ARC Review: Tin Star (Tin Star #1) by Cecil Castellucci

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
240 Pages

On their way to start a new life, Tula and her family travel on the Prairie Rose, a colony ship headed to a planet in the outer reaches of the galaxy. All is going well until the ship makes a stop at a remote space station, the Yertina Feray, and the colonist's leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station.

When three humans crash land onto the station, Tula's desire for escape becomes irresistible, and her desire for companionship becomes unavoidable. But just as Tula begins to concoct a plan to get off the space station and kill Brother Blue, everything goes awry, and suddenly romance is the farthest thing from her mind. 

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Tin Star is a story about revenge – plain and simple. Normally, I like me a good revenge story. However this one made me want to gouge my eyes out from sheer boredom. Couple that with the fact that I have to finish a book once I start, this read for a loooong read with my pal Emily. 

Tula has sworn revenge on a man named Brother Blue, a man she trusted, but who left her for dead on an alien space station. As Tula learns to survive amidst this alien race, she unravels more of the secrets Brother Blue was keeping, along with the secrets hidden within space station. She makes friends, allies – basically becomes one of them. Then a group of humans arrive and throw everything into chaos.

This book was roughly 240 pages long and I felt every page. I love sci-fi and fantasy books. One of the best parts is learning new worlds and seeing how they work. This is where Tin Star failed, horribly. There was no world building. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. The beginning opens up with us on the Yertina Feray (the space station) where Tula and Brother Bear, along with a colony of humans, are getting ready to set sail onto another planet to set up a new home. That’s pretty much the only backstory we get on anything. Nothing about how the world came to be this way. No explanations on all of the different species. What little information Castellucci gives, she shoves into one lengthy paragraph that leaves your head spinning because it literally makes no sense. 

On top of the nonexistent world building, there’s also the lack of likeable characters. I’m not saying that all of the characters were unlikeable, it’s just that we’re never given the chance to get to know them. We’re told who they are and what species they are, but we never get a real feel for them. In the beginning, I felt horrible for Tula but as time went on, I forgot why. 

I couldn’t connect with anything or anyone in this book. It almost felt like this entire book was just a summarization of someone’s life, not a story. If you want people to care, you need to put effort into it. I just didn’t feel like there was any here. 

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Cover Reveal: Sacrifice (Elemental #5) by Brigid Kemmerer

I have been waiting for the release of the cover for what felt like years. When Brigid asked if any bloggers would like to join her in releasing the cover for the fifth and final installment in her Elemental series, I jumped at the chance.

Sacrifice (Elemental #5) by Brigid Kemmerer

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
432 Pages

One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.

Michael Merrick is used to pressure. 

He’s the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it out for his family, and he’s all that stands in the way. 

His girlfriend, Hannah, gets that. She’s got a kid of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could end her life without a moment’s notice. 

But there are people who have had enough of Michael’s defiance, his family’s “bad luck.” Before he knows it, Michael’s enemies have turned into the Merricks’ enemies, and they’re armed for war. 

They’re not interested in surrender. But Michael isn’t the white flag type anyway. There will be blood on the ground tonight…

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I'm sorry, Emily cannot come to the blog right now. She is too busy drooling and staring lovingly at the handsome man on this cover. But really? I am so excited to read this one, and am much happier with this cover than I was with Secret's. Is it September yet?

Big thanks to Brigid for letting me join in the reveal!

Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop

Even though this year, I will be celebrating "Singles Awareness Day" with a good book and a few bottles glasses of wine rather than smooching on a valentine, I want to share the romance with my readers. That's why Book Jems is happily participating in the Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop hosted by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rachael Anderson.

What can you win, you ask?
Why, I have an extra signed copy of THE MOON AND MORE by Sarah Dessen, that I am more than willing to share with one lucky follower.

THE MOON AND MORE by Sarah Dessen

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
435 Pages

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

Giveaway Details:
- One (1) winner will receive a signed copy of THE MOON AND MORE by Sarah Dessen
- Open internationally
- One entrant per household
- Cheating results in immediate disqualification
- Giveaway ends 02/15/2014

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Good luck, and happy reading!

Book Review: Melting the Ice (Play By Play #7) by Jaci Burton

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Berkeley
336 Pages

The new Play-by-Play novel by Jaci Burton

BODY CHECK

Everything’s coming together for budding fashion designer Carolina Preston. Only months away from having her own line, she could use some publicity. That’s when her brother suggests his best friend as a model—hockey player Drew Hogan.

Carolina and Drew already have a history—a hot one, back in college. Unforgettable for Carolina, but for Drew, just another slap shot. This time, though, it’s different. His perfect body would be for professional use only. This time, she could use him.

Drew is all for it. He’s looking forward to the exposure. Plus, it would give him a chance to prove to Carolina that he’s changed. If only he could thaw her emotions, convince her to let down her guard and let him in just one more time….

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“People have fallen in love and have found forever together with much less than what they do for a living as a foundation.”

Budding fashion designer, Carolina Preston, needs male models to help showcase her designs during fashion week. When she enlists her brother for help, he immediately recommends his best buddy from college, hockey star Drew Hogan. The only problem is, Drew may have taken Carolina’s virginity one drunken night in college and then left before the next morning. That’s something that Carolina has never really gotten over…and something her brother doesn’t know.

This was my first book by Jaci Burton and I was a little hesitant going in but I will say, I was pleasantly surprised. What initially attracted me to this book was hockey. I am a massive hockey fan and can to attest to some of the players being drop dead gorgeous. So while I was going ‘yay hockey’, I was also wary about how the author would portray the sport. Thankfully, Burton includes just enough of the action that you feel as if Hogan is a legit player. It wasn’t just ‘game time’ and ‘game over’. No, Burton wrote scenes that were easy to follow for anyone reading – hockey fan or not.

Then there were the characters of Carolina and Drew. Once again, I thought that I had this book figured out – boy was an ass, girl holds grudge, brother finds out and freaks, girl still falls for boy, boy breaks her heart because girl misreads something that happens, etc etc etc. And yes, some of that happened, but not in the way I assumed.

Carolina was still hurt when Drew came back into her life, but she didn’t wallow in it forever. She accepted his apology and then even decided to play with him for a bit. I loved her determination and also that she didn’t let him rule her. Drew was also charming. He was your typical hotshot, conceited ass when you first meet him, but as the book goes on, you realize that he’s not actually conceited, just very comfortable with who he is and where he is in life. Both of them were strong individuals with careers and lives outside of each other, but the moments they shared were full of passion and love. I loved their chemistry and how they played with each other. Their banter was witty and entertaining, and the story was well rounded out with the side characters.

Nice, light, entertaining read. And I wouldn’t be opposed to reading others in this series. 

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

ARC Review: Song of the Fireflies by JA Redmerski

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Forever
464 Pages

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J. A. Redmerski of The Edge of Never brings us a heart-wrenching New Adult novel.

Elias Kline and Brayelle Bates have been inseparable since they were kids. When Bray moves to South Carolina, separating the two for the first time, they realize that their innocent childhood friendship has developed into something much more. So when Bray returns to Georgia -and to Elias-four years later, things between them couldn’t be more perfect…until one fateful night changes everything.

Desperate not to go to prison for a terrible accident, Elias and Bray decide to run. As they try to make the most of their freedom, the two find themselves relying on a rebellious group of people who tempt the duo into a wild and daring new life. But they can’t run from their troubles forever.

As the consequences of their past catch up to them, the couple must face reality. Even if they can make it through the unimaginable, Elias knows the truth about Bray’s painful history, and in the end he may not be able to save Bray from herself…

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There were so many things wrong with this book, I don’t even know where to begin. Let’s just start with the one quote that’s said multiple times throughout this book, “If you’re not guilty, then why did you run?” At least 75% of the trainwreck revolves around that question. I’m going to try to make this review as spoiler free as possible, but I may need to reveal a few details so to understand my position.

Let’s start with our cast: First, there’s Elias Kane. He falls in love at a very early age only to have the love of his life bail the minute they decide to have a real relationship. He tries to move on, only to end up back in the arms of the girl who caused him so much pain. He’s fiercely loyal to the extent that his personality resembles a lost puppy following around their master. 

Source

Then there’s Brayelle Bates. She’s obviously the love of above said puppy. Bray, as everyone calls her, runs so hot and then so cold that it’s really hard to tell where she stands on anything. Everything is always about her – no one understands her, the darkness follows her, she can’t live like this, blah blah blah. I get that she has a mental disorder, but the author set her and her disease up horribly that the whole time I was reading, I was like

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Then there’s the plot – or lack thereof. Bray and Elias end up together after Bray flees the state to get away from her feelings. She comes back and everything is ok, they’re in love after all. Then there’s a party that ends up with a dead girl at the bottom of a cliff. Bray, convinced that she’s going to prison, decides to run and Elias goes with her. They pack up their car and hit the road. Side note: I’ve decided that Redmerski is incapable of writing a story without the main characters living out of a car or on some roadtrip. Anyway, I digress. Along the road, more drama happens and they find themselves without a car, money, or even clothes. But never fear, there’s a group of strangers that let them freeload off of them for months. Months spent partying on the beach just doing drugs and having sex. Literally, that’s the story. Oh wait, there’s a police standoff at the end – can’t forget about that.

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There was just so much wrong with the writing and with the plot that I ended up skimming the last 20% because I was bored and annoyed. I understand that as a NA novel the characters have more freedom, but the amount of drug use in this book bordered on extreme. Same with the amount of sex. Sex was used as a transition. The author needed to end a scene but didn’t know how – sex. End of a chapter – sex. End of a fight –sex. And not even good sex scenes, I skimmed over those as well. And I’m sorry, but if you’re doing anal for the first time, there needs to be prep, you can’t just stick it in and have it be pleasurable for the girl. I figured that was common knowledge. 

This is this third book I’ve read from Redmerski and despite my hopes that maybe it will get better, it just keeps getting worse. Needless to say, I will not be reading anything else by this author.

I received an copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley for my honest opinion and review.

ARC Review: Disarm: The Complete Novel by June Gray

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Berkeley Trade
384 Pages

June Gray's bestselling erotic serial is now available in print for the first time—as one complete novel.

When the secrets of the past begin to surface, the truth can be disarming…

Twenty-six-year-old Elsie Sherman has had a crush on her brother’s best friend, Henry Logan, since she was twelve years old. Unfortunately, Henry—now an Air Force officer—has only ever treated her like a younger sister, stepping into her brother’s shoes after he was killed in action.

That is, until the night when one dance ignites a sensual fire between the two, leaving Elsie aroused and confused. Is she allowed to lust after her surrogate big brother, who also happens to be her roommate? As the passion between them crosses the line into a territory that teases with the forbidden, Elsie decides to give herself to the man she has always desired. But Elsie is not prepared for where the relationship will take her.

Henry has been harboring two secrets. One can bring them closer together. The other will tear them apart. Now, with each startling new revelation, Elsie realizes that only she can decide if the past can ever be forgiven—and if a future with Henry is worth fighting for.

Includes a never-before-published bonus short story.

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Elsie Sherman grew up with a giant crush on her brother’s best friend, Henry Logan. After high school, both boys joined the Air Force. When her brother is killed in Afghanistan, Henry is the only one who understands what Elsie is going through. The two of them form a bond, one that grows even stronger as the two of them also live together. When Henry gets word that he’s about to ship out to Afghanistan, everything changes and their real feelings are released. 

What I really enjoyed about the story was the aspect of war. I liked reading about the sadness and helplessness one feels when a loved one is leaving for war. Knowing people in the service, I can relate to these feelings, as I believe most can. I felt really bad for Elsie. She lost her brother and now she was afraid of losing Henry. I also liked that the author didn’t beat around the bush about the two of them revealing their feelings for each other. 

What I didn’t like was the constant back and forth. They’re together then they’re not. They’re saying goodbye to each other then they’re not. When Henry decides that he needs to find out who he is without Elsie, it made sense. His timing was really weird, but I got his intentions. And his wanting to see a therapist was even better.  Elsie should have supported this, instead she withdrew from everyone. Then Henry moved to Korea for a year and she moved on – kinda. 

The middle of the story took an interesting turn when Henry, wanting Elsie to understand why he broke it off, handed over his therapy session tapes and we get to hear everything from his side. But what could have been an emotional insight to this man turned into him just describing how much sex he had with Elsie. He was in there to find himself and discuss what happened while in service and he hardly touched on anything but Elsie. The whole section didn’t flow well or sound like how someone would talk to a therapist. Honestly, it just seemed like a repeat of everything we had read previously just from Henry’s point of view.

Another thing that bothered me was how flippant Elsie seemed to be when it came to anything sexual with Henry. He announces he’s going to Afghanistan, she seduces him with sex. He announces he’s going to Korea, she seduces him with sex. She’s moving to Colorado, she seduces him with sex. And after each one of these episodes, she wallows about how she shouldn’t have done it or how she should have told him how she felt. The whole “I just want to have it one more time” attitude was a turn-off and selfish. 

I still honestly don’t know how I feel about this one. There were parts that I liked and I genuinely felt that the material was good, it just wasn’t delivered well.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

"Real" Book Challenge January Recap

So we're officially one month into the "Real" Book Challenge. I've challenged myself to read at least 50 real books this year. Here's a little recap of what I've read so far in my January recap:




So there you have it. I started off with 6 books for the month. There's still time to join if you want. Just go here.