Blog Tour: Review: The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Stockman

Title: The Jelly Bean Crisis

Author: Jolene Stockman

Publication Date: 8-1-2012

Publisher: CreateSpace

Pages: 308

Format: eBook

Source: Blog Tour
Challenge: 2012 eBook Challenge

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Summary:

A total meltdown. The whole school watching. Now Poppy’s an ex-straight-A with no Plan B.

When Poppy Johnson throws away a full scholarship to Columbia, she can only blame the jelly beans. The yucky green ones? Midnight cram sessions and Saturday’s spent studying. The delicious red? The family legacy: Columbia, and a future in finance. Except now it’s starting to look like Poppy’s jelly bean theory is wrong. School has been her life until, but maybe it’s time to start living now.

Poppy has thirty days to try a new life. No school, no studying. Just jumping into every possible world. Thirty days to find her passion, her path, and maybe even love. The Jelly Bean Crisis is officially on.

Poppy is a young girl who is feeling the pressure of living up to the standards of those around her.  She has always done what people have expected her and is realizing that may not be exactly what she wants.  Poppy makes a decision to try different careers/jobs for 30 days to discover who she really is and where she wants her life to go.

I was so proud of Poppy in this book.  She is determined to do something she loves and something that makes her happy, no matter what those around her are saying.  The careers she tries are not what I expected of her.  They are way off base, but hilarious.  She finds out more about herself in these 30 days than she knew in the last 16 years of her life.  

At times she struggled with the relationships between her and her best friends.  They felt abandoned and Poppy thought they were growing apart, although with her determination she can make anything work.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  The writing was good and the author kept me hooked from the beginning.  I loved Poppy's character.  She is strong-willed, determined, fun-loving, and has a great heart.  The personal growth throughout this book is easily seen.  Her family isn't quite as willing to let her discover herself, but the overall impression these 30 days make on everyone around her is a breakthrough.  They all discover something they may not have known about themselves before.  

This is definitely an inspiring and uplifting novel.  One I can't help but recommend you pick up.

Don't forget to check out the other tour stops by going HERE to find out more information!

One Moment by Kristina McBride

Publication Date: 6-26-2012

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Pages: 272

Format: eBook

Source: Netgalley

Challenge: eBook Challenge

Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

"This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie's life. Now it's the one she'd do anything to forget.
"
Maggie remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party. She remembers climbing the trail with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can't she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below-dead?
As Maggie's memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
The latest novel from the author of "The Tension of Opposites," "One Moment" is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

I was excited to read this book because the synopsis made it sound really interesting.  I thought it would make a great summer read and I love the cover.  Thankfully I wasn't disappointed! McBride had me hooked on this book from the very beginning.  The plot line was thrilling and mysterious.  I couldn't wait to find out more.  However, I will admit this book is slightly depressing.

Maggie is an amazing character.  She is well-rounded, sweet and believable.  The grief she experiences from the loss of her boyfriend is expected and not over exaggerated.` She has her ups and downs and is just a very lovable character.  I found myself attached to her and hoping for the best.  

I literally couldn't put this book down.  This was probably the fastest I finished a book in a long time!  Like I said, the storyline was catching and the mystery surrounding the death of Joey was something I couldn't help but try to figure out.  As more details arise, I began to feel a little differently.  Some characters didn't have a single good aspect to them.  I almost didn't want to know what happened.  I thought it would ruin the book.  Of course, I was wrong.  The ending of this book is the best part.  I was thrilled to have everything seemingly worked out. 

Although this book is a bit of a downer in the beginning, I suggest picking it up.  I think it's a great read for this summer.

Review: Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Publication Date: 6-12-2012

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Pages: 320

Format: eBook

Source: NetGalley

Challenge: 2012 eBook Challenge

Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

I don't know why, but lately I've been picking up books and finding out they are NOTHING like I think they are going to be.  I suppose it would help if I read the synopsis instead of just looking at pretty covers. 

Anyway, even though this wasn't what I expected, it was a very interesting book.  Mermaids are murderers.  Who would have thought that?  They are definitely not friendly creatures as one may think.  At least, as I thought.  Calder White is a mermaid who is choosing to attempt to live without feeding on humans (as his sisters do).  He goes long periods of times without feeding, because he feels bad about it.  This summer, Calder and his family are planning revenge for their mother's death.  The plan is to take one person from the Hancock family as a sacrifice, in a way, to make up for their mother's death.  Their plan takes a turn when Calder decides he cares deeply for one of the family members, Lily.  

