{Blog Tour} Review+Giveaway: Surrender the Sky

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Title: Surrender the Sky

Author: Meradeth Houston
Publication date: May 2nd 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Gabby lives by two unbreakable rules: don’t expose her kind, the Sary, and don’t fall in love—too bad some rules are made to be broken.
 

When Gabby’s most difficult charge accidentally shoots her in front of a class full of students, the event exposes her carefully hidden identity. She shifts from looking like a normal teen to her secret Sary form, revealing her wings and the existence of her kind—immortals who try to keep people from committing suicide. Her incident attracts the attention of the next leader of the Sary, Jassen, who offers her an impossible bargain: she can keep her wings if she makes amends with those who know the truth. Things get more complicated when a rebel Sary, intent on exposing them to the world, starts interfering with Gabby’s work. And there’s no denying her attraction to Jassen, who is torn between his duties and his heart. With threats at every turn and her immortality on the line, Gabby has to find a way to save the Sary or surrender the sky forever.

My Thoughts

I'm not really a big fan of stories with angels and all those things, but this one was amazing. Right from the start, I already got sucked in to the story. Gabby, a Sary, helps people not to commit suicide, but she failed to do so in one of her assignments. Not only that, but her identity as a Sary got exposed when her wings appeared, which was a big no-no in their society. When that happens, she gets released and becomes a mortal being again. With this kind of plot, I got really hooked up and wanted to know what's going to happen to Gabby.

 

It was very intense. I sympathized with Gabby the moment she felt guilty with herself. It wasn't her fault, and she really didn't deserve on what was given to her. Saving people who are having suicidal thoughts is very admirable, but no one can save everybody, so it isn't really her fault. Despite her world starting to crash down on her, she still remained strong and concerned for others' well-being. At first, I thought that she would be an unrelatable character for me because she seemed flawless and too selfless, but I was wrong. All the pain and heartache she felt got transferred to me, and my heart felt really constricted while I was reading her story. Oh, there are just so many times that I have to stop reading and absorb everything that was happening. I just wanted to cry for her.

 

Jassen, the heir to the Sary, was so mysterious and swoony. Seeing him do a lot of things just for Gabby is just too much. Even though Surrender the Sky was written in Gabby's POV, I could feel Jassen's uncertainty and responsibilities. At such a young age, he was already being restricted by the rules in his society and position, which was really sad. There were at times that I just simply hated him because I really cannot understand what he was thinking, and his thoughts seemed to be all over the place. He just doesn't know what he wants and was conflicted. However, Jassen and Gabby both were so cute together! The way they'd tease each other and all those stuff were just so adorable. <3

 

Surrender the Sky is a wonderful story about responsibilities and duties both to others and to oneself. It taught me that the most selfless people are the ones that are really in pain. It just shows that we really cannot judge others based on their actions and words because we really do not know their thoughts. And sometimes, it's okay to be selfish also once in a while because everyone deserves to be happy, even ourselves. I am excited to read the other books in this series, and I definitely recommend that you read Surrender the Sky!

 

My Rating

 

About the Author

Meradeth’s never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:

>She’s a Northern California girl. This generally means she talks too fast and use “like” a lot.
>When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun!
>She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It’s her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work!
>If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.

Author links:
http://www.meradethhouston.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MeradethHouston
https://twitter.com/MeradethHouston
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5321667.Meradeth_Houston

 

Giveaway

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Feature and Follow

This week's question:

If you had a time machine (i.e. a TARDIS,) where would you go?

Pauline: I'd go back to the past and see what was like during the time of my parents, at around 1970s-1980s. Whenever something came up, they'd always tell me, "During our time, we didn't have blablabla." or, "During our time, we were blablabla." Having them tell me this a lot of times, I am really curious on how they lived before without all the technology and stuff. Oh, and it would be really cool to see the world without it having get polluted yet.

Review: It's Not Summer Without You

Title: It's Not Summer Without You (Summer #2)
Author: Jenny Han
Publication Date: April 27, 2010
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

My Thoughts

I continued on reading this straight from the first book, which made me pull up almost an all-nighter. Out of all the books in this trilogy, I think I actually love this the most.

I don’t know if I was just so emotional or what-not, but I just found myself continuously crying. My pillow was so wet right before I slept. It wasn’t because the story was so dramatic, but it was more of because I could really feel all the emotions of the characters. I could feel their grief, their pain, their sorrow, their heartbreak. Everything. It was hell of a roller coaster ride for me. I found myself smiling, and then later on, crying. It was really unbelievable.

