Cleopatra's Moon

Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Rating: 4.5 /5

Goodreads Summary:
"The Luxe" meets the ancient world in the extraordinary story of Cleopatra's daughter.
Selene has grown up in a palace on the Nile with her parents, Cleopatra & Mark Antony--the most brilliant, powerful rulers on earth. But the jealous Roman Emperor Octavianus wants Egypt for himself, & when war finally comes, Selene faces the loss of all she's ever loved. Forced to build a new life in Octavianus's household in Rome, she finds herself torn between two young men and two possible destinies--until she reaches out to claim her own.

This stunning novel brings to life the personalities & passions of one of the greatest dramas in history, & offers a wonderful new heroine in Selene.

My Review:
 I got this book a couple of years ago from my sister, she knew how much I love the story of Cleopatra and her alliance with Caesar and then Marcus Antonius so I was meaning to read it for so long and then it just got lost in the shuffle but when a quarterly challenge called for a book that has been sitting on my TBR shelf for longer than 6 months I went to this one straight away and I am very glad I did.  I have heard and seen many different versions of the Cleopatra story both fiction and non-fiction and this was the first time I have seen it told from this point of view. It was a very different way of telling the rise of Rome and the fall of Egypt, telling this kind of political struggle form the thoughts of a young girl was something I had never thought of but I am glad Shecter did cause I really enjoyed it.
 Young Cleopatra Selene the daughter of one of the worlds most powerful Rulers and a powerful solider and political figure of Rome is left to face the consequences of her parents and is shipped of to Rome were more death and tragedy are waiting but through it all she holds strong to her devotion to her parents but especially her mother, she is determined to make it home to Egypt and rule like her mother. I admired her strength and after everything she had to go through I was glad that the ending was one I had longed for and she may not have gotten the ending she thought she deserved she did get a small victory that I hope kept her at least content the rest of her life.
My favorite part of the whole book was the authors notes at the end about Juba and Cleopatra Selene and other characters of the story and how she wove the fact with the fiction. Overall I really liked this book but I gave it 4.5 just because one or two parts dragged for me but otherwise fantastic book that fulfilled the history buff in me while also satisfying the hopeless romantic in there too. 

Grasping at Eternity (Kinderly #1)

Grasping At Eternity (Kinderly #1)

by Karen Amanda Hooper

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Summary:

Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories. 

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she's supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah's memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her. 

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be. 

My Review:
 I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review and I really enjoyed this book it was an emotional ride that had me hooked right away. I am not usually one for the whole soul mate destined to be together in life times to come and life times past but this one was really well done and I found myself very involved and interested in the story and all of the characters that made up this wonderful tale.
This book was full of many different characters with many different personalities from sullen all the way to bouncy and I loved everyone of them and their ability to believe in Maryah and a family love so deep they knew would never be lost. I found a lot of this book to be very heartbreaking, Nathan must learn to live a life without his soul mate and Maryah is a lost soul trying to find her way in a new life after losing her whole family in a brutal attack. But there was always this lingering glimmer of hope that things just had to work out for these two after all they have been through, that was the beauty of the writing in this book and I am very glad I was a part of this read to review and I can't wait to see how the journey of these two continues and how much more will Maryah remember. Thanks again to the author for this fun and exciting read!

Blood Warrior (The Alexa Montgomery Saga #1)

