Review: The Bad Luck Lighthouse by Nicki Thornton

The Bad Luck Lighthouse (Seth Seppi Mystery, #2)
by Nicki Thornton
Published by Chicken House
Middle grade, fantasy, adventure, mystery

In solving the mystery of the Last Chance Hotel, Seth has discovered a bewildering new world of magic. But the truth about his mother's fate and other secrets remain, stolen away with the firefly cage by his nemesis, the wicked Tiffany Bunn. Determined to chase her down - and prove himself as a magician - Seth and his cat Nightshade are quickly embroiled in the latest MagiCon case, a murder investigation at a deserted lighthouse ...

I adore the Seth Seppi Mystery books. Best way to describe them is fantasy adventure mystery, which ticks all the boxes for me. The sequel continues to explore the magic and Seth tries to learn how to use his, but he's also afraid that Inspector Pewter was wrong to say that he's a natural. Desperate to learn more about magic, eth follows Inspector Pewter on a job at a lighthouse, which was once owned by a notorious dark sorcerer Soul Snakemouth, and is now a hotel that's rumored to be haunted.

I loved the setting of an old hotel in the middle of the woods in The Last Chance Hotel, but it's great to see another setting. nakemouth Lighthouse is on a small island where storms rage and mysteries unfold, and eth gets thrown into the middle of it. There's new characters with their own agendas and unclear motives, but it's a delight to meet Inspector Pewter and Angelique again. Once again, Seth tries his best to uncover the mystery: is the lighthouse haunted or do someone have a sinister motives to make it seem so?

I thoroughly enjoyed The Bad Luck Lighthouse. It expands the world nicely and delves deeper into the main characters. There's also new mysteries and intrigues set up here, and I hope there's going to be more books in the series. This is quickly becoming one of my favourite middle grade series and there's a lot more to explore about.

This series is for anyone who's up for a great fantasy adventure mystery story with sympathetic lead character and plenty of funny moments. Wholeheartedly recommend!

4 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Review: The 1,000 Year Old Boy by Ross Welford

The 1,000 Year Old Boy
by Ross Welford
Published by Harper Collins
Middle grade, fantasy, historical, adventure

There are stories about people who want to live forever.

This is not one of those stories.

This is a story about someone who wants to stop…
Alfie Monk is like any other nearly teenage boy – except he’s 1,000 years old and can remember the last Viking invasion of England.

Obviously no one believes him.

So when everything Alfie knows and loves is destroyed in a fire, and the modern world comes crashing in, Alfie embarks on a mission to find friendship, acceptance, and a different way to live…

… which means finding a way to make sure he will eventually die.

Obviously no one believes him.

The 1,000 Year Old Boy is wonderfully profound story. It is a clever take on what it is to live forever, particularly how the magic works. Alfie Monk is a thousand year old boy, who's a Neverdead like his mother and cat, Biffa. But when a tragedy strikes, Alfie wants to find the means to reverse the magic and start aging again because living forever it is not so glamorous when you have been eleven for centuries. Alfie meets Aidan and Roxy, who becomes his friends, and their adventure begins.

There's a lot of twists and obstacles Alfie and his friends have to face - it's a great adventure story with important theme. I loved the little snippets of history as Alfie remembers everything from the last Viking invasion to the World Wars. Such a charming story and I'm sure to remember it a while.

The 1,000 Year Old Boy is a brilliant story because of how impactful it is. Many of us have wondered what it would be to live forever and not age, and Welford offers something different from vampires and other immortal creatures of the night. There's also humour and Alfie is a wonderful main character, old soul in a young body who's a little bit lost and needs accepting friends. Aidan and Roxy are great on their own ways, Roxy ever accepting what live throws at her and Aidan a bit more cautious but a good friend nonetheless.
4 of 5 stars
Add on Goodreads

ARC Review: Boot by Shane Hegarty

Boot
by Shane Hegarty
Published by Hodder & Stoughton
Middle grade, sci-fi, adventure

When toy robot, Boot, wakes up at a scrapyard, it has no idea how it got there and why it isn't with its owner, Beth. It only has two and a half glitchy memories, but it knows it was loved, which means something important to humans.

