Review: The Pharaoh's Cat by Maria Luisa Lang

Title: The Pharaoh's Cat
Author: Maria Luisa Lang
Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult
Publication date: May 6th 20153
Pages: 184 (paperback)
Source: own-it

The Pharaoh’s Cat, a tragicomic fantasy narrated in the present tense by the cat himself, tells of a free-spirited, wise-cracking stray in ancient Egypt who suddenly acquires human powers and immediately captivates the young Pharaoh, making him laugh for the first time since his parents’ death.

The cat becomes the Pharaoh’s constant companion and, at the royal palace and on a tour of Egypt, participates in the festivities, developing an insatiable appetite for good food, wine, and gossip. Gradually, he renews the Pharaoh’s ability to enjoy life and inspires him to become a stronger leader. The bond of selfless love they share will change Egypt’s destiny.

The cat has a good friend in the High Priest of the god Amun-Ra and seeks his help in solving the mystery of his human powers and the supernatural manifestations that plague him. He has a mortal enemy in the Vizier—the second most powerful man in Egypt--who hates him for his close relationship with the Pharaoh. The Vizier’s persecution of the cat ultimately results in his fleeing with the High Priest to present-day New York City, where they find an ally in an Egyptologist’s daughter.

Goodreads

Ancient Egypt has always fascinated me in many ways, the way that the pharaoh’s ruled, how they build pyramids, the gods they worshipped… their whole culture is just so intriguing. So when Maria Luisa Lang approached me with the question to read her book I immediately said yes. And I am glad that I did because I got so much more than I expected!

The Pharaoh’s cat tells the adventures of a cat in ancient Egypt through the eyes of a cat. It might sound a bit odd but it was really great story and refreshing as well. It is not every day that you read a book through the eyes of a cat. From the very start I fell in love with Wrappa-Hamen, he really behaves like most cats I know. He’s lazy and basically only thinks about his next meal, but somehow his little adventures always turn into a big mess which was often quite hilarious. What I really loved that Wrappa-Hamen’s thoughts were exactly what I always imagined my cat to think. I do not know how the author managed to get the cats character so spot on but I imagine that she must have studied her own cat for a long while.

I really loved the way how the author decided to tell the story of some big events in Egypt. She managed to weave in the ancient Egyptian culture in her book in a way that it made it light and easy to understand.  I cannot tell how accurate all the events where in this book but I am sure that some of them are based on reality. And it wonderful that the author also gave descriptions of how the temples and the houses looked like. I definitely picked up some new things by reading this book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and fun read, it was perfect to fill up a nice Sunday afternoon. I really loved the uniqueness of the point of view of this book, it was interesting and refreshing. I cannot wait to read more of Wrappa-Hamen’s adventures. 

Elien

Review: Legacy (Andalucian Night #3) by Hannah Fielding

Title: Legacy
Author: Hannah Fielding
Series: Andalucian Nights
Genre: Romance, Adult
Publisher: London Wall Publishing
Publication date: August 25th 2016
Pages: 448 (paperback)
Source: own it (received from author)

A troubled young journalist finds her loyalties tested when love and desire unearth dark secrets from the past.

Spring, 2010. When Luna Ward, a science journalist from New York, travels halfway across the world to work undercover at an alternative health clinic in Cadiz, her ordered life is thrown into turmoil.

The doctor she is to investigate, the controversial Rodrigo Rueda de Calderon, is not what she expected. With his wild gypsy looks and devilish sense of humour, he is intent upon drawing her to him. But how can she surrender to a passion that threatens all reason; and how could he ever learn to trust her when he discovers her true identity? Then Luna finds that Ruy is carrying a corrosive secret of his own…

Luna’s native Spanish blood begins to fire in this land of exotic legends, flamboyant gypsies and seductive flamenco guitars, as dazzling Cadiz weaves its own magic on her heart. Can Luna and Ruy’s love survive their families’ legacy of feuding and tragedy, and rise like the phoenix from the ashes of the past?

Legacy is a story of truth, dreams and desire. But in a world of secrets you need to be careful what you wish for…

Goodreads

Legacy is the third and final instalment in the Andalucian Nights series.  I have read all the other books in this series as well so I was curious to see how the series would conclude. And I recently went on holiday to Andalucía so it made this book even more appealing to me.