Blood Warrior (The Alexa Montgomery Saga #1)
by H.D. Gordon
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads Summary:
When her home is attacked by murderous vampires, 17-year-old Alexa is forced to leave her mother for dead in order to save her sister. She soon learns that she is the last known member of an elite race of supernatural Warriors, and is thrust into a world full of vampires and werewolves who all seem to regard her as some sort of savior. Meanwhile, Alexa battles a monster within herself that seeks to gain control; a monster that seeks blood.
The hidden city she finds herself in appears perfect, but Alexa's instincts tell her that all is not right within its walls. When she is asked to attend a school of fighters, whose exams consist of gladiator-style competitions, she must decide who she can trust among the smiling faces. And, when she meets Kayden, a vampire she feels undeniably drawn to, she must decide if she can trust herself.
My Review:
 I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review and I LOVED this book so much and I am so so grateful to the author for allowing me to be a part of this read to review and this book has quickly climbed to the top of my favorites list.
  WOW, AWESOME, and FANTASTIC just a few of the words that come to mind after reading this first book in the saga. I wish I could give it a hundred stars but as my system is out of 5 i guess 5 out of 5 will have to do. This was so fantastic and ended way to soon for me that I am on the hunt for the rest and they will be on my e-reader shortly I can't wait to lose myself in this fantastic world Gordon has created.
Right from page one I was curious and drawn in. The writing was so well done I felt like I was right there, the raw emotion Alexa felt pored off the page and sometimes I wished I could reach in the book and hug her. From the beginning I admired Alexa , She was determined to protect her sister and after everything with her mother I was glad to see her silently accept what she needed to do:

"No, I thought, I had never trusted her before when she told me that everything she did was for my own good. I would trust her now, even if it was too little too late"

  Alexa was also a fantastic warrior and not just a fighter, but someone willing to fight fort the truth and what she believes in, putting others first and putting her life on the line without a second thought for the good of others:

"I didn't even really know her, yet I would give my life for her.Not because I'm altruistic, but because it was who I was; who I had always been. I suppose that is what made me a true warrior"

Okay, Okay I may have a little bit of a girl crush but I can't help it and I am so not ashamed!!!!

Well now we get to the real greatness of the book...The band of hotties surrounding Alexa. Tommy the rich and charming Vampire, Jackson the werewolf the werewolf who helped her escape and was her only friend for a long time and then..........Kayden *Sigh* the handsome Greek God looking bad boy who understand Alexa like no one else can. I liked Jackson a lot he has a great sense of humor and he would do anything for Alexa and her sister to keep them safe, but Kayden and her complete each other and I don't want Jackson so be sad but well I don't want to spoil it for those of you who haven't read it but they Kayden and Alexa need eachother and the sooner they realize it the sooner they can defeat evil.
 I wanted to read this book forever I just never wanted to reach the words the end it didn't seem right. This book made me laugh out loud, cry a little and gasp in shock several times and if I am being completely honest I may have drooled a bit when Kayden was introduced. I just cant say enough about how much I liked this book....it was like an emotional punch in the face and I mean that in a good way. So if you have not read this I STRONGLY suggest that you do, you will not regret it.

Cover Reveal: Fire Country (The Country Saga) by David Estes

Cover Reveal : Fire Country (The Country Saga 1) by David Estes

Title: Fire Country (Country Saga #1)

Author: David Estes

Publisher: ShareAread

Release Date: March 1st, 2013

Formats:  E-book

Goodreads TBR: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16160701-fire-country

Cover Artist: Regina Wamba

      I am pleased to be a part of this reveal and as a big fan of David Estes and his other books I am very excited to get my hands on this one. The book will be released on February 1, 2013 so stick this one on your TBR list and wait as patiently as you can I know I will.

Summary:

In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer's even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely.

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with.

As the desert sands run out on her life's hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

About The Author:

David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010.   He´s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table

Early Praise for The Author

“David created a world I was excited to learn about and characters I cared about. I'll remember this story for a very long time!”

Alexandria Nicole ~Goodreads

“Estes delivers a winner with confident writing that truly draws you into the story. “

Think ~ Goodreads

“The author, David Estes, has forged his name into writers to be watched and read.”

Marni ~Goodreads

“David is such a fantastic author and he really knows how to pull at the heartstrings.”

Kay ~K-Books

Promo Blast: Baby, Species Intervention #6609

Summary:
Have you ever wondered why God does not punish the evil and depraved of our planet? Why does He tolerate the destructive bloodthirsty nature of Homo sapiens allowing them to rule over all creatures, abusing and exploiting according to their whims? Why has science been unable to solve the vexing mystery of our ancestor, the Missing Link? How could one planet evolve such complex and divergent examples of biodiversity? Can you imagine God ever saying, "To Hell with this mess that is Earth?" The series "Species Intervention #6609" spans two hundred years, encompassing tender love between divergent species, political downfalls and violence of unspeakable order. It is an unfortunate tale of Armageddon and the remote possibility of redemption. In Baby, Netty is a naive teenage farm girl given in marriage to an older brutal opportunist disguised as a successful citizen during the years of Prohibition in Sussex County, New Jersey. After years of enslavement, Netty flees into the night from her rapist husband, traveling back to the farm worked by her parents, where she rescues an unfamiliar damaged creature she finds in a cave in the woods of her childhood, falling in love with the enigmatic creature she names Baby. Together they find happiness and fulfillment despite the changes to Netty's body wrought by the proximity of the unusual creature. When a handsome Italian stranger comes into Netty's life, complications ensue as she falls in love while trying to hide the bizarre and wondrous changes to her farm and her body. Netty, Baby and Wil strive to conquer obstacles thrown in their path by life, succeeding wildly until the heart-rending and astonishingly brutal climax to their story.

Free on Amazon so pick up your copy today....I did!!!! and keep your eyes open the next book will also be free this month as part of the promotion!

Verity (Cursed #1)

Verity (Cursed #1) by Claire Farrell
Rating: 3/5

Goodreads Summary:
Perdita Rivers has spent her entire sheltered life being told what to do. Lately, she’s felt ready for a change and the universe seems to agree. Her new best friend’s brother is the boy of Perdita’s dreams. Literally. Even though he plays hot and cold, she’s sure there’s more to it, but she’s kind of distracted by the sense she’s being followed, not to mention the rumors of wild animal sightings that seem to mean more to her new crush’s family than they should. Perdy’s on a mission to find the truth, but maybe the truth is the danger she should hide from, after all.

My Review:
 Okay so before I get started  I want to just say that I am a HUGE fan of the werewolf genre I love the soul mate thing, the protective animal instinct and many other things, and although I liked this book it did not have the same intensity that I was expecting. The relationships between the characters was well developed and there were a few cute moments and one or two action moments but sort of felt like there was too much of the book that left me expecting something big to happen but not a whole lot did and the story was a bit of a different take of the whole werewolf soul mate thing it just wasn't that exciting of filled with a while lot of information. I think maybe the next book will have a bit more to it now that a few things have changed and maybe I will read to find out but I have not decided yet. Overall not bad but not excellent either.

Ordained (The Mortal Archives 1)

Ordained (The Mortal Archives 1) by Devon Ashley
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Summary:
Normally, the school creates the hunters - not the monsters.

Abby Sorrensten likes to play rough. Ripping the horns off the foreheads of demons, manipulating lightning and setting things on fire with the flick of your wrist can give you a serious rush. So she probably wasn’t the best choice for the Order’s experimental training program. Thirteen years of isolation, lack of affection and a bruised and broken body from horrendous training sessions creates more than just an exceptional fighter. It creates an evil within - an evil responsible for several deaths the night she left.

Two hundred years later Abby resurfaces as the very thing the Order trained her to kill: a vampire. A mythical demon has set his sights on the school and only the ordained hunter has the powers to face it. Unbeknownst to the Order, Abby’s their precious ordained one and their only chance for survival. As much as she would love to leave them hanging, she’s not willing to risk the life of Emily, a fellow friend and hunter also fed up with the organization. 

But for Abby, locking herself away in a fortress with angry descendents of those she killed causes suspicions and tensions to run high. Abby must learn the demon’s weaknesses for battle before the Order learns hers.

My Review:
*May Contain Spoilers*
I came across this on my kobo, not sure when I got it which can be a problem with so many sitting there, anyway I decided it was time to give it a try and at first I was sucked in and very curious about what was next. The concept so cool and engaging, Emily a young hunter destined to die at the hands of the demon Eraticus like the other hunters before her is saved by Noel and Abby who have their own strange ties to the Order, they enter the hunter compound to try and save everyone from the new threat Morphus, and that is when things got a little overloaded  I mean Abby is a witch, Vampire and hunter destined to kill Morphus, then add in two clairvoyants and a crazy council as exciting as it seemed my head was spinning so when I was given the opportunity to participate in a read to review I put this one aside.....a few days later I started again and found myself plunging in and on the edge of my seat with excitement and a bit of mystery which was due in large part to the great way the different points of view were written, you got just enough information with small questions left over to keep me going.
I liked all the characters even with all their flaws it made them more human and relate able as they do unthinkable things like fighting demons and vampires. I liked how even in the face of constant danger they find a way to have "Normal" relationships.
The end was full of heartbreak, action and an epic battle that I thought about even after the book was over. The shocker at the end made me grateful I have book 2 already and when I can fit it in (LOL) I will read to see how they handle things and were they will go next.  

Kyra: The First Book Of Enchantus

Kyra: The first book of Enchantus by Alex C. Telander
Rating: 3/5


Goodreads Summary:
Kyra is a teenage girl who has problems fitting in with school and friends and just her whole life in general; even her family seems odd. But when she closes her eyes at night, she is transported to another world, a place of wonder and joy, where she finds her real friends, and everything she's ever wanted. And then the day arrives when she is finally transported to this world, and it is just as incredible as she ever imagined. The people already know who she is, and when she meets the beautiful queen, she can't get over how much she looks like her own mother; even the queen’s husband looks just like her father, which is just weird. But her memories of her old life and old world are starting to disappear, and she has no idea why. Nevertheless, Enchantus is just as wondrous as it was in her dreams. But everything isn’t perfect. There is an evil in the world of Aisis Lip that threatens not just the kingdom of Enchantus, but every living thing in the realm. Its name is Jolus the Malignant and it wants to bring an end to everything, to enslave everyone, and become ruler of all. Kyra is the Chosen One, and she knows it’s up to her to face this Jolus the Malignant and try to save Aisis Lip.. Enchantus is everything she imagined it would be, and she doesn’t want to leave, but is she willing to risk her life to save everyone and everything? Is she willing to face this creature and try to kill it? Is she willing to fight for the once place she feels she truly belongs? She is just a teenage girl after all, even if she is the Chosen One. Can she really 
do it?

My Review:
 I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review so to be honest I liked this book overall but I can not say that I loved it, and now I will explain my 3 star rating.
 Okay so first of all I loved the main character Kyra she was an outsider in her world and although she loves her family she never felt like she fit in and then she finds the world of Aisis Lip with its small towns of people and the great palace of Enchantus and in turn she finds herself on a Journey destined to happen for thousands of years, which she accepts right away and I liked that there wasn't alot of her sulking and complaining like in other books I have read. There were a few other good characters and the existence of her family in both worlds in some form was an interesting addition but I found that the introduction of Doci the guide was what picked up the story for me and the two of them on a journey they never expected and finding themselves together they were very cute together. I also really really enjoyed the world that the author built it was a magical place full of wonder that I wish I could visit.
Now all that being said I will say that I had a hard time getting through the first half, it was what I would call a bit wordy and some of it I could have done without. I also found the shift from points of view to be choppy it was kind of weird how they would be in separate sections  and then all of a sudden they were all at once it was not hard to follow but it made it a bit awkward . So I guess overall this was a good book and again I want to thank Alex C. Telander the author for allowing me to read and review this book.

Haunted Moon (Moon Coven 0.5)

Haunted Moon (Moon Coven 0.5) by K.B. Miller
Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Summary:
Before Lilyann stepped into her destiny to lead the coven, there was another powerful Moon witch...her grandmother. 

A teenage witch-to-be in Galway, Ireland, Leeny Moon was prepared to take her rightful place in the circle along side of her family. That was until she witnessed firsthand the forthcoming nightmares she would be expected to face, vampires.

The fight between good versus evil begins here...

Blessed Be~



My Review:
 So I have not read any of the other books in this series like some others but I loved it just the same and now I do want to read the rest of them. As a short story or novella it was just that short and that was my only complaint about it I wish I had more but that being said there was so much excitement and fun packed into this one that I just never wanted it to stop, and I am very curious to see what will happen next and I am now on the hunt for the next ones. Oh and a special thank you to my friend Justine who recommended this series to me, visit her blog at  http://justinevandale.blogspot.ca/ , sorry it took me so long to jump on the train buddy ;)

The White Lilac

The White Lilac by Christina J. Adams
Rating:  5/5

Goodreads Summary:
From the day 15-year-old Caryn Tobin watched her best friend drown, she has carried two weights: a fear of water and the responsibilities of the oldest candidate in the Compound, a leading power on Beta Earth. Caryn is determined to live up to her friend’s memory, even if it means forcing herself to train in the water every day in order to protect the other girls so they can live and dream. 


After nearly 3,000 years on the first colonized planet, there is still a deadly toxin in the air poised to wipe out the world’s population and it is the Compound’s purpose to train candidates from birth to gather the underwater cure. All the candidates compete for the chance to save the world, but only one can win and the winner will not survive collecting the cure. Caryn has to win. It is the price she must pay to atone for her part in the drowning. 

Yet moments after sealing her own fate, Caryn is offered an opportunity to see the planet and leave the Compound for three days. In the city she meets Kai, a 16-year-old street kid, who is searching for answers to his past. They form an unlikely friendship and Caryn realizes she has dreams of her own. Her decision is further complicated when she discovers the Compound has been experimenting on the very people they are sworn to cure. Now she must choose between her sense of duty and her heart, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

My Review:
 I received this book free from the author in exchange for and honest review. At first as I stated this book I will admit that I was not sure I was going to enjoy it but guess what? I was wrong I really liked this book and I read it very quickly.
I found Caryn to be a very interesting character a young girl who was bread and trained to be killed saving the world and then she is given a chance to see the world and she stumbles upon Kia a boy who is just trying to survive and somehow they end up helping each other more than once and discovering many new things about themselves and the world they thought they knew, it was a very interesting ride and it was fun to see them both grow throughout the story.
I must make a confession.. the science geek in me loved this book there was alot of talk about DNA and poison which all sounded so real and cool I loved every minute of it. I also liked the government control part of the book it was subtle until it was necessary to bring it forward and all the betrayal at once was emotion over load and I had to finish right away.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this great book  :)  

Enclave (Razorland 1)

Enclave (Razorland 1) by Ann Aguirre
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads Summary:
        In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.
        As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.
       Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.
      As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known
My Review:
  I bought this book a while ago after reading a few reviews it looked cool to me, it took me a while to read it but I am glad I did it was a different form of apocalypse for me the main character Deuce was like many other following the "elders" and believing they are trying to keep her safe but the difference for me was that everyone was so blind to the end and the past was not as important as survival I have read many apocalypse/dystopian novels and they all describe the past as a warning. I also liked the zombie type things in this book they were a little different and brought a new danger to everyone.
When Deuce meets Fade everything changes in her world and Fade was a great dark bad boy that haunted my dreams so damaged, fragile and powerful all at once no wonder Deuce falls for him and trusts him they were a great pair and I enjoyed the progression of their relationship even with the challenge of death and new arrivals to their journey to safety. I am interested to see what will happen to this very interesting group of characters and if you are a fan of this genre like me then pick up this series and get started!!!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all and may 2013 have more books to read than 2012!!!

So a new year has arrived and I have decided to start the year with a few challenges just for me well one for sure right now. I was going over all of my ebooks and I realized that I have so many and I keep putting them aside so I have decided that the month of January will be for cleaning out my Kobo and finishing off a few series that I have started. The few groups I am in on Goodreads are hosting some challenges as they always do and I will join up again in February, well apart from the yearly challenge stuff I signed up for as January is a part of the year :) so I look forward to reading as much as I can this month and year and sharing my finds with you all. Happy Reading Friends!!!