Garden of Eden (The Legend of Eden #1)

About Garden of Eden
It has been four years.
Four years since the day the Catchers found her family.
Four years since she escaped capture.
And four years since the day her mother locked her and Will, a boy she hardly knew, in an attic, 'for their own protection'.

Now, Eden White is fifteen, and sick of being a prisoner of parents who all but abandoned her. It was as simple as one walk down a beautiful, foggy beach, but it ended with Eden and Will face to face with Catchers - and this time, there is no escape.

When Eden wakes, she finds herself on an island, surrounded by hundreds of stolen children. Enrolled in the island school, Jordan Hall, Eden quickly learns that the island is not what it seems.
And, in the woods surrounding the school, she discovers a wild, beautiful magic inside of herself - one she has no idea how to control. With three unlikely new friends, Eden begins to realize that the headmistress is hiding much more than the stolen children - and what they learn in the laboratories below the school could cost Eden her life.

Review:
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What made me want to read this book was the dystopian elements the blurb hinted at. Yes, it does have those elements, but there is fantasy, magic, mystery, and many more elements that I didn't even realize. Kate Cowan used these elements to create her own unique world based in our version of reality.

I really like Will. I hated that he melted into the background when they came to the school. I wonder if "Will" is his real name or if he gave Eden a false name. I have a feeling (or I hope) that Will is going to play a more prominent role in the second book.  He seems like he could be a really strong character if given the chance. I also wonder if he knows Eden's secret. If Eden is destined for some cosmic role, then Will could have been strategically placed. Then again, I could be completely over analyzing his role in Eden's story.

This story will make you hate Eden's parents. I mean, what loving parents would really locks their kids up and has no interaction with them? Then to top it off, they leave for days at a time. I know that's their character flaw, but I'd like to know what really went through their minds.

I do like how Eden transformed after she left the attic. She became a stronger character. I loved that she didn't play the victim. She took control of her actions and sought to improve herself. She stood up for those that couldn't stand up for themselves and is trying to help everyone on the island by discovering its big secret. She's turning into a leader, and that makes her interesting.

After the Catchers capture Will and Eden, they take them to the mysterious island/school. There are lots of secrets to uncover here.  Readers don't know who to trust, especially since everyone seems to have a secret. I kept trying to decide who was "good" and who was "bad". Cowan does a good job of keeping readers guessing.

This is the first book in Eden's tale. If you're expecting a full story, you're going to be disappointed. You find out only one of the many mysteries of the island. You will discover one secret that doesn't bode well for people. You will definitely need to pick up the next book in the series to find out more because so many questions are left unanswered.

Readers who enjoy a good mystery with magic should give Garden of Eden a try.

Find it on Amazon   Goodreads

To see what others thought about Garden of Eden, check out the rest of the blog tour here.

About author Kate Cowan:
Kate is an artist, an animation student, a black belt in karate and now, an author. She didn't discover writing

until mid-high school, when she began writing an (unintentionally) hilarious novel involving a teenage girl and a magic necklace. Her current novel series, The Legend of Eden, began as a story of Arthurian magic, but quickly transformed into something much different.

Kate currently lives in Ontario, Canada, in a zoo of a house. When she isn't writing, she's drawing, cooking, or browsing the Internet for new music.

Find Kate  Website   Twitter  Goodreads

Giveaway:
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City of the Fallen (Dark Tides #1)

By Diana Bocco

About City of the Fallen:
Five years ago, vampires came out of hiding and took over the world. It was meant to be a quick enslavement but it turned into a bloody battle that brought humanity to the brink of extinction.

Isabelle Bryant is one of the “lucky” survivors, now living in hiding, scavenging for food through deserted towns.

And she’s tired of it.

So she’s devised a plan: find the king of the vampires and drive a stake through his heart.

Except that wickedly sensual king Marcus is nothing like the monster she expected. And while landing on his bed was part of the plan all along, discovering that he might hold the key to humanity’s survival certainly wasn’t. The catch? Saving humanity also means ensuring vampire survival. It means giving up hope for a return to a human-ruled world.

As sparks fly and hate becomes heat, Isabelle must pick a side -- before the darkness devours them all.

