Author: Ambrosia

Musing Monday 5/6/13

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

 

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

For those who asked about last week..No I do not get a *ton* of water damaged books. But the last year I have had more then usual because my youngest cat who is just now over a year old.. Loves to dump anything that is liquid to play with. Sadly I tend to read with a drink if I go to use the restroom..ect well there it goes. Now onto this weeks muse.

I am rather angry at my Kindle currently. Perfectly fine was in the middle of a good book and then I set it down to use the rest room and do some things. I come back and it has frozen itself on the ad page. I try all the trouble shooting and of course none of it works. They will be replacing it (amazon) but still. Not very happy I was in the middle of a book and now I have to take all my books off it because some of them were from net galley and not Amazon so not in my amazon library. Yup…Kindle has fallen down in my brownie points book.

Book Review Book Tour: Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

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Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

How can love mend a heart full of hate?

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers. While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly’s life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor. Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings.

Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful, romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, unimaginable danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.

PRAISE

“The novel’s take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans.” – Kirkus Reviews

“I expected a good love story with a paranormal twist. I got so much more. I think you should take the chance and read it. Let this book take you on the adventure, fall in love.” – Young Adult and Teen Readers

“Fields of Elysium is a fabulous read. … Whelan paints her faith into the fabric of her story with deft, light brushstrokes, making her work accessible to all, no matter their spiritual beliefs or background.” – Readers Favorite

“I escaped into this fantasy world, author, A.B.Whelan, created and I didn’t want Molly to go. From detailed descriptions, to sweet romance, and to all the twist and turns in the story, it had me captivated from page one.” – Mary Ting, author of the Crossroads Saga

“Whelan’s writing is very vivid and descriptive. It’s more formal than the average YA novel, but I enjoyed the lyrical and mesmerizing quality to it. I thought the overall story read like a fairy tale–very sweet.” – Megan Thomason, author of Daynight

Author A.B. Whelan

A.B.Whelan is a Hungarian born, American writer. She currently lives with her husband and two children in Southern California.
While growing up in a wealthy Eastern European family, she had a chance to travel Europe. Later as an adult, she visited Africa and the Middle East and lived in Ecuador and in Crete.

 

My Review:

Okay so the first thing I have to say about this one is I really dislike that Kirkus makes the broad statement that fans of Twilight will like this one. It is not like Twilight At all. Not even a little bit. That said..that is Kirkus and not the book itself. So the book itself.

Fields of Elysium is a very enjoyable romp in the world of paranormal romance. Molly the main character discovers a wormhole that takes her to another planet and while she is there she meets a group of teenage boys. The time on the planet of Arkana passes 5 times faster then it does on earth so Molly can go between the two worlds and not seem to be gone to long from Earth at all. The story reads well and it is obvious that most of the characters are very well thought out and well developed.

The only reason this book does not get a 5 gem review from me is because I think that Molly and Victor switched feelings for each other way to fast. First they instantly hate one another and then they love one another. It goes a little to fast and could have used a little more detail. Otherwise the book was enjoyable and I would recommend it as a good entertaining and fast read.

My Gemstone Rating:

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foe blog tour giveawaysBlog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

A gift bag of one signed copy of Fields of Elysium, a scrabble-tile pendant on a necklace, and a fridge magnet

Ends 5/15/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://www.iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Cover Reveal: Working It Out by Rachel Renee Anderson

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Author Rachael Renee Anderson

Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She’s the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Working It Out
A chance encounter . . . 
Grace Warren’s life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.

A chance for love . . .  
Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace’s rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he’s every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there’s something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he’s everything she’s sure she doesn’t want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she’s willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

Giveaway Details
Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/31/13

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Book Review: Widow of Gettysburg by: Jocelyn Green

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For all who have suffered great loss of heart, home, health or family; true home and genuine lasting love can be found.

When a horrific battle rips through Gettysburg, the farm of Union widow Liberty Holloway is disfigured into a Confederate field hospital, bringing her face to face with unspeakable suffering-and a Confederate scout who awakens her long dormant heart.

But when the scout doesn’t die she discovers he isn’t who he claims to be .

While Liberty’s future crumbles as her home is destroyed, the past comes rushing back to Bella, a former slave and Liberty’s hired help, when she finds herself surrounded by Southern soldiers, one of whom knows the secret that would place Liberty in danger if revealed.

In the wake of shattered homes and bodies, Liberty and Bella struggle to pick up the pieces the battle has left behind. Will Liberty be defined by the tragedy in her life, or will she find a way to triumph over it?

The Civil war was a trying time for all of those involved in it. Liberty is a widow who thought she would be able to move forward with her life with her plan and after the war. Sadly that does not happen for her. I did enjoy this book although parts of it dragged a little bit and a few times I just wanted to shake a few of the charters. Overall though it was a very enjoyable book. I feel if your someone who enjoys historical titles you will enjoy this one.

My Gemstone Rating:

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Teaser Tuesday 4/30/13

- Ambrosia 1 Comment

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

For another long moment he kept staring at her, skeptically. She stood with resignation, arms at her sides, head high so he could scrutinize the suddenly alien face. ~ pg 189 Revenge of the Rose by Nicole Galland

Musing 4/29/13

- Ambrosia 4 Comments

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

 

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

My muse today is, what do you do with a book that has been water damaged? I will usually read it if I have not been then I look at it. I know that I can not trade it out on paperback swap as I do most of my books. I do not want to donate them to the library or goodwill either because they are well damaged. I tend to end up using them for art projects. So what do you do with your Water Damage books?

Book Review: One more kiss by Mary S. Blayney

- Ambrosia Leave a comment


Release Date: April 30th 2013

Mary Blayney, the acclaimed author of Courtesan’s Kiss, returns to the Pennistan family with this new historical romance—the delectable story of a free-spirited beauty with no interest in marriage who gets more than she bargained for when a seductive kiss leads to the possibility of love.

Dispatched by their ambitious father to snag a titled husband, Beatrice Brent and her twin sister, Cecilia, attend a house party with an array of eligible gentlemen. Defiantly ignoring her father’s wishes, Beatrice flirts shamelessly with Lord Jessup Pennistan, a gamer with scandal in his past—and the one man her father has warned her against. But when flirting goes too far, Beatrice suddenly finds herself engaged and, worse, estranged from her family. Though convinced that her fianc�’s wicked ways will bring nothing but heartache, Beatrice is powerless against Jess’s masterful seduction and the anticipated delights of the marriage bed.

A gambling man who has lost more than his family is willing to forgive him for, Jess quickly realizes that compromising Beatrice was the best mistake he ever made. But to keep her he must right the wrongs of the past, reclaim his lost fortunes, and place the boldest wager of his life. For now he has everything to win . . . and everything to lose.

Well the first thing that came to my mind when I started reading this book was that I am going to need to go back and read the other 4! When I got it I did not know it was part of a series. At any rate it really does actually stand alone very well and you can get a good feel of the characters without having to worry about having missed to much of the past interactions.

Jess is by far my favorite character. A loyal, heroic and wonderful cut of a regency man who has a bad wrap because he allowed his reputation to take a hit to help a childhood friend. The twins are also enjoyable and boy little Cecelia turns into something I would not expect at the very end. A great fun and entertaining read. It is fast and fun!

My Gemstone Rating:

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Book Review: Girls and Monsters by Anne Michaud

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Release Date: April 30th 2013

This dark but uplifting collection of five Young Adult novellas includes:

Death Song: Liz is in love with Joe, but the monster of the lake has other plans for them.

Black Dog: Scarlet is engaged in a struggle for her sanity, but according to the voice in her head, she may be too late.

A Blue Story: When Katherine’s beloved dog goes missing, she fears her strange new neighbor might be involved.

Dust Bunnies: Christiane faces her childhood arachnophobia and ends up confronting even greater fears in this test of sisterhood.

We Left at Night: Brooke and her family must abandon their home and their lives to make it out of a disease-plagued town overrun by zombies.

Girls & Monsters is for everyone who has ever been brave enough to confront their childhood fears…and lived to tell about it.

Overall this book was just okay. Several of the stories just kind of lacked for me, We left at Night and Death Song for me stick out as the ones that just kind of sat there for me. However I really enjoyed A Blue Story and Dust Bunnies was a fast section to read. It is not a terrible book I think a little refining and it would be a really good book. But it is not a great book either. If you like Angsty stuff that has little monsters here and there you will like most of it at least.

My Gemstone Rating:

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Book Review: Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

Heiress of one empire and prisoner of another, it is up to the daughter of Cleopatra to save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers…

To Isis worshippers, Princess Selene and her twin brother Helios embody the divine celestial pair who will bring about a Golden Age. But when Selene’s parents are vanquished by Rome, her auspicious birth becomes a curse. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, the young messianic princess struggles for survival in a Roman court of intrigue. She can’t hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother’s dreams. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win-or die?

So those who know me best will know why I both loved..and tossed this book across the room several times (yes I mean you melda, Legolas..ect).

I am firmly Pro Antony and Cleopatra and Anti Octavian and I love to read about this period in time it feels like going home to me. Stephanie Dray introduces us to the children of Antony and Cleopatra just after Antony has killed himself and Cleopatra is not yet dead. An emotional ride by any stretch of things. We see this book and the events that happen through Selene’s eyes, she struggles, she blames her parents, she blames herself all of those things you would expect. But she does have her twin Helios and her younger brother to give her some sense of family still left. A sense of purpose.

I really did enjoy the book it got many of the historical facts completely correct down to the golden chains they were marched through the streets of Rome in. Many of the Egyptian traditions are spot on and everything. There is of course creative license taken on some parts. We can not possibly know what happened completely in those years because the winners write the stories not those who lost. I am looking forward to getting my hands on the next book in the series. Hopefully there will be less Octavian so I can more than happily give it a five. I know terrible reason to give this one a four but that is how much I truly dislike the guy. I do strongly recommend this read.

My Gemstone Rating:

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Teaser Tuesday 4/23/13

- Ambrosia 4 Comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“Cherries jubilee?” Fran repeated doubtfully. Cherries jubilee reminded her of fusty country club dining rooms, the sort which were always decorated in shades of Mauve and served the food buffet style, with carving stations were thick slices of chewy, flavorless roast beef were hacked off for each diner. ~ Table for Seven 2%

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