Lily is a strange character to me.  I feel like she doesn't react in a way that a normal person would react.  It was strange to see her feelings towards mermaids and animals of the lake.  She seemed to have more understanding than most people.  This would be an aspect of the book that was a little frustrating to me.  She didn't seem real.

Calder's character was a little strange too, but he was easy to like.  He had a side to him that made you want to like him.  I wanted the best for him, even with the mistakes he made.  He tries to make the right decisions, but having a deep connection with his sisters makes his decisions more difficult.  

Overall, there was a lot of excitement in this book.  I enjoyed the story, even if some aspects of it seemed unlikely.  The writing was good and the author kept me entertained.  I especially liked the ending of this book, which of course I won't tell you about.  I would say this is a book to pick up from the library or borrow from someone before adding it to your bookshelf. Either you will like it or you wont'.  Personally, I don't think there is much of an in-between for this one!  

Review: Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Publication Date: 6-12-12

Publisher: Egmont USA

Pages: 336
Format: eBook

Source: NetGalley

Challenge: 2012 eBook Challenge

Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

This book was great! I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was written in Kaleb's POV instead of Emerson's.  I fully expected Emerson to once again narrate this story as she did the first, but the change of pace was interesting and fit very well in the story!

I don't want to give too much away in case you haven't had a chance to read Hourglass.  Basically this book continues from Hourglass and delves deeper into the world that Myra McEntire created.  We learn more about each of the characters, as well as more about the entire world.  The bit of romance included in this book is so fitting.  There isn't too much romance to be overbearing, but hearing about the brewing romances among characters just made it so much better.  Each character contains the spark of something that makes you want to love them.

I love the mystery this book contains, as well as the paranormal aspects.  It's a mix of everything I love all bundled up into a pretty little bow! I can't get enough of these characters.  Emerson and Michael are amazing together.  Kaleb is such a gentlemen and a person I wouldn't mind knowing myself.  

The once aspect of this book I did NOT like was the ending!  How could she leave us hanging like that?! I don't know if I can wait until book number three comes out to find out what happens.  I have so many questions going through my head I just can't take it!  In all seriousness, you must read this book.  I loved it.  I loved it to pieces, and I will likely be reading it again soon because I can't get enough!

Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway: Undertow by Callie Kingston

Title: Undertow

Author: Callie Kingston

Publication Date: 2/18/2012

Publisher: Carolwood Press

Pages: 230

Format: eBook

Source: Blog Tour

Challenge: 2012 eBook Challenge

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Summary:

While she sleeps beside a log on the wild Oregon coast, a rogue wave pulls Marissa into the sea. Now she dreams each night of a merman who rescues her. Obsessed with returning to this beautiful creature, she again risks her life in the frigid ocean.

Will Marissa remain lost forever in the eddies of her mind, or can real love save her from the abyss? Sometimes, the dangers which lie within are the deadliest.

Where to start with this one?  Marissa is an amazing young woman.  She has suffered a lot of traumatic experiences throughout her life, and at the beginning of the book, she suffers another one.  Marissa finds out her boyfriend Drew is cheating on her, and escapes to the beach to be alone and just think.  While there, she's whisked out to sea by the current and saved by what she believes to be a merman.  

Marissa experiences a lot of craziness in the book, including her own mental breakdown.  She goes through a lot of emotions and the author did a great job expressing those emotions to the reader with a lot of tact and sensitivity.  

There was a bit of a lull midway through the book in which I wasn't quite with it, but I'm glad that I stuck it out.  The ending sucked me in and made me devour the book so much quicker.  It was a great read overall and I really enjoyed it.  I fell in love with Marissa and her new boyfriend, Jim.  Marissa is a skeptical young woman who has a lot of emotions to deal with.  Jim is a great guy who is there for her and willing to help in any way that he possibly can.  

I don't want to say too much more, because I don't want to give anything away.  Basically, if you like contemporary fiction I suggest you pick up this book and give it a try.  Push your way through the middle because I believe you will REALLY enjoy it!

Callie Kingston's home is in the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with many furry creatures (including her husband). She holds a masters degree in psychology and has worked in schools for many years. When not writing, she likes to explore the outdoors, especially the forests and beaches along the Oregon coast. She also enjoys a great cup of cappuccino, which happily is easily found in her part of the world.

Click HERE to take a look at the other tour stops, including giveaway opportunities!! 


AND without further ado...check out the e-book giveaway below, provided by the lovely author.  Don't forget, there is also a possibility of winning a SIGNED print copy and a $20 gift card from AToMR Blog Tours!


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Girl Steals Guy by Kelly Green

Publication Date: 11-21-2011
Publisher: Backlit Fictions
Pages: 62
Format: E-book

Source: Author
Challenge: N/A

Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

As Abby has learned, she is now a Shadow, sent to inhabit the lives of strangers in trouble.  Dropped into the life of a gorgeous senior with a heartbroken best friend, Abby is instructed to "reunite the lovers" by her cute but maddening Guardian, a 19th century ghostly teenager named Will.  Now Abby must navigate high school keg parties, football games and power couples, only to discover that love and revenge are sometimes that same thing.

 

This is the second installment of Kelly Green’s Abby Grace mystery series.  Abby Grace basically lives her life as a spirit.  She ends up in the bodies of other people for a short time to help them get through a difficult time.  This time, she is trying to figure out how to help a best friend help her own best friend through a break-up.  Abby Grace still has her Guardian around her who tries to make sure she is on the right path when it comes to providing some help.  It turns out that this time Abby’s job is a little more difficult, and a little more in depth. 

Once again, this was another good short story.  It’s about 60 pages long and an easy engaging read.  I wish we could learn more about the characters, but there doesn’t seem to be enough time for that.  I enjoy the quick read when I’m looking for something to take me out of a reading slump, but it left me hoping for more.  I wanted to get more in depth and learn more about the characters and the plot-line, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen.  It was definitely a good story, but I think it could have been better if expanded upon.

Review: Starters by Lissa Price

Publication Date: 3-13-2012

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Pages: 352

Format: eBook

Source: netGalley

Challenge: Ebook Challenge, 2012 DAC

Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

I was so excited for this book.  Another dystopian novel was something I really wanted.  Callie is living in a world without parents.  Any middle-aged individual was basically killed in the Spore Wars.  Only the young children and grandparents survived (those who were vaccinated).  If you didn’t have a grandparent to claim you, then you were sent to live in an institution, i.e. the worst labor camp I have ever heard of.  There is another way.  Prime Destinations is a place in which you can rent out your bodies to Enders (seniors) for short periods of time.  Callie decides to do this for some cash, but Prime Destinations is more than she could have ever imagined.  Her renter wants to murder someone, has altered Callie’s chip, and is now talking in her mind.  Callie doesn’t know what to do, but makes some rash decisions in hopes of saving the likelihood of receiving her payment.

This book had so much potential.  The storyline was great, the characters were interesting, and the Spore Wars was so intriguing.  The book didn’t tell us a whole lot about the Spore Wars.  We found out little bits and pieces, but nothing major.  The mystery of the Old Man and Prime Destinations kept the story alive, as well as the questions regarding Callie’s neurochip.  I wish we could have learned more about the Old Man, but I assume we will in the next book since this is a series.  Callie annoyed me a bit in the book.  She seemed strong, but I thought she would have been more headstrong and eager to figure everything out.  Instead, she seemed to take her time.  It was as though it didn’t matter how long it took to get back to her brother.  She even took time to fall in love (or like) with a boy named Blake.  I really enjoyed the overall story, but I thought it would have had more depth.  Even though I felt as though something was missing from the book, I’m still looking forward to reading the second when it comes out! I want to learn more about the Old Man and the Spore Wars.

Review: The Shadow by Kelly Green

Publication Date: 10-16-11

Publisher: Backlit Fiction, LLC

Pages: 63

Format: eBook

Source: Author

Challenge: N/A

Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

Smart and sassy Abby Grace is a seventeen-year-old with a talent for getting out of trouble. Sent to repair the lives and loves of teenagers on the edge of disaster, Abby is the perfect girl for the job. She has everything going for her… except one thing: a body.

This fast-paced and exciting episode is the first installment in an ongoing mystery series with a supernatural twist.

This was a really quick read.  I believe it was about 60 pages long.  In that time, there wasn’t a lot of opportunity to set-up a good plot or story-line, but the author did a great job of letting us know what was going on.  I understood the premise behind Abby Grace.  Abby Grace is a young girl who isn’t quite sure, but thinks that she died.  She now spends her time in the bodies of other people helping them get through situations that are tough for them to handle.  While she is helping them, she needs to learn what they’re like and who they are because she isn’t sure.  She’s never met this person before and doesn’t know who their family or friends are. 

This was an interesting episode to read, and if you are looking for something quick you should give it a shot.  A little bit of paranormal with a lot of mystery surrounding the reason Abby Grace is in this other person’s body.  An overall well-written short story.