Review: Beginnings (The Plague): Book 1 by Danielle Blanchard Benson

Thank you to Making Connections(a group on Goodreads) and the author for allowing me to review this book!

Genre

Apocalypse/Zombie

Publication Date

February 5th, 2012

Publisher

Midnight Engel Press

Available At

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Format

Ebook
Paperback

June, 2012: A couple of small bombs are exploded in a Rio de Janeiro favela and Tijuana, Mexico; few casualties but riots and looting follow.

July, 2012: A mysterious plague which turns normal humans into flesh-eating cannibals destroys Central and South America and decimates large swathes of Europe and Asia.


August, 2012: Governments worldwide collapse, chaos ensues and the plague mutates into something much more than anyone could have anticipated.

Join a group of survivors from Europe and the Americas as they search for a way to patch their lives back together while dealing with personal issues from their former lives which continue to haunt them. Nothing lasts forever, not even the beginnings of the plague.  


Review
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars


When I first started reading Beginnings, I have to be honest and say that I couldn't get into the story. I found the bouncing around from each different person too distracting, never giving me a connection to any of the characters. I set it aside for a couple of days then picked it back up determined to finish and find something that I liked. I mean, zombies? Yes! I will forever be a fan of zombie books, so when I say I was determined, I was determined!


I must have been able to switch my brain off and just let the story lead me, because once I picked it up again, I became a fan. The multiple POV's became insightful and needed with so many different characters coming and going. The zombies, of course, were a huge plus and the mystery had my interest piqued.

 I'm not a huge fan of political reads, there's nothing wrong with them, they just aren't for me. Beginnings delves into politics and conspiracies. Oddly, it never bothered me, it made the story and continued to add to it. I did find it a little odd that every single character was well versed in the worlds politics. Each character comes from different backgrounds (American, Brazilian, Irish, French, and many mixed) yet they ALL knew soooo much about the politics of most continents, nations and governments. This never subtracted from my reading experience, just something that I found odd. 


There are so many characters in Beginnings that I can't and won't talk about each one. I'll highlight: they were all well-developed. I never found them lacking in any major way. I did have some issues with the dialogue, it was good for the most part, but some conversations just didn't roll out naturally. Mostly, it was when someone would talk about love or their feelings, it seemed forced and took a little bit away from the story, but not enough to greatly disappoint me. Just mildly. And along those lines, the most natural character (in my opinion) was Rousin. Everything about her just flowed in such a natural way, she quickly became my favorite.

I'm excited to continue the series! The ending will have those wheels in your head spinning as you try to decipher which way the story will go. Reader discretion: There are some scenes that might make some readers uncomfortable. Definitely an adult read, but one that shouldn't be missed out on!

Review: The Book Of Blood And Shadow by Robin Wasserman

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley

Publication Date

April 10th

Publisher

Random House Children's Books

~ Alfred A. Knopf BFYR ~

Available At

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly story book one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.


But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also-according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone-a murderer.


Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.


Review
Genre: YA Mystery/Suspense
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


The Book Of Blood And Shadow starts with a hint of what to expect, but then we are quickly tossed back to where the story really begins. By the blurb, we all know that Chris, Nora's best friend is dead, but Robin Wasserman ingeniously shows us the friendship and personalty of Chris so when that inevitable part comes along we actually feel it right along with Nora. It also gives us the dynamics of the triangle of friends turned into a square, showing us how they interact and rely or don't rely on each other.


After that dreadful, bloody night, things start to change. The feel is slightly more depressed, emotional and overall desperate. This doesn't damper the story, it only enhances it. The mystery starts to get heavier, to the point that the reader may have to wear waders, but it's brain-buzzing, exciting and never boring. I found an extreme connection to Nora fused by words. It also helped that as we were learning clues, Nora was as well. My mind was in a constant whirlwind trying to solve the mystery, trying to figure out if the people surrounding Nora were good or evil. Robin Wasserman's writing will have the readers mind buried thick in suspicion as we get a little bit more knowledge from each character. I must admit, that I figured out most of the things(about 3/4 the way through, won't say what, for obvious reasons), but it was still an intriguing adventure that I still wasn't quite 100% sure how it would all unfold. I love being able the piece together clues, some big, others small, The Book Of Blood And Shadows allowed me to do that while capturing my complete attention.


Robin Wasserman's descriptive prose flows with an effortless way, gently leading the reader into a dark, suspenseful story. The words are thick with depth and emotion, the scenic descriptions showing you the old-world beauty of Prague and the story is riddled with action, adventure and something a little sweeter. If the cover doesn't tempt you or the blurb doesn't entice you, then let me tell you that this is a story that will have your head throbbing(in a good way), fingers cramped(from tension), eyes sore(from frantically scanning) and a need to know what happens next. Readers of both genders and all ages will appreciate the mystery and suspense!


I will leave you with a quote from the lovely Nora:

"When you're a kid, there's always a new tower of blocks to knock over, another Barbie to microwave. When you grow up, they take away your toys"

Review: Celia On The Run by Sarah Mandell

I received this book for an honest review

Nick Novaczek is a cautious soul, a 17-year-old with a boring life, a predictable future, and a quiet thirst for danger. On the eve of his beloved grandmother's funeral, danger finds him by the motel swimming pool. Her name is Celia and she's everything he's not. This foul-mouthed beauty is hitchhiking across the country to make amends with her estranged father and doesn't carry an ounce of fear or hesitation in her tattered suitcase. She's bad news all around, but for a rule-follower like Nick, she's intoxicating.

