Month: August 2013

Uncharted by Tracey Garvis Graves (Mini Book Review)

Posted August 28, 2013 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 3 Comments

Uncharted by Tracey Garvis Graves (Mini Book Review)Uncharted by Tracey Garvis Graves
Series: On the Island #1.5
Also in this series: On the Island
Published by Penguin on July 2, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Survival
Pages: 160
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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When twenty-three-year-old dot-com millionaire Owen Sparks walked away from his charmed life, he had one goal in mind: get as far away as possible from the people who resented his success, or had their hand out for a piece of it. A remote uncharted island halfway around the world seemed like a perfectly logical place to get away from it all.

Calia Reed wasn't part of Owen's plans. The beautiful British girl - on holiday in the Maldives with her brother, James - made Owen wonder if getting away from it all might be a lot more enjoyable with a carefree girl who didn't know anything about the life he left behind.

But Owen had no idea how much his carefully detailed plans would go awry. Nor did he realize that a decision he made would have such a catastrophic effect on two passengers who boarded a plane in Chicago.

And when Owen shows up at Anna and T.J.'s door with an incredible story to tell, everyone involved will learn just how much their lives are intertwined.

I loved being reunited with T.J. and Anna! It was a lot of fun to hear about what they’ve been up to since On the Island, even though they were not the focus of this novella. We are introduced to Owen, who chose to maroon himself on an uncharted island to get away from his crazy life. I really, really liked Owen. Even though he was wealthy, he wasn’t happy because his life was full of money and not relationships and simple pleasures. I love that he recognized this, because so many people these days believe that money buys happiness. His time on the island proved to be therapeutic, and he ended up learning a lot about himself in the process.

From time to time, Owen would head to the mainland for supplies and a shower before going back. One time he met Calia, a cute British girl, and her brother, James. The three went back to the island together, and I really liked reading about the bond they formed. James really cared for his sister in a, “you mess with her, you die.” kind of way, and I’ve always loved it when siblings have that kind of relationship. Romance also blossomed, and I really loved seeing what it did to Owen. It totally changed him–the sign of a great relationship. I also really liked Calia, although you don’t get to learn a ton about her. Adventure happens, as is Tracey’s mantra. It’s amazing the things that happen on this little island.

Most of this story is a flashback and Owen tells Anna and T.J. about his experience being stuck on an island. It was easier for him in that he had a pilot flying in to check on him and a satellite phone, but it was also very hard. And, of course, we get to discover how his story relates to theirs. It was all very exciting.

This book is quite a page-turner! With all the adventure and mystery, I tore through it. Tracey’s writing is still amazing. She is so good at describing the island, that I’m sure she’s been there. I can’t wait for more books from her!


Renegade by J.A. Souders (Book Review)

Posted August 23, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 6 Comments

Renegade by J.A. Souders (Book Review)Renegade by J.A. Souders
Series: Elysium Chronicles #1
Also in this series: Revelations, Rebellion
Published by Tor Teen on November 13, 2012
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Science Fiction
Pages: 364
Format: eBook
Source: Gift
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Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

Renegade was a highly anticipated read for me, and I regret waiting so long to get to it! This book is absolutely amazing, and definitely a new favorite of mine. Thanks so much to Brittany @ The Book Addict’s Guide for giving me a signed copy for Christmas last year! Anyway, my main points are bolded, as always. :)

1. I love the setting in Renegade: Elysium. These people live in a glass structure at the bottom of the sea. Who needs wallpaper when you’ve got whales swimming past you? It’s absolutely beautiful, even though it is hiding a very creepy world inside.

2. Yeah, the world is creepy. Everyone is perfect. They all have blonde hair, blue eyes, never do anything wrong, etc. It’s a utopia, but it’s so perfect that it becomes weird and creepy.

3. Originally, I thought this was a mermaid book. It’s not. Everyone’s a human, and that made me happy. This book is original!

