Month: May 2012

Book Review, die for me

Book Review: Die For Me by Amy Plum

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Die For Me
Author: Amy Plum
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: May 2011
Pages: 341
Series: Revenants #1
Source: library
4 Stars: I Really Liked It

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier’s parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life–and memories–behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he’s a revenant–an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

My Thoughts:
This book was exciting and so romantic! Paris!! Ooo la la! I’m one of those romantics that thinks it would be dreamy to visit Paris one day.

Kate was sixteen, almost seventeen, and her sister Georgia was almost eighteen. Their parents died, and they moved from Brooklyn to live with their grandparents in Paris, France! Luckily, from summers of visiting Paris, they already knew French and the area. Plus, outgoing Georgia already had tons of friends. I enjoyed the sister dynamic. It was real. Kate and Georgia loved each other even though they fought sometimes and were complete opposites. I loved how they were always there for each other. Georgia was cute and spunky, a fun side character.

Vincent was nineteen and completely charming. I also liked his guy friends Ambrose and Jules. They were fun and entertaining to have around. Charlotte was a sweetheart, and I hope to see her more in the next book.

Revenants was a unique idea. I really enjoyed finding out all the rules to the revenant world. A revenant was basically someone who could die for others and come back to life. There’s more to it of course so you’ll have to read to find out. I highly recommend you check this book out. It was great!

This was not a squeaky clean read so be sure to see my content ratings below.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: moderate ( mention of lust, nude paintings/statue, scantily clad woman for art model, kissing, brief friend mentions he’s homosexual, mention of rape, boy and girl alone in bedroom, boy and girl change clothes in bedroom while turned away, necking )
Language: mild/ moderate ( God-21, h***-5, d***-4, b****-1, a**-1 )
Violence: moderate ( deaths, blood, limb loss, murder, injuries )

Buy it!

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Teen Fiction

cover reveal, tributary

Cover Reveal: Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren

Kathryn Cooper

TRIBUTARY, book #3.2 in the River of Time Series, is an e-novella, following the novels WATERFALL (book 1), CASCADE (book 2), TORRENT (book 3), and the e-novella BOURNE (book 3.1) — click the titles to read my reviews.

TRIBUTARY is scheduled to come out in mid- to late-June. You can find out the latest on it at Lisa Bergren’s website. www.LisaBergren.com

Follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaTBergren and Facebook (facebook.com/RiverofTimeSeries)

The River of Time Series is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Below is an exclusive excerpt from TRIBUTARY, by Lisa T. Bergren! (Subject to change post-editing.)

Gabi, Mom and Dad—over the last year, they’d settled into life here in Medievalville like it was some exotic vacation destination. If it wasn’t for the fact that I was crazy-wild to be a family again—and for cute Luca always nearby, ready to try and make me smile—I might’ve run into the Tuscan forest screaming, convinced I’d gone mental.  Some days I could just live my life. Enjoy it even. Other days I’d pause and stare at half-dressed knights sparring, maids hauling up water from a well, smoke coming from the kitchen chimney, and try to get my modern brain and my ancient surroundings to match up. And there was a serious sort of disconnect between the two.

And now, here is the gorgeous cover you’ve been waiting to see! I love it!

All of the covers look beautiful together.
   
Book Review, donna hatch, queen in exile

Book Review: Queen In Exile by Donna Hatch

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Queen In Exile
Author: Donna Hatch
Publisher: Walnut Springs Press
Release Date: March 2010
Pages: 373
Series: none
Source: publisher
5 Stars: I Loved It!

Rumors of War hang over Princess Jeniah’s peaceful country of Arden, a land that shuns both magic and warfare. Following a lifelong dream, Jeniah forms a telepahtic bond with a revered creature called a chayim, who is prophesied to save her kingdom. But when a Darborian knight comes upon Jeniah with her chayim, he sees only a vicious monster about to devour a maiden, and he slays the beast.
Devastated by the loss of her chayim, and fearing that her own magic is evil, Jeniah doubts her destiny. When an enemy invades Arden City, they slaughter the people, storm the castle, and execute the entire royal family except the princess. Rescued by the knight who slew her chayim, Jeniah is now heir to the throne of Arden and the only hope for freeing her people from tyranny.
On the run and hunted by enemy soldiers, Jeniah must place her life and the fate of her kingdom in the hands of this trained killer. Torn between embracing her destiny as queen af Arden, and her love for a mere knight, she must ultimately rely on her magic to save herself and her people from death and tyranny.

My Thoughts:
This book is a new favorite! Writing this review makes me want to go back and read it again. It was so great! I’m gushing now.

This could be Young Adult or Adult. It’s borderline. Jeniah was 18 at the start but nineteen for the majority of the book and twenty at the end. The boy interest was definitely not a little boy. Kai was twenty-six and a powerful warrior brought from an ally country to Jeniah’s country to train their troops. One little detail of Kai’s character I loved was the way he treated his young squire. His kindness made me think highly of him.

I wasn’t sure I would like this book at the beginning. The chayim thing was weird to me at first, but I quickly grew to love the scenery, characters, plot . . . everything! I’m pretty sure I went through every emotion possible during this read. I laughed, sighed, and cried. I was terrified, relieved, and excited. It was as if I lived that year of Jeniah’s life crammed into the two days it took me to read it. I love books that can take me on that journey of emotions.

I recommend Queen In Exile to everyone! It has action AND romance. It doesn’t get better than that.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild/moderate ( kissing, desirous thoughts, threat of rape, 1 country has high moral standards while another country doesn’t think it necessary to wait until marriage for intimacy )
Language: none
Violence: moderate ( war battles, blood, death, torture, mention of rape then murder of woman during a battle )

*I received a review copy of the book from Walnut Springs Press. Thank you! I am not paid for my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion.*

Buy it!

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Adult Fiction

adult book showcase, queen in exile

Adult Book Showcase: Queen In Exile by Donna Hatch

Kathryn Cooper

Occasionally I want to showcase an adult book I review on my new blog, Clean Adult Fiction. These will be books where the main character is 18-25 years old, pretty close to the Young Adult genre.

Title: Queen In Exile
Author: Donna Hatch
Publisher: Walnut Springs Press
Release Date: March 2010
Pages: 373
Series: none
Source: publisher
5 Stars: I Loved It!

Rumors of War hang over Princess Jeniah’s peaceful country of Arden, a land that shuns both magic and warfare. Following a lifelong dream, Jeniah forms a telepahtic bond with a revered creature called a chayim, who is prophesied to save her kingdom. But when a Darborian knight comes upon Jeniah with her chayim, he sees only a vicious monster about to devour a maiden, and he slays the beast.
Devastated by the loss of her chayim, and fearing that her own magic is evil, Jeniah doubts her destiny. When an enemy invades Arden City, they slaughter the people, storm the castle, and execute the entire royal family except the princess. Rescued by the knight who slew her chayim, Jeniah is now heir to the throne of Arden and the only hope for freeing her people from tyranny.
On the run and hunted by enemy soldiers, Jeniah must place her life and the fate of her kingdom in the hands of this trained killer. Torn between embracing her destiny as queen af Arden, and her love for a mere knight, she must ultimately rely on her magic to save herself and her people from death and tyranny.

My Thoughts:
This book is a new favorite! Writing this review makes me want to go back and read it again. It was so great! I’m gushing now.

This could be Young Adult or Adult. It’s borderline. Jeniah was 18 at the start but nineteen for the majority of the book and twenty at the end. The boy interest was definitely not a little boy. Kai was twenty-six and a powerful warrior brought from an ally country to Jeniah’s country to train their troops. One little detail of Kai’s character I loved was the way he treated his young squire. His kindness made me think highly of him.

I wasn’t sure I would like this book at the beginning. The chayim thing was weird to me at first, but I quickly grew to love the scenery, characters, plot . . . everything! I’m pretty sure I went through every emotion possible during this read. I laughed, sighed, and cried. I was terrified, relieved, and excited. It was as if I lived that year of Jeniah’s life crammed into the two days it took me to read it. I love books that can take me on that journey of emotions.