Boot soon realises its emotions make it different to other robots, who just function and don't think. Boot is scared but tries to be brave, which is hard when its screen keeps showing a wobbly, worried face. Luckily Boot meets Noke and Red - other 'advanced' robots who have learned to survive in secret.

With its new friends by its side, Boot is determined to find Beth and the gang set off on a dangerous adventure. Everything Boot thought it knew about the world is changing and things aren't as simple as it remembers...

Boot is heart-warming and delightful story about a toy robot, who boots up in a junkyard with only two and half glitchy memories of his owner, Beth. Boot also feels things he's not supposed to: he's a robot, but has love in his heart and determination to find Beth. On his search for her, Boot meets other robots and humans. There's plenty of adventures and insightful moments that makes reader bonder about humanity and technology.

I thoroughly enjoyed Boot. It's sweet and fast paced, and one of those books that cross generations. I'm sure both younger and older readers will find the story delightful. Hegarty is pretty good at writing middle grade story that's not dumbed down.

The proof copy I have doesn't have many illustrations, but the few there are, gorgeous. There's full page illustrations and plenty of space reserved for more, so I think the finish book will be absolutely beautiful - I'll definitely check it out once it comes out next month!

4 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

(A copy of this book was provided in return for an honest review.)

Review: Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge

Estranged (Estranged, #1)
by Ethan M. Aldridge
Published by Harper
Middle Grade, fantasy, adventure, graphic novel

Edmund and the Childe were swapped at birth. Now Edmund lives in secret as a changeling in the World Above, his fae powers hidden from his unsuspecting parents and his older sister, Alexis. The Childe lives among the fae in the World Below, where being a human makes him a curiosity at the royal palace.

But when the cruel sorceress Hawthorne seizes the throne, the Childe and Edmund must unite on a dangerous quest to save both worlds - even if they're not sure which world they belong to.

Estranged has absolutely gorgeous artwork; the style and details are incredible. Often, I just stared at the art instead of continuing the story because of how intricate it all is. The artwork is definitely one of the best parts of this graphic novel, however, the storyline and characters are not far behind. Aldridge weaves a story with depth about identity and formation of families, about accepting and finding oneself.

Edmund and Childe were swapped at birth, so Edmund has spend his life as changeling and Childe has spend his as human pet in the high court of fae, where he wasn't even given a name. Both struggled with their identity and place in the world, and I absolutely loved how deep and meaningful it all was. There's also a plethora of interesting side characters; Whick, a wax golem and Childe's only friend, and Alexis, Edmund's sister. I especially loved how smart Alexis is - she's older and actually knew myths and legends because she had studied them, and I could easily relate to her determined mindset to protect her little brother.

Estranged is beautiful and adventurous story, which I really loved. I cannot wait for the sequel!

5 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Review: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice, #1)
by John Flanagan
Published by Corgi Yearling
Middle Grade, adventure, fantasy

The Rangers, with their shadowy ways, have always made him nervous. And now fifteen-year-old Will has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice.

But what he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of warfare and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And now there is serious trouble brewing.

The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time he will not be denied...

The Ruins of Gorlan is adventure in medieval fantasy type of setting, which is something I enjoy a lot. There's plenty of races against time and Will, the Ranger's apprentice, learning the tricks of the trade. Will's great main character; he's small for his age and thus refused by the Battleschool so he can't become a knight like he wanted to. Instead mysterious Halt, a Ranger, takes Will as apprentice, because Halt sees a talent in him. Will's brave and quick to learn, good with a bow and the honest type. Halt's more mysterious, he's tight lipped about his past and anything that has nothing to do about teaching Will how to be a Ranger.

I enjoyed The Ruins of Gorlan for it is funny and full of adventures, and I like to read about people learning and training instead of skipping all of that. Flanagan's writing style is easy to read and fast paced, although some things made me cringe a little bit - Flanagan has a habit of referring all the peasants as simple while praising the lords and guilds. It is just a few comments here and there, but they are bit annoying as the comments are for nothing; it is mostly just to establish that the peasants gossip.

