Book Review-Unbreakable

I just finished reading Unbreakable (The Legion #1) by Kami Garcia.

From Goodreads:

Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.

I wasn't really sure what I was going to think about this one.  I wanted to read it because I'd heard of the author but I wasn't really sure about the premise.  I was pleasantly surprised though--I really liked it!

The action kept me hooked.  The whole idea of the Legion and how the responsibility of the members is passed down through the generations.  And the ghosts and demons in the stories were scary without being too dark which turns me off.  It all just worked.

And of course every good story needs at least a little bit of romance.  And this had a slight love triangle in it.  Plus, come on--two of the main guys are identical twins! (which I'm obsessed with--considering my hubby is a twin!)

I've already looked up the title for the next book in the series, Unmarked, and added it to my wish list!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox- April 18, 2016

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox in the last 2 weeks: 

MONDAY

Firstlife- Gena Showalter--review for an Around the World ARC Tour












MONDAY

How it Feels to Fly- Kathryn Holmes--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

Fairy Bad Day- Amanda Ashby--PaperbackSwap












FRIDAY

Crow Mountain- Lucy Inglis--from publisher for review

The Sunday Salon- April 17, 2016

The Sunday Salon

I finished and reviewed the following books in the last 2 weeks:

The Season of You & Me by Robin Constantine 

Firstlife (Everlife #1) by Gena Showalter 

How It Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes 












I am currently reading Unbreakable (The Legion #1) by Kami Garcia and up next is In the Shadows by Kiersten White & Jim Di Bartolo.

Book Review- How It Feels to Fly

I finished reading How It Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes the other night for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

The movement is all that matters.

For as long as Samantha can remember, she’s wanted to be a professional ballerina. She’s lived for perfect pirouettes, sky-high extensions, and soaring leaps across the stage. Then her body betrayed her.

The change was gradual. Stealthy.

Failed diets. Disapproving looks. Whispers behind her back. The result: crippling anxiety about her appearance, which threatens to crush her dancing dreams entirely. On her dance teacher’s recommendation, Sam is sent to a summer treatment camp for teen artists and athletes who are struggling with mental and emotional obstacles. If she can make progress, she’ll be allowed to attend a crucial ballet intensive. But when asked to open up about her deepest insecurities, secret behaviors, and paralyzing fears to complete strangers, Sam can’t cope.

What I really need is a whole new body.

Sam forms an unlikely bond with Andrew, a former college football player who’s one of her camp counselors. As they grow closer, Andrew helps Sam see herself as he does—beautiful. But just as she starts to believe that there’s more between them than friendship, disappointing news from home sends her into a tailspin. With her future uncertain and her body against her, will Sam give in to the anxiety that imprisons her?

I needed something light after the last book I read.  And while the topic of this book is not light in any way, shape, or form, I easily got absorbed in the story.

I love dance.  While I'm not a dancer, I've always been fascinated athletes, actors, and dancers. So reading about this summer camp for gifted teens in those worlds with issues was something I was definitely interested in.

I really liked Sam.  And I felt so bad for her.  She was struggling through so much and then what happens at camp.  I had a feeling it would happen but I was hoping it wouldn't.

I liked reading how the campers grew and changed and became closer.  And I liked the positive talk that came from the book.  I think it would be a great book for teens to read.

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

How It Feels to Fly will be released on June 14, 2016.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Firstlife

I finished reading Firstlife (Everlife #1) by Gena Showalter last night for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

ONE CHOICE.
TWO REALMS.
NO SECOND CHANCE.

Tenley “Ten” Lockwood is an average seventeen-year-old girl…who has spent the past thirteen months locked inside the Prynne Asylum. The reason? Not her obsession with numbers, but her refusal to let her parents choose where she’ll live—after she dies.

There is an eternal truth most of the world has come to accept: Firstlife is merely a dress rehearsal, and real life begins after death.

In the Everlife, two realms are in power: Troika and Myriad, longtime enemies and deadly rivals. Both will do anything to recruit Ten, including sending their top Laborers to lure her to their side. Soon, Ten finds herself on the run, caught in a wild tug-of-war between the two realms who will do anything to win the right to her soul. Who can she trust? And what if the realm she’s drawn to isn’t home to the boy she’s falling for? She just has to stay alive long enough to make a decision…

So.  Unfortunately for me, I have to finish every book I start.  Otherwise this book would have been a DNF from a few chapters in.  And it only got slightly better for me.

Myriad and Troika.  Two realms.  That I kept getting completely confused.  It took me at least half the book, if not longer to understand the difference in the two and remember them.  Ugh.  Not fun to constantly be questioning what is going on.  (Oh and don't get me started about the short message pages and trying to figure out who was sending them.)

And Ten.  I couldn't stand her.  She seemed like she wanted to be lovable but was portrayed as too tough and there was nothing that made her sympathetic to me.  And the whole Archer versus Killian thing.  I actually felt sorry for the boys.

The story was too dark for me.  There's such thing as an action packed book, and then there's such thing as a book with way more drama than necessary.  So many things happened that were just weird and left me saying "Why?"

I was really hoping to like this book.  I really was.

I gave this book a rating of 2/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- The Season of You & Me

I just finished reading The Season of You & Me by Robin Constantine for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Cassidy Emmerich is determined to make this summer—the last before her boyfriend heads off to college—unforgettable. What she doesn’t count on is her boyfriend breaking up with her. Now, instead of being poolside with him, Cass is over a hundred miles away, spending the summer with her estranged father and his family at their bed-and-breakfast at the Jersey Shore and working as the newest counselor at Camp Manatee.

Bryan Lakewood is sick of nevers. You’ll never walk. You’ll never surf. You’ll never slow dance with your date at prom. One miscalculated step and Bryan’s life changed forever—now he’s paralyzed and needs to use a wheelchair. This is the first summer he’s back at his former position at Camp Manatee and ready to reclaim some of his independence, in spite of those who question if he’s up for the job.

Cass is expecting two months dealing with heartbreak.
Bryan is expecting a summer of tough adjustments.
Neither of them is expecting to fall in love

This was such a sweet story.  It gave us a typical teenage breakup/new love story but threw in an unusual character in that the main guy was in a wheelchair.  It was so refreshing to read about a great, strong guy who wasn't your typical main character.

I loved both Cassidy and Bryan.  Cassidy is your typical heartbroken teen.  Who wouldn't want to get away for a summer after you've been cheated on?  And she had the perfect place to go.  And then there's Bryan.  I've already told you that I thought he was great.  And I loved how they were together.
Oh, and Hunter.  Man that kid was awesome!!  He was so cute and he cracked me up!

I loved how this book gave us a a sweet love story and showed us that having a going through a tragedy doesn't mean giving up hope.

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

The Season of You & Me will be released on May 10, 2016.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.