Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Blog Tour: The Last Dance by Kiki Hamilton (Spotlight + Giveaway)



Synopsis:

Two people couldn't be more opposite...

Kellen Peterson, the gorgeous star quarterback of the Griffin High football team, seems to have it all. Until the night of the Homecoming game, when Kellen gets tackled and suffers a traumatic brain injury - an injury that changes his life - including his ability to walk, talk and throw a football.

Ivy Ly is a senior and counting down the days until she can escape to college. Though her parents have big plans for her to be a doctor, Ivy is afraid to tell them she'd rather pursue music as a career.

Ivy's best friend, Mira, is obsessed with Kellen. When Ivy is asked to tutor the injured football player upon his return to school, she thinks it's the perfect opportunity for Mira to get to know him better - but sparks fly - in more ways than one... 

About the author…

Kiki Hamilton is the author of THE FAERIE RING fantasy series and the YA contemporary novel, THE LAST DANCE. She believes in magic and the idea of hidden worlds co-existing with our own. Kiki lives near Seattle, though she dreams of living in London one day. Visit her website at: www.kikihamilton.com.

Links:
    





Friday, July 19, 2013

Kindle Fire Giveaway

Kindle Summer

This is a joint AUTHOR and BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT!

Bloggers and Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HD 7".

Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway
The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)


Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)



Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)





Sponsoring Bloggers and Authors

  1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
  2. Feed Your Reader
  3. New Adult Addiction
  4. Jessabella Reads
  5. The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Somthing Year Old Girl
  6. Books Unhinged by StacyHgg
  7. S.A. Larsen - Writer's Ally
  8. Author Inger Iverson
  9. The Geeky Gamers
  10. annakyss
  11. Everyday Word Magic
  12. Candance's Book Blog
  13. Page Flipperz
  14. SMI Book Club
  15. Laurie Here
  16. Feed Your Fiction Addiction
  17. Phantasmic Reads
  18. The Book Bellas
  19. Please Don't Remove MarGreat's Glasses
  20. Author Jennifer Laurens
  21. J.C. Valentine
  22. Holly Hood
  23. Young Adult Novel Reader
  24. Author Heather Bixler
  25. Literary Meanderings
  26. Suspense Author Kim Cresswell
  27. Mother Daughter & Son Book Review
  28. Meredith's Musings
  29. Auggie Talk
  30. Author Camelia Miron Skiba
  31. Author Lena Sledge
  32. LoriTheAuthor
  33. Author Dianne Venetta
  34. Curling Up with A Good Book
  35. MyLadyWeb
  36. Fae Books
  37. Bea's Book Nook
  38. Girls with Books
  39. Ketch's Book Nook
  40. Turning Pages
  41. Bookhounds
  42. Karey White
  43. My Devotional Thoughts
  44. Author Talia Jager
  45. Author Helen Smith
  46. Sher A Hart: Written Art
  47. Author MK McClintock
  48. Word to Dreams
  49. Buku-Buku Didi
  50. Tasty Book Tours
  51. Readerlicious
  52. Romance Bookworm's Reviews

*Giveaway Details*

1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).

There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire.

Sponsor a future Kindle Fire Giveaway by signing up HERE.

Ends 8/15/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Blog Tour: King (Books of the Infinite #3) by R.J. Larson (Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway)



Published: 2013 (Bethany House)
Pages: 352
Rating: 4/5

Akabe of Siphra is certain his people are insane. 

Why have they made him a king? 
What, in the name of peacetime boredom do kings do?

Frustrated by a lengthy silence from his Creator, the Infinite, Akabe decides to prove himself as king by undertaking a monumental task, his own lifelong dream: Rebuild the Infinite’s temple in Siphra. 

But Akabe’s impulsive decision sweeps him into a storm of controversy. The Infinite’s enemies join forces in Siphra, and beyond, conspiring to destroy the emerging temple—and to kill their king and his mysterious new queen.


I don’t read much fantasy. That said, I’d never read any of the previous books in the Books of the Infinite series before (what is it with me reading the third books in series nowadays?! This has happened several times recently). In fact, I’d never even heard of any of the books. But when I heard about King and then got the chance to read it, I was definitely on board.

