Weekly Roundup (#6)

Another week has come and gone :) Time flies sometimes.... between tests and classes I didn't get the chance to read much last week.
However, I posted a few reviews and some other stuff.

Here's a little recap so you can visit all the post you missed last week.

See you next time :)

Week from: May 13th to May 19th.

REVIEWS.

• Harold the High Knight and Princess Megan by Micheal Andrisano
• Forbidden to Love by D.A. Wills

BLOG TOUR.

• Remember Dippy by Shirley Reva Vernick. (Review)

TRAILER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY.

• Runes by Ednah Walters

Blog Tour: Remember Dippy - Review

Welcome to a new blog tour.
Remember Dipy is a book writen by Shirley Reva Vernick. 
I have to thank the author and Books Complete me for the copy.

Remember Dippy by Shirley Reva Vernick
Published Date: May 2013
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
Genre: YA

The Story: Johnny's plans fly out the window when he finds out his single mother is leaving town for the summer. She has a breakthough job in upstate New York. He can live with his Aunt Collette but only on the condition that he "help out with" his autistic older cousin, Remember. Yup, you heard it right: Remember Dippy. That's his cousin's name—and Remember is a gawky awkward kid with some pretty strange habits, like repeating back almost everything Johnny says and spending hours glued to the weather channel. Johnny's premonitions of disaster appear at first to come to cringeworthy fruition, but when the two boys save a bully from drowning, salvage the pizzeria guy's romance, and share girl troubles, Johnny ends up having the summer of his life.


Purchase a copy:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble



About the Author:
Shirley Reva Vernick's debut novel The Blood Lie was named on the 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list from the American Library Association. It also received the Simon Wiesenthal Once Upon a World Children's Award and Sydney Taylor Honor Book Award. Shirley lives with her husband, two daughters, and two frisky dogs in western Massachusetts. 
In addition to running a popular storytelling website—storybee.org—Shirley has written for Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, national newspapers, and the publications of Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Boston universities.

GoodReads | Website

******

MY REVIEW.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars (Actually it would be 3.5/5)

Johnny is a fourteen-year-old boy who has to spend his summer taking care of his cousin Remember, a sixteen-year-old autistic boy who will teach him about friendship and seeing the world with different eyes.

This book is a fast read, with simple language story with two nice and likeable boys and good adventures.

Remember (yes, that’s his name) or Mem to friends, is just an incredible character. Not only is well built but his whole personality is awesome, one of the good things about him is that his condition of autistic person is not the main focus of the book. There are some passages that describe attitudes and behavior which are a clear evidence of him being autistic but there’s never a complete diagnosis, he is just a special kid.

Johnny at first seems like a selfish or self-center kid but you have to remember that here is a teenage boy who will stay all summer vacation at his aunt’s house, babysitting his older cousin. He is bit obnoxious at times but then again he is just a boy who wants to have fun. Luckily, he discovers a great friend a companion in Remember. I’m glad how things work out for them and how good and tolerant Johnny is with the different sides of Mem’s personality.

The story in general is entertaining and engaging, specially the dynamic between the two boys it what makes it interesting.

The rest of the secondary characters are ok, I like Johnny’s friends they are great kids and his aunt is a lovely lady. There is one character I didn’t like at all is Jo. Johnny is like in love with her but I don’t know why she ends up being a really annoying.

Overall, a nice YA with nice characters and a good plot.

Forbidden to Love - Review

I really liked this book.  I read it thank to NETGALLEY.
If you like mythology and love this one is for you.

Forbidden to Love 

by D.A. Wills 

The Gods Made Me. They Own Me. They Rule Me.

Well, they like to think they do.

Almost a year ago I was rejected and banished by Eros the God of Love. Now I've been forced by Eros to live a life of slavery in the mortal world completely forbidden to love anyone but him - unless I want pain, heartbreak and torture to feature heavily in my future.

My hatred for Eros is almost as strong as my desire to escape this life of loneliness, which is looking very unlikely. Until I see him, the auraless mortal, who steals my breath and burns my heart. Now I have to find a way to be with him even if that means losing everything I have and starting a war to end all worlds. Lucky for me this guys willing to kill to give me a life.

I may be forbidden to love but I'm determined to live.

ADD IT TO YOUR TBR-LIST: GOODREADS

BUY IT: AMAZON | B&N

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR: GOODREADS

******

MY REVIEW.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Acacia was created by Zeus to be Eros’ love interest. However, he doesn’t want her as well as he didn’t want her two sisters Amora and Allana. Now she pretends to be just another teenager going to high school while she matches people as part of her work as a love goddess.

A story about love and compromise, about fighting for what you think is right, about sacrifice and friendship. At first it is a really slow book, in my opinion, because we have a complete explanation of why the sisters were created, a description of the different gods and goddesses. All of which is done to create a more complete world where this story is set, I understand why it’s necessary but it was slow for my taste but once it was done the real story began.

Once Acacia set her eyes Josh the action comes to life. We witness a fast passing story where the love at first sight brings serious and almost deadly consequences. The action is electrifying, full of adrenaline and well written. One of my favorite parts was the Underworld, it is described in a way that really transport you to this terrible place and easy to imagine every creature and the emotion going through the characters.

Acacia is not likeable at first and it seems a bit annoying but once love knocks at her door I liked her a bit more. With passionate and deep feeling we see her falling in love and deciding to risk her life to be with her soul mate. I ended up liking her and wanting the best for her.

The whole Olympus gods is amazing, the author makes an excellent work creating people that looks and acts as more than mere humans. Despite the slow start, the rest of the story is perfect.

Overall, a great story despite its slow beginning. An exciting love story and gods to make things better. If you like sweet and fast romance you should read this one.

WARNING THE NEXT PART MIGHT CONTAIN SOME SPOLIERS.

It’s obvious that a sequel is on its ways and I expect that there we can find explanations to some unsolved business such as Luca. I was a little taken aback at first because Acacia is all over him without second thought but I’m not going to complain about him or their relationship because I can bet that the reason will be unveiled in the next book.

Harold the High Knight and Princess Megan - Review

Hope you all are having a wonderful Tuesday :) 
It's time for a new review, this time I have to thank the author for sending me a copy of his book.

 

Harold the High Knight and Princess Megan

by Micheal Andrisano 

A Beguiling Adventure in the World of Fairy... 

Things just haven't been the same for Harold and Megan since their father mysteriously disappeared. But one night, a ghostly visitor tells Harold that his father is being held captive by a mad gnome named Gagledormius, somewhere in Ireland. 

To find the lair of the mad gnome, Harold must solve a riddle. Harold loses all hope; he hates puzzles of all kinds. But a magical box that belonged to his father may hold a clue. When Harold relates his strange tale to his family, his mother refuses to believe it, and thinks Harold is making up stories to console him for the loss of his father. 

But Megan knows there's more to it. Against their mother's wishes, Harold and Megan turn to their classmates for help. But when nobody can solve the riddle, they must convince their mother that their father is in danger, and that they must travel to Ireland to seek the help of his relatives and friends.

Little do they know what awaits them on the Emerald Isle: the mad gnome is the enemy of fairy folk, and they receive some special help from the Mayor of the Leprechauns, as well as from a surprise visitor who appears when hope is lost. 

Will Harold and Megan find their father, and can they rescue him before time runs out? Follow them across the ocean and into a magical world as they explore the realm of enchantment.

ADD IT TO YOUR TBR-LIST: GOODREADS

BUY IT: AMAZON | B&N | OUTSKIRTSPRESS

 *******

MY REVIEW.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Harold the High Knight and Princess Megan is a juvenile story full of fantasy and sweet lessons. A brother and a sister, whose father has gone missing without any goodbyes or clues about his whereabouts, join forces to save him from an evil gnome.

The book presents two nice characters, a thirteen-year-old boy and a girl two years younger. They’re both unique and quite interesting. Harold seems a bit older at times but maybe because his father went away he has taken the role of the man of the house. His sister is really funny and likeable. Megan is actually really smart and despite her age she has a very relevant role in the story.

The story includes a lot of Irish folklore which is great because it brings magic and fantasy to life. I really enjoy all the mystery surrounding the gnomes, leprechauns, fairies because everything is well explained and used with great purpose.

The plot is good- it presents quite a solid world where fantasy seems possible and real. However, it’s not fully engaging and it loses rhythm at times because there are parts that could have been deleted to make the story move faster. And there were others of which I expect more and little was said.

It has sweet messages such as the importance of our families, working together and supporting each other. Also it includes friendship and first love.

I have to say that the book has a weird style, with justified paragraphs and the dialogues mixing with the narration which makes it difficult to read for moments. Other issue was that 2 or 3 times the book changes from Harold’s point of view to third person but it only happens for a few sentences.

Overall, this book is a good fantasy for young readers and adults who enjoy this type of book. It also has a few illustrations that make it prettier to the eye.

RUNES - Trailer reveal & Giveaway

Happy Monday! I hope you all have a great week. To star this new one I have the pleasure to host the trailer reveal for:

RUNES

by Ednah Walters

 

Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. 
The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her. 
Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run. 
Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. 
What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.

******

THE TRAILER.

 BUY THE BOOK:

• PRINT: AMAZON  
• Kindle (US): AMAZON
• Kindle (UK)
• Kindle (CA)
• Barnes&Noble
• Smashwords 

******

ABOUT EDNAH WALTERS

EDNAH WALTERS grew up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and dreaming of one day writing her own stories. She is a stay-at-home mother of five humans and two American short-hair cats (one of which has ADHD) and a husband. 
When she is not writing, she’s at the gym doing Zumba or doing things with her family, reading, traveling or online chatting with fans. Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. 
AWAKENED, the prequel was released by Pill Hill Press in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, will be released April 2013. 
She’s working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN. Ednah also writes New Adult paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series. She is presently working on book 2, IMMORTALS. Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. 
Since then she has published four more books in this series. She's presently working on book six. You can visit her online at www.ednahwalters.com or www.ebwalters.com.

Contact Ednah:

• Website
• Goodreads
• Facebook
• Twitter

THE GIVEAWAY!
This is for US mailing addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway