Stella Rose by Tammy Flanders Hetrick Blog tour (Review)

Good Afternoon Everyone!  I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour for this debut author! I was lucky enough to meet Tammy when I was a contractor where she works her day job, and had the pleasure seeing her almost every day of the work week for a little over a year. One day I overheard her talking about writing and as I writer myself I was nosy and butted into the conversation and learned that she wrote a book and was in the process of editing it and publishing it. We talked and I enthusiastically volunteered to help since I blog as well. I patiently waited as she worked through the process until I got contacted to be a part of the blog tour and was given a review copy. Unfortunately I couldn't read it until recently because I was in college and I knew if I started the book all homework would be ignored. This book was worth the wait and I'm so happy to have finally read it and can share with all of you. So keep reading because you will want to add this one to your shopping cart!

Stella Rose by Tammy Flanders Hetrick

Upon Stella Rose’s death, her best friend, Abby, moves to rural Vermont to take care of her sixteen-year-old daughter, Olivia. But Abby struggles to connect with Olivia and she soon finds guardianship of a headstrong teenager daunting beyond her wildest misgivings. Despite her best efforts, and the help of friends old and new, she is unable to keep Olivia from self-destruction. As Abby’s journey unfolds, she grapples with raising a grieving teenager, realizes she didn’t know Stella as well as she thought, and discovers just how far she will go to save the most precious thing in her life.

REVIEW

Stella Rose’s physical form has left the world, but her spirit is still everywhere. She leaves behind a daughter, Olivia, and many people who love her dearly. The story is narrated by Stella’s best friend, Abby, who takes on the responsibility of moving into Stella’s house to take care of Olivia.

The novel is divided into months, each section consisting of a season, and each chapter being a different month following the death of Stella Rose. Stella, who died of cancer managed to plan out the year following her death by writing letters and preparing gifts for Olivia and Abby. The rules are that they have to open them together and can only open the one designated per month. We follow through the stages of grief and watching these characters trying to continue their life with the help of Stella via the letters.

The pacing of the chapters and how they are split up into months is perfect. The author paints a beautiful picture of Vermont through all of the seasons, which I love as a Vermont resident. It is fun to recognize names of places as well as places I’ve never heard of or been to.

The characters feel very real and are imperfect as all humans. I think everyone will find ways in which they can relate to these characters and their struggles, especially anyone who has experienced loss.

The story is poignant, filled with such heart it seeps through every page. There is such honesty about life, love, friendship, loss, secrets and the mess of it all. So many passages of this novel hit me deeply, some just because of how closely I could relate to the situation, like becoming angry at the person who died, or because of the true lifelong friendships that existed. The friends in the novel were friends since childhood, and the relationship they have, I envy. I have some great friends, but the level of friendship in this novel is beautiful and I think rare.

I love, love, loved this novel. It is a fantastic well-crafted debut novel by Mrs. Hetrick, so grab a box of tissues and get a copy!

| IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Tammy Flanders Hetrick has been telling stories all her life, refining her skills at age ten through marathon tag-team storytelling with her best friend, honing her craft through decades of business writing, and ultimately finding joy in extracurricular creative writing. She has published short stories in Your Teen Magazine, Blue Ocean Institute’s Sea Stories, and Route 7 Literary Journal. In 2009 she was recognized with the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition’s Pioneering Woman Award for coaching and mentoring women in the workplace. Hetrick lives in Vermont with her husband of thirty years, their two cats, and a beagle/miniature bull mix. Her website is http://www.tammyflandershetrick.com/.

https://www.facebook.com/TammyFlandersHetrick.Author/info?tab=page_info&edited=official_page

https://twitter.com/tigerslily

Blog Tour:
Celtic Lady's Reviews: April 21, 2015
A Literary Vacation: April 23, 2015
Broken Teepee: review, April 24, 2015
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus: April 27, 2015
Life of a Female Bibliophile: April 28, 2015
I'm A Book Shark: May 1, 2015
Electively Paige: review, May 4, 2015
Under My Apple Tree: May 7, 2015
Celtic Lady's Reviews: May 12, 2015
Centered on Books: May 16, 2015
Christiecote.com: May 20, 2015
Christiesbookreviews.com: May 21, 2015

