Synchronized Reading: review

Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Monday, September 15, 2014

Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.
Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.
What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.

This book was a pleasant surprise and i'm so happy that I had the chance to read it. I enjoyed the story so much and couldn't put the story down. I love books with witches, but don't find too many that I think are amazing. They're usually average, but this book was not! I loved the whole alternate universe aspect of the story because I've not read too many books, if any, that involve it. I flew through this book and was nose deep into the story from start to finish. I'd definitely recommend giving the story a try!

The Aftermath by Jen Alexander

Sometimes, I dream that I'm someone else.
A girl with dark hair who doesn't worry about hunger
or thirst or running from flesh-eaters.
In her world, those sorts of things don't exist.
Since the spring of 2036, when the world changed forever, Claudia and a small clan of survivors have roamed the streets of a very altered Nashville: polluted and desolate, except for the ever-present threat of cannibal Hoarders. Together they must undergo punishing tests of endurance and psychological challenge sometimes with devastating consequences all just to live another day.
With food and water in dwindling supply, and with danger lurking around every corner, no one can be trusted. And as her world starts to make less and less sense, Claudia begins to realize something terrifying: she is just a pawn in some sort of game, and all of her actions are being controlled from afar by a mysterious gamer. So when she meets a maddening and fascinating outsider named Declan, who claims to be a game moderator, she must decide whether to join him in exchange for protection and access to the border.
If they play the game right, they are each other's best hope for survival and a life beyond the only world Claudia's ever known: the terrifying live-action game known as The Aftermath.

Let me first start of saying that I do not think that this book is meant for everyone. If you're into the whole gaming thing and dystopian/post apocalyptic type books then I think you should give it a try, but if you're not into those things then I don't think that you'd enjoy this book. If you've read the Eye of Minds by James Dashner and enjoyed that, then you may enjoy this one as well. But anyways, I just thought I'd throw that out there :) On to the review!

The Far Dawn by Kevin Emerson

The Three is a lie. The Three will fail.
Having barely escaped Desenna, Owen and Lilly are on their own now, two of the three Altaneans on a journey to find Atlantis and protect it from the selfish greed of their nemesis Paul and Project Elysium. The secrets buried in the ice ahead have the power to destroy not only the earth but the bond between Owen and Lilly, too. As time grows short and darkness overtakes the planet, Owen must face Paul’s greatest treachery yet.
Full of heartrending decisions, pulse-pounding action, and fascinating questions of science and ethics alike, The Far Dawn takes readers on an explosive journey through time and space. At the far ends of the earth, Owen must choose—does he save the planet, or the people he loves?
Perfect for fans of Ship Breaker and the City of Ember series, slightly younger teen readers, and classroom library shelves.

The Far Dawn was a great conclusion to the Atlantean trilogy and I'm glad decided to give the series a try way back when it first came out. Book one was a pretty good start to the trilogy and continued to get better in book 2 and 3. I believe this book had a great balance of everything especially with the action and the romance. There wasn't too much of one thing, but just a very good mix of everything. I was also glad for the refreshers in the beginning of the book to jog my memory of the previous book. Those are always welcome and appreciated! Overall, the trilogy was good and I thought it was really different from a lot of the things I've read.

Bound To Danger by Katie Reus

At a benefit dinner, community activist Maria Cervantes overhears two men plotting a terrorist attack that could rock Miami to its core. But before she can alert authorities, she’s almost killed in a massive explosion—and wakes up in a hospital with no memory of what happened. As the sole survivor of the attack, she is now a person of interest to the NSA—and especially to Agent Cade O’Reilly. Because Maria is the one woman Cade has never been able to forget.

Years ago, they were closer than either was willing to admit—until Cade disappeared when Maria needed him most. Now he’s sticking by her, whether she likes it or not. Because the memories locked inside her mind could hold vital clues to the next attack. Because terrorists want her dead—and because he never wants to let her go again.

Bound To Danger was a really good book! There was tons of action going on within it and it was extremely fast paced. That is what I loved about the book. There were a ton of things going on within the story that made you want to continue on reading and not put the book down. The main character Maria has somehow gotten herself mixed up, unknowingly, with a group of terrorists. Overhearing a conversations between the terrorists at an event has put her life in danger, but the sad part about it is that she has no memory of the conversation and can't remember what was said. And through all that she's reconnected with Cade, a guy that was she liked and just so happened to be her now dead brother's best friend. Cade completely cut her out of his life when his best friend died so the two aren't that friendly in the beginning.