I am glad for Jeremiah’s point of view, although I wasn’t really expecting that at first because the first book was entirely Belly’s POV. It also kept on surprising me because I didn’t know when his POV will come up, but it was nice to be inside his head for a while, and to be able to hear his thoughts. I hope that there’ll be Conrad’s POV on the third book. I’m most curious about him!

Even though Conrad seems like an asshole most of the time, I could really feel it that he has his own reasons for being one, and I couldn’t help but love him more. Because of this, I really still can’t take a pick between Conrad and Jeremiah! Ohmygolly. I hope something really big happens soon, or else I won’t really be able to ship a team!

Above all else, reading the Summer series has made me realize even more the importance of family. They’re the ones who stick with you through thick and thin, no matter what happens, because the’ll be the ones that will always have your back, even if things may not look like that.

I love how this one has family, friends, and first love all at the same time. It was indeed a perfect balance that shows what a teenager’s life really is. Most of all, this is indeed too much feels, and I can’t wait to read the last instalment!

My Rating

Review: The Sea of Tranquility

Title: The Sea of Tranquility
Author: Katja Millay
Publication Date: November 13, 2013
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

 

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

My Thoughts

In The Sea of Tranquility, we are introduced to main character Natsya, the new girl in school. She seems pretty normal… except she doesn’t talk, and nobody knows why. She’s kept the secret of her past hidden, and she has no problem with staying away from people. That is, until she meets Josh, the quiet, troubled guy from shop class. For some reason, she is drawn to him, and he might just be exactly what she needs to find her voice again.

 

I love the characters and how well they are developed. They feel so real that I can almost imagine being right there with them, experiencing all the things they are. Natsya is great in the sense that her thoughts and actions are believable. She's able to say a lot without even uttering a word. She acts all tough and snarky, and sometimes that makes me sad because in truth, she is lonely inside. It's like she resorts to witty comments so as not to show that she does, in fact, have a vulnerable side. After what she went through, I can't even blame her. Despite her experience, though, she's far from the weak and helpless girl that people would expect her to be, and I really respect her for that. I'm glad that she is able to grow as a person and find peace in the end.
 

Josh is not a judgmental person, and he actually sees through all the crap that Natsya uses to protect herself. He's drawn to her because they're both damaged, and the hardships they had to face are actually what allows them to form a stronger bond. I love that he is persistent and how he comes to love Natsya in spite of her reluctance to let him in.
 

My favorite character would have to be Drew. He starts off like the stereotypical playboy, but he's different; there's so much more to him. He may not know the right things to say or do all the time, but he has a big heart, and it's hard to get mad or annoyed at this guy. He knows that how he acts is wrong, but it's become such a normal thing for him to cover up his real feelings that he can't help but act like a jerk at times. I think that his attempts to hide are exactly why Natsya just connects with him.
 

The plot is amazing. I never got bored reading this book, and I had the hardest time putting it down. The story made me happy and sad at the same time. There is just so much depth and emotion to the novel that even after I finished it, I found myself just thinking everything through again and having trouble believing that the book was over.

 

I read this book mostly because Pauline kept gushing over it. I checked it out on Goodreads and found that all my friends had rated it five stars, so that really got me curious. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical that a book could be THAT good, but man, was I proved wrong. I set my expectations high on this one, and they were certainly met, maybe even exceeded! I’m not one to read books over, but I wouldn’t think twice about reading this again. So if you haven’t read this book, PLEASE, FOR YOUR SAKE, GO READ IT AND BASK IN ALL THE FEELS IT WILL GIVE YOU.

My Rating

{Blog Tour} Review+Excerpt+Giveaway: More Than Music

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Title: More Than Music (Chasing the Dream #1)

Author: Elizabeth Briggs

Date of Publication: June 17, 2014

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Music major Maddie Taylor just finished her junior year of college and has a summer internship lined up with the LA Philharmonic, yet every night she practices guitar and secretly dreams of a louder life. But geeky girls like her don't get to be rock stars. That is, until tattooed singer Jared Cross catches her playing guitar and invites her to join his band on The Sound, a reality TV show competition.

Once on the show, Maddie discovers there’s more to Jared than his flirty smile and bad boy reputation – and that he’s just as big a geek as she is. With each performance their attraction becomes impossible to ignore, but when the show pressures them to stay single they’re forced to keep their relationship secret.

As the competition heats up, Jared will do whatever it takes for his band to win, and Maddie must decide if following her dream is worth losing her heart.