Fractured Soul by Rachel McClellan Blog Tour [Review + Giveaway]

Hey everyone! I'm very excited to be a part of the Fractured Soul by Rachel McClellan blog tour today. I have been excited about this post since I asked Rachel to be a stop on the blog tour and she said, YES. I met Rachel a year ago and she was a ton of fun to talk to and very humble about her book. I told her, "It's a good sign when your first book is published in hardcover." That is what I think anyways, I'm not saying only good books get published in hardcover, because that isn't the case. I have read some fantastic books that were paperback and even only available in ebook at the time. Now she has another book published, so she is definitely doing something right. I love her books, which you will hear about in my reviews. For the blog tour I did a review for Fractured Soul, but I also provided my review for Fractured Light. I hope you all like the reviews and become interested in the books! I'm excited to feature them today and spread the word. The Publisher & Author are also generously giving away a copy of Fractured Soul at this stop, so be sure to enter at the end of this post. Thank you to everyone who reads this post and a huge thank you to Rachel McClellan for having me on this tour.

Fractured Light by Rachel McClellan

★★★★☆

Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. She can’t take any chances. But when she starts to make friends for the first time in her life, she gets careless and lets her guard down. Big mistake.

As an Aura, Llona can manipulate light and harness its energy. But if she wants to survive, Llona will have to defy the Auran Council and learn to use her power as a weapon against the Vyken whose sole desire is to take her light. Now she’s caught in something even bigger than she can understand, with a power she can’t wield, and no one she can trust, except, just maybe, a mysterious stranger.

| Goodreads | Amazon | B&N |

(currently only $2.99 for the kindle book)

Llona lost her parents at a young age and had been living with her Uncle Jake ever since. She was forced to be the adult since Jake was still in a depressed state. Llona was special and had to hide what she was and refused to go to the school that promised people like her. She didn’t have any friends other than May and kept everyone at arms' length... until Christian came into her life. She learned to let people in, and she learned more about herself and the power she held inside.

This book was awesome, and I really enjoyed it. It took me a bit to get introduced to the story and learn the names of things; but once I got used to it, it was a fast, fun read. I enjoyed the characters and the subtle hints that were thrown my way. The book kept me guessing, but I got my AHA moment near the end. The characters felt real, and I really enjoyed seeing Llona change and the relationships grow between her and her new friends -- especially May and Christian.

The author had a very nice writing style that I found fluid and kept me wanting to read more. When she ended a chapter, it was difficult to stop with how they left off, which propelled me to continue reading more.

I met the author a year ago when she was at a book event at my college in Maine. I had seen Fractured Light around the blogging world and had already been interested in reading it, so I had to buy it when I saw her at the event. I love autographed books, of course. I actually had to leave the event, but she told me she was doing another event at Books-A-Million so I went to that one after, purchased her book, and got it autographed. My fiancé was with me and so was my friend Katie, and we ended up hanging out with her for the entire event and talking with her.

I arrived at Books-A-Million before she did and, at the time, knew a lot of the employees because they were previous Borders employees. They somehow had communication issues and didn’t know about the event; so luckily, I asked and they were able to get something set up for her. I wish there had been more awareness for her because she was a ton of fun to talk to (well, maybe I don't feel too bad since I was able to talk to her as much as I did), and now I know that her books are awesome.

 

It took me a while to begin reading it because this year has been crazy, but receiving the ARC of Fractured Soul so I could be a part of the blog tour was great incentive and at least this way I can start reading Fractured Soul right away.

I would definitely recommend this book to Fantasy readers. I’m really excited to start Fractured Soul and also look forward to reading more of Rachel’s work.

Fractured Soul by Rachel McClellan

★★★★★

Llona will do whatever it takes to protect her new found friends and home, but the dark plot that is threatening Lucent Academy, a school that’s supposed to be a safe place for Auras, may be too powerful for even Llona to defeat. This fast-paced tale of love, loyalty, and overcoming the darkness will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!

| Goodreads |  Amazon | B&N |

Llona graduated high school and decided to go to Lucent Academy, the school with people like her that she had fought going to. After recent events, she decided to go there with May to learn more about her powers and how to use them. The school is supposed to be safe, but Llona soon found out that was not the case. An evil plot was unfolding, and it was up to Llona and her friends to stop it.

My first thought after finishing the book was WOW. I just finished, and I’m reeling with emotions. I loved this book. I really loved the first book, but I loved this one even more. This one was packed full of action and Llona struggling through a lot of bad stuff. I don’t want to give anything away, but this book was killer.

Both books have made my heart sad, and I’m still having a hard time believing what happened in this one. If she hadn’t done such an awesome job making the book so gripping that I couldn’t let go of my Kindle, I may have thrown it.

The author does a fantastic job at making it so you can’t put the book down. The end of each chapter is a cliffhanger and the only thing you can do is jump off the cliff to find out what will happen next. I really like how she does this.

This was a very fast read and was an exciting journey every step of the way. The ending of this book seriously killed me, and the sneak peek of the next book made it worse. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book. I’m not sure how I’m going to wait for it. I’m going a little crazy right now.

This is a fantastic series that I will be continuing until the end.

I received this book from the author for review for her blog tour. I also received it from Netgalley after she sent it to me. Thank you both very much; I greatly enjoyed it and can’t wait for more.

What others are saying:

“I love these books! A kick-butt heroine and a hottie love interest, with a refreshingly original concept. Be prepared—once you start, these are hard to put down.”

—Paula Cotton, book reviewer at ReadingLark.blogspot.com

“Fractured Soul is a brilliant sequel, exceeding even the remarkable first book in the series. It will haunt your every waking moment between the times you’re reading it, and it will stay with you long after you’ve finished. It’s an amazingly well written and engrossing story that I highly recommend—after you’ve read the first one, of course.”

—Cindy Bennett, bestselling author of Geek Girl and Rapunzel Untangled

About Rachel:

Rachel McClellan was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When she's not in her writing lair, she's partying with her husband and four crazy, yet lovable, children. Rachel's love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was...

Find Rachel:

| Facebook | Blog | Website | Twitter | Goodreads |  Book Trailer |

Giveaway:

The author and publisher are generously providing a copy of Fractured Soul for a giveaway. The giveaway is US only, sorry international followers and readers. This is a fantastic book to win, I would like to enter! Can I enter my own giveaway? Enter to win by using the rafflecopter form below. I only require that you are a follower of my blog to win, everything else is optional.

Fractured Light by Rachel McClellan Review

Fractured Light by Rachel McClellan

★★★★☆

I’m dying, I thought. This was unexpected and not at all how I envisioned my death. I was supposed to die gardening in a flowerbed as a hundred-year-old woman, not as a seventeen-year-old trapped in a lake beneath inches of ice.

Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. She can’t take any chances. But when she starts to make friends for the first time in her life, she gets careless and lets her guard down. Big mistake.

As an Aura, Llona can manipulate light and harness its energy. But if she wants to survive, Llona will have to defy the Auran Council and learn to use her power as a weapon against the Vyken whose sole desire is to take her light. Now she’s caught in something even bigger than she can understand, with a power she can’t wield, and no one she can trust, except, just maybe, a mysterious stranger.

In this breathtaking and romantic adventure, Rachel McClellan delivers a truly mesmerizing story that will keep you guessing to the very end. (Goodreads)

Llona lost her parents at a young age and had been living with her Uncle Jake ever since. She was forced to be the adult since Jake was still in a depressed state. Llona was special and had to hide what she was and refused to go to the school that promised people like her. She didn’t have any friends other than May and kept everyone at arms' length... until Christian came into her life. She learned to let people in, and she learned more about herself and the power she held inside.

