Freak of Nature (IFICS #1) by Julia Crane - Blog Stop + Giveaway

So I rarely do a blog tour for many reasons. Mostly because I don't like to be tied down to a book and made to feel like I absolutely have to read it by a certain time. One thing I really love about blogging is that I get to set my own pace and work on my own schedule. When I read about Freak of Nature, I decided to take a chance and read the book for the tour and I'm really glad I did.

Donate Body to Science. Check.

When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

*For mature teens due to some sexual content.

Freak of Nature is a quick and enjoyable read. It was my first Julia Crane book and I have to say, she's got a new fan! This was my second Cyborg novel and I was impressed. The only other story I've read is Cinder by Marissa Meyer. It's hard not to compare as Cinder was my favorite book of 2012, but the striking differences from Meyer's Cyborg tale made Freak of Nature even more enjoyable.

In this story, Kaitlyn is a weapon who hides her emotions from the scientists who created her. This contrasting aspect of the story really got me. In my Cinder, the main character worked to hide her Cyborg parts and worked to be more human to save herself. Kaitlyn had to put her human emotions out of view in the hopes of self preservation. A very cool and different take on the cyborg story.

I'm not usually one for alternating POVs but this story's take was very inventive and fun. If I had any complains about the book it would be that it was too short and I felt that it was only skimming the surface. I'm sure the books to come in the series will not disappoint and I can't wait to see what Crane puts out next for our characters.

8 out of 10 :)

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Updates from a busy blogger

As you've probably noticed, I've been a little M.I.A. recently. The reason being that there is a lot going on in my personal and professional life at the moment. Of course all of the goings on are good and exciting, but super, crazy, fantastically and unimaginably busy. After some time to reflect, I've decided to officially take some time off of blogging. Not indefinitely, but a little hiatus until I can get things straightened out.

Never fear, I will continue to read and keep up with all that is YA and romance, but I need to take the pressure off for a while. If I'm honest with myself, I know that I'm going to end up re-reading a few of my favorite series as the comfort food to my brain. I may or may not already be half way through Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone... may or may not be.

I have one more scheduled blog tour post to go up tomorrow that will still be posted, but after that, you can expect a little absence from me here at Abibliophobic.

Thank you for being patient and great readers and I'll get back to it as soon as I can control some of the wonderful chaos that is my life at the moment!

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Nightshade (Nightshade, #1) by Andrea Cremer - Review

I've been reading a lot of contemporary romances lately. I think that's mostly because I have been in what feels like controlled chaos at work and have had to travel and work late hours. I feel like I want to pull my hair out with stress for the past few weeks. Stressful ranting aside, it took me a long time to get through Nightshade amid my work schedule and recent addiction to romance, but I'm so happy I read it. Nightshade pulled me head first back into the world of YA fiction and I'm excited for all of the awesome books coming out this year.

Nightshade is not your average werewolf story. Cal has always had her life planned out for her, and she's accepted it. She's the alpha of her pack and she is set to marry Ren, the sexy alpha of another pack in town. Once they are united, the two alphas and the newly formed pack will continue to stand guard over the sacred land of their master's, the Keepers. Everything changes when Cal breaks the cardinal rule of their world and saves a human. From that point on, all bets are off and Cal begins to realize that her perfectly structured world may be a sham and she learns that she doesn't want to just be a sheep following the heard.

I really enjoyed this book because it was so different and inventive. It did take me a while to get through the story, mostly because there is a lot of world building and information gathering. Even the slower information dumping was made okay by a stellar group of characters and an even better plot.
 
Calla was a fantastic female lead. Her character's loyalty and fierceness really brought the plot home for me. In Nightshade, we see Cal change before our eyes. At the beginning of the story, she is at peace with her future and betrothal. She leads her pack with a subtle grace and firm hand, never questioning her orders. As the story progresses, Calla begins to learn more about her society and questions the ideals of both her forefathers and her masters. I loved seeing Cal become her own woman. It was so interesting to see a person so sure of herself go from a confident leader following the heard to a fierce rebel. It was such a different take on the werewolf myth and I couldn't get enough of her!

The boys were very swoon worthy in Nightshade. Now I'm all for love triangles, but for the most part, it's easy for me to decide who I want the leading lady to chose. Nightshde's leading men gave me a run for my money. On the one hand, I loved Ren. He was everything a typical dominant male lead should be. He's got a tough guy, harsh exterior with a sensitive personality. Lacking his usual confidence when it comes to his lady love. Shay on the other hand is extremely intelligent, a rebel with a cause and willing to risk it all for Calla. Even now, especially after the epic ending, I'm not sure who I like best. Cremer gets an "A" in the love triangle department.
 
