Zack Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth by Jeff Anderson

This review was written by: F
Received: Publisher
Publication Date of Book: August 2015
Pages: 176
Stars: 4/5

Zack Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth by Jeff Anderson is a middle school contemporary novel about a middle school student (Zack Delacruz) who is a quiet and shy individual. One day, he stands up for a classmate who is being bullied, and everyone is in shock. Zack’s timid personality is suddenly contradicted by this bold move, especially because he has always kept to himself. Later, Zack and his classmate, Jose Soto, are put in charge of selling chocolate bars to raise money for a dance.

Disaster strikes when one of Zack’s classmates named Janie Bustamante eats the entire box of candy bars instead of selling them. Zack eventually finds out that she has an obsession. He decides to help her by setting up a meeting with her and all of his classmates. Zack soon becomes a leader. Since Janie ate the candy and not enough money was raised for the dance, Zack decides to initiate a fundraiser. He and his friends have a car wash at Zack’s Dad’s workplace. Zack took matters into his own hands, and gains the respect of his Dad and teachers.

This book demonstrates how you can be a leader and a hero. It lets kids know that they can stand up for what they believe in and that not all heroes are always super human. Heroes can be ordinary people who do ordinary things. You should stand up for what you believe in because it shows others that you are not afraid of differing opinions. You should always do what you think is right and you should always help those who are being bullied.  

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Cover Reveal

Miranda’s Rights (Paranormal Detectives Book Two)
by Lily Luchesi

 The dead don’t always rest easy...
Retired detective Danny Mancini is haunted by nightmares after he found out that paranormal creatures exist. All he wants is to forget them…especially a certain half-vampire. When cursed werewolves show up trying to kill him, he is forced to go back to the Paranormal Investigative Division for help against a powerful old enemy. What he was not expecting was a dead ex showing back up after twenty-six years.

Coming on January 8th, 2016 from Vamptasy Publishing
Cover art by Rue Volley

~*~*~

Catch up on the first book in the Paranormal Detectives Series, Stake-Out.

 

In a city overrun with the undead, an ex-cop is given a chance to get revenge...

Danny Mancini is on a case, following a murder suspect. When he catches him, he finds out that the perp isn't even human: he's a 200 year old rogue vampire!
The department doesn't believe him, and puts him on early retirement, despite his many years of service to the Chicago Police Department, which sends him into a downward spiral.
Two years later, Danny gets an invitation from the beautiful, young and very attractive Detective Angelica Cross to join a secret branch of the FBI to help her track down Vincent, the wayward vamp.
But renegade werewolves, meddling immortal witches and Danny's strange visions of a life lived a century ago with Angelica make things more difficult than it should be.

~*~*~

About Lily:

Lily Luchesi is a young author/poet born in Chicago, Illinois, now residing in Los Angeles, California. Ever since she was a toddler her mother noticed her tendency for being interested in all things "dark". At two she became infatuated with vampires and ghosts, and that infatuation turned into a lifestyle by the time she was twelve, and, as her family has always been what they now call "Gothic", she doesn't believe she shall ever change. She is also a hopeless romantic and avid music-lover who will always associate vampires with love, blood, and rock and roll.
Her interest in poetry came around the same time as when she was given a book of Edgar Allan Poe's complete work. She then realized that she had been writing her own poetry since she could hold a pen, and just had not known the correct terms. She finished her first manuscript at the age of fourteen, and now, at twenty-one, has two contributing credits in anthologies and her debut novel, Stake-Out (Paranormal Detectives Series Book One), was published by Vamptasy Publishing on May 19th, 2015. Book two, Miranda's Rights, will be released on January 8th, 2016.
She has a short story, "Undead Ever After" in the Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly anthology Love Sucks (released on June 13th, 2015). Her first erotic short story, "Have No Fears", was published in the Hot Ink Press anthology Naughty Bedtime Stories: In Three Words on October 10th. She will also have a short erotic horror story, "The Devil's Dozen", in the upcoming Hot Ink Press anthology Death, Love, Lust, which will be released in February of 2016.