This book was awesome, and I really enjoyed it. It took me a bit to get introduced to the story and learn the names of things; but once I got used to it, it was a fast, fun read. I enjoyed the characters and the subtle hints that were thrown my way. The book kept me guessing, but I got my AHA moment near the end. The characters felt real, and I really enjoyed seeing Llona change and the relationships grow between her and her new friends -- especially May and Christian.

The author had a very nice writing style that I found fluid and kept me wanting to read more. When she ended a chapter, it was difficult to stop with how they left off, which propelled me to continue reading more.

I met the author a year ago when she was at a book event at my college in Maine. I had seen Fractured Light around the blogging world and had already been interested in reading it, so I had to buy it when I saw her at the event. I love autographed books, of course. I actually had to leave the event, but she told me she was doing another event at Books-A-Million so I went to that one after, purchased her book, and got it autographed. My fiancé was with me and so was my friend Katie, and we ended up hanging out with her for the entire event and talking with her.

I arrived at Books-A-Million before she did and, at the time, knew a lot of the employees because they were previous Borders employees. They somehow had communication issues and didn’t know about the event; so luckily, I asked and they were able to get something set up for her. I wish there had been more awareness for her because she was a ton of fun to talk to (well, maybe I don't feel too bad since I was able to talk to her as much as I did), and now I know that her books are awesome.

 

It took me a while to begin reading it because this year has been crazy, but receiving the ARC of Fractured Soul so I could be a part of the blog tour was great incentive and at least this way I can start reading Fractured Soul right away.

I would definitely recommend this book to Fantasy readers. I’m really excited to start Fractured Soul and also look forward to reading more of Rachel’s work.

Buy Now:

(on sale for $2.99 right now)

Intangible by J. Meyers Review

Intangible by J. Meyers

★★★★☆

Luke and his sister Sera were special; he could see the future and she was able to heal people. Luke had never been able to stop his visions from happening and Sera couldn’t stop herself from healing someone that was badly hurt. Luke had never wanted to stop his visions so much until he had one of Sera dying. Each vision filled him with impending doom.  Time was running out, and he still didn’t know how to save her.

Intangible was a refreshing fantasy; it was different than most stuff that is around right now. The story pulled me in, so I didn’t have a problem getting into it. It was also quite cool that it was set in Vermont. I have lived in Maine since 2001, but, before that, I had lived in Vermont since I was born, and I often go back to visit family. It is a ton of fun reading books that are set in places that I know. To me, it makes my reading experience more personal.

The vivid images the author created were fantastic. It was easy for me to get lost in the scenes and pretend I was actually there. The characters were also very relatable and I loved reading about the two main characters, Luke and Sera. I felt like I really got to know them in this story, and, when something happened to them, it felt like it was happening to me.

I really enjoyed the storyline and the magic in the book. I love the world of fantasy and magical powers, especially when the story isn’t just a copy of another with different names and places. For me, Intangible was a new storyline. Yes, relationships will always resemble other relationships, because really - how many different ways can you write romance? I’m okay with that; I love the story just the same, and, as long as the core of the story isn’t overdone and impresses me, I am happy, and that is what this one did.

I recommend Intangible to young adult fantasy readers, or even readers that do not read a lot of fantasy. The story is set in an every day world, so the fantasy aspect is very balanced and not overpowering for people that don’t read a lot of it. I look forward to reading more of J. Meyers's work, and I am anticipating the next installment to this series.

  

I received this book for review from the author.

Buy Now:

Return to Mercya by Mark Ruckledge Review

Return to Mercya by Mark Ruckledge

★★★☆☆

Return to Mercy is a short fantasy story that is only the first installment to a larger story.

Brendel Domia escaped the destruction of Mercya and found safety in a place called Ayethene. Years later everyone from Mercya was summoned from their various hiding places to go back. Brendel finds out before long that this is a trap to take out the rest of the people of Mercya and he might be the one able to save the people and overrun the evil that now resides there.