Taste of Darkness by Katie Reus

He spent more than a thousand years imprisoned in hell…
Drake is an ancient dragon shifter, one of the most powerful beings in existence, but a millennium trapped in utter darkness has left him ill-equipped for modern society. If it wasn’t for Victoria, the sweet female brave enough to befriend him, he’d be lost. She’s smart and gorgeous and everything he never dared dream of during his years of agonizing loneliness. He may not have anything to offer her, but one thing he knows for sure: he’d die to keep her safe.
Only to fall into the heaven of her touch.
Victoria is a wolf shifter, healer of the Stavros pack. She’s seen a lot, but she’s never met anybody quite like Drake, the fiery, fascinating shifter who can blaze through the skies unseen by mere mortals. He’s lost, dangerous, and the last male she should fall in love with, but the more time she spends helping him navigate modern life, the deeper—and hotter—their connection becomes. She’s thrilled when they finally locate his family, but reuniting with his people plunges them both into unimaginable danger. It’s a race against the clock trying to figure out who wants them dead and who they can trust, especially when the threat is closer than they ever imagined.

Taste of Darkness was a very refreshing read for me. I remember reading book one and ended up really enjoying it, but I have to say that I definitely liked book two a little bit better. I found that I enjoyed being with the characters a lot and I absolutely loved the romance. Also, the fact that there are dragon shifters in this book just made my day. I flew through Taste of Darkness in almost one sitting and ended up finishing it in a day. Considering the story follows different set of characters than book one, you could definitely read this one as a standalone, but I'd recommend reading book one because that's where the characters were first introduced.

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

The Hunt
(The Hunt, #1)
by Andrew Fukuda
Released | December 24th 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin|
Edition |Paperback|
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Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.
When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

I've been wanting to read the Hunt for quite some time now and I finally decided to pick it up. I thought the book was an interesting read. Gene is the main character and he's a human living among the vampires. Vampires are in charge and humans are practically extinct. If they're out there, they're hiding or trying to blend in. And that's what Gene is doing. He's trying to blend in with the vampires, but one wrong move could be his last. So he had to be extremely careful about everything that he did.

Getting By by Claudia Y. Burgoa + Giveaway

When Emma Anderson arrived at San Francisco International Airport, she regretted accepting the distinction of being the maid of honor to Gaby’s—her childhood friend—wedding. It had been years since the last time she set foot in Menlo Park, where her parents had been killed. The rug where she had been shoving her feelings since that day looked bumpier than a camel’s hump. Who could blame her; if she hadn’t been selfish they’d still be around. Ever since that fateful day, Emma has been perfecting the knack of Getting By.
Cade’s wedding in Menlo Park—a city close to San Francisco—might be the perfect place for Jake Knight to shake the memories of his ex, Emma Anderson for good. Single, available women galore for an entire week was the perfect medication, one he intended to take three times a day for an entire week to return to his player days. It was a plan the former spy thought flawless until he came face to face with the maid of honor. Jake’s perfect retreat turns into a flight, fight or hide week of celebrations.

Getting By is a book that involves two characters that each have a painful past. Emma and Jake each have personal issues that they've been struggling with and that means that they both have a lot of emotional baggage and they're also carrying a lot of guilt. You really feel bad for both of the characters because you see the love that they have for each other, but the things that they're holding on to is what's holding them back.

Thrive by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Thrive
(Addicted, #2.5)
by Krista and Becca Ritchie
Released |July 18th 2014 by K.B. Ritchie|
Edition |Ebook|
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Two years will change them forever.
When rumors spread like wildfire—like having three-ways with her boyfriend’s rock climbing brother—Lily Calloway spirals into a dark place. Her bedroom. Loren Hale is more confident and determined to keep their sex life private, even from their friends, and he helps Lily in the only way he knows how. But how much love is too much?
Their lives are filmed, watched, and criticized. And through it all, Lily and Loren have to face enemies they never thought they’d see, demons they don’t know if they should bury, and setbacks they didn’t think they’d meet. Not this soon.
And one rumor could be too much for them to handle. It will test their greatest limitations, and if they don’t hold onto each other, someone is going to drown.
A full-length New Adult Romance that bridges the gap between the second and third books. Thrive must be read before Addicted After All if you have not read the Calloway Sisters spin-off series

Thrive, Thrive, Thrive was awesome! At first I was a little thrown off by it. If you've read the spin off books (which I seriously recommend doing if you've started the series) then you're back tracking two years (Kiss the Sky and Hothouse Flowers)and starting up again from there. Once I got into it though, it flowed even though it back tracks. You're now getting things and situations from Lily and Lo's POVs and you're not reading the same scenes over again. You do get a couple of repeat scenes, but trust me, they're just as amazing as before. I don't know if all that made sense, but let me just say read this book if you've not read the spin off series and read this if you HAVE read the spin off series as well. It's definitely a must.