4. Evelyn has been sheltered from reality her entire life. She has been brainwashed to forget things, act a certain way, and think other things. As a result, her life is sunshine and roses. She sits in her garden playing with the flowers, and has no idea what’s going on. As she started figuring things out, with the help of Gavin, I started to really like her. She found out she was betrayed, and rather than denying it or crying about it, she became filled with this utter disgust for her mother. I loved that. She has a brain, even though it’s being altered, and she is strong enough to see the truth even though she’s not supposed to. She has no idea what her world is like, but she’s going crazy trying to escape it. And as the brainwashing gets worse, she has to fight herself to save herself. This girl has guts. I love her.

5. Oh, and Gavin. Mmm mmm. I love Gavin. Talk about a knight in shining armor. He randomly ends up in Elysium from the surface, and is being hunted for killing by the people here. Rather than hiding and trying to escape on his own, he decides to help the most valuable and protected girl there. He got himself into a real pickle for this, so it’s obvious that he’s completely fascinated by Evelyn. I love the he grounds her. He is her rock, and she can function if she has him by her side. And he says some of the sweetest things!

6. I mentioned Mother before, and italicized it for a reason. She is the leader of Elysium, and everyone calls her Mother. Somehow, long ago, she founded this world as an escape from the evil surface dwellers. She has lied to, controlled, and molded her people into thoughtless shells of themselves. And Evelyn is her prized possession, the Daughter of the People. She will stop at nothing to keep her below the surface. She will have her killed before she will let her escape. I’m sure you can imagine the crazy adventure and suspense that ensues. There’s something about a completely heartless, indifferent villain that makes a book SO much better.

7. SO much craziness happens! This book had me tearing through the pages. There was never a dull moment, and I could not handle the suspense at times. It’s wonderful.

8. The writing is gorgeous. Where has this author been all my life? The descriptions of the scenery, the world, the feelings, the romance. It was all incredibly beautiful.

I tried to keep things vague so as not to spoil the experience for you. Renegade is an amazing dystopia, and the start of an intoxicating series. I can’t wait for the next book (seriously, can I have it?), so I can continue reading about Evelyn and Gavin. Definitely try this if you’re a fan of dystopia. It does not disappoint.

 


Top Ten Things that Make My Life as a Book Blogger Easier

Posted August 20, 2013 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 14 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over at the other blog I write for, The Broke and the Bookish.

Life as a book blogger is by no means easy, but it’s amazing and I love it! I had no idea that I’d still be blogging three years later! Today I get to share with you my list of awesome stuff that makes being a book blogger just a bit easier.

 

Goodreads (and Goodreads App)
Oh my, Goodreads is a godsend. I have no idea what I would do without it! I use it for investigating the books I’m asked to read and review before accepting, keeping an inventory of the books I own or want, posting my reviews for extra publicity, finding new blogging friends and groups to join, and networking with authors. I’m always updating what I’m reading and what page I’m on, and I love to keep track of what my friends are up to! I have found some amazing books through recommendations on Goodreads!

Netgalley/Edelweiss
These two sites are just no good for me, even though I love them so! I love the easy access to galleys, and the fact that you can submit your review to the publisher through them. It’s much easier to receive a book through these sites, because it costs the pubs less… so that means more opportunities for me! AND… they take up no room on my shelves, so I can request so many more!

Nice, polite authors
I love authors that support book bloggers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received an email or tweet from an author, thanking me for my review. Sometimes I’m even thanked for bad reviews! It really makes life so much easier when authors understand us, and recognize that we’re doing what we love.

Kindle
My Kindle holds so many more books than my shelves ever could! I’d hate to have to stop reading because I had no more room! Never fear, this can’t possibly happen anymore!

Business Cards
Oh yes. Business cards are a must. You can hand them out at events, slip them in to books you giveaway, leave them on boards at libraries or book shops, etc. It’s definitely a great way to get your name out.

Blogging Friends
You, my friends, make blogging so much fun! I love talking books with you, reading your reviews, participating in your memes and book events, sharing ARCs, and finding you at events! I’m not sure I could do it without you. :)

Twitter
I love interacting with you all through Twitter! And I love using it to promote my posts.

iCal/Google Calendar
I have no idea what I would do without these calendars for scheduling out my posts. I’d be double-booked all over the place!