R.J. Larson did something that I don’t see done every often: She combined fantasy with Bible stories. And I absolutely loved it. At times the Biblical aspect was hard to make out, but at other parts the allegory was very clear. Aside from the Chronicles of Narnia (which, in my opinion, is more symbolic than allegorical), which other book series mixes Scripture with the fantasy genre? None that I can think of. I really enjoyed this aspect of King, and am eager to read the first two books (Prophet and Judge) to see how they follow this trend.

The entire story was very fast-paced. At times I even felt like it was too fast-paced. One page Akabe is looking for a wife, and the next page he’s married. Whoa! I would have liked to see some more character/relationship development happen, but it wasn’t crucial. I don’t really have the right to say anything about character development, as I picked up the third book without reading the first two. *sheepish grin*

Mentioning that, if you haven’t read the first two books, it’s very easy to pick up on what’s going on. I was confused at points, I will admit. But you can kind of figure out what’s happened before that led to the events that take place in this book. All in all, I really enjoyed King. It kept my attention and impressed me. I was very intrigued with the world in which Larson set her story (especially the mythical animals, like the destroyers and scalns!). I highly recommend this book to teen readers as well as mature middle grade readers (as long as they can handle some war action/violence).
Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*
Language: None
Violence: Moderate (battle action)
Sexual: None


Excerpt:


A hired servant brought cups, then filled them with juice from a metal pitcher beaded with moisture. They all waited until the king lifted his cup. Following his lead, they drank.
        Ela couldn't help draining her juice, despite its tartness. Let Tamri and Prill frown at her appalling manners—she was thirsty. Finished, she looked for the servant, but he’d vanished.
Beside her, little Barth grumbled, “Mine tastes sour.”
        Akabe grimaced at the pitcher left in their midst. “True. The aftertaste is bitter.”
        Aware of an unpleasant icy burning around her lips and down her throat, Ela flung aside her cup. “Majesty…!”
        She wrenched Barth’s half-empty cup from his small hands. He already looked sick.
        Matron Prill threw down her own cup and said the word Ela feared to voice.
        “Poison!”



Guest Post with R.J. Larson:

What are the differences in the writing processes of devotionals and fantasy? Was it a hard transition to go from writing womens' devotionals to writing fast-paced, action-packed fantasy novels?

The best devotionals relate to the reader on a friend-meeting-friend basis, never lecturing or preaching. Ideally, devotionals are short single-themed insights into our spiritual walks as humans dealing with the Lord, and devotionals are often arranged by topics in collections written by multiple authors. Sometimes an entire volume of devotionals is dedicated to a single theme: Marriage, a deeper walk with the Lord, raising children, or individual topics, such as grief or relationships.

By design, devotionals minister to their readers with a brief, vivid story—often drawn from the author’s own experience—and one verse that will remain with the reader as a life-application. Devotionals also finish with a brief prayer.

Despite their simplicity, devotionals do require research, particularly with regard to the Scriptural application and with any fact-checking if the story is referenced from another source.

By contrast, novels of any genre, can deal with multiple themes, and many verses from the Scriptures. For me, the transition from writing single-themed devotionals to the multi-layered busyness of fantasy novels was easy. I love complexity on every level in writing!

Details delight me, and the research is a joy. I also love mentally walking into my characters’ world and staying there. People fascinate me and often, it was difficult to restrain myself while writing devotionals. Quite often, I had to cut most of what I wrote in order to remain within the 300 or so words designated for most devotionals, so the big sprawling storylines allowed by my 90,000 word novels was no problem.

Now that I’ve finished writing KING, and after three-plus years of writing Biblical fantasy, my question to me is… Can I ever return to writing devotionals?

Hmm… Perhaps a collection of Biblical fantasy devotions is in order!

About the Author…

R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as Women’s Devotional Bible and Seasons of a Woman’s Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons. Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre.


Blog Tour: Ixeos Rebellion (Spotlight + Giveaway)



ixeos rebIxeos Rebellion

With rebel leader Darian free at last, the humans and outsiders on Ixeos must find a way to join forces and defeat the Firsts. The problem? All slaves are tracked with GPS, the Firsts are the only ones with power, and roving gangs hate the rebels just as much as they hate the aliens. As Darian and the outsiders from Earth travel the globe through the mysterious tunnels in Paris, they learn that the Firsts are preparing to launch another wave of biological warfare. With a transporter that will allow the aliens to target any city, anywhere on the planet, the rebels know they must stop them at all costs.

As things get more dangerous on Ixeos, the outsiders find that they're pushed to their limit. Will they fight for freedom, no matter the price?


Ixeos

The McClellands are enjoying a lazy summer vacation at the beach when they are lured from our world into Ixeos, an alternate Earth. Finding themselves lost in a maze of tunnels under Paris and surrounded by strangers, they discover that they have been brought to Ixeos for one purpose: to take the planet back from humanoid aliens who have claimed it. With the aid of the tunnels and a mysterious man named Landon, the teens travel the world seeking the key that will allow them to free Darian, the long-imprisoned rebel leader. But the aliens aren't the only problem on Ixeos -- the McClellands have to deal with brutal gangs, desperate junkies, and a world without power, where all the technology is owned by the aliens, and where most of the population has been killed or enslaved. The worst part? There's no way home.


About the Author...

Born and raised in Florida, Jennings Wright spent her early years reading anything she could get her hands on, when she wasn't spending time in and on the water. She won a prize in the 6th grade for her science fiction stories.

Jennings attended the University of Tampa, graduating with a B.A. in Political Science, and almost enough credits for B.A.s in both English and History. She attended graduate school at the University of West Florida, studying Psychology. She spent time over the years doing various kinds of business writing, editing, and teaching writing, but mostly having and raising her family, homeschooling her children, owning and running a business with her husband, and starting a non-profit.

Thanks to a crazy idea called NaNoWriMo Jennings got back into creative writing in 2011 and hasn't stopped since. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, also a business owner and writer, and two children, and travels extensively with her family, and her non-profit in Uganda.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #26

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.


Release date: December 10th, 2013 (Disney Hyperion)
Pages: 384

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they're worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other's arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder-would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won't be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.
[
Description from Amazon]


What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Leave a comment or link below.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Top Ten Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

1) Lisa Stasse. Loved her dystopian debut, The Forsaken.

2) Erynn Mangum. I’ll read anything she writes. I just wish she were better known in the book world!

3) Jenny B. Jones. So. Funny.

4) Evan Angler. Though I’m sure he’d rather keep his identity/location a secret from DOME. *wink* (Those who’ve read his bio will understand).

5) Lisa T. Bergren. Considering how amazing her Waterfall trilogy is, it’s ok to say that she’s severely in need of more recognition.

6) Ally Carter. I’m sorry, what is that I hear? There’s a Heist Society movie being planned? *sqeeeeeee*

7) Siri Mitchell. Let’s just say I nearly cried when I read Love’s Pursuit. No joke. And I wasn’t PMSing.

8) Julie Klassen. I love the historical fictions she weaves- I’ll read anything by her!

9) Deeanne Gist. Though I’m not a huge fan of some of her more recent books, I’ve always enjoyed her sweet yet edgy historical romances.

10) Catherine Fisher. Her Incarceron series is AMAZING. You definitely don’t want to miss it.

Share your Top Ten in the comments below!