It is a quick and fun read. I do think I'd devoured it when I was younger, instead of just enjoying it for what it is. So, if you're looking for a middle grade adventure fantasy, then you should try The Ruins of Gorlan, and I think younger readers would enjoy it a lot.

3 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Review: The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

The Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus, #5)
by Rick Riordan
Published by Puffin
Young Adult, mythology, adventure, fantasy

Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps.

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

It's always hard for me to name favourites from Riordan's books. However, The Blood of Olympus comes close, because it was brilliant adventure and I finally got what I have hoped since The Titan's Curse - chapters from Nico's point of view. That was definitely the crown of this series, to get proper glimpses what Nico thinks and feels and what it is like to walk in his shoes. Absolutely amazing, and I loved every Nico's chapter (now I just need more!). It was also very interesting to see how Hades interacted with Nico and what kind of father-son relationship they had.

Reyna was another favourite of mine during the book. Her chapters were something I waited for and they certainly didn't disappoint. I especially loved the budding friendship between Nico and Reyna - I feel like both of them need friends. Besides them, I loved all the old favourites, Percy, Jason, Leo etc.

In short, the last book of the Heroes of Olympus series didn't disappoint. It was full of page turning adventure, dangerous moments, and brilliant and complicated characters and relationships with godly parents and friends. I devoured the book and loved it. I certainly cannot recommend this series enough - and I'll definitely continue and read The Trials of Apollo series.

5 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Review: The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus, #4)
by Rick Riordan
Published by Puffin
Young Adult, fantasy, mythology, adventure

The House of Hades is the fourth book in the bestselling Heroes of Olympus series, set in the action-packed world of Percy Jackson.

The stakes have never been higher. If Percy Jackson and Annabeth fail in their quest, there'll be hell on Earth. Literally.

Wandering the deadly realm of Tartarus, every step leads them further into danger. And, if by some miracle they do make it to the Doors of Death, there's a legion of bloodthirsty monsters waiting for them.

Meanwhile, Hazel and the crew of the Argo II have a choice: to stop a war or save their friends. Whichever road they take one thing is certain - in the Underworld, evil is inescapable.

Remember what I said about starting to like Annabeth a little bit and about starting to accept she's the one for Percy? Yeah, I take that back. After the reveal in this book - the one I've been waiting for years and gave up as something that would never happen - I'm back to disliking Annabeth and definitely not shipping Percy/Annabeth. Plus, I just couldn't agree with Annabeth regarding the Tartarus and how she reacted when Percy went a little bit dark (in order to save them).

I'm just saying, but Nico needs a spin off series of his own. Plenty of hugs and love, too, because he's suffered so much. Anyway, The House of Hades was captivating and brilliant, and at this point, I'm pretty sure it's one of my favourites in the series. So full of adventure and dangerous moments that just got me to turn pages faster than ever. So stunning. I especially loved the budding friendship between Nico and Jason.

In short, The House of Hades was intense, stunning, captivating, and brilliant. Definitely one of the best in the series this far. 

5 of 5 stars.

Add on Goodreads

Review: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus, #3)
by Rick Riordan
Published by Puffin
YA, fantasy, mythology, adventure

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

I have an unpopular opinion: I don't like Annabeth. I have never really cared for her and I certainly never have shipped Percy and Annabeth. Thus it's not a big surprise that I wasn't over the moon having to read chapters upon chapters from her point of view. It didn't help that the beginning of The Mark of Athena lacked a little - although I think it was mostly because how epic the ending of the previous book was. I still loved the story, but it's not a surprise either because it's Rick Riordan and I love his books. In a way, I also learned to like Annabeth a little bit - I guess I finally started to get over that she and Percy are together and that other pairings for Percy wouldn't happen. Or maybe it was because Piper annoyed me so much that Annabeth seemed like more likable character. Piper was just so jealous of Jason and so insecure about their relationship all the time that it got more than little bit annoying.

Despite all that, I loved pretty much everything and everyone. Leo is always hilarious and he saves the day with his wit and humour, and I like both Percy and Jason and their standoffs. And of course, I love Nico and I honestly cried for everything he went through in this book - especially because he went it all through alone. He needs a hug and plenty of love!

The Mark of Athena was full of adventures, hilarious moments, and just overall brilliant writing. After that ending, the next book has to be most thrilling one yet!

5 of 5 stars.

Add on Goodreads

Review: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus, #2)
by Rick Riordan
Published by Penguin
Paperback (purchased)
Young Adult, fantasy, mythology, adventure

ONE CURSED DEMIGOD.
TWO NEW HEROES. A QUEST TO UNLEASH THE
GOD OF DEATH.....

Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, has woken from a very deep sleep and come face to face with two snake-haired ladies who refuse to die.

But they're the least of his problems. Because Percy finds himself at a camp for half-bloods, which doesn't ring any bells for him. There's just one name he remembers from his past. Annabeth.

Only one thing is certain--Percy's questing days aren't over. He and fellow demigods Frank and Hazel must face the most important quest of all: The Prophecy of Seven. If they fail, it's not just their camp at risk. Percy's old life, the gods and the entire world might be destroyed.....

In true Riordan style, The Son of Neptune was brilliant, hilarious and full of page turning adventure and action. I loved to see Camp Jupiter, meet new characters (especially Reyna!), new gods (finally Thanatos was included!) and catch up with the old faces (I can't get enough of Nico).

Heroes of Olympus is turning out to be even more stunning than the Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Such brilliant books, I highly recommend them to everyone!

5 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Review: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, #1)
by Rick Riordan
Published by Puffin
Paperback (purchased)
YA, fantasy, mythology, adventure

OLD ENEMIES AWAKEN AS CAMP HALF-BLOOD'S NEW ARRIVALS PREPARE FOR WAR 

When Jason, Piper and Leo crash land at Camp Half-Blood, they have no idea what to expect. Apparently this is the only safe place for children of the Greek Gods - despite the monsters roaming the woods and demigods practising archery with flaming arrows and explosives. But rumours of a terrible curse - and a missing hero - are flying around camp. It seems Jason, Piper and Leo are the chosen ones to embark on a terrifying new quest, which they must complete by the winter solstice. In just four days time. Can the trio succeed on this deadly mission - and what must they sacrifice in order to survive?

It took me years to pick this up. I absolutely love Percy Jackson and the Olympians and have done so since I read it when I was a teenager. When The Lost Hero was first published, I didn't pick it up because it didn't have Percy and I was hesitant about the Roman gods aspect since I've always been more into Greek mythology. I'm not sure what changed, but eventually I decided to give this one a shot when I heard that the old gang would be main characters in later books in this series. All of my hesitations ended up being for nothing, because true Riordan style, The Lost Hero was compelling and totally a page turner!

It was nice to meet some of the characters from previous series at the Camp Half-Blood, as well as the gods. I loved most of the new characters too, especially Jason and Leo. Leo's hilarious and adorable and just so precious. Jason's the traditional hero type but he was also interesting and really likable. Piper was the only one I didn't really warm up for, mostly because she was a little bit whiny.

I really liked the change to third person (compared to the first person in Percy Jackson series) and the multiple point of views (Jason, Leo and Piper). Although, with the multiple pov's there was sometimes moments when I preferred one to other, and it all comes down to characters preferences. Anyway, The Lost Hero was a page turner and full of adventure. It was a really good series opener because it left so many questions, and the ending, if that's not a cliffhanger then nothing is. Definitely made me want to pick up the rest of the series right away!

I highly recommend for the fans of Percy Jackson, and I definitely recommend to read that series first because this one does include spoilers.

4 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Review: Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, #2)
by Rick Riordan
Published by Puffin
Hardback (purchased)
Young Adult, fantasy, mythology, adventure

Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon - the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer's return is the gods' worst enemy, Loki - and the price he wants is very high.

The Hammer of Thor continues beautifully where The Sword of Summer left. The humour is on point as I really love Magnus's sarcasm and comebacks, and the titles are seriously so hilarious. I just love it, and Magnus to be truthful because he's precious with all his jokes and jabs and how much he cares for his friends and how he's a healer among the dead warriors preparing for Ragnarok.

