Identical Book Review

Identical
Ellen Hopkins
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publishing Date: September 16, 2008

 

Book Description

 

Do twins begin in the womb?

Or in a better place?

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical down to the dimple. As daughters of a district-court judge father and a politician mother, they are an all-American family -- on the surface. Behind the facade each sister has her own dark secret, and that's where their differences begin.

For Kaeleigh, she's the misplaced focus of Daddy's love, intended for a mother whose presence on the campaign trail means absence at home. All that Raeanne sees is Daddy playing a game of favorites -- and she is losing. If she has to lose, she will do it on her own terms, so she chooses drugs, alcohol, and sex.

Secrets like the ones the twins are harboring are not meant to be kept -- from each other or anyone else. Pretty soon it's obvious that neither sister can handle it alone, and one sister must step up to save the other, but the question is -- who?

 

My Thoughts

 

Ellen Hopkins is definitely one of my tops for favorite authors. Anything she writes I just devour. ‘Identical’ was no different, it was a non-stop, drama filled; punch you in the gut kind of book. I couldn’t put it down. Ellen writes her books in such a unique poetic way and yet they pack such a punch that they hit my emotions much harder than any book written in regular verse.

 

‘Identical’ touches some very tough issues. Incest, death, attempted suicide, and eating disorders are just a few of them. The girls in this story are identical twins and they go through hell and the sad thing is there are girls all over the world that live through their own personal hell every day. This is their reality. That is one of my favorite things about Ellen’s books; she hits on dark subjects and sheds light on them. It makes them more known, when a lot of people live in a world of denial.

 

‘Identical’ was such a great book, I don’t even think I can do it justice in words. The ending was such a mind warp, let me tell you! It was crazy! I did not see that coming in any shape or form. It was a shocker. I won’t give any of it away because it is just too good to spoil.

You will just have to read it for yourself and trust me you don’t want to miss this book!

 

 

* I bought this book of my own accord and decided to review it. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I did not receive compensation for this review.

Ba(n)d Romance Book Review

Ba(n)d Romance
Sarah Billington

 

Book Description

 

Jordan thought she and Paul were forever. Then she found out about Missy: Paul’s other forever.
Now it’s the night of the sophomore dance. Jordan’s on stage with her band, Paul’s text bombing her and Missy’s in the audience with murder on her mind. Unfortunately, it’s not Paul in Missy’s sights.

Another short and sassy story from Sarah Billington.

 

 

 

My Thoughts

 

This was a fun and quick read. Mind you it was a short story but I would probably read a whole book about this character. It was a bit different from what I usually read now. I read a lot of stories lot this in high school however and I really enjoyed them.

 

This was a very light read and I enjoyed the high school drama in this short story. I also liked the fact that Sarah wrote a complete story in short story form, there is nothing I hate more than a short story that leaves you hanging and doesn’t even tell a complete story at all.

 

I also liked the characters in ‘Ba(n)d Romance’ Jordan was someone I think a lot of girls can relate to.

 

This was not the case with this one and I really like the style of writing in this short story as well. I would recommend this short story and I will definitely be checking out some of Sarah’s others work.

* I recieved this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expresssed in this review are my own. I did not recieve compensation for this review.

Love Seen From Hell Book Review

Love Seen From Hell
John Emil Augustine

 

 

 

Book Description

 

This rare and honest first-person account looks at 21st century romance, marriage with children, and divorce from a regular guy’s perspective. The colorful and addictive narrative delves deep into spousal abuse, the hopeless place in which a father finds himself during divorce, new beginnings, and his ordeal’s significance in retrospect. John Emil Augustine’s insight throughout, the result of his own tragedy and redemption, is nothing short of eloquence itself written in a very down-to-earth, casual way. This heart-jerking, wisdom-flecked story is a must read for lovers of fiction and non-fiction alike.

 

My Thoughts

 

I thought this book was very raw and real. It discusses John’s life at an in-depth level, from all his failed relationships, to his children, to his jobs. I thought this book was very sad but a very good read, it was clearly John being very vulnerable and open about his life.

 

It also touches on spousal abuse from a male point of view. She was very mentally abusive and it was a lot to absorb for me so it took me a while to finish the book. I found it very interesting to read about these subjects from a male’s perspective. Divorce, failed relationship and abuse, even though in this case it was mental it didn’t make it any lesser form of abuse for me, usually I see a lot of books that are about these subjects from a woman’s view. So it was a fresh look for me.

 

You could see that mistakes were made on both sides but it seemed as if John really tried to make it work but it just didn’t. At the end I just really felt sad for him. I really enjoyed reading about his teaching techniques though. Those were very intriguing.

 

I think John has been through a very long journey and I am glad that he is writing and letting go of all of this sadness and heartbreak. Hopefully now he can have a happy and fully life.

* I recieved this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I did not recieve compensation for this review.

Big Announcement About the Syrenka Series

I'm so excited to announce a new addition to the syrenka world. Now you can get The Syrenka Series trilogy plus three bonus short stories all in one place! So if these have been on your TBR list...you can grab all three together and enjoy an additional insight into the minds of the syrenka guys (Kain, Graham, and Brendan).

The box set includes:

Promises (Book One) - A young mermaid is forced to decide between love and duty, and when she chooses wrong, her world will change forever. 

Betrayal (Book Two) - A heartbroken Eviana returns home to find herself with the responsibility of leading her clan into war.

Arise (Book Three) - In the series conclusion, Eviana discovers the consequences of power and sacrifice.

Bonus short stories include-

Cold Feet - Kain witnesses Eviana’s deceit on their wedding day and is forced to deal with the consequences of her behavior.

First Impressions - Although stuck at a boring Council meeting, Graham is excited to meet Eviana and discover why she’s so important for his mentor’s plans.

The Call - Brendan struggles with his feelings for Eviana while trying to fight against the instincts tearing him away.

Buy now at Amazon or Smashwords.

And if you still can't get enough, visit The Syrenka Series website for additional short stories, the dream cast, and more!

A Diamond In My Pocket Book Review

A Diamond In My Pocket
Lorena Angell
May 27, 2011

 

Book Description

 

 

Calli Courtnae, age 16, unexpectedly breaks the 100-meter world record at a high school track meet and is whisked off to Montana to train for Olympic tryouts. Upon arriving, however, she finds something totally unexpected. Her fellow athletes are secretive, mysterious, paranoid, uncommonly beautiful — and endowed with the same gift of superhuman speed that she now exhibits. The truth, Calli learns, is that she has been brought to Montana to join an elite clan of Runners who train to undertake highly secret missions for the benefit of superhuman kids everywhere.

When three Runners from her compound are kidnapped by a clan of evil terrorists who can kill with their thoughts, Calli is assigned to the team that must deliver a rare magic diamond to the terrorists in exchange for the hostages. Calli is just beginning to accept her new world when it is turned upside-down by a mysterious woman who secretly gives Calli the real diamond, while the team leader is given a decoy. Almost immediately the magic diamond in Calli’s pocket unleashes within her a startling range of supernatural powers and mind-reading abilities. Using her newfound powers, Calli exposes traitors among her team, discovers that the hottest-looking guy on the team believes she is his soulmate, has visions of her companions’ tragic futures, and learns that she alone holds the power to change their futures. While Calli knows that her powers derive from the secret diamond in her pocket, her companions do not, and Calli dreads the fast-approaching day when they will discover the truth.

 

 

My Thoughts

 

I really enjoyed this book,  I think the plot was very unique. I have never read a book that was even similar to ‘A Diamond in My Pocket.’ The title totally threw me for a loop, the book was not at all how I expected for it to be from the title, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a very good read, the characters were strong and on point. I liked the way the story was written, there was a lot of mystery left with the way it was written and I really enjoy stories that are written like that.

