Review ~ The Infinity Bridge by Ross M. Kitson

The Infinity Bridge

by Ross M. Kitson

Published November 7, 2012

Publisher ~ Myrddin Publishing Group

246 pages

Genre ~ YA, Steampunk, Science Fiction

Available Formats ~ Paperback or ebook

My Copy ~ Kindle edition for review

Average Rating ~ 4.31 / 5.00

My Rating ~ 5.00

 

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Synopsis from Goodreads

An MG/YA science-fiction/ Steampunk adventure

Sam: likes loud music, wears black eye-liner... and sees monsters.

Nick: wears Che Guevera knit-wear, big specs, loves sci-fi... and designs computer viruses.

Annie: dresses like a Sunday evening period drama, lives with her granddad... and fights like a ninja.

When Sam helps out the mysterious Annie, he and his cousin, Nick, are drawn into a world of excitement and danger. Terrifying androids roam the streets of York seeking the awesome power of the Infinity Bridge, a device that could signal the end of our world as we know it. All who stand in their way are being eliminated.

The three teenagers are propelled into an action-packed race against time, involving alternate realities, airships, clockwork killers.... and Merlin.

Sometimes the monsters are real....

 

My Review

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through the Goodreads group We ♥ YA Books.

I've always wanted to read a book where characters discover alternate realities - the idea has always intrigued me and freaked me out at the same time. I've thought about it on a personal scale - do I exist somewhere else where I've made choice B instead of choice A, completely changing the course of my life? From that life, is there yet another life where I went on to make yet a different decision and son on? See how complicated it can get, and that's just the tip of the iceberg! It absolutely blows my mind! After reading this book, I've realized that if alternate realities do exist, the implications would be much larger than just changes to my own reality - entire societies would be similar yet different at the same time...it can be really fun to think about and yet kind of scary, too.

I stayed up so late at night reading - completely hooked by the story with my heart beating so fast from the suspense and action - that it took me a long time to wind down to sleep! It didn't help that I didn't want to have to stop reading in order to sleep. :) I appreciate a great solid storyline without a focus on romance. Don't get me wrong - I love romance in a book, but I was just fine with no triangle and no romantic entanglements. It was a nice change of pace for me.

 

When I began reading, I knew right away that I'd like Sam, one of the main characters. With his penchant for blasting Green Day, dressing punk complete with spiky dyed black hair, and a sarcastic sense of humor, he reminded me of me and my friends when we were that age. I love it when my favorite bands from the 90s are still mentioned in the books I read!

 

Nick, Ben, and Annie grew on me, and between these four characters - Sam, Ben, Nick, and Annie - each one had something different to offer and add to the story. I really felt a sense of injustice for Ben but gained more of an understanding of Ben's character right along with Sam as the story progressed.

 

I've only read one other book in the steampunk genre, and after reading this one, I definitely want to read more! Everything about this book was a surprise and made for a very entertaining and absorbing read. It's expanded my thinking in regards to alternate realities and the possibilities that could be out there waiting to be discovered.

 

Buy the Book:    Smashwords    Amazon    Barnes & Noble

 

About the Author

 

Ross M. Kitson lives in the UK with his wife and three children. He writes science fiction and fantasy novels. George R.R. Martin, Scott Lynch, and Philip Pullman are a few of his influences. Besides The Infinity Bridge, he's also the author of the Prism series.  

 

Connect with the Author

Blog    Website    Twitter    Facebook

Stacking the Shelves #3





Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews is an opportunity to show off the books we've won, bought, or borrowed. :D

Bought:

Plastic Hearts (Hearts #1) by Lisa De Jong

Recommended for mature readers due to sexual content and language.

Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1) by H.D. Gordon

Betwixt by Melissa Pearl

Gwen Reaper by Jaz Primo

A Timely Curse by Joseph DiBartolo

Borrowed:

Bitter Freedom: Memoirs of a Holocaust Survivor by Jafa Wallach

Won:

The Mark of Cain (The Cain Chronicles: Book One) by A.D. Seeley

Did you get anything this week? I tried to restrain myself after last week, lol.

Feature & Follow Friday #5

I'm so excited to finally be joining Feature and Follow Friday!! This is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where they each feature a fellow blogger and ask a question which can be answered by participating bloggers. If you aren't already following the two hosting bloggers, please visit their blogs to follow them, the bloggers they're featuring, and enter your own blog in the linky. Hop around to other blogs - find new blogs to follow and gain some new followers as well. :D

Q: What is your guilty pleasure as far as reading? Is it a genre, or is it a certain type of book?

My guilty pleasure is reading The Baby-Sitter Club books...and I'm THIRTY-ONE. :P I absolutely loved them growing up - my friend had just about every one of them. Once my daughter began reading chapter books, I happened to see a few at a garage sale, and she loves them as much as I did (do, haha). Our library no longer has them, so whenever I'm at Goodwill, Half Price Books, or a garage sale, I pick up a few for her. And me. I still can't seem to let them go. :D

How about you? What's your guilty pleasure? I'm dying to know! :)

Think Out Loud #4: My High School Anthem

Hey everyone! I'm now going to join the meme Think Out Loud hosted by Thinks Books. With this meme, you can post anything you want! Get to know other bloggers outside of the bookish realm. :)Click on the link to go to her blog and sign up. :) The posts go up on Thursdays. :D

When I was in high school, Nada Surf's song "Popularity" from their debut album High/Low came out, and it was perfection. Since junior high, the dynamics of friendships had changed drastically, and this song became my own personal anthem expressing my sadness and anger and frustration. Girls I had been friends with all through elementary school suddenly were too good to hang out with me.

I wasn't the only one this happened to, and luckily around the time this happened I began hanging out with an entire new group of friends who I'm still close with to this day. They also were ditched by "the popular" people, which we nicknamed the preps, and we ended up forming strong friendships that have lasted nearly twenty years. Much longer than those superficial people's friendships I bet, haha!

Things only became worse in high school, and the only way we were able to cope was that we had each other. We were all called names and threatened to have the crap beaten out of us, etc. One time, one of the girls who bullied us locked us in the bathroon during lunch. :P

So yeah, this song with all of its sarcasm and witty charm became my personal anthem, my big "Eff you!" complete with middle finger up to all those catty girls who wouldn't leave us alone. And it still is. :)

Review ~ Star Bright by Christina Ow

Star Bright

by Christina Ow

Published March 21, 2012 by 5 PRINCE PUBLISHING

332 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Formats: Ebook or paperback

My Copy: Kindle editon  for review

Average Rating: 4.07 / 5.00

My Rating: 3.00 /5.00

 

Add to Goodreads

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Star Bright….

A haunting mistake that brought them all together…

Maria’s fear and hate for men is solidified by Ricky’s abuse and his obsession to kill her. In an effort to save her son, she runs away and crosses paths with Dave, a man going through his own tribulations with his wife. He is determined to protect her, show her that not all men are evil and that true love exists. And he in turn, finds a woman worthy to be a mother to his daughter.

Maria finally finds peace in her new roles as a mother, a wife and a home maker but that dream is short lived when a ghost from her past threatens to take it all away from her in the most brutal and torturous way.

But Maria isn’t alone anymore, her father finally shows up to do what he was supposed to five years ago. Protect his daughter.

 

My Thoughts

 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through the We Love YA Books! group on Goodreads.

Maria has been in a physically abusive relationship with the father of her child, Michael. The abuse has escalated over the years to the point where her life and the life of her son are in immediate danger if they don't leave; however, if they try to leave, that's when they're in the most danger of all. This book puts you in the shoes of Maria--many people don't understand why someone would choose to stay with his or her abuser (for the sake of simplicity, I am going to use feminine pronouns since this story is about an abused woman rather than an abused man; however, I recognize there are also men who are abused by women), especially if she also has a child or children to think about.

I've never been in a relationship like this, so I admit I'm one of those people who don't quite understand. At a previous job, I worked with abused women, all of whom had children, and some of whom, like Maria, had very visible effects of the abuse they suffered at the hands of their abuser. Looking in from the outside, it seems like it should be a no brainer, but this book will cause you to think differently. You will be inside the mind of what an abused woman feels like, thinks about, and fears. Sometimes it will be uncomfortable, but I think it's really important to be able to step into someone else's shoes without harm to yourself in order to learn about other people and their struggles in life.

This book gave me insight into what it would be like to be in an abusive relationship, and I still can't imagine what it would be like. I don't want to be able to imagine what it would be like either. Horrifying and inexcusable are two words that came to mind as I read, and the scenes where Maria is assaulted by her boyfriend had me feeling physically ill and disgusted that someone who says he loves you can treat you that way. He took his anger out on her and her son, and no one should ever take his or her anger out on someone no matter the circumstances.

Dave the second main character, and he is having issues with his wife--an incredibly selfish woman who is also a poor excuse for a mother. They have a young daughter together, but all his wife ever wanted from him was his money--he's a successful lawyer and also comes from a wealthy family. He decides to divorce her and begins the proceedings.

Every other chapter alternates between Maria and Dave's points of view, which I appreciated and felt I was able to get to know them better this way with their thoughts and motivations. The story was absolutely riveting--I had no idea what to expect next. While I was captivated by the story itself, there were many spelling and grammatical errors which normally I can overlook and for the most part I did, but sometimes the grammatical errors caused some confusion in the action. Without the confusion, I would have given this book a higher rating.

The characters were also a bit cartoonish to me--all of them were quick to anger and often made poor decisions, especially the scene when Maria, Dave, and Maria's parents are all arguing in front of the children. That was just painful and awful, and I didn't agree with their actions at all. If they had seemed more natural, with dialogue that wasn't stilted at times, then again, this would have caused me to give the book a higher rating. I also thought it would have been more believable and realistic if Maria's trust in Dave had been built up more slowly along with their entire relationship. It should have taken more time--an abused woman wouldn't just jump into another relationship. I would think she'd be too afraid to find herself in another abusive relationship and have a difficult time trusting someone.

Maria's son, Michael, doesn't speak or act like a four-year-old little boy, but I believe this was done intentionally by the author to make a point--Michael has been through too much, especially for his young age, and he has been forced to grow up faster than other kids due to the abuse he lives with. He became Maria's parent, trying to protect her from his father and make up for the love she wasn't receiving. He took on too much responsibility, and I know that's definitely something children of abused parents are prone to do. They lose the carefree nature of childhood and that is instead replaced with fear, dread, and stress, that which an adult has a hard enough time handling let alone a child.

Overall, the story itself was realistic and definitely worth reading, which kept me turning the pages until the very end.

Buy the Book:  Smashwords    Amazon    Barnes & Noble  

About the Author

 

Christina Ow was born in Nairobi, Kenya. Some of her influences include Stephanie Mayer, Danielle Steel, Sheldon D. Sydney, and Sherrilyn Kenyon.

 

Connect with the Author

Goodreads   Website   Facebook   Twitter   YouTube   Google Plus



Stacking the Shelves #2

Here's my second Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Just wait until you see what I got this weekend! You're going to be shocked, haha! All links will connect you to Goodreads. :)

The Prophet of Yonwood (Book of Ember #3) 

by Jeanne DuPrau

I bought the first two books in this series last year at a garage sale. I found this at Goodwill. :)

 

Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry #2) 

by Simone Elkeles

I bought both of these at Goodwill today. I now own all three Perfect Chemistry books! :)

Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

Also a Goodwill find. I haven't heard of this one, but Ali Cross rated it five stars and I trust her opinion. It sounds really good. Are people crazy for giving this book away?!? (As in donating it to Goodwill? I sound harsh...I just have a hard time letting go of any books to be honest!)

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

I bought both of these at Ollie's, an outlet store that sells about everything, for crazy cheap. They both look great! I've heard a lot about The Probability of Miracles from fellow bloggers, so I can't wait to dig in!

Whisper of Death by Christopher Pike

Scavenger Hunt by Christopher Pike

One of my favorite authors growing up! I've read Whisper of Death and used to own it, but I'm not sure where it is and can't live without it. I bought this at Half-Price Books today for fifty cents! Almost makes me want to cry! I haven't read Scavenger Hunt yet; it was one of his books I never saw in bookstores growing up. I got this one at Goodwill. Like I said, people are crazy giving their books away. Maybe they just don't want to be a hoarder like me. ;)

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Both of these were bought at Ollie's today, and I've wanted to read both of them for like ever!

Roses and Bones: Myths, Tales, and Secrets by Francesca Lia Block

Divine by Mistake (Partholon #1)   by P.C. Cast

I've been buying books by Francesca Lia Block wherever I see them. I've heard she's a fabulous writer, and I can't wait to see for myself. I haven't seen any books except the House of Night books in stores until today and had to pick up this book by P.C. Cast. Both of these were bought today at Half-Price Books.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson 

by John Green & David Levithan

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Both of these bought at Ollie's. I have been dying to read these! I feel incredibly lucky to have found them at such awesome prices.

The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson

Immortal City (Immortal City #1) by Scott Speer

I got both of these at Ollie's. :)

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

The Girl with Borrowed Wings by Rinsai Rossetti

Both from Ollie's

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Bought at Half-Price Books. I'm really excited for this one! :D

I won a Stitch E-Swag Pack from the "Get Stitched for Valentine's Day" giveaway! From the author, Samantha Durante, I received an ebook copy of Stitch with an Authorgraph digital signature, a Stitch bookmark, and a $5 Amazon GC! I've been wanting this book forever, and I'm ecstatic to have won it with the swag!! <3 She's super nice, and even started following me on Twitter and commented on my blog! I was so surprised and totally fangirling, lol! :D

Stitch (Stitch Trilogy #1) by Samantha Durante

With my $5 GC, I bought the following three ebooks:  

Freak of Nature (IFICS #1) by Julia Crane

Sunshine (Sunshine Series #1) by Nikki Rae

Gravity (The Taking #1) by Melissa West

I also received several books for review, which I will do a separate post for those since this post is already so long. :) I've also won a lot of giveaways over the last few months and have been wanting to do a post for those, too; however, I'm afraid you all might ban me from your future giveaways, lol. I've had incredible luck winning them! Just ask Shy from Doctor's Notes. I told her if I won another giveaway from her, then we oughta go to Vegas. And I then won my third one from her, so guess where we need to go? :D

How was your week in books? Did you get anything new? 

