Title: Shadow of Time

Author: Jen Minkman

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Createspace

Publication Date: December 14 2012

Paperback: 400 pages

Summary:

All Hannah needs is a nice and quiet vacation after her first year of teaching French at a high school. She joins her brother Ben for the summer in their mom’s log cabin in Arizona. There, she meets Josh again, Ben’s childhood friend from the Navajo reservation. The little boy from the rez has grown up fast, and Hannah can’t help but feeling more for him than just friendship. 

But fate apparently has something else in store for her. And it’s not peace and quiet. Night after night, Hannah is plagued by strange nightmares about the past of Navajo Nation and terrifying shadows chasing her. They seem to come closer – and why is Josh always present in her dreams? 

Sometimes, the past has a way of catching up with you

Thank you to Jen Minkman for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest opinion

My Review:

YA Paranormal Romance has always & will always have a soft spot in my heart & forever will but lately I had been finding it was becoming quite routine in the books I was reading & then Shadow of Time by Jen Minkman came across my lap & I was blown away. What a breath of fresh air instead of the usual Vampire or Werewolves it was about the Navajo Nation and all their believes and how it stands strong in their everyday life.

In Shadow of Time you meet Hannah a woman in her 20s who teaches French to high school students and as always when summer vacation roles around she makes her way to St. Mary Port, to meet up with her brother Ben, While on vacation she runs into a handsome & mysterious guy she comes to find out the mysterious guy is her brothers childhood friend Josh & boy has her grown up!!!
(Think Jacob circa New Moon…lol) from then on their pretty much inseparable.

The only thing that I couldn't get into & still can’t get comfortable is the fact that Hannah is 23 and Josh 17 it’s like she was dating one of her students but at times while reading I did forget their age for a minute or two .No worries Jen did a great job on writing the relationship she kept it PG =D

Hannah thinks that everything in her life is finally going great but then she starts having these nightmares night after night about the Navajo they seem so real it scares her. But smack dab right in the middles of her nightmares Josh is always present & Hannah has no clue why, I told you he was mysterious.

My Final Thoughts:

Shadow of Time is one of those books that is a little slow to start but it has reason and depth the author  Jen Minkman took her time with it she fully researched everything and it shone through in the book and that my friends is why I recommended  Shadow  of  Time . The only real issue I have is the cover I’m not a huge fan of it I would have love to see some Navajo elements on it can’t help it I’m a cover whore.

*Lisa  

Title: Guardian of Atlantis (The Children of Atlantis #1) 

Author: Annie Rachel Cole

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy 

Publisher: Createspace

Publication Date: July 21st 2012

Paperback: 248 pages

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Raven Weir has a somewhat normal life until she receives a mysterious necklace…a necklace others are willing to kill her to get because it contains the key codes to Atlantis. Now she finds she’s the only one standing between Atlantis and those who want to use the power hidden there to take over the world.

And Zeus is at the head of that line.

On top of worrying about social acceptance at school, Raven has to get control of her growing powers before she harms someone. And it doesn’t help that the alpha Hellhound at school is attracted to her while members of his pack are trying to kill her. And then there’s the whole biological parent issue. Finding out you’re adopted is huge, but discovering you’re actually the daughter of Medusa and Poseidon will definitely cause problems.

Will Raven find the inner strength she needs to survive? 

Will she be able to protect Atlantis?

Thank you so much to the author  Annie Rachel Cole  for taking the time to contact me & for sending me a copy for read and review .

My Review:

I wanna first start off by saying I haven't read many Greek mythology books but after reading Guardian of Atlantis (The Children of Atlantis #1) I so need to read & learn ore about Greek mythology . OHH! & the cover is so simple yet stunning the colors are beautiful

In the book we meet Raven (let me tell you how much I love her name) who is one kick ass heroine she is tough, ballsy & quite a smart ass at times which I loved as I can  so relate to her sarcasm ;D This poor girl inherits a necklace with the key codes to Atlantis & everything changes next thing you know practically everyone is out to kill her . But  No matter what situation this girl got into she didn't sweat it & she always on top of her game that mouth of hers so did get a workout...lol
The love relationship between Raven and her boy toy Ethan was a little off for me I felt their relationship need a little stability I felt they were all over the place they did have some sizzle especially the wittiness between them. I rather enjoyed that element (Ill post one of my fave interactions below between the two of them) I felt the need to grow their relationship quite a bit more, I'm still not a fan off the insta love in YA  & He was a bit bossy for my liking but its ok we can work on that ...lol 

“No one calls me stupid," he said in a lower tone followed by a really low, throaty growl.
"I didn't call you stupid." Raven said a little louder.
"No. One. Calls. Me. Stupid." He crouched down. His eyes turned red. 
Raven rolled her eyes. "I think I should've called you a moron because you're acting like one."
"What?"
"Or imbecile? 

My Final Thoughts:

Overall I would recommend Guardian of Atlantis (The Children of Atlantis #1) to a newbie Greek mythology reader like myself , Annie Rachel Cole really made it fun and fresh OHH! and the fighting scenes between the gods is Ah-amazing cant wait for book 2s release.

*Lisa

Waiting On Wednesday #43

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. it origins from Jill @ Breaking The Spine and we're glad to be able to use it.


Here's my pick of the week
(Lisa)

Title: In Dreams

Author: Erica Orloff 

Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Speak

Publication Date: Jan 9th 2014

Inception meets Unearthly in this hot romance for fans of Meg Cabot’s Abandon Series!

In the land of nightmares, she finds the man of her dreams...
He haunts her in her dreams. 
She is always searching, looking for the man who calls her from afar, a disembodied voice who knows everything about her. 
But when she discovers the unimaginable secret her family has hidden for so long, her dreams—and her nightmares—invade her reality.
Her true love beckons, but the terrors await her. . . . Can she find him in time, or will their love—and her life—be destroyed?

Sixteen-year-old Iris has a recurring dream a long corridor of many doors, and behind each door a hidden world—some magical, some terrifying. But always she is searching for the man who calls to her—the man of her dreams—who knows everything about her, who stirs feelings in her she’s never felt before. When she discovers her father is actually the god of dreams, her nightmares and dreams follow her into reality, with both frightening and romantic results. Hunted by the god of nightmares, stalked by the horrifying creatures of the underworld, Iris must try to navigate both her worlds, as she tries to finally be with Sebastian, the man of her dreams. Can she triumph over the dangers that have haunted her forever, and be with Sebastian, or will terrors ultimately destroy them both?

Waiting On Wednesday #42

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. it origins from Jill @ Breaking The Spine and we're glad to be able to use it.


Here's my pick of the week
(Lisa)


Title: Minders

Author: Michele Jaffe 

Genre: YA, SyFy, Dystopia
Publisher: RazorBill

Publication Date: Jan 30th 2014

A high concept, cinematic read with a surprising twist,MINDERS asks the question: who is really watching who?

Q: If the boy you love commits a crime, would you turn him in?

Sadie Ames is a type-A teenager from the wealthy suburbs. She's been accepted to the prestigious Mind Corps Fellowship program, where she'll spend six weeks as an observer inside the head of Ford, a troubled boy with a passion for the crumbling architecture of the inner city. There's just one problem: Sadie's fallen in love with him.

Q: What if the crime is murder?

Ford Winters is haunted by the murder of his older brother, James. As Sadie falls deeper into his world, dazzled by the shimmering pinpricks of color that form images in his mind, she begins to think she knows him. Then Ford does something unthinkable.

Q: What if you saw it happen from inside his mind?

Back in her own body, Sadie is faced with the ultimate dilemma. With Ford's life in her hands, she must decide what is right and what is wrong. And how well she can really ever know someone, even someone she loves.

Waiting On Wednesday #41

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. it origins from Jill @ Breaking The Spine and we're glad to be able to use it.


