Find Ally here: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Read More

[Review] Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Title: Hourglass (Hourglass #1)

Author: Myra McEntire

Publisher: Egmont USA

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Paranormal

Release Date: June 14, 2011

Source: Gifted (Crossroad Reviews)

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may also change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should've happened?

I don’t know why it has taken me so long to finally dive into this series, but I’m glad that I did. I really enjoyed the science fiction behind it. Always been a fan of all things scientific and time traveling would just be completely awesome!

Emerson reminded me a little of myself, including the height. I’m all of 5’2” and every time I read about Em’s height and being called “Shorty”, it brought back memories of being called that. But she also wasn’t willing to give up when things got tough, she stuck through things. Very determined. I can relate to her very much.

I’m not a big fan of love triangles, and this one really didn’t push the boundaries of it, but there was one in the making, between Emerson, Michael and Kaleb.

Michael was very respectful and very sweet. He didn’t want to mix business with pleasure and really didn’t want to act on his intense feelings towards Emerson, especially with her brother, Thomas, looming close by. He took his time when it came to feelings and expressing himself.

Kaleb was the opposite of Michael.  He made his feeling known right away for Emerson. Right from the moment he met her. He seemed to be intense and brooding.

The story was pretty awesome. I liked how we it wasn’t about seeing ghosts or spirits and I really liked how the author described what was being seen. The “rips” just added to the story. The time travel aspect was pretty awesome, I liked how they could travel into the past and into the future. I really can’t wait to read more into what unfolds later in the series, hopefully we will see some traveling into the future.

Read More