Relinquish by Amy Thompson

Relinquish
(Lost Souls, #2)
by Amy Thompson
Released |June 17th 2014|
Edition |eARC|
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Regan has a life in Georgia. She is going to school, has managed to make some friends, and has even found a new love interest in Colter. So what happens when she can’t hide what she is anymore? When do all the lies become too much to handle? And how much longer can she hold onto her sanity—while Agro pushes her closer and closer to the edge of no return—her ascension to Elite?
Colter is beautifully oblivious. Wanting so much to believe that Regan is safe, and Agro has been halted, he ignores Finn’s constant skepticism at the risk of their friendship. Overlooking what is so clearly right in front of him, Colter passes off Regan’s outbursts of emotion on her recent trauma. Colter can feel Regan—his one exception to his retribution—slipping out of his arms, but fighting her to stay with him may not be an option.
Colter and Finn are now at odds, and there is a newly formed alliance between Kaiden and Exile Max. Will this group of Collectors be enough to fight off the new enemies and old threats that emerge in the battle for souls when Regan is broken, and their group is on the brink of self-destruction?
The lost will be found, the Collectors will be exiled, and the Elites will reign

Contains a little bit of spoilers
Relinquish was a DNF for me. I received this for review and feel bad that I have to write this review, but I have to give my honest opinion. I read book one not to long ago and I thought it was okay. I was hoping that Relinquish would be better than the first and in the beginning it seemed like it would be. As I continued reading, things just started to go downhill. I tried so hard to push through this book because the plot is actually pretty interesting and I like finding out more about the things that go on in the story. I feel like this series had good potential to be a good one, but my dislike for the main character completely turned me off from the series. The plot of the story is pretty good and all the characters are enjoyable except the main character Regan. She literally made me want to scream. The main character wasn't my favorite in book one and in book two she was absolutely the worst. I made it to 54% and that's when I had to call it quits and stop forcing myself.

The Dare by Hannah Jayne

Two jumped off the pier that night...but only one came back alive
Bryn did everything with her best friend Erica. So when someone dared Erica to jump off the pier one night at Harding Beach, Bryn was right by her side. But when Bryn made it back to the surface, Erica was nowhere to be found. Bryn tries to make a fresh start by burying her memories of that awful night. But when a Twitter post from "EricaNShaw" pops up on her feed and a chilling voice mail appears on her phone, she realizes that someone isn't ready to let go of the past..

This was, unfortunately, a book that I had to DNF. I was not able to connect to the story or the characters in any way and it was very forgettable. The story line is what made me want to pick up the book and had me intrigued because I love a good mystery, but I just couldn't get into this one. The beginning was okay, but as the book continued I felt as if the story was all over the place and becoming repetitive. I was also confused at times which made things worse for me because I felt that some things were moving too quickly and not being explained good enough and the characters just fell flat for me and I was not able to connect. I wanted to like this book and push through it, but once I sat it down I never found the interest to pick it back up.

DNF

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Blog Tour: Bad Blood by Nikki Jefford - Review

Bad Blood
(Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, #3)
by Nikki Jefford
Released |June 2nd 2014|
Genres |Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult|
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Aurora returns from boot camp to a new assignment, an unwelcome roommate, and the increasingly amorous attentions of a certain vampire hunter.
College is starting, and so is Aurora’s undercover work at a network of swanky parties known as “Tastings” for high rolling vampires who like their blood laced with fine wine. But Aurora’s not the only one on the prowl. An underground investigation is under way to find out who killed one of Anchorage’s most prominent vampires… and Aurora is a prime suspect.

I've been really excited to read Bad Blood ever since I finished Northern Bites. Bad Blood is the third installment in the Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter series and it did not disappoint. The one thing I love about this series is that it is fast paced and exciting. This was a very quick read for me and was disappointed when I reached the last page of the book because I wanted more. I wish the book was thicker so I could be with the characters for just a little bit longer. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and excitement as things started to unravel.

Retribution by Amy Thompson

Regan Edison has just moved from California, to enter her first year at Georgia Liberty College, the place where jacked up Chevy trucks and hunting are a way of life. Regan hopes to start a new life for herself and she thinks that Georgia is just the place to do it. That is until she meets an unexpected stranger.
Colter Hayes is a member of the Collectors, a group of wrongfully punished lost souls. Colter and the rest of his team, Finn, Kaiden and Devon, work for the Requiem Council who pass judgment on those souls that are neither tagged for Heaven nor Hell. The Council has charged the Collectors with finding the lost in exchange for a chance at redemption.
When an ex-councilmember known to pass Retribution on lost souls sets his sights on Regan, the Requiem Council dispatches the Collectors to Georgia to work as protectors for Regan. The Collectors must fight to save Regan from a fate they know all too well, but can they work to earn back their chance at redemption or are their fates sealed forever?
Who is meant for Heaven?
Who is meant for Hell?
And who is just lost?

