[Book Review] In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

In a Handful of Dust
by Mindy McGinnis

The only thing bigger than the world is fear.

Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

In this companion to Not a Drop to Drink, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier. 

 GOODREADS |  AMAZON

“But the gray ridge of the mountains that sliced through the map was a weight on her heart, an obstacle to be met.”

In a Handful of Dust really outdid all of my expectations for what this book should have been. When I read the first book in this series, I wasn't sure what to think because even though I really enjoyed the story, the buzz that goes around some books always makes me be a little suspicious. It's not that I don't think they will be good, it just I have been disappointed so many times before. 

But I am happy. Really freaking happy. We are taken forward years after the first book ends so Lynn and Lucy are a lot older and still live by the pond and protecting it just as Mother and Lynn have done before. With more people living in the area, polio has become a huge problem. Because Lucy is potentially can be a carrier of the disease, they end up leaving the pond to go to California in hopes to find happiness away from the disaster that the world has become. 

The story itself feels a lot more like a road-trip. Even though it is a lot more intense since they do have to walk through the states, you can still imagine the bonfires and connections that are made between Lynn and Lucy during those night and days. Some of the characters that are being introduced along the way are very surprising and make me like the book that much more but characters like Joss and Carper, I would want to see a lot more in the story where they are. 

There isn't anything specific that I didn't like in the book, I thought the style and speed was exactly what I needed at the moment. Lucy's character wasn't as likable as it was in the first book but I can understand since she is older and is going through that "teenage" stage. I do wish that Lynn wouldn't take her so seriously sometimes and not listen to her but that's a whole different story ;)

[ARC Review] Paperweight by Meg Haston

Paperweight

by Meg Haston 

Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.

Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at mealtime, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she’s worked so hard to avoid.

Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she too will end her life.

In this emotionally haunting and beautifully written young adult debut, Meg Haston delves into the devastating impact of trauma and loss, while posing the question: Why are some consumed by their illness while others embark on a path toward recovery?

 GOODREADS |  Amazon

Paperweight is definitely one of the books that shows you what is wrong with the main character. It is not the point of just talking about the story and putting together sentences, deep down the author makes us see what the problems in Stevie is and that is what got me hooked the most. 

The storyline itself followed Stevie and her going into a treatment for eating disorder. It was shocking to see her reaction to people who were getting better, she thought that they were nothing and she was disgusted of them. All throughout the book we get glimpes of what the past was like and eventually what happened when her brother died. It is truly sad. And makes the disorder that much more realistic. 

“I imagine myself dead. Cold. Perfect and unbreathing with a still, stone heart.”

The battle within her was so strong, it made me really think about what girls are going through. It is not something people make up, the way they think is really is messed up and they need help. Incredible read, loved it!

[Book Review] Dancing with Molly by Lena Horowitz

Dancing with Molly
by Lena Horowitz

Before, I was never the life of the party. I was the reliable one. The one no one had to worry about. The one no one had to think about. I was the one that everyone could ignore.

Until that night, when everything changed and I finally became someone.

Someone special.

Someone noticeable. 

Someone Carson might actually care about, as much as I cared about him.

But the cost of being someone is more than anyone can imagine. For every moment, there’s a price to pay. For every party. For every choice made. For every kiss.

Ultimately, living a life of PURE ECSTASY might be no different from not living at all.

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

Dancing with Molly is a multidimentional book in which I felt conflicted whether or not I actually agreed with the writing. The writing style itself was in a Diary form so it was very light and engaging. The thing that bothered me most is that by reading this book, I got an urge to do molly. & that is not what anyone should be thinking when reading a book. 

Story itself was very simple. You have your typical teenage girl who's not very popular and she likes to refer to herself as "band geek". Always in her sister's shadow who is hot, popular, and is confident - she just wants something to herself. So that's when she agrees to do some E (ecstasy) with her friend. The feelings that she described are so real and detailed, it really made me skip the pages because I was really into it. 

Next thing you know she tries molly which everyone refers to as "pure bliss" and they're right. She feels amazing and getting attention of a hot football player is definitely a benefit as well. Although she comes off as very self-centered and insecure, it's amazing to see the progression of her spiral. Her relationships around her and mistakes that she makes are what anyone would have and the details of everything are amazing. 

The only reason why I didn't rate this five stars is because of the reason I mentioned earlier. Books are supposed to inspire people to be better and to get lost in reality. I wouldn't want anyone to stop what their doing and try to get lost in drugs. Word is powerful and I just wish that noone will have the urge to try it.

coming june 2015! add to goodreads now >

[Book Review] Captive by Aimee Carter

Captive
by Aimee Carter

For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever. 

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape. 

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

If you had something to tie you back to your old life, would you keep it or destroy it?

Captive is a very worthy sequel to the first book Pawn. I really appreciate when book titles actually make sense and in this situation it definitely does. And I love it. 

Something else I loved? Change of scenery. 

Kitty is fed up with Knox having to treat her like she is a nobody and wants to live her own life with Benjy. When she decides to leave with him forever, she gets caught and after a serious of events, ends up in Elsewhere. It was mentioned in the first book that Elsewhere is not what everyone thinks it is. Whether you are a hardcore criminal or just stole piece of bread to feed your family, you live forever. And whoever is born there, stays there forever. Being able to survive in Elsewhere takes a lot of effort and skills and for Kitty, her face being Masked as Lily Hart definitely helps the situation. 

Once in Elsewhere, the book picked up its pace. It was different and I loved it. The brutal details of Elsewhere and how everyone was treated there were incredible and I found myself flipping the pages nonstop. 

Final thought? Incredible follow up, I cannot wait until the next book comes out! Captive made me question the characters and not really know who is what side.

[Book Review] Paradigm by Ceri A. Lowe

Paradigm
by Ceri A. Lowe

What if the end of the world was just the beginning?

Alice Davenport awakens from a fever to find her mother gone and the city she lives in ravaged by storms – with few survivors.

When Alice is finally rescued, she is taken to a huge underground bunker owned by the mysterious Paradigm Industries. As the storms worsen, the hatches close.

87 years later, amidst the ruins of London, the survivors of the Storms have reinvented society. The Model maintains a perfect balance – with inhabitants routinely frozen until they are needed by the Industry.

Fifteen-year-old Carter Warren knows his time has come. Awoken from the catacombs as a contender for the role of Controller General, it is his destiny to succeed – where his parents failed.

But Carter soon discovers that the world has changed, in ways that make him begin to question everything that he believes in. As Carter is forced to fight for those he loves and even for his life, it seems that the key to the future lies in the secrets of the past...

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

I will have to admit that the only reason why I picked up this book was because of the cover and how much it reminded me of Divergent cover. But even though they are both Dystopian novels, there is zero comparison. 

From the very start, Paradigm introduces us to Carter, teenager who is getting down at the Catacombs to be frozen until the Community will need him again. The way it was described was really interesting because right off the bat you're not really sure what's going on and it catches your attention. Next chapter goes to the past, before the Storms started and the world flipped upside down. The Storms are described just like they are called - the Storms where it just started raining/hailing on the city without stopping and eventually flooded everything. Narrator in this case is Alice who stays home when her mother goes out and never returns. I found it interesting that you're not sure what her age is until later on in the book which is impressing because it explains a lot. 

So alternating chapters, alternating chapter... Carter is back into the Community and starts to get ready to become the next Controller General who will try to make the Community a better place. This is where we can look closely at how the world works and have a better idea of their life. I like when the authors use this technic because it actually lets the reader figure it out for themselves instead of being told what the world is. Actually gives a chance to look at the world through narrator's eyes. 

As it sounds, I did really enjoy the book and the plot itself. The alternating time frames weren't a big deal for me since there are only two different POVs which are easy to follow and remember what's happening. The only issue that I wish would have been explained more is if the Storms would be described better. How they were caused, how do they stopped, what the actual reason behind them? The only thing that I got from the book was that it was people's fault (which might be Global Warming? Damaged Ozone Layer?) and nother scientific behind it. Other than that, it was fast, easy to follow, and gave a different aspect on Dystopia.

[Book Review] Nashville Sweetheart by Rachel Hauck

Nashville Sweetheart 
by Rachel Hauck

What do you do when the past you've been dodging shows up at your door with cameras rolling?

Aubrey James ruled the charts as the queen of country for over a decade. She'd rocketed to fame in the shadow of her parents' death both of them pioneers in gospel music. But while her public life high-profile romances and fights with Music Row execs made for juicy tabloid headlines, the real and private Aubrey has remained a media mystery.

When a former band member betrays Aubrey's trust and sells an "exclusive" to a tabloid, the star knows she must go public with her story. But Aubrey's private world is rocked when the "Inside NashVegas" interviewer is someone from her past someone she'd hoped to forget. All the moxie in the world won't let this diva run any longer."

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

Aubrey James is Nashville's Sweetheart, a famous country singer loved by thousands of people. A daughter of famous gospel singers killed in a horrible accident. With so much fame, it is no wonder that people are always spreading rumors about her and when she realizes that she cannot be private in her world, she decides to provide an interview for a local media group about her life. 

Nashville Sweetheart is the kind of book that you think you will love because of the country theme & a sweet girl whom everyone loves. And that's true. Aubrey has an amazing personality of someone who went through hard times emotionally and wants to bring happiness to everyone. All throughout the book I felt like there was a "mixed" Audrey. A lot of the times everyone called her "Diva" and sometimes she did act like it. A lot of the book was also an interview style which is great when you're reading an article but not so good when you are trying to read Fiction and want to stay interested. *snooze* 

Overall, this would be great for someone, just not me. I couldn't connect with the characters and the whole romance part of it was a little undeveloped. The stories that Audrey tells about her family were supposed to be filled with raw emotions but just weren't written in a way that would make me connect to it. 

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way.

[Book Review] Divided by Elsie Chapman

Divided 
by Elsie Chapman

The hunter becomes the hunted. . . .

West Grayer is done killing. She defeated her Alternate, a twin raised by another family, and proved she’s worthy of a future. She’s ready to move on with her life.

The Board has other plans. They want her to kill one last time, and offer her a deal worth killing for. But when West recognizes her target as a ghost from her past, she realizes she’s in over her head. The Board is lying, and West will have to uncover the truth of the past to secure her future.

How far will the Board go to keep their secrets safe? And how far will West go to save those she loves? With nonstop action and surprising twists, Elsie Chapman’s intoxicating sequel to Dualed reveals everything.

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

Few months later, West has moved on with her life from being an assassin. Being an instructor and trying to go on with her life as a complete is different but she doesn't forget what she had to go through. With having nightmares of her Alt and passed away family, she doesn't know if she can ever get over what happened. On top of that, the Board knows that she used to a striker and they want to hire her to kill three teens to save their children in exchange for a good price. 

Divided gives us more details about the world of Kersh and its history. With explanation of why the city is the way it is and the Alt system is very detailed and it finally makes sense. This is what I didn't like about the first book because a lot of the stuff was in the dark. West herself is still the annoying teen that she was but in this book I definitely start to like her more. She cares about the people that she has in her life now and overcoming her fears is what makes me finally connect with her. 

The story itself is not very Dystopian driven since it's mostly driven on the plot itself. But overall it was the perfect book to follow after Dualed and regain some of its interest of the YA readers. 

[Book Review] Bloom by Marilyn Grey

Bloom
by Marilyn Grey 

Have you ever wondered how many people would still love you if you were no longer beautiful? Have you ever thought of people who wake up and can't stand the idea of seeing their reflections? Have you ever considered that death may be easier than life?

I never did. Not once. Not until one moment, one mistake, changed my life forever. 

I woke up to beeping machines, hovering faces, and pain like you wouldn't believe. I'm not just talking about my burns either. I'm talking about my heart. 

My name is Sarah Jordan and this is my story. I'm tired of pretending to be perfect. Of painting on a smile when I'm struggling. My story isn't always pretty and easy to read, but it hasn't been easy to live either. I'm opening up. Letting you in. So maybe, just maybe, together we can peel away the masks and find true beauty. True life. Underneath it all. 

Welcome to my heart ... bound within the pages of Bloom.

Book 5 in The Unspoken Series. This is a 10 book series, best when read in order.

A beautiful, successful, sweet personality with the world at her fingertips, Sarah Jordan falls in love with James, a charming man who adores her. But he comes with broken pieces and a daughter he adopted when his brother and sister-in-law died in an accident he feels he could've prevented. When she finally decides to say yes to his many proposals, they are both burned in a campfire accident. After a year of hospital beds and stark lights, Sarah is released to go home with everything but her former beauty. As she recovers, James struggles with regret and guilt as Sarah fights to overcome the depression that comes with a new life so different from the one she loved so much. Her joy and security are tested while budding relationships cleanse wounds they never knew they had.

AMAZON | GOODREADS  

*Copy provided by the Winslet Press in exchange for an honest review*

Starting Bloom was somewhat of a mystery for me. I have never read anything by this author and with this book being fifth one in the series, I worried that I wouldn't be able to get into the story as much as I wanted to. 

But despite my fears, this was an absolutely beautiful story.Bloom is way more than just discovering yourself. It's about completely adjusting to the way you view the world, view life itself, and trying to find beauty in somewhere that's considered "hideous".

Story begins when Sarah and her fiance James go out camping & he doesn't put out the fire. With a terrible accidents, coma, and long healing process - Sarah is stuck with scars all over her body that makes her feel like a monster. She is depressed and cannot even look at herself and knows that she has to let James go so he would be happy. But being obsessive, it's tough for him to let her go. When she meets Vasili, she knows that he would be a great friend for her. He knows what she went through and feels very open to him. If only a man could love her and look at her like the used to do before the accident... 

"When we realize that the tears dripping from our eyes invisibly flow over the darkest parts of us, washing away the stains and revealing beauty we never knew we had. Real, strong beauty not shaken by even the cruelest of flames..."

I still can't get over this book. In the beginning, I was a little worried that the whole story was going to be about Sarah being depressed but when we are introduced to Anastasiya, the story takes an incredible turn. Through this dying little girl, Sarah is able to see that there is more to a person than just how their skin looks or what kind of clothes they wear. All throughout this story we see the changes in Sarah's life and it's just so absolutely incredible and honest, it made me cry. Recommended for anyone who enjoys books that actually have a meaning. This is the book that makes you think about your perspective on life and what you consider beautiful.