Feature and Follow #69

Feature Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read!

Featured Blogs:

and

Q: The #FF is 150 weeks old! And we want to hear from you! What would you change about the hop? What do you like about it? Or just suggest a question to be used for next week!

A:  I like the hop just as it is. I really can't think of anything that would improve it. I am glad to see its been around for 150 hops, AWESOME! I think you guys do a wonderful job! 

Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Title: Splintered 

Author: A.G. Howard
Publisher:  Amulet Books
Publishing Date: January 1st 2013

Pages: 371
Genre:  YA Fairytale Retelling

Series:  Splintered #1
Source: Audio

  

        

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.


When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

I was a sucker for this cover, it is what grabbed me and at the moment I didn't even care what the book as about. Awesome cover. I read the synopsis and thought... hmm sounds interesting. I bought the audio, I listened to the audio, and I said WOW what an amazing book. Love it, must have it on my shelf, can't wait for the next book... which by the way has a cover that is also AMAZING! 

Alyssa has a very intense life. She has a mother who is in a mental hospital because of an accident that happened when Alyssa was a child. Alyssa's mother, Alison, believes in wonderland and believes there is a curse on their family. On one of Alyssa's visits her mother goes crazy and is now being signed up for electric shock therapy and Alyssa knows she is the only one that can stop it all, because she knows what her mother is talking about. She sees things, hears things, and starts to believe that her mother was never mentally ill to begin with. Alyssa finds the rabbit hole and ends up in Wonderland with nutty creatures, dangerous foes, and a long lost childhood friend. To make things more difficult, her long time crush and best friend, Jeb, follows her down. Now they are both on a quest to break the curse to save her mother. 

I absolutely loved this book. The world building really wowed me! I loved being in Wonderland with all the fascinating creatures, colorful elements, and crazy characters. Everything about Wonderland was familiar but new. I felt it was the old Wonderland but creepier and with a mix of modern. I loved it. The world building was definitely part of the allure. 

Another part of the allure was the story. It was a totally new twist for me and I loved it. I was able to follow easily and emerge myself fully into the story. The story had many twists and turns and so much treachery, I was unsure who was good, where was up, and what to do next... but only in the way the author fully intended. It was creepy, dark, mysterious, and a very adventurous read. It was just so much to watch Alyssa and Jeb work through the events and puzzles that were placed in front of them and during all the hoops they jump through, their relationship grew. 

The love story was wonderful in this book. It was great to see them start off as friends and to see the passion that sat deep inside them both. Jeb and Alyssa were the last ones to realize the other had feelings for them too. They only had a few kisses but each one blew my mind, they were so powerful, I got goosebumps and  toe tingles. The relationship was not forced and not rushed, it was just perfect. 

I loved both the characters of Alyssa and Jeb. Alyssa did have her moments where I wanted to slap her. She loved to live in world of oblivion and that bothered me a bit. Things that were right in front of her she just refused to see, but once she got it, she got it. She did change drastically from the beginning of the story and the character growth was huge. I enjoyed her journey very much. 

Jeb was oh so swoon worthy. I loved every scene and every moment with Jeb. He too was so blind and dumb at times when it came to Alyssa but she didn't make it easy for him. It was one of those things where if both characters could be on the same page at the same time it would all be golden. Jeb was somewhere in the middle of big brother, best friend, and first love. He had a bit of everything and new when to play which pat. They only main jab I have for Jeb, he was a bit too protective at times and he came on a bit too strong for me. He too changed oodles by the ending. 

The book ended kind of open ended and I can't wait to get to the next book. It was a great story and there is so much more coming! 

Awesome and Magnificent. If you like dark fantasy and fairy tale retellings, wait no longer... grab this book and give a good read. The audio is awesome too. The narrator did everyone right and I think if you like audio, this book will not disappoint and if you are not sure you like audio... this book will make you a fan. 

Blog Tour: The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

Tour hosted by Itching for Books: Schedule

Title:  The Rules for Disappearing

Author: Ashley Elston
Publisher:  Disney-Hyperion
Publishing Date:  May 14th 2013

Pages: 320
Genre:  YA Mystery Suspense/Thriller

Series: Stand Alone
Source: Kindle Edition provided by Itching for Books

  

Barnes and Noble

        

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters — survival.

I thought this book sounded awesome from the moment I read the synopsis. I love a good mystery and a great suspense thriller. This book was absolutely both! I was invested from very early in the beginning and it quickly became a real page turner. I adored the main character and also had a soft spot for many of the supporting characters. The story was great and the mystery kept me guessing. A fantastic read!

Meg isn't her real name, her hair is dyed, and she wears colored contacts. She has had several identities in several states, the only thing she is sure about is that she doesn't know when she will be relocated and what her new name will be. She is in the witness protection program. She doesn't know why and she doesn't know for how long. She is tired of leaving friends behind, lying about her life, and feeling scared. She is determined to find the reason why this is her life.

I loved this book. The book was filled with a bit of everything, a sweet romance, a good mystery, and some pretty thrilling moments. I loved the story and the characters, the pacing was just right, and the writing was awesome. I had no problems diving into the story and getting wrapped up in Meg's world. 

Meg was such a likable character. She tried to be tough, she tried to carry her family through their hard times, she tried to distance herself from any new relationships. She failed at it all but for her the failure was a success. She learned how to trust, how to love, and how to deal with some pretty heavy issues. She found she didn't have to be alone. One thing I loved about Meg, her need to protect and take care of her sister, and she did it well. I also enjoyed watching her relationship with Ethan, Catherine, and Will grow. It was nice to see her be herself, well as much as she could, and let loos to have some fun. 

All the characters were great with the part they played. The character roles were set up nicely with the story and I don't think it would have been as great of a tale if they would have been different,  even in the slightest. 

The mystery was really really good. I tried and I tried to figure out what was going on and some little things I found myself to be on the right trail with, but in the end when it all came to light, I was  blown away. I never saw it coming.  The book was really written well and the plot really thought and planned out. The suspenseful moments were really suspenseful and the thrills were extremely thrilling. 

I was really rooting for Meg throughout the book and I was extremely satisfied in the end 

Loved it! No complaints.  A wonderful read!

Ashley Elston lives is North Louisiana with her husband, three sons and two cats. She worked as a wedding and portrait photographer for ten years until she decided to pursue writing full time. Ashley is also a licensed Landscape Horticulturist and helps her husband run a commercial lawn and landscaping business. They also custom harvest pecans and have cows. Yes, cows.

ashleyelston.com | twitter.com/ashley_elston

Delightful Discoveries #18

Delightful Discoveries are books that I have discovered during the week... old, new, just released... from blogs, goodreads, friends, or bookstores. 

So this week I found these goodies...

A Really Awesome Mess by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin  

  

        

A hint of Recovery Road, a sample of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and a cut of Juno. A Really Awesome Mess is a laugh-out-loud, gut-wrenching/heart-warming story of two teenagers struggling to find love and themselves.

Two teenagers. Two very bumpy roads taken that lead to Heartland Academy.
Justin was just having fun, but when his dad walked in on him with a girl in a very compromising position, Justin's summer took a quick turn for the worse. His parents' divorce put Justin on rocky mental ground, and after a handful of Tylenol lands him in the hospital, he has really hit rock bottom.

Emmy never felt like part of her family. She was adopted from China. Her parents and sister tower over her and look like they came out of a Ralph Lauren catalog-- and Emmy definitely doesn't. After a scandalous photo of Emmy leads to vicious rumors around school, she threatens the boy who started it all on Facebook.

Justin and Emmy arrive at Heartland Academy, a reform school that will force them to deal with their issues, damaged souls with little patience for authority. But along the way they will find a ragtag group of teens who are just as broken, stubborn, and full of sarcasm as themselves. In the end, they might even call each other friends.
A funny, sad, and remarkable story, A Really Awesome Mess is a journey of friendship and self-discovery that teen readers will surely sign up for.

Paper Hearts by S.R. Savell 

  

        

A pushy counselor, school bullies, a neglectful mother, and a dead father have tainted 17-year-old high school senior Michelle Pearce’s perspective on life. She’s become a social reject with a bad attitude. Her faith in the goodness of humanity is restored when she gets to know her newest coworker, Nathaniel Slater, a high school dropout who works three jobs to care for his dying grandmother. But their budding romance has little time to blossom before tragedy strikes, destroying Michelle’s hope in the world she lives in and threatening to tear her and Nathaniel apart.

Knotted Roots by Ruthi Kight

        

Partying with friends and scoring a flawless tan is about all Roxie has on her list of things to make her Hampton's summer perfect.

Her parents, however, have other plans and Grandma Betty's farm is just one of them.

Just as her life is in shambles and the quaint town is suffocating her, she meets Chase.

Somewhere in the mix of bummer summer and small town doldrums, he becomes the boy she can't seem to avoid falling for. Just adding him to the picture, her stay starts to get better, even if she knows it has to end with the summer holidays.

That is until Betty drops a life-shattering bomb.
Roxie must make a choice that will change her life forever. What happens when a spoiled brat from New York learns the true meaning of love, loss, and forgiveness?

Can Chase and Roxie find a way to be together or is this just another summer romance?

Confessions of a Hater by Caprice Crane

  

        

Mean girls are always the haters - Right?

Hailey Harper has always felt invisible. Now her dad has a new job and the family is moving to Hollywood. Just what Hailey needs: starting a new high school.

As she's packing, Hailey finds a journal that belonged to her older sister, Noel, who is away at college. Called "How to Be a Hater," it's full of info Hailey can really use. Has Hailey found the Bible of Coolness? Will it help her reinvent herself at her new school? Will her crush notice her? Will she and the other Invisibles dethrone the popular mean girls? After all, they deserve it. Don't they?

Caprice Crane's funny--and deeply felt--observations about high school, bullies, popularity, friendship, and romance will leave teens thinking...and talking.

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz

  

        

In an extraordinary debut novel, an escaped fugitive upends everything two siblings think they know about their family, their past, and themselves.

When eleven-year-old Annie first started lying to her social worker, she had been taught by an expert: Gran. "If you’re going to do something, make sure you do it with excellence," Gran would say. That was when Gran was feeling talkative, and not brooding for days in her room — like she did after telling Annie and her little brother, Rew, the one thing they know about their father: that he was killed in a fight with an angry man who was sent away. Annie tells stories, too, as she and Rew laze under the birches and oaks of Zebra Forest — stories about their father the pirate, or pilot, or secret agent. But then something shocking happens to unravel all their stories: a rattling at the back door, an escapee from the prison holding them hostage in their own home, four lives that will never be the same. Driven by suspense and psychological intrigue, Zebra Forest deftly portrays an unfolding standoff of truth against family secrets — and offers an affecting look at two resourceful, imaginative kids as they react and adapt to the hand they’ve been dealt.

Waiting on Wednesday #59 and W.W.W. Wednesday #49

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

All The Truth That Is In Me by Julie Berry 

September 17th 2013

          
Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

The Broken Hearted by Amelia Kahaney

October 8th 2013

A teenage girl is transformed into a reluctant superhero and must balance her old life with the dark secret of who she has become.

Prima ballerina Anthem Fleet is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she meets the handsome Gavin at a party on the wrong side of town, she is immediately drawn into his dangerous world. Then, in a tragic accident, Anthem falls to her death. She awakes in an underground lab, with a bionic heart ticking in her chest. As she navigates her new life, she uncovers the sinister truth behind those she trusted the most, and the chilling secret of her family lineage…and her duty to uphold it.

The Dark Knight meets Cinder in this gripping and cinematic story of heartbreak and revenge. From Alloy Entertainment, this inventive new superhero story is sure to captivate any reader.

W...W...W.. Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.... I wold love to hear What you are currently reading, what did you just finish and what are you reading next...

What Are Currently Reading: 

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

What Do You Think You Will Read Next?