*[Blog Tour Review] Revolution (Collide #4) by Shelly Crane

 

Summary:

 

In the fourth and final installment, everything is on the line. Merrick's life is in the balance and Lily is their only hope. Ellie and her new powers are miraculous, but also problematic; if she's with the bunker family, they won't be able to sense when the Lighters are there. There are many new members to the bunker and sparks will fly, and with the food shortage, they will all have plenty to deal with. Miguel is intrigued with Rylee, her past and her spunk. Ryan and Elli are barely scratching the surface of their relationship. Cain and Lillian will have to deal with Daniel, who has no qualms about showing his true feelings for her. And Sherry and Merrick…what will happen to this happenstance family who have worked so hard to come together? Can they all survive? Can they all withstand the new enemy that is right outside their door? Can they beat the Lighters, once and for all…

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 91,830 words

Source: Review Copy

Publication Date: September 6th 2012

 

Wow, that was my immediate reaction when I finished the final installment in Shelly Crane's Collide series. You see I kind of burnt myself out by reading all 4 books withing about a 10 day stretch of time so I was a bit exhausted when I finished the series. Hopefully I'll be able to write a reasonably understandable review even though I fear it will be a bit on the shorter side. Plus since this is still such a new release and there are so many fans of this series I would hate to spoil anything for anyone so I'll focus on the writing itself.

 

After reading the series I'm glad that the author decided to end it after 4 books. Not that she was running out of steam mind you but because everything seemed to round itself out in the end of this one and to push it further I think would mess up how well the series came together.

 

I love how the characters and their respective relationships stayed pretty solid throughout the whole series so it was nice that that was very much carried through in this novel. I really came to get attached to all the characters in this series so I am really sad to think that they only way that I will see them again is if I re-read the series which I'm planning to do in the new year.

 

What I think I loved most about the final book in this series is the fact that there was such a fluidity to the story and I love how I didn't feel as though I was being jostled about as the author wrapped up the story line. I also really appreciated the fact that the story didn't seem rush and kept up the same adventurous pace as the 3 books preceding it. I loved the action, adventure and romance in this book.

 

Shelly Crane wove a fabulous story and there is absolutely no question that this was my favourite book in the series. The puzzle truly became one by the time I finished it and I couldn't be happier with where it left off. I think that the other fans of this series will be pleased with this one as well. As a person who hadn't heard of these books a couple months ago I sure am glad that I signed up for this tour. It introduced me to a new author, one with a fresh and unique voice in the world of young adult fiction and one I can't wait to read more books by.  I highly suggest giving the first book Collide (Collide #1) a try and I would like to thank Shelly for providing me with the entire series to read as well as Holly for organizing the tour. Thanks ladies!

 

*I received a free copy in exchange for my free and honest review. I was not compensated in any way and all thoughts and opinions expressed therein are my own.

 

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Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★

 

 

*[Cover Reveal] Blood Doll by Georgia Cates

 

Summary:

 

Solomon Alexander has faced huge obstacles during his existence, but they’re nothing in comparison to the one he’s about to hit head on. As leader of The Savannah Compound, part of Sol’s new position in the Coven of Landra is to guide the transition of fledgelings, newly turned vampires. It’s his job to save the unsavable. Being a Landra is what he’s done for over a century and he’s damn good at it, but everything he knows, practices and teaches is threatened when he is forced to drink from Avery Ferrand, a Blood Jewel.

The Blood Jewel is enshrouded with mystery, but one fact is known. There’s never been blood more desirable or addicting than Avery’s and there are consequences for any vampire that drinks it...including Solomon Alexander. Although he adamantly denies his need to feed from her, Avery suspects he’s lying but she has secrets of her own about the night he drank from her. She wanted him to and now she finds herself being drawn to Solomon in a way she shouldn't. As Avery’s desire to be closer to Solomon grows, she finds herself considering something more dangerous than being found by the dangerous covens hunting her...asking Solomon if she can become his Blood Doll.

Summary & Photo provided by SupaGurl Tours

Author Bio:

    Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent thirteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author.

Blood of Anteros, Book One in The Vampire Agápe Series, was her first novel and it was released in September 2011. She decided to briefly step away from the paranormal genre to try her hand at a young adult contemporary romance when she wrote Going Under, but returned to the paranormal romance platform to complete the second book in The Vampire Agápe Series, Blood Jewel.

Her current works in progress are Shallow (A Going Under Novel) which will release on September 27th and Blood Doll (The Vampire Agápe Series #3), to be released in January 2013.

Georgia Cates Links:

    Georgia Cates Blog
Georgia Cates on Facebook
Georgia Cates on Twitter
Shallow on Goodreads

 

Starring In The Movie Of My Life by Laurel Osterkamp *(Blog Tour Review/Author Guest Post)

Summary:

Thirty-five-year-old Samantha acts without thinking. Her heart is huge while her sense of purpose is small; she's willing to fight for those she loves, but she's never learned to fight for herself. Eighteen-year-old Melody is cold and calculating, and she's driven by the desire to better herself. As these compelling yet deeply flawed women battle for the affections of twenty-five-year-old Nathan, he becomes increasingly confused and torn between them. Nathan is Melody's English teacher, and after he saves her from being raped, she becomes attached. Melody longs for the affection she's never felt, so she involves people in her self-invented drama, making sure she is at once the star and the director. Meanwhile, Samantha is newly married to Nathan. But Samantha has hang-ups about motherhood and lingering feelings for her ex. To make sense of the world, Sam relates her life to the themes of her favorite movies, while she independently makes a documentary to jump-start her non-existent film career. Stylistically influenced by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Weiner, Starring in the Movie of my Life is told alternately from both Samantha's and Melody's points-of-view and relates two complete yet combined stories about love, acceptance, and redemption. It speaks to our universal desire to be saved by the ones we love, and the monumental effort required tosave ourselves.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 316 pages (E-book)
Source: Review Copy
Publication Date: February 1st 2011 by Preventive Measures   

I don't know about you but I don't often find a adult book that tells the story of two women in alternating points of view written in the present tense because so many authors when writing for an adult audience seem to not use this style for some reason I don't get, this author utilized both of these things to her advantage.

I really enjoyed how much detail Laurel used when creating her characters, for me it was almost as though they were real people because of how she created Melody and Sam though for me I actually liked Samantha more. I thought she was more likeable to me, like the summary says Melody was cold and calculating and I just couldn't get over that fact enough to come to really like her.

The overall plot was pretty good and it did the job of keeping me entertained with the goings on in each of the women's live without getting the two confusing so that is also another point in the authors favour and I also liked the author's writing style too.

My only issues with the book were that I didn't care as much for Melody, some things like the women's actions annoyed me just like I real person with her traits would have, some of the phrases in the book were a little repetitive and I think that the book could have been about 80 pages shorter and still have had everything that had happened happen without feeling like anything was left out.

All in all this is a book I would recommend to readers who like chick-lit/women's fiction. I think it would do well as a beach read or one to read while relaxing in the comforts of your cottage.

* I recieved a FREE copy of this book in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review.

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Liked It!
★ ★ ★

GUEST POST

More than a Novel

I’m not good at committing to one favorite book or author; I’ve loved so many books and authors over the years, all for unique reasons. I guess I’m something of a book whore. However, when it comes to what influenced me while writing Starring in the Movie of My Life, one book comes immediately to mind.

I Know This Much is True, by Wally Lamb, is not my usual type of read. It’s a little too dark and edgy to fit my tastes. It was given to me by husband’s cousin. He used to work in publishing, so he had access to tons of free books and he strongly recommended it.

I decided to give it a whirl. Early on I wasn’t sure I would stick with it. The story was a little slow, and the characters weren’t very likeable, and it was pretty dark. Then I took my car in to be serviced and I brought it along to read.

I held it when I went to the counter to pay, and the girl who was working there commented. “Oh my God,” she said. “I Know This Much is True is one of my all-time favorite books! By the end I couldn’t put it down!”

So I’ll admit it; my reaction was a little snobby. I thought, “If the girl who works at the Saturn dealership can finish this book, I can finish this book. I do teach English, after all.”

I ccommitted to finishing it. It took a little while, but halfway through this 891 page book I was hooked, and like the girl at the Saturn dealership, towards the end I could not put it down. This was before I had kids, and I remember coming home on a Friday afternoon, sitting on the couch and reading well into the evening. Then I resumed reading Saturday morning, and I didn’t stop until the late afternoon when I was done.

I cried at the ending: partly because of the beauty of the writing. Lamb somehow managed to incorporate all the themes and meaning of his brilliant book into one final paragraph, and he ends with the title. It’s not at all forced; instead it’s organic and complete. I can say that of all the books I’ve ever read, I Know This Much is True has the most well written, satisfying ending.

I also cried when I finished it because it was over. You know that feeling when you’re dying to know what happens but you don’t want to be done? Lamb switched back and forth between sub-plots and created such marvelous suspense that every time I finished one chapter I was compelled to begin the next. Eventually these stories converged, and when they did, it was amazing.

So that’s what I attempted to do with Starring in the Movie of My Life. There are two storylines, Melody’s and Samantha’s, and I tried to end each chapter at a high point of interest, urging the reader to continue on until Melody and Samantha finally join together at the end of the book. I also chose to make redemption a major theme. Wally Lamb’s main character, Dominick, endures heartbreak and loss. He makes mistakes and becomes bitter. Yet by the end he finds redemption and closure, in a way where he can move on with his life. I wanted that for Melody and Samantha.

I’m not implying that Starring in the Movie of My Life is in any way equal to I Know This Much is True. Ultimately, these two books are very, very different, and I realize I have a lot to learn before I can even approach being the writer that Lamb is. However, if there is one book that has inspired me as a writer, one book I modeled my own book after, it is his.

-Laurel Osterkamp

I'd like to thank author Lauren Osterkamp for taking time out of her busy schedule to write a guest post on Turning The Pages today. Best of luck in your writing career!