Amazon Prime
Books in two days? YES. Plus, you can borrow a lot of Kindle books for free through Amazon Prime.

Book Events (signings, ALA, BEA, etc.)
Events are the best way to network with the pubs and authors you email all the time. Showing up at events shows them that you’re in this for the long haul. It builds trust, plus they get to put a face with a name and you do too!

So, what am I missing? Are there any secrets out there you’d like to let me in on?


Do you Suffer from Blogging Anxiety?

Posted August 19, 2013 by Jana in Discussion / 11 Comments

As many of you know, I have been traversing the entire United States by minivan because of my grad school orientation at Valdosta State University. I have been gone for over two weeks, and this blog has suffered so much. I feel like I’m going crazy here! I had these huge plans to read lots and write reviews when I get to my hotel every evening, but by the time I get to one I’m too tired to do anything! Last night I got into the hotel at 12:15 in the morning, and the night before I got in at 1AM! Who has time?

And, of course, this has made me very anxious. My inner blogging monster is screaming at me to review ALL THE THINGS. And write ALL the posts!

 

So, what do you do? Are you plagued by this obsession to post all the time? How do you handle it? Are you ok with taking blogging vacations? I mean, I know you’re not all going to leave me because I take a little time off, but still! This just feels weird…
 
In other news, I get home tomorrow night! Phew!

Authors Are Rockstars Tour: Jodi Meadows

Posted August 9, 2013 by Jana in Author Interview, Book Spotlight / 2 Comments

 

I am so excited to have Jodi on the blog today, because she is one of my very favorite authors EVER. Basically, she’s a rock star. I’m sure you remember my raving reviews of Incarnate and Asunder. One of my favorite things about Jodie is that we’re on the same wavelength. Her writing style meshes so perfectly with my imagination, that I see everything in my mind a split second before I read it. This doesn’t mean that her stories are predictable. It means that her writing gives me everything I could want. And more. Her world building is immaculate, she writes a pretty swoony male lead, she is the master at writing romances and tension, and you can just tell from her lyrical writing that she loves music just as much as I do. Just READ some of these quotes, people. Honestly.

“Music overwhelmed me, soaked into my skin like water. I didn’t have words for the squiggles and dashes across the pages, or the way his fingers stretched across the keys to make my heart race. If I could hear only one thing for the rest of my life, this was what I wanted.”

“My heart wasn’t big enough to hold everything I felt, but I couldn’t bear the thought of asking him to wait while I caught up.”

“Breathing in the scent of his hair, I realized I’d needed him my whole life, before we even met. First, his music and the way he taught me through books and recordings. Then, he saved my life and refused to abandon me no matter how much I deserved it.”

I’m almost always speechless after closing a book of Jodie’s. She’s also pretty funny, especially when she talks about her beloved ferrets. I just know that we’d have so much fun chatting over books, chocolate, and love stories.

 

The Interview
Jana: Jodi, I am SO excited to host you on my blog today! I absolutely loved Incarnate and Asunder, and I am dying to find out more about Ana and Sam, and what’s in store for them in Infinite! Thanks for stopping by to answer a few questions. :) 

Incarnate introduces its readers to an amazingly unique take on reincarnation. I love that the characters remember their past lives, and have taken those memories and lessons learned with them into their current life. What was past-life Jodi like?

Jodi: Into stories, probably. Writing, reading, music. Past-life Jodi probably had better handwriting because the computer wasn’t around. Though maybe she would have lost all ability to write legibly thanks to the typewriter. I guess it depends when past-life Jodi lived.Past-life Jodi probably wished she could explore the galaxy like on STAR TREK, too.

Jana: I think we’d all love to explore the galaxy! Ana is a brand new soul with no past lives at all, and Sam is a guy who has been reincarnated many times. And they fall in love. The age difference is quite massive, yet their relationship is so normal and believable. What kind of planning did you have to go through in order to have their story come off as romantic rather than strange?

Jodi: I knew early on that Ana and Sam had to have some kind of connection besides the hots for each other’s bodies — something real and soul-deep. That connection was music. I think having their friendship be based on something like that helped a lot.

