Hey Everyone! 

Thank you for stopping  by my stop in the SAVE ME Blog Tour by Jenny Elliot!

Title: Save Me

Author: Jenny Elliot

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Published: 01.06.15

Pages: 309

Acquired: Arc from the publisher

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Book Depository

Synopsis:

Debut-novelist Jenny Elliott’s thrilling romance, chosen by readers, writers, and publishers for the first list in the new Swoon Reads imprint, pours on the tension and danger in an addictive combination that will keep you turning pages!

Something strange is going on in the tiny coastal town of Liberty, Oregon. Cara has never seen a whale swim close enough for her to touch it—let alone knock her into the freezing water. Fortunately, cute newcomer David is there to save her, and the rescue leads to a bond deeper than Cara ever imagined.

But then she learns something about David that changes everything, and Cara is devastated. She turns to her best friend for support, but Rachel has changed. She’s suddenly into witchcraft, and is becoming dangerously obsessed with her new boyfriend….

Cara has lost her best friend, discovered that her soul mate is off limits, and has attracted the attention of a stalker. But she’s not completely alone. Her mysterious, gorgeous new friend Garren is there to support her. But is Garren possibly too perfect?

My Review:

There are certain books that you just have to be in the mood to read. SAVE ME by Jenny Elliot was one of those books for me. I attempted to pick them it up a few weeks back and could just not get into it. But I picked it up again a few days ago, determined to give it one more try and I am glad that I did! 

SAVE ME had by far one of the best first chapters I have ever read. There must have been something wrong with me the first time I picked this up, because I don't know how I could have read through that chapter and not have been hooked. 

On top of an amazing first chapter, other great things about this book was the mixture of all the different elements of the story.  Sometimes mixing different genres together can turn into a chaotic mess, but I thought SAVE ME was executed very well. I specifically liked how certain aspects of the story line kept you guessing until the very end. 

My only real issue with this book was the insta-love. Our main character Cara falls in love within the first few pages. Yes, it is not the perfect relationship and there are obstacles in the way, but that relationship took off a little too quickly for my taste.  But as this being a SWOON READS book, I guess that was to be expected. 

All in all this was a great debut for Jenny Elliot and I will definitely be picking up more of her work in the future! 

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Magnolia
by Kristi Cook
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: August 5th 2014
Rate: 4 Stars! 

Synopsis:

In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, the Cafferty and Marsden families are southern royalty. Neighbors since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when a baby boy and girl were born to the families at the same time, the perfect opportunity seemed to have finally arrived.

Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen, for goodness’ sake, not to mention that one little problem: They hate each other! Jemma can’t stand Ryder’s nauseating golden-boy persona, and Ryder would like nothing better than to pretend stubborn Jemma doesn’t exist.

But when a violent storm ravages Magnolia Branch, it unearths Jemma’s and Ryder’s true feelings for each other as the two discover that the line between love and hate may be thin enough to risk crossing over.

This book came as a fun surprise. I haven't read Kristi's other series yet, but I have heard good things about it from some non-blogging friends who have. But the whole concept of this book had me intrigued. I knew it was going to be different than most YA contemporary books out there. I was so interested in this book that Patri and I contacted Kristi and invited her to join our FFBC and the rest is history. 

There is just something about this book that grabbed my attention from the very beginning. Maybe it had to do with the fact I love history, and the initial few pages was recounting the history between the two families. Maybe it was the way the author immediately sets up the the small town Mississippi feel. As someone who grew up in Los Angeles, I love reading about small towns and the way Kristi builds the setting you feel as you are almost there. 

Now on to the characters. There were many aspects to Jemma's personality that were not only enjoyable, but also very relateable. First off, I liked the fact that she was was trying hard to fight to become the person she wanted to be, and not exactly follow the footsteps her parents had set out for her. And I say not exactly, because somethings her parents want her are not so bad. And that comes in the beautiful form of Ryder. Okay Ryder is seriously a dream boat! Honestly the only thing wrong about Ryder is that he made a juvenile mistake when they were younger and he needs to man up and own it. But when the storm hits, man oh man does Ryder step up. Sometimes with or without a shirt. 

If you are looking for a fun summer read. Or even a fun faced paced contemporary any time of the year, Magnolia is definitely the one for you. 

Follow the FFBC Magnolia Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

As a child, Kristi Cook took her nose out of a book only long enough to take a ballet class (or five) each week. Not much has changed since then, except she’s added motherhood to the mix and enjoys penning her own novels as much as reading everybody else’s. A transplanted southern gal, Kristi lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

That’s the official version–here are some other fun facts:

~ As an undergrad, I majored in History and minored in English at the University of Southern Mississippi. While at Southern Miss, I was a member of Phi Mu sorority, and I was a Dixie Darling. And yep, Brett Favre was our quarterback at the time!

~ I studied American History in grad school at Columbia University. I *love* history, especially the Civil War era (U.S.) and Regency- and Edwardian-era British history.

~ My all-time favorite book *and* movie is GONE WITH THE WIND. My favorite literary characters are Rhett Butler, Atticus Finch, and Mr. Darcy. I kind of want to add Peeta Mellark to that list!

