Book Review: Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Romance)

Waterfall is the first book in The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren. Gabi and Lia are spending their summer in Italy with their mother. Although it's not a normal vacation. Their mother is an archeologist, so Gabi and Lia will be stuck at a dog site in Tuscany. That all changes when the sisters place their hands on ancient hand prints in a tomb. Gabi suddenly finds herself back in time with Italian knights and a battle that has raged on and off for years, but where is Lia? Gabi must learn to survive in this era while she searches for her sister and tries to avoid falling in love with a certain handsome knight.

Over the last year, I have heard wonderful things about this series, and it was about time I read it myself.  My only regret is that I waited so long. Waterfall is a non-stop adventure from the moment you start reading. Gabi is a very strong female character who even when her heart and head are opposing forces, she still tries to do what's right. She is confident, smart, funny, and real. She's someone we can all relate to. Plus, she has a great name. *wink* Marcello, the handsome Italian knight, is easy to fall in love with throughout the book. He is very intense, dedicated, and passionate about everything in life. Waterfall wisked me away into a fantasy world that was impossible to leave. I can't wait to re-enter this world as I read the next books in the series. As a teenager, I would have loved spending the summers at different dig sites especially in Italy. Of course, it would have been that much more amazing to go back in time to the fourteenth century for a summer. I can already tell this series is going to be a fast favorite. This is definitely a book I highly recommend to all readers.

To learn more about Lisa T. Bergren and her books, visit her website. You can also find the author on Facebook and Twitter.

I won Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren through Once Upon a Twilight. The opinions are my own.
You can also read this review on Examiner

Check out my reviews of the other books in this series!

Charity Hopping Around the World Giveaway Hop

Thank you for popping in on our stop along the Charity Hopping Around the World Giveaway Hop hosted by:

 I Am a Reader, Not a Writer, Reading Away The Days, & Reading A Little Bit of Everything

Animals are a huge part of my life. I like to help the homeless animals in anyway I can, and I think that one of the best ways to make a difference is by helping your local animal shelters and rescues. I could post my local shelter here, but the majority of those who will be looking at this post probably don't live near me, so I encourage you to check out Petfinder to locate an animal shelter or rescue near you.

 There are so many ways you can help local shelters and rescues. They are always looking for donations of food, bedding, toys, and money. You can also help by volunteering and spreading awareness! The more people involved the more animal lives we can save!!

Would you like to help right now for free? The Animal Rescue site donates .6 bowls of food per click they receive on the site. One click per person per day. Please click every day! Every little bit adds up and helps a homeless pet!

Another organization I have my eye on is No Kill Nation. They seem to be doing some great things and give me high hopes for the future!

The Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. The Rafflecopter form below will guide you through the entry process. One lucky winner gets both of the following books!! Good luck!

Teaser Tuesday: Waterfall Lisa T. Bergren

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Waterfall Lisa T. Bergren:

Whatever I imagined behind me, it was just that. Wild imaginings. I might have "stirred" Marcello. But these two were clearly meant for each other. They had an understanding, a bond. What was I going to do? Steal him away and fast-forward to the twenty-first century? I apparently left my brain back in modern times.

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Book Review: For Always by Danielle Sibarium

 

Genre: Young Adult (Contemporary Romance)

Stephanie Barrano finds her first love at fourteen. Jordan is a senior in high school and lets their age gap come between any possible romance. They become great friends, and she tells him her deepest and darkest secrets. Once Stephanie is a senior, she has a chance encounter with Jordan and he agrees to take her to her prom. After an amazing night, tragedy strikes. Not only does Jordan blame Stephanie, who has always thought she was a death magnet, but he wants her out of his life. 