Goodreads  Amazon

Review:
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to read this book as soon as I found out about it with the release day blitz back in June. I thought, what if vampires were real? What if they decided to come out of hiding? How would humans and vampires coexist? I have seen True Blood, but what are other scenarios? Diana Bocco pulls readers into this scenario in her story City of the Fallen.

The story starts off quickly with Isabelle leaving her home in search of the Vampire king, Marcus. She wants to kill him (and I would want to too if I were in her position).  She quickly finds him and soon/easily becomes close with him because she isn't scared of him. Bocco creates a fast pace story, but I would love some background info on Isabelle's family and friends she lived with before the story took place.  Maybe Bocco can write a prequel to go along with this book.  I would definitely like to read that.

I like how the Marcus cared for Belle and wanted to pull her into his world.  Belle was the missing piece that made him try to hold on to his humanity. There was also the nice revelation that the king was trying to help the humans and didn't want to fight them. He wanted to protect them. After all, you never want you food supply to go extinct!

I thought Marcus put his trust in a human too quickly without really getting to knowing her. I would expect the king to be more guarded (especially since Isabelle came there to kill him), but since humans are "pets" then I guess that is okay.

The story was told through multiple points of view. I loved getting inside Belle's head and Marcus'. The chemistry between the two is heated, and learning how they really felt about each other really added to their characters.

This story is definitely geared to adults. Since this is a paranormal romance, then of course there are bedroom scenes. Some are a bit steamy, but they are tastefully written. There aren't too many that distract from the story, but help move the plot line forward.

I like how Marcus cared for Belle and wanted to pull her into his world.  Belle was the missing piece that made him try to hold on to his humanity. There was also the nice revelation that the king was trying to help the humans and didn't want to fight them. He wanted to protect them. After all, you never want you food supply to go extinct!

Readers who love vampire stories should definitely check this one out!

About author Diana Bocco:

Diana Bocco is a full-time writer and author. She's been a fan of all kinds of dark creatures since she was a kid. If it crawls in the night and tugs at your covers while you're sleeping, chances are she's written about it. It's probably no surprise that she's a big fan of old buildings, urban exploring and things that go bump in the night.

In her other life, Diana also writes nonfiction: articles, books, and even quizzes for markets such as the Discovery Channel, Yahoo! and Marie Claire magazine.

Visit www.dianaboccobooks.com for more info on Diana's work. Or join Diana's mailing list and be the first one to know about new releases, signings, and giveaways: http://eepurl.com/ugbm5

Find Diana:  Website/Blog   Goodreads

Giveaway:
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Want to know more? Check out an exclusive excerpt from the release day post here!

Scored

By Lauren McLaughlin

About Scored (from Goodreads):
Set in the future when teenagers are monitored via camera and their recorded actions and confessions plugged into a computer program that determines their ability to succeed. All kids given a "score" that determines their future potential. This score has the ability to get kids into colleges, grant scholarships, or destroy all hope for the above. Scored's reluctant heroine is Imani, a girl whose high score is brought down when her best friend's score plummets. Where do you draw the line between doing what feels morally right and what can mean your future? Friendship, romance, loyalty, family, human connection and human value: all are questioned in this fresh and compelling dystopian novel set in the scarily forseeable future.

Review:
WHO IS WATCHING YOU?

At first, I was so excited to get Scored, and initially I couldn't put it down. I absolutely love the YA dystopian genre, and most of the time the authors fully think through the storyline, but sadly this book let me down. McLaughlin creates a very possible future dystpoian reality with the score system. This is a system where teens are constantly monitored by video cameras. Their actions (or inactions) are put into a computer which analyzes their ability to succeed in life. Then each student is scored. The score determines what universities a teen can get into and their future job opportunities. As a side effect, the score also determines friendships and cliques.

Readers see both sides of how being scored can be a blessing and/or a curse. Imani struggles to stay loyal to her friends and not let the score system dictate who her friends should be. When she tries to go against the system, readers get to see the fallout. No, wait, I take that back. Readers don't get to see any of the fallout becase McLaughlin ended the book too soon. She created a realistic world, and built the story up to an interesting climax and then ends the story without a resolution. There were so many questions left unanswered and readers are left unsatisfied.