~Weirdly enough (or maybe not so weirdly?) I’m also a big fan of STAR TREK (the original series). I never can remember if I’m supposed to call myself a “Trekkie” or a “Trekker,” though!

Title: Honor Reclaimed

Series: HORNET #2

Author: Tonya Burrows

Published: 05.27.14

Pages: 350

Acquired: eARC provided by Entangled: Select

Goodreads

Amazon

My Review on Seal of Honor - HORNET #1 

Synopsis:

Former Marine sniper Seth Harlan is determined to prove that he can still do his job despite his ongoing battle with PTSD. When an old friend contacts HORNET to rescue a black ops soldier, Seth's stability is strained. He knows all too well what it's like to rot inside an enemy camp, praying for rescue and waiting for death. And he's not about to leave a man behind.

Photojournalist Phoebe Leighton just stumbled into the middle of an arms deal. Teaming up with a ragtag team of mercenaries is the last thing she wants to do--especially when she realizes Seth Harlan is assigned to the mission. He may ignite a passion in her she thought long dead, but Phoebe's hiding a secret that could destroy him.

With a bomb in the mix, HORNET's mission is suddenly about a lot more than an abandoned soldier. Racing against the clock, Seth, Phoebe, and the rest of the team struggle to stop a ruthless warlord bent on power, revenge...and death

My Review:

This is probably my favorite Tonya Burrows book to date and that is definitely saying a lot since I have loved every book she has written to date. 

The book immediately starts off with a scene worthy of an episode of 24. The action packed pace and interesting story line would be enough to make anyone a fan of this book. But luckily for us there is so many more components of this story that make it even more enjoyable. 

It is no secret that I fell in love with the cast of characters that make up HORNET, in Seal of Honor. And when we found out who was going to be the lead character of this book in Wilde Nights in Paradise, I was happy with the choice. PTSD is a topic that is extremely hard to think about. In my life time, this has been something that has become more prevalent and something we hear  more about, especially after the recent Iraq war. So yes it is hard to hear about, but I knew it must be even more difficult to write about. I read another NA story last year about the topic and I thought that author had done such a great job talking about her character having PTSD, but reading Seth's struggle in Honor Reclaimed made the disease so much more real and so much for heart-breaking. PTSD is a tough subject, and I believe Tonya Burrows really did it justice. 

Separating the PTSD from Seth's character, we also get to read about the every day burden that he carries around with him regarding his failed mission. And damn in, that is some real turmoil and my heart really ached for him and everything he carried on his solders. I wanted him to start cutting himself some slack and allow himself to heal and learn how to be happy again. And that where Phoebe comes in. 

Phoebe is one of those characters that I was torn about. Yes, she is doing some great things and trying to bring awareness and help to a cause that on a personal level, as a middle eastern woman I feel strongly about. But when I found out the big twist of the story, on what she was guilty of, honestly I did not like her and at first I did not think she was good enough for our hero, Seth. But seeing how she was with him and always trying to console him and putting up with his jerk side (and yes he could be jerk) started to get me to warm up to her and I eventually did like her for Seth. 

With addition to Seth and Phoebe, I started really falling for some of the other characters especially Jessie. And I was happy to find out that he is getting his own story! He's the medic and yes I am a nurse, so I do have a soft spot for him. Yes, I may be a little biased, but any male or female who can help take care of emergency battle injuries, gets major swoon points with me!  And for all the Gabe and Aubrey fans out there, we do get to see a couple glimpses of our first couple from Seal of Honor!

So if you want a fast paced military thriller with a beautiful broken man trying to find his way again, then this is definitely the book for you! 

Dark Days
by Kate Ormand
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Release Date: June 3rd 2014
Rating: 4 Stars!

Synopsis:

The future world has been divided into sectors--each the same as the other. Surrounded by thick steel fences, there is no way in and no way out. Yet a cyborg army penetrates each sector, picking off its citizens one by one, until no one is left. Behind the sectors' thick walls, the citizens wait to die. Few will be chosen to survive what's coming; the rest will be left behind to suffer. A new world has been created, and its rulers are incredibly selective on who will become a citizen. They want only those with important roles in society to help create a more perfect future. 

Sixteen-year-old Sia lives in one of the sectors as part of a family that is far too ordinary to be picked to live. According to the digital clock that towers high above her sector, she has only fifteen days to live. Sia has seen the reports and knows a horrific death is in store for her, but she is determined to make the most of her final days. Sia refuses to mourn her short life, instead promising herself that she'll stay strong, despite being suffocated by her depressed mother and her frightened best friend. Just when Sia feels more alone than ever, she meets Mace, a mysterious boy. There is something that draws Sia to him, despite his dangerousness, and together, they join a group of rebels and embark on an epic journey to destroy the new world and its machines, and to put an end to the slaughter of innocent people.

My Review:

I am always cautious about reading back to back books in the same genre. I have always found that if you read contemporary back to back, the stories end up jumbling together up together, I start mixing up the characters names and to top it off I start being able to predict the plot and the twists and the book does not end up becoming as enjoyable as it would be.