Friday, July 12, 2013

Blog Tour: Anomaly by Krista McGee (Review + Giveaway)



Published: July 9th, 2013 (Thomas Nelson)
Pages: 336
Rating: 5/5

Thalli has fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds left to live. The toxic gas that will complete her annihilation is invading her bloodstream. But she is not afraid.
Decades before Thalli’s birth, the world ended in a nuclear war. But life went on deep underground, thanks to a handful of scientists known as The Ten. Since then, they have genetically engineered humans to be free from emotions in the hopes that war won’t threaten their lives again.
But Thalli was born with the ability to feel emotions and a sense of curiosity she can barely contain. She has survived so far thanks to her ability to hide those differences. But Thalli’s secret is discovered when she is overwhelmed by the emotion in an ancient piece of music.
She is quickly scheduled for annihilation, but her childhood friend, Berk, convinces The Ten to postpone her death and study her instead. While in the scientists’ Pod, Thalli and Berk form a dangerous alliance, one strictly forbidden by the constant surveillance in the pods.
As her life ticks away, she hears rumors of someone called the Designer—someone even more powerful than The Ten. What’s more, the parts of her that have always been an anomaly could in fact be part of a much larger plan. And the parts of her that she has always guarded could be the answer she’s been looking for all along.
Thalli must sort out what to believe and who she can trust, before her time runs out… [Description from Amazon]
When I first started Anomaly, I thought it was pretty typical of the dystopian genre. The language, the focus on and exaltation of science over everything else (other fields, religion, love, emotion, etc), and the theme of human ignorance and dependence on a higher power (which, in turn, ends up being evil, though that’s often obvious from the start). These are reoccurring themes in dystopian literature today. Anomaly included them all, which is why I initially labeled it as “typical.” I was soon contradicted in my opinion, though, as well as pleasantly surprised.

Typical as it may have seemed, Anomaly’s fantastic plot twists is what really did it for me. It doesn’t turn out how you think it will. And don’t try and refute that statement until you’ve read the very last page. Oh yeah. It’s one of those books. The ones that change everything with the last few sentences, leaving you breathless and stunned. But that’s all I’m saying. *seals lips and throws away key*

It was really easy to connect to Thalli, obviously, since she had the “ability” to feel emotions (this made her an anomaly). An emotionless character would be pretty hard to connect with. *wink* I liked the “robotic” language that Krista used (sparse use of contractions). This can be a typical aspect of a dystopian, but it worked well in this book. As far as Berk, he was good as a love interest, but I liked Stone better. I just did. But I don’t think Thalli and Stone are going to happen, for reasons I can’t disclose. Spoilers! (oh my word, total Doctor Who reference right there, for those of you who didn’t catch it)

I’ve never read any other books by Krista McGee, though I’ve heard her YA books and her Christian romances are fantastic. But she’d never ventured into the dystopian genre before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next in this series.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*
Language: None
Violence: None- Mild (human experimentation; not gory, no description)
Sexual: None- Mild (some kissing…or thoughts about kissing…or something like that)

About the Author…
Krista McGee’s passion to see teens excited about serving God is a driving force behind her novels. Ever since college when she spent a summer working at a youth camp, McGee knew she wanted to invest in teenagers. Since then she’s been involved in a variety of youth ministries and currently teaches at a Christian school in Tampa, FL.

McGee broke into the writing world during her time in Spain. A friend encouraged her to submit an article to a Christian girls’ magazine, and it got published. Once her family moved back to Tampa, she got the idea for her first novel, First Date, a modern take of the story of Esther. Her subsequent books, Starring Me and Right Where I Belong, are based on Rebekah and Ruth.

When Krista McGee isn’t living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher and coffee snob.

Connect with Krista:


***GIVEAWAY***
5 print copies of Anomaly, US only.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Blog Tour: Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols (Spotlight + Giveaway)

Release date: July 16th 2013
Publisher: MTV Books
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:
From the author of the “real page-turner” (SeventeenSuch a Rush comes an unforgettable new drama that follows friends-turned-lovers as they navigate the passions, heartbreaks, and intrigue of country music fame.
Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.

Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

About the Author…
Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written nine romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy MAJOR CRUSH, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama GOING TOO FAR, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Best, and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Simon & Schuster will debut her adult romance novels in 2013, with many more teen novels scheduled for the next few years. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son.

Connect with Jennifer:



*Giveaway*

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #25

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Release date: November 5th, 2013 (Balzer + Bray)
Pages: 352

M. T. Anderson meets Cory Doctorow in this teen debut from #1 New York Times bestseller Sean Williams, who also coauthors the Troubletwisters series with Garth Nix.