For Always took me under ten hours to read. I picked it up, and couldn't make myself put it down. The romance between Stephanie and Jordan isn't something that develops easily. Over the years, they see other people, they fight with each other, push each other away, and save each other. I really enjoyed the fact that the story took place over a few years so you could see how the characters grew up and matured. It's not always flowers and butterflies for the characters. They are full of so many strong emotions such as love, loss, depression, guilt, and hopelessness. The story also touches on teen issues such as drugs, drinking, and sex. For Always is an emotional roller coaster full of love, loss, and hope through the lives of these teenagers as they live life moment to moment.

To learn more about Danielle Sibarium, visit her website. You can also find the author on Twitter.

For Always by Danielle Sibarium was provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

Check out my reviews some of Danielle Sibarium's other novels... 

Book Review: Until Next Time by Amy Lignor

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance)

Emily and Matt have spent their whole lives training for their purpose on Earth as angel and warrior respectively. However, their training never prepared them for the strong emotions that came with being human. The longer they live as humans the more these emotions sway the paths they were supposed to take while on Earth.

I always enjoy reading stories involving angels, and Until Next Time brings a little something different to the table. It is the first book in The Angel Chronicles Series by Amy Lignor. The story fluctuated from the angel point of view and the human point of view. When Emily and Matt live on earth as humans, Liz and Daniel, they all but forget who they really are, and live life entirely as that person. The story provided a unique spin on how angels and heaven are usually portrayed. I thought the saints and angels in heaven were endearing with cute personalities.

I didn't feel that the prologue and the epilogue fit smoothly with the rest of the story. After reading the prologue, I kept waiting for the reasoning behind it, but I never found it. The characters are very well built. While you read, you learn their histories and why they are the way they are. I loved getting to know each character. It really brought them to life. After reading the whole story, I have many questions, and I hope to find the answers in the sequel.

 To learn more about Amy Lignor and her books, visit her website and The Angel Chronicles Blog. You can also find the author on Facebook and Twitter.

A special thank you to Tribute Books for inviting us to be a part of the Until Next Time Blog Tour!!

Until Next Time was provided to me by the publisher for review. The opinions are my own.

You can also find this review at Examiner

Book Review: Halflings by Heather Burch

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Fantasy Romance)

Three men come to Nikki's rescue as she's being chased through the woods by evil beasts determined to kill or torture her. The men, Mace, Raven, and Vine, are known as Halflings, and are dedicated to defending Nikki from the evils that are all of a sudden after her. She's never been the boy crazy type before, but she soon finds herself having feelings for two of the handsome Halflings. She thinks she is risking a broken heart, what she doesnt know is Mace and Raven would be risking everything.

The book presented some new ideas, and I enjoyed some of the different takes on angels that this story had to offer. Nikki is not your typical bubblegum teenager. She rides a motorcycle, knows karate, and is an artist. She has some depth to her. Mace is the strong protector and Raven is the bad boy. The love triangle had things I liked and disliked about it, mostly revolving around how Nikki handled her feelings for Mace and Raven. I felt she came off a tad shallow at times with how quickly she turned her feelings on and off. At the same time, it is hard to fault her because that is what it's like to be a teenager. They feel everything so strongly and passionately and in the moment. The story offered intense action, mystery, twists and turns, and romance that kept me reading page after page quicker than I realized. Halflings opens with action and closes with action, and I'm anxiously ready and waiting for the sequel.

To learn more about Heather Burch and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Twitter.

You can also read this review at Examiner
Halflings by Heather Burch was provided to me by the publisher through Net Galley for review. The opinions are my own.

Teaser Tuesday: Halflings by Heather Burch

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Halflings by Heather Burch:

Low volts zapped her, causing drowsy, hazy flashes in her mind. This was how she's felt yesterday. He'd been there.Him and a pack of wolf-things. As if every synapse were suddenly aflame, Nikki pushed away from the stranger.