I recommend Queen In Exile to everyone! It has action AND romance. It doesn’t get better than that.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild/moderate ( kissing, desirous thoughts, threat of rape, 1 country has high moral standards while another country doesn’t think it necessary to wait until marriage for intimacy )
Language: none
Violence: moderate ( war battles, blood, death, torture, mention of rape then murder of woman during a battle )

*I received a review copy of the book from Walnut Springs Press. Thank you! I am not paid for my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion.*

Buy it!

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Teen Fiction

book blast, giveaway

Book Blast: Kindle Fire Giveaway

Kathryn Cooper

The following is a Book Blast, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. To see more about her Book Blasts go HERE.

Orangeberry Book Tours
Happy Mother’s Day Kindle Fire Giveaway
May 10th to 17th

A swirl of recipes from around the world,
a love story that spans for decades,
a family at the crossroads of life
and so much more …

This Mother’s day,
the authors from Orangberry Book Tours
are sponsoring a host of freebies
and a Kindle Fire giveaway.

To the special women in our lives,
to the bloggers who help us on our journey
and to the readers who make it possible to
share our stories … we thank you.

Sponsored by :
Bruno McGrath – Elevenses from Around the WorldDavid M. Brown – Fezariu’s Epiphany
Pandora Poikilos – Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out & Frequent Traveller
Perry Martin – Pretty Flamingo
Shannon Mayer – Ingredients of a Cauldron
Stephanie Abbott – Past Lives #1 Rachel
Suzanne Anderson – Mrs. Tuesday’s Departure
Terri Giuliano Long – In Leah’s Wake

35 Winners!
1 x Grand Prize = 1 Kindle Fire and 1 copy of all 9 ebooks
9 x 1 copy of all 9 ebooks
25 x 1 copy of any three ebooks

Giveaway Details: 
The prize will be sent as an Amazon.com Kindle Fire Gift Card.  You must live in the US or have an Amazon.com account to redeem the gift card.
Ends May 17th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review, marie higgins, secrets after dark

Book Review: Secrets After Dark by Marie Higgins

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Secrets After Dark
Author: Marie Higgins
Publisher: Walnut Springs Press
Release Date: January 2012
Pages: 258
Series: none
Source: publisher
4 Stars: I Really Liked It

Residing at Thornton Manor under the premise of courting Jonathan Thornton, Hannah Forester intends to find out who murdered her father—and why. After all, Jonathan’s brother Morgan was the last person to visit Peter Forester before his demise. But upon her arrival at Thornton Manor, Hannah is informed that Morgan perished the previous year in a house fire. She soon learns the manor is full of secrets: a ghost haunting the East Wing, a white wolf that roams the grounds by night, and the story of a curse-protected treasure on the neighboring island. Most disturbingly, Hannah discovers that numerous young women have visited the manor only to vanish without a trace.
When a hooded, deep-voiced man visits Hannah’s bedroom late at night, warning her to leave the manor for her own safety, she realizes he must be Morgan Thornton. But why does he hide in the East Wing, and why does his family insist he is but a ghost? As Hannah falls in love with the handsome older brother, she must continue to court Jonathan in order to remain at the estate. Can she convince Morgan where her true loyalties lie? And will she uncover the Thorntons’ secrets quickly enough to solve her father’s murder before she loses her own life?

My Thoughts:
I didn’t realize this was a retelling of Beauty and The Beast until I started reading it. A beautiful girl in a mysterious Manor with a man in hiding who changes into beast form. There are so many additional characters with twists and turns in this story though. So at the same time it wasn’t like a retelling at all.

Hannah was brave and smart, and Morgan was mysterious and heroic. The ending bothered me slightly. I like happy endings, but it was a bit too perfect for me. That’s out of character for me to say, but I had come to grips with how I thought things would turn out in the end.

I really enjoyed this book. It had suspense, mystery, and of course romance. It was a beautiful love story of overcoming obstacles to be with the person you love.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild ( lots of kissing )
Language: none
Violence: mild ( fighting, blood, death )

*I received a review copy of the book from Walnut Springs Press. Thank you! I am not paid for my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion.*
Buy it!

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Adult Fiction

Book Review, DAC 2012, falling

Book Review: Falling by L.C. Smith

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Falling
Author: L.C. Smith
Publisher: L.C. Smith
Release Date: January 2012
Pages: eBook only
Series: none
Source: author
3 Stars: I liked it

Love is a funny thing; there’s the kind that’s like you’re five and you’re looking up at your Mum’s face as she reads you a bedtime story.
Then there’s the kind that makes you nervous and twists in your stomach.
Then there’s the kind that makes you feel like you’re holding everything of worth in your hands.
After the death of her parents in a car accident when Reid was eleven years old she gained the ability to jump into peoples bodies. Not a single person knows her secret, not her only friend Sara and especially not Keller. The problem is, every time she looks into his eyes, she starts falling into him.

My Thoughts:
Falling was a good read. The whole idea of falling or jumping into someone’s body was so unique and interesting to me. I kept reading to find out how Reid would deal with this really strange ability.

Reid, an orphan from age 11, was a senior at an all girl boarding school. I didn’t know how to feel about her sometimes. I liked her, but then I couldn’t relate to some of her choices which made me frustrated and unconnected to her. Like when Reid would choose to jump into someone’s body, instead of forced by her power. I couldn’t fathom why she would choose to invade someone’s privacy like that. Sometimes it was funny or interesting, but other times it bothered me. I also felt the writing was a bit confusing at times and had to go back and re-read something to follow what was happening.

Reid’s best friend Sara was fun; I wish there was a little more of her. I really liked Keller, the boy interest. The chemistry between Reid and Keller was great. I really enjoyed their scenes together. They were super cute! The ending was great and made everything all better. I liked Reid at the end and was glad to see her develop as a character.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild ( kissing, boy and girl alone in bedroom )
Language: mild ( d***-5, h***-1 )
Violence: none
Other: a few drunk people

*I received an eBook review copy of the book from the author. Thank you! I am not paid for my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion.*

Buy it!
[ Amazon ]

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Teen Fiction

This is book #2 of my 2012 Debut Author Challenge, hosted by The Story Siren.

star ratings

Stars!

Kathryn Cooper

You may have noticed that I don’t have star ratings for my book reviews. Well that’s going to change. I realized that when I don’t have time to read every book review on my blog following list I’ll skip to the star rating. Did that reviewer give it 3 stars or 5? I really like the way Mundie Moms does it at the top with the book info. So look for my star rating there from now on.

What I consider 3 stars is a book I like but might not recommend to everyone. A 4 star book I recommend to most everyone. A 5 star book I recommend to everyone, want to buy for my collection, and will enjoy re-reading it.


Stars:
1 Star (I’ll never read a book I consider 1 star because I can’t waste my time with something I don’t enjoy.)
2 Stars: It Wasn’t For Me (Again, I probably won’t finish reading a book I don’t like.)
3 Stars: I Liked It
4 Stars: I Really Liked It
5 Stars: I Loved It!

What are your thoughts on star ratings? Do you find it hard to assign a star? Do you pick books due to other reviewer’s star rating?

glamorous illusions, lisa t bergren, waiting on wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday: Glamorous Illusions

Kathryn Cooper

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly post, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine , where we spotlight a book we are anxiously waiting to be published.

Glamorous Illusions
By Lisa T. Bergren
Publisher: David C. Cook
Release Date: June 1, 2012

When Cora Kensington learns she is the illegitimate daughter of a copper king, her life changes forever. Even as she explores Europe with her new family, she discovers that the most valuable journey is within. The first book in the Grand Tour series takes you from the farms of Montana through England and France on an adventure of forgiveness, spiritual awakening, and self-discovery.

I love The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren so I really need to read some more of her stuff! This cover is gorgeous; I love the Eiffel Tower in the background. Not much longer to wait for this one! I featured this for a WoW post on my teen blog not long ago, but now I’ve discovered it is “New Adult.” I’ve heard this term recently, and I think it means an adult book with characters 18-29 years old. Does anyone know exactly?

What books are you “Waiting On” today?