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GIVEAWAY + EXCERPT – The Union Series by TH Hernandez

July 26, 2017 / Jen / 9 Comments

If you have been following our blog for a while, then you may know that I am OBSESSED with this series. It’s a young adult romantic adventure set one hundred years after the second civil war. And I have devoured every single book so far! Below you have a chance to win a copy of the whole series, plus there’s a gift card involved too. I desperately need more people who I can gush to about Evan and Cyrus. Especially since Evan has become one of my favorite heroines, and Cyrus is of course one of my top book boyfriends.

So check out what the 1st book, The Union, is about below. Then you can read an excerpt from the 4th book – The Uprising – I’m reading it right now and it’s soooooo good (my review will be posted next week)! And then enter the fabulous giveaway! If you want to check out my previous reviews for the first three books, I’ve linked them below. Enjoy and good luck!!

The Union
T.H. Hernandez
(The Union #1)
Publication date: November 18th 2014
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult

After global warming and a second civil war devastated the former United States, two different societies rose from the ashes – the Union, a towering high-tech utopia, hugging the perimeter of the continent, and the devastated, untamed midsection known as the Ruins.

Seventeen-year-old Evan Taylor has an easy, privileged life in the Union. What she doesn’t have is any idea what to do with the rest of her life. She only knows she wants to do something meaningful, to make a difference in the lives of others.

When she’s kidnapped and taken into the Ruins as a pawn in a dispute involving her boyfriend, Bryce, her ideal world is turned upside down. What she learns while in the Ruins shakes her faith in everything she’s ever known, from Bryce, to her family, and even the Union itself.

Now Evan must choose whether to stay with Cyrus, the sexy, resourceful survivor who believes she’s in the Ruins for a reason, or return to the only life she’s ever known. But when she stumbles upon a dangerous plot that threatens both worlds, her decision could tear her apart.

The Union is a futuristic young adult romantic adventure.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

The Union – book 1 – is only 99¢ for a limited time!

The Series:

Jen’s Review

Review coming 8/03

Excerpt from The Invasion #4:

[scroll-box]Evan

Liquid fills my nose and mouth and I claw in front of me, searching for the surface. I gasp, choking on a combination of air and water and shove my drenched hair out of my face. Hercules One holds an empty bucket at his side, water still dripping from the rim.

Dizziness takes hold when I sit up, my body tilting. H-1 grabs my biceps, yanking me to my feet mere moments before my head would have conked on the concrete. Guess he wants the honor of doing the head conking himself.

Something about my face doesn’t feel right. My fingers run over the planes of my face, hitting a tender spot on my cheek. Pain shoots through my jaw and into my head while stars dance across my vision until everything disappears.

Another blast of water hits my face and my eyes fly open to a pair of cold blue ones staring back at me. “Where did you train?” Draya asks.

My lips part to tell her off, but the words catch on their way out.

Hercules Two approaches me, and without warning his fist is in my stomach. A yell tears from my raw throat and I double over, screaming through my teeth.

“Where. Did. You. Train.”

“In the Northwest,” I gasp.

“Where in the Northwest? Which camp?”

The pain begins to ebb, allowing me to control my mouth. If I tell them what they want, they’ll have no reason to keep me alive. I’m just not sure how much I can tolerate before I verbally vomit the truth along with the threatening bile. H-2 strikes the left side of my face with the back of his hand, sending blinding pain racing from my head into my spine.

“Northwest Seven,” I scream. Shit, at this rate, I’ll tell them everything and be dead within an hour.

Draya’s eyes dim rather than brighten with the information. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Who was with you?”

“Other recruits. There was a whole truckload of us, plus all the kids already there.”

She narrows her gaze before turning on her heel and leaving the room, returning a few moments later with a tablet. “Several soldiers left that camp unauthorized, including the commander. Who was your commander, and where is he now?”

What the hell? First, I’m not telling her anything about Cyrus, even if she tortures me, but second… “Don’t you know who the commander was?”

Her only response is an unblinking stare.

The open-palmed slap doesn’t hurt any less as it rocks my head to the side. The stakes are too high now, and I manage to keep my mouth shut. “Answer the commander,” H-2 snarls.

I bite my lips together and prepare for the next blow, another backhand across my face. In an instant, the face of the first girl I shot to save Marcus’s life flashes before me. I close my eyes and do my best to stand a little straighter and take the next strike as penance for her. The fist in the gut is for the boy I killed, and I crumple to the floor. The boot to my ribs is for the kids blown up when the explosives went off. I hear the first crack, more than feel it. What they’re doing to me pales in comparison to what I did. I can take this, I deserve it. But I can’t prevent the small whimpers from escaping with each kick until the merciful darkness comes to take me again.[/scroll-box]

About the Author:

T.H. Hernandez is the author of young adult books. The Union, a futuristic dystopian adventure, was a finalist in the 2015 San Diego book awards in the Young Adult Fiction category.

She loves pumpkin spice lattes, Game of Thrones, Comic-Con, Star Wars, Doctor Who marathons, Bad Lip Reading videos, and all things young adult, especially the three young adults who share her home.

When not visiting the imaginary worlds inside her head, T.H. Hernandez lives in usually sunny San Diego, California with her husband and three children, a couple of cats, and a dog who thinks he’s a cat, affectionately referred to as “the puppycat.”

You can find her online at http://thhernandez.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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BOOK REVIEW – Death, and the Girl He Loves (Darklight #3) by Darynda Jones

July 19, 2017 / Jen / 0 Comments

Death, and the Girl He Loves (Darklight #3)
by Darynda Jones
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The fate of the world is not something a girl wants on her shoulders, and that is especially true for Lorelei McAlister. Unfortunately for her, that is exactly where the world's fate has decided to take up residence. Lorelei has seen firsthand the horrors that lie beneath our everyday world. And those horrors are getting her friends killed. Because of this, she agrees to leave the sanctity of her hometown and is sent to a different world entirely. A boarding school. But even here she is being watched. Someone knows what she is. What she carries inside her soul. And on top of that she's seeing visions. This is nothing new for Lorelei. But these visions are something more: death, destruction, and the end of the world. Lorelei must face the fact that there are people who want her dead, and no matter where she goes, no matter how far she runs, the lives of her friends and family are in mortal peril. Lucky for her, her friends and family include the handsome Angel of Death, a fiercely protective half-angel, and a ragtag group of loyal supporters who aren't afraid to get a little dirty in the name of fighting pure evil.

Review:

***Spoilers from Death and the Girl Next Door #1 & Death, Doom and Detention #2 – click the titles to see my reviews of the previous books***

Death and the Girl He Loves wrapped up wonderfully, and those last few chapters had me smiling from ear to ear. But to get there, I wasn’t the hugest fan of some the parts of the journey. Especially since the first third of the book, we are away from Jared. Again. I know I probably sound like a broken record, but I enjoy books where the couple are together a lot more. So while I loved the majority of the characters, the unique twist and that fabulous ending, I still struggled a little here and there. But my favorite aspects of this final book are:

✮A heroine who’s realistic, even though she’s been tasked to save the world.

I stepped to Jared, my heart breaking into a million pieces. “It’s today, isn’t it?”

While this trope has been used countless times, I loved how relatable Lorelei was. She didn’t want this burden. She just wanted her normal life back. So while she expressed her concerns about her being competent enough, she didn’t wallow in self pity. Lorelei continued to step up to the challenge at hand!

✮Strong friendships.

“…..Since when does logic enter into anything we do?”
“Exactly.” – Lorelei and Brooke

If you’re a fan of strong friendships, then you’ll probably adore the ones that fill this series. Lorelei, Cameron, Glitch and Jared created such a tight bond and they trusted one another with their lives. Their friendships withstood everything from betrayal, a battle, and the test of time.

✮A sexy book boyfriend.

Humans are unpredictable. Prophecies are not. So even though you believe with all your heart you’re going to fail, failure—” He looked up in thought. “How do they say it in the movies?” After a second, he fixed a mirthful grin on me. “Failure is not an option.” – Jared

Jared’s power, knowledge, secrets he revealed, the confidence in himself and Lorelei, and a question he asks Lorelei…..aww I loved Jared!! He was commanding, confident and I loved when he graced the pages with his presence.

