Review - Countdown by Michelle Rowen

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN

Release date: 1st October 2013 (UK)

Blurb from Goodreads:

3 seconds left to live. Once the countdown starts, it cannot be stopped.

2 pawns thrown into a brutal underground reality game.

Kira Jordan survived her family's murder and months on plague-devastated city streets with hard-won savvy and a low-level psi ability. She figures she can handle anything. Until she wakes up in a barren room, chained next to the notorious Rogan Ellis.

1 reason Kira will never, ever trust Rogan. Even though both their lives depend on it.

Their every move is controlled and televised for a vicious exclusive audience. And as Kira's psi skill unexpectedly grows and Rogan's secrets prove evermore deadly, Kira's only chance of survival is to risk trusting him as much as her instincts. Even if that means running head-on into the one trap she can't escape.

GAME 0VER

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

My Review:

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Harlequin TEEN and Michelle Rowen*

4/5 stars

Kira Jordan, an orphan, thief and low-level psi, wakes up in a dark room which has one other occupant - murderer Rogan Ellis. They are contestants on a TV show called Countdown where they will have to pass six levels if they want to live while an audience watches. But will Kira and Rogan be able to survive the levels as dark secrets are revealed?

Now I know what you're thinking because I thought it too - The Hunger Games. True in some ways Countdown is similar but in others it is not.

Countdown is a very good read that held my attention well. The levels of the TV show were interesting, though one was maybe slightly too easy. I liked that the romance wasn't too in your face and found Kira and Rogan likeable. There were some good twists but I was surprised that the levels didn't take up more of the book.

Overall this is an enjoyable, fast-paced book that I would definitely recommend.



My Week in Books (23rd-29th September)

Read:

Unfortunately I didn't get much reading done this week and only managed to read Waterfell (The Aquarathi, #1) by Amalie Howard

2.5/5 stars

Read my review here.

Borrowed:

The Passage by Justin Cronin

For Review:

The Last Forever by Deb Caletti

A Perfect Mess (A Perfect Secret, #1) by Zoe Dawson

The Ninth Taghairm: Redemption by Pyxi Rose

Bought:

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson (paperback)

Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters, #1) by Jessica Shrivington (paperback)

Entice (The Violet Eden Chapters, #2) by Jessica Shrivington (paperback)

Currently Reading:

Countdown by Michelle Rowen

80% through and enjoying :)

All pics taken from Goodreads.

Hope you all had a great week!

J x



Review - Waterfell (The Aquarathi, #1) by Amalie Howard

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN

Release date: 29th October 2013

Blurb from Goodreads:

THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN

Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father's betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa's upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age.

Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

My Review:

2.5/5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. Thanks to Harlequin TEEN and Amalie Howard*

First of all this is not a mermaid book. Waterfell is about the Aquarathi who are aliens. Nerissa is the heir to the throne but when her father, the king, was killed in an 'accident' she fled to the land where she took on human form to learn about humans, which is something all heirs have to do. This book follows Nerissa as she comes to terms with her destiny as heir to the throne as well as Nerissa fighting her feelings for Lo a human who she can never have a future with.

I enjoyed the first half of the book but throughout the second half I found my attention sliding and I skimmed through to the end. I liked the premise and although I saw most of the surprises coming there were one or two that I didn't. The characters were likeable and I enjoyed reading as Nerissa grew into a better person.



New Cover For Girl Meets Underworld!

Girl Meets Underworld now has a new cover...

Having lost her mother and brother, Stella stands on the roof of her building, about to jump. She is stopped by a handsome young man, who jumps first. Somehow, he survives and Stella soon discovers that Conner holds a dark secret and more than a passing connection to her own unhappiness.

But Conner isn’t the only man to take an interest in Stella. Will is dangerous. He has mood swings, a crazy older brother and the ability to heal abnormally quickly. Stella knows what Conner is, but what exactly is Will – and why does he appear to know more about Conner than she does?

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US 



Cover Reveal For My New Book!

This is the cover for my new book As We Lie Dying.



Photograph from Chantel Beam Photography.

Isn't it pretty? I love it :)

As We Lie Dying will be released at Halloween and will be FREE!

Blurb to come soon!

My Week in Books (16th-22nd September)

Read:

Breathe (Breathe, #1) by Sarah Crossan

3.5/5 stars

Read my review here. 

Resist (Breathe, #2) by Sarah Crossan

3/5 stars

Read my review here.

Sia by Josh Grayson

3/5 stars

Read my review here.

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1) by Jessica Spotswood

3.5/5 stars

Won:

Love Notes (Love Notes, #1) by Heather Gunter (ebook)

Heartstrings (Love Notes, #2) by Heather Gunter (ebook)

Bought:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusack (paperback from a charity shop)

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern (paperback from a charity shop)

Soul Fire (The Soul Trilogy, #1) by Aprille Legacy (Kindle freebie)

The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window by Kirsty Moseley (Kindle copy, £0.68)

Currently Reading:

Waterfell (The Aquarathi, #1) by Amalie Howard

All pics taken from Goodreads!

This week I announced on Facebook and Twitter that I will be releasing a FREE paranormal short story at Halloween! Cover and title to be revealed soon!

Hope you guys had a fantastic week!

J x



Review - Sia by Josh Grayson

Release date: 20th November 2013

Blurb from Goodreads:

When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.

Goodreads

My Review:

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Patchwork Press and Josh Grayson*

3/5 stars

Sia, a seventeen-year-old, wakes up on a park bench with no memories wearing only jogging clothes and an iPod. After being homeless for a week Sia is reunited with her family after an accident. She then discovers that she has the perfect life - her parents are extremely wealthy and at school she is popular and powerful. But Sia soon realises that he life is not perfect and, embarrassed about her past, sets out to change.

I enjoyed reading as Sia tried to change her image and save her family. This book is, however, rather unrealistic as everything worked out and I questioned a few things that happened. For example, when Sia wakes up on the park bench she looks through the music on her iPod and notes that she has pop music on there, 'cheesy' pop music. How would she know that it's cheesy when she can't remember things such as movie stars? Also Sia's mum goes to rehab but her parents are in financial trouble, so how could her dad afford to send his wife to rehab? The story was also a bit predictable but it was nice to read a feel-good book for a change. Overall this was a good book despite its flaws.



Review - Resist (Breathe, #2) by Sarah Crossan

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Release date: 10th October 2013

Blurb from Goodreads:

Resistance to the Pod Leadership has come apart. The Grove has been destroyed but so has the Pod Minister. Quinn, Bea and Alina separately must embark on a perilous journey across the planet's dead landscape in search of the rumoured resistance base Sequoia. Meanwhile the Pod Minister has been succeeded by his capricious daughter. Her brother, Ronan, is supposed to advise her, but his doubts about the regime lead to him being sent out of the Pod in search of Quinn. In a world in which the human race is adapting to survive with little air, the stakes are high.

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

My Review:

3/5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ)and Sarah Crossan*

Note - if you haven't read Breathe this will contain spoilers.

Resist takes place directly after Breathe and starts by following the survivors of The Grove as they make their way to Sequoia.

Again the book is told from different point of views - Bea, Alina, Quinn and this time Ronan, the old Pod Minister's son. I did like that the chapters are told from different view points, though some of them were quite short and I would have preferred them to be longer.

I feel slightly conflicted about Resist - I enjoyed reading as the story unfolded but I was a tiny bit disappointed as it felt like not that much happened and find that I prefer Breathe. It was good to see the characters grow and become stronger though and there was one death that I saw coming but another that was a surprise.

Overall this was a good sequel but slightly disappointing.





Review - Breathe (Breathe, #1) by Sarah Crossan

Blurb from Goodreads:

When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? A dystopian thriller about courage and freedom, with a love story at its heart.

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

My Review:

3.5/5 stars.

Breathe takes place in a world where the oxygen levels dropped so low, because there were no trees left, that a glass Pod was created. The lucky people chosen to live inside the Pod had their names drawn from the state lottery. The rest were left to suffocate.