http://lilyluchesibooks.wix.com/lilyluchesi
http://www.amazon.com/Lily-Luchesi/e/B00GBFAE0E
http://twitter.com/LilyLuchesi
http://facebook.com/LilyLuchesi (page)
http://facebook.com/lilyluchesibooks (friend)
http://instagram.com/lilyluchesi
http://goodreads.com/author/show/7369101.Lily_Luchesi

Doctor Who: Royal Blood (The Glamour Chronicles #1) by Una McCormack

This review was written by: B

Received: Blogging for Books

Publication Date of Book: September 2015

Pages: 240 

Stars: 4.5/5

Official Summary (Paperback Edition)

"The Grail is a story.  A myth!  It didn't exist on your world!  It can't exist here!"

The city-state of Varuz is failing.  The capital is crumbling, and his enemies are poised to invade. Duke Aurelian is preparing to gamble everything on one last battle.  So when a holy man, the Doctor, comes to Varuz from beyond the mountains, Aurelian asks for his blessing in the war.

But all is not what it seems.  The city-guard have lasers for swords, and the halls are lit by electric candlelight.  Aurelian's wife and his trusted knight seem to be plotting to overthrow their Duke, and Clara finds herself drawn into their intrigue . . . 

Will the Doctor stop Aurelian from going to war? Will Clara's involvement in the plot be discovered? Why is the enemy's ambassador so nervous?  And who are the ancient and weary knights claiming to be on a quest for the Holy Grail . . . ?

My Thoughts:

Doctor Who is an amazing force that has swept into thousands of people's hearts worldwide.  To be honest, Doctor Who, in both its show and its novel mediums, is fairly new to me, but I have been curious about this adventurous, galaxy traveling man for some time.  One of my sisters has a deep love for this show and eventually convinced me to give it a try.  Now, I have seen several episodes but honestly wanted to try Doctor Who out in book form.  So . . . here I am!  Royal Blood seemed extremely fascinating because of its given premise and high-tech medieval atmosphere, and I decided to start here.  The setting and delicate details of Varuz were as breath-taking as they were despairing. Even though this majestic land was only words on a page, I felt as if I was witnessing Varuz's strange, warped city-state for myself right alongside the Doctor.  The idea alone of a decaying, ancient civilization riddled with advanced technology was enough to keep me going.

Una McCormack had a rich writing style that pleasantly surprised me.  The beginning of Royal Blood made me feel as if I was reading a poetic work, and McCormack clearly has the capability of taking on sentences as if they each have a beauty of their own.  On top of that, what really made this novel unique was the split narrative.  One moment I was reading in third person about Clara or the Doctor, and the next I was reading from the perspective of Bernhardt, a trusted friend and knight of Duke Aurelian.  I feel as though this gave the story a much needed element of diversity so that the audience was kept interested.  The length of this novel also worked as an advantage, even though it would have been nice if certain elements were slightly fleshed out in greater detail.  The short length is able to keep younger readers interested, while a slightly older audience will feel as if they still read a worthy story.   

As a newcomer to the Doctor Who world, I feel as though I have learned quite a bit.  The characters were fairly developed, and I love the relationship between Clara and the Doctor himself.  Hardcore fans of Doctor Who, especially the twelfth Doctor, are sure to devour this story while new ones will have the chance to fall in love with this crazy and clever duo for the first time.  Even if you're not a huge fan of this series, I would definitely give this book I try.  It unexpectedly exceeded all of my expectations, and left me desperately wanting to watch more of the television series!

More Info: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/534217/doctor-who-royal-blood-by-una-mccormack/

Author Bio: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2018943/una-mccormack/

Please note that I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

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August and September: YA Dysptopian Novels

YA Dystopian Novels

August and September's Topic of the Month is officially YA Dystopian!  To kick it off, we have posted a few YA dystopian based books that may interest you.  If you have any suggestions let us know!  Hope you enjoy!  (Click on the covers to go to the books' GoodReads pages!)

