Blog tours
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Blog tour: Aether Ones by Wendi Coffman-Porter
Title: Aether Ones
Author: Wendi Coffman-Porter
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Brown Books Publishing Group
Publication date: 13th October 2020
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Summary:
“Leilani Falconi is a top agent for the Imperial Investigative Service, tasked with policing the veil between two realities. Long ago, the Great Sundering tore the universe into two mirrored halves; aether space, which progressed using magical energy or eldrich, and kuldain, which advanced via electromagnetic technology.
But now a series of suspicious deaths stretching back more than a decade has the agent trapped directly between secretive bureaucracies and their peoples. If she can’t solve the mysterious crimes in time, existence as she knows it could erupt into chaos.”
My review:
Aether Ones features a set of intriguing characters and a universe with limitless possibilities. Friends often become foes as fights break out in an attempt to solve unusual crimes. This upbeat pace and constant change in setting at the beginning showed promise for the rest of the book.
The main character, Leilani, is feisty and courageous and the perfect example of how a strong female lead can sometimes be enough even without the addition of minor characters. My main concern throughout the book was the huge mix of other more minor characters and I often found it difficult to understand how characters were related to each other.
The science fiction elements in Aether Ones are at times too ambitious and it felt like the author struggled to fit all the descriptions of the settings into the book. Despite the commendable effort I was sometimes lost and could not understand where one setting was in relation to another. However, the narrative for each setting was original and interesting and I was absorbed by the intensity and imagery of the world building.
Aether Ones has the potential for a sequel, especially with its impressive and original world building. I would have preferred to see less characters and a deeper focus on only a few of the species and worlds. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining read and a book which transported me to a fascinating and vivid universe.
Many thanks to Dave at TheWriteReads for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Aether Ones is now out to buy!
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Blog tour: Bad Habits by Flynn Meaney
Title: Bad Habits
Author: Flynn Meaney
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: 11th February 2021
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“Alex is a rebel from the tip of her purple fauxhawk to the toes of her biker boots. She’s tried everything she can think of to get expelled from her strict Catholic boarding school. Nothing has worked so far – but now, Alex has a new plan.
Tired of the sexism she sees in every corner of St Mary’s, Alex decides to stage the school’s first ever production of The Vagina Monologues. Which is going to be a challenge, as no one else at St Mary’s can even bear to say the word ‘vagina’ out loud . . .”My review:
Bad Habits is set in a Catholic boarding school with traditional values and features a set of fun and outgoing characters keen to make a difference to the way certain taboo topics such as sexuality and sexual health is perceived. With a fun undertone and witty comebacks, it showed a lot of promise from the start and I was keen to find out how these topics will be developed, especially through the actions of the main character, Alex.
The most noteworthy aspect of Bad Habits for me was the character development. Each character started out with their own perceptions and beliefs on how The Vagina Monologues should be produced and this gradually changed throughout the course of the book to allow for wider appreciation and outside of the box thinking without removing the feminist aspect. Alex’s character stood out the most and her constant perseverance to produce The Vagina Monologues was noteworthy and admirable. However, I especially liked seeing the progress in Mary Kate from shy and reserved to assertive and more outgoing.
The writing in Bad Habits is crisp and entertaining and several of the slapstick encounters at the school made me laugh out loud. There were a few cringe worthy moments but they were overshadowed by the witty dialogue and key focus on the important subject matter. The lively and engaging style of the writing fitted the plot and character development well and kept my interest until the end.
I would highly recommend Bad Habits to readers interested in feminism discussed in an unusual setting and anyone looking for a fun and charming read.
Many thanks to Dave at TheWriteReads for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Bad Habits is now out to buy!
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Blog tour: The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
Title: The Cousins
Author: Karen M. McManus
Genre: Young Adult Thriller
Publication date: 3rd December 2020
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised . . . and curious.
Their parents are all clear on one point–not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious–and dark–their family’s past is.
The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over–and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.”
My review:
The Cousins is set in Mildred Story’s fancy resort on Gull Cove Island. Rumours have roamed on the island about the reasons Mildred disowned her children twenty-five years ago however the reasons are still unknown. When Mildred’s three grandchildren receive a surprising letter inviting them to work at the resort during their summer break, everyone is keen to understand why she made contact after so many years and if there is something sinister behind her actions.
Family drama and tension is at the center of The Cousins and a big chunk of the first half of the book focuses on the three cousins trying to under the relationship between their parents and their grandmother. The messy family dynamic was at times difficult to follow, especially as there were many characters introduced in both timelines however once I learnt the relationship between the characters it became easier to discern.
I often struggle with YA Thrillers as the plot is usually too oversimplified however there was plenty of action in The Cousins. The twists were unexpected and the ending quite unpredictable. The alternating chapters from 1996 to now allowed for progression of both storylines and created an ever increasing tension as more secrets were revealed.
Although there were some moments which made me cringe, The Cousins was overall both engaging and enjoyable. It felt like there were many paths the plot could take but I was ultimately satisfied with the ending and outcome. It was a quick read for me and I can see many readers speeding through it.
Many thanks to Dave at TheWriteReads for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Cousins will be out to buy on 1st December 2020!
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Blog tour: As the Stars Fall by Steve N Lee
Title: As the Stars Fall
Author: Steve N Lee
Genre: Fiction
Publication date: 25th August 2020
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
A desperate dog. A scarred girl. A bond nothing can break.
When a young girl suffering with her own tragedy comes across an injured young dog, she can’t resist helping him. Both having braved the worst the world had to throw at them, the pair quickly form an unbreakable bond. They picture their future as an endless stream of adventures filled with love, laughter, and good times.
But life has one last cruel trick to play…
At one moment heart-warming, the next heart-breaking, this is the story of a devoted dog’s roller coaster journey to be the one thing every good dog dreams of being — a best friend. Through a touching tale, As The Stars Fall explores how compassion can make us whole again and friendship can heal even the most broken of hearts.
If you crave a story of love and loss, of compassion and belonging, of friendship that knows no bounds, you need to read As The Stars Fall.
My review:
As the Stars Fall explores the myriad of emotions when dog and human meet and the special bond that is formed through the eyes of Kai, an injured homeless puppy rescued by a kind girl and her dad. Stories like this are always heartfelt and touching however what made this story truly special was witnessing the exciting and strange sounds, smells and feelings from a dog’s perspective. Details such as the scents in Mia and Dad’s house and finding happiness in the small things at home were original and entertaining. I especially enjoyed seeing Kai progressing from a scared and nervous young puppy to a confident and happy companion to Mia and the friendship that transpired was truly unique.
The characters in As the Stars Fall each have their quirks. I particularly adored the way Mia and Dad’s relationship developed through the years and the special role that Kai played in transforming it. Naturally, Mia and Kai became close friends from the start but it was delightful to see how much joy Kai brought to Mia’s life during the difficult period she was experiencing and likewise, Mia rescued Kai from a life threatening situation to only bring him up to be a cheerful and lively dog.
The story line traces many of the main milestones in a dog’s life but also reveals other less significant moments such as times when he is left home alone which allowed the reader to form an even deeper connection. By the end I almost felt as if Kai was my dog and I was completely immersed in the story. This is largely due to the coherent and emphatic writing and natural flow between chapters. The style was fitting without being too formal or unnatural for a dog’s voice.
I adored As the Stars Fall and was completely captivated by Kai and his adventures. I thank the author for providing this book at a very opportune time as I have always wanted a dog and have been considering making it a reality over the past few months and this book offered a different perspective. I highly recommend this book to any dog lovers or readers who love a brilliant story with realistic characters.
Many thanks to the author for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
As the Stars Fall is out to buy now!
About the author:
Apart from animals and writing, Steve’s passion is travel. He’s visited 58 countries and enjoyed some amazing experiences, including cage-diving with great white sharks, sparring with a monk at a Shaolin temple, and watching a turtle lay eggs on a moonlit beach. He’s explored Machu Picchu, Pompeii, and the Great Wall of China, yet for all that, he’s a man of simple tastes — give him an egg sandwich and the TV remote control, and he’ll be happy for hours!
He lives in the North of England with his partner, Ania, and two black cats who graciously allow Steve and Ania to stay in their house.
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Blog tour: Catalyst by Tracy Richardson
Title: Catalyst
Author: Tracy Richardson
Genre: YA Science Fiction / Fantasy
Publication date: 2nd June 2020
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Summary:
“Marcie is spending her summer working on the archeological dig that her mother runs: Angel Mounds, a site of an ancient indigenous civilization. Soon after she arrives, she meet some intriguing individuals, and becomes wrapped up in a supernaturally-charged mission to save the planet from the destruction man has brought upon itself.
Marcie Horton has a sixth sense. Not in the “I see dead people” way, but . . . well, maybe a little. She feels a sort of knowing about certain things that can’t be explained-an intuition that goes beyond the normal. Then there was that one summer four years ago, when she connected with a long-departed spirit . . . But nothing that incredible has happened to Marcie since.
This summer, Marcie is spending time working at Angel Mounds, the archeological dig her mother heads, along with her brother, Eric, and his girlfriend, Renee. The dig is the site of an ancient indigenous civilization, and things immediately shift into the paranormal when Marcie and her teammates meet Lorraine and Zeke. The two mysterious dig assistants reveal their abilities to access the Universal Energy Field with their minds-something Marcie knows only vaguely that her brother has also had experience with. Marcie learns how our planet will disintegrate if action is not taken, and she and her team must decide if they are brave enough to help Lorraine and Zeke in their plan to save Mother Earth, her resources, and her history. It looks like the summer just got a lot more interesting.“My review:
Catalyst follows Marcie, a young girl spending the summer at an archaeological dig. As such, the setting was well constructed and different to what I expected. There was some insight into the archaeological aspect which I found interesting and would have preferred a deeper focus on this even though I realise that it isn’t the main theme of the book.
The author tackles the difficult subject matter of fracking and environmental change with enthusiasm and weaves it into the main story line with ease. However, it sometimes felt too superficial and hurried as the point of view bounced from character to character in an attempt to capture different opinions on this controversial subject.
The magic and fantasy elements were well incorporated and developed and I liked how the characters didn’t immediately warm to their newfound powers. However, I wish that these powers were explored at a greater level as by the end I still had many questions about how they work.
Catalyst brings an element of youthful fun with the romance and setting while also analysing several extensive topics. This has its positive side but it also seemed like there were too many factors to juggle in such a short space and by the end I felt like the author only briefly touched on some of these topics even though the character development was strong. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book and the author’s courage to highlight such a thought-provoking message.
Many thanks to Dave at TheWriteReads for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Catalyst is out to buy now!