Blog Tour and Review: Opposing Sides- CM Doporto

Genre: New Adult Romance 18+ for adult situations and language

Page numbers: 157 pages

Word Count: 53,500

Release Date: May 30, 2014

Summary: 

College senior, Lexi Thompson, finds herself in a relationship to be wed to the university’s star baseball pitcher, Collin Norris. Collin’s damn hot, but his lack of spark has Lexi thinking twice before she says ‘I Do’. When she’s forced to tutor bad boy football quarterback, Raven Davenport, she soon discovers allthe things she’s missing in her relationship with Collin. Will she succumb to the temptations enticing her, or will Collin be able to convince his sweet, innocent fiancée that his love for her is genuine despite his lack of affection? (This story will be told in two instalments)

Excerpt:

He was toxic and smelled of sex and drugs. Well, not that I knew what all that smelled like, but his aura beamed bright red warning me to be careful.

“Are you ready to get started? Because we only have an hour.” I held out my hand, motioning to a small table in the corner.

“That’s plenty of time.” He raised his brows.

I rolled my eyes and walked to the table. Taking a seat, I took out the agreement that Dr. Philips prepared. I signed my name, and moved the papers in front of him. “Please sign this.”

Raven leaned over the table. “I was thinking you might want to do this somewhere private.” A seductive grin spread across his lips as he pressed his weight against it, as if testing the durability of the wood.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This was a shorter story that packed a punch. It had a variety of topics as well as inspirational underlying messages. This wasn't your ordinary love story... well it really isn't even a love story. It's more about love versus connivence.
The main character was showing growth right from the get go, and also that with growth comes struggle and later acceptance. Lexi is a strong character to go against her parents, and others to do what was right and stop possible future complications. Not many people would be strong enough to do that.
I'm so mad that it ended the way it did. Hello? Right in the middle of a turning point. GAH!! I had to message the author when I finished to force information from her ahha. Anyone looking for a shorter, fun NA novel, I would recommend this one to you.*

*Previously posted to blog

Purchase Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Opposing-Sides-Book-University-Series-ebook/dp/B00KOBJ1HS/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/opposing-sides-cm-doporto/1119633736?ean=2940149500642

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id884254240

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/opposing-sides​

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/CM_Doporto_Opposing_Sides?id=ydWxAwAAQBAJ&hl=en

About the Author:

CM Doporto lives in the great state of Texas with her husband and son enjoying life with their extensive family along with their Chihuahua, Mexican Redhead Parrot and several fish. She writes Young Adult and New Adult stories about ordinary women who do extraordinary things, become a heroine, and find love along the way.

Web/blog: http://cmdoporto.com

 Facebook: http://facebook.com/cmdoportowriter

 Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorcmdoporto

 Twitter: @cm_doporto

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/cmdoporto

 Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/cmdoporto

Release Day Blitz: Hecate's Awakening- K.B. Miller

Title: Hecate’s Awakening

Author: K.B. Miller

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Fantasy

Cover Design: Regina Wamba at Mae I Design Photography & Emma MichaelsHosted by: Lady Amber's Tours

Synopsis:

Fifteen-year-old Sabella Grimes has never been normal, unless every teenage girl has recurring dreams of magic and goddesses. Unfortunately, devastation strikes Sabella when she loses both of her parents in a freak plane crash on her birthday. Suddenly, the word ‘normal’ takes on a whole new meaning.

A world she never knew existed is opened up to her. A life where Spellcasting 101, Mastering the Art of Hexes, and AP Potions replaces English, Geometry, and Biology at Sabella’s new school ─Crossroads Prep School.

Seventeen-year-old Cain Mera knew what he was and what he had to do ... he, like his father before him, was a witch hunter. His life’s mission was to rid the world of those abominations. However, when he meets the feisty, blonde-haired teen he’s going to have to choose between his feelings for a girl and his deeply ingrained hatred toward her race.

Sabella begins to understand that it’s not always what you know that could get you killed ... it’s what’s in your blood. Will she be able to harness her new powers and protect those she loves, or will she be burned at the stake by someone she trusts?

Author K.B. Miller is a proud native of Baltimore, Maryland. Currently she resides in a tiny valley nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Pennsylvania along with her husband and son (both Steelers fans ─ eww!), her energetic puppy ─ Cullen Edward, and her mouthy blue front Amazon Parrot, Poppy.

