The Darkening Dream

The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin

Pages: 379
1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand. 
With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal? 
No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.

Ramblings: Super excited about this one because of Alex: he is Greek. Now, unfortunately, I am not Greek and I rarely talk about my obsession with Greece on this blog because there has never been a reason to. But, when Gavin requested my to review this book and I saw that Alex was cute and Greek?? I happy danced. I said, sign me up!

Characters: I'm just going to jump right into it: Alex was by far my favorite character. Dark curly hair, big eyes, sexy. Oh yes, I fell in love the moment I read about him. Then, to learn that he is this super cool dude who slays vampires? He's is the full package (;
I would have liked to see more from Sam. At first I thought maybe he had a thing for Sarah (the main girl) so I would have liked to see a little more resentment towards Alex.


Plot: This is a very interesting plot and I liked that it took place almost a hundred years ago. I always like books set in the past because I love history. As for the vampire hunting goes, I felt a little overwhelmed with so many POV's in the novel. We switched around to probably every single character's POV at least once. I also felt overwhelmed by all of the different prayers and spells and whatnot going on. I felt there was too much chaotic spells going on and unnecessary time changes... if that makes sense. For once I think a books needs a tad bit less action! I've never said that before!

Overall: I do want to warn everyone who reads this book because even though it's categorized as YA (and I can see why) there is some very adult-ish material (I won't get into it all, but even at 16 I felt a little uncomfortable at times. I wouldn't recommend to anyone under 16). One scene with a girl named Emily bothered me so much I almost put the book down and didn't pick it back up. I just don't understand the need for this kind of scene. She easily could have rubbed her ankles instead and I didn't need to know how it made Alex feel. I don't know how to explain it any better than this: there was just a lot of random sexual content that I felt could have been left out and still made a really great story.
I do not want to end on a sour note though! I was so shocked with the last two chapters, I freaked out! I'm pretty interested in what is going to happen next if there is a sequel. I loved this book!

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Pages: 236
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting her row.
A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?
Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you are least expecting it.

Ramblings: I've been waiting for an amazing, romance story and I've found one! This one portrays true love and chance happenings at its finest.

Characters: Hadley is so great. The way that she feels about her father's second wedding is totally normal and I feel like she is pretty unsure of how she is going to handle things when she finally gets there. I love her quick back-and-forth banter with Oliver from the minute they meet until the very last line. She and Oliver make such a cute couple! And his British accent is very attractive :) Every time he would talk, the little voice in my head would switch over to a British accent. It makes for quite the entertaining read!

Plot: I love a good romance and I feel like this is one of the best ones I've ever read. It's a pretty short read and so I flew through it, but I loved every second. From meeting in an airport, where there are thousands of people, the probability of meeting Oliver, sitting by him on the plane, and falling in love with him could seem like way to unbelievable, but somehow it works. Everything seems so normal and fits perfectly into place.

Overall: You couldn't ask for a better romance novel. If you have been searching for a light, fun read with a cute boy and an unbelievable tale, then this is the book for you. Seriously, don't pass this one up. You will be running to an airport as soon as you finish (;

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

The Priest and the Peaches

The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson

Ebook

Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, uncharted and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Ramblings: I was pretty excited to receive this book for review and to participate in the hop! I have to say this is a great read once I really got into the story. Catholicism plays a big role in this book which is new to me but it was pretty interesting.

Characters: These kids are so strong! Trying to stick together after their dad dies and plan his funeral, all while sorting debts and trying to stay a family? I really felt Teddy and it's not that I could relate to him, but I felt such sympathy for him! He had me laughing and then crying in about a 10 minute time frame! Those have real courage and they couldn't have done it without the priest, their neighbors, and God.

Plot: This book is all about hope which is something I'm really big on, (just like my participation in my youth group's 30 Hour Famine. The world's hunger is not hopeless. sorry to get off topic!) and so I loved that aspect of the novel. One of my favorite parts of the novel is such a simple concept: LYN: Love Your Neighbor. Loving your neighbor is a concept that in today's society seems so hard to grasp and if everyone would just look around and realize it isn't such a hard thing, our world would be a lot different.

Overall: This is a great read and although YA, I would definitely recommend to adults also. Seriously, don't pass this one up!

Overall Rating: 3 Stars


Now that you know a little more about the book, Larry was nice enough for an interview!

When did you first get the idea for The Priest and the Peaches?

My brothers and sister and I did lose our parents when we were quite young but I never considered writing about that or something based on that. Then, about four years ago our brother, Bobby, suddenly passed away. After the funeral we were at a pub up in Monroe, NY, and were were sitting around reminiscing. Well, more and more memories began to come forth from all of us and, before you knew it, we were laughing our heads off and having a grand old time. It was awesome. That is when the idea began to germinate. The book is a fictionalized account of those days and many of the characters and incidents can be attributed to "poetic license."