Nightshade's plot was pure gold. It's not often that I read a truly unique YA plot line. Typical plots follow the lines of one particular vampire series or are easily predictable. Cremer's storyline is inventive, exciting and plays heavily on deeply constructed historical myth.While some parts of the story are a little slower as Cal an Shay dive deeper into the Keeper's histories, it is well worth it as we are pulled further and further into the deception of Cal's world. All of the world building is well worth it as readers make it to the emotional, violent and telling end of the story. Let me tell you... Nightshade ends with a bang.

If you're going to read a wereworlf novel, definitely start with Nightshade While it's pacing was a little off at times, it's a story full of passion, excitement, and it's so hard to put down.

8 out of 10

Happy Reading :)

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Breathe (Sea Breeze, #1) by Abbi Glines - Reivew

I was just thinking about how hard it is for me to write New Adult book sometimes reviews. I’m very rarely blown out of the water, but for the most part enjoy even the books that weren’t very well written. I’m a sucker for a good romance and so of course, I ended up really loving Breathe’s story. It was different, the concept was unique and the characters were easy to fall for.

Breathe tells the story of Sadie White whose mother is nothing like a mother should be. She’s beautiful, but she’s promiscuous and has found herself pregnant. While Sadie’s mother leaves everything up to Sadie when she’s not pregnant, it’s no surprise that with a child, she’s useless. Sadie is forced to end her summer vacation before it’s even begun and has had to start working as a servant in a mansion on an island in Sea Breeze, Alabama. Without realizing who she’s a servant for, Sadie starts her job only to find that she’s working in the most popular and sought after rock star of his age, Jax Stone. He takes an interest in Sadie and she soon finds her world is turned upside down as she gets to know the guy behind the guitar.

First and foremost, I want to get my biggest issue with this book out in the open. Insta-love. That’s right. Instant love happened in Breathe and it really threw me for a loop. I was disappointed! I love reading about the chase, but Sadie and Jax seem to jump into the “I love you’s” and “I can’t be without you’s” without really spending much time together. It was frustrating... I liked their characters, but this aspect of the plot almost made me stop reading.

Putting my insta-love issue aside, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were fun, I loved the idea that a young girl working for a living, meets and falls for the guy that every girl in America wants. It’s very Maid in Manhattan.

I also loved that the setting was in the South. I’m a Southern girl transplant living in the Northeast (what was I thinking...) and so I love reading those stories that have sweet guys that say “yes ma’am” and “ya’ll.” That’s what I grew up hearing and it’s comforting. Did I fall for a well mannered, southern gentleman in real life? Of course not, my guy is a Yank in every sense of the word. Loud, New York accent, Yankie’s fan... but the heart wants what the heart wants.

I’m cheating as I write this review because I’ve already flown through the 3 other books in the series and so I have to tell you now, it gets better. Oh man, do these books get better. The insta-love problem is no longer an issue in the books to come and they get steamy... oh boy, do they get steamy! It’s a good sign if I read 3 books in one weekend... and that’s what happened. I couldn’t read them fast enough.

Breathe was a quick, sweet read and got me excited for the Sea Breeze series as a whole. Abbi Glines has me in her sights and I don't think I'm going to be able to stop until I've read all her books.

7 out of 10

Happy Reading :)

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Waiting on Wednesday (15): Red by Alison Cherry

 

Happy Wednesday... thank god we're almost to Friday. It's been one of those weeks! As most of you know, this weekly meme is hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase those books that aren't released yet and you can't wait to get your hands on!
This week, I'm waiting on Red by Alison Cherry (October 8th, 2013)!

Felicity St. John has it all—loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And she’s right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is possible because of just one thing: her long, wavy, coppery red hair.

Having red hair is all that matters in Scarletville. Redheads hold all the power—and everybody knows it. That’s why Felicity is scared down to her roots when she receives an anonymous note:

I know your secret.

Because Felicity is a big fake. Her hair color comes straight out of a bottle. And if anyone discovered the truth, she’d be a social outcast faster than she could say "strawberry blond." Her mother would disown her, her friends would shun her, and her boyfriend would dump her. And forget about winning that pageant crown and the prize money that comes with it—money that would allow her to fulfill her dream of going to art school.

Felicity isn’t about to let someone blackmail her life away. But just how far is she willing to go to protect her red cred?

As a blonde who grew up in a world of red heads (Mom and brother are the cutest gingers around), I always wanted to have red hair. I even tried it once... it didn't suit me. But this concept seems really cool. I've read reveiws that it's a fun, lighter read and I'm really looking forward to reading it!

What are you looking forward to!?

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The Perfect Game (The Perfect Game, #1) by J. Sterling - Reveiw

I read The Perfect Game on a whim. It was a football Sunday and I didn’t want to sit and pretend that I was interested in what was going on, so I boycotted and bought myself a book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed The Perfect Game!

Cassie’s a Junior in College and she knows to stay away from bad boy and baseball stud Jack Carter. With girls all over him twenty four seven, she knows he’s bad news and she’s never even spoken to him. Jack begins to take an interest in Cassie when his little brother starts hanging out with Cassie’s best friend. After pursuing her, she finally concedes and goes out on a date with him. It’s then that Cassie see’s through the tough and promiscuous Jack into the troubled and vulnerable guy who just wants to be a baseball star. From there, their lives change as they fall in love and both begin to follow their dreams. But living out their dreams may be harder than they had imagined with having to live apart and a plot that may ruin them forever.

A lot happens in The Perfect Game. The books begins by spanning a few weeks at college, then moves to cover a few months while Jack is away playing in the minor leagues and finally a few more months as Cassie moves to New York to become a photographer. We have a lot of time to see both characters grow up and their relationship mature as well.

I liked the twist that happens in the story. It was very different from your typical romance. Normally, one person thinks someone is unfaithful and so they argue about trust and that’s the big problem in the relationship. Sterling takes it a step further and creates a real life situation where no one wins. I loved seeing how the characters worked through their inner demons to deal with the painful and heartbreaking possibility that they’ve ruined a chance at happiness in the future.

I read this book in one sitting and I felt happy and content at the end. It may have something to do with how heart stoppingly adorable Jack ends up being, but I think it was the book as a whole. It focused on a real relationship that really had it’s problems. Both Cassie and Jack have to work through their commitment and trust issues but they find themselves happy in the end.

The Perfect Game is a great feel good NA romance if you’re looking for a quick read!

7 out of 10

Happy Reading :)

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Everbound (Everneath, #2) by Brodi Ashton - Review

I have been waiting for this book ever since I read Everneath last year. I’m a huge fan of Greek myth retellings, especially the Persephone myth. I’ve been on a roll lately having just finished The Goddess Inheritance and I’m itching to start Josephine Angelini’s Dreamless soon as well. While it seemed like an endless wait, it was well worth it for Everbound.

In the second installment of the Everneath series, Nikki must convince Cole to take her down, back into the Everneath to save the thing she holds most dear to her heart. But it won’t be easy. Battling through the plains of the Everneath has Nikki battling sirens, psychological attacks, and the elements (on Greek steroids!). Fighting her way through the dark dangers of the Everneath is worth it if she can accomplish her goals but she has to figure out who she can trust first.

There are so many great things about this series and about this book in particular. I love Ashton’s retelling of this age old myth. In the second installment, the world of the Everneath and the Everlings that inhabit it seem more like they belong in the world of dystopian futures with a hint of Greek Mythology tied in. This aspect of the book brings a refreshing uniqueness to a myth that authors these days just can’t seem to stay away from.

The world building is spectacular.Ashton creates a world that’s detailed, but not overly so. I hate reading books where each and every little detail is outlined and as a reader, you start to get bored. In Everbound, the world is almost tangible. I love the incorporation of the different themes from Greek Myth. We see the Labyrinth and Sirens, we hear of the Elysian Fields and more. I fell into the Everneath right alongside Nikki and I was just as mesmerized as she was.

Everbound’spacing is spot on. From the start, Ashton has us diving straight into Nikki’s world on the surface and then into the underworld below. You will not be disappointed in with the action in this one as there is danger around every turn and even in those Nikki trusts most. I read this book in 2 sittings and it’s a book I will definitely be reading again as I anxiously await book 3!

It’s emotional... duh. This book is full of passion, despair, deceit and deep emotions. Of course, it’s the story of beings who quite literally feed off of powerful emotions so that’s to be expected. I am a hopeless romantic myself and a huge fan of Shakespearian and Greek tragedies. It’s probably why I like shows like The Vampire Diaries... I can’t get enough of the drama and Everbounddid not disappoint! Were you surprised, flabbergasted, devastated and all around outraged at the cliffhanger that Asthon left us with at the end of Everneath... be prepared for that emotional rollercoaster all over again folks. I think I may be dubbing Miss Brodi Ashton the queen of cliffhangers.

The Characters stick with you. I fell for each character in the series from Nikki, to Jack and even Cole. That’s right, I said it... Cole. I fell for him guys, even more than Jack. Those of you who have finished Everbound are probably cursing me to the Everneath, but I can’t help it. See the above paragraph about my attraction to drama. I’m a sucker for the bad boy with a protective side and emotional depth.

Overall, I’m even more sold on Ashton’s writing and the series as a whole after reading Everbound. It was so beautifully written and creatively constructed. It’s going to be a difficult wait for book 3!

10 out of 10

Happy Reading :)

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