Two Lies and a Spy by Kat Carlton (Mini Book Review + Giveaway)

Posted September 4, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Giveaway / 11 Comments

Two Lies and a Spy by Kat Carlton
Series: Two Lies and a Spy #1
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on September 3, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Thriller
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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When sixteen-year-old Kari’s dad sends her an unexpected text, she and her brother immediately go into hiding. Because when your parents are superspies and your dad declares a Code Black, it can only mean something bad. Very bad.

Kari soon discovers that her parents have been disavowed and declared traitors, and she’s determined to clear their names. Breaking into the Agency seems like a reasonable plan, especially with the help of a team that includes her longtime crush, Luke, as well as her two best friends—an expert hacker with attitude and a master martial artist—and Luke’s popular, vindictive twin sister. Oh, and a new guy, who’s as cute as he is complicated…

What a fun book! I love spy/thriller/espionage type books, and so I was really excited when I was sent a copy of Two Lies and a Spy for review. It was a delightful, quick read and I loved every minute of it.

My favorite part of this book is Kari’s brother, Charlie. He’s seven years old, but he’s a little Einstein. He loves to research things and spout off random facts. He absolutely loves Kari, and she loves him. This has got to be the cutest brother/sister relationship I’ve ever read. After they discover all the trouble their parents are in, they go into hiding together–Charlie dressed as a little girl, and Kari disguised in whatever costume she has at the moment. Kari enlists the help of her friends, and together they decide to break her parents out and clear their names in the process.

Kari’s friends made this story amazing. The plot itself has been done before, but these characters made it unique. Kari is spunky and sarcastic, which I love. Luke, the dreamboat, is so sweet and concerned. Rita and Kale, her two partners in crime were so much fun, especially the zingers they shot back and forth at each other (they kind of hate each other). Rita’s this quirky fashion guru with all the techie gadgets that get things done, and Kale is a computer whiz. Lacey, Luke’s sister, is the bodacious blonde with a major attitude. I liked her, though, and actually enjoyed her prissiness. And then we have Evan, my love. He’s the snarky British bad boy wannabe who drives Kari absolutely nuts with his antics. Aside from Charlie, he is definitely my favorite. I hope we get lots more of him in the next book, because he has a personality you can write novels about. It’s not just the characters I love, but their interactions with one another had me giggling. They are so funny, and I really enjoyed their dialogue. Together, they create this dynamic force you can’t help but root for.

The plot is rather unrealistic at times, but I didn’t even care. There was no eye rolling or muttering from me as I read. It was pure and utter entertainment. The ending made my jaw drop in a twist that was pretty exciting. I love how it ended, and left the door open for more. I can’t wait to read more from Kat!

Thanks so much to Simon and Schuster for providing two hardback copies I can giveaway to my readers! Enter the rafflecopter below for your chance to win. U.S. entries only, please.

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Towering by Alex Flinn (Book Review)

Posted September 4, 2013 by Jana in Book Review / 1 Comment

Towering by Alex Flinn
Published by HarperTEEN on May 14, 2013
Genres: Fantasy, Retelling, Romance
Pages: 293
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
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At first, I merely saw his face, his hands on the window ledge. Then, his whole body as he swung himself through the window. Only I could not see what he swung on.
Until, one day, I told my dream self to look down. And it was then that I saw. He had climbed on a rope. I knew without asking that the rope had been one of my own tying.

Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now.

I’ve got a thing for fairytale retellings, and Rapunzel is one of my very favorites! I really love the idea of a prince traversing a high tower to save a girl who has been trapped in there, and has no idea what the world is really like. Towering was a fun, quick retelling with a little mystery and a really pretty setting. As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. Wyatt is a strong character, and I enjoyed reading about the story from his point of view. He’s been through a very sad thing, and is trying to move on by changing scenery for a little while. He tries to make friends, which is hard since he’s still not quite himself. He keeps hearing a girl singing from far away, and thinks he’s going crazy because nobody else can hear it. He decides to investigate, and finds Rachel. From this point on, he has a mission and a purpose. He wants to save her. He’s no suave Flynn Rider, but I can handle that.

2. Rachel is so naive, it’s annoying. I had to keep reminding myself that her complete isolation has made her this way, and not that she was dreamed up to drive me nuts. What I liked about her is that as you get to know her, you realize she does have a brain. Everything she’s ever known is no so, and she’s not having the hardest time believing it. She will take risks, and she will jump into the unknown if it means she can help people.

3. I also had to keep reminding myself that fairytales usually include instalove. It’s just their nature. And considering the fact that instalove is a requirement of this story, it was handled relatively well. I’m not sure how much of a fan I am of Wyatt and Rachel, but the story stood out more than the romance for me, so I was ok.

4. The story was really interesting. I wondered how Flinn would tackle a modern Rapunzel, but she did it and she did it well. It was modern and believable. And there were twists and turns that I really wasn’t expecting. Flinn didn’t just retell the story, she made it her own. I didn’t particularly care for the drug aspect (yeah, drugs play a huge part in this) of the story, but it was unique.

5. It started off a little slow, but once things got going I was fully invested. I could not wait to learn all the mysteries and see a resolution.

Overall, Towering was a fun little jaunt with some mysteries and hat tips to the original fairytale of Rapunzel. Flinn is a great storyteller, and I always look forward to her fairytales.

The Emergence of New Adult by Abria Mattina (Author Guest Post + Giveaway)

Posted September 2, 2013 by Jana in Giveaway, Guest Post, New Adult / 2 Comments

It’s my pleasure to welcome Abria Mattina, author of Love Among Pigeons (companion novel to Wake), to the blog today to talk about the emergence of the new adult genre! I have never been a huge fan of new adult, but Abria makes some interesting points that have me thinking I should try dipping my toe into the genre again.

The Emergence of New Adult
by Abria Mattina

When I published Wake in the Fall of 2011, I lamented that the New Adult category didn’t exist yet. Here I had a book about characters in their late teens, facing issues and problems that weren’t necessarily appropriate reading material for young teens. So where do I list it? I ended up putting it in the General Fiction category, out of fear that someone would give it to a thirteen-year-old and then send me an angry email, accusing me of scarring their child for life.

Needless to say, I was overjoyed when New Adult began to emerge as a category, distinct from Young Adult and General Fiction. There’s been a lot of discussion about it recently, and some believe that New Adult is just sexed-up Young Adult. Personally, I think that’s making a generalization on the basis of the worst books in the category. The distinction between Young Adult and New Adult has to be more than sex — transitioning into college life or the workforce, taking on serious relationships for the first time, new levels of physical, intellectual, and spiritual freedom, etc.

I see New Adult fiction as books about characters in their college years, aimed at an audience of a similar age. Just like Young Adult is books about teens, for teens, encompassing the full spectrum of genres, styles, and plot types, I believe New Adult has the same potential.

Which brings me to the other New Adult stereotype: it’s all about the angst. Two tortured characters with severe emotional scars come together to heal each other. In basic terms, my first book Wake could be described this way, and it’s not a bad thing. The only reason it has become a stereotype in New Adult, I believe, is that the market has been flooded with books of this particular type. The category is young and has yet to diversify. I hope that it will, lest New Adult turn into a very grim one-trick pony.

Every market has its phases. Not so long ago the Young Adult category was jam-packed with dystopian trilogies. Before that it was the craze for everything supernatural, and now we seem to be moving into a glut of gritty realist fiction. New Adult will have its phases too. It just happens that the first one is heavy on tear-jerkers, but who doesn’t love those deeply moving books?

Wake
Released on September 27, 2011

Eighteen isn’t too young to run your life into the ground, but it’s not too old to fix it, either. The desire for change drives Willa Kirk from St. John’s, Newfoundland back to hometown of Smiths Falls, Ontario, away from her mistakes and the place where her sister died. She’s looking for a place to settle and rebuild, but Jem Harper just wants to get out of town, back to the life he knew before cancer. By letting the tragedies in their lives define them, they are both dying a little more every day. Welcome to the wake.

Love Among Pigeons
Released on August 23, 2013

In this companion novella to Wake, Frank invites the Kirk family home to Smiths Falls for Thanksgiving weekend. Holidays are always a trial for the family that lost their daughter and sister, but Frank is hopeful that this Thanksgiving will be the exception. He has some happy news to share. If only he wasn’t so reluctant to talk about it.

Thanks so much to Abria for stopping by to share her thoughts! She has also provided a few giveaways as part of the tour! Hope you win!

Click here to go to the form to enter to win a Moleskine book notes journal, 1 of 5 signed bookmarks, and a $30 Williams Sonoma gift card.

Click here to go to the form to enter to win a $25 GelaSkins gift card.

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
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
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.