Project Paper Doll #2 The Hunt

Presenting Project Paper Doll #2 The Hunt by Stacey Kade.

Here is the summary of the book:

Ariane Tucker has finally escaped GTX, the research facility that created her. While on the run, Zane Bradshaw is the only person she can trust. He knows who-and what-she is and still wants to be part of her life.

But accepting Zane's help means putting him in danger.

Dr. Jacobs, head of GTX, is not the only one hunting for Ariane. Two rival corporations have their sights set on taking down their competition. Permanently. To protect Zane and herself, Ariane needs allies. She needs the other hybrids. The hybrids who are way more alien and a lot less human. Can Ariane win them over before they turn on her? Or will she be forced to choose sides, to decide who lives and who dies?

After the thriller first book, 'The Rules', the story continues in this spellbinding sequel 'The Hunt'. Ariane is on the run from GTX, away from the research facility and the judgmental researchers with Zane. But its not just GTX on her tail now but the competitors Laughin and Emerson St. John too and they are not what you would describe as nice. And Ariane couldn't help not fall harder for Zane....

Arine truly shines through as a heroine here. For the first time, she has to not only think of herself but for Zane too. She knows or her alien side knows that Zane needs to go back for his own safety but her human side fights on all of her decisions bringing in a semblance of humanity in this mix. Her only short-comings, she over analyses things when they are not needed.

Of course Zane is not to back down either. He knows what is going on with Ariane and so her does his best to give her space and let her come to her own conclusion about their situation. Add in some steamy romance between the pair in this cat and mouse chase, as they figure out the best approach to protect themselves and you have a winner. Although I would have liked Ariane to atleast trust Zane with her plans and prevent it from going he wrong way at the worst time.... Of course GTX is not far behind either even if Ariane and Zane try to stay a step ahead. But you gotta admit there is a solid chemistry between the two.

Overall not a bad sequel. Aside from the predictability of the what happens to Zane at the end. This is a great read. With two almost real and relate-able characters, a great plot with its own twists & turns. Suffice it to say I am excited to see what the next one will bring to us.

"A thrilling action-packed sequel in the Project Paper Doll series"

Genre :      Young Adult, Sci-fi, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Release Date: 22nd April, 2014

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Books in the series (review links):
              #1 The Rules

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

TOURZ DE CODEX: The Asylum by AA Pencil [Guest Post + GIVEAWAY]

DAY 3, The blog tour visits Le' Grande Codex with a Guest Post & a Grand Giveaway.



About the book:-


"I am Melissa Andrews, a prisoner in this forlorn excuse for a psychiatric treatment center."


Melissa Andrews is scheduled for execution by lethal injection but wakes up in a secluded mental asylum with its own dark secrets.


When her questions are unanswered, she has no choice but to form alliances and infiltrate her captors' barriers. Little does she know that she is at the center of one of the asylum's major plots.


What will she uncover about the institution and herself and will she find a way to escape before it's too late?




About the Author:-


A. A. Pencil works part time as a school nurse at an all-boys Catholic school in New York City. As a Lupus survivor, she uses writing as a significant part of her therapy and you will see influences from classical writers such as Agatha Christie and Edgar Alan Poe in her work. When not working or writing, she enjoys cooking, shopping and walking. She has sponsored a child in Mexico for over three years with a children's organization. She currently lives in a borough of New York City with her extended family who are her greatest supporters.





Links to connect and explore :-


Official website
Twitter
Facebook
Amazon Kindle
B&N



Something from the author....

The Real McCoy: Creating Realistic Characters

So we all know that ‘the real McCoy’ is an idiom which simply means the real thing. Where did it come from? Who knows? There are tons of claims about the origin of ‘the real McCoy, some of them being a variation of the title a song, the last name of a Kansas major back in the 1800’s and the last name of an engineer and inventor of the oil drip cup. As for me, since there really isn’t a concrete origin behind ‘the real McCoy’, I’d like to put my two cents in and say that the term was derived from Hank McCoy, a fictional, blue character from the X-men. Hank, whose mutant alias is ‘Beast’, is special for a number of reasons. Besides the blue fur and feline attributes, Beast is incredibly intelligent, has superhuman strength and is a political activist for the mutants. Though Beast is strong, agile and intelligent, he had to get past self-consciousness (totally understandable when you have blue fur) and a struggle for acceptance. What I believe makes any fictional character unique is a balance between strengths and weaknesses. If you create a character with just the right balance, you’re making them realistic and your readers will connect with them.

Before beginning any story, I like to create a character profile. For my first novel, The Reunion, I purchased a poster board like the one students use for science fair projects. On the board, I listed my characters and included categories like profession, goals, appearance, strengths and weaknesses. I would definitely recommend the use of a board over a computer because there’s no need for scrolling. Everything you need is right in front of you and you can sit back, compare and contrast. (This won’t work if you’re always on the go.) For me, a plus with using the poster board was that I was able to catch that a few of my characters were too similar (I.e. height, hair color, mannerisms). For my second book, The Asylum, I tried to make a character profile using Microsoft Excel but it wasn’t the same as sitting around a table and using the old fashioned paper and pencil. For my third book, I’m planning on using a white board where I can include not only character profiles but I can scribble plots and ideas all on an erasable platform.