Alongside Magnus, there's all the characters from the first installment and some new faces, which always spices things up. I continued to love the friendship Magnus, Blitzen and Hearthstone have, because they really are adorable (and I ship Blitzen and Hearthstone, they just need to get together okay?) And I'm just saying without spoilers that Riordan's Heimdall totally destroys the image that the Thor movies made. He's just beyond hilarious, and there's plenty of eye-rolling because of him and it's funny.

Basically, if you like the first book, then The Hammer of Thor is solid sequel that has all the aspects that made the first one so good. Some spark was missing for me, but then again I had one minor issue that probably won't be issue with anyone else. I still enjoyed the story thoroughly and I'm eagerly anticipating the last part of the trilogy!

4 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Review: Stag's Run by Zaya Feli

Stag's Run (Iron Breakers, #1)
by Zaya Feli
Self-published
Ebook (free on Amazon)
LGBT, fantasy, adventure

Ren Frayne is the bastard son of the Queen of Frayne, a title he’s more than comfortable with when it brings him limited responsibilities and all the luxuries of life he could ever want. But when the king and Ren’s half-brother, Crown Prince Hellic are brutally murdered, Ren is accused. Now, he is forced to flee the city together with the mysterious prisoner Anik who may know how to survive in the wild, but who seems to have an agenda of his own, one that may spell danger for Ren.

Ren’s accuser now sits on his family’s throne, and things are about to get much, much worse. It may be time to seek help in unexpected places.

Stag's Run is a fast-paced story that kept me on the edge of my seat. Ren, the queen's bastard son, is accused of murdering the king and his heir Hellic, Ren's brother. With the help of his few friends, Ren's off to run, trying to find any allies he can to fight the enemy who sits on his family's throne.

Ren is adorable, clueless and precious. He's also bisexual which I rarely see but absolutely love because representation! The life in royal palace and capital of the kingdom is all he has ever known so being on the run with a former slave, Anik, from another nation is full of difficulties. While Ren is an open book, Anik is mostly a puzzle, a mystery. He and Ren are the opposite and they don't particularly get on well but they need each other to escape the capital. I can't wait to see both of their character arcs - how Ren will grow to be the man he can be, because he certainly has a heart in a right place even if he's spoiled royal child; and I just want to know more about Anik.

For a first book in series, Stag's Run was solid. However, it could have been longer which would have made it more than solid. While there was introduction to the world and characters, some character development and plenty of plots going around, I wished a bit more intense feelings; the dawning relationships could have used a bit more deepening. I guess that's going to happen in the sequel but I would have loved to get more deeper feelings.

I do recommend this to those who enjoy royal/medieval/fantasy/adventure books.

4 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Blue Tide by Jenna-Lynne Duncan

Blue Tide
Jenna-Lynne Duncan
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: January 9th 2017
Genres: Adventure, Dystopian, Young Adult

An award-winning YA adventure-packed romance steeped in Middle Eastern culture and set in the Asian Pacific amongst dangerous oceans and tropical islands.

Seventeen-year-old refugee Lux plots her escape from the island where her family is stranded, denying that her home was lost in the Floods. Lux is determined to get her old life back by any means possible. But before her feet even leave the sand, she’s taken hostage by a vengeance-driven pirate nearly as young as she is.

Her capture is the key to his freedom…

Captain Draven’s scarf veils more than his face. Underneath, he struggles between morality and survival. When Lux sees deeper into his motivations, she’s torn. She can commit mutiny to escape to a home that may no longer exist, or she can try to help Draven escape the clutches of the person responsible for the deaths of half the world. Staying would mean entrusting her life to a pirate. Helping Draven would mean losing her heart to one.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

“You will help him, if it’s the last thing you do.”

He had to be bluffing. Lifting my chin, I met his icy gaze straight on. “You can threaten my life, but there is nothing more you can take from me that you haven’t already.”
“Oh, really?”
He stepped forward, towering over me. Wow, he was tall. I resisted every instinct to cower or curl into a small ball. His hand shot out so quickly, I hardly felt the pull around my neck. My hands flew to my chest. My necklace!
The captain held up the chain, his eyes wide with victory. It was clear he was waiting for a reaction, but, except for that first jolt of surprise, I was paralyzed.
Everything fell silent except the slap of waves against the hull and the drum of his boots as he walked to the railing. I clutched my arms to my chest. My heart sped up so fast I couldn’t tell if it was still beating. He held his hand over the side of the ship. The back of my throat ached with a pain so great I thought it would tear out.
“Stop!” One hand still clutched my chest, the other reached out toward the necklace.
“Still think I have nothing I can take from you? There is always something, Princess.”
Desperation replaced all courage. “Please stop. I can help him.”
He shrugged.
“Wait!”
He opened his palm, one finger at a time. The gold chain slid down, dipping closer to the waters below.
“Please, I’ll do anything!” I pressed my fists to the sides of my head.
He drew his fingers in, closing them around the chain. The necklace dangled safely.
I dropped my arms in relief. “Thank—”
With one slow, deliberate move, he opened his palm.
The chain slipped through his fingers.
“No,” I cried, running to the railing. My necklace had disappeared into the roaring waters below. Lost forever.
I choked on the air I strove to inhale. “That was… that was the only thing…” The sound of my heartbeat thrashed in my ears before every emotion was washed away. Every muscle in my body tightened and my eyes twitched as they narrowed. I turned mechanically to face the heartless brute. My face expressionless, my feelings numbed. He would pay for what he’d done.
“You are in no position to negotiate. Make no more requests or the next thing I drop in the water will be prisoners. One. By. One.” He dictated to me without one ounce of regret for what he’d just done. Turning just as easily, he shouted orders behind him. “Ahmed, bring her.”


Author Bio:
Jenna-Lynne Duncan likes to write heart-stopping, page-turning, haunting romance in all YA genres. Her current Young Adult releases are titled Hurricane, Tempest, and Aftermath (Divertir Publishing) and the forthcoming BLUE TIDE (Winter, 2017). Jenna graduated with degrees in Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, and International Studies. BLUE TIDE was the recent winner of RWA’s Romancing the Lake contest. Besides writing, she loves traveling and children. Preferably together. She welcomes readers to contact her on social media or at JennaLynneDuncan@gmail.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Survive by Alex Morel

Survive
by Alex Morel
Published by Electric Monkey Books
Paperback (bought)
YA, contemporary, adventure

"And, frankly, I'm not a genious myself but I am a very good liar."

When Jane steps on to the plane her plan is clear - Go to the bathroom. Take the pills. End it all.

The plane crash changes all that.

Jane wakes in the mountains, surrounded b wreckage, with just one other survivor. Together, they must fight their way through the blizzards, and back to civilization.

Now, more than anything, she wants to live.

Survive is a lyrical story about Jane who doesn't want to live anymore, not since her dad killed himself, and she has a plan because she's a planner: to board a plane to take her home for Christmas, except according to her plan, she's going to kill herself on the bathroom during the flight. However, Jane's plan goes all wrong as the plane crashes into the wilderness. Jane and only one other passanger, Paul, survives the crash. And now it's up to them to get back to the civilization - alive, since Jane doesn't want to die anymore.

 

Survive is fast-paced, fast to read because you don't want to put it down. The writing is lyrical, intriguing and Morel sure knows how to use the words to make story truly become alive. There's sentences that left me breathless because of their pure genious - and all those heartbreaking feelings and hope for Jane and Paul to survive their trials. Oh, and what a characters Morel created - Jane and Paul are different, flawed, intriguing and still full of hope even when their journey seems to be hopeless.

 

Survive is a standalone which was one of the reasons alongside the synopsis why I picked it up. I'm so glad I did it, because Survive took me on a journey that wrenched my heart, and made me love every moment - made me devour the story on a few sitting. It's a gripping, captivating and emotional journey from the start right until the last sentence.

 

I highly recommend Survive to everyone. It's a wonderful, poignant and truly heartbreaking story. I even recommend it to everyone who doesn't like contemporary that much because this story is worth of everyone's time. Survive is probably the best contemporary, realistic fiction book I've read.

 

Prepare yourself for an emotional ride and dive in.

 

5 of 5 stars and everything else I can give.

 

Survive on Goodreads.