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS ENDING QUESTIONS***
What happens from the outcome of Imani playing both sides? Was her final score improved or did it drop drastically, and how does that affect her future? How has Imani's deceit with Diego Landis play out in their possible future relationship? What about her dad? Imani tells him to wait wait for her so he can hear what she has done, but readers don't see his reaction. There are many other questions too, but I won't delve into those.

A true epilogue or second book would have been better than the letter that McLaughlin includes. This book had/has a lot of potential and is worth reading, but just know that you will be scratching your head at the end wondering what happend.

Has anyone else read this book?  What are your thoughts about it?

Book Trailer:

Across the Universe

By Beth Revis

About Across the Universe (from Goodreads):
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder. 

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Review:
Covers of books can quickly attract—or deter—readers to an author’s work. Across the Universe has an amazing cover that readers will gravitate toward.  And lucky for readers, Beth Revis backs up the beautiful cover with a brilliant story that will have readers glad they gave the book a chance.

In order to travel and awaken on a new planet 300+ years in the future, Amy Martin is frozen along with her parents, and loaded on the spaceship Godspeed. However, she is prematurely awakened decades before the ship is scheduled to land.  Now she and future ship leader, Elder, must figure out who “unplugged” her, and who keeps unplugging and killing other frozens before more end up dying. Together they will discover the many secrets the ship holds and make tough decisions that will affect their lives and the lives of everyone on board Godspeed.

Since the story is set on board a spaceship, the book made me very appreciative of the world around me. People on board Godspeed never experience the little things such as open blue skies, rain, stars, or a summer breeze.  As Amy realizes what she misses while trapped on the ship, readers can become thankful of the world around them.

Revis’ stream of consciousness style of writing takes a bit to get used to, but helps readers to better connect with Amy and Elder.  Readers fully understand what the duo feels and the reasoning behind most of their actions. You can feel their frustration at being lied to and the weight of their decisions to do the right thing. The style of prose fully complements the story and genre.

Revis does a good job giving readers the whole picture. Eldest tries to do what is best for the ship and its people—even if it means deceiving them.  Readers can see that Eldest’s intent is not evil, but only to maintain order.  But as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

The story is a pleasant mix of plot twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats.  With a setting built on lies, finding out what’s real and what’s not is part of the excitement.  Advanced readers might be able to guess who the real killer is, but Revis carefully crafts her story to hide that identity until everything comes to a head.

I am eager to pick up the second book, A Million Suns, to find out how Elder and Amy handle the fallout from this book, and what happens when the people of Godspeed discover the many lies they dealt with.

Readers who enjoy a serious toned story with a good mystery and hint of romance should give Across the Universe a chance.  After all, a cover like that deserves to be given a chance!

Want to know more? Check out the book trailer:

Five Books Turned into Movies Releasing Soon

I love book trailers.  I'll check out book trailers before, during, or after I read a book.  I want to see how the author and publisher view the book.  But even better than book trailers are when they are turned into movies! Most readers wait in eager anticipation of who is selected as the main character, and may even go to midnight screenings just to make sure that the movie holds its own against the book.  (And of course discuss the alterations the movie had that wasn't in the book.) A few movies are coming out within the next few months that I'm looking forward to. Have you read the books? If not, then there is still time! What are your thoughts on these trailers?

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2 by Rick Riordan) 
The first Percy Jackson movie was HORRIBLE!!!  It never matched the book. Even worse, it left out the bad guy, and didn't set the film up for the rest of the series. It would be as if the first Harry Potter film were made without the mention of Lord Voldemort.  You can't do that!  Especially when you have a reader fan base. I was surprised to find out that they made the second Percy Jackson movie.  They have a lot of catching up to do. I hope it is better than the first movie.  Needless to say, I won't be watching this at any midnight premier on August 7, 2013!

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1 by Cassandra Clare)
This is the first movie in the Mortal Instruments series that is geared to young adults. There will be so many supernatural elements to this film, that I can't wait to see what these creatures will look like.  There will be a ton of action, probably a bit of violence, and a hint of romance. Hopefully it will hold its own against the book. I'm looking forward to this when it hits theaters on August 23, 2013.

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2 by Suzanne Collins)
After the success of The Hunger Games, the sequel, Catching Fire, is sure to be just as popular.  I love the curve ball in the second book that has the main characters facing the games' drama all over again. Just hope that the cinematography is better than the first one.  The camera was all over the place in the first movie. Still, I'm eager to see how close to the book they are going to keep this-- and if it will have the same cliff hanger ending that will have fans screaming for the third movie. Are you ready for November 22, 2013 to get here?  I know I am!