My Thoughts

The story primarily revolves around the life of Villain Complex, the band, in a TV reality show named The Sound. It’s similar to The Voice, except that it’s a band competition, instead of solo or duet.

I love the music references and it was nice to see what happens in a reality show, with all the behind the scenes act. It made me realize that there were some things that could happen in a show. Also, the feeling of adrenaline and living a busy schedule of being a rock band member was totally awesome. Reading this has made me have a taste of what it’s like to be famous in the music industry. But I guess there were also times that I was kind of disappointed because I was expecting a little bit more drama since they were part of a rock band, but reading their story was enjoyable.

I like how Maddie was very relatable because she isn’t the super clumsy type of girl, or the “perfect” model girl. She is just like any normal girl that was provided with a good opportunity to join a rock band. However, I didn’t like how Maddie just immediately decided to join the band. I mean, she had constricting thoughts about it, but I think that it was delved deeper into it. All her life, she was playing classical music, and then she decided to suddenly show everyone she loves the guitar. I didn’t feel any push towards it, so it didn’t feel realistic. Despite this, I like how Maddie got the courage to follow what she really wants. She was brave enough to defy what her parents wanted for her because of what she wants. And she really loves music to the bottom of her heart.

Jared. I just don’t know what to say about him. Knowing how he became like that was heartbreaking, but I’m glad that he found his own reasons to become a better person. It doesn’t necessarily mean that he wasn’t an annoying asshole though. The romance between Jared and Maddie felt too insta-love, though, and I’m not really a big fan of insta-love, but the two of them were cute and has great chemistry.

More Than Music may be a light and easy read, but I love the underlying message of the story about chasing dreams and that love conquers everything. For those who loves a fluffy read and a rock band story, I recommend reading this one! 

My Rating

Excerpt

The crowd’s cheering took on more of a screaming sound, and one girl even yelled, “Jared, I love you!” I rolled my eyes. Not that I blamed the girl. With dark hair that always stuck up like he’d just gotten out of bed, a perpetual five o’clock shadow, and blue eyes that could charm any girl into giving him his phone number, Jared was impossible to resist. I wanted to, believe me, but every time he opened his mouth and sang it was all over. 

Jared gave the audience a wicked grin while he grabbed his guitar, a black Fender Stratocaster almost identical to my own except for the color. Like Kyle, he had tattoos running up and down his toned arms, and I couldn’t help but wonder if they continued under his shirt. 

The entire club buzzed with excitement, every one of us poised on the edge, holding our breaths and waiting for the plunge. In this moment, right before the music started, it felt like anything could happen—and I was ready.

Hector yelled out, “One, two, three, four,” and the band launched into their first song. Jared’s hard guitar riffs filled the small club, matched with the deep pulse of the bass, the fierce beat of the drums, and the eerie moan from Kyle’s keyboard. The music ripped through me, touching the wild, dark part of my soul I kept locked away. My fingers itched to form the chords myself and play along, but I kept my hands in fists at my sides. Instead I nodded my head to the music, picking out each note Jared played and feeling it in a way only another musician could.

When Jared leaned into the mic and sang, his smooth voice washed over me like a soft caress. It was like the last, decadent bite of a chocolate-covered strawberry. The smoky burn of whiskey as it slipped down your throat. The final night of passion before your lover left forever. I sang along to the words, feeling each line strike me deep inside. I understood exactly what he was saying, like he’d written every word just for me, like somehow he understood me in a way no one else did. Of course, every other girl in the club probably felt the same way I did. And a few guys, too.

About the Author

Elizabeth Briggs is a Young Adult and New Adult author who lives in Los Angeles with her British husband and a bunch of fluffy white rescue dogs. She's a guitar-playing geek who loves books, rock music, and video games, goes to Comic Con every year, and is still hoping to be a Jedi when she grows up.

Elizabeth currently works with WriteGirl to mentor at-risk or pregnant teen girls in writing, to help them get through high school and into college. She also volunteers with Bichon FurKids to help rescued dogs find a new, loving home. She previously worked as an intern for literary agent Jill Corcoran of Jill Corcoran Literary Agency, an intern for Entangled Publishing, and an editor for Curiosity Quills Press.

Elizabeth is represented by Kate Schafer Testerman of KT Literary and is a member of SCBWI and RWA.

Author Links

Website: http://www.elizabethbriggs.net/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lizwrites

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElizabethBriggsAuthor

Tumblr: http://www.elizabethbriggs.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/elizabethbriggsbooks

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lizwrites/

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