She’s also a huge football nut! That's right fellas, she’s a DIE-HARD Ravens fan living in Pennsylvania! How's that for ballsy?

She’s been writing for as long as she can remember, but two years ago her loving husband─ who believed in her talent, finally gave her a gentle push... actually, according to her, it was really more of a kick... in the lower back-upper thigh region. She claims it hurt. After a few restless nights she decided to allow everyone to meet all of the crazy characters in her head, and here we are.

K.B. has as her family calls it, a ridiculous addiction to hats, shoes, sunglasses, owls, and coffee. No problems there, right? That's what she said.

Welcome to K.B.-land, it's a lot like Disneyland only without all the endless lines, unnaturally happy people, and it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg to enter! LOL

Author links:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Instagram * Amazon
Barnes and Noble * Smashwords * iBooks

Prologue

Hecate

“Are you quite certain this is the path we must take, Father?” I asked, peering up at the thumbnail that hung low in the night’s sky.

“It is unfortunate, Hecate, but I am.  I fear that if we do not act now, Cronus will wage his war.  He is desperate for your powers and those of the child in hopes of regaining dominion over all the lands.” My father, the powerful Zeus said placing his hand on my bare shoulder as my hair whipped in the wind.

“I don’t understand why he wants to regain control over the humans.  What would he stand to gain?” My voice quaked with fear.  Cronus, my father’s father had been the most powerful Titan to ever rule, until my father had grown up and banished him and all of Titans to Tartarus in the underworld.

“With the combined powers of yours and the child, he wishes to open the crossroads and unleash the underworld.  He seeks revenge against all those he feels overthrew his rule, and he will not be satisfied until he has the power to do exactly that.” my father paced the cliff’s edge, “As his son, his behavior saddens me greatly.  He has already begun recruiting spies to find your location.  Lamia, Mormo, and Empusa will act against us, and should you be found, they will take you to him.”

“Then so mote it be!  I do, however have yet another question.  The magic that I must undertake will put me into a deep slumber this evening when the moon is at its most potent.  How will I know when to rise?” I asked.

“The child, the one whose power will be far greater than any we have ever witnessed will call you to her when it is time.” He answered.

“Then it shall be done.  I have already taken the liberty of creating the potion that will assist us this night.  However, I do wonder why this child, who is not even born yet is of such importance to Cronus’ plan?” I tilted my chin to face my father directly.

He eyed me for a moment before he answered, “She is important, because she is of our blood.  By the time she is of this world, the power in her blood will decide all of our fates.  She will be both Goddess and Titan, the beginning and the end.  She will be both, living and dead, able to walk between worlds.  She will be the absolute power.”

“I understand, Father.” I said, tilting the tiny vial with the powerful potion into my mouth.  In a mere moment, the beautiful moon, my moon faded from my vision and all went black.

Review #281: Adventure Time The Mathematical Edition Volume Three- Ryan North

Title: Adventure Time The Mathematical Edition Volume Three
Author: Ryan North
Pages: 144
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: This is the last of The Adventure Time books that I own at this point in time. This was again a fun read and entertaining read. It is great for readers of any age. I loved the artwork in this instalment too. I loved that most of the drawings were pixelated to show that the characters were in a video game lol.

About this author

Ryan M. North is a Canadian writer and computer programmer who is the creator and author of Dinosaur Comics, and co-creator of Whispered Apologies and Happy Dog the Happy Dog.

North grew up in Ottawa, Ontario where he studied computer science (minor in film) at Carleton University before moving to Toronto for his Master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Toronto, specializing in computational linguistics. He is a humorist, programmer and longboarding enthusiast; but also designs t-shirts as a day job.

Probably his most well known work, Dinosaur Comics, a fixed-art webcomic, has run for more than 1,500 issues and has been published by Quack!Media as The Best of Dinosaur Comics: 2003-2005 AD: Your Whole Family Is Made Of Meat. His creation of numerous web tools and Dinosaur Comics serve as a full-time source of income for North, making him one of a few self-sufficient webcomic artists. Before Dinosaur Comics, North created Robot Erotica.

North is currently editing and anthology of short stories about "a machine that could tell, from just a sample of your blood, how you were going to die" called Machine of Death.

Ryan North, it should also be noted, is awesome.