 

This book had a little bit of everything, and I don’t think it is necessarily a young adult book I think it could appeal to a broader audience as well. I really enjoyed this story and hope you read more about these characters.

 

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, it’s a very unique read and like I said earlier I think a range of different age groups can enjoy this book.

 

* I got this book for free on amazon and reviewed of my accord. All opinions in this review are my own. I did not recieve comepensation for this review.

Imaginable Book Review

Imaginable
J. Meyers
Fantasy/paranormal
Publishing Date: April 16, 2013

 

 

Book Description

 

Twins Sera and Luke Raine’s unusual abilities are growing. Sera is healing vampires now, making them human again. And, at times, Luke can actually change the future he Sees.

But Sera’s healing has dangerous consequences, and though Luke is altering the outcome of more visions, he can’t control them yet.

Now Sera is in danger as the dark creatures of the Realm seek to use her. As Luke struggles to master his gift in order to save his sister, he discovers even more about his powers.

And what he learns just may put him in greater danger than Sera has ever been.

 

 

My Thoughts

 

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, ‘Intangible’. The writing style was beautiful and I loved the characters, they were so dynamic and so was the plot. As expected, this book pleased me to the same extent. ‘Imaginable’ kicked the adrenaline, adventure, and danger into high drive. Every time I thought they were going to win against evil, something else happened and the plot just kept thickening.

 

I really loved the family dynamic in ‘Imaginable’ I think the author really tapped into the twin vibe and how strong and powerful it truly is. Family is very important and this book shows the true dynamics of it, that was a very pleasant bonus for me to read about because not a lot of the paranormal books capture that.

 

I thought the book was beautifully done and it kept me enthralled until the last second. The plot in this book was much more complex than the first one and I believe that that is how it should be done. There are too many series out there today that just don’t make sense. The books get more meaningless as they go but these characters and the way the author flawlessly writes their stories is the way it is supposed to go. I adore Sera and Luke as well as the rest of them and I will continue to read this series.

 

It is a truly amazing book and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

* I recieved this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expresssed in this review are my own. I did not recieve compensation for this review.
 

The Sound and the Echoes Book Review and Giveaway!!

 

The Sound and the Echoes
Dew Pellucid
Fantasy/Young Adult

 

 

Book Description

Imagine that everyone around you has a mirror image living somewhere else. Your world is like a sound, which produced that other world of echoes. And in this land men are governed by a terrible law--every Echo has to die, if his Sound dies.

One Sound especially must die. The Prince's Sound. The Fate Sealers and Fortune Tellers will make sure of that! Because after this Sound dies, the Echo Prince will have to die too.

Now, twelve-year-old Will Cleary is about to discover that he is the Sound the Echoes are hunting.

And so begins his perilous adventure into a see-through, sparkling world, filled with spying crystal balls, an eerie fortress of castaway children, a hunt for clues in an ancient book of riddles, and a last-chance escape through a frozen gem-studded lake into a secret land that holds the key to placing the Prince on the throne and returning freedom to the Echoes.

  

My Thoughts

 

I thought this book was truly amazing. I loved the world that the author created. It was truly unique and pulled me right in. This story is completely different from anything I have ever read and I truly enjoy it.

 

The way it was written was beautiful and I just thought the characters were amazing and the plot was genius. I think this book is unfairly overlooked because you have to pay attention to understand the full story and a lot of readers want the story spelled out for them in a simpler way. I however loved the way this one was told. I loved the writing style and I would recommend it to any fan of fantasy.

 

It is a truly captivating, in- depth, action packed fantasy adventure and I couldn’t have asked for more from this book.

* I recieved this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I did not recieve compensation for this review.

Giveaway!

 

 

 

Now it is time for the giveaway!!! Dew Pellucid the author of this lovely book has been kind enough to offer up 5 ebook copies of The Sound and the Echoes, 3 signed illustrations, and 1 paperback edition for the grand prize!!! So what are you waiting for go enter!!! Please refer to my giveaway guidelines for any questions.

 

 

 

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