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Book Review, the selection

Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Kathryn Cooper

Title: The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: April 2012
Pages: 327
Series: The Selection #1
Source: library
4 Stars: I Really Liked It

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself- and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My Thoughts:
This cover is my favorite cover of 2012 so far. It is gorgeous and eye catching. The cover, premise, and genre as a dystopian might make you think this book is dark, edgy, and mysterious . . . not true. This book was very light, especially compared to other dystopian books. It’s so light that you might even laugh out loud a few times; I sure did. 🙂

At first I didn’t like the main character America. She didn’t want to be part of the Selection, and was pretty upset about it. She had good reasons to be sad, but I would have been more like her friend Marlee, bubbly and excited to meet the prince. I grew to love America once she was in the palace. She was funny, strong, kind, and brave. I liked the way she interacted with her maids. The maids were fun. Prince Maxon was wonderful, and I liked the times America and Maxon were together.

The caste system was rigid, and the post- United States of America as we know it made this dystopian. The country in this book definitely had problems that will need to be taken care of for success and people’s happiness. I’m going to guess that the next book in the series will be more action packed.

I was so upset with the ending! You can’t leave me hanging like that! I expected more, but a lot was left for the next book in the series. I look forward to reading the next book. This was an enjoyable read.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: a few moderate scenes ( kissing while laying down, mention of cleavage, boy and girl laying in bed together, neck kissing, talk of virginity, advised to have sex with prince if asked, boy touched girl’s bare thigh while kissing )
Language: mild ( h***-4, d***-8, Lord-1, God-1 )
Violence: mild (slap in the face, mention of past palace attacks with fighting and death )

Buy it!

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Teen Fiction

an old-fashioned romance, Book Review, marcia lynn mcclure

Book Review: An Old-Fashioned Romance by Marcia Lynn McClure

Kathryn Cooper

Title: An Old-Fashioned Romance
Author: Marcia Lynn McClure
Publisher: Distractions Ink
Release Date: September 2005
Pages: 229
Series: none
Source: won in a giveaway from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
5 Stars: I Loved It!

Life went along simply, if not rather monotonously, for Breck McCall. Her job was satisfying, she had true friends. But she felt empty . . . as if part of her soul was detached and lost to her. She longed for something . . . something which seemed to be missing. Yet, there were moments when Breck felt she might almost touch something wonderful. And most of those moments came while in the presence of her handsome, yet seemingly haunted boss . . . Reese Thatcher.

My Thoughts:
Oh my heck I loved this book! I’ve heard so many great things about Marcia Lynn McClure’s books from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer so I knew I just had to read one and find out for myself. If you love clean romance you will love this book. It was addicting! I finished it in a day and was giddy throughout.

Breck was 20-21 during the book, and I don’t know if Reese’s age was mentioned. I pictured him being 25ish. The chemistry between Breck and Reese was great. I loved that she had such a crush on her boss, so cute. Most of the story was told from Breck’s POV, but it did change to Reese sometimes which I enjoyed.

I have to mention Breck’s four best friends: Barb, Trixie, Kay, and Sherryl. They were awesome. I loved their banter. When they were together they giggled and joked and could be completely goofy. It reminded me of being with my college roommates . . . good times. I laughed out loud more than a few times.

This was a quick read and completely enjoyable! I recommend it to all you clean romance lovers.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild ( kissing )
Language: 1 mild word ( h***-1 )
Violence: very mild ( slap to the face with a little blood )

Buy it!

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Adult Fiction

Book Review, Flashback Friday, matched, matched trilogy

Flashback Friday: Matched by Ally Condie

Kathryn Cooper

Happy Friday! Flashback Friday is where I review a book I loved but haven’t read in awhile or was published over a year ago. If you post a Flashback Friday leave me a link in the comments.

I just re-read this book, and added an update to my review.

Title: Matched
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release Date: November 2010
Pages: 366
Series: Matched #1
Source: Library
5 Stars: I Loved It!

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander’s face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham’s face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it’s a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she’s destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can’t stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society’s infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

My Thoughts:
July 2011
I loved this book! Wow! Why is a forbidden romance so intriguing?! I actually listened to this on cd for a trip; then finished listening at home. I prefer books because they’re easier to put down and find my place again when one of my kids runs into the room asking for breakfast in a very loud voice. 

The dystopian storyline and romance (1 girl with 2 boys to choose from) reminds me of other books, but that doesn’t bother me. It’s completely entertaining. I like that Cassia is smart and pretty quick to pick up on things. It’s always annoying when the main character can’t figure out the obvious for most of the book. Not so for this book, I didn’t see what was coming at all or only guessed shortly before Cassia figured it out. 

The 2 boys are Ky and Xander. Both amazing guys that happen to be very attractive. I won’t go into detail on how wonderful these guys are for Cassia; you can discover that for yourselves. 

Update: May 2012
I just finished reading this book for the first time since last time I listened to the audio book. I fell in love all over again! Ally Condie is an amazing writer. The words were so smooth and beautiful, like poetry. I love revisiting books. It was so fun to go back into the world of Matched. I recommend this book to everyone!

Have you read it? What did you think?

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild ( kissing )
Language: none
Violence: none

Buy it!

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Teen Fiction

reached, series theories

Series Theories: Reached by Ally Condie

Kathryn Cooper

Don’t you love this Series Theories button?! I love Sherlock Holmes. I’m laughing just looking at the picture.

I participated in a fun post over at Books A True Story today. To see my Series Theories for Reached by Ally Condie (Matched #3) CLICK HERE. I would LOVE to hear what everyone else thinks might happen in the last book of this amazing series. You can leave a comment on the Books A True Story post. I’ll check back over there later to see what everyone else thinks.

the assassin's curse, waiting on wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday: The Assassin’s Curse

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.

The Assassin’s Curse
By Cassandra Rose Clarke
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Release Date: October 2, 2012

Ananna of the Tanarau is the eldest daughter of a highly-ranked family in the loose assortment of cutthroats and thieves in the Pirate’s Confederation. When she runs away from the marriage her parents have arranged for her, they hire Naji the assassin to murder her.

When a mysterious woman in a dress shop offers her magical assistance for dealing with the assassin, Ananna accepts. She never went in much for magic herself — she lacks the talent for it — but she’s not quite ready to die yet, either. Unfortunately, the woman’s magic fails.

Fortunately, Ananna inadvertently saves the assassin’s life in the skirmish, thus activating a curse that had been placed on him a few years earlier. Now, whenever her life is in danger, he must protect her — or else he experiences tremendous physical pain. Neither Ananna nor the assassin, Naji, are pleased about this development.

Follow Annana and Naji as they sail across the globe, visiting such mysterious places as the Court of Salt and Waves, in their desperate effort to lift the curse. Soon they will discover that only by completing three impossible tasks will they be able to set themselves free.

I saw this last week, and the cover really stood out to me. Isn’t it cool? I love the font. I like the summary too. An assassin goes from attempting to kill her to being forced by a curse to keep her alive, very interesting. I look forward to reading this one.

What books are you “Waiting On” today?

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