✮A fabulous twist.

Fear didn’t consume me. It was there, but it didn’t consume me. Regret consumed me. The realization that we had failed consumed me. The war was starting and I didn’t stop it.

The huge twist in this book will definitely go one of two ways for you. I fell into the category of ‘oh my gosh I absolutely love this’, but it definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Some could be disappointed per say, but while I can’t explain why without giving it all away, just know that I loved this twist. It felt like a new idea to me, and I’m so glad the book went down that path!

So, all in all, this was a fun series and I’m glad I finally picked up this trilogy. It’s left me interested in her other series, Charley Davidson. But I’m adding that series to my “borrow from the library instead of purchasing” list, since I had some issues with this series. And the only thing I have left to say is, what in the world happened in the woods between Glitch and Cameron?! Oh. My. Gosh. For three books we heard about this incident, and then we never got to find out what happened?! Madness I tell you, madness lol! If you have any guesses, I’d love to hear them!!

BOOK REVIEW: Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

July 17, 2017 / Chelsea / 10 Comments

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The one guy Bailey Rydell can’t stand is actually the boy of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet.

Classic movie fan Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.

Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new archnemesis. But life is whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever it is she’s starting to feel for Porter.

And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex…Approximately.

*New Mommy Review #2*

Maybe Walt Whitman was right. We all really do contradict ourselves and contain multitudes. How do we even figure out who we really are?

I’m not going to lie-I’d much rather be writing about a book I’ve read closer to this moment, but if I don’t go back and write reviews for all the books I’ve read-and loved-in the past few months, it will make me CRAZY (Well, crazier than usual…). Alex, Approximately was one of those books that you read quickly-but not like your typical YA contemp-you don’t just read it and cut through it and, once finished, never look back. No, this book was one of those that you devour, inhale every word….and just, I don’t know, exhale slowly in a contented breath. It’s a book that not only makes you giddy and happy, but makes warmth radiate from the inside out. It fills your heart with something akin to true love-believable true love-and you can’t quite let it go.

“Bailey, I spend most of my days looking at you through that tiny square screen up there. I’m just grateful to be in the same room. And the fact that you’ll even let me touch you at all is the freaking miracle of the century. So whatever you want or don’t want from me, all you have to do is ask. Okay?”

Now, I’m not a moron. The chances of this book happening in real life are nill and none-I just meant that the progression of the romance not only felt natural, but light-hearted and full of something I’m not sure I feel very often anymore when I read. And, fun as this book was, it was heavy in all the right places.

But despite all that . . . look what he did. Look what he did. For me? And he’s sitting here, in pain, falling apart, and all he’s worried about is that I’m sorry I gave him my number and don’t want to go out on a date with him?

In true YA fashion, though, it wasn’t without it’s pitfalls. Let’s be honest here: Not many girls would miss the obvious signs that Porter Roth was, in fact, online Alex. It was clear as day. And I did think that if there was a problem with this book, it’d be Mink. She was a tad naive for my tastes…but I never felt full-on annoyance, which seems to be a recurring theme lately on all the books I choose to pick up. With what little time I have to read, I’m sure not as forgiving as I used to be.

A couple of yards before we hit the ground, he speaks up in a voice so quiet, I can barely hear him. “What I said the other day about you having champagne tastes?” He pauses for a moment. Mr. Reyes is smiling, waiting to unhitch our bar. “I just wanted you to know that I like the way you dress. I like your style. . . . I think it’s sexy as hell.”

And Porter-I just loved him so so much. Sweet, funny, a tad asshole-ish….but absolutely loyal to the core. He gets his heart broken. He would do anything for Mink. He even has the sweetest apology scene. And, ya know, he can be a tad alpha-male which, hey, I love me a good ‘defending my lady’ scene -*whispers* There were 3 (holds up the non-existent but ever useful three finger emoji). PLUS, he is a tad wittier than our dear main character-I’ll say that much…though, he got a little clearer sign, I’ll admit.

He kisses my forehead. “Know what I’m scared of?”
“What?”
“That I like you way too much, and I’m afraid once you get to know me, you’re going to realize that you can do lots better, and you’re going to break my heart and leave me for someone classier.”

And I seem to be LOVING this type of book right now (is it a trope? I don’t want to toss that word around unnecessarily)-the one where people meet online or in letters (Punk 57, Letters to the Lost, Eliza and Her Monsters, and others I’m forgetting like a moron) and then meet in person, hit it off, and don’t realize they are the same person. I can’t help it-I’m a hopeless romantic and these seem to be hitting all the right buttons for me this year. Note: 2017, the year of the YA Romance cyber stalkers. See: Chelsea totally buying into this melodrama-and LOVING IT.

If we’re meant to be, and he’s the person I imagine him to be, then things will all work out fine. He’ll be wonderful, and by the end of the summer, we’ll be crazy in love, watching North by Northwest at the film festival on the beach, and I’ll have my hands all over him. Which is what I spend a lot of my free time imagining myself doing to his virtual body, the lucky boy.

And, frankly, I liked Bailey’s voice. She was funny, sarcastic, and I found that I related to her quite a bit when it came to her sarcasm. She was snarky and quick-witted. Whadya guna do? 😛

…”Like a horse, you know?” He holds his hands up on either side of his eyes. “You plow ahead, and you make a lot of progress that other people wouldn’t make, but you can’t see what’s happening on either side of the road. You have blind spots. You ignore things that are right next to you. Your mom did that all the time.”

I had so much to say about this book when I first finished-I had a whole review plotted out in my head, I was so anxious to let my thoughts be heard. But, as it is…TIME. TIME TIME TIME. But, and maybe this is a tad cliche, I think it truly says something when I read a book, have no time to write a review, and STILL come back a month (or more) later and attempt to post one. Obviously this book meant something to me, and obviously it was worth coming back for. Maybe that says the most of all.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

July 14, 2017 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything" — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.

This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.

Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

*New Mommy Review #1* (Meaning: Not great, but at least I’m getting some thoughts out there…)

In all honesty, this book started out so great. I was comparing to one of my all time favorites, Some Girls Are, almost immediately. But where SGA got more intense as it went along, JL fell apart, for me, as it continued.

I lost interest in our main character, was beyond annoyed at her childish reasoning for each situation where she simply only had to say ‘just give me a minute’, and, ultimately, I just got bored. I loved Owen, but even he wasn’t enough to save this boring and anti-climactic story. Hell, I couldn’t even put him in my unforgettable male leads shelf because he was in it so little. Sigh.

Frankly, the same thing happened with her other book I read-it was going so well and then the author just veers the story completely away from what I would have done and, frankly, it’s obviously a case of ‘this author just isn’t for me’.

Pretty writing, albeit a bit stale, and fleshed out characters you want to know more about…I just couldn’t love this story. When things finally started to get interesting she ran away. And, hey, just not enough Owen (IE not for me).

Oh well. Better luck next time…though, it probably won’t be a book by this author.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW – Shag Lake by Susan McEachern

July 13, 2017 / Jen / 6 Comments

Shag Lake by Susan McEachern
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Free short story, “Shag Lake Prequel: The Kiss” now available at all ebook retailers!

Geri McKenna hasn’t seen her brother’s best friend, Sean Eastman, since he graduated high school. Sean left their little town of Pembroke just hours after she nailed him with a kiss behind the shed, never to be seen or heard from again. No calls, no texts, no social media to stalk online.

Eight years after the awkward incident behind the shed, Geri and Sean meet again. She’s now an ambitious journalist working in a dead end job, and he’s a successful structural engineer working on a classified government project. For different reasons, they’re both interested in a woman who has gone missing amidst allegations of a Sasquatch encounter in the vicinity of Shag Lake. Geri is determined to get the scoop on the hottest story to hit the Internet, while Sean is determined to stop her.

Dodging other-worldly creatures and a corrupt shadow government, Geri and Sean struggle to find neutral ground in this debut new adult adventure by author Susan McEachern (who also writes young adult as award-winning author S.M. McEachern).

Review:

Shag Lake was absolutely riveting and spellbinding! This book was so much more than I expected. I mean, I had a feeling that I would like it, since I enjoyed the prequel. And while it started out a little slow, I found myself connecting to the characters and enjoying where the story-line was going. But before I knew it, I was around 35/40% into the story, and I was beyond obsessed. I didn’t want to put the book down because Shag Lake built into an intricate story that was gripping, swoon worthy and so much fun! This book was such a huge win!

I stand up and back away from the laptop, dragging both my hands through my hair. “There’s no way,” I whisper. “It’s just too crazy.”
I know Sean. He wouldn’t hurt anybody.
But how well do I know him?

The story started up with everyone back together, since Geri McKenna’s older brother is getting married. Even Sean Eastman was there, and her brother’s friend had been completely MIA for the last eight years. I was so nervous for the moment Geri would see Sean again. Not only has she had a crush on him forever, but their last moment together involved a kiss that didn’t end in the greatest of ways. I was so thankful that there was dual narrative between Geri and Sean, so we knew exactly what they were thinking and feeling. And when they did see each other, I was happy that there was a strong chemistry between them.

But when she walked into the backyard this evening, I actually went weak in the knees. I had that moment when the world suddenly stopped turning and everyone at the party faded away into a blurry background, leaving just the two of us. I could barely breathe.
Get her out of your head , Eastman. She’s still off-limits.
I can’t offer her a future, and she deserves nothing less. – Sean

Fast forward to Shag Lake. A women claimed Bigfoot attacked her, and her hiking partner is still missing. Geri and Sean head there separately, but for entirely different reasons. Geri thinks this news story about Bigfoot will catapult her career, and be the big break she’s been waiting for. Whereas Sean has every reason under the sun to want to stop Geri in her tracks. And this is where the action starts and their sexual chemistry gets ratcheted up!

A throaty burbling sound brings me to a dead halt. – Geri

As I got closer to the end of the book, I was obsessed with how it all came together. Completely genius! And while I’m being vague about what happens when they’re both at Shag Lake, it’s because it’ll be so much more fun to discover on your own. But I can say that I loved the characters! Geri was smart, determined, brave, yet she could still be so unsure of herself around Sean. I loved how relatable she was! And Sean was *starts wiping tears from eyes because he was so beautifully perfect* someone I fell completely in love with. He was loyal, seductive, protective, playful and ever so sexy. I have to mention the word balcony, because when you get to that part and see what he does, how could I not fall for such a caring, protective, fierce man?! I love, love, love him!

And no matter how fast I push myself, the thing is keeping pace somewhere to my left. Not that I have eyes on the damn thing, but I can see bushes rustle, tree branches twitch, and the occasional tall patch of grass ripple.
Where the hell is it? Why can’t I see it? – Geri

And here’s two thoughts on the creatures and villains in this book…..although I’m not going to give anything away –

*The “creatures” in this book was the most unique combination I’ve ever read about! Together they were original, and I was fascinated with how they interacted. There were some surprises in regards to what they were capable of and how they were all connected.

*The “bad guy” wasn’t that cut and dry. While one of the creatures comes across as bad, you see that as the story starts to unfold there are so many shades of grey that appear. Even within our own government. And the way the creatures, their leadership and our government meshed together came across as shockingly real. Which makes me laugh when I think about it because those creatures in our world?! But still! I could easily picture it. Ugh, I wanna say SO much more. But darn those spoilers!

We have to get out of here. This is utter madness. This is Alice in Wonderland kind of shit, and I don’t want to be a part of it anymore. – Geri

So I found myself with tears in my eyes quite a few times towards the end of this book. And that ending was absolutely perfect. Oh this book made me ever so happy! I can’t recommend it enough! If you adore science fiction that’s more closely related to The Lux Series by JLA or Broken Skies by Theresa Kay, then you may adore this book too. Or even paranormal lovers, that are open to different creatures in a story, could find themselves loving it just as much as me. It was such a wonderful surprise. Enjoy!

P.S. I am definitely going to beg – can there please be more stories set in this world? Whether it follows the characters into the future or focuses on others like Sean? Please, please, please? I absolutely loved this book and would die of happiness if I could read more set in this world! *fingers crossed*

*ARC kindly provided by Pronoun/McMillan via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

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