Review #280: Adventure Time The Mathematical Edition- Ryan North

Title: Adventure Time The Mathematical Edition Volume Two
Author: Ryan North
Pages: 144
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: I also grabbed this edition while at Comic Con. I think I liked this instalment better than Volume One. I like Princess Bubblegum the best lol and this edition had a lot of her story. Again it was a fast, easy read and I loved the artwork.

About this author

Ryan M. North is a Canadian writer and computer programmer who is the creator and author of Dinosaur Comics, and co-creator of Whispered Apologies and Happy Dog the Happy Dog.

North grew up in Ottawa, Ontario where he studied computer science (minor in film) at Carleton University before moving to Toronto for his Master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Toronto, specializing in computational linguistics. He is a humorist, programmer and longboarding enthusiast; but also designs t-shirts as a day job.

Probably his most well known work, Dinosaur Comics, a fixed-art webcomic, has run for more than 1,500 issues and has been published by Quack!Media as The Best of Dinosaur Comics: 2003-2005 AD: Your Whole Family Is Made Of Meat. His creation of numerous web tools and Dinosaur Comics serve as a full-time source of income for North, making him one of a few self-sufficient webcomic artists. Before Dinosaur Comics, North created Robot Erotica.

North is currently editing and anthology of short stories about "a machine that could tell, from just a sample of your blood, how you were going to die" called Machine of Death.

Ryan North, it should also be noted, is awesome.

Review: Adventure Time The Mathematical Edition Volume One- Ryan North

Title: Adventure Time The Mathematical Edition Volume One
Author: Ryan North
Pages: 144
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: It's ADVENTURE TIME! Join Finn the Human, Jake the Dog, and Princess Bubblegum for all-new adventures through The Land of Ooo.The totally algebraic adventures of Finn and Jake have come to the comic book page! The Lich, a super-lame, SUPER-SCARY skeleton dude, has returned to the the Land of Ooo, and he’s bent on total destruction! Luckily, Finn and Jake are on the case...but can they succeed against their most destructive foe yet? Featuring fan-favorite characters Marceline the Vampire Queen, Princess Bubblegum, Lumpy Space Princess and the Ice King!
Review: I had never heard of this show or comics/ graphic novels until Cat from The Little Book Owl mentioned them on her youtube channel. I figured that if she liked it so would I. The perfect opportunity came when I saw these volumes at Comic Con and grabbed them for myself. 
I really liked this edition. I love the drawings and the characters are fantastic! I also liked that it was humorous. The notes at the bottom (although the colour was really hard to read) were funny as well. 
I will absolutely be reading more of these since I do own a few more haha. Hopefully I enjoy them as much as this one. I would recommend these to those who enjoy shows like Spongebob.

About this author

Ryan M. North is a Canadian writer and computer programmer who is the creator and author of Dinosaur Comics, and co-creator of Whispered Apologies and Happy Dog the Happy Dog.

North grew up in Ottawa, Ontario where he studied computer science (minor in film) at Carleton University before moving to Toronto for his Master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Toronto, specializing in computational linguistics. He is a humorist, programmer and longboarding enthusiast; but also designs t-shirts as a day job.

Probably his most well known work, Dinosaur Comics, a fixed-art webcomic, has run for more than 1,500 issues and has been published by Quack!Media as The Best of Dinosaur Comics: 2003-2005 AD: Your Whole Family Is Made Of Meat. His creation of numerous web tools and Dinosaur Comics serve as a full-time source of income for North, making him one of a few self-sufficient webcomic artists. Before Dinosaur Comics, North created Robot Erotica.

North is currently editing and anthology of short stories about "a machine that could tell, from just a sample of your blood, how you were going to die" called Machine of Death.

Ryan North, it should also be noted, is awesome.

Review #278: My Forever June- DeAnna Kinney

Title: My Forever June
Author: DeAnna Kinney
Pages: 208
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: Can love truly save a life?

June Russell is a free spirited artist living her dream life in her recently inherited beach cottage on Oak Island. She is addicted to coffee and clutter, and with her quirks and mother issues, she is perfectly content to be alone, feeling her life is utterly complete. But when the adorable Tucker Mitchell helps her out of a sandy situation during an altercation on the beach, the powerful sparks are hard to ignore.

Despite the facts that they are completely opposite and not looking for love, they fall—hard, neither one seeing it coming. And just when they think life couldn’t get any sweeter, illness strikes, blindsiding them both. Will they overcome despite the odds against them? Or, just when they have found each other, will fate play a cruel joke and separate them forever?
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I love DeAnna Kinney and her writing. I have read most of her novels. I was nervous about this book because it wasn't her usual paranormal, but I did really enjoy the read. It was both cute and fluffy but sad at the same time. I loved the dual points of view, although I do wish we would have got Tucker's POV when he "was gone". It would have given more hope that coma patients can hear people talk to them. 
I did really enjoy both of these characters. I would have liked to get more of their backgrounds. I need to know why June's mom was such a jerk. I both laughed and cried with these characters and I hope to get more to them. 
Overall, this was a great read and I want more. I laughed when the characters read Deanna's other book in this book lol. I would recommend it to those looking for a cute love story with a little bit of sad weaved in.

About this author

I am a wife of nineteen years and a mother of three amazing kids. I consider myself as fun-loving and a bit peculiar. Besides writing, I love reading, the color purple, Star Wars, decorating on a budget, and dancing while I cook(I can see my kids rolling their eyes as we speak). I believe whole-heartedly that chocolates and a good book go hand in hand. And, having experienced it myself, believe utterly in the power of true love.

I am very hands-on with my fans and thrive on their interaction. 

Review #277: From the Wreckage- Michele G. Miller

Title: From the Wreckage
Author: Michele G. Miller
Pages: 200
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Summary: “In a matter of minutes on a Friday night, I lost my school, my identity, the security of my first love, the personality of my sweet fearless brother, my best friend, my town, everything as I knew it. Everything changed.” 

"Minutes - that’s all it takes to change your entire life. How do you deal with that?” 

For high school senior Jules Blacklin surviving the storm is only the beginning. Faced with the new reality of her life, she must find a way to rise From The Wreckage and answer the question - how do you get back to normal, when everything that was normal is gone?
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

OMG! I loved this book, it had me laughing, crying and feeling the love. This was a quick read that held my attention, allowing me to fly through it in a few hours. I loved how raw the story was and how i'm sure a lot of people can relate to it.I liked how Jules told her story through video trying to cope with the tragedy. Michele G. Miller is a genius for writing it that way, it just makes everything more real. 
I loved the growth from both Jules and West. It's amazing how one moment could change their lives so drastically, for both the better and the worse. I desperately need book two, to see if this love found in tragedy will survive. 
From the Wreckage had me feeling so many emotions. When there were cute romantic parts I was as giddy as a school girl, but I also bawled my face off. This book is an amazing read and I would recommend it to all contemporary lovers. I NEED to continue this journey!

About this author

So far I have written YA Fantasy Romance and NA Romantic Suspense.

Personal tidbits:
I'm a married mom of three. Grew up in Maine and Alabama (Roll Tide) but moved to the Carolina blue skies in 2002 (NC) and love it here!
I'm a fool for good dialogues and great lyrics!

I love football, chocolate and hiking in the mountains! I also love social media and can be found daily perusing Twitter or Facebook.

 

Review #276: The Supreme Moment- C.G. Garcia

Title: The Supreme Moment
Author: C.G. Garcia
Pages: 322
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Summary: The moment a bunch of men with guns kicked in the doors of her house, eighteen-year-old Avery Morgan knew her estranged father's gambling addiction had finally caught up to her family in the worst way. On the brink of doing something unspeakable to save her little sister from being taken, she is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Darrien Stathos, a business mogul whose true persona is rumored to be the lord of the criminal underworld known as Kairos. Darrien announces that he is also there to collect on a contract with Avery's father—for Avery.

As she struggles with the reality of being the property of an alleged crime lord and the constant harassment of two FBI agents, several disturbing observations about Darrien's eyes and the frightening, inexplicable ways he stops a couple of would-be assassins make Avery rethink her initial dismissal of some of the more outlandish gossip that questioned his humanity.

Add to that learning a disturbing and dangerous truth about herself, and Avery is ready to break, especially when the truth of Darrien's identity is something that will shatter the very foundation of her understanding of reality.
Review: I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
This was another book that I entered to win on a whim. I wasn't to sure what it was about but i thought that the cover looked interesting. I didn't have any expectations going in but this book sucked me in and in a very short time. I finished the book in one sitting. I haven't read anything quite like it, ever. It's very hard to explain, it is basically aliens but with a mythological feel and undertones. The author went into great details creating the worlds and inhabitants of this novel. 
The characters in this book were all so well described and developed. I loved getting to peel back Darrien's layers with Avery. I loved watching the thought process behind Avery's thoughts and actions. I'm excited for the next book to see where these two end up.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes different and unique stories. The Supreme Moment was such a great read and I look forward to reading book two. 

About this author

C.G. Garcia lives in a small West Texas town whose claim to fame is having the world’s largest Rattlesnake Round-up. She has a degree in computer science, but due to life’s twisted sense of humor, ended up working in a pharmacy. A lifelong lover of all things fantasy and science fiction, The Supreme Moment is her debut novel.

Review #275: The Krusty Book- Matt Groening

Title: The Krusty Book
Author: Matt Groening
Pages: 96
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: Comic genius. TV legend. Household name. Compulsive gambler. Tax evader. Deadbeat dad. Illiterate. Krusty the Clown is all these things––and more!

Look beyond the cream pies and the seltzer bottles and meet the mensch behind the makeup. See what it takes to make the grade as a Krustyco product. Learn how to steal a joke and make it your own. Witness the milestones of Krusty's storied past. And along the way, dodge the paparazzi, avoid the tabloids, and go through Botox and detox with America's most beloved and "Krusty"–est clown.
Hey, Hey, Kids! It's another celebrity–authored bestseller, ghostwritten by someone you never heard of. It's...The Krusty Book.

The Simpsons Library of Wisdom


Matt Groening, the creator of "The Simpsons," offers an on–going series of portable and quotable books that will eliminate the need for all religions and philosophies, exalt man's role in the universe, and make the world a better place...sort of. No other television show in history has commented so freely and so humorously on modern times, and there seems to be no end in sight for the sharp satire and pointed parody that "The Simpsons" serves up every night of the week all around the world.
Review: This instalment was okay. I had the same issues with it being about everyone except who it was supposed to be about. I did like the little Krusty comics. Again this is a fun book to have on my shelf.

About this author

Matthew Abram Groening is an American cartoonist, television producer and writer from Portland, Oregon.

Groening is best known as the creator of The Simpsons. He is also the creator of Futurama and the author of the weekly comic strip Life in Hell. Groening distributed Life in Hell in the book corner of Licorice Pizza, a record store in which he worked.

He made his first professional cartoon sale to the avant-garde Wet magazine in 1978. The cartoon is still carried in 250 weekly newspapers.

Review #274: The Ralph Wiggum Book- Matt Groening

Title: The Ralph Wiggum Book
Author: Matt Groening
Pages: 96
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: The Ralph Wiggum Book is an all–new book from the new series: The Simpsons Library of Wisdom.

There's more to Ralph than meets the eye. He might be that kid you feel like pointing towards and laughing at, but Ralph Wiggum has a 'special' way of disarming you with his completely off–kilter statements that always have the ring of truth about them. See the world through Ralph–coloured glasses as he muses on household pets, poetry, constellations, homemade gifts, hiding spots, sports, school, right and wrong, crime and punishment, love, leprechauns, wookies, wiggle puppies and a lot more non–booger and paste–related subjects.
So don't just stand there with your finger up your nose . pick a winner with The Ralph Wiggum Book.

In The Simpsons Library of Wisdom, Matt Groening, the creator of 'The Simpsons', offers an ongoing series of portable and quotable books that will eliminate the need for all religions and philosophies, exalt man's role in the universe and make the world a better place ... sort of. No other television show in history has commented so freely and so humorously on modern times, and there seems to be no end in sight for the sharp satire and pointed parody that 'The Simpsons' serves up every night of the week all around the world.
Review: This was by far the best book out of this collection that I have read. It was souly based on the character Ralph, unlike the other instalments. Also this one was the funniest. I wish they had all been this good.

About this author

Matthew Abram Groening is an American cartoonist, television producer and writer from Portland, Oregon.
Groening is best known as the creator of The Simpsons. He is also the creator of Futurama and the author of the weekly comic strip Life in Hell. Groening distributed Life in Hell in the book corner of Licorice Pizza, a record store in which he worked.
He made his first professional cartoon sale to the avant-garde Wet magazine in 1978. The cartoon is still carried in 250 weekly newspapers.

Review #273: Released from the Darkness- Gabrielle Arrowsmith

Title: Released from the Darkness
Author: Gabrielle Arrowsmith 
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Summary: Two young seeksmen are dead, and Sydney blames herself. The only way to get her sister back from the county's clutches, while also preventing more death, was to offer her own life in exchange for Evvie's freedom.

She expected a dreadful end, but nothing like the prison in which she wakes. Agonizing county life is redefined in Neo-Necropolis, new city of the dead, which lies beneath the earth. Worse than being allegedly deceased, is the false identity Sydney is forced to assume where Evvie, Sheridan's captain, and Crewe never existed.
Sydney alone knows the magnitude of the county's evildoings inside, outside, and now below. At only eighteen, the responsibility to defend freedom falls solely on her tried and tested shoulders—a burden that requires desperate action when a catastrophic revelation upends the world as she knew it. 

The people Sydney cares for are more vulnerable than ever. Though she's buried underground and monitored by county agents, she must escape this new captivity. Maybe it's time to fight fire with fire. Sydney has proven her courage in facing their weapons, but can she trigger her own?
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is a hard review for me to write because I loved Concealed in the Shadows but I just couldn't get into this one. It's written well with a lot of great descriptions, there are twists and action but I just couldn't connect. I just found there was so going on and so many characters that I was lost sometimes. 

About this author

Gabrielle Arrowsmith was born to her loving mother, father, and older brother on August 16th, 1988. She grew up in the small town of Ham Lake, MN enjoying soccer, school, and adventuresome play with her brother and cousins.

As she grew older, her desire to write led her to fill many diaries and notebooks with her thoughts, poems, stories, and scripts. Her other childhood hobbies included reading, playing soccer, acting, and playing piano.

Gabrielle recalls high school as the time when she first believed in the worth of her writing. Her AP Language and Literature course both challenged and celebrated her craft. Aiming for perfection caused her to slave over her work, but only so much as to allow time for her other college-level courses, soccer, track, National Honor Society, and school plays.

From 2006-2009 she attended the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN where she earned a degree in Elementary Education. Atypical of a college student, Gabrielle looked forward to writing papers in her various courses. Gabrielle played collegiate soccer for the Saints, held work-study positions, acted in theater productions, and volunteered often.

Gabrielle is currently teaching sixth and seventh grade math and pursuing her passion for storytelling through both writing and acting. She also continues to play and coach soccer.

ARC Review: Afterworlds- Scott Westerfeld

Title: Afterworlds
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Pages: 608
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings… 

Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most.
Review: I received this book for free at BEA 2014 from the publisher and the author. 
This was awesome because firstly I love Scott Westerfeld and because I got an ARC of this book and secondly I got my copy signed and thirdly I GOT TO MEET SCOTT WESTERFELD!!!! And on a side note, we took a selfie. I love The Uglies series so I was extremely happy to dive into another series from this amazing author. Afterworlds was an unique read because it is a book within a book. I loved that there were two stories going on at once, the "true story" of the author writing the book and the story that she has written. It was just really neat how we get two stories in one. Scott gets extra points from me first for writing about a LGBT main character and second for writing from girls points of view. I'm actually really excited to see if there will be a second book (Untitled Patel) because I would like more of Imogen and also her books.
I really liked this book and would recommend it to those looking for an unique read or who loves stories within a story. Also if you are already a Westerfeld fan you need to add this one to your list.

About this author

Scott Westerfeld is a New York Times bestselling American-born author of YA sci-fi literature. He was born in the Texas and now lives in Sydney and New York City. In 2001, Westerfeld married fellow author Justine Larbalestier.
His book Evolution's Darling was a New York Times Notable Book, and won a Special Citation for the 2000 Philip K. Dick Award. So Yesterday won a Victorian Premier's Award and Midnighters 1: The Secret Hour won an Aurealis Award. Peeps and Uglies were both named as Best Books for Young Adults 2006 by the American Library Association.

