Showing posts with label five book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label five book. Show all posts

Book Tour (Review + Dreamcast): Crossing the Ice by Jennifer Comeaux




Release date: August 3rd 2014
Purchase: Amazon


Synopsis via Goodreads:
Falling hard never felt so good.

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.

The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though...

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of thecompetition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?
I didn't delve into Crossing the Ice with particularly high expectations. I've never read anything else from the author and the premise was not exceptinally unique by far so I considered it to be a nice, light read, but nothing more.
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BOY WAS I WRONG! This was one of the best books I have ever, EVER read. It was so hilarious and excited and suspenseful and adorable and having just finished it I feel so much like...


...because the book was just...




Please give me a moment to compose myself...

Okay, so let's get down to our raving rating business. Or rather the review first, and just then...I may need another minute.


The story


"You were following your dream. There's nothing wrong with that."
"I could've followed it more sensibly."

Crossing the Ice embraces about a year's time, from an important competition in terms of Olympics, until a little after the afortementioned event. Throughout this span we follow Courtney's journey toward fulfilling or failing? her dream to skate in the biggest competition an athlete can ever particiapate in and also, we get to know how she tackles a relationship with the sexy, shy Josh, who is her biggest competitior, too. 

I literally enjoyed every single moment of this book. The story was so very sweet and ginormously suspenseful all along, though the latter is not much a surprise as it's utterly fast-paced. It basically highlights a couple of days of the year and a half or so we spend with Courtney, the more significant ones. No filling scenes, no meaningless parts, just pure action. Okay, not that much action in fact, It's a tranquil story with no drama tainting it and when I write no drama, I mean not grim, disastrous drama. Because would the book be book without it at all? Despite the fact that it intended to be a rethorical question, I'm going to answer it. And that answer is a shocking: yes. there would be. But we would probably be bored to death. Where was I anyway? Oh, yeah drama. It mostly gathered around our FMC and Josh's relationship, however, sometimes the prior's personal life got involved as well. It was depicted completely realisticlly and unlike in a lot of YA novels, nothing was overreacted or stretch out just for the sake of the conflict.


The characters


"Yeah, because off the ice the only language Stephanie speaks is fluent bitch."

Courtney was an awesome FMC. I totally loved her attitude, her spunkiness, her guts as well as her soft, passionate, romantic side. She had her opinion and didn't mess around for a second, not with the bitchy Stephanie or her even worse mother, but wasn't scared of reciting an apology or thank a generous old woman her generous donation. All in all, I adored her and could relate her perfectly.

As for Josh....Oh, Josh, I  might swoon just at the mention of his name. He's shy and quiet, but not when it comes to Courtney. Or at least not after eight years. What he is when it comes to Courtney though, is devoted and understanding aaand SO SO FRIGGIN CUTE!  Not to mention his superhuman powers. No, it's not a paranormal. Just go read it and figure it out. Anyway, I may have a new book boyfriend. 


The Writing Style


"There was nothing quite like the sound of ten thousand people gasping at one.
Especially when it was because my butt had just slammed into the cold, hard ice."

Admittedly, I'm a writing style snob. I'm very picky when it comes down to it and if it's not nearly perfect if not perfect, that can take away much from the experience. And from the overall rating. However, this was not the case here. Jennifer Comeaux's writing style was most definitely stellar. Not only was it eloquent but still readable - meaning she didn't weight down our minds with long, unpronouncable words to create a unique feeling-, but it had that plus to it that sends it over the roof.


Overall




Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. 




And now something I have never done before...


Claire Holt as Courtney




Darren Criss as Josh




Lyndsy Fonseca as Stephanie





Chace Crawford as Mark




Bridie Carter as Em




Jeffery Dean Morgan as Sergei


Image of Jeffrey Dean Morgan


Review: Shattered Veil by Tracy Banghart

19194602Genre: Young Adult, Science-fiction, Romance
Publisher: Self-published
Publication:  February 28th 2014

Pages: 377 (Paperback)
             295 (eBook)
             372 (Kindle Edition)
Formats:: Kindle Edition, Paperback, eBook

Purchase via: Amazon  I  TBD  I  IndieBound

Rating:

    


Synopsis:


When everything that defines you is stripped away, who do you become?
War has invaded Atalanta’s quiet villages and lush woodlands, igniting whispered worries in its glittering capitol. Far from the front lines, 18-year-old Aris Haan, a talented wingjet flyer, has little cause for concern. Until her beloved Calix is thrust into the fray, and a stranger makes her an impossible offer: the chance to join a secret army of women embedded within the all-male military.