Luna grew up in the States and is currently working for a scientific newspaper in New York. But then her boss wants her to investigate a clinic in Spain, since her family on her mother’s side is Spanish this is the perfect task for her. As soon as she sets food on Spanish soil she comes across the charismatic and brooding Ruy. He is a complete mystery to Luna and as fate wants it there paths seem to keep colliding.

In a lot of ways Legacy was quite similar to Fielding’s other books. The two main characters meet, they are instantly attracted towards each other and they want to get to know one another but obstacles are continuously thrown on their path which makes their love seem doomed. And that is probably one of the biggest issues I had with this book. I loved it in the first book, thought it was okay in the second one but by this one it had become pretty repetitive. Especially since you already know how things will end in the end, there are no surprises left.

Besides that I did still enjoy this book, especially since it explores alternative health care. I do not know much about the subject so it was interesting to learn a bit more about it while reading this book. Another thing that I liked about it was the rich description of everything. Fielding always has the habit of doing that. And this time I enjoyed it even more since I had recently been to that region of Spain so it felt like I was revisiting certain memories. The author always just gives so many details and wonderful description that it feels like you are transported to that very place in that moment. And it is one of the things that I enjoyed the most about this book.

Overall I still did enjoy this book even though that I had some issues with it. If it is the first book that you read by Hannah Fielding that you will definitely experience it as a fun romance read. And I definitely still want to continue reading her other books. 

Elien

Review: The Last Shadow Gate (The Shadow Gate Chronicles #1) by Michael W. Garza

Title: The Last Shadow Gate
Author: Michael W. Garza
Series: The Shadow Gate Chronicles
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Middle Grade
Publisher: NeerHaven Press
Publication date: March 3rd 2017
Pages: 262 (paperback)
Source: Own it (received from author)
Buy links: Amazon

Summer vacation was never supposed to be like this.

It was bad enough Naomi had to be shipped off to her dad's home for the summer and deal with her half-brother Gavin, but when the siblings are forced to spend their break with their great-grandmother in upstate New York, everything changes. An investigation into the strange disappearance of their great-grandfather forces them to retrace his footsteps. They discover a gateway between worlds and encounter extraordinary creatures in a land where the people are desperate to escape the coming of a shade lord. To survive their adventure, Naomi and Gavin must settle their differences and find the elusive shadow gate that will take them home again.

Goodreads

When the author approached me with the request to read The Last Shadow Gate I immediately accepted since the story sounded like a fun adventure and fantasy story for younger readers.

Two siblings are forced to spend the entire summer together at their great-grandmother’s house in Albany, NY. The least you could say is that they were not happy at all with their parent’s decision. They grew up on other sides of the country and Naomi already thought it was bad enough that she had to spend time with her little brother every summer but now she will literally have no escape from him all summer long. And to make things worse their great-grandmother went a bit crazy after her husband disappeared according to their father.  But what they find during their stay with their great-grandmother’s is better than either of them could have ever hoped for. Soon enough they are pulled into an adventure that surpasses their wildest imagination.

I think I was as fascinated as Naomi and Gavin with their great-grandfather’s tales of a shadow gates. The mystery pulled me right in and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story. The author did create a magical world filled with incredible creatures that I could have never imagined. The entire book was just one big adventure, the siblings constantly ran into trouble while trying to navigate the new world they ended up in. There were some fights, a battle and a lot of other events that created suspense. The world that the author had created was surrounded by darkness but at the same time I could also see the beauty in it.

The siblings were also fun to read about. At times Gavin sounded a lot older than twelve and seemed more mature in a lot of ways than his sister Naomi. But I just loves seeing how much they cared about each other and how they grew closer throughout the story.  The other characters they came across during their journey were also interesting and I am really hoping that we get to see some of them again in the next book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a really quick and kept me entertained until the end. If you are looking for a fantasy book for a middle grader than I would definitely recommend this one. I cannot wait until the next book in this series comes out. 