Review #272: The Ways of the Dead- Neely Tucker

Title: The Ways of the Dead
Author: Neely Tucker
Pages: 288
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: The electrifying first novel in a new crime series from a veteran Washington, D.C., reporter

  Sarah Reese, the teenage daughter of a powerful Washington, D.C. judge, is dead, her body discovered in a slum in the shadow of the Capitol. Though the police promptly arrest three local black kids, newspaper reporter Sully Carter suspects there’s more to the case. Reese’s slaying might be related to a string of cold cases the police barely investigated, among them the recent disappearance of a gorgeous university student.   A journalist brought home from war-torn Bosnia and hobbled by loss, rage, and alcohol, Sully encounters a city rife with its own brand of treachery and intrigue. Weaving through D.C.’s broad avenues and shady backstreets on his Ducati 916 motorcycle, Sully comes to know not just the city’s pristine monuments of power but the blighted neighborhoods beyond the reach of the Metro. With the city clamoring for a conviction, Sully pursues the truth about the murders—all against pressure from government officials, police brass, suspicious locals, and even his own bosses at the paper.    A wry, street-smart hero with a serious authority problem, Sully delves into a deeply layered mystery, revealing vivid portraits of the nation’s capital from the highest corridors of power to D.C.’s seedy underbelly, where violence and corruption reign supreme—and where Sully must confront the back-breaking line between what you think and what you know, and what you know and what you can print. Inspired by the real-life 1990s Princeton Place murders and set in the last glory days of the American newspaper, The Ways of the Dead is a wickedly entertaining story of race, crime, the law, and the power of the media. Neely Tucker delivers a flawless rendering of a fast-paced, scoop-driven newsroom—investigative journalism at its grittiest.  
Review: I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review. I signed up to win this novel on a whim because I am trying to branch out and read other things than YA. I found this one particularly interesting because it reminded me of the shows Cold Case and Criminal Minds. And it didn't disappoint, it reminded me exactly of those. I love that it was inspired be real events as well. I really enjoyed that the story was layered with "who done its" and I really had no idea who the real criminal was until the very end. I had been trying to guess the whole time to no avail. I really loved these characters but I want more of the girls stories. I am a sucker for background. I did love that we got Sully's, but I need more.
I'm excited to read more in this series. I would recommend this to crime and mystery lovers.

About this author

Neely Tucker draws heavily on his two decades reporting on crime and armed conflict from around the globe to create Sully Carter and his complicated moral realm in "The Ways of The Dead."

He was born in Lexington, Miss., one of the poorest places in America,in 1963. He started working for newspapers in Mississippi, then moved to Miami and Detroit before taking postings based in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. Filing stories from more than 60 countries, he frequently covered war and violent conflict.When he returned to D.C. in 2000, he covered criminal courts and the fates of former prison inmates. Elmore Leonard, a friend in Detroit, used him as the basis and namesake for a foreign correspondent in "Cuba Libre."

Tucker, now 50, is a staff writer for The Washington Post Sunday Magazine. His memoir, "Love in the Driest Season," was named one of the Top 25 Books of 2004 by Publishers Weekly. It has been published in the U.K., Germany, Australia and Brazil. It has twice been optioned for film development in Los Angeles.

He lives just outside D.C. with his wife, Carol,their three children and one very large Rottweiler. Who is, of course, named Sully.

Review #271: Wool- Hugh Howey

Title: Wool
Author: Hugh Howey
Pages: 563
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Summary: In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo.

Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations.

But some people choose not to conform.

These are the people who dare to hope and dream.

These are the dangerous ones.

Jules is one of these people.

She may well be the last.
Review: I had been seeing this book around when it had the original cover and I happened to have found a copy in my local second hand bookstore, so obviously I had to buy it. I hadn't really read what this story was about and from the old cover I would assume it was YA, but it wasn't and I was okay with that. I really enjoyed this book but it is really hard to review because it is so out there and weird and amazing. I loved that there were different parts about different characters allowing us to really get to know them and connect with them. I just can't believe the amazing yet devastating world that Hugh Howey has created. I love all of the emotions portrayed in this novel, but most of all how both the love and the loss not only affect the characters and the reader but also shape the whole story.
I love the way Hugh Howey writes and I love the world that is WOOL. I can not wait to get my hands on the rest of the novels in his series. I would recommend this novel to dystopian lovers.

About this author

I'm the author of WOOL, a top 5 science fiction book on Amazon. I also wrote the Molly Fyde saga, a tale of a teenager from the 25th century who is repeatedly told that girls can't do certain things -- and then does them anyway.

A theme in my books is the celebration of overcoming odds and of not allowing the cruelty of the universe to change who you are in the process. Most of them are classified as science fiction, since they often take place in the future, but if you love great stories and memorable characters, you'll dig what you find here. I promise.