Read by: H, C, and B
GoodReads Summary:

In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness, and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories.  Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy.  With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newberry Medal winner, Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society.  Gradually, Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price.

The Giver is set in a future society which is at first presented as a utopia and gradually appears more and more dystopic, so could therefore be considered anti-utopian.  Jonas' society has eliminated pain and strife by converting to "Sameness," a plan which has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives.  Jonas is to store all the memories of the time before Sameness, in case they are ever needed to aid in decisions that others lack the experience to make.  As Jonas receives the memories from his predecessor -- the "Giver" -- he discovers how shallow his community's life has become.

Other book(s) in the series:

        

Read by: C and B

GoodReads summary:

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them.

Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker.  Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs.  Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion.  Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance.  If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.

Other book(s) in the series:

            










Read by: B
GoodReads Summary:

Recruitment Day is here . . . if you fail, a loved one will die . . . 

For Lucian "Lucky" Spark, Recruitment Day means the Establishment, a totalitarian government, will force him to become one of five Recruits competing to join the ruthless Imposer task force.  Each Recruit participates in increasingly difficult and violent military training for a chance to advance to the next level.  Those who fail must choose an "Incentive" - a family member - to be brutally killed.  If Lucky fails, he'll have to choose death for his only living relative: Cole, his four-year-old brother.

Lucky will do anything he can to keep his brother alive, even if it means sacrificing the lives of other Recruits' loved ones.  What Lucky isn't prepared for is his undeniable attraction to the handsome, rebellious Digory Tycho.  While Lucky and Digory train together, their relationship grows.  But daring to care for another Recruit in a world where love is used as the ultimate weapon is extremely dangerous.  As Lucky soon learns, the consequences can be deadly . . . 

Other book(s) in the series:

Read by: H and B
GoodReads Summary:

Luke has never been to school.  He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight.  In fact, Luke has never had a friend.  

Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police.  He's living his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside. 

Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live.  Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself.  Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows -- does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan?  Can he afford not to?

Several other books in the series:

        










GoodReads Summary:

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.  Isn't that what they say?  But how close is too close when they may be one and the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland.  The future belongs to the next generation's chosen few who must rebuild it.  But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing -- their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth.  But on the eve of her departure, her father's advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies -- trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance?  Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing.  To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

Other book(s) in the series:

    

Read by: H and C

GoodReads Summary:

Winning will make you famous.

Losing means certain death.

The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts.  Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of the annual televised event known as the Hunger Games.  In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games.  The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss's younger sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place.  She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives.  She sees it as a death sentence.  But Katniss has been close to death before.  For her, survival is second nature.

Other Book(s) in the Series:

    










Read by: B
GoodReads Summary:

In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears.  Gone.  Except for the young.

There are teens, but not one single adult.  Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television.  No way to get help.  And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens.  Bullies rule.  A sinister creature lurks.  Animals are mutating.  And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents -- unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers -- that grow stronger by the day.  It's a terrifying new world.  Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids.  Bullies against the weak.  Powerful against powerless.  And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else . . . 

Other Book(s) in the Series:

        

GoodReads Summary:

Knox was born into one of the City's wealthiest families.  A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want -- the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments.  When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten.  When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks.  When Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

Syd is a Proxy.  His life is not his own.

Then again, neither is Knox's.  Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess.  So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee.  Yet Knox's father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy.  The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys' resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay.  Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.

Other Book(s) in the Series:

GoodReads Summary:

In Sloane's world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is the Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone.  With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment.  Sloane's parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they'll do anything to keep her alive.  She also knows that everyone who's been through The Program returns as a blank slate.  Because their depression is gone -- but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can.  The only person Sloane can be herself with is James.  He's promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything.  But despite the promises they made to each other, it's getting harder to hide the truth.  They are both growing weaker.  Depression is setting in.  And The Program is coming for them.