Mark Ruckledge contacted me and asked me to review his short story. I accepted and he sent me the e-book.

This was a promising start to a larger story. It was very clear that this was just the beginning. I felt that at 22 (nook) pages it was hard to get a grasp on the story because, it was an all-new world for me. I personally wish that the author would have continued the story and made a book with the whole story instead of just the short story. I think I would have gotten a better grasp of the story that way.

This book was like another world for me. I was learning new names and places that I haven’t read about before. I felt like I was just getting comfortable with the story when it ended. That is another reason it would be beneficial for the author to write it as an entire book. With an original piece like this, I like to have more then 

22(nook) pages to get to know the story, characters and world.

The author uses language well to create the scenes in the story that he wants you to see. He uses great details in places but in some places I felt the story needed more. One instance that needed to be talked about more is Brendel and Jil’s relationship. I didn’t see very much of it and all of a sudden I was being told certain things happened without seeing them in the story and became confused. I was thinking, “Umm…how did that happen?” I felt like I was locked out from part of the story. I wanted and needed to see the details of the relationship because I think it was suppose to be important to Brendel, but it wasn’t clearly shown in the story. I think the author may not have touched on it much because it was a short story.

I look forward to reading more of this series and finding out what happens. The story shows promise and I think I will like it more as a whole.

Vengeance by Michelle Madow Review

Vengeance by Michelle Madow

★★★★★

Vengeance is a short story that is the next installment in the Transcended Time Saga.

Chelsea had her heart broken by Drew, the guy she loved and her best friend, Lizzie. She desperately wanted Drew back but at the same time desired revenge. Since she had nothing to lose she made a new friendship with Shannon since Lizzie was her only close friend. Shannon’s aunt had told her that someone at her school would experience what Chelsea just did.  The aunt told her to bring that person to her. She told Chelsea that she had a past life. Chelsea thought she was crazy until she saw some of the images from the past in her head.  She wasn’t sure what to believe especially because of how crazy it sounded. Chelsea had to decide whether to believe what the aunt had told her and accept the help she had offered or seek revenge on her own.

I devoured this short story in one sitting. When I turned the last page, I couldn’t believe it was over. It left me wanting more. It was a great story but I hate that it was so short. That could be why I don’t read short stories very much because they are over too fast.

Michelle Madow had me enchanted again with her stunning story. Her words flowed beautifully on the pages, painting a vivid image of every scene. It gave me a feeling of being right there in the story.

I liked that she wrote this one in Chelsea’s point of view so you could see what she was feeling and how Drew being with Lizzie affected her. I enjoy seeing other perspectives and getting to know other important characters on a deeper level. I get to know the characters better that way, which also makes them seem more real.

I loved this short story and will be highly anticipating the next book in the series.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Review

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

★★★★★

Every year the Hunger Games are held and it was time for them to begin again. There are twelve districts and each district has to have a boy and a girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen entered into the games. The children are put into an arena and have a fight to the death. There can only be one survivor. The odds were high for Katniss and her friend Gale to get picked because it is done by a lottery system. Once you turn twelve your name went into it once each year and if you needed help with food for survival you could get some by entering your name more times. Katniss and Gale did this a lot. Even though the odds were high for them, Katniss’s younger sister Prim who only had her name entered once, got picked. Katniss Volunteered to save her sister and with that decision began the fight for her life.

I finally sat down and read this book now that the movie is coming out in March. I had heard great things about it and had it highly recommended to me many times. I was not disappointed. I absolutely loved the story. The adventure was always exciting and I was continually wondering what would happen next, which kept me turning the pages.

The characters seemed very real and I found myself cheering for them.  This book had heart also. It wasn’t just a cut-throat adventure, there was more to it. There was love, friendship and heart breaking moments. I was not only cheering for the main character Katniss. I wanted her to kick butt and win but I also couldn’t help loving some of the other characters (i.e. Rue).  I’ve been completely drawn into this world and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

It is definitely a bit of a dark book considering twenty four children are having a fight to the death. This is the first time I have read about this kind of thing. I think part of the reason I waited so long to read this book is because of the subject matter. It was a hard thing to wrap my head around.