The story takes place years after The Switch and has three main characters; Alina who is part of the resistance, Quinn who is a Premium with a father high up in the government and has never had to worry about how much oxygen he breathes, and Bea an Auxiliary whose parents work hard so that she has enough air.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as I thought I would. I liked the premise but would have liked to have been told more about The Switch and how the Pod was made. Bea was my favourite character and I liked that the book was told from Alina, Quinn and Bea's point of views. Overall this was an enjoyable book with some twists that I didn't see coming.



My Week in Books (9th-15th September)

Read:

Unspoken (Woodlands, #2) by Jen Frederick

3.5/5 stars.

Read my review here.

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4) by Cassandra Clare

2/5 stars.

Hidden Wings (Hidden Wings, #1) by Cameo Renae

1.5/5 stars.

Read my review here.

X by Jack Croxall

5/5 stars.

This short story is a must read.

Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles, #4) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Did not finish.

I just couldn't get into this book.

Bought:

X by Jack Croxall (Kindle edition, £0.77)

Netgalley Approved:

Aberrant (Aberrant, #1) by Ruth Silver

Endless by Amanda Gray

Come As You Are by Theresa Weir

Currently Reading:

Breathe (Breathe, #1) by Sarah Crossan

61% through and enjoying so far.

All pics taken from Goodreads.

Hope you guys had a great week.

J x



Review - Hidden Wings (Hidden Wings, #1) by Cameo Renae

Blurb from Goodreads:

Seventeen is a life changing age for Emma Wise.
As her family's sole survivor in a car crash, she is left with a broken arm and a few scrapes and bruises. But these are only outward marks; inside, her heart is broken and the pieces scattered.

Whisked away to Alaska, to an aunt she’s never met, Emma starts over. Secrets unveil themselves and now…she doesn't even know who or what she is.

A centuries old prophecy places Emma in the heart of danger. Creatures of horrifying and evil proportions are after her, and it will take Emma, her aunt, and six, gorgeously captivating Guardians to keep her safe. But, if she can survive until her eighteenth birthday... things will change.

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

My Review:

* I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Indie Inked and Cameo Renae*

1.5/5 stars.

I really wanted to like this book because the concept is interesting, however, there were many things that ruined the book for me:

* Certain words were repeated far too many times such as 'Asian eyes' and 'handsome'.

* Emma was not likeable and called her friends immature which I thought was a bit harsh.

* The immediate attraction to Kade was a bit over the top for me. I would have preferred it if the attraction had become more intense over time.

* Emma seems to forget about her parents almost immediately. Not once did she think about when the funeral was going to be.

* The Super Darkling had a missile launcher. Seriously? Where would he have gotten that from?

Overall this was a disappointing read that at times made me want to bang my head in frustration. Nice idea but poorly executed.





Review - Unspoken (Woodlands, #2) by Jen Frederick

Blurb from Goodreads:

Whore. Slut. Typhoid Mary.

I've been called all these at Central College. One drunken night, one act of irresponsible behavior, and my reputation was ruined. Guys labeled me as easy and girls shied away. To cope, I stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men, so why is it that my new biology lab partner is so irresistible to me?

He's everything I shouldn't want. A former Marine involved in illegal fighting with a quick trigger temper and an easy smile for all the women. His fists aren't the danger to me, though, it's his charm. He's sliding his way into my heart and I'm afraid that he's going to be the one to break me.

Impulsive. Unthinking. Hot tempered.

I allow instinct to rule my behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been my motto because if I spend too much time thinking, I'll begin to remember exactly where I came from. At Central College, I've got fighting and I've got women and I thought I was satisfied until I met her.

She's everything I didn't realize I wanted and the more time I spend with her, the more I want her. But she's been hurt too much in the past and I don't want to be the one to break her. I know I should walk away, but I just can't.

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

My Review:

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Jen Frederick*

3.5/5 stars.

AnnMarie (AM) West made one mistake and she's been paying for it ever since. As a result she spends as much time off campus as possible.

Beauregard Randolph (Bo), an ex-Marine, is a ladies man who fights illegally. He's witty, handsome and exactly the type of guy that AM should avoid.

I enjoyed this book more than the first one - mainly because I preferred AM and Bo (sorry Noah and Grace!). Their banter made me smile and I connected with them easily. I really felt for them, especially AM.