Other Book(s) in the Series:

    

Read by: C

GoodReads Summary:

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world.  Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.  When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless in the street.  After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival.  Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco  where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Other Book(s) in the Series:

     

The Awakened (The Awakened Duology #1) by Sara Elizabeth Santana

This review was written by: B

Received: Author (Blog Tour)

Publication Date of Book: December 2015

Pages: 317 (Kindle)

Stars: 5/5

Official Summary:

Zoey Valentine is concerned with two things: surviving the multitude of self-defense classes her dad

 makes her take and avoiding Ash Matthews.

 That is, until the Z virus hits, wiping out a third of the population in a matter of weeks. If that  weren’t frightening enough, the bodies of the victims disappear and suddenly reappear, awakened  from their dead state. They're faster, smarter, and they work together to get the one thing they crave,  human flesh.

 The United States is in a panic and then the government decides the unthinkable: to bomb every  major city overrun with the awakened.

 Now Zoey is on the run, with her dad and Ash, desperate to find a place of safety amongst the ruined  remains of the country.

My Thoughts:

I've always been a huge fan of zombie novels.  Whether it be YA, MG, or adult, you can throw them right at me!  However, the more you read of a genre, the more the books in that category seemingly melt together into one large blob of generic novels with the same exact stories, only told in different styles.  I had no idea what to expect with The Awakened, but I knew that I had to get my hands on it because of the beautiful cover and intriguing synopsis.  Now, before I go further, let me just say that this book surpassed any possible expectations that I remotely had and threw me into a world where I completely forgot my own!   This book went in directions that I didn't even know were possible.  I never saw the bends and sudden turns that Sara threw at me.  It was a wild ride full of heart-wrenching loss, devastating love, unforeseen twists, and a unique take on zombies that you will not get anywhere else.  This was a fresh, rare gem that you absolutely have to look into!  Even if you're not a fan of the living dead, The Awakened is sure to have something for you, and you're bound to fall in love with it.  

While it may sound cheesy, I was completely taken with this novel after reading only the first chapter.  The story has this natural, alluring quality to it that whisked me away.  The Awakened possesses an action-packed journey told with descriptive writing and engaging characters.  The love-hate relationship that Zoey and Ash share is brimming with snark and an underlying spark that is ready to burst.  The witty dialogue and engrossing storyline kept me on the edge of my seat.  I could not have asked for more!  I loved Ash and Zoey, even though I was slightly hesitant about Ash in the beginning.  However, as the story progressed I could not help but fall for him as so many readers are sure to do.  The character development for both of these characters was flawless, and their stories were ones that I could easily feel for.  It literally amazes me when I sit back and think of where the story began and where the story ended.  So much happened, that by the last sentence, the beginning of The Awakened felt like a dream.  I loved this aspect, though!  

Zoey is one of my favorite female characters of all time!  In more reviews than I can count, I mention my constant problems with female characters in the YA universe and their awful tropes.  Sara Elizabeth Santana renewed my faith in YA female protagonists!  Zoey was a kick butt heroine who was still just a teenage girl.  She was not obsessed with her beauty, but she was gorgeous all the same.  She was often confident when it came to certain matters, but she was also insecure about others.  She's even an animal lover!  (Can we be best friends, please?!)  And not only is Zoey all of these things, she is also someone that I feel many people could relate to and even look up to.    

Lastly, you're probably wondering about the zombies.  I haven't really mentioned them much, but let me assure you that The Awakened showcases some of the scariest flesh eaters I have ever read about. They're intelligent and fast, cunning and ruthless.  Zombies are typically mindless people who only have one thought on their mind: DON'T THINK, JUST EAT!  These zombies, cleverly named the awakened, are so much more than that.  They can speak complex, coherent sentences and are just as intelligent as when they were alive.  I've never been more chilled.  I won't say much more because I don't want to spoil you, but they really do give you the heebie-jeebies.

For those of you out there reading this, please go pick up a copy of The Awakened right now!  I can't stress enough how unbelievably marvelous Sara Elizabeth Santana's novel is!  You have to read it!!!

I just wanted to express a special congratulations to Sara for the release of her book!  She's an amazing author with mad skills!!!!!! 

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