I was also careful to mention that their relationship might be strange. Some characters think it’s weird and wrong, while others believe they were meant to be together. Ana and Sam do have to deal with their massive age difference. But while they know their romance is unusual, that doesn’t make it any less real for them.

It helps, I think, that they’re both aware of the strangeness, and consider all the issues. They’re both mature enough to make decisions — together — from there.

Jana: Wow, I love that! And I love that the maturity surrounding their relationship is so believable. It made me love them so much more.

Ana’s appearance causes a major rift in the world. She’s ostracized, belittled, mocked, and feared. I think we’ve all had times like that in our lives, of constantly wanting to prove that we’re more important than we’re given credit for. Her feelings and struggles were portrayed in such a real way, that I can’t help wondering if a little bit of you was written in her. Is that true?

Jodi: Those are pretty universal feelings. We all know what it’s like to feel excluded and belittled. We’ve all been new to something — school or work or towns, or even situations we’ve never before encountered. So I think there’s a little bit of everyone in Ana. Including me.

Jana: That’s a beautiful concept. I love that Ana was written in a way that everyone could relate to her on some level.

Sam is still my absolute favorite male in young adult fiction, because I love his wisdom, his musicality, and his compassion and capacity for love. Is he inspired by anyone in particular?

Jodi: My characters appear in my head fully formed; they’re never based on anyone in my real life, though sometimes I notice similarities between people I know and the people living in my head. Sam, though . . . I knew he had to be kind and gentle and compassionate in order to reach Ana. Her past was such that no one but the most empathetic person would be able to help her overcome what she’s been through. Which isn’t to say that he doesn’t make mistakes! He makes plenty over the course of their relationship, but that kind and honorable part of him always shines through.

Jana: *swoons* I just love Sam! Music plays a huge role in the Newsoul trilogy, which I love. It is practically a character all on its own. What made you decide to make music such a strong part of Ana’s and Sam’s stories?

Jodi: As I mentioned earlier, I needed something strong to connect Ana and Sam. Music is a universal language. It affects everyone somehow. For Ana, music became her lifeline. It was the thing she had when she had nothing else. It was what kept her going through her entire childhood. And Sam connects with her using that.

Also, I love music. It’s always been a huge part of my life. I took dance all through my childhood and teenage years, so music is also a very physical thing for me. And I played the flute through middle and high school. (I still have my flute and bring it out occasionally, but not as often as I should.) I’ve always felt a strong connection with music; it seemed natural to give something like that to Ana and Sam.

Jana: See, I love that! I’ve always connected deeply to music, and I’ve never read a book that depended on music so much. It worked so amazingly well, even though a book is silent. With movies, you can have pretty scores accompany the story, but with a book you don’t have that luxury. On that same note, if Incarnate were a song instead of a book, what would it sound like?

Jodi: I actually do have a piece one of my readers showed me. 3055, by Olafur Arnalds.

I’d describe it for you, but you should probably just listen to it instead. Watch the video, too. It’s wonderful. 

Jana: Wow. That’s beautiful! I love it. And that video reminds me so much for Sam and Ana.

So… the masquerade ball in Incarnate had me swooning more than I care to admit. It was absolutely beautiful, and I loved the message it portrayed. (For those who don’t know, The ball is held for two souls who have pledged their undying love for one another across all their incarnations, even if sometimes one of them happens to be 80 and the other one 5. Or… if they both happen to come back as members of the same gender. It’s their souls that matter, not their bodies or age. So they celebrate all of this with a masquerade ball, where nobody knows who anyone is dressed as. The goal is for this couple to find each other anyway.) I love the underlying message of love being eternal, and having no bounds. Is there a love like this in your life?

Jodi: The masquerade is one of my favorite parts, too! Swoon all you like; there’s no shame in it. :) And yes, I do have a romance of my own. I met my husband online in a chat room (completely unrelated to romance). We started talking over instant message, then over the phone, and after about six months of that, he flew to Texas where I lived, we drove back to Virginia, and got married. A lot of people said it wouldn’t work, and looking back, I see how they thought it was dangerous. But I knew then that it was right, and here we are ten years later, still very much in love.