I have an inner struggle with Retribution because I enjoyed the overall point of the story, but there were some aspects that I didn't enjoy as well. I struggled with rating this book, but I finally settle upon three stars because I do want to give the sequel a try. The main character Regan is a freshman in college and decided to go to a school across the country, from California to Georgia. She's barely gotten the chance to settle in before things start getting crazy for her. When it comes to Retribution I thought the book did have some great action packed scenes, but I do feel as though some of the things in the story was not touched on enough. Retribution does switch povs, but the main pov is with Regan.

Alpha by Jasinda Wilder

Alpha
(Alpha, #1)
by Jasinda Wilder
Released |April 29th 2014|
Edition |Ebook|
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The first time it happened, it seemed like an impossible miracle. Bills were piling up, adding up to more money than I could ever make. Mom's hospital bills. My baby brother's tuition. My tuition. Rent. Electricity. All of it on my shoulders. And I had just lost my job. There was no hope, no money in my account, no work to be found. And then, just when I thought all hope was lost, I found an envelope in the mail. No return address. My name on the front, my address. Inside was a check, made out to me, in the amount of ten thousand dollars. Enough to pay the bills and leave me some left over to live on until I found a job. Enough to let me focus on classes. There was no name on the check, just "VRI Inc.," and a post office box address for somewhere in the city. No hint of identity or reason for the check or anything. No mention of repayment, interest, nothing…except a single word, on the notes line: "You." Just those three letters.
If you receive a mysterious check, for enough money to erase all your worries, would you cash it?
I did.
The next month, I received another check, again from VRI Incorporated. It too contained a single word: "belong."
A third check, the next month. This time, two words. Four letters. "To me."
The checks kept coming. The notes stopped. Ten thousand dollars, every month. A girl gets used to that, real quick. It let me pay the bills without going into debt. Let me keep my baby brother in school and Mom's hospice care paid for. How do you turn down what seems like free money, when you're desperate? You don't. I didn't.
And then, after a year, there was a knock on my door. A sleek black limousine sat on the curb in front of my house. A driver stood in front of me, and he spoke six words: "It's time to pay your debt."
Would you have gotten in?
I did.
It turns out $120,000 doesn't come free.

I've never read anything by this author before, but the synopsis had me so intrigued that I decided to give it a try. I use to read books in genres like this all the time, but over the last few years I just kind of stopped. I decided to pick Alpha up because I needed a change from the typical books that I was reading. I enjoyed the story, but I did have an issue with it. I think I was hoping for a bit more in some areas, but overall I did enjoy the story.

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

City of Heavenly Fire
(the Mortal Instruments, #6)
by Cassandra Clare
Released |May 27th 2014 by Margaret K. McElderry|
Edition |Hardcover, 725 pages|
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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!

Oh my! After all these years of being with this series it has finally come to an end and I am extremely sad about it. Luckily, City of Heavenly Fire did not disappoint me in the slightest! This was a massive read with over 700 pages and I was never once bored with the story. This book went beyond any expectation that I had for it. Going into reading it I tried not to be overly excited for it because with final books you never really know what you're going to get. So much happened within the pages, sad moments and happy moments. It was fast paced, action packed, full of romance, decisions, and just everything. This is a must read book if you've been continuing along with this series :) I'd definitely recommend reading it even if you didn't like a couple of books in it.

Complicit by Stephanie Kuehn

Two years ago, sixteen-year-old Jamie Henry breathed a sigh of relief when a judge sentenced his older sister to juvenile detention for burning down their neighbor’s fancy horse barn. The whole town did. Because Crazy Cate Henry used to be a nice girl. Until she did a lot of bad things. Like drinking. And stealing. And lying. Like playing weird mind games in the woods with other children. Like making sure she always got her way. Or else.
But today Cate got out. And now she’s coming back for Jamie.
Because more than anything, Cate Henry needs her little brother to know the truth about their past. A truth she’s kept hidden for years. A truth she’s not supposed to tell.