Aris’s choice to follow Calix to war will do more than put her in physical danger; it will make her question everything she believes about herself. When she and her enigmatic commander uncover a deadly conspiracy, her expert flying may be the only hope for her dominion’s survival…and her own.

It’s Mulan meets Battlestar Galactica, with a heroine who is strong enough to save a nation…but only if she’s willing to sacrifice everything, even the one promise she swore she’d never break.

Review: Reason to Breathe (Breathing #1) by Rebecca Donovan

15718777Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: - (Indie) / Wood Street Publishing
Publication: May 9th, 2011

Pages: 377 (Kindle Edition)
            386 (Paperback)
            374 (eBook)
Editions: Kindle Edition, Paperback, eBook

Purchase via: Amazon


Rating:

    

Synopsis:

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"

In the affluent town of Weslyn, Connecticut, where most people worry about what to be seen in and who to be seen with, Emma Thomas would rather not be seen at all. She’s more concerned with feigning perfection while pulling down her sleeves to conceal the bruises - not wanting anyone to know how far from perfect her life truly is. Without expecting it, she finds love. It challenges her to recognize her own worth - but at the risk of revealing the terrible secret she’s desperate to hide. 

Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

Review: The End of You and Me by Wendi M. Lee

I have a good and a bad news. As the good one won't make much sense without the bad, I will start with the latter. I still haven't finished Days of Blood & Starlight. I found that I was making such a slow progress, because I couldn't get into it right now. I should be able to concentrate for one, it's to complex to keep up absentmindedly and also I could not enjoy the distinct world in this state. (Am I sick? That has never ever happened before.) However, I realized something else, too; for the first time in forever (There'll be music, there'll be light...) I was acrually craving for contemporary. Something though-provoking, and deep and dark. Thus I ended up at The and of You and Me, an ARC I received a while back. (Cue I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an an honest review.) So here we go.


21948123Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Createspace
Publication: April 18th, 2014
Pages: 136

Purchase via: Amazon  I  Barnes&Noble  I  Abebooks  I  TBD  I  Alibris  I  IndieBound

Rating:

    

Synopsis:

Sixteen year old Kate can't live without London. Their friendship is intense to the point of obsession. Nothing else matters: not dating, college applications, or her military father's disapproval. When beautiful red haired Anastasia sweeps into town and becomes fast friends with the pair, life changes forever. Suddenly Kate's quiet world is threatened.

What makes an honor student like Kate snap? Is it a redhead armed with seduction and lies? And how far will either of them go to get what they want?

Review: City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication: May 27th, 2014
SeriesDaughter of Smoke & Bone series
Pages: 725 (Hardcover)
            733 (Paperback)
   

Add to Goodreads
Purchase viaAmazon
                       Kobo


Synopsis:


Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Rating:     

Review: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

12444492
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
Publication: June 5th, 2012
SeriesDaughter of Smoke & Bone series
Pages: 418 (Hardcover, Paperback)
            424 (Kindle Edition)
            391 (eBook)


Add to Goodreads
Purchase viaBarnes&Noble
                       iTunes


Synopsis:


Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Rating:     

Review: Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton

16180269
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Publisher: - (Indie)
Publication: November 28th, 2012
Series: The PSS Chronicles series
Pages: 372


Add to Goodreads
Purchase viaAmazon
             iTunes


Synopsis:


Seventeen-year-old Olivia Black has a rare birth defect known as Psyche Sans Soma, or PSS. Instead of a right hand made of flesh and blood, she was born with a hand made of ethereal energy.

How does Olivia handle being the girl with the ghost hand? Well, she's a little bit morbid and a whole lot snarky.

Her mother thinks her obsession with death, black clothing, and the local cemetery is a bid for attention. But when Marcus, the new guy in Olivia's calculus class, stares at her like she's a freak, Olivia doesn't like it. And when her hand goes rogue, doing things she never imagined possible, Olivia finds herself running for her life with Marcus from a group of men bent on taking the power of her hand for their own nefarious purposes.



Rating