In the month of June I had 3 Dystopian books I had to read to review: Branded, The Murder Complex and then Dark Days.  And I am proud to report, did my usual issues with reading boos in the same genre back to back was not an issue. In fact I actually really enjoyed all 3 of them.

Dark Days is one of those books that grabs your attention from the very first page and keeps it to the very end. The whole idea of premise of the story is so enticing. What if you only had 15 days to live? How would you spend those days? Would you make a bucket list of things to get done? Stay closed off until the inevitable occurred or would you go out fighting? These are exactly the choices that Sia has to figure out.

In addition to the amazing action packed pace, but I really enjoyed about this story was Sia. She is faced with the the fact that she has only 15 days left to live before the government sends out cyborgs to end everyone but the chosen ones for the New World. She must figure out how to live the last days of the life. I loved the fact that she didn't just crawl up into a fetal position and wait for the inevitable. She is a fighter and tried to make the best of the days she had left and when the time came to fight for what she believed in, she fought harder then what was expected.

Some of the more negative reviews wanted more world building and more explanation to why things were happening. But I honestly enjoyed that aspect of it. This book is meant to be a stand alone therefore didn't need too much build up and unnecessary explanation of why things were the way they were. I loved that from page 1 we were immediately drawn into the sad and sometimes gory reality that is Sia's life.

If you're looking for a action packed dystopian that keeps you engaged throughout and has a great conclusion, than this is the book for you!

KATE ORMAND is a YA writer represented by Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors Ltd. She lives in the UK with her family, her partner, and a cocker spaniel called Freddie. She recently graduated from university with a first class BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art Painting. It was during this course that Kate discovered her love of reading YA books, prompting her to try a new creative angle and experiment with writing. Kate is also a member of an online group of published writers and illustrators called Author Allsorts. And she writes children’s picture books under the name Kate Louise. 

You can see more about Kate and her writing by visiting her website (www.kateormand.wordpress.com) or on Twitter (@kateormand).

Follow the FFBC Dark Days blog tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

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Title: City of Heavenly Fire

Series: The Mortal Instruments #6

Author: Cassandra Clare

Published: 05.27.14

Pages: 725

Acquired: Purchased

Goodreads Rating: 4.62

My Rating: 5.0

Goodreads

Amazon

Synopsis:

In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

My Reviews: (SPOILER FREE)

If I was to use one word to the describe the conclusion to this series:  PERFECTION!

I had been waiting a long time for this book!  I mean A LONG TIME! I was one of those TMI fans who was not to sure about Cassie Clare continuing the series. I was really happy with the way City of Glass ended but after finishing City of Heavenly Fire I am glad that she did. The Mortal Instruments series, is probably my second most re-read series, second only to Twilight series.  So I can honesty say that the wait for this book to come out was complete torture. 

So on release day I would up super early just so I could get this beauty in  my hands. I knew I had to pace myself with this book, because the last time I highly anticipated a book and I read it so quickly that I was stuck in a major book hangover. And with tons of blog tours and reviews coming up I could not allow myself to fall into a slump. So after taking a week to finish the book, I am now ready to write my review :) And since I know there are some people out there who have not finished reading COHF I am going to keep my review spoiler free.

There were so many aspects of this last installment that I really enjoyed. Cassie Clare did a wonderful job at creating an amazing cast of characters.  In the last two books prior to City of Heavenly Fire a few of my favorite characters - including the sexy Jace had lost their mojo. The characteristics that had  made me fall in love with Jace had been stolen away. And I was desperate to get the old Jace back, and boy did he come back with a vengeance. 

This book has a lot of intense story lines.  But one of the best parts about Cassie Clare's writing is her ability to take a very intense scene and mix it with amazingly funny dialogue. One liners that not only make you laugh but help ease the dramatic story-lines. But not only are these one liners humorous, they often deal with regular every day teenage problems, which some times with everything that is going on, you forget that majority of these characters are all 18 or younger. 

Another aspect of this story that I really enjoyed - Okay, probably my favorite aspect of this book was the how Cassie Clare wove  her other series, The Infernal Devices into this last book. Just a warning for those of you who have not read the Infernal Devices, you should definitely read that series before reading City of Heavenly Fire. Reason being, well it is an absolutely amazing series, but mostly because some of the things that occur in this book and some of the people and statements will not make sense if you have not read the series. In addition to to The Infernal Devices, Cassie does a great job introducing and entwining the cast of characters that will be apart of her new shadow hunter series coming out in fall 2015, The Dark Artifices!  So to recap, you get a beautiful conclusion of the wonderful characters in The Mortal Instruments, great appearances from characters you fell in love with in The Infernal Devices, and an introduction and an intriguing story line that sets the scene of her new series. Yes - Cassie Claire did this all in one book! 

City of Heavenly Fire was the perfect ending to an epic story! And another confirmation of why Cassie Clare is in my opinion one of the best YA authors out there. I have read everything she has ever written and will continue to do so!