InstaReview: Sever by Lauren DeStefano

Title:  Sever

Author:  Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Published: February 2013
Format:  Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Connect with the Author: Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Buy the Book: B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

About the Book: Time is running out for Rhine in this conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Chemical Garden Trilogy.

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered. (Goodreads)

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Updates

Hi everyone,
We recently redesigned the blog and hope you like it just as much as us!  There are a few more changes you will see around here on the blog as well.  Like what, you ask!?

Well, first we are now reviewing more than just YA.  We have decided that we want to read what we want and that means that we will review what we want.  This means you will see some adult, middle grade, and possibly children's books on here.  No, we won't be reviewing books that will make this site 18+, so no worries there.  We just want to expand the blog and our TBR list.  I'm sure you will still see a lot of YA on here, so no worries.

While we will probably still sort of MIA, we are hoping reviews pick up a bit more come the next few weeks since we will both be done with our classes.

Also, we have come up with a new way to do our reviews, which we are hoping to introduce within the next few weeks.  I (Peggy) am finishing up a book now and hope to do a test run with the new review style soon... however, that depends on when this baby decides to join us, which could be any day now! :)

Again, thank you so much for sticking around.  Many of you follow via GFC... we are now on Bloglovin' for those of you that have switched to that.  Please make sure you follow there!

We have a new instagram account just for the blog now too, please follow via the right sidebar!

Review: Flicker & Burn by T.M. Goeglein

 
Title:  Flicker & Burn
Author:  T.M. Goeglein
Publisher:  Putnam Juvenile
Published: August 2013
Format:  ARC
Source: From author in return for an honest  review
Connect with the Author: Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

Sara Jane Rispoli is still searching for her missing family, but instead of fighting off a turncoat uncle and crooked cops, this time she finds herself on the run from creepy beings with red, pulsing eyes and pale white skin chasing her through the streets in ice cream trucks; they can only be described as Ice Cream Creatures. They're terrifying and hell bent on killing her, but they're also a link to her family, a clue to where they might be and who has them. While she battles these new pursuers, she's also discovering more about her own cold fury and more about the Chicago Outfit, how the past misdeeds--old murders and vendettas--might just be connected to her present and the disappearance of her family. But connecting the dots is tough and time-consuming and may finally be the undoing of her relationship with the handsome Max--who's now her boyfriend. But for his own safety, Sara Jane may have to end this relationship before it even really starts. Her pursuers who've shown her her mother's amputated finger and the head of the Chicago Outfit who's just whistled her in for a sit-down make a romance unthinkable. The only thing that matters is finding her family and keeping everyone she loves alive. (Goodreads)

I coundn't wait to read Flicker & Burn, I had to see what trouble and adventure Sara was going to get into as she continued to search for her missing family. Just as the first book, Cold Fury, Flicker & Burn is jammed pack with action and excitement.

T.M. Goeglein does a great job of unfolding the story in a way that pulls you right into the action as Sara keeps putting the pieces of the puzzle together and getting closer and closer to the truth. Meanwhile she is loosing her one true love because she cant bare to tell him the truth about her families secrets. There are so many twist and turns along the way you don't know what is going to unfold next.

Your still left to wonder what is going to happen next, if Sara ever going to see her family again. I can't wait to find out! If you have read Cold Fury then Flicker and Burn is a must read!

Make sure you check out the book on Goodreads and add it if you are interested in reading it!

Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Title:  Vessel
Author:  Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry 
Published: Sept. 2012
Format:  Hardcopy
Source: From author in return for an honest review
Buy the Book: Amazon | B&N | The Bookdepository 
Connect with the Author: Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. She will dance and summon her tribe's deity, who will inhabit Liyana's body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But when the dance ends, Liyana is still there. Her tribe is furious--and sure that it is Liyana's fault. Abandoned by her tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. The desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice--she must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate--or a human girl can muster some magic of her own. (Goodreads)

When Sarah approached me to review this book I knew I would automatically say yes because I loved Drink, Slay, Love by her.  I read the description and knew it wasn't something I wouldn't typically read, but thought it was worth a go.  I'm glad I did.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book just as much as I did her other one.  

Sarah has a way of writing that captures your attention right away and keeps you reading.  You are drawn in to the book's world and are able to connect with the characters.  Vessel is no different.  I found myself encaptured by the magic and the world of the Gods.  I truly felt for Liyana and her struggle of emotions... from being denied by her vessel, being left behind by her family, finding a God and their journey in finding and rescuing the others.  She is strong willed, yet devoted to her beliefs and her tribe and struggles at times to find a balance between the two.  

Sarah Beth Durst is a great writer and I would recommend Vessel just as much as I would her others.  I truly enjoyed this and think others will too, even if it is out of your comfort zone like it was for me.  

Have you read this book?  What did you think?

Semi-Hiatus

Hi everyone,
I know Lisa and I have been MIA a lot lately since the holidays.  We have been taking some time to relax before classes start and enjoy being with our families.

We have done a lot of thinking about where this blog is heading as well.  As you all know we are both in graduate school and this term we are starting our last year of classes.  They actually started Sun.  I am also pregnant with my first baby, so my mind is constantly veering in that direction.

While we love the blog and the community, we have decided that we are going on a semi-hiatus.

What does this mean?  Well, honestly it probably doesn't mean much in the sense of where we have been.  However, we are officially announcing that we will only be posting reviews as we have time.  We won't be accepting any books for review unless we have worked with the author before.  We both have a big TBR pile we need to read of books we have bought ourselves.

Also, with classes starting back up we won't have much time to read for pleasure.  So, we will be posting reviews as we read and have some extra time to sit and write up the post.  Which means that may be one review a month, four, or even zero.  We really hope to come back full force at some point, but we aren't 100% if that will be happening.  We realize that at some point we may have to go on a more permanent hiatus, but we aren't ready to call it quits yet.  These next few months will be what determines that for us, especially me.

We hope that you guys will still stick around as we appreciate every single one of you!  We wouldn't be so hesitant to go on a hiatus if it wasn't for you!

For those of you that are expecting prizes, we WILL be mailing them out within the next month.  Promise!

As for those authors that are still expecting reviews from us, they will be done at some point!  Sorry for the delay!

Thank you for reading the blog and helping us grow!