Book Review: The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake by Mary Parker

Author: Mary Parker
Series: The Kahl'Nar Saga, 1
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: review copy offered by the author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

I'm a normal teenager. I have a normal teenage life with normal teenage problems. The summer is my heaven. I live with my mom during the summer months. We stay in her tiny condo in Jacksonville, Florida. My parents split up when I was little. I'm not sure why. My mom never talks about it. Whatever it was, it was bad enough to make my mom pack me up in the middle of the night when I was four years old and run to my Gran's condo. My mom got the condo after Gran died. From that time on all I had known my entire life was beach life. Until four years ago. Until my uncle found me.

This is one of those books that remind me why I fell in love with reading. This is the type of book that won't allow you to put it down, unless you've arrived at the very last page of it, the book that will keep you on the edge of your chair and at the end, leave you thirsty for more.

When I started reading this book, I really didn't know what to expect. I know, I know, you've heard that phrase before and it might seem a little overused, but I really wasn't expecting this, the awesome new world I found in its pages. What I found was a world so complex and so wonderfully built, that I really don't have the right words to describe it. You have mystery, you have lots of fantasy, suspense, a little bit of horror even, a little thread of romance, a hint of sadness and some very funny moments.

What I loved about this book is that it's so unique. I think it's hard to find something this unique and fresh without thinking "Ok, I've read that before". I loved that I didn't feel that about The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake.

As you can probably imagine, this book is about a young girl named Leeowyn and how she struggles to adapt to the changes in her life. She's living with her mother and one night her uncle comes on their doorstep and tells her that her father is dead.

What I loved about Leeowyn is that she's not the typical teenage heroine. She's not a rebel, but she's not a girly girl either. She's not rude, but she speaks her mind. She can be tough as nails and she also has moments of tenderness. I loved that she was different and that made her seem so real and complex, full of character.

The story is fast paced. There isn't a moment where you want to skip any pages, because each of them hold something interesting. And I loved that at times the action changed between past and present, between dreams, visions and reality. And there's a major cliffhanger at the end of the book that has left me dying to know more.

I do hope the second book will be out soon, because I want to know what happens next with Leeowyn and her friends.

I definitely recommend this book to any fantasy fan, adult or teenager, it doesn't matter. If you love fantasy books, you'll certainly love this one.

Book Review: Curbchek by Zach Fortier

 

Author: Zach Fortier
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: review copy provided by the author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Curbchek is the story of a damaged cop, Zach Fortier. Fortier worked in the police department for the city where he grew up. One foot in the world of the cops, courts and legal system. The other in the world of gangs, drugs, thugs and street violence. Where the laws and rules are made by the strongest, the schemers and the most brutal. Read about the transformation of Fortier from a green rookie to a damaged paranoid veteran seeing danger in every situation. Follow along as he walks this tight rope. Trying to make difference, breaking the laws he promised to enforce. This is a story of law and order uncensored.

Curbchek is one of those books I couldn't put down. The raw honesty I could feel in each and every single one of the stories made me want to keep reading. There were moments where I laughed out loud, because some of the scenes were quite funny, moments when I cringed because of the imagery of some scenes, moments when I was sad or even angry.

At times, the violence was a little overwhelming, but I think that's what makes the book seem so fresh and enjoyable. You read so many books with cops, see so many movies and TV shows, but they somehow seem staged, sugarcoated, censured. Curbchek is so different and it's a book that I believe sticks with you because it's so different.

What I loved most about this book was the fact that it felt real. I didn't think for even a moment "yeah, right, that can't happen" like I usually do with other books with police officers. I think the author gives a unique perspective on police work, sort of a "behind the scenes" look.

Another thing that made me enjoy the books was the "colorful" language. You know how crime dramas usually portray cops as talking so clean? That's something that makes me want to scream, because it doesn't feel right or true. Curbchek is entirely different and I liked that.

I think it's not a book for the faint of heart, but I think it's one of those "Must Read" books. Curbchek is followed by Streetcreds and I will definitely check it out.

Cover Love (10)

This feature is hosted by Carmel @ Rabid Reads. The rules are very simple. Choose a cover (or two, or three), preferably new-ish, and share what you like about it. Grab the graphic or don't just so long as you link back.