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I guess so. But it took me most of my life to actually get there. The cliche, "You gotta do what you gotta do," would fit me well. I was where I was when I was needed and always tried my best to do  what I had to do no matter the circumstances. This relegated writing to the lower echelons of what "needed" to be done. Today I am blessed to be enjoying what I like to call my "permanent senior moment" which is that of being a writer.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?

I really have no desire to go anywhere in particular but if I actually had to choose it probably would be the Vatican. The history and treasure trove of artifacts there would be something to see. 

What is one item on your bucket list?

There is something and it just popped up last week. My son and I began coaching a Lttle League team of six and seven year olds. One of the boys has a form of autism. He does not pay attention , cannot throw a ball or catch one. If we can get him to actually learn how to throw and catch by April that would be quite an accomplishment. That is the one thing on my previously empty bucket list. We'll see how it goes.

Describe The Priest and the Peaches in just five words!

Loving your neighbor means forgiveness.

 

Chocolate or vanilla?

Vanilla (today is Valentine's Day so today it is chocolate---I am flexible)

Target or Walmart?

Walmart is two miles from where I live. So, Walmart equals convenience.

Ice cream or frozen yogurt?

Ice cream

 

Movies or books?

Books, although I do not read nearly as much as I would like to.

Thank you to Tribute Books for sending me The Priest and the Peaches and for allowing me to participate in this blog hop! And to Mr. Peterson, you are a wonderful writer and I'm looking forward to reading more from you! Have a wonderful day!

Until Next Time Blog Tour!

Until Next Time Blog Tour

Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 Summary



eBook
Pages: 295
Release: February 1, 2012

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?


Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.
When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.
From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.


Wanna buy this awesome book? Check it out!



Kindle buy link
Nook buy link
Smashwords buy link
PDF buy link

Now let's meet the Author!


Amy Lignor's Bio:
Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.
Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.
She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.
Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.

The author, Amy, is going to guest post today! :D

The Magic of Words

I have to say the name of this blog is definitely something I believe in.  And I understand our host, Katie, because I came from a small town where - I promise you - the only thing to do was watch the cars rust.  Not to mention, at least six months out of the year we were buried in snow.  So…I read.  Anything I could get my hands on, actually.  My Mom was a librarian so my sister and I were able to get all the new releases the second they came out - which was seriously cool.

There are a lot of people who love small towns, and I understand that it’s more peaceful and calm - less violence and crime, etc. - but the boredom factor is a forty on a scale of 1-10.  Without books I would’ve seriously thrown myself into a snow bank.  I loved everything - from YA’s to classics like Jane Austen - and the subject of angels was really big for me.  I can’t tell you how much I love the fact that the ‘winged ones’ have come back so strong lately.

The characters in Until Next Time - Emily and Matt - are a huge extension of that small town life in their own way.  They come from a world where there isn’t a whole lot to do either.  There are certainly more people, but they spend a lot of their time in school, training and waiting around - desperate to enjoy that taste of freedom that they’re about to experience full-force.  Of course, with freedom comes some seriously hard lessons.  The human emotions they run into are strong and brand new to them, which causes a whole lot of problems.  From love to fear to hate to heartache, they’re the innocents that are trying to keep their faith in one another in a world that’s filled with things that are trying to rip them apart.

I love the magic of books.  The fact that, as a reader, I can sit in a room and be taken on an adventure with the Matt’s and Emily’s of the world is amazing.  I can stand by the side of characters as they head back into history to see something truly monumental that we can only read about now; or, head into the future and find worlds that amaze and excite.  I can also fall in love through someone else’s eyes with the new ‘Romeo and Juliet’s’ of this world (or, you may call them the ‘Edward and Bella’s).  I can cheer for the hero and heroine, or despise the villain with everything I’ve got.  Boredom never comes from these creations, so being able to escape and become someone else for a while is a real ‘gift.’

Your whole life, even when you have the gray hair (yuck), and your own teenager in their bedroom complaining about how boring it all is, the characters of Lord Voldemort, Patch, Katniss Everdeen, Lisbeth Salander - even Mr. Darcy - will still be there for entertainment.  Not to mention a slew of new ones that are just waiting to be taken into the fold.  No matter what happens in time, or how bad things get, books are eternal.

To me, that’s the real ‘magic.’  No dragon or wand necessary - just an imagination!

Until Next Time, Everybody.
Amy.

*-*-*

Thank you so much Amy for that wonderful post! You really brightened my day when I read that :) Thanks for stopping by Magic is in Words and I hope you have an amazing day! 
I'd also like to thank Tribute Books for thinking of me. You guys are great and I hope I can continue to participate in more amazing hops!


Check out The Angel Chronicles, Amy, and Tribute Books!



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Rae of Hope

Rae of Hope by W.J. May

Pages: 225
How hard do you have to shake a family tree to find out the truth of the past? 
Fifteen-year-old Rae Kerrigan has never questioned her family’s history. That is until she accepted a scholarship to Guilder Boarding School in England. Guilder is a very unique, gifted school. 
Rae has no idea what she is getting herself into or that her family’s past is going to come back and taunt her. She learns she is part of an unparalleled group of individuals who become marked with a unique tattoo (tatù) on their sixteenth birthday. The tatù enables them to have supernatural powers particular to the shape of their marking. 
Both her parents were marked though Rae never knew, as they passed away when she was young and never told her. Learning about her family’s past, her evil father and sacrificial mother, Rae needs to decide if there is a ray of hope for her own life.


Ramblings: A+, 5 Stars, Bravo! Oh my I loved this book! At first I was a little hesitant to read (although I have no idea this book is right up my alley!) but once I was about ten words into this book, I flew through it! I read it in one sitting.


Characters: At first I was a little overwhelmed by the characters in this book. Not because there were too many, but because I felt like I met them all at once--just like Rae! Once I got into the swing of things though it wasn't too complicated to remember each character and their tatu. I loved Rae: from her quiet/shyness to the spunky girl who stands up for what she believes in. Along Lia in the book Frozen I just reviewed, Rae felt very real to me. Her feelings and characteristics were super relate able and I loved getting to know her! I got such a kick out of how all the boys on campus followed her around all the time! She just didn't know how to handle it and while I felt bad for those boys, I was happy to see that Rae didn't lower any of her standards or start in a relationship that wasn't what her heart wanted.  As for Devon, Molly, Maria and the rest of the gang? I can't wait to get to know them more in the next book!

Plot: Okay, who wouldn't want a super cool/sexy tattoo that would also give them some kind of amazing, supernatural power? Sign me up! There were plenty of twists to the plot that kept me turning the pages and I'm so interested in the mystery behind Rae's parents and I have this sneaky suspicion about her dad... I think there is more to that fire than anyone knows and I can't wait to dig even deeper with Rae and Devon in the next book.

Overall: Rae of Hope is such a cool book and although there wasn't too much action, being with Rae as she uncovered her past and discovered her tatu was amazing. I was drawn so far into the story that I couldn't stop reading it! Pick this one up and make sure you don't have any plans because you won't be able to put this one down!

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Frozen

Frozen by Robin Wasserman
(previously published as Skinned)

Pages: 345
WHAT IF YOU COULD LIVE FOREVER?
The Download was supposed to change the world. It was supposed to mean the end of aging, the end of death, the birth of a new humanity. But it wasn't supposed to happen to someone like Lia Kahn. And it wasn't supposed to ruin her life.
Lia knows she should be grateful that she didn't die in the accident. The Download saved, but it also changed her, forever. She can deal with being a freak. She can deal with the fear in her parents' eyes and the way her boyfriend flinches at her touch. But she can't deal with what she knows, deep down, every time she forces herself to look in the mirror: She's not the same person she used to be.
Maybe she's not even a person at all.

Ramblings: Wow! At first it took me quite a while to get into this book, but once I did I really got into it! I have to say though, this summary doesn't do it justice. I didn't understand the summary even once I started reading the book. (I bought it because of the 3 covers! haha) So, I don't normally do this (because I destroy books when I try to describe them) but here goes!

So, Lia Kahn is a teenage girl with a weird little sister, great friends, and a really cute boyfriend! But, when she dies in a car crash the only option the hospital and her parents have are to "Download" her: scan her brain and make a replica and put it into a surrogate body. And this body is indestructible. Once the body wears out, Lia can just go get a new one. And live Forever! But these surrogates are really looked down upon in the day's society, so Lia is out-casted first by her boyfriend, then her friends, and then by her own family. The only person who treats her civilly is the weird boy at school: Auden. With his help can she overcome this trap of a body and finally figure out who she is?

Ramblings Part 2: So now that you have (hopefully) a better description of what this book is about, you can start to follow along with my review!

Characters: I'm just gonna say it: I hate her little sister, Zo! She is a brat and mean and cruel and vicious and I just can't get over it. I just wanted to rip up the book sometimes because I couldn't stand how she was acting. As for the other characters, I love Lia. She seems real even in a book that could never be real. All of the emotions she shows and the way she portrays everything seemed so realistic and genuine. Loved her! And as for Auden, I'm still trying to figure him out. I'm disappointed in him right now but I have high hopes for him in the next book.

