Paperback Blog Tour: These Shallow Graves & Unforgiving

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These Shallow Graves
Author: Jennifer Donnelly 
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Mystery
Released: October 25th 2016
Publisher: Random House Delacorte

Set in gilded age New York, These Shallow Graves follows the story of Josephine Montfort, an American aristocrat. Jo lives a life of old-money ease. Not much is expected of her other than to look good and marry well. But when her father dies due to an accidental gunshot, the gilding on Jo’s world starts to tarnish. With the help of a handsome and brash reporter, and a young medical student who moonlights in the city morgue, Jo uncovers the truth behind her father’s death and learns that if you’re going to bury the past, you’d better bury it deep.

From Jennifer Donnelly, the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of A Northern Light and Revolution, comes THESE SHALLOW GRAVES, a thriller mystery about dark secrets, dirty truths, and the lengths to which people will go for love and revenge. From women’s rights to socioeconomic disparity, THESE SHALLOW GRAVES explores topics relevant to adults and teens of today. The paperback of THESE SHALLOW GRAVES goes on sale October 25, 2016.

Jennifer Donnelly is the author of three adult novels—The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose, and The Wild Rose—as well as the young adult novels Revolution and A Northern Light, winner of Britain’s prestigious Carnegie Medal, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature, and a Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award.

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Unforgiven
Fallen #5
Author: Lauren Kate
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: November 8th 2016
Publisher: Random House Delacorte

It’s the book FALLEN fans have been waiting for: Cam’s story, the brooding, bad-boy dark angel readers love.

High school can be hell.

Cam knows what it’s like to be haunted. He’s spent more time in Hell than any angel ever should. And his freshest Hell is high school, where Lilith, the girl he can’t stop loving, is serving out a punishment for his crimes.

Cam made a bet with Lucifer: he has fifteen days to convince the only girl who really matters to him to love him again. If he succeeds, Lilith will be allowed back into the world, and they can live their lives together. But if he fails…there’s a special place in Hell just for him.

Tick-tock.

Spread your wings and cry as bad boy dark angel Cam finally reveals his anguished heart in the epic new FALLEN novel, UNFORGIVEN.

Fans clamored for the story of brooding bad boy Cam, and now the diabolical, desirable foe takes center stage in UNFORGIVEN. Cam made a bet with Lucifer: he has fifteen days to convince the only girl who really matters to him to love him again. If he succeeds, Lilith will be allowed back into the world, and they can live their lives together. But if he fails . . . Hell is waiting. The paperback of UNFORGIVEN goes on sale November 8, 2016.

Lauren Kate’s series of star-crossed lovers has sold over 3.2 million copies in North America alone and has capturing the hearts and imaginations of readers all over the world, with rights sold in 33 countries. The major motion picture Fallen is currently in development, starring Jeremy Irvine and Addison Timlin.

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Feel Differently About After Time Has Passed

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

   Ten Books I Feel Differently About After Time Has Passed (This will be a mix of books that I loved less, loved more, complicated feelings, indifference, thought it was great in a genre until you became more well read in that genre etc.)

Book Review: Teardrop by Lauren Kate

Teardrop
Teardrop #1
Author: Lauren Kate
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Release Date: October 22nd 2013
Review Source: RT Conference
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Never, ever cry. . . . Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before.

But Ander doesn't know Eureka's darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance—a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth . . . and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined. From Lauren Kate comes an epic saga of heart-stopping romance, devastating secrets, and dark magic . . . a world where everything you love can be washed away.

Being I have never read any of Lauren Kate’s books I was very excited to give this book a whirl. I was not disappointed one bit. I am now a true fan of Lauren’s writing. The book had a magnificent flow to it.

