Book Shelf: The Protector Project by Jenna Lincoln

Teen soldier Mara de la Luz is about to find out what makes her so special that some would kidnap and kill her—and others, willingly die for her.

ENDLESS CARNAGE. ENDLESS QUESTIONS.

Mara is a 16-year-old soldier who’s spent years fighting a war that’s lasted generations. Wide-eyed children, some just turned thirteen, rarely survive their first fights despite her best efforts to train and lead them. What she thinks she wants is to uncover the root causes of the war between the Protectors and the masked Gaishan, maybe find a way to end it. But what she really wants is a future—for herself and the others—beyond the battlefield.

Then she’s injured in combat, and when an enemy fighter not only heals her wounds but reveals his face, she sees the promise of all she desires. This cunning teen Gaishan has answers to her questions, but first she must commit treason and travel beyond the boundaries of her world. She must brave a place where everything rests on the point of a blade: her loyalties, her friends, her heart.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

The Protector Project is Jenna Lincoln’s debut novel and is an intriguing tale of twists and turns that will draw you in and keep you guessing all the way through. 

Sixteen year old Mara de la Luz is a Protector; a soldier who has spent years training, fighting and battling against her people’s sworn enemy, the Gaishan. Fierce, brave and determined, Mara is the leader of her cohort and content to continue the battle against the masked Gaishan, even though secretly she would love more from life. Yet when an injury on the battlefield sees Mara saved by an enemy solider, Mara soon begins to discover that not everything is as it seems and the truth is going to change her life forever………

Heading into The Protector Project I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The premise sounded interesting, if not mysterious and I found myself intrigued to discover just what was going on; something that remained the same throughout the entire story. The Protector Project was a delightful blend of simplistic living and advanced technology that really highlights the different societies existing in The Protector Project.

The world within The Protector Project really isn’t what is seems and as the main character Mara slowly comes to discover this, so too do we as the reader. This is one of those instances where as the reader, you only know as much, or as little, as the protagonist knows and as Mara begins to discover the truth about her world we discover alongside her. 

Personally I really liked Mara’s voice and the character Jennifer Lincoln wrote her to be. She has a lot of courage and ability, but she also managed to have personality. I enjoyed the innocence she had regarding a lot of the world around her and the childlike wonder she expressed as she learnt to do everyday things like read and write within the Gaishan world. 

Dalin is a great love interest, supporter, friend and somewhat savior to Mara in The Protector Project. Coming into the story as someone who saves Mara’s life, Dalin’s involvement is initially what forces Mara to see her world through different eyes and it’s with his help that she manages to leave behind her role in the project and discover unexpected truths.

There’s many different elements that make The Protector Project an enjoyable read and I’m impressed with what I’ve read so far. Fantasy, magic and nicely told battle scenes blend together with friendship, family and romance, and are all tied together and topped with mystery to create a debut that is sure to leave you ready for the next instalment!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review thanks to YA Bound Book Tours and author Jenner Lincoln (Thank you guys!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | The Book Depository
My Recommendation: Fans of good fantasy will enjoy this.
Cover: I don't think the cover necessarily does the book justice.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes. I look forward to reading more.

Waiting on Wednesday #111

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....  

Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

Releases on: January 26th 2016

Add on Goodreads!

 

Breezy remembers leaving the party, the warm, wet grass under her feet, her cheek still stinging from a slap to the face. But when she wakes up, scared and pulling dirt from her mouth, a year has passed and she can’t explain the necklace of bruises around her neck. She also can’t explain the man lying at her grave, dead from her touch.

Returning home seems impossible. Her parents and sisters have clearly grieved and struggled to move on, and Breezy can’t begin to answer their inevitable questions. Her heartbeat comes and goes, she doesn’t need to eat or drink, she can see the inky memories of murderers, and she can somehow pull on this dark guilt to kill them. Haunted by the happy memories from her life and disgusted by the half-dead creature she’s become, Breezy embarks on a reckless quest to find answers and a dangerous healing magic…but the cure is as dark and terrible as the disease.

