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in my mailbox

In My Mailbox (11)

Kathryn Cooper

In My Mailbox, hosted by The Story Siren, is a weekly post where bloggers list the books they received this week. The books can be from anywhere: publishers, authors, won in a giveaway, bought, borrowed from the library. This is not to brag but to showcase books that we might not review for awhile.


Click the book’s title to view on GoodReads.

For Review:
Thank you Darby, Melissa, Morgun, and Jenee Arthur for my review copies!

Griffin’s Fire by Darby Karchut (signed!)
A Healing Heart by Melissa A. Hanson
Coren by Morgun Wolf and Heyden Redding
Oracle: Sunken Earth by C. W. Trisef

eBook for Review:
Thank you Cheree for my review copy!

Silver by Cheree Alsop












Won:



Fall For You by Cecilia Gray
Won from Clean Romance Reviews!

Bought:

Bourne by Lisa T. Bergren
My Review is already up!

Between the Land and the Sea by Derrolyn Anderson
FREE until Janurary 2013. Find code at Clean Romance Reviews

I am so looking forward to reading all of these books!!! What books did you find in your mailbox this week?

Book Review, bourne

Book Review: Bourne

Kathryn Cooper

THIS IS THE 3.5 BOOK IN THE SERIES! 
My Reviews:
Book 1: Waterfall
Book 2: Cascade
Book 3: Torrent

Title: Bourne
Author: Lisa T. Bergren
Publisher: Bergren Creative Groups
Release Date: February 2012
Pages: eBook only
Series: The River of Time #3.5
5 STARS: I LOVED IT!!!

BOURNE, a novella (1/3 the length of a normal novel), picks up right where TORRENT left off…Find out what has happened to men returning from the battle, gravely wounded, to the Betarrinis, fighting for the men they love, and just who is hunting them next…



My Thoughts:
Oh. My. I. LOVE. This. Series!!! I cannot tell y’all that enough. This is my favorite series of all time. Everyone needs a book, even better when it’s a series, that really resonates with them. These books have everything I love. The setting in the middle ages in Italy is beautiful. I love that the main characters are also modern because of the accidental time travel so I can really relate to Gabi and Lia when they think things in the Middle Ages are difficult, strange, or out of their comfort zones. I can rave about the entire series all day, but let me get more specific to this book now.

This book is a novella which means it’s 1/3 the length of a normal novel. This was the only part of the book that made me sad . . . that it ended. I can read and re-read these books all day. It was also our first time to hear from Lia’s Point Of View. In the first 3 books we’d only heard from Gabi. I love Lia so it was great fun to hear from her. I look forward to the next book, Tributary, which I think will be all from Lia.

I love the romance and the romantic tension between the characters. Lia and Luca, Gabi and Marcello, Rodolfo and . . . any woman who looks at him. The kissing in this book is most definitely swoon worthy. The characters are so sweet and respectful, I just love it. I liked seeing a different side of Luca this time with more of a leadership role. He also showed some jealously and anger we hadn’t seen from him before. It made me like him even more to see more of him, and of course I still love his humor.

This book is great! Everyone who read the first three in the series needs to read it. If you love to immerse yourself in a great book, this series is for you.

Happy Reading!

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) for details
Sexual Content: mild ( a married couple lie in bed together, we can assume a married couple has sex, kissing )
Language: none
Violence: moderate ( injuries, wounded, war, death )

Book Review, jeweler's apprentice

Book Review: Jeweler’s Apprentice

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Jeweler’s Apprentice
Author: E. Kaiser
Publisher: E. Kaiser
Release Date: December 2011
Pages: eBook only
Series: Five Gems #1
4 STARS: I Really Liked It

Fia Brithin is beginning an adventure.
On her first visit to the King Hanor’s palace, 16 year old Fia Brithin stumbles into a court intrigue. To keep the secret safe, the Chancelor sends her off as apprentice to a famous, and reclusive, high mountain jeweler.
…And straight into adventure.
Discovering gems with deep secrets and new friends with the same, Fia learns a whole lot more than just modeling wax. When to trust a stranger, and when not to; why not to try stealing from gem thieves; what heroism is, what royalty ought to be, and that the mountains themselves can sometimes be the greatest danger of all.
The first in a series, Jeweler’s Apprentice introduces protagonist Fia Brithin to the wide, wide world, and starts her on a journey toward adventures, and that difficult thing called growing up.

My Thoughts:
This was a nice story about a girl on an adventure. Fia is sent to be a jeweler’s apprentice in the mountains. I felt cold reading this book talking about all the snow. I’m thankful to live in Texas. 🙂

Fia meets some friends and enemies along the way. I couldn’t help but wish to know the characters on a deeper level. I felt somewhat disconnected from the side characters for some reason. I really enjoy some hint of romance in a story too so I was a little disappointed, but I know that’s just me. Maybe there will be more romance and depth to the characters in the next books of the series.

