YA Fantasy
The Cobbogoth Series Review + #Giveaway!
Uncovering Cobbogoth
Cobbogoth Series
Book #1
Hannah L. Clark
Norah Lukens needs to uncover the truth about the fabled lost city of Cobbogoth. After her archaeologist uncle’s murder, Norah is asked to translate his old research journal for evidence and discovers that his murder was a cover-up for something far more sinister.
When she turns to neighbor and only friend James Riley for help, she realizes that not only is their bitter-sweet past haunting her every step, but James is keeping dangerous secrets. Can Norah discover what they are before it’s too late to share her own.
My Take:
5 Quills
The Lemorian Crest
Cobbogoth Series
Book #2
Hannah L. Clark
After being raised from infancy in Boston, Mass., Noria (a.k.a Norah Lukens) has no idea what to expect upon entering New Cobbogoth, where she never would have guessed that paths of light can make you vanish; doors can lead to realms both near and far; myths and legends are actual history; a mere kiss can seal two souls as one; and, of course, a stone is never “just a stone.” Her Uncle Jack’s stories never could have prepared her for the magical and dangerous place her native realm is turning out to be.
When the Gihara’s promises begin to crumble, her best friend and soul-mate Jamus (a.k.a. James Riley) is in more danger than ever. Then when his father Lylend abandons her to search for an ancient relic called The Lemorian Crest and she is taken captive by the very people she’s risked everything to save, Noria begins to lose faith in the Cobbogothian gods and the mission they sent her home to accomplish.
Only when a series of new friendships and loyalties are forged in the most peculiar of places, does Noria dare hope again. Hope for Jamus’ safety, for their future together, and for the survival of the entire Cobbogothian race.
My Take:
I’m not sure how it is at all possible that this book is better than part 1, but it is. Once again I am in awe of the author’s ability to make me fall in love with a story and the characters involved. I had really high expectations for this book especially coming right off my high from book 1, but this threw those expectations right out of the water. It’s everything you would hope for from a sequel and so much more.
I was so happy to see the growth of these characters and witness and their transformations. This is truly a spectacular story. If I’m honest though, I was slightly worried that this book may fall flat. I was scared that while book one was an amazing high, that the author wouldn’t be able to follow through. I was scared that there would be too many inconsistencies and the story wouldn’t progress but all it did was pull me in. I’m definitely hooked on the series, I think the author is absolutely amazing, I am obsessed with these characters, and I cannot wait for book 3. I definitely need to know where the story is going to go, I need the resolution almost as much as Norah/Noria does!
About The Author
Hannah L. Clark lives with her husband and two children in the Rocky Mountains. She has always known she would be a storyteller. In 2006 she graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor’s degree in English and immediately began writing her first novel.Uncovering Cobbogoth was Clark’s first book in the seven book Cobbogoth series—a YA fantasy series based on her mythological brain-child, The Legend of the Cobbogothians. It was released in May 2014 through Cedar Fort Publishing. Book 2 in the series, The Lemorian Crest will be released in Summer 2015.
Clark loves running, mythology, singing while playing the guitar, herbal tea, escaping into imaginary worlds, and being with her peeps. Like her heroine Norah, she also kind of believes that trees might have souls, but must clarify that she has never hugged a tree. The closest she has ever come to that kind of bizarre behavior was the time she hugged the pillars outside Harry Potter Land. Which, all things considered, is not bizarre at all if one takes into account how exquisitely happy she was to finally be there.
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The Looking Glass Review + #Giveaway
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The Looking Glass
Jessica Arnold
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books
ISBN: 9781939765901
ASIN: B00HXZN0TS
Pages: 325
Goodreads Rating: 4.75
My Rating: 4.5
Book Description:
Find the diary, break the curse, step through The Looking Glass!
Fifteen-year-old Alice Montgomery wakes up in the lobby of the B&B where she has been vacationing with her family to a startling discovery: no one can see or hear her. The cheap desk lights have been replaced with gas lamps and the linoleum floor with hardwood and rich Oriental carpeting. Someone has replaced the artwork with eerie paintings of Elizabeth Blackwell, the insane actress and rumored witch who killed herself at the hotel in the 1880s. Alice watches from behind the looking glass where she is haunted by Elizabeth Blackwell. Trapped in the 19th-century version of the hotel, Alice must figure out a way to break Elizabeth’s curse—with the help of Elizabeth’s old diary and Tony, the son of a ghost hunter who is investigating the haunted B&B—before she becomes the inn’s next victim.
My Take On The Book:
This was a really interesting book. I find it funny, that I inadvertently picked a group of books to read and review, around the same time mind you, that all have similar topics… Death and the afterlife.
In this book you meet what your mislead into believing is a completely boring girl but you couldn’t be more wrong if you tried. Alice is a young girl struggling with insecurities many of us have faced but she definitely has a one up on us…she is trapped in a sort of limbo, neither dead nor alive. Her only way out is to break a curse or die within a week.
Its great tale, woven with all the aspects one might look for in a novel like this. You have a slew of endearing characters, frightening characters and of course, there is some romance. It is not a sweeping or all-consuming romance that burns; it’s more like an innocent first love kinda of romance. The romance is so sweet you might find yourself with a toothache 😉
4.5 Quills
This is the first I’ve heard of this author but based on the writing in this book, I look forward to reading more. I loved this story and the characters that were introduced. It was dark but not so dark that you might find yourself having nightmares lol. If I had to compare this book with another like it I’m not sure I’d be able to come up with a title. The closest in terms of darkness and being trapped would be ‘Untethered’ and ‘A Stranger with My Face’; but mind you, this book has nothing to do with astral projection. Give it a read and decide for yourself.
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | The Book Depository | IndieBound
About The Author
Jessica Arnold writes YA, codes ebooks, and is currently a graduate student in publishing at Emerson College in Boston. She spends most of her time in class or work or slogging through the homework swamp. If she has a spare moment, she’s always up for a round of Boggle. Given the opportunity, Jessica will pontificate at length on the virtues of the serial comma, when and where to use an en dash, and why the semicolon is the best punctuation mark pretty much ever.
Author Links:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
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Four (4) winners will receive an ebook copy of The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold (INT)
One (1) winner will receive an ebook copy of The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold AND a $10 Amazon Gift Card or B&N Gift Card – Winner’s Choice (INT)
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Dragon Fire Review + Giveaway
Dragon Fire
(Book #1)
Dina von Lowenkraft
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: August 5, 2013 (ebook)
December 15, 2013 (paperback)
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
ISBN: 978-1606192917
ASIN: B00ECNEZ6G
Pages: 353
Goodreads Rating: 4.29
My Rating: 4.5
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Book Description:
Some choices are hard to live with.
But some choices will kill you.
When seventeen-year-old Anna first meets Rakan in her hometown north of the Arctic Circle, she is attracted to the pulsing energy that surrounds him. Unaware that he is a shapeshifting dragon, Anna is drawn into a murderous cycle of revenge that pits Rakan and his clan against her best friend June.
Torn between his forbidden relationship with Anna, punishable by death, and restoring his family’s honor by killing June, Rakan must decide what is right. And what is worth living – or dying – for.
My Take On The Book:
Wow! I really enjoyed this book, more than I expected to. To be honest, I was a bit lost at first while reading this, there is a lot of back story and I got lost in translation. I felt like there was more to the story and we as readers might have just been plopped into it. The writing style was also different, between the abrupt POV changes and the lingo you can find yourself confused if you don’t slow down.
But fear not, once you get into the swing of things, it’s easy to follow and all is answered with time and patience. And this intriguing book is worth the wait! It’s a beautiful story of love, loss and betrayal.
The Great (Pros):
- Mythology. I loved the lavish descriptions, the dragon mythology and the different types of dragons. They were woven together so perfectly and serve to place you into the beautiful a mysterious world. I also happened to love the non-dragon beings (I can’t delve into that, it would totally ruin the mystery)
- Romance. While it was there and helped to drive the story onwards, it was written in a way that wasn’t overbearing or overindulgent. I loved Anna and Rakan/Pemba! They were well matched I also loved the romance between Dvara/Dawa and T’eng Sten/Torsten there was a lot of unbridled passion there.
- Mystery and Intrigue. One of the reasons I kept turning the page was my need to know what the hell was going on.
- The Cover.It’s just so darn beautiful. It’s exactly how I pictured Anna as I read this.
- The Ending.While it falls a bit on the predictable side, it was done well and it answers most of your questions.
The Not So Great (Cons):
- The Ending. Lol I know I have this as a pro but it is also a con. While many answers were given at the end of this story…You get a whole new lot of questions and a few lingering ones. This book also ends in an open ended fashion. It’s set up with the intent of a sequel BUT nowhere does it say this is a series, a duology or a trilogy.
- Ingrid. Anna’s mom. She just rubbed me the wrong way. I hated reading about her, and more to the point I hate writing about her. I didn’t like how she treated Anna or how she revered her slimy boyfriend Ulf. She doesn’t come off as a loving mother, only an insecure woman who nags and whines. I was literally left feeling as if Anna was some sort of nuisance to her.
- Descriptions. While most of the story is beautifully and intricately woven, there are a couple of moments where that all gets muddled up.
4.5 Quills
All in all this story was beautiful and sensual and very intriguing. Chapter by chapter you’re sucked into this magical world of dragons and mythical creatures. It’s a lovely and enthralling book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance, fantasy and dragons.
About The Author
Born in the US, Dina von Lowenkraft has lived on 4 continents, worked as a graphic artist for television and as a consultant in the fashion industry. Somewhere between New York and Paris she picked up an MBA and a black belt. Dina is currently the Regional Advisor for SCBWI Belgium, where she lives with her husband, two children and three horses.
http://www.dinavonlowenkraft.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dina-von-Lowenkraft/551209381555837
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123641.Dina_von_Lowenkraft
https://twitter.com/vonlowenkraft
http://pinterest.com/vonlowenkraft/
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10 E-book Copies (INT)
2 Print Copies (US Only)
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Book Blitz: More by T.M. Franklin Excerpt & Giveaway!
Ava Michaels used to think she was special.
As a child, she fantasized about having magical powers . . . making things happen. But Ava grew up and eventually accepted the fact that her childish dreams were just that, and maybe a normal life wasn’t so bad after all.
Now a young college student, Ava meets Caleb Foster, a brilliant and mysterious man who’s supposed to help her pass Physics, but in reality has another mission in mind. What he shows Ava challenges her view of the world, shaking it to its very core.
Because Caleb isn’t quite what he seems. In fact, he’s not entirely human, and he’s not the only one.
Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bound to protect humans, but only after protecting their own secrets—secrets they fear Ava may expose. Fighting to survive, Ava soon learns she’s not actually normal . . . she’s not even just special.
She’s a little bit more.
Check out the FREE short story!
Excerpt From More by T.M. Franklin
“Okay,” Ava said. “Now what?”
Caleb pulled out his phone, tapping away on it.
“Wait a second,” Ava said, stilling his hand. “Is it safe to use a cell phone? Can’t it be traced?”
Caleb shook his head. “Not this one.” He glanced up at her. “Do you have one?”
Ava pulled her phone out of her backpack, and Caleb cursed under his breath.
“It’s not on,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter.” He grabbed the phone. “I could take out the battery, but they’d still know this was our last location.” Caleb thought for a moment then grabbed Ava’s hand, turning to walk quickly down the block.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
Caleb pointed to a Greyhound sign across the street. They walked into the small bus station, coming to a stop in front of the departures board. “Wait here,” he said after a moment, glancing around the station before heading out the back door. Ava paced nervously, her eyes darting around, before she took a seat on one of the hard plastic chairs. Caleb returned a few minutes later, motioning for her to join him as he walked back out the front entrance.
“What was that all about?” Ava asked with an irritated wave of her hand.
“Couldn’t risk leaving it here in town, even if we took the battery out,” Caleb said. “We’ve been monitoring your movements for quite some time. It’s good that you turned it off, but even then, it’s not impossible to track. I put it on a bus to New York, just in case.”
“New York?”
Caleb nodded. “It leaves in a few minutes. With any luck, it’ll throw them off the trail. At least long enough for us to get to the safe house.” He looked back down at his phone and pulled out a small piece of paper from his jacket pocket.
“What are you doing?”
“The location is encoded. I just have to figure out . . .” He looked back and forth between the paper and phone for a moment, and Ava leaned in, scanning the strange combination of symbols, letters, and numbers.
She tried to make sense of it, biting her lip as she leaned in a bit closer. Caleb’s breath ruffled the hair at her temple, and Ava stiffened, suddenly very aware of how close they were standing. She swallowed thickly, fighting the urge to jump back like a frightened kitten.
Then—so slightly that she thought she might have imagined it—Caleb’s breath hitched. A prickle of awareness ran along Ava’s skin, her heart thudding heavily in her chest, and she stepped back purposefully, looking away down the street.
What in the world was that?
– MORE, Chapter 9
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Adventures in Ink (Reviews) 