My pick this week:

I love love love this cover. I wonder what the book's about. And I'm actually tempted to read the book, just to see if there's any ice or snow in it. Reminds me a little of the Snow Queen. Yep, might have to read this one :D











What's your pick this week?

Why Shame and Reading Don't Belong In The Same Sentence

I thought loooong and hard (no pun intended...or maybe it is, read it how you want to) about this post. A few weeks ago the buzz about the series Fifty Shades of Grey started. I heard a lot of opinions about it, some good, some bad, some interesting, some extremely bothersome. Some amused me, some pissed me off so much I can't even talk about them without getting mad. I haven't read the book, so I can't really comment on whether it's good or bad or well written or poorly written. But I can comment on a few other things

If before the phrase "porn for women" bothered me a little, "mommy porn" is insulting to me. Yes, I'm talking about romance books and erotic romance books. Yes, I read those books. Do I hide them in my e-reader? No. If someone I know asks me what I'm reading, I show them the screen of my e-reader or I tell them. If they start laughing or making fun of me or looking down at me, it's their problem.

You know, this entire debate could be about fantasy novels or mystery novels or thrillers or horror stories. Just because I don't read something or I didn't enjoy a certain book, doesn't mean that the book was bad or that the people who enjoyed it should be ashamed for enjoying it. It just means I didn't like it. That's all.

I'll say it again. Yes, I read romance novels, mystery novels, horror stories, young adult, chick lit and anything I find enjoyable. And I'm not ashamed of it. And no one should be ashamed of what they read. Do you like what you read? If yes, then good for you. Be happy that for a few hours you can escape the jungle that is the "real" world and enter a magical world, where you can enter and leave whenever you want, a world that can help you relax, dream, fantasize and that can actually teach you something useful.

So why is the world so much against romance novels? Could it be because *GASP* there are sex scenes in them? Guess what, sex is everywhere, whether you like it or not. It's in our basic nature. Or could it be because those novels have some good sex scenes? Why, I didn't know we're back to "women shouldn't enjoy sex" era. You know, it's sad. If a man says he's watching movies with a lot of explicit sex scenes, he's good to go. If a woman reads romance, she gets crap thrown her way.

Reading is something that you either enjoy or you don't. I think no one should feel bad for reading something that others don't like. Or for not liking something others did. Why hide your reading material? I don't think romance novels or erotic romance novels are about sex.They're about the relationships themselves. Just as mystery novels aren't about murderers or a guide book on how to kill, they're about the suspense or the action or the artifact (like in The Da Vinci Code). Don't be ashamed about what you read. The people judging you by your choices in reading material should be ashamed.

I'm ready for the next one

I know that Infamous was just published yesterday, but I can't help myself. I'm really excited about the next book in the series, Inferno. I am sad though, that we have to wait another year for it *sob*.

Here's the blurb. And waiting impatiently for the cover.

The heat is on, and a new threat to humanity has risen…
Nick has his driver’s license and he’s not afraid to use it. But turning sixteen isn’t what he thought it would be. While other boys his age are worried about prom dates and applying for college, Nick is neck deep in enemies out to stop him from living another day. No longer sure if he can trust anyone, his only ally seems to be the one person he’s been told will ultimately kill him.
But life spent serving the undead is anything except ordinary. And those out to get him have summoned an ancient force so powerful even the gods fear it. As Nick learns to command and control the elements, the one he must master in order to combat his latest foe is the one most likely to destroy him. As the old proverb goes, fire knows nothing of mercy, and if Nick is to survive this latest round, he will have to sacrifice a part of himself. However, the best sacrifice is seldom the sanest move. Sometimes it’s the one that leaves your enemies confused, and you even more so.
And sometimes, you have to trust your enemy to save your friends. But what do you do when that enemy is you?

New Book Trailer: Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I know I probably say this too much, but one of my favorite authors is Sherrilyn Kenyon. I'm squealing like the lunatic fangirl that I am about the release of the newest Chronicles of Nick book, Infamous. I loved Nick's character since I read about him in Night Pleasures. I'm so hoping we're getting closer and closer to his Dark Hunter book and I hope he and Ash will be friends again.

I can't wait for the mailman to get here with my book (I think I'll probably scare the crap out of him when he does get here with the book). But until he gets here, I'm watching the Infamous book trailer, which is so great and it makes the waiting that much harder.

The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters. Now Nick's saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume...

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That's the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn't the average teenager. He's a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He's learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn't the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.