I definitely want to read the next books to find out what happens to Fia. The author shows promise with this story, and I know the next ones will be even better. I think tweens and younger teens would enjoy this book too.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: none
Language: none
Violence: none just some suspense

There is a GIVEAWAY for a copy of this ebook on the author’s website. Go enter now!! E. Kaiser Writes-a-Blog

*I received a review copy from E. Kaiser. Thank you! I do not get paid for any of my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion.*

storybound, waiting on wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday: Storybound

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.

Storybound
by Marissa Burt
Published by Harper Collins Children’s
Released on April 3, 2012

In the land of Story, children go to school to learn to be characters: a perfect Hero, a trusty Sidekick, even the most dastardly Villain. They take classes on Outdoor Experiential Questing and Backstory, while adults search for full-time character work in stories written just for them.
In our world, twelve-year-old Una Fairchild has always felt invisible. But all that changes when she stumbles upon a mysterious book buried deep in the basement of her school library, opens the cover, and suddenly finds herself transported to the magical land of Story.
But Story is not a perfect fairy tale. Una’s new friend Peter warns her about the grave danger she could face if anyone discovers her true identity. The devious Tale Keeper watches her every move. And there are whispers of a deadly secret that seems to revolve around Una herself….
With the timeless appeal of books like A Wrinkle in Time and the breathtaking action of Inkheart, Storybound has all the makings of a new classic. Brimming with fantastical creatures, magical adventure, and heart-stopping twists, Storybound will leave readers wishing they too could jump through the pages into this enchanting fairy-tale world.

Doesn’t this sound like an enchanting book? Look at the cover, it’s beautiful! I look forward to reading this magical MG (Middle Grade) book.

What are you waiting on today?

Book Review, griffin rising

Book Review: Griffin Rising

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Griffin Rising
Author: Darby Karchut
Publisher: Paladin Timeless Books
Release Date: April 2011
Pages: 169
Series: Griffin #1
4 STARS: I Really Liked It

For centuries, rumors have abounded of a lowly caste of supernatural beings known as the Terrae Angeli. Armed with the power to control Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water, these warriors secretly serve as guardians for mortals in danger.But for one young angel-in-training, Griffin, life is hell as a cruel master makes his apprenticeship a nightmare. On the verge of failing, a new mentor, Basil, enters his life and changes it forever.Taking on the identity of father and son, Griffin and Basil forge a special bond where honesty and trust go hand in hand to secure Griffin’s destiny as a Terrae Angeli. Griffin’s belief in himself and the love of a mortal girl are the perfect combination in overcoming the darkest days of his life. But will it be enough for him to succeed?For Griffin, it’s time to angel up.

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book, especially the length. Sometimes it’s wonderful to see a nice short book, this was less than 200 pages, that will be quick to finish instead of a 400+ page beast sitting on my shelf.

In the prologue Griffin, the main character, is 16 then it flashes back to when he was 13 when the book starts. After a few chapters he’s back to 16. I liked the background of Griffin’s life at 13 since this was after some traumatic times for him. It was nice to see Griffin’s growth from 13 to 16. Throughout the story there are journal entries from Griffin, his mentor, and later another character that may or may not be a girl Griffin’s age. 😉 The journal entries were a unique way for the author to show what went on in the minds of three of the main characters. I loved it! It helped the pace of the book move along too.

On a side note about Griffin’s name I really like when his mentor, Basil, calls him Fin for short. That is such a cute name, don’t you think? I really like Griffin and Basil and their dynamic. Basil and Griffin are Terrae Angeli or guardian angels. When they are “on call” they go out and rescue humans in need possibly from a car in a river or on the side of a mountain. Great stuff.

Overall a fun and entertaining read. I enjoyed getting to know Fin and look forward to reading more of his story in the next book of the series.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild ( kissing )
Language: mild ( a** 1, h*** 2, God 2, Bloody 4 )
Violence: mild ( briefly mentioned abuse of a kid, fighting, blood, injuries )

*I received a review copy from Darby Karchut. Thank you! I do not get paid for any of my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion. 

pretty crooked, waiting on wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday: Pretty Crooked

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.

Pretty Crooked
by Elisa Ludwig
Published by Katherine Tegen Books
Released on March 13, 2012
Book Description from HarperTeen.

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple.
Take from the rich kids at valley prep and give to the poor ones.
Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her new high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”—known to everyone as the Glitterati—without them suspecting a thing is far from easy. Learning how to break into lockers and Beemers is as hard as she’d thought it would be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are bullied just for being different, is more fun than she’d expected.
The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, VP’s most notorious ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her—evening the social playing field between the haves and have-nots. There’s no time for flirting, especially with conceited trust-funders like Aidan. But when the cops start investigating the string of thefts at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could Aidan wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?
Elisa Ludwig’s Pretty Crooked is the first book in an adventurous teen caper series filled with mystery, humor, and heart.