Set in a gorgeous, terrifying world, Shallow Graves is a stunning novel about the heartbreaking trauma of a girl’s life cut short and her struggle to reconcile her humanity with the creature she’s become.

 

Thoughts:

Hmmmmm. This book sounds fantastic! I love the cover and the description has me eager to discover what Breezy is. My mind is already starting to conjure thoughts as to what that may be. Zombie? Vampire? Some mixture of both? Or something completely different? Whatever she is, I sure can't wait to find out.

 

Does Shallow Graves sound like something you would read?

Plus, what are you waiting on this week?

 

 

Book Shelf: For Wreck and Remnant (Secrets of Itlantis #4) by Kate Avery Ellison

Aemi has been captured by the Dron to be used as a pawn to bargain with Nautilus. Her friends are in peril, and she is frantic to escape and rejoin them.

But when the Dron take her to one of their cities for imprisonment, her chances of escape dwindle, and she must use her wits and persuasive skills if she is to try to convince the Dron to listen... especially Nol.


More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

For Wreck and Remnant is the fourth instalment in the Secrets of Itlantis series by Kate Avery Ellison and marks another exciting and highly enjoyable tale that goes to prove that this series just keeps getting better with every new chapter!

Picking up not far after the last book in the series left off, For Wreck and Remnant sees our herione Aemi once again a prisoner of the Dron. Cut off from her people and with Itlantis still reeling from it's latest attack by Nautilus's army, Aemi is unsure of what is in store for her, but knows she needs to find a way back to her family and friends. Hoping to convince the Dron to partner with the Itlantean's to take down their shared enemy of Nautilus, Aemi must make some tough decisions, and as it becomes clearer than ever that not everyone can be trusted, Aemi's only hope is if she can convince people who have nothing but hate for Itlantis to help save it.

Wow! Kate Avery Ellison never fails to captivate me with this series. Wonderfully written, Secrets of Itlantis is just a good solid read. Each instalment is exciting, action packed and addictive. The stakes continue to get higher and higher and Ellison manages to add a new layer of complexity to the storyline with every book. I can't fault the way Kate Avery Ellison paces, explores and develops this series and love the way different aspects of Aemi's life, Itlantis, Dron and above the sea worlds have all come together.

Aemi remains a strong and worthy heroine and continues to walk a dangerous line between political unease, threats on her life and outside war between different races of people. Lives are on the line and unbelievably, it all seems to sit on Aemi's shoulders, something the surprisingly strong young woman manages to handle well with her heart, emotions and capabilities all repeatedly put to the test!

I love all the characters we've met throughout the series for one reason or another and have loved seeing them compliment the storyline. Each minor character Aemi interacts with has a purpose and role to play and Kate Avery Ellison has them play it wonderfully. Namely there are a few standouts for me (*cough* Nol *cough*) but that doesn't mean each individual doesn't bring something wonderful to the series because they do. I'll be sad to see them all go after the final book.

With the danger Nautilus poses to the Itlanteans and the Dron stronger than ever, Aemi and her friends are preparing for the final battle and sees enemies become allies in an effort to stop the biggest threat to them all. Kate Avery Ellison has woven together a complicated history where Aemi is concerned throughout the series, and with revelations made with each novel Ellison appears to be prepared to reveal all and I for one can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve in the final novel, In Dawn and Darkness. I just know it's going to be epic!

Rating
Source: Sent for review by the author (Thank you Kate!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Recommendation: Fantasy fans will love this.
Cover: Pretty, but not my fave of the series so far.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: YES! Can't wait for the final book!

Owl Post # 74

Inspired by The Story Siren's In My Mailbox, Owl Post allows us bloggers to showcase the books we've bought, won or received throughout the week and is hosted by Brodie over at Eleusinian Mysteries. We all know that the Owl Post is the fastest way to send and receive mail and they certainly make me happy every time they drop a book off.  

Hello lovelies!

 

It's that time again and as always I have some fabulous books to share with you this week :)

  For Review:

From Bloomsbury: - Rule by Jay Crownover Sunkissed by Jenny McLachlan This is the 3rd book in The Ladybirds series and having read and reviewed the first two, I'm looking forward to reading this. It's sure to be really fun!   ......Thank you guys!   I Bought:

- Inspire by Cora Carmack As I'm sure you've realised by now that I'm a big Cora Carmack fan and this is the last book of hers I needed to get. Can't wait to read Inspire. It's her first paranormal novel :)   - Rule by Jay Crownover - Rome by Jay Crownover - Nash by Jay Crownover - Rowdy by Jay Crownover - Asa by Jay Crownover The Marked Men seems to be a very popular series and with Fictionally Yours just around the corner, now seemed like the perfect time to grab and start this series before I have the chance to meet Jay Crownover next month. I've heard some great things, so I'm looking forward to meeting these boys! Just need to wait for Jet to arrive now.....    

- My Demonic Ghost by Jacinta Maree - The Reapers by Jacinta Maree - Hunters and Creators by Jacinta Maree Yesterday I attended Oz Comic-Con and I had a brilliant time! While I was there I happened to stumbe upon Jacinta Maree and had to snag myself copies of her My Demonic Ghost series. It's always great to support Aussie talent and I look forward to diving into this series!
  And that's me this week! Lots of bookie goodness :D What did the owls bring YOU this week?  

 

Book Shelf: Sisters of Blood and Spirit (The Sisters of Blood and Spirit #1) by Kady Cross

Wren Noble is dead—she was born that way. Vibrant, unlike other dead things, she craves those rare moments when her twin sister allows her to step inside her body and experience the world of the living.

Lark Noble is alive but often feels she belongs in the muted Shadow Lands—the realm of the dead. Known as the crazy girl who talks to her dead sister, she doesn’t exactly fit in with the living, though a recent suicide attempt and time in a psych ward have proved to her she’s not ready to join her sister in the afterlife.

Now the guy who saved Lark’s life needs her to repay the favor. He and his friends have been marked for death by the malevolent spirit of a vicious and long-dead serial killer, and the twins—who should know better than to mess with the dead—may be their only hope of staying alive.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Sisters of Blood and Spirit is the first book in best-selling author Kady Cross’s new YA series and introduces her readers to a promising paranormal and ghostly new world.

Twin sisters Lark and Wren Noble couldn’t be more different. For starters one is blond, the other a redhead and both have very different personalities. Oh, and Lark is alive, whereas Wren….isn’t. Stillborn at birth, Wren has spent her entire life by her sister’s side, the only person who is able to see and interact with her as though she is a living, breathing human being. As a ghost, Wren is able to travel between the living world and the Shadow Lands, a place where ghosts dwell and exist. Lark has had a difficult life, made more so by the rumours that seem to follow her, branding her as crazy and insane for talking to her “imaginary” sister, but Lark wouldn’t give her sister up for the world. When Lark is approached by a group of teens from her school who have found themselves haunted by the spirit of a long dead serial killer, Wren and Lark must set out to stop the ghost from tormenting and torturing the kids further or risk someone ending up dead…… 

As someone who adores Cross’s Steampunk Chronicles, Sisters of Blood and Spirit was a novel I knew I had to read the moment I heard about its existence. While I wasn’t blown off my feet, I found Sisters of Blood and Spirit to be a promising and solid read. Cross features two very different sisters, with the novel detailed through their varying POV’s. 

Solidly written, Sisters of Blood and Spirit sets up a promising ghostly series and features an overall aura that will appeal to fans of Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers series as well as anyone who loves a good ghost busting mystery. 