Feature & Follow Friday #4

 

I'm so excited to finally be joining Feature and Follow Friday!! This is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where they each feature a fellow blogger and ask a question which can be answered by participating bloggers. If you aren't already following the two hosting bloggers, please visit their blogs to follow them, the bloggers they're featuring, and enter your own blog in the linky. Hop around to other blogs - find new blogs to follow and gain some new followers as well. :D

Q: Do you have a favorite outdoor reading spot?

I love reading at my dad's house up in the "eagle's nest." It's basically a tree house without the tree and has a slide and swing set attached to it. I love climbing up there with a Diet Coke, looking out over a cornfield (lol) and feeling the breeze blow by.

Do you ever get to read outside? Where's your favorite place?

Think Out Loud #3: The End is Coming Soon

Hey everyone! I'm now going to join the meme Think Out Loud hosted by Thinks Books. With this meme, you can post anything you want! Get to know other bloggers outside of the bookish realm. :)Click on the link to go to her blog and sign up. :) The posts go up on Thursdays. :D

It's really gonna suck when The Walking Dead's season three ends on the 31st. That means there's only three more episodes! :'(  I'll have to watch seasons one and two on Netflix to survive until October. It'd be really cool if Netflix would add season three before October but...yeah, that won't happen I'm sure. :/

Can I just say that I love this man? I. Love. Daryl. Dixon. <3 It's so crazy because I really hated the character the first season. But then he went off searching for a missing little girl, and my heart thawed out. A lot.

Norman Reedus just jumps off the screen as Daryl, yet he isn't on nearly as much as some of the other characters, especially this season. I heard nothing about the character until a couple months ago. Bam! Everyone seems to love him, and it just came out of nowhere. I was really shocked because most of my friends are like, "What?! You love Daryl!?"

I think the popularity of Daryl is a testament to the acting skills of Norman Reedus. And his hotness. ;) The character doesn't even exist at all in the graphic novels. I say thanks everyday to TPTB that the character was created for TV. <3



Cover Reveal ~ Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1) by H.D. Gordon

Today I have a cover reveal for you, which is absolutely gorgeous - I love it! What do you think?

Title: Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1)

Author: H.D. Gordon

Publisher: ShareAread

Release Date: March 15, 2013

Format: E-book

Goodreads

Cover Artist: Regina Wamba

 

Shooting Stars Synopsis:

Once upon a time, a common boy fell in love with a princess. It was a hopeless, forbidden love, grown in a world where sorcery and magic rule over all. Now, dark times are brewing, and destiny will bring them together, while fate works to keep them apart. Extraordinary battles will be fought, and extraordinary choices made. Join the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga for the beginning of a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss, of desperate wishes made on stars.

 

About the Author:

Website 

Goodreads

Twitter

 

 

 

Book Blitz ~ Wounded by Jasinda Wilder

~ Book Blitz ~

Title: Wounded

Author: Jasinda Wilder

Published December 16, 2012

277 pages

Available in Paperback, Kindle, & ebook 

*cover by PhatPuppy Art: http://phatpuppyart.com/*

Add to Goodreads

Purchase the Book: Amazon

Synopsis: War has taken everything from me. My family. My home. My innocence. In a country blasted by war and wracked by economic hardship, a young orphan girl like me has very few options when it comes to survival. Thus, I do what I must to live, to eat, and I try very hard to not consider the cost to my soul. My heart is empty, and my existence brutal.

The one impossibility in my life is love.

And then I meet HIM.

War is hell. It takes a chunk out of a man's very soul to do the kinds of things war demands of you. You live with fear, you live with guilt, and you live with nightmares. If you haven't been through it, there's no understanding it. War leaves no room for love, no room for tenderness or softness. You gotta be hard, closed off, and ready to fight every moment of every day. Lose focus for a split second, and you're dead.

Now the only thing that can save me is HER.   

   Author Bio:

 Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. When she's not writing, she's probably shopping, baking, or reading.

Author Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads