Book Review: Somewhere Only We Know by Cheyanne Young

Somewhere Only We Know
Author: Cheyanne Young
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: June 15, 2014
Review Source: CreateSpace

Sadie Bradford’s life is one anxiety attack after another. All she wants is to escape life's realities for the summer and hang out with her best friend Aaron. But her grandmother has other plans: Sadie will get a job. Sadie will do volunteer work. Sadie will make new friends - friends without brain injuries that make them forget everything...friends that aren’t Aaron.

While Sadie struggles to survive her anxiety with all these new changes, she finds an escape when she dreams herself into the beautiful world of Isola Fiona. It’s a place that cures memory loss and anxiety. It’s a place where she and Aaron can fall in love.

But after dragging Aaron along with her to her dream world, things take a turn. Every time they return home, Sadie’s anxiety is a little better but Aaron’s memory is still gone. And Isola Fiona may not be much of a dream after all. As Sadie realizes that Isola Fiona is as real as her anxiety, she rushes to change the course of fate and make things right, but she may be too late...

Somewhere Only We Know was a very unique and eye-opening read for me. Sadie, our main girl, suffers from severe anxiety. The only person she feels comfortable around is Aaron, her best friend, who happens to have short-term memory loss. Then Sadie discovers a dream world, Isola Fiona, where things can be better. Where mental illnesses can be cured. Feelings and memories are brought back in this dream world, but in the real world Aaron still doesn't seem to remember.

Like I said, this was a very unique read for me. It goes deeper into mental illnesses than I expected it too. I have a family member who suffers from anxiety and I never really understood it, but as this was an eye-opener, I think I could understand better now. I liked the story, but I loved the characters. They were extremely well developed. *hint* If you check out Cheyanne Young's website you can see where Somewhere Only We Know stemmed from and it is beautiful!

The characters made the book and I love that I had the opportunity to read a great book!

Release Day Blitz: Neverland by Shari Arnold + Giveaway

Welcome to the Release Day Blitz of Neverland for Shari Arnold. This blitz is hosted by Me, My Shelf, and I.

---

Neverland
Author: Shari Arnold
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Released: April 7, 2015
Publisher: CreateSpace

It’s been four months since seventeen-year-old Livy Cloud lost her younger sister, but she isn’t quite ready to move on with her life — not even close. She’d rather spend her time at the Seattle Children’s hospital, reading to the patients and holding onto memories of the sister who was everything to her and more.

But when she meets the mysterious and illusive Meyer she is drawn into a world of adventure, a world where questions abound.

Is she ready to live life without her sister? Or more importantly, is she brave enough to love again?

In this modern reimagining of Peter Pan, will Livy lose herself to Neverland or will she find what she’s been searching for?

---

Shari Arnold grew up in California and Utah but now resides in Connecticut, with her husband and two kids, where she finds it difficult to trust a beach without waves. She writes Young Adult fiction because it's her favorite. And occasionally she takes photographs.

1 Winner will get a $20 gift card Amazon and a signed copy of NEVERLAND.
Must be 13 + To Enter. Open to US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Blog Tour: Riddle Of Fate by Tania Johansson Review

Welcome to our stop on Riddle Of Fate tour for Tania Johansson. This tour is hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.

---

Riddle Of Fate
Author: Tania Johansson
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Released: May 28th 2014
Review Source: Blog Tour
  

Khaya’s life, a life the Order say was never meant to be, is thrown into turmoil when she discovers she has a second ability. The Company who employs people like her – with rare and special abilities – insists that having more than one inevitably leads down a dark spiral into madness. So they are watching and waiting, ready to terminate her at the first sign of trouble.

Now, on the run from the Company’s agents while trying to prove her sanity, Khaya realises they are not the only ones she should fear. Angels are working towards her demise as well.

The question that haunts her is this: What did she do that was terrible enough to elicit the wrath of angels? And can she trust the mysterious Derrin, or is he the cause of all her tribulations?

Khaya is living her life as normal as one can while using her power of foretelling. As she continues working for the company a new ability forms, and she then is hunted. Unsure why things are happening she goes on the run with the mysterious Derrin who knows more than he is letting on. Can they figure out how to fix this, or is she doomed to be terminated?

WOW!!!! This book!!! So fantastic! It started off and hooked me immediately. And from there it only got better and better. Honestly this book made me rethink how I've been rating books because I haven't felt this strongly about a book (other than the After Series) in a while. The storytelling was done so well, it's not first person but you feel as if it is. I absolutely loved this. I loved this because it allowed me to follow more characters, feel as if they were all the main character, and have many different stories-that were entwined with one another-to follow! Honestly, I wish so many books were written in this style.

The story---there were SO many twists and turns that I never expected to see coming. Although I mostly listened to this while stuck in traffic to and from work, but I feel as if that heightened my love for it. I'm not one to usually listen to books, but now that I have had this experience I only plan on listening to books from here on out! There were so many times when I thought that I knew exactly where the story was going and then it would flip on me. I found myself gasping often.

Johansson is a seasoned writer, and honestly I have no idea how I haven't picked up one of her previous books. She now has a fan in me! I plan on reading anything she has written or will write! So if you love stories about Angels, Poltergeists and people with special abilities then this book is especially for you.

---

I grew up in a small town called Ficksburg in South Africa and moved with my family to England aged fifteen.

I then completed my schooling through a correspondence course from South Africa. This challenging time taught me a lot of self-discipline and determination. Qualities that have been invaluable while writing my first novel.

In 2004 I started studying optometry at Aston University in Birmingham, UK and currently I live and work as an optician in Kent.

In 2008, I married my wonderful husband, Tor. He has been such an amazing support and wealth of internet wizardry from when I started writing through to designing a cover for Book of Remembrance, to publishing my book on amazon as well as setting up this website. I cannot thank him enough.

Reading has always been one of my passions. I have fond memories of trawling through the library aged five (yes I was a geek from a young age!). More recently, I found myself wondering about the process writers must go through to complete a novel. I started thinking about how they would go about planning out a story and keeping track of all the various aspects of it. Finally, I decided to try my theories out. I have not looked back since!

I started writing Book of Remembrance end of May 2011 and finished it in December 2011. Since then, I have self-published it as an e-book on amazon. I have also started writing the follow up novel, which is untitled at the moment

Book Review: A Time to Reap (The Legend of Carter Gabel #1) by Jonas Lee

A Time to Reap
The Legend of Carter Gabel #1
Author: Jonas Lee
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: July 2014
Review Source: Self Published, Createspace

Pemberton Academy is not just a school, it’s a gathering place for the children of the future that are afflicted with Temporal Displacement and Telepathy; in short, time travelers and mind readers who have been diagnosed with this “disease.” The Academy is not all as it seems after an explosion nearly takes one of its classmates, but not before Carter Gabel rescues her by using an unknown symptom related to his described illness. An unsanctioned group called the Program begins taking notice as the two classmates exhibit stronger abilities when they are together. Carter's sense of reality begins to unwind as he learns more about his estranged father's involvement with it all.

Carter will have to overcome the past of his father leaving, the present of an unknown adversary hunting him down and a future that seems to change with each decision he makes. He will have to learn who to trust out of the people in his life if he wants to conquer the looming notion that the government may be hunting him down because of his developing abilities.

It's not difficult to lure me in with a topic of "time traveling." Which is why I immediately took an interest in A Time To Reap. I'm glad to inform that I was not let down. I'm no time travel expert myself, but I love reading about different theories and different sciences people give it. And, yes, sometimes time traveling books are way too complicated and confusing. That is definitely not the case with this read though. The author, Jonas Lee, tackled the sensitive subject impressively. Time traveling in A Time to Reap isn't too sticky and doesn't make you as too many questions which makes the book very enjoyable. People have other abilities as well, which also helps keep you entertained! My only downfall is that I didn't quite feel a "connection" or relate to any character, but then again who is going to relate to a mind-reader or time traveler? LOL. And, although this book is set in the future, Carter's easy way of talking doesn't feel very dystopian. He says "crap-tastic" and "crapdamnit" for crying out loud! HA!

From page one I was all in. Carter's "voice" did it for me. He's such a cute and quirky character and really carries the story. Oh boy, and all the plot twists were definitely fun and had me mouth-opened, and shocked! I put the book down a few times to process the crazy information I had just learned. It's a book that takes you on an enjoyable and entertaining ride that's for sure!

Reading about time travel can be intimidating, but I can not stress enough how NOT confusing A Time to Reap is! Crapdamnit, go pick up this awesome little gem for yourself and see!

Book Blitz: Wishful Thinking | Elle Jefferson | Guest Post | Giveaway

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.