Jana: Wow… What a fun story, and so romantic! I love hearing how couples meet and fall in love.

As we move from Incarnate to Asunder, we start to see a stronger emphasis placed on emotions and feelings. We see Ana start to change and value her purpose in life more, and we see the more human side of Sam–flaws and all. What’s in store for us in Infinite?

Jodi: More of all of that! Plus, Ana has to make some huge decisions and discoveries. Stuff goes down. And . . . up. (You’ll see.)

Jana: Ah, I’m so excited! I heard we’re getting a prequel novella from Sam’s point of view, which I am SO excited about! Can you tell us a little about it?

Jodi: I’m excited, too! Phoenix Overture revolves around a major, major choice Sam had to make early in a past life. If you’ve read Asunder, you might even be able to guess what choice that was. Stef is there, as well as some other familiar names.

Jana: That sounds awesome! I just know when the Newsoul trilogy comes to a close, I’m going to die a little bit. You’ve got a new project in the works, though, from what I’ve heard! Are you sworn to secrecy, or can you give us some details?

Jodi: I’m mostly sworn to secrecy for now, but I can tell you a tiny bit. The Orphan Queen is about identity, parents’ legacies, and believing in oneself. There’s kissing, swords, and people wearing pretty, pretty outfits.

Jana: Oh, how exciting! The Orphan Queen sounds so wonderful. I have a couple questions left for you, just for fun! 

If you could be a character in someone else’s book, who would you choose and why?

Jodi: Oh gosh. What is the book with the least conflict that’s mostly about kissing and reading and drinking coffee? I want to be in that book.

Jana: Haha. I think we all would! Tell us about your favorite knitting project.

 

Jodi: I don’t have a favorite knitting project, but I recently finished this tank top and I’m pretty proud of it. I also have this lace shawl I’ll be working on for the rest of my life. (Since I do most of my knitting while watching TV or when I need to sit and think about writing, I don’t knit this one much. It takes a lot of concentration.)

 

Jana: That tank top is so pretty! The shawl also looks like it’s coming along nicely, although I’m not a knitter so I might not be seeing everything I should be seeing. I should learn to knit. That would be awesome. Tell us about these ferrets you speak of.

 

Jodi: I have two ferrets right now, Todd and Hiro, though I’ve had others in the past, up to seven at once. (It was just as crazy as you might imagine.) Mostly, the ferrets sleep, but sometimes they get up to bounce around and wrestle with each other, or stash their junk in boxes or their cage. Sounds like a pretty good life, right?

Jana: Oh, to be a ferret. They are so cute! I can’t imagine having seven, though. I bet that’s a ton of work! What kind of chocolate did you eat the most of last month? I’m partial to Dove milk chocolate.

Jodi: I also like milk chocolate best! I’m not sure what I ate most of last month, though. I mostly don’t remember last month, as I was too busy writing Sam’s novella to do much else. Did we really have a June? I had just a Sam.

Jana: Haha. You had a Sam. I can’t help but giggle at that! What’s the funniest or most memorable thing a devoted fan has asked/said to you?

Jodi: All of my readers are wonderful, and I love them, but one of the funniest things was when one brought me a wooden spoon to an event, because I’d mentioned on Twitter once that I didn’t have one. Now I have one. Crisis averted?

Jana: Oh, that is hilarious! What an attentive fan! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Jodi: I’m currently drinking coffee out of a Hooray for Books! mug. I think that makes the coffee taste even better.

Jana: Hehe. Books make everything better, that’s for sure! Thanks so much for stopping by, Jodi! Best of luck with the upcoming release of Phoenix Overture, and the 2014 conclusion to the Newsoul trilogy, Infinite!

Jodi: Thank you!!

I just loved chatting with Jodi and getting to hear more about her books, both released and unreleased! If you have not yet picked up the Newsoul books, or if you’re not ready for the upcoming releases, I highly suggest running to your bookstore and picking them all up!

The Books

 

Incarnate

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Asunder, Phoenix Overture (coming September 4, 2013), Infinite (coming January 28, 2014)

 

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