When a coded note promises improvement—the chance to change your body any way you want, making it stronger, taller, more beautiful—Clair thinks it's too good to be true, but her best friend, Libby, falls into a deadly trap.

With the help of the school freak and a mysterious stranger, Clair races against the clock and around the world to save Libby, even as every step draws her deeper into a deadly world of cover-ups and conspiracies.

Action and danger fuel this near-future tale of technology, identity, and the lengths one girl will go to save her best friend. [Description from Amazon]


What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Leave a comment or link below.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Top Ten Best Movie Adaptations


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

1) The Hunger Games. I liked the first one, and I’m sure I’ll like Catching Fire. Not sure how I’m going to feel about Mockingjay, though. *shakes head mournfully*

2) The Lord of the Rings. From what I’ve seen. ;)

3) The Hobbit. “I’m going on an adventure!”

4) The Help. Love it just as much as the book.

5) The Chronicles of Narnia. Duh.

6) Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightly version). LOVELOVELOVE.

7) The Phantom of the Opera. You haven’t seen it?! Go watch it now. Right now.

8) The Princess Bride. A favorite in the homeschool community, of course. ;)

9) Les Miserables (2012 version). Oh my heart.

10) Jane Eyre (2011 version). Much better than the older version, in my opinion.

Share your Top Ten in the comments below!

Book Blitz: Rush (The Game: Book 1) by Eve Silver


Release
Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher:
Harper Teen

Summary
from Goodreads:
So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to
know?


When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival,
and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

Available from:
 photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png  photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg  photo 111AD205-AA04-4F9E-A0F4-C1264C4E9F30-1855-000001A1E8CEB6D7_zps9b730b94.jpg   photo KoboIcon_zps515cdc1a.jpg


***Excerpt***
There’s a flash of light, blindingly bright. Colored haloes obscure my vision. They
dance and flicker and then disappear, leaving only a rectangle of light boxed
in by the dark doorframe.

I see then that the door’s gone and in front of me are people. No…they aren’t
people. They have limbs, hair, faces, but they aren’t human. After the first
glance, they don’t look even remotely human. They’re pure, painful white, so
bright they throw off a glare. They look like they’ve been dipped in glass,
smooth and polished, but fluid. And their eyes…they’re a silvery color, like
the mercury in the antique thermometer that my mom used to have at the side of
the front porch.

When I was ten, I knocked that thermometer off with my wooden kendo sword,
shattering the glass. The little blobs of mercury went all over the porch. I
was a kid. I didn’t know better. I touched them, prodding the little balls
until they joined the bigger blob. My mom swooped down on me and snatched me
away, telling me it was poison. It could kill me.

I stare at the things in front of me: the Drau. I can’t look away.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember Jackson talking about Medusa.
Don’t look at their eyes.

Their mercury eyes.

They’re poison.

They will kill me.
Copyright
© 2013. Eve Silver. All Rights Reserved.



About the Author...

Eve Silver lives with her gamer husband and sons, sometimes in Canada, but often in worlds she dreams up. She loves kayaking and sunshine, dogs and desserts, and books, lots and lots of books. Watch for the first book in Eve’s new teen series, THE GAME: RUSH, coming from Katherine Tegen Books, June 2013. She also writes books for adults.


Author Links:
     


***GIVEAWAY***
Signed copy of Rush, US and Canada only.



Hosted by:

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Review + Interview: The Year of the Great Seventh by Teresa Orts