Overall I did like both Wren and Lark. Lark was very guarded and self-protecting, but considering the reactions people had towards her, that really was understandable. Wren on the other side was a little softer, but also has a very dark side to her, courtesy of her ghostly nature. Both sisters are very different, but the thing that stood out most for me was the strong relationship between them. They would clearly do anything for each other and I loved how Cross managed to convey this within the story!

Sisters of Blood and Spirit is a bit of a ghost mystery and ghost busting type read, with Lark unafraid to take ghosts head on and delve into the hauntings happening to her classmates. Though she is reluctant to help in the beginning, Lark quickly becomes determined to bring the responsible ghost to justice; even if it means going ghostbuster on his ass!

The teenagers Lark and Wren help; Mason, Roxi, Ben, Kevin, Sarah and all proved to be potential friends to Lark and Wren with romances between Lark and Ben and Wren and Kevin beginning. Personally I kinda found the romance between Lark and Ben was unnecessary and I didn’t really feel the connection between. Not when there was Mace. Though he is with Sarah, I felt like he and Lark had a real connection and I liked the dynamic between them. Though Lark is interested in Ben, and he her, I’m interested to see what Cross does with Lark and Mace as I feel they have real possibility.

Wren’s relationship with Kevin on the other hand has me scratching my head a bit. Though she is a ghost, Kevin being a medium makes him one of the only people besides Lark who can hear, and occasionally see Wren. They seemed really sweet and I thought they both cared for one another, but something Kevin does at the end of the book has left me feeling disheartened with them. Obviously they have more than their shares of obstacles in their way but surely Kevin didn’t have to do what he did….

Sisters of Blood and Spirit appears to be a great new series and if the first novel is anything to go by Kady Cross has big plans in store for Lark and Wren and I for once can’t wait to find out what they are!

Rating:
Source: Purchased by me from Big W
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: If you like ghostly tales you will enjoy this
Cover: This cover is stunning!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes. I would like to read more.

Book Tour: Playing the Player by Lisa Brown Roberts Excerpt & Giveaway

Today I'm taking part in the Blog Tour for Playing the Player by Lisa Brown Roberts thanks to YA Bound Book Tours! Yesterday I posted my 5 star review and today I've got a couple of excerpts and the tour wide giveaway to share with you :)

___________________________________

The Good Girl Vs. The Player
Round one begins...

Trina Clemons needed the money. Why else would she - the most organized, prepared student in school - spend the summer as a nanny and partner with the biggest slacker ever? Now she's ready to tackle nannyhood with her big binder of research and schedules. Just don't ask her about the secret job of "fixing" the bad habits of a certain high school player...

Slade Edmunds prefers easy hook-ups, and Trina is definitely not his type. She's all structure and rules, while Slade wants to just have fun. Fortunately, Trina has no idea about the bet Slade made with his best friend that he can totally get her to unwind by the end of summer...

Then the weirdest thing happens. There's chemistry. A lot of it.
But nothing gets between a boy and a girl like a big, fat secret...

Add on Goodreads or check out my 5 star review!

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

 

From Playing the Player.....

Excerpt 1:
His grin was disgustingly sexy, even when he rolled his eyes. “I feel sorry for your future husband. You should come with a warning label stamped on your forehead.”

Anger flared in my chest. “You need a warning label, too,” I shot back. He cocked an eyebrow, still grinning.

“Yeah? What would mine say?”

Warning: Player. Slacker. Smartass. Lazy. Sexy. Wait, what? “Never mind,” I muttered.


Excerpt 2:
Girls never reacted like that around me. Was that why I couldn't stop thinking about her? Because she wasn’t interested in me? Or was it something else? One thing was for sure, the more she pulled away, the more I wanted to pull her close. Some how she'd gone from being weird little Bird Brain to this impossible-to-catch fairy, flitting in and out of my life and driving me crazy with the desire to catch her. And figure out her secrets, because she had a few. I was pretty sure about that.

 

Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn't recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life's painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way.

Her almost forever home is Colorado, though she occasion ally pines for the days when she lived within walking distance of the Pacific Ocean. Her house is full of books, boys, several four- legged prima donnas, and lots of laughter.

Visit Lisa:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Shelf: Playing the Player by Lisa Brown Roberts

The Good Girl Vs. The Player
Round one begins...


Trina Clemons needed the money. Why else would she - the most organized, prepared student in school - spend the summer as a nanny and partner with the biggest slacker ever? Now she's ready to tackle nannyhood with her big binder of research and schedules. Just don't ask her about the secret job of "fixing" the bad habits of a certain high school player...

Slade Edmunds prefers easy hook-ups, and Trina is definitely not his type. She's all structure and rules, while Slade wants to just have fun. Fortunately, Trina has no idea about the bet Slade made with his best friend that he can totally get her to unwind by the end of summer...

Then the weirdest thing happens. There's chemistry. A lot of it.
But nothing gets between a boy and a girl like a big, fat secret...

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Playing the Player by Lisa Brown Roberts is a fun, sweet and entertaining romance that is the perfect way to kill an afternoon with it's enjoyable storyline, endearing characters and fantastic chemistry.

Trina Clemons is ready for a summer of baby sitting. She's organized, prepared and has a plan for whatever may come her way. Or she did.....until she's asked to partner with one of the biggest playboys and slackers her high school has to offer. The money's good, but secretly mentoring someone who never takes anything seriously and seems like a lost cause isn't something Trina is prepared for at all; no matter what schedules, contingencies and plans she has filed away in her trusty binder of tricks.

For Slade Edmunds letting people assume has often been easier than proving them wrong. So what if he prefers easy hook-ups and letting people think they know him? He's only looking for fun and isn't hurting anyone. Taking on a job as a nanny for some cute little kids may be just the way to prove to his parents he's not the airhead they think he is, but Slade certainly isn't expecting his uptight partner to be more intriguing than anything he's ever experienced. And when Trina and Slade suddenly find the sparks flying between them, both soon realize that sometimes people really aren't what you expect and love isn't something you can prepare for......

Heading to Playing the Player I was looking for a fun, easy read and while that's definitely what I found, I also wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did. Playing the Player really does hook you straight away and I found myself flying through the nove. The talented, and wholesome way Lisa Brown Roberts develops the story is perfect and made it easy to devour in one sitting.

Both Trina and Slade were fabulous characters and Lisa Brown Roberts develops their relationship in a sensational manner. There's chemistry, fire and flair between them, and as these two opposites attract, it was wonderful seeing how well they complimented, supported and helped better the other. Lisa Brown Roberts pens some fabulous dialogue and banter between Trina and Slade and supports them with a great cast of characters, from their parents, their respective best friends Leah and Alex, and the two little cuties they babysit, Gillian and Max!

Honestly, there isn't anything about this story I can fault. Brown Roberts builds Trina and Slade's romance on a great base of developed friendship that simmers with sweet attraction. Props go to her for making me really care about her characters and also having the chance to see them build to something over time, rather than jump straight in. Oh, and I loved the friendship and absolute acceptance between Slade and his best friend Alex, who is as gay as they come. Slade accepted Alex completely and never questioned who he was once---you don't see enough of their kinds of best friends as far as I'm concerned. in YA literature.

Well told, with great characters and a wonderful romance, Playing the Player is a great easy read by Lisa Brown Roberts that left me satisfied and happy for the characters and their endearing relationship. Definitely recommend if you're looking for something light, fun and oh, so good!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review thanks to YA Bound Book Tours and Entangled Publishing (Thanks guys!)
Format: Kindle via Netgalley
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks
My Recommendation: This is really fun YA and I recommend if you want something sweet, but full of romance
Cover: It does seem simple, but it feels fresh
Will I read sequel/continue with series: This is a stand alone novel, but I'd definitely read more by Lisa Brown Roberts or revisit the characters if I ever had the chance.