Elien

Review: All the Forever Things by Jolene Perry

Title: All the Forever Things
Author: Jolene Perry
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Publication date: April 1st
Pages: 288 (hardback)
Source: Netgalley







From growing up in the funeral home her family runs, Gabriella knows that death is a part of life and nothing is forever. Yet Bree, her best friend, has been a constant; it's always been the two of them together against the world. But when Bree starts dating a guy the worst guy from the ultra-popular world, suddenly she doesn't have time for Gabe anymore. Now the only one at school who wants to spend time with "Graveyard Gabe" is Hartman, the new guy, but Gabe, not wanting to lose her mind over a boyfriend the way Bree has, holds back. It takes a very strange prom night (with the family hearse instead of a limo) for Gabe to truly fall for Hartman. But when she leaves the after-prom party with him, she's not there for Bree or for the deadly accident that happens that night. Bree survives, but will she and Gabe ever be able to rebuild their friendship?"

Goodreads

So far I have read a couple of books by Jolene Perry and they have always either been a hit or miss for me. I am glad to say that All the Forever Things was a hit. I truly enjoyed reading this book from the first until the very last page.

One of the things that I enjoyed the most about this book that it explored the meaning of death. It is something that people do not talk about often mainly because it is a hard topic. But sadly enough it is also a part of life so I believe that it should be addressed more. And I think she did a pretty good job of addressing it. Gabe grew up in a funeral home, so she is around dead all the time. For her it is part of everyday life so she does not get why people get so upset over it since everyone knows that it will happen eventually. The least you could say is that she had a complex relationship with death. In some ways she got really detached from her emotions because she needed to do that to survive or at least she thought she had to do that.

I really enjoyed Gabe as a character, she might come across to some people as selfish but I did not see her like that at all. What I saw was a girl that did not have a lot of friends and tried to keep the one friend she really had close to her. And yes when that friend was slipping away from her she made some wrong decisions but overall I think she did her best to please everyone. Bree on the other hand I found to be selfish, they had been best friends for years but then a boy enters the picture and she basically tosses her friend to the side. I really hate it when people do that because in the end they always come crawling back. Another character that I did enjoy was Hartman, he really complemented Gabe well. He made her see again that it is okay to feel things and that she should really live her life. And for that alone I already liked him.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It might have been a book mainly focused on romance but it also dealt with so many other topics and that is what made this book so good. I am glad that I decided to pick up this book by Jolene Perry because she has proved again to me that she can address a heavy topic in a way that does not make it too depressing and sad. 

Elien

Review: The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr

Title: The One Memory of Flora Banks
Author: Emily Barr
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: January 12th 2017
Pages: 303 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley

Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumor that was removed from Flora's brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world, Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life.

With little more than the words "be brave" inked into her skin, and written reminders of who she is and why her memory is so limited, Flora sets off on an impossible journey to Svalbard, Norway, the land of the midnight sun, determined to find Drake. But from the moment she arrives in the arctic, nothing is quite as it seems, and Flora must "be brave" if she is ever to learn the truth about herself, and to make it safely home. 

Goodreads

I read The One Memory of Flora Banks right after I had finished another book that dealt with memory loss. Maybe I should not have done that since now I could not help stop myself comparing both books even though they dealt with two completely different types of memory loss.

I have to say I don’t think I have read a book before that is similar to this one. Flora suffers from amnesia and a couple of times a day her mind resets itself. Therefore she still sees herself as a young child since those are the last real memories she has. But then one day she kisses a boy and she remembers. And this moment is a start of an adventure for Flora.

There were a couple of things about this book that I did not like that much about this book. One of the things was that it was pretty repetitive a lot of the time. I get that the main character suffered from amnesia but some parts of the book were a copy and paste of events that had happened before. Not even a word had changed and that is something that I could not deal with.  I do understand that somethings had to be repeated since Flora forgot everything but the author could have done it in a more adventurous way I guess. Another reason why this book was not really for me was because I just could not wrap my head around it that a kiss from the boy is the only thing she remembered in years and that after that happened nothing else changed in regards to her mental health.

One of the only things that I truly enjoyed about this book was the adventure. Flora embarked on an adventure that took her to some really wonderful places. And the people she met along the way were fun enough to read about. But I think I would have enjoyed it more if her adventure had not been all about finding the boy she kissed. I believe that this book could have done so much better if it hadn’t centered so much around romance.

Overall this book was just not for me. I can see why some people enjoy it but for me it was just too unrealistic in a lot of ways. And a book that tackles a concept like amnesia should not be unrealistic in my opinion. 