Published: July 6th, 2013 (first published March 23rd by Drayton Press)
Pages: 295
Rating: 2/5 (DNF)
Sophie has always felt out of step-an outsider, even amongst friends in her high school with all the hype about celebrity culture. Her life in L.A. seems to have been already written for her, but when her junior year starts, it all takes a drastic turn. When she crosses paths with the school's heartthrob, Nate Werner, they fall for each other in a way neither can understand. What they don't know is that by giving in to their desires, they are unlocking an ancient Egyptian prophecy that threatens to return Earth to the dark ages. To undo the curse, Nate and Sophie embark on an adventure that takes them across the country. But their quest is not only to save the world as they know it. It is also a fight for their very survival. Behind the scenes, there are those that are counting on them to fail. [Description from Amazon] 
This book was full of surprises. Usually when I say something like that I mean it in a good way. Not this time.
I really truly wanted to like TYotGS. I didn’t have too many expectations for it, mainly because I knew little about it before I read it. I knew enough to think that I might like it. But apparently I was wrong in that aspect. I got to page 120 (40% of the way done) and had to stop. I really just couldn’t read any more.
The surprising thing is, most of the reviews this book got on Goodreads were positive. Three, four, five star reviews. What am I missing here? Is there something wrong with me?! Unless the writing style and the characters changed drastically between page 120 and 295, I have no doubt in my mind that I would still have disliked the book just as much as I do now. That’s just the sad truth, folks.
Ok now, moving on. Why did I not like TYotGS? Well, it starts out so typically that I nearly slammed the book shut upon reading the first chapter. Girl likes popular guy. Guy doesn’t notice girl. Standard high school drama ensues (parties, drugs, jealous popular girls, etc). For one thing (and this is in reference to many other YA books, not just this one), is it really that “normal” for a girl to actually start dating the guy she’s been crushing on for who knows how long? This doesn’t happen in real life, guys. That said, why is this tactic used in sooo many YA books?! It’s highly irrelevant to real life situations, yet it’s used in about 80% of YA books. I know we can let our imaginations soar and whatnot when it comes to fiction, but at least try and keep it somewhat relatable, alrighty?
Whew. Sorry, got a little emotional right there. Anyway, I found the story slow getting started and the plot tiring and pathetic. Oh, and typical. Have I mentioned that yet? Also, the MC, Sophie, kind of annoyed me. She seemed somewhat stupid and senseless and just…too Hollywood-ized. Too glamorous. Too blonde (to use a stereotype I don’t wholeheartedly approve of). I totally didn’t understand her attraction to Nate. He’s a hothead who, when angered, destroys things. And people. I understand that it’s not his fault that he’s the way he is, because he inherited it or something from his grandfather, but I still fail to see what’s so attractive about him. Oh right. His perfect face. Sophie mentioned it like, a dozen stinkin’ times. He’s such an angel. *rolls eyes*
I guess it just wasn’t for me. Apparently the novel’s not inherently awful because it seems like everyone else who’s read it has liked it. I wish I did, but I just can’t.  Too typical, too boring for my taste. To end a negative review with a bad joke, The Year of the Great Seventh just wasn’t all that great.
Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*
Language: None (as far as I read)
Violence: Mild
Sexual: Mild (as far as I read)
Interview with author Teresa Orts:
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in a small town in the outskirts of Valencia, Spain, but I’ve been living in New York and London for the last 12 years.
What inspired you to write The Year of the Great Seventh?
I started writing it by pure chance. One night I started typing a short story. The characters felt so real in my mind that I felt the urge to discover what was going to happen to them.
Describe your main character, Sophie, in five words.
History geek, strong willed teen.
What kind of research did you have to do pre-writing? What's the coolest fact you discovered?
Before I wrote anything about Ancient Egypt, I decided to read all I could find about it on the internet, but the most amazing part came when I walked into the Met in NYC and the story just fell into place among the exhibits of their Ancient Egypt section. I truly enjoyed the research part. Part of the prophecy is based on real Ancient Egypt facts, but some of them are pure fiction. I tried stick to real facts as much as I possible.  The coolest fact was when I discovered syenite stone and what it was used for.
What's the one piece of advice you'd give to aspiring authors?
I think the best advice I can give is: do what you love, enjoy the journey, and don’t obsess too much about the endgame. That way, no matter what happens, you got some pleasure out of it. Publishing a novel sounds fantastic, but the true joy comes from writing each page.
What are you currently working on? A sequel, maybe? *wink*
Yes, there will be a sequel of the Year of the Great Seventh. I’m aiming to publish about mid-2014.

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