To be honest, I really don't know how I exactly feel about this book. I liked it and enjoyed the story, but I didn't really get 'excited' until the end. One issue, which isn't related to the book itself, is that the synopsis on Negalley give away the major twist in the book. So, yeah I wasn't surprised when it happened. But then again, it was written so well that I still enjoyed it which doesn't happen often if I've read a spoiler. My tip, avoid reading the synopsis that is on Netgalley. For most of the book I was waiting for that twist to happen because I already new it would. I hadn't even realized that I'd been spoiled until I got to the last page of the book.

We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.
When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellaya. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.

We Are the Goldens was a very interesting read. But one thing I have to mention is that on Netgalley there was a different synopsis use that doesn't give so much away, but the one on goodreads practically tells you what happens. I thought that was a bit odd, but anyways, this story was very enjoyable. Yes, this book does involve a student/teacher romance so if you are not comfortable with books that involve them this might not be for you. We witness two sister that have always been close slowly start to drift apart. Layla (Nell's older sister) is keeping secrets from Nell and when Nell finds out her secret she knows that she should do something about it. But doing the right thing was not the easiest decision for Nell to make. Her sister is her idol and she's the only person she looks up to.

The King by J.R. Ward

The King
(The Black Dagger Brotherhood, #12)
by J.R. Ward
Released |April 1st 2014 by Penguin Group (USA)|
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J.R. Ward's # 1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood continues as a royal bloodline is compromised by a grave threat to the throne.
Long live the King…
After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle--with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything--and everyone--at risk.
Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response--or the distance it creates between them.
The question is, will true love win out... or tortured legacy take over?

As always, I get really excited going into a new black dagger brotherhood book. I've been with this series for so long, I just freaking love it. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked being back in Wrath's (the blind king) head again. Dark lover was a good book, but Wrath has never been one of my favorite brothers. Zsadist, John Matthews, Vishous, Qhuinn, etc. I mean hello?! But back to the subject at hand, Wrath has always been a tough one and in this book we see him being the a**hole that he typically can be, but we never really saw it directed towards Beth (his mate). That was kind of different. With Beth wanting a baby and Wrath being dead set against it, that started a lot of the drama, and to top it off, the Band of Bastards are still trying to dethrone him. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to what happened. I love the Brotherhood and I'm glad we got to see them all again in this book, except Phury. We don't really see him much anymore.

The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

The Eye of Minds
(The Mortality Doctrine, #1)
by James Dashner
Released |October 8th 2013 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers|
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An all-new, edge-of-your seat adventure from James Dashner, the author of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, The Eye of Minds is the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams . . . and your worst nightmares.
Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?
But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.
The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.
And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.
But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

James Dashner is amazing when it comes to creating a unique world. The Eye of Minds was made up of a complex gaming world with 'hyperadvanced' technology. It was amazing and I could envision every little aspect. I'm typically not into gaming books, but I found this one to be fast paced and exciting. I've read the Maze Runner trilogy and the prequel to it and really enjoyed it. So going into The Eye of Minds I was expecting it to be fast paced and action packed. It didn't disappoint :) If you're wanting something with some romance in it, this book may not be for you because that was pretty much non existent, but I actually didn't mind it one bit. If you're looking for excitement and action then I'd definitely recommend giving the book a try.

A Man's Promise by Brenda Jackson

A man's word is his bond. His family is his strength. His heart is his own.
Superstar musician Caden Granger has spent years running from love, commitment and family. Yet despite his fame and fortune, he knows the kind of respect and adoration he needs can only come from one person—the very woman who wants nothing to do with him.
Corporate fund-raiser and society maven Shiloh Timmons finally got her life on track once her relationship with Caden ended, and she's in no hurry to revisit a romance with the man she left standing at the altar.
If Caden can't have Shiloh by his side, all the success in the world will mean nothing. Now he has a chance to renew his promises…but is it too late?

Last year I got the chance to read the first book in this series, A Brother's Honor and really enjoyed it. When I saw A Man's Promise on Netgalley I was excited when I got accepted to review it. This series consist of three brothers, the first book was about the oldest brother, A Man's Promise is about Caden, the middle brother and the next book will about the third brother. But the thing is, you need to read the books in order because the books connect to one another.

Champion by Marie Lu

Champion
(Legend, #3)
by Marie Lu
Released |November 5th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile|
Edition |Hardcover, 369 pages|
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He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?
June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.
But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.
With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion

Once again, I have ended a trilogy and it is always sad to see them end. Champion was a great ending to this Legend trilogy and it was sort of bittersweet. I loved being back in the world that the author has created and I also love being reunited with the characters one last time to see how things would wrap up. In Champion, there is a deadly virus spreading through the colonies and they're blaming it on the Republic and if the Republic doesn't come up with a cure and fast then they'll have to face yet another war.