A girl Robin Hood in high school?!! Sounds like a great book. I’m looking forward to reading this one.
What are you waiting on today?

in my mailbox

In My Mailbox (10)

Kathryn Cooper

In My Mailbox, hosted by The Story Siren, is a weekly post where bloggers list the books they received this week. The books can be from anywhere: publishers, authors, won in a giveaway, bought, borrowed from the library. This is not to brag but to showcase books that we may never get the chance to review.


Click the book’s title to view on GoodReads.


For Review:
Thank you J. Meyers for my review copy!

Intangible by J. Meyers











Bought:
I went to the Dallas stop of the Breathless Reads tour this week. Here’s my post with GIVEAWAY all about it.

Legend by Marie Lu (signed!)
My REVIEW is already up!

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (signed!)

Signed Poster from the Breathless Reads Tour up for GIVEAWAY!



Won:
I ordered First Date when I won a $15 gift certificate to The Book Depository from Books and Needlepoint. Thank you!

First Date by Krista McGee

book signing, born wicked, giveaway, legend

Book Signing & Giveaway: The Breathless Tour

Kathryn Cooper
Jessica Spotswood, Marie Lu, Andrea Cremer, and Beth Revis

I went to the Breathless book tour event at the Frisco Barnes and Noble last night (near Dallas). I was 45 minutes late because I was at my 2 big boys’ soccer practice (really fun), but I was happily surprised that they were still answering questions and talking about their books when I got there. After the Q&A we all lined up to get our books signed. While waiting in line I found out two people ahead of me was a book blogger friend I’d only met online. Courtney from Fuzzy. Coffee. Books was there! It was so fun to meet her and have someone to chat with in line. I love going to these events to see that book bloggers and authors are real people! 🙂

Each author signed my Breathless tour poster, and I got a copy of Legend and Born Wicked signed too! I haven’t read Born Wicked, but I did read Legend last week and LOVED it! Here’s my review: Legend by Marie Lu.

I’ve decided to giveaway my Breathless Tour poster signed by authors Marie Lu (Legend), Beth Revis (Across the Universe series), Jessica Spotswood (Born Wicked), and Andrea Cremer (Nightshade series). Now if you couldn’t make it to any of the tour spots you can have a poster signed by these four amazing authors! You must view the web version of my blog to see the rafflecopter giveaway form. Good luck!

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Book Review, chimera

Book Review: Chimera

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Chimera
Author: B.D. Swan
Publisher: B.D. Swan
Release Date: November 2011
Pages: 498
Series: none
3 STARS: I Liked It

Like most girls in high school, Kyanna Kash is caught between two guys. Unlike most girls in high school, only one of them is real. Or so she thinks.
The mysterious fainting spells bring on the recurring dreams. And it’s in those dreams where she meets the gorgeous soldier. yet, when her dreamed-up Adonis disappears in battle, Ky can never know his fate–her new medication stops the faintings.
But when she discovers shocking evidence that her soldier might be real, Ky is faced with a pulse-pounding decision: should she stop the meds to bring back the faintings? Time is of the essence, but returning to her dreams might carry grave consequences.

My Thoughts:
When I heard about this book the first thing I thought was I love the cover. Then I read the premise and loved the idea of the book. Interesting concept of living in a different world during dreams.

Ky seems like a normal teenage girl getting ready for senior prom with her boyfriend Lincon. This book felt like two separate books. When she’s awake she goes through fun high school stuff, hangs out with friends, dates her boyfriend. Then she has fainting spells where she dreams she’s in a completely different world. I love her dream world. I kind of wish the book was only in that world. It’s unique and the guy in that world is dreamy obviously . . . since she’s dreaming. I love all the scenes with Ky and her warrior man. Her dream world is a world in turmoil and war. The exploration of her dream world and the battles are exciting. I was frustrated with the fainting concept because it felt so unpredictable which made me anxious.

What I didn’t like was to me it felt slow. I’ve decided the reason for that was because the premise and prologue talk about Ky having dreams when fainting, and she doesn’t faint for the first 60 pages and doesn’t meet the 2nd guy mentioned until almost 150 pages into the book. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the ending, but that really is just my personal preference. Some people might really like the way it all ended. Obviously I can’t talk about it in detail. You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild/moderate dialog ( a girl showed a guy her abs to get information, talk of girls planning to have sex on prom night, kissing, dialog used: cleavage, sexy, turned on, desire, lust, slutty )
Language: very mild ( a**-1 )
Violence: mild/moderate ( battle, injuries, death, ferocious animals )

*I received a review copy from B.D. Swan. Thank you! I do not get paid for any of my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion.*