There were serious topics throughout the book such as domestic abuse and bullying but the love story was sweet and I loved reading as AM and Bo fixed each other.





My Week in Books (2nd-8th September)

Read:

Hereafter (Hereafter, #1) by Tara Hudson

3.5/5 stars

Arise (Hereafter, #2) by Tara Hudson

2.5/5 stars

Undeclared (Woodlands, #1) by Jen Frederick

3/5 stars

Read my review here.

Netgalley Approved:

Undertow (Undertow, #1) by K.R. Conway

You Are Mine (Mine, #1) by Janeal Falor

Currently Reading:

Unspoken (Woodlands, #2) by Jen Frederick

I'm currently 41% through and enjoying it more than the first book.

All pics taken from Goodreads.

This week I've been pretty busy job hunting again but I also wrote a guest post and did an interview which will be published in November on One More Chapter's book blog.

Hope you all had a good week!

J x



Review - Undeclared (Woodlands, #1) by Jen Frederick

Blurb from Goodreads:

For four years, Grace Sullivan wrote to a Marine she never met, and fell in love. But when his deployment ended, so did the letters. Ever since that day, Grace has been coasting, academically and emotionally. The one thing she’s decided? No way is Noah Jackson — or any man — ever going to break her heart again.

Noah has always known exactly what he wants out of life. Success. Stability. Control. That’s why he joined the Marines and that’s why he’s fighting his way — literally — through college. Now that he’s got the rest of his life on track, he has one last conquest: Grace Sullivan. But since he was the one who stopped writing, he knows that winning her back will be his biggest battle yet.

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

My review:

3/5 stars

This book is about Grace and the Noah, the Marine that she wrote and sent care packages to while he was in Afghanistan. After writing to each other for years Grace wanted to meet up with Noah but he shot her down saying that he thought of her as a little sister.

The story starts two years later when Noah transfers to Grace's university and reappears in her life wanting to make Grace his.

I liked how Grace and Noah's letters were at the start of the chapters. Noah and Grace were likeable as were the other characters. The storyline was easy to follow but I do wish that some parts were explained in more detail.

Overall this was an enjoyable read.





Top September Picks!

There are a lot of exciting books out this month!

One of them is out today...

Title: The Elites
Author: Natasha Ngan
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Release date: 5th September 2013
Blurb from Goodreads:
‘There is a rumour that the Elites don’t bleed.’
Hundreds of years into the future, wars, riots, resource crises and rising sea-levels have destroyed the old civilisations. Only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a city full of cultures – and racial tension.
Fifteen-year-old Silver is an Elite, a citizen of Neo-Babel chosen to guard the city due to her superior DNA. She’d never dream of leaving – but then she fails to prevent the assassination of Neo Babel’s president, setting off a chain of events more shocking and devastating than she could ever have imagined. Forced to flee the city with her best friend Butterfly (a boy with genetically-enhanced wings), Silver will have to fight to find her family, uncover the truth about Neo-Babel and come to terms with her complicated feelings for Butterfly.

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Check out my other top picks at



My Week in Books (26th August-1st September)

Read:

Tangled Tides (The Sea Monster Memoirs #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper

1.5/5 stars.

My review can be found here.

All Our Yesterdays (Cassandra Chronicles #1) by Cristin Terrill

4.5/5 stars.

Really enjoyed this.

My review can be found here.

Netgalley Approved:

Real (Real, Raw & Ripped #1) by Katy Evans

Been wanting to read this for ages!

Borrowed:

Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles #4) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Bought:

Fever (The Chemical Gardens #2) by Lauren DeStefano (paperback)

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas (paperback)

I haven't actually read Throne of Glass yet but this was on offer for £3.85 on Amazon and it has great reviews so I thought why not.

Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter (paperback)

Been trying to find this in bookshops for ages and finally found a copy!

Currently Reading:

Hereafter (Hereafter #1) by Tara Hudson

All pics taken from Goodreads.

Been busy this week job hunting and beta reading a friend's story but hopefully this week coming up I will get some writing done!

Hope you guys had a great week!

J x