Twenty-four hours after speaking to Celia for the very first time, following one extremely lucky night, Nick is hopelessly hooked and "borrows" his parents' car to join her cross-country mission, even though her story is full of holes. It's the mistake he's been waiting his whole life to make. Together, they dodge a train, jump off a bridge, and scam everyone in their path. Nick is blossoming into a teenage fugitive, just like Celia, and he's never been happier. She may not be who she says she is, but she's got his vulnerable heart.

After weeks of detours, with hundreds of miles left to go, their wild adventure starts to unravel. The money dries up, Celia's dark secrets start to surface, and it's clear they both want vastly different things out of this partnership. Celia is all about no strings attached and severing whatever they may have between them once they reach their destination, while Nick is head over heels in love and wanting a future with the girl in his passenger seat. They seem to reach a new low on a daily basis, but she won't turn back, no matter how desperate things get. After all, this is her trip and Nick is just the driver. Celia's got a charming smile to pay her way, a willing accomplice, a hidden agenda, and an endless supply of lies. Not to mention a gun.

Review
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars!
Love, love, LOVED this book! This isn't a pretty little romance, it's a dark coming of age novel that takes you on an adventure across the country with two characters that elicit powerful emotions.

Celia On The Run is mostly told from Nick's perspective, a boy that so desperately wants to live life and not just watch it pass by as he has been for the seventeen years of his life. It was really refreshing to see the roles reversed as Nick is the shy, not-so-sure character and Celia is the bad-ass with confidence, attitude and a lack of self-preservation(in a way). Nick's confidence surges after his one night with Celia, and he instantly starts becoming his own person as he experiences new and, most of the time, dangerous situations. Celia's character is a mystery that we slowly get familiarized with, severely wanting to unravel the secrets that are hidden.

Celia On The Run is courageous, mostly dark and even horrific at times, gut-wrenching and exhilarating. I was gripping the edge of my seat the entire time, experiencing the ups and downs right alongside Nick and Celia. I was reluctant to set my Kindle down for even a moment, I even read while brushing my teeth! I was thoroughly invested in the story. Sarah Mandell did an excellent job of keeping the suspense, drawing in the readers and then slamming them with suspected and unsuspected outcomes. There are tender moments that left my heart stuttering, but they were slightly overshadowed by the dire situation that was ever present on the cross country trip. This only added to the tender moments, making them as sweet as can be. Sarah Mandell's writing style takes you to each scene without any trouble, letting the story play in your mind as your eyes scan the words on each page. The growth is both subtle and not, individual and as a whole. It gives you hope for a happy ending that you will never be sure is in Nick and Celia's future.

My only complaint is of the cover. I like the current cover, but I feel like it could have been better. I have a very distinct image in my head when I think about Celia On The Run, a cover that would have tied into the story more and would possibly draw in future readers.

An uninhibited view of sensitive topics done in a tactful manner that plunges you into the world of the not-so-well-off youth of America. If you are sensitive to swearing, violence, drugs and sex then this might not be a story that you will like, but it is a necessity to this story and it would not carry the same impact without it. I encourage males and females of the proper maturity to dive in because Celia On The Run is a dynamic, touching and intense adventure.

Celia On The Run is currently available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble 

Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review

Pub Date 

March 13th

Publisher

Random House Children's Books

~Delacorte BFYR~

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America-the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan's found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize that she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Review

Genre: YA Contemporary

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Simply put, this is a must read that every reader should be scrambling to get their hands on. A truly inspiring tale that is going straight up to the top of my favorites pile!

The characters are so real! The feeling of being lost, of drifting through life without a purpose or destination makes Bria and Rowan incredibly relate-able, building a camaraderie between reader and characters. I even felt that sometimes Bria was an extension of myself, I thoroughly connected with Bria and Rowan which has forever endeared Wanderlove to me. There are realistic situations, realistic reactions and most importantly, realistic characteristics. Rowan is a slight mystery, but he's not overshadowed by it. He's still somewhat accessible which makes him more human than many male main characters. 

The plot line is a sweet, slow-building anticipation. It starts out fantastic and just keeps getting better and better. I was in awe the whole time I was reading. The imagery instantly sends you to Central America, plunging you into the cultural aspects, blinding you with the colors, bringing to life an experience that is hard to have by just reading. As you read, you get immersed in the art attribute that Kirsten Hubbard provides by quoting artists, to including her own drawings as Bria's interpretation. It's another facet that let's you in deeper without shoving you there. I was wrapped in a euphoric calm the entire story, marveling in the superbly written dimensions that made me laugh, cry, sigh and every emotion in between. Wanderlove is the kind of book that at the end, an audible, satiated sigh will escape with a hint of a smile on your lips. Possibly a singular tear will travel down your cheek as you realize your time with Rowan and Bria has come to an end. Yes, it is THAT amazing!

Wanderlove transcends it's pages, it is otherworldly in it's chaotic simplicity that reels you in effortlessly. This book will experience many re-reads throughout my existence. I hope that other readers feel for Rowan and Bria as I do. 

Wanderlove is available for purchase(ebook and hard cover) on March 13th from Amazon 

and Barnes & Noble