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This weeks question: Time for Book Spine Poetry again! Take a picture of your book spines spelling out something epic.
Oh boy, I hope I did this right, lol.
The Highlanders Touch
The Hobbit
Go Ask Alice
The Truth About Forever
Good Luck!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
~Pam
Image from Goodreads
Title: A Lot of Pride and Some Prejudice
Author: Petronela Ungureanu
Published: 2013 by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, LLC
Genre: Historical Romance, Novella
Purchase A Lot Of Pride And Some Prejudice from Amazon
Portia Thorpe grudgingly agrees to a marriage arranged by her father to Lord Salisbury. He is much older than her and she has no interest in him; she just decides to do it for her father’s sake. But Portia changes her mind when she meets Lord Salisbury’s brother, Phillip. She feels an instant attraction to him and decides to back out of the marriage. However, things don’t always go as planned as there is a sudden death in Portia’s family that turns all her plans around.
I was not expecting this book to be so wonderful. The flow of the sentences was just smooth and refreshing. I felt like I was thrown back in time. It was such a nice change from the contemporary romances and other books I’ve been reading lately.
One major issue was the grammar and editing mistakes. In one instance there were no quotes when someone was talking. I counted at least three times when people ‘took a sit’ instead of ‘took a seat.’ And I really don’t know if this was done on purpose or not, but the beginning was one huge paragraph.
One other thing that irked me was how quickly Portia fell for Phillip Salisbury. Her heart hurt a lot when she found out he was engaged. It is the fact that she only met him the day before that bothered me about that. Maybe if she had even spent a little more time with him it would have felt more justified. Or maybe I’m just not a love at first sight type of girl?
Besides the grammar and love at first sight issues, the only thing that I wish was different was that it was a little longer! It was a super-fast enjoyable read. If someone could go back and re edit, I think that would make a world of difference.
All in all, I definitely recommend. Keep an eye out for Petronela Ungureanu for she has a talent with words.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
~Pam
*****I received this book free from the author, in exchange for an honest review.*****
***Thanks to Rachel from Parajunkee for the blinky stars!***
Image from Goodreads
Title: Beyond Escape
Author: Deborah Jenson
Published: 2012 by Beaver’s Pond Press, Inc
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Purchase Beyond Escape from Amazon
Kim is finally divorced from her cheating husband after twenty years of marriage. The company she works for is closed for a month during Christmas, and she just feels the need to get away. So Kim goes to stay with her parents at their retirement community. While there, she meets Camilo, the landscaping boss. Camilo takes a deep interest in Kim, but Kim isn’t so quick to reciprocate. After all, she just went through a divorce, and Camilo is young enough to be her son.
Let me start off by saying that I didn’t finish this book. I read about half, so I feel like I did give it a fair chance. I guess we’ll start by the things that bothered me about this book.
First, Kim’s friend Connie has the last paragraph or page dedicated to her, from her point of view. It’s like having another story altogether. Now I only got halfway through, but I just wasn’t feeling it, nor saw the point of doing this other mini-story within a story. I guess I would cut it out altogether.
Secondly, Kim and Camilo’s conversations are so dry and scripted. There was nothing about their outings or conversations that excited me, which is too bad because I wanted to be excited for Kim. Basically, it just didn’t feel real.
Thirdly, there is a backstory going on about what happened to Kim’s ex-boyfriend. She is trying to figure out what really happened to him and caused his death, but the way it’s told to the reader is so boring; I really just couldn’t follow. It was more like a history of his life, and the way it was told just didn’t flow right in the book.
I say this a lot when I give a bad review, but I know it takes a lot for an author to write a book. There is so much that goes into it. So while this wasn’t my favorite book maybe it will be somebody else’s.
But for me, the only thing I liked about Beyond Escape was its ability to help put me to sleep.
My Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
~Pam
*****I received this book free from the author, in exchange for an honest review.*****
Title: The Cloud Seeders
Author: James Zerndt
Published: 2012 by James Zerndt
Genre: Dystopia
Purchase The Cloud Seeders from Amazon
Eighteen year old Thomas is currently the sole provider and guardian for his nine-year-old brother Dustin. They haven’t seen their parents in over a year. Both Dustin and Thomas work on water patrol as Officers of Sustainability. It hasn’t rained in a very long time, and water is so scarce that people get fined if they are misusing or using too much water. It’s Thomas’s job to find these people who misuse water. While Thomas doesn’t necessarily agree with what he does, it’s his way to provide for his small family and keep under the radar. His girlfriend, Jerusha, is a little more daring, living her life making recycled water and selling it on the black market. Together with Jerusha they go across country to find their parents. They find both friends and trouble along the way.
This book was surprisingly unique, unlike any other dystopian I’ve read. Glancing through other reviews some call it depressing, but isn’t all dystopia depressing?
Thomas is a strong character. Although he works for the government finding people who misuse water, he slyly gives them a break as well. One woman his brother and himself happened upon had eight offenses. Dustin, being only nine, got excited about this, because they get points for each ‘ticket’ they give and can trade them in for fresh water. Thomas, being older and wiser, sends his brother off and only gives the woman two tickets.
His girlfriend Jerusha is confident and daring. She knows what’s happening in the world is out of control. And she’s a great big sister-like figure to Dustin.
Throughout the book we get to read poems by Thomas’s mother and see some memories of her as well. One such memory is Thomas’s mom teaching him how to surf; he was sure that the wave was way too big. His mom laughed and said, “Oh, Thomas. The only limits are the ones you choose to see.” (page 78).
And another memory Thomas has,
I remember something Mom told us once. How the world is made up of two kinds of people: steak knives and butter knives. For the steak knives, life comes easy. They cut right through things without any trouble. For the butter knives, things are a little difficult, take a little longer. But eventually get the job done. (page 256)
I like his mom.
So although this book is a little dark it was a page turner and the ending doesn’t leave you sad. If you like dystopia, definitely give The Cloud Seeders a try.
My Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
~Pam
*****I received this book free from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for an honest review.*****
About the Author:
James Zerndt lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and son. His poetry has appeared in The Oregonian Newspaper, and his fiction has most recently appeared in Gray’s Sporting Journal and SWINK magazine. He rarely refers to himself in the third person.
His latest book is the YA scifi, The Cloud Seeders.
TWITTER * FACEBOOK * GOODREADS
***All images in this post were provided by Pump Up Your Book, as well as the wording for the ‘About the Author’ blurb***
Some people search their whole life for a connection — a reason to be here, and feel life in all of its intensity.. But what if you never wanted to experience that emotion? Jasper lived his life coldly determined never to fall in love. Some people impact your life in a moment, and will stay in your life forever from then on. What if an irresistible force crashes into you — not once, but twice, and from a totally unexpected source? Jasper must overcome past demons that are still plaguing him and his friends. He must face future choices he never knew he would have to make. Sexual chemistry can come in all forms. When the lines blur between friendship, love and lust, a new darkness finds its way into their lives. Either these relationships survive or die forever broken ……in The Broken Parts of Us
Image from Goodreads
Excerpt
Derek
Jasper’s nightmares, and the frantic call from River telling me Michael pushed her down the stairs; her sobbing cries telling me he was Danny’s, left me really not feeling up for company tonight.
Danny still haunts us after six long years. I would never change the family I ended up with from the rubble of Danny’s earth-shattering actions, but I’m so angry that they’re still suffering, and would give anything to take away the damage he inflicted.
People don’t realise trauma stays with you. It may fade, it may become easier to cope with, but it’s like scar tissue; it will always be there and no amount of healing can rid you of it.
Not all scars are visible. Sometimes the worst scars are the ones you can’t see; they’re the ones that hold your mind hostage in nightmares. They’re the ones that manipulate your emotions, making guilt crawl into your mind, polluting reasonable thought. Guilt can be so hard to live with; consuming and painful.
People think death is the worst thing that can happen but it’s not, it’s the living that other people have to go on doing once someone we love is taken from this world. It’s the what ifs that constantly replay in our minds. It’s the did they know I loved them? What would they be like if they were here now? How do I get up today and live with this agony?
The only thing that makes it slightly easier is having family to live for, to love, to get up and go on coping for. River has become like a sister to me. She fills a void left by my own sister; her death still plagues me and I feel responsible for her taking her life. River and I share this same grief. We are bonded by a shared misery; a painful sorrow that is a part of us.
Sammy has become like the brother I never had. We share a love for River, but also we are survivors. We have both looked the devil in the eye and lived to breathe another day.
Click here to purchase The Broken Parts Of Us from Amazon
Giveaway Terms & Conditions
***This is an erotica, so you must be 18 years old to enter
***This giveaway is provided and run by the author, so MoonlightReader is not responsible for this giveaway
***Wording for blurb, excerpt, and photo for giveaway were provided by the author***
