I initially had trouble with this book. I try not to be too critical, but I spent more time dreading reading it and then just not being able to connect with the characters. Andrew is supposedly dead, but Larissa just can’t fathom life without her beloved husband. Especially since she can see, hear and feel him during her virtual reality sessions. The thing is he sends her physical proof that he…
I initially had trouble with this book. I try not to be too critical, but I spent more time dreading reading it and then just not being able to connect with the characters. Andrew is supposedly dead, but Larissa just can’t fathom life without her beloved husband. Especially since she can see, hear and feel him during her virtual reality sessions. The thing is he sends her physical proof that he still exists begging her to understand this is the most he can give her. It is a struggle to read as she tries to find him in the great blue yonder but then the author and publisher did something amazing. They took the readers at their word and found the original book to be lacking and spent time and effort on correcting the issues we had
“Your review has been forwarded to the publisher and because they value the opinion of book advocates such as yourself, they have contracted a high profile editor to work on the manuscript with the author to implement several improvements to this advance readers copy prior to publication.” (DigiWriting Book Marketing Agency)
After actually listening to the readers of the original ARC I received this email asking if I would be willing to do a re-read of the newly formatted and extensively edited rewrite from the author. I accepted and I’m impressed with the results. It truly reads like a whole different book.
The new format gives the reader a better glimpse into the world of Nirvana and gives us characters that are original and fresh with feelings of hopes and doubts and the need to understand what is happening in a world we are not familiar and most wouldn’t be comfortable with. It still follow Larissa, “Kenders” and Andrew but now also shows them before they knew each other and this helps round out the characters.
Like before this new world in 2080 is dealing with the fallout from the extinction of something that seems trivial, bees. Without bees, the world falls to ruin but an opportunistic company Hexagon develops a program with Andrew that people of means can utilize to help them escape and cope with the loss of a productive world. Kender’s utilizes this escape after finding out Andrew had died. In this time, she communicates with Andrew and can’t quite determine if what she is experiencing is him trying to communicate with her in the “real” world or if it is her imagination wanting him to be communicating with her. Her distrust of the system leads to questions she must find the answers too.
After the rewrites, I find this story to be much more palatable and would recommend it to post-apocalyptic, dystopian lovers. I definitely give props to J.R. Stewart for taking the readers at their word and amending the heart of the story to become something others may enjoy.
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Blue Moon Publishers and NetGalley.)
Shadowed Strength by Wendi Wilson
Thanks to the author and We ♥ YA Books! for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This was a sweet story that covered a multitude of issues facing our young adults today. Issues with self-esteem, bullying, self-control, and fear. These are put forth in a terrifying but realistic approach with the attempted rape of the main character, 16-year-old Melanie. Being overweight, she had…
It’s been four months since I released Shadowed Strength and I am finishing up book two in the Shadowed Series, Shadowed Instincts. I am anticipating having it finished and ready to publish by the end of the year!
For my readers who are patiently awaiting it’s release, I’d like to reveal the cover. I hope you love it as much as I do! Thanks for all you support. I love you all!
Thanks to the author and We ♥ YA Books! for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This was a sweet story that covered a multitude of issues facing our young adults today. Issues with self-esteem, bullying, self-control, and fear. These are put forth in a terrifying but realistic approach to the attempted rape of the main character, 16-year-old Melanie. Being overweight, she had to deal with the mean girls that will always exist to make people that do not conform to society as perfect, miserable. This affects their ability to grow into self-confident human beings.
Jeremy comes into the picture as the strong protective friend that is literally too good to be true. He comes on strong and soon he and Melanie are “couple-of-the-year” material with hormones only 16-17-year-olds seem to battle. They have times when the sexual tension is quite intense though they’ve only been together a short time.
I really enjoyed the idea behind the story and I loved the lack of dialogue tags. The characters were so well defined that I knew who was speaking without the “he said” she said” tags. That being said, I spent a lot of time thinking the actual dialogue was unrealistic.
“Don’t ignore me, baby. I want you so very much.”
With tears filling her eyes, she decided to plead with him to leave her alone. She didn’t know what else to do.
“Please, leave me alone. Please.”
“Oh, how I love it when you beg. You don’t know what it does to me.”
“Stop texting me!!!”
“My only love sprang from my only hate- Romeo and Juliet. You may think you hate me now, but you will love me, soon. We are the perfect match, you and I. I know what you need, Melanie. You need a strong hand to lead you into the throes of ecstasy. I can teach you so, so many things about the pleasures of pain. I will teach you those lessons in the very near future.”
Having said this, I am in love with the characters and I am looking forward to seeing how much Melanie will grow in strength and personality and hope she will be able to see how strong she is and not feel that Jeremy is the only reason to be strong.
4 stars
The Bird With the Broken Wing by DL Richardson
Thank you to the author and Goodreads We Love YA’s R2R program for this digital copy in return for an honest review.
Thank you to the author and Goodreads We ♥ YA’s R2R program for this digital copy in return for an honest review.
Rarely, there is a work of creativity that is so awe-inspiring the reader has to stop and internalize, take those thoughts out, knead them and think them over and mold them before they can articulate the feelings invoked from it. This is one of those.
Purgatory? Limbo for the desperate aching heart and soul before deciding which way to go? Simply put, yes. Who would have thought that even angels can be broken and need a chance to decide which way is up?
This story is told in 3 POV’s. That of Ben, heartsick, soul sick soldier, Rachael, Ben’s guardian angel and Jet, a girl thrown into the mix after Ben and Rachael have been in limbo for 10 years.
Rachael can’t understand why Jet has come or why she feels these emotions of resentment and jealousy. Ben feels he is beginning to wake up after Jet arrives and Jet just feels like something is wrong with it all.
Richardson hits on all of the emotions following a soldier that dies fighting a war he doesn’t belong in because he was running from circumstances he had no control over. Jet was crying for attention and looking in all of the wrong places.
In reality, they were all seeking forgiveness from those they had failed, including themselves. The ending will forever be ingrained in my heart!
Sword of Deaths by Christopher Mannino
Suzie, Will, and Frank are back after Suzie, having no other acceptable choice, purposely failed her final test thereby choosing to stay in the World of Deaths until she fades or ceases to exist. We meet a new boy and…
Thank you, Mr. Mannino, for this review copy in return for my honest opinion! Your choice for book covers is so thoughtful and captures the essence of this book in its totality.
Suzie, Will, and Frank are back after Suzie, having no other acceptable choice, purposely failed her final test thereby choosing to stay in the World of Deaths until she fades or ceases to exist. We meet a new boy and watch as Suzie comes into her own as a teacher to Tom and a potential flame to almost every other boy in sight. A girl from Frank’s past arrives and causes a little hiccup in the affections Frank feels for Suzie. After a confrontation in which Suzie stood up for herself, Billy decides it is time to grow up and the first step is to change his name to a more grown up name, Will. Suzie follows suit and decides to go by Susan.
This second book of the series is a book of constant change for all of the main characters. They grow and become more mature. Unlike adults, they allow change and become stronger for it.
I like how this book has chapters that follow one of the kids POV at a time.This one also seemed to be more suspenseful than the first holding me in its clutches until I finished and left me begging for more. It did leave us with a cliff-hanger and I hope it will be worth the wait. If the author continues the way he has started, following books will far exceed my expectations.
Find out more about Suzie and the boys at http://www.christophermannino.com/ and purchase your copy at http://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Mannino/e/B00K2XOP88/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Amanda's Book Nook 