We start off with the prologue, and it kind of gives us a hint of what happened to Miss Eureka Boudreaux’s past. It’s too bad she doesn’t remember any of it. Eureka Boudreaux is quite a mess. Her mother was killed in what everyone thought as an accident. A freak wave swept the car Eureka and her mother was in, right off of a bridge. Eureka lived but unfortunately her mother did not. They never recovered her mother’s body. Ever since the accident Eureka had been in a downward spiral. Who could blame her? I can’t imagine the loss of my mother. Eureka’s parents split when she was young; she remembers that night so well. She remembers crying and her mother slapped her so hard and told her to never cry. It was a vivid memory she remembered so well and ever since she has never cried. She has kept her sorrow, pain and fears all bottled up inside. Eureka now has a step-mother and two younger siblings. She doesn’t like her step-mother much but these days there is not much Eureka does like. She has been to numerous shrinks but always doesn’t respond well to them. The only friends that have stuck to Eureka’s side were Brooks and Cat. Everyone else thought of Eureka as a freak since the accident.

On her way to a track meet Eureka was at a stop sign and was rear-ended by a very mysterious boy, this is where we meet Ander. Eureka is from a small town where everybody knows everybody and nothing is really kept a secret but she has never seen Ander before. He was a beautiful sight; tall, muscular and had the most beautiful blue eyes Eureka has ever seen. But why hasn’t Eureka ever seen this boy around town? Surely she would remember him. Ander was the kind of boy you wouldn’t ever forget.

Before she knew it, it was time for the reading of her mother’s will. She left Eureka a locket that she wore every day and a book that was ancient, so ancient it was in a different language she had never seen before. Eureka found a physic to help her translate what the book says. In the meantime Eureka seems to be seeing Ander more and more and his appearances are making her very nervous. Was he stalking her? If so, why? When he was around Ander she felt this weird pull to him. What was going on??

In all, this book was amazing. I haven’t read something this exciting and brilliant in a while. It’s a long book but it never felt long while reading it. The mystery was captivating and kept me coming back for more. I am truly excited for the next in the series!!! I must now read every one of Lauren’s books. I loved her style and the flow of the book was perfection. Go on and pre-order this book, before you know it, October is upon us. 

Book Review: Rapture by Lauren Kate

Rapture
Fallen #4
Author: Lauren Kate
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Supernatural/Angles
Released: June 12th 2012
Review Source: Random House Children’s Books
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) RAPTURE, the fourth & final FALLEN novel, is the Lauren Kate book the world has been waiting for.

The sky is dark with wings. . . .

Like sand through an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past, they must find the place where the angels fell to earth.

Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again. Yet together they face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed.

And suddenly Luce knows what must happen. For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now is the only one that truly matters. In the fight for Luce, who will win?

The astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series. Heaven can’t wait any longer.

I am so in love with this book-with the entire series, really! The first book in the series, Fallen, was recommended to me by a very dear friend, so I knew I had to pick it up right away. It was one of those rare books that I have come back to time and again to visit these characters and their stories with the feeling that I am spending time with old friends. I had the honor of meeting Lauren Kate when she was touring to promote Torment in October 2010 and I told her that her books were up there with the Harry Potter series and Twilight Saga books for me. Yes, I love them THAT much. I guess I should inform you, in case you don't know me very well, that the Harry Potter series and The Twilight Saga books are my all time favorite series and i will never tire of re-reading them or listening to the audio books for them. I read a lot of books and I love a lot of books, but there are very few books that I take the time to re-read over and over again because I have made a connection with them for whatever reason.

I fell in love with Luce, Daniel, Cam, and the gang in Fallen. I love how each of them grew and changed in their own ways throughout the series. Torment was frustrating at times, and hard to get through since Daniel was absent for much of the book. Passion was my favorite up until Rapture, because I felt like I was accompanying Luce on her journey of discovery and finding herself and learning about her love for and with Daniel. In Rapture, Lauren takes it to a whole new level, though. I do strongly recommend you read the other books before this one, including Fallen in Love, or you will be completely lost and totally missing out on some awesome stories. The series starts with Fallen, followed by Torment, then Passion, Fallen in Love (book of short love stories), and finally Rapture.

Rapture picks up where Passion left off, but as I said I would read Fallen in Love right before Rapture, for the best flow of the storyline. Lauren has this way of writing that captivates me and I get completely lost in Luce's world. It is almost as if I become a part of this world--don't you just LOVE books that do that (and authors that are able to write amazingly awesome books that can make their readers feel this way)?!

We see our old friends, meet some new friends, find out who the true enemies are and more in this story. Luce and friends are in a battle against time to find the place where the angels fell to the earth, before Lucifer erases the past. Talk about pressure, huh?! Luce truly comes into her own in this book. I was proud of how she matured throughout the series. She really embraced her fate and was finally able to discover who she was and the pieces of her past started falling into place.

I will warn you, though, Lauren pulled out all the stops on this one. There is a war going on, and there are some violent parts, and sadly, we have to say goodbye to some of our beloved friends **tears**. I admit to going through a full range of emotions while reading this book (happy, sad, bawling, laughing, happy tears, rolling on the floor laughing, cringing...you get the picture). I admit that I cried through many parts of this book and had my jaw literally drop to the floor at a few others. Lots of twists and turns and some stuff I totally did not see coming!!!

I would give this book 10 trees if I could, I loved it THAT much! Such a perfect ending to this series that I love (so hard to see it end). The great thing about books, though, is that you can read them again and again-sort of like visiting an old friend. Loved this book SO SO much and I cannot wait to start the series over from the beginning and read it all the way to the end over and over again. You have to read these books!!!

Book Review: Passion

Passion
Fallen #3
Author: Lauren Kate
Pages: 420 Hardcover
Reading Level: YA
Published: June 14th 2011
Review Source: purchased
Available: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Borders

Summary: (from goodreads) "Every single lifetime, I'll choose you. Just as you have chosen me. Forever."

Luce would die for Daniel. And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . . .

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.

Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever.

5 Stars!!! While Passion was a different storyline than the previous two, I still loved it. It was great to read about so many of Luce and Dnaiel's past lives. The best part of this book is the message that their love rises above all-even time.

I missed the character development of some of the other characters, but it was fun to see them in the past lives, too. One scene with Cam was absolutely heartbreaking.

Lauren sprinkled in some twists and turns, along with plenty of passion, in this book. Just to warn you-the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Enjoy!

Torment Book Review

Torment
Fallen #2
Author: Lauren Kate
Pages: 452 pgs
Reading Level: YA
Published: September 28th 2010

Torment starts off right where Fallen leave off. I found this installment in the series a bit slower than the first. I still really enjoyed it but it was lacking s bit of the action from the first. I'm thinking the reason why is because Lauren was building on the romance part in this book. The title given to this book is perfect because I feel that the characters were going thru it the whole time. There is something about this series I'm that hasn't completely won me over, I'm waiting for that moment where I just fall head over heels in love with it. This book I did understand better the Angels and the terms.

Luce and Daniel have a Romeo and Juliet of a love story that has spanned thru a lifetime and more, since Luce keeps dying in past lives and gets reincarnated and again Daniel and her find each other for the cycle to happen again. Except this time around she hasn't dies, Not yet at least. So Daniel and many others are doing everything they can to protect her, so they send her to a Nephilim school that is protected. Luce begins a new journey there and meets new friends and figures out new things she can do, but the whole time she keeps wondering why her. I will read the next book in the series Passion because I do like the series and I'm curious as to Luce's future.

Summary: Hell on earth. That's what it's like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel. It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts - immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students -Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. 

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn't told her everything. He's hiding something - something dangerous. What if Daniel's version of the past isn't actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else? The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series . . . where love never dies.

Fallen Book Review

Fallen
Fallen #1
Author: Lauren Kate
Pages: 452 pgs
Reading Level: YA
Published: December 8th 2009

Fallen started off a bit strange for me, I knew it dealt with Angels but I couldn't understand why the whole reform school thing. So of course that intrigued me even more. Then events start to unfold and now all you want to do is find out what's next. The whole time until the end I was kept wondering how things were turn out and who would be who. Lauren did a really good job with her writing and keeping me lost but in a good way.

Luce is our main gal who is sent to a reform school from a event she had happen in he rlife that has no explanation plus she really can't remember parts of it. Then once she begin her time at Sword & Cross boarding school we get to meet the rest of the students there. We meet Daniel and Cam, one wants nothing to do with Luce the other wants everything to do with her. Who will she pick and be drawn to. Only reading you will find out. I will be starting Torment tonight!

Summary: There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori. 

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move. 

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.