Plot: I don't even know what to talk about here. It is such a cool idea: being able to live forever and never get hurt, but at the same time... would I want to give up most of my feelings? And watch as the rest of my family ages and I stay 17 forever? I couldn't imagine being in Lia's situation so I'm really pumped for the next book. But I didn't feel that Wasserman really explained the society they lived in and other things. I just didn't feel that amazing feeling of being trapped inside of a book and surrounded in everything that happens. Maybe with the next book I'll understand more.

Overall: I can't say this book lived up to my expectations, but it also sort of did because I didn't really have many since I was confused. But I am definitely reading the next two books in the series! Give this book a shot, it's pretty interesting!

Overall Rating: 3 Stars


p.s. look at how cool these covers are! they make a person!

30 Hour Famine Giveaway

Hey guys! This April I'm participating in a 30 Hour Famine with my youth group and I'm raising money for children in Africa! We raise money from now all the way up until the famine, then we go 30 hours without eating so we know how those children feel EVERYDAY. It's a super amazing experience and I have an amazing time! World Vision is a great charity and for every thirty dollars I raise, a child is fed for a month! That means 360$ is a whole year! Every dollar counts and no donation is too small :)

So if you'd like to donate, click here on my page! Thank you so much for supporting me as I go without, so others can eat!

This is a little video that reminds me of why I do this famine. Even though it's called Teen Affluenza, I'm sure that on most of the cases, adults can relate!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ym-cbu_H-U&feature=related

Now, because I think you guys are so awesome, if you donate, you can enter in my giveaway! Yep, I'm going to giveaway a book of YOUR choice! (20$ US cap) Because you are choosing to help out a little kid in Africa, I'm choosing to help you out!

So here is how this giveaway is going to work: if you donate 5$, you may enter one time. 10$ is two times, 20$ is three and so on and so forth. Please leave your name so I can verify that you donated on my famine page. Here's the giveaway!

Bloggiversary Giveaway Update

Hey guys! You know how much I love you and I hope that right now you are reading ome amazing books! In just a few weeks it will be my One Year Bloggiversary and I just wanted to remind you all about my giveaway! I have 30 books to chose from and two winners! I hope you all get a chance to enter. I love you guys so mic. Thanks for always supporting me!

Here is the link to my giveaway page!
Comment :) what is the best book you've read so far in 2012?

On the Bright Side

On the Bright Side by S.R. Johannes





Ebook
On the Bright Side is a hilarious road to guardian angeldom paved with so much drama and due-paying that it makes middle school look painless.
As if the devil’s food cake at her wake and the white fat pants she’s stuck wearing for eternity weren’t bad enough, fourteen year-old Gabby is quick to discover that Cirrus, the main rung of Heaven, is a far cry from the Pearly Gates. Here, Skyphones and InnerNets are all the rage. Until Gabby finds out she has to protect Angela, her school nemesis, in order to move up through the training levels of heaven. Problem is, Angela is now hitting on Gabby's should-have-been boyfriend. (awkward!)
Instead of protecting Angela, Gabby pranks her (like tripping is a sin?) at the hopes of cooling off the new couple. At first, they seem harmless until the school dance sabotage gets completely out of control. Then, her Celestial Sky Agent, who happens to have anger management issues of his own, puts Gabby on probation, threatening her eternal future.
Determined to right her wrongs, Gabby steals an ancient artifact that allows her to return to Earth for just one day. Without knowing, she kicks off a series of events and learns what can happen when you hate someone to death.



Ramblings: aww! This was such an adorable middle grade read. I have read Untraceable (YA) and loved that too so I was really excited to read this book. I was not disappointed!

Characters: I fell in love with Gabby, and the rest of the gang, from the moment I met them! I love Gabby's giggly, middle-school personality, and I could totally relate to her anger towards Angela. Who would want to be the guardian angel of their arch nemesis!? I so understand where Gabby was coming from with the pranks, even if the first one was a mistake! I loved watching her grow as a person... Er BIT! And seeing her really develop and reach her full potential. I know she's going to keep growing and I can't wait to see where her adventure leads next!

Plot: Okay, I think it's safe to say that the idea of SKYpones and that amazing closet are FABULOUS and I soo wish I had all of the really cool SKYgagets. I love the struggles Gabby conquered in this book because it is so relatable- friends fighting over a guy and it's a huge problem with girls in middle school in high school, probably even college! Girls can be nasty and I think this is a great book for all girls to read because it is a huge eye openers to what can happen if a boy gets in the way of a friendship.

Overall: S.R. Johannes is one of my favorite authors and I can't wait for book 2 in this series and the Untraceble series! Seriously, don't pass this one up!

Overall Rating: 5 Stars