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Book Review: Altered by Laura Burks

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance)

Jenna was visiting her Grandfather in Louisiana for the summer. She looks forward to spending this time with her Pops every summer. She never expected a mysterious voice to call her name, leading her to an abandoned cabin where she finds an old dusty book that spontaneously fills with words that strangely resemble her nightmares. Four mysterious strangers seem to roll into town with the fog bringing with them a curse connected to the book.  When Jenna becomes unexplainably attracted to one of them, she finds herself deeper and deeper in the danger that now surrounds her.

"Hearing her name started it all..."

Reading that first line on the book summary started it all for me too. I love when I can gush about a book! From the first moment Jenna sees Jess to the very end, the book has you anxious for what is coming next. There are so many occurrences that make up this story, I don't want to spoil the reading adventure by giving away too much. So, I won't. The author has a magical way of engaging you in her story. The superb writing makes it effortless to visualize every moment as it unfolds. This is not your typical paranormal romance. There are no vampires or werewolves. Altered brings you something entirely original and intriguing. Add the curse to an already mysterious and spooky Louisiana setting and you have a story that is impossible to put down. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel to this one. I'm not ready for the story to end.

To learn more about Laura Burks, visit her website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook.

Altered by Laura Burks was provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

You can also find this review at Examiner

Teaser Tuesday: Until Next Time by Amy Lignor

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Until Next Time by Amy Lignor:

She hated the feeling of knowing, but not really knowing. Usually when she woke up there were no pictures, no memories—only bruises marked the possible violence from the night before. But this had felt so real…so different.

This time the scars were on the inside. Her skin wasn’t black and blue, but a feeling of despair was eating her alive as it poisoned her soul. Liz did know one thing—she needed to talk to Daniel immediately.

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Book Review: Significance by Shelly Crane

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance)

Maggie has had a pretty tough year. First her mom abandoned the family, then her dad went all but comatose because her mother left, and lastly her boyfriend broke up with her after three years. When she saves the life of a stranger, her life changes forever.

Significance is the first book in the Significance Series by Shelly Crane.  The action starts pretty early and keeps you on your toes until the end. The romance forms instantly between Maggie and Caleb once they imprint and is very intense. Caleb is not exactly human, and when a power hungry, rival clan finds out about the imprint, they want to do everything to keep Maggie and Caleb apart before they gain their powers.  There were areas that were a touch repetetive. Kyle, Caleb's cousin, who has had a crush on Maggie for a long time, can be fairly annoying at times. I have a strong feeling he will end up starting quite a bit of trouble for the new couple, but the story overall was highly enjoyable. The romance was so intoxicating that you'll feel butterflies right along with Maggie and Caleb. I wasn't sure what to expect when I first read the summary for Significance, but the book kept me entertained through the whole thing. Shelly Crane definitely tells a good story. I loved it, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

To learn more about Shelly Crane and her books, visit her blog. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Significance by Shelly Crane was provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

You can also find this review at Examiner

Book Review: Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt

 

Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian Fantasy Romance)

When it comes to social standing, Eden is at the bottom. She is a light skinned Pearl. Pearls are viewed as weak and ugly, plus, they don't survive well in the extreme heat of the World. The dark skinned Coals are the definition of beauty and survival. The Pearls color their skin and hair in order to blend in with the Coals, but they are still frowned upon. Because of this, Eden's mating ratio is 15% and she must find a mate before she turns 18 or she'll face certain death. After a betrayal, that puts her father's work in jeopardy, the very same work that could save humanity, Eden finds herself fighting to keep her father alive and forced to take refuge in what's left of the rainforest by a beastly man whom she thinks is her enemy.

Revealing Eden is the first book in the Save the Pearls series by Victoria Foyt. I first found out about this book through a clever video that can be found on the book's website. Once I started reading it, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Victoria Foyt created a truly realistic world that makes you feel like you're running through the rainforest with Eden. The romance was intriguing and addictive. I liked Ronsom Bramford from the start, and as he 'changed', I found myself liking him even more. There is something about the whole Beauty and the Beast vibe that I fully enjoyed throughout this story. I'm very excited to see what happens in the next books in the series. Revealing Eden was a whirlwind of danger, adventure, and romance with a unique spin on racial prejudices.

To learn more about Victoria Foyt and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook.

You can also find this review on Examiner

Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt was provided to me by the publisher through Net Galley for review. The opinions are my own.

Teaser Tuesday: Significance by Shelly Crane

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Significance by Shelly Crane:

“Caleb,” I said and he sighed, closing his eyes like he was in ecstasy at the sound of his name from my mouth. “I have no idea what’s going on. I mean, what does all this mean? Why am I meeting your family after only knowing you for one day?”
“Well,” he looked slightly unsure. “I, uh...you’re my significant. I mean, I would never force you to do anything but, this means something to us; to my family. You are so important and the sooner you learn all about what’s going on, the sooner you can make a decision if you want anything to do with it or not.”

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

 

Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian Romance)

Lena lives in a World where love is a disease also known as Amor Deliria Nervosa. The government has brainwashed the public to believe that love not only causes sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, erratic behavior among other things, but it can ultimately lead to death. Plus, it is illegal. There is a cure though While this cure presents risks of it's own, it eliminates the disease. Lena was anxiously counting down the days until her procedure so she didn't have to worry about contracting this disease. Then she met Alex.


This is another one of those books that I thoroughly enjoyed right up until the ending. I'll admit, it did have moments where it dragged a little, but for the most part it gripped my attention. The people are required to have a procedure that removes their ability to love once they turn 18. Most do it by choice. This means they don't love anything. Not even their spouses, children, or pets. They just go through life in a fog, with their biggest emotion being fear. The strict government has brainwashed them so heavily on the deadly dangers of love that this fear rules their lives. The main characters were well developed and believable. Lena and Hana's friendship compliments each other. Alex is a wonderful, strong character who you fall for as the story unfolds. There is an innocence to the romance. It was an emotional read on many levels. I felt like I became a part of Lena's world, and there were moments that brought me to tears as well as moments we can relate to in our own lives. I had a hard time deciding what to rate this book as I really enjoyed the story, but I was so darn disappointed with the ending, and that makes or breaks a book for me. With that being said, this is the first book in the series, and I really think it will make up for it in the coming books. So, will I read Pandemonium, the second book in the series? Most definitely.

Be sure to check out more books by Lauren Oliver!

To learn more about Lauren Oliver and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

You can also read this review on Examiner

Guest Post by Mary Pauline Lowry

 Mary Pauline Lowry will be taking over the blog this morning for a guest post. We are excited to have her here, so without taking up any more of your time, I'm handing over the reins to Mary.

In THE EARTHQUAKE MACHINE, Rhonda runs away from home and crosses the border into Mexico, traveling alone to find her best friend Jesús, who has been deported to his home state of Oaxaca.

As soon as she’s in Mexico, Rhonda transforms herself and pretends to be a Mexican boy named Angel so that she will be in less danger as she travels to find her friend.

Now I can be girly as all get-out, but growing up I did always wonder what it would be like to be a boy, to be able to walk through the streets at night without fear, do tons of pullups, and have wild adventures. Like Rhonda/Angel I didn’t want being a girl to stop me from doing anything I wanted to do.

So far I haven’t. It started when I was 15 and I climbed out the window and ran away from home. I made it all the way to Matamoros, Mexico. (I would not advise that anyone to do this—very dangerous). When I was older I joined a crew of forest firefighters and traveled all over the country battling wildfires. I didn’t care if it was a “man’s job.” I wanted to do it anyway! Now I’m working as a Hollywood screenwriter. And guess what? The percentage of women writing scripts for major films is the same percentage as women fighting forest firefighters—only about 10%! I want those statistics to change.

And I want the women and girls who read THE EARTHQUAKE MACHINE to be inspired to make art, have adventures, and support their gal pals who are doing the same!

To learn more about Mary Pauline Lowry and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Twitter.