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox (1) Find out what is in my mailbox weekly, a feature hosted by The Story Siren. I will share what I get every week. If I haven't gotten anything new then I will share what I'm reading and What I will be reviewing in the near future.

• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- Bought 
• Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare- Bought
• Halflings by Heather Burch- e-book arc from Net Galley

I'm reading Hunger games right now and am liking it! I finally got the book now that the movie will be coming out in the near future.

Thank you all for checking out what is in my  mailbox! Feel free to give me feedback and tell me what you are interested in from my mail box!

Giveaway and Review of Amazing Adventures of a Nobody!

The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody by Leon Logothetis

★★★★★

Leon decided after watching Motorcycle Diaries to change his life drastically.  He decided to go to New York and travel to California and touch the Hollywood sign. He planned to travel with only five dollars a day and without a car or phone or anything else other than his backpack. To do this he had to depend on the kindness of strangers in a world where we are taught at a young age not to talk to strangers. In a world where every time we turn on the news there is a new person or child missing, someone found dead or abused. We learn to fear what and who we don’t know. Trust a stranger? Yah right! That said, somehow Leon did it. It wasn’t easy but somehow he found a way to convince people to trust and help him. A person who kept to himself was forced to talk to all kinds of people and forge new relationships that changed his life as he knew it.

 I’m a blogger so I was excited to get contacted to hold a contest for this book. I couldn’t say no to this new opportunity even though this book was different from what I normally read. I said to myself, “well, it won’t kill me to branch out.”  I’ll tell you about the contest in a bit.

This book amazed me. I was very impressed and it surpassed my expectations. I was in awe of the people Leon came across and that were so willing to help him. The author wrote his stories in such a way that I couldn’t help but laugh. I loved that aspect a lot. He is a very good story teller and deserves high praise for capturing my attention. The story was inspirational. Leon was very brave to go on this adventure. It was fun going on this journey though his writing, while I stayed safely in my room because I couldn’t do what he did.

Win a Copy of this book!

Beginning today you can enter to win a copy of this book below. The contest will go until December 24, 2011. A great way to begin your Christmas by winning a book! This contest is only open to the United States.  I will notify the winner by email and announce it on my blog. Please respond within 48 hours after I contact you or I will have to choose another winner.

I’m excited that I get to use Rafflecopter for this contest making it a lot easier for both me and the contestants. Click on each section which tells you to do something, like Follow Christie’s Book Reviews. Each one will give you a certain amount of points for your entry. The more you do the better chance you have to win.

Remembrance by Michelle Madow Review

Remembrance by Michelle Madow

★★★★★

Lizzie’s life changed as she knew it the moment she saw the new student Drew on the first day of school. She felt a connection with him like she knew him from somewhere but she couldn’t have. Lizzie’s best friend Chelsea took an interest in him and Lizzie was bothered by this. She couldn’t express her feelings because she didn’t understand them herself, not to mention she had a longtime boyfriend, Jeremy. Lizzie and Drew couldn’t fight fate for long before Lizzie had begun seeing flashes from their past lives. She realized they were connected deeper than she could have ever imagined; reincarnation.

This book had me completely entranced. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. Michelle Madow’s words flowed beautifully making it so I couldn’t put it down. It kept my interest from the very beginning and I love it when author’s can do that. There are some great books I have read but it takes at least one hundred pages before the book gets interesting and in that time I can get distracted. When the author completely has me from the very 

beginning I absolutely love that!

I also thought it was really cool that the book was inspired by Taylor Swift’s music video, Love Story. The author saw this video and created the story behind it. That is just awesome. I think if Taylor Swift was to read this book she would be honored. Taylor Swift created a magical music video and Michelle Madow expanded that magic into a whole story.

The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry Review

The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry

★★★★★

Thank you New Galley and Cedar Fort for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Leigh was ready to break away from her family and have some independence. She discovered that it wasn’t as easy as she hoped. Her body was still recovering from having cancer. She was still weak and was having a hard time sleeping and when she got too exhausted she would sometimes pass out. Her family struggled with giving her space because they worried about her. She moved in next door to her brother and went to college with him. She wanted to begin her new life and focus on school. She wasn’t looking for love or anyone to fall in love with her.

I was apprehensive when I began reading this book because I didn’t realize that religion would be so prominent.  I’m glad I kept reading thought because the book was really good. The religion aspect was not overbearing. I was able to enjoy the book because there was a lot more to it than religion.  The characters really stick with you. I found myself thinking about them and the book after I finished reading it. I wanted to see more of their story and was happy to find out there will be a second book, (Left to Love). I really ended up loving this book.

I’m intrigued by stories about teens dealing with life altering situation. I have found it interesting to read about since I read my first Lurlene McDaniel book, (Six Months to Live). That is why I was interested in this book in the first place. It sounded similar to something Lurlene McDaniel would write so I thought I would like it and I was right.

Saving June by Hannah Harrington Review

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

★★★★★

I would like to say thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Harper’s sister June committed suicide shocking everyone. No one had seen the signs or understood why she did it. Harper went into June’s room with her best friend Laney and found a postcard of California. June had wanted to go to California and go to College there but her mom dissuaded her from going saying she should take the free ride at the state college. Harper decided she wanted to go on a road trip to California for June and spread her ashes there. Laney was unsure of how they would pull it off but says she would go with her.  Harper discovered new things about her sister before she left leading her to Jake. He was a friend of her sister’s that didn’t fit her normal lifestyle. Jake demanded that he will go with them to California and he has a van to contribute giving Harper and Laney what they need to get there. Without a word of their plan shared with their parents they went on their road trip together.

Hannah Harrignton’s words are beautiful. She created a story that tugs at the reader’s heart. This book made me laugh and made me sad along the way. The characters felt like real people, as if I were in their story as it unfolds. I felt the tension between characters and them struggling with their emotions. The author really made the reader able to connect with the story. I would be interested in reading other books she comes out with in the future.

Another noteworthy thing in this book is the extensive amount of music that surrounds the story. She even had soundtracks listed in the end. I thought that was a really nice touch.

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder Review

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Release Date: December 20, 2011

★★★★☆

I’ll begin by saying thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin for approving this advanced reader copy for me to read and review. I’m very appreciative.


A plague ravaged the land. People blamed their misery on the healers, and made them the enemy.  Avery was a healer and every healer had a bounty on their head. Everyone hated them and that is why Avry has been hiding that she is a healer, not staying in one place for very long. She has been on the run for Three years before she gets caught. She couldn’t ignore the dying child anymore. She made a choice even though she knew it would draw attention to her. Avry healed the child and took on those ailments weakening her so that she cannot flee afterward. The next day the town came for her and she attempts to escape but gets trapped. She is not sorry for saving the child, feeling the child’s life was worth her dying. She is saved from being executed. Her savior is a man she doesn’t know named Kerrick. He and his men help her escape but she must heal his friend. She is skeptical but decides it is better than dying. What she didn’t expect to find out is that she is the last healer alive.


I have not read anything else by Maria Snyder yet, but I have had Poison Study on my shelf for a while to read. I do plan to read that in the near future. I have heard great things about the author and also great things about Touch of Power and I was not disappointed. 


I enjoyed getting to know these characters and learning their voices; especially Avry's sarcasm. She made me laugh and I could relate to her in some ways. Avry and Kerrick were fun to read about as Avry unknowingly chipped at Kerrick’s tough exterior. I had an idea of what would happen in the end but it did turn out a little differently than I expected. The end also screamed for a next book along with being labeled number one. I look forward to see what the journey holds for this new series. I see several books in the future.