Here's my pick of the week
(Lisa) 

Title: After The End #1)

Author: Amy Plum

Genre: YA, Dystopia
Publisher: Harper Children

Publication Date: May 6th 2014

Summary:

"She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future."

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

Waiting On Wednesday #40

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. it origins from Jill @ Breaking The Spine and we're glad to be able to use it.


Here's my pick of the week
(Lisa) 


Title: Darkest Fear (BirthRight #1)

Author: Cate Tiernan

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: SimonPulse

Publication Date: January 7th 2014

Paperback: 368 pgs

Summary:

Vivi’s animal instincts are her legacy—and maybe her downfall—in this start to a romantic fantasy series that will appeal to fans of The Nine Lives of Chloe King.

Vivi has known the truth about her family—and herself—since she was thirteen. But that doesn’t mean she’s accepted it. Being Haguari isn’t something she feels she’ll ever accept. How can she feel like anything but a freak knowing that it’s in her genes to turn into a jaguar?

Now eighteen, Vivi’s ready to break away from the traditions of her heritage. But all of that changes with the shocking, devastating deaths of her parents and the mysteries left behind. Vivi discovers family she never even knew she had, and a life open with possibility. New friends, new loyalties, and even romance all lay ahead—but so do dangers unlike anything Vivi ever could have imagined.

Review: Solstice High By: Ardash Vartparonian

First off I would like to thank the publisher for sending me  a copy of his book in exchange for my honest opinion .
(Lisa)



Title: Solstice High

Author: Ardash Vartparonian

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Strategic Book Group

Publication Date: October 22nd 2014

Paperback: 360 Pages


Summary:
It's the first day of school at prestigious Solstice High. Seniors Matt, Rochelle, Daphne and Jonas each have a big surprise waiting for them. When the four friends undergo a freak accident, they begin to develop superhuman abilities and come to realize that all is not as it seems within the bleak walls of their high school. While dealing with the day-to-day challenges of being teenagers, they must also confront their sinister principal, Mr. Devlin, who seems to have more than just education on his agenda.


My Review: 

What a breathe of fresh air Solstice High was the book the writing & the characters were all just that good I thought I would not enjoy this read but boy was I ever wrong.In Solstice High you meet four best friends with very different personalities who personally in my eyes would not really be part of the same clique in high school. We have The Jock of all traits Jonas hes the one who is always thinking on his feet. Rochelle Queen B she rules the hallways, The Fabulous! Matt yes hes that Fabulous & The Emo Daphne anger is her solitude.One day they all get trapped in the schools locker room and end up exposed to some weird gas that gives them super abilities. While coming to terms with their new found powers secrets and lies come into play they learn that the school head honcho a.k.a. The Principal is no who he really seems to be & he is the one behind all the weirdness going on. His plan is to build an army of teens with super powers that he can control!  
(I know this book would make an ah-amazing TV-show). So now these four once typical teens have to embrace their new powers & fight the wannabe-be mad scientist trying to take over the world with his army of teens. 


Now as many of you know Fantasy for me is 25% outta 100% that I will end up enjoying it. But I have noticed I really enjoy, Fantasy more on a TV screen but with Solstice High I never felt like I was reading that genre . The other thing I loved was in this book was real lifestyles that these teens live in this day in age things that were  brought to light smoking, drinking, sleeping around and doing drugs. But the one that really sticks out is all the talk about suicide it really played up all sides of the topic some people would truly disagree with me as this not being a good thing but I think it was it helps people understand all the real consequences that come with suicide.Its true this book is really aimed at teens but as YA book I believe it can help an adult who reads YA understand todays youth and the stuff they have to deal with  mind you Solstice High is still a light read fun read even with all the seriousness. 


My Final Thoughts: 

Pick up a copy even if your not sure just pick it up cause you would be quiet surprised just like I was. I am really glad I was sent a copy of this book for read & review as it has become one of m faves this year so far.