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1 by James Dashner)
It is still too early for the official movie trailer to be released for this movie, so I have embeded the book trailer for you. This is the Hunger Games meets Lord of the Flies. I'm eager to see how they generate the creatures of the maze and if they will sound like they do in the book.  I don't think the movie will be as scary as the book is, but it will still have fans on the edge of their seats! Look for this one when it releases on February 14, 2014, but you might not want to take a date to this one. It isn't romantic.

Divergent (Divergent #1 by Veronica Roth)
The third book in this book series isn't even out, and the movie for the first book has already begun filming.  Yes, the books are that good!  It's a dystopian novel/movie that is set in futuristic Chicago. There will be tons of action and drama.  There's also a touch of romance.  This will be much anticipated, and will attract the same fan base as the Hunger Games. See my review of the book here. Yes, this will be one that I will want to see at the midnight showing when it releases on March 21, 2014!

Under the Never Sky

By Veronica Rossi

In The Death Shop there are many ways to die. The trick is surviving. And if you’ve grown up without being exposed to the outside elements, there’s no hope–unless you find someone to help guide you…

After an accident that gets Aria kicked out of the enclosed city of Reverie, she is thrown out into the outside world known as The Death Shop and left for dead. She soon runs into Perry, a “savage” who helps her survive and navigate the wild. Perry wants to use Aria to get back his nephew who was taken by Aria’s people, the “dwellers”. The two ultimately want to get back to Reverie, but they have to learn to rely on each other before that can happen. Can two people from opposite worlds trust each other to achieve their goals?

It takes a while for the story to get going. Aria has to be kicked out of her home before the action can happen. Once she crosses paths in the wild with Perry, the story really takes off. Together the two must survive ether storms with hungry cannibals after them and outrun wild wolves.

This will make an amazing movie that both sexes would enjoy. (oh yes, the film rights have been optioned by Warner Brothers) There’s battles with knives and archers that create action for guys while Aria and Perry’s relationship is the love story that ladies swoon over. Together it is the perfect date story/movie/book.

I love how Rossi made her main characters complete opposites of each other. One sheltered, the other raised in the wild; one is chatty, the other is quiet; one is a singer, the other is a hunter; one has sharp hearing, the other has sharp sight. It creates a large barrier each character must overcome before starting to like the other and puts a new meaning to opposites attract.

I highly recommend this book to teens and adults alike. If you enjoyed the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, then you will definitely enjoy Under the Never Sky. There are lots of similarities between society and the wild in both books. I will definitely finish this series and look forward to picking up the second book, Through the Ever Night, that’s due to release January 2013!

Curious for more? Check out the book trailer below and I know you’ll be running out to pick up the book as soon as possible. I mean seriously, this is the best book trailer I’ve ever seen!

Black Hole Sun

By David Macinnis Gill

Before I start my review, let me say that this is the first sci-fi book I have read that is set in space–although the setting is actually on Mars. Generally that is not my favorite genre, but Gill’s book has opened my eyes to the amazing stories that I have been missing.

With that in mind, Black Hole Sun is a very fresh, original story. It is a tale of one adventure/escapade that the main character, Durango, and his crew go on. Durango is a Regulator which is like soldier that anyone can hire, sort of. He is hired by some miners and assembles a crew. The result is a story about their fast-paced, action-packed mission.

Throughout the story David Macinnis Gill introduces readers to a new set of vocabulary/lingo. Because Mars was settled by Earthlings, words and phrases from various languages are used. Although that was enjoyable, readers who aren’t near the internet or other reference materials to translate the words/phrases, miss out on the meaning. That’s why the ability to use context clues is a must in this book. Gill doesn’t explain what all of the words/phrases mean after he uses them, so it can seem pure gibberish to some readers. Readers might can figure out a word or two from context clues, but might not understand entire phrases.

All in all, this book was very enjoyable and I look forward to Gill’s second book in the series, Invisible Sun. If you enjoy military strategy mixed with interesting battles and you want an adventure that is “out of this world,” then you will enjoy this book!

Starters

By Lissa Price

After reading the synopsis of Starters, I was very intrigued. It has such an original idea that I chose the audiobook version of it. Sometimes audioboks really enhance an author’s work and help to make it more memorable. The Starters narrator, however, definitely hurt Price’s brilliant story. The narrator offered inflection but lacked enthusiasm and it made it difficult to connect with Callie. I was tempted to not finish it, but fortunately I got a copy of the hardback version and thoroughly enjoyed the second half of her book.

In Price’s world, technology has advanced so the rich elderly people, called Enders, can “rent” teenage bodies so that they can enjoy youthful activities. The teens, called “Starters” who elect to rent their bodies have a chip implanted so the Enders can control their bodies while the Starters sleep through it.

After her parents died in the Spore Wars, Callie Woodland is doing everything she can to survive on the streets while taking care of Tyler, her younger sick brother, and avoiding the marshals who want to institutionalize orphaned street kids. The opportunity to “loan” her body to Prime Destinations for Enders’ pleasures comes with the promise of a large payday that Callie can use to take care of Tyler. During her third “rental” something goes wrong with the chip and Callie wakes up in the life of wealth and privilege. She soon learns that her Ender renter has decided to commit murder in Callie’s body. Can Callie stop this plan? And is Prime Destinations all that it appears to be?

Price creates a unique environment where an entire generation has been wiped out by the Spore Wars. I would have liked a little more background information on that war, but the story is still complete without it.

Readers will easily understand the dilemmas Callie is forced into. She’s constantly caught between a rock and a hard place with no clear direction as to what is right and wrong. She wants to stop a murder, but what’s the best way to do that when you don’t have control over your body all the time?

In addition to figuring out what to do, Callie must also decide who to trust. Price does a brilliant job throwing readers off. People who seem to be the bad guys just might be the good guys. And close confidants might not be exactly who they say they are. Readers who are good at guessing plot twists, might have a challenge figuring out all of the surprises Price has in store.

Lissa Price delivers a brilliant story that is filled with mystery, suspense, action and a hint of romance. Teens and adults alike can enjoy this dystopian sci-fi. Readers who liked Skinned by Robin Wasserman will thoroughly enjoy Starters.

I look forward to seeing where Price takes the story in her second book, Enders, which is due to come out in 2013.

Interested in more? Check out the Starters book trailer!

Divergent

By Veronica Roth

I’ve wanted to read this book for a while. Once I finally got it and cracked open the cover, I absolutely could not put it down. Roth does not lollygag around setting up the storyline, but plunges readers right into it, and once you’re in it, hang on because you are in for a wild ride!

For 16 year old Beatrice “Tris” Prior, selecting a faction will be the most important decision of her life. After her aptitude test comes back inconclusive—thereby secretly labeling her a “divergent”—she now must choose to stay with her family in the Abnegation (the selfless) faction or completely turn her back on them by choosing another faction: Erudite (the intelligent) or Dauntless (the courageous). Her decision pushes her to her physical and mental limits, and will have readers questioning whether she will make it through the faction’s initiation process.

I love that the ending of Divergent was not what I was expecting. I expected it to end right after we see if Tris passes initiation or becomes factionless. Both would position the character to make interesting decisions affecting the leaders of the dystopian society—fight them from the outside or fight them from the inside. Instead, Roth completely threw me off guard by setting up events that will resonate throughout the second and third book in the series. I didn’t see it coming and that was a thrilling surprise.

Because this is Roth’s debut novel, she initially struggles with explaining the setup of her dystopian society and doesn’t provide a detailed history of how we moved from the society we are in present day, to her faction system. I think that information would have really helped to flesh out the beginning of the story. However, Roth soon gets into a writing groove that keeps readers eager to find out what comes next.

Divergent isn’t a rainbows and butterflies type of story, but a raw, smack-you-in-the-face mix of fighting, strategizing, plotting, and backstabbing. Tris gets knocked down and has to get back up again and face her fears in order to try and make it through initiation. This is a combination of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games that meets Ally Condie’s Matched. It is a book where even though I checked it out from the library, I have gone out and bought it and the second book, Insurgent, just so I can pass it to family and friends so they can read. Needless to day, I highly recommend it and am not surprised that Summit Entertainment is in the process of producing the movie!

Want more? Here is the book trailer.