Elien

Review: Yours and Mine (Freshman Forty #2) by Christine Duval

 

Title: Yours and Mine
Author: Christine Duval
Series: Freshman Forty
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, New Adult
Publication date: February 10th
Pages: 158 (kindle)
Source: received from author
Buy link: Amazon

The highly anticipated sequel to Positively Mine….

Picking up from the dramatic ending of Positively Mine, Yours and Mine continues the Freshman Forty series as we meet Danny Santoro, Laurel’s baby’s father, for the first time.

It’s been almost a year since he last saw her, that sultry morning she walked off the beach before dawn had even cracked the August sky. It seemed from her silence, she was out of his life forever.

But Laurel’s timing couldn’t be worse to tell him he’s a father. The last year hasn’t been easy. Danny’s own father was arrested for a DUI, his mother moved out, and Danny started sleeping with his brother’s old high school, drug-abusing girlfriend.

After Laurel shocks him with the news, she attempts to relinquish Danny of any parental responsibility leading to a heated custody battle. In an unorthodox arrangement, an eccentric judge orders Danny and Laurel to spend alternating nights with each other for the upcoming school year.

Told from Danny’s point of view, Yours and Mine explores the second chapter of a romance that never got off the ground, the challenges of young parenting, and the hope of rekindled love.

Goodreads

A couple of years ago I first read Positively Mine and I absolutely loved that book. Laurel is such a great character to read about so I was thrilled to find out that the sequel would finally be released.

Yours and Mine picked up right were Positively Mine left off, but this time the story was told from Danny’s point of view. Laurel hid her pregnancy from everyone, including from Danny the baby’s father. So when she drops the bomb on him that he has a three year old daughter well it is a lot to take in. But I was surprised at how well he took it all in. During the first book Laurel always made him sound like a complete jackass so that is also what I expected him to be. But I could not be more wrong. Of course he is not perfect but he is a really good guy actually. He cares for his family and would do anything for them. So now that also includes his little baby girl.

Both Laurel and Danny are trying to adjust to their new life as a parent. It definitely does not help that they live hundreds of miles away from each other and that they are both attending university and working. And it definitely does not help. And at first Laurel is not willing to compromise much but after the court arranges the custodial rights for both they have no other option than to spend time in each other company. Through the struggles they face the reality of what co-parenting entails. Slowly they start to learn how to be around each other again. And I love how they started to bond as characters again slowly. I am glad that the author did not rush their relationship in any way.

At times I had some troubles with Laurel in this book. I really liked her in the first book but at times she really came across a spoiled child in this book. Especially at the beginning when she did not want to compromise. She clearly was not thinking about her child best interests but in her own interests. And at that moment Danny just did not fit in her life. But I am glad that she turned around during the book and became more mature.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I loved that the story continued right where it had left of, otherwise it would not have felt right. The book was fairly short and fast paced which made it really quick to read and that was exactly what I was looking for. Although I would have preferred it if the conclusion of the book had been a bit longer I still enjoyed it well enough. I cannot wait to read more books by Christine Duval.

Author Bio 

Christine Duval lives in New Jersey with her family. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Women Who Write, and the Authors Guild.
When not creating fictional characters or organizing carpools, you can find her walking through houses and writing about them for an upscale real estate company. She also has an extensive social media background and has worked for several well-known magazines.
Find her online at www.christineduval.com or on Twitter @christineduval1.

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Elien

 

Review: The Memory Book by Lara Avery

Review: The Memory Book
Author: Lara Avery
Genre: Contemporary, Romanc, Young Adult
Publisher: Hachette
Publication date: January 26th 2017
Pages: 357 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley

“They tell me that my memory will never be the same, that I'll start forgetting things. At first just a little, and then a lot. So I'm writing to remember.” 

Samantha McCoy has it all mapped out. First she's going to win the national debating championship, then she's going to move to New York and become a human rights lawyer. But when Sammie discovers that a rare disease is going to take away her memory, the future she'd planned so perfectly is derailed before it’s started. What she needs is a new plan.

So the Memory Book is born: Sammie’s notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. Realising that her life won't wait to be lived, she sets out on a summer of firsts: The first party; The first rebellion; The first friendship; The last love.

Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.

Goodreads

A life-affirming, heart-breaking and dazzling novel for fans of All the Bright Places and The Fault in Our Stars. 

It has been a long time since a book had left me feeling the way The Memory Book did. After I finished the book so many different emotions were running through me, happiness, sadness, satisfaction...

Sammie has recently been diagnosed with Niemann-Pick type C, this disease makes that young children will suffer from progressive dementia. Sammie had her whole life planned out, she studied hard during high school so that she could get into the university she wanted and eventually become a lawyer. But the disease slowly takes all her dreams away and Sammie has to learn to live with her new reality. That’s where the memory book comes in. In order to remember what happened every day and what is happening to her she creates a book that contains her memories from that day. And she does not leave anything out it is fragments of good and bad things and sometimes really sad things. The concept of the book was really nice, reading fragments of her life. I do not think I have read anything similar before.  And I think that writing the book in this way makes the story also seem more real.  

It is really easy to like and connect with Sammie. By reading her memories you sort off become a part of her. It was also wonderful to see how strong Sammie was as a character. She does not want to let the disease determine her life. She wants to live her life on her own terms. Sammie also made so much progression throughout the book. During high school she was always so focused on school work that she never really took the time to connect with her fellow student. But her disease forced her to see some things differently in her life. I was really moved by Sammie’s story; it is hard to see how she is trying to balance her life between what is realistic and her original life goals. I also think that the author did an excellent job at portraying how dementia also affects the people that are close to the patient. The author captured the sadness, helplessness and anger very well.

I absolutely loved this book. When reading it I really found it impossible to put it down. The book was so captivating and I was really engrossed in it. And this book also hit really close to home, my grandma has dementia so I feel the struggle that Sammie’s family has to go through as well. But oh boy I was not prepared for the ending. It left me absolutely shattered, but at the same time this book could not have a more beautiful ending. My favorite read of the year so far!

Elien

Review: Ever the Hunted (Clash of Kingdoms #1) by Erin Summerill

Title: Ever the Hunted
Author: Erin Summerill
Series: Clash of Kingdoms
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication date: December 27th 2016
Pages: 392 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force. 

Goodreads

When Ever the Hunted was first released I was really excited to read it. It sounded so promising. A young girl that gets a choice die for a crime she committed or hunt down her father’s killer. The choice seems easy but it might not be so easy when his killer was his former apprentice and your best friend.

The first couple of chapters of this book I really enjoyed. We got to know the main character Britta, and her back ground story. There was enough action to keep me intrigued to see what was going to happen. And at first Britta came across as a strong character, her life was never easy and it only got harder after her father passed away. But she tried to make the best of it anyway. So that is what I liked so much about her. It seemed like she changed after a while though. Once she set out on her quest she turned into a completely different girl. Suddenly she was weepy, easily persuaded and she could not stand up for herself. She did redeem herself a bit near the end so I hope that she will turn into a strong, independent, young woman again. It is probably one of the main reasons why this book fell short for me.

Like I mentioned earlier at the beginning there was a lot of action. Something that I expect in a fantasy book; especially when the main character is hunting down a killer. But here as well, after a couple of chapters the action seemed to have stopped. Still there were still some good scenes here and there but not as much as I would have liked. This all changes again near the ending, for which I am glad.

The world building itself was alright, the concept of two countries that are at war is often used in fantasy books but that did not bother me. And I found in interesting to see how different those countries were culturally. What intrigued me the most was the magical part. It wished that it was explained more in this book. But I also get why the author did not go into too much detail about it in this book.

Overall I enjoyed this book but it was lacking in some points. It started of good but then the middle just really slowed down. The ending redeemed this book so I am curious to see how the series will continue. 

Elien

Review: Will I See? by David Alexander Robertson

Title: Will I See? 
Author: David Alexander Robertson
Genre: Comic Book, Graphic Novel
Publisher: HighWater Press
Publication date: December 30th 2016
Pages: 56 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley






May, a young teenage girl, traverses the city streets, finding keepsakes in different places along her journey. When May and her kookum make thsese keepsakes into a necklace, it opens a world of danger and fantasy. While May fights against a terrible reality, she learns that there is strength in the spirit of those that have passed. But will that strength be able to save her? A story of tragedy and beauty, Will I See illuminates the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women. 

Goodreads

I am a really big fan of comic books so when I saw this one on Netgalley I requested it since it looked interesting enough.

But unfortunately I did not like it at all. There did not seem to be a story line at all in this comic. It was just about a girl who found random stuff on the ground and collects it and that has a grandmother who always warns her that girls should be afraid when they are outside alone. I really did not see the point of this whole comic. There was hardly any conversation and the scenes seemed to jump from one point to another. So this whole comic just did not make much sense to me.

Conclusion, this comic really was not my thing and it was only because it was so short that I even finished it. 

Elien

Review: Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands #1) by Alwyn Hamilton

Title: Rebel of the Sands
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Series: Rebel of the Sands
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Viking
Publication date: March 8th 2016
Pages: 314 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley






Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic. For humans, it's can unforgiving place, especially if you're poor, orphaned, or female. 

Amani Al'Hiza is all three. She's a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can't shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she's destined to wind up wed or dead. 

Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she's spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse - or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew.

Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes - in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power.

Goodreads

I had my eyes on this book ever since it got release. Did you look at the cover, it is so stunning, and the story line sounded so great as well.

Rebel of the Sands is set in a fantasy world with a lot of Middle Eastern influences. And it is one of the things that I liked the most about this book. When it comes to Middle Eastern influenced books I really cannot resist. And if you add some fantasy elements into it like spirits, djinni’s and ghouls well then I am completely sold.

Amani is a pretty great character to read about. I did get annoyed with her at some points, mostly because she was really selfish at some points. Actually she is probably one of the most selfish characters that I have ever read about. She always thought of what she wanted in life and she did not really care about how she got there even if it did put people in harm’s way. But at the same time I also liked her, yes she was selfish but by the end of the book she redeemed herself. And I liked that she was so sassy all the time. Jin is something different all together. I liked him from the start but I also knew that something had to be wrong with him since it was all too good to be true.  And he did have his secrets but I guess he had his reasons for.

There were other things that I loved about this book as well. Like I mentioned before the setting of this book is just great. Fantasy books are always a bit hard, a lot of the time the author gives too many details of this new world or they give to little information instead which leaves you confused. But Rebel of the Sands seems to have found the perfect combination.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was one of those books that was pretty hard to put down. There was so much action it in, which kept me on the edge of my seat. The world building was great and in general the characters were fun to read about too. I really cannot wait to read the next book in this series. 

Elien

Review: Long Way Home (Thunder Road #3) by Katie McGarry

   

The highly anticipated third book in Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series is being released on January 31^st! LONG WAY HOME is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance being published by Harlequin Teen! Pre-order your copy of the next book in this emotionally charged series, and don’t miss Violet and Chevy’s story! Check out all of the stops on this awesome tour and be sure to pre-order your copy for the amazing bonus scenes!

Title: Long Way Home
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Thunder Road
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult
Publisher: Harlequing Teen
Publication date: January 31st 2017
Pages: 448 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley
Buy links: Amazon | Kobo | BAM | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | IndieBound
Don’t Miss the First Two Titles in the Thunder Road Series:  Nowhere But Here Walk the Edge

Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving.

It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.

But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.

Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all. 

"An intoxicating and unforgettable story that kept me glued to the page."

—Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Walk the Edge

Goodreads

I have no idea how Katie McGarry keeps doing it. She writes such beautiful books with strong storylines that I just cannot get enough of. She seriously has an amazing talent and that is one of the many reasons why I just have to read every book that she publishes.

Long Way Home follows the lives of Violet and Chevy. It was so easy to immerse myself again into this motorcycle world that Katie has created and it was so easy to connect with the character. Katie has a knack for creating strong and likeable characters and Violet and Chevy were no different. At first I was not too sure about Violet, she always seemed a bit standoffish in the previous book and I did not always like her behavior and actions towards the other characters. But know I finally got to know her better and I could understand her better. What she was going through was not easy and it was easy to see why she acted the way she did. By the end of a Long Way Home I could only respect her. She is a young, strong, passionate and independent girl. When she has set her mind to something she will do whatever it takes to get there and that is one of the biggest thing that I loved about her. Chevy was the other main character of this book. And seriously Katie has to stop to make her mail characters so swoon worthy. Chevy was a very loyal guy, but at the same time he also respected the feelings of the people around him. He had a though life walking on a thin line between his school life and the terror since he did not know what kind of life he wanted. And afraid to hurt anyone he keeps walking that thin line even if it exhausts him.  It was impossible not to like him and he is definitely one of my favorite characters so far in the Thunder Road series.

I really liked the romance in this book. It was different from her other books since the two characters had already a history with each other. But the romance was well paced and had so many swoon worthy moments. Sometimes I wanted to yell at them to make up already and to be happy again with each other. But then again I am glad that Katie did not rush anything because it made the book so much better in the end. Both Chevy and Violet had so many issues that they had to work out, both together and apart. So it was good that they took their time and Katie did a great job resolving all these issues.

The plotline of this book was so interesting as well. There were so many unexpected twists that it made it even harder to put this book own. I just constantly had to know what was going to happen next. And then one of the revelations that were made near the end. I cannot express how excited I am to see how this will develop further in Katie’s next books.

Overall I really enjoyed Long Way Home it is another brilliant book by Katie McGarry. And it was filled with action, drama and romance, so basically everything that I could have wished for. If you are looking for a new YA contemporary romance series to read than I would definitely recommend this one.  

Excerpt 

CHEVY
     “Chevy,” Cyrus calls near the entrance, “We need to talk.”
     Damned knot in the tug-of-war-rope and I’m starting to feel frayed. Mom doesn’t blink as she waits for me to say something. To tell Cyrus he can wait. To tell her what she wants to hear. But as much as I love her, I’m also drawn to the club. She’s right, I do want both.
     “I’ll be back to pick you up later,” I say.
     Mom throws the towel she had expertly throttled into the sink behind her, walks to the other side of the bar and the strobe light casts a red haze around her. If I didn’t know her better, I’d buy the flirty smile and the way she giggles in happiness as she leans on the bar to take a drink order. But that’s not her real smile and that’s not her real laugh. It’s part of her job, part of her act, because that’s what working her requires—performing.
     With a kick to a barstool, I head for the exit. Cyrus walks out into the night and I follow. Once outside, Cyrus turns to me and his warm breath creates a cloud in the cool night. “We’ve had some trouble tonight with the Riot.”
     The Riot would be a motorcycle club north of us in Louisville. They’re pissed at the Terror for myriad reasons, the main one being we’re a legit club and they deal in illegal. They’re also angry at one of our main members, Eli. They feel he stole their daughter and granddaughter from them. Eli didn’t steal a thing. Can’t call someone’s free will in walking away from crazy a crime.
     Life sucks for the Riot and I’m fine with that. “Everything okay?”
     “Yeah. Everyone’s safe, but we’ve had word that they’ve ridden past the boundary lines we set with them a few months back. It’s all rumor and no one on our side has confirmed it. Could be someone’s overactive imagination, but I’ll feel better knowing you’re off the road.”
     I’m under eighteen, still a kid to him. Cyrus used to act this way with my two best friends, Oz and Razor, but both are eighteen and full members of the club now. The babysitting twists my gut, but then again, I’m not ready for the decision eighteen will bring. “How about Violet?”
     “I’m on my way now to look for her. She’s also not answering her cell.”
     Yeah. A lot of that going around. “If she took Stone to the game, she would have headed straight home. I’ll check on her on my way to Mom’s if you want.”
     This gives me the excuse I need to see Violet. Because I won’t be able to sleep without knowing she’s okay. So I can thank her for what she did for me with the note. To gauge whether or not Violet is waving the white flag.
     Cyrus lays a hand on my shoulder. “I’d appreciate that. I need to head back to the clubhouse to take care of some business. I’m serious about what I said though. Me and a lot of guys would love to hear about the game.”
     I know they would and I’d enjoy being with them, but Mom’s already sore that I walked out on her to talk to Cyrus. “I’m beat. After I check on Violet, I’m crashing.”
     Cyrus gives me a fast pat and a hug. We both mount our bikes and start our engines with a growl. My grandfather takes the lead and I follow him as long as I can before taking the path that leads away from him and toward where Violet lives.

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     About the author

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, NOWHERE BUT HERE and WALK THE EDGE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine’s 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.  

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Pre-order LONG WAY HOME by Katie McGarry, and fill out THIS FORM, to receive three previously unreleased bonus scenes featuring important “firsts” in the lives of your favorite characters from the world of Katie McGarry! Complete the form to register your pre-order at https://wyng.com/campaign/820152. Offer Ends 1/31/17 at 11:59pm EST.

Elien