Strengths and weakness, I believe, are the strongest criteria for making a character seem realistic. If you create a character that is strong, intelligent, forgiving and generous yet they have no weaknesses, the reader will lose interest because they’ll know that this character will easily overcome adversity. There has to be come kind of challenge. On the other hand, if your character is pessimistic, weak and mean, readers will grow annoyed and not root for them. Balance is the key. It’s fine to create an exceptionally strong character but that character needs to have a flaw or weakness. For example, in The Reunion, the character who’s a meteorologist and graduated at the top of his class had to get over a stuttering issue. In my latest book, The Asylum, the main character, Melissa Andrews, is bold and guarded but has a special place in her heart for children.

We connect not only to people who are similar to us but also to people who are real. We know that no one is perfect (though many people still claim they are). Every one of us has strengths and weaknesses even if we haven’t quite come to terms with them. Fictional characters should have unique backgrounds, goals, idiosyncrasies, strengths, phobias and weaknesses. Rather than searching online for character background generators, simply look around you and you’ll see that this world is overflowing with interesting and unique characters.

GIVEAWAY:

1 winner gets to win this commodity

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Doctor Who: Touched By An Angel

Presenting Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #46 Doctor Who: Touched By An Angel by Jonathan Morris.

Here is the summary of the book:

'The past is like a foreign country. Nice to visit, but you really wouldn't want to live there.'

In 2003, Rebecca Whitaker died in a road accident. Her husband Mark is still grieving. He receives a battered envelope, posted eight years earlier, containing a set of instructions with a simple message: 'You can save her.'

As Mark is given the chance to save Rebecca, it's up to the Doctor, Amy and Rory to save the whole world. Because this time the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon.

An adventure featuring the Eleventh Doctor, as played by Matt Smith, and his companions Amy and Rory

Among the Daleks, Cybermen, and the Silence, the Weeping Angels can be considered a formidable enemy and I admit on par with the Daleks on the scary quota. They had some of the most terrifying episodes in their repertoire too including 'Blink', 'The Time of Angels', 'The Angels take Manhattan' etc.

GOD I still remember David Tennant's 10th Doctor Dialogue from the episode 'Blink' --- "Don't Blink. Blink and your dead. Don't turn your Back. Don't look away. And don't blink. Good Luck."

The Weeping Angels are one of my favorite monsters and I knew I just had to read this adventure, the 11th Doctor (Matt Smith) has with Amy & Rory and the Angels.... And this new cover is just enough to bring me on board.

Just as usual the weeping angels are up to no good sending unsuspecting innocents to the past and sounding the proverbial dinner gong, consuming their potential energy and in the Doctor's words, the only psychopaths in the universe to kill you nicely.....

And this time they chose this guy Mark Whitaker as their guinea pig. His wife Rebecca died 8 years ago and since then his life had been but one of misery.... Thus the angels have the perfect opportunity for a paradox and the Doctor, Amy & Rory have their work cut out for them if they wish to prevent the end of the world.

It takes a bit for me to get into the Doctor Who adventures as a novel, since we are used to the tv shows more than the books.... But this is a very heart shattering and touching story. In my limited Doctor Who book experience, the ones I had the chance to read, exhibit an amazing plot but they are not able to incorporate it well and it falls short of the excitement felt when watching the show. Definitely not the case here AT ALL.

The plot is very good. Well paced and well conceived. And the villains of the story are well described..... terrifyingly portrayed by the author. And just like in the episode 'BLINK', it is not the Doctor and his companions but Mark who is the central character to this story. His trials against those dreaded statues really brought me to tears.

Lastly, I would only say this, fan of Doctor Who or just looking for a great read..... then do pick this up and be awed at the brilliance of the tale.... And of course who could forget that little Easter egg from the 10th Doctor's era.... I am sure, you might have already as to what it is...... If not then I definitely urge to not give this one a miss. 

"A brilliant, cunning & emotive adventure with the Doctor, Amy & Rory and the Weeping Angels"

Genre :     Fantasy, Sci-fi, Tv Tie-in

Publisher: BBC Books

Release Date: 6th March, 2014

Rate:             5/5 (It was Amazing)

Other Books from Doctor Who:

         (review links)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

The Taking #1 The Taking

Presenting The Taking #1 The Taking by Kimberly Derting.

Here is summary of the book:

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Taking alien abduction sequences and turning it into a solid and engaging tale, Kimberly Derting is sure branching out with her literature. Yes I still need to check out the final books of her 'Body Finder' and 'The Pledge' series but I knew I just had to check out 'The Taking' and color me surprised because I was attracted due to this gorgeous cover and did not check the synopsis before requesting it on edelweiss.... And I loved the experience of it all!

This is the story of Kyra Agnew. An ordinary girl, with ordinary parents and ordinary aspirations in life. But a fight with her dad on the topic of college and her boyfriend Austin.... bringing in a chance encounter of the 3rd kind with a bright flash of light and bang! she wakes up 5 years later. With no knowledge of her whereabouts, her life in tatters and her age, seemingly the same as when she had disappeared.

Kyra was a beauty to experience. Just like Captain America (don't flame, it is an apt comparison) Kyra is out of her time and the author did a wonderful job of actually illustrating her situation. Everyone has moved on with their lives leaving Kyra behind to reminisce on the past. All she experiences after the mysterious 5 years are shards of a life she should have had..... but it was lost to her. Although she takes everything in her stride and tries with all her might to come out on top.

Tyler on the other hand forms the perfect support for Kyra as she searches for a sense of belonging. He is loyal. He is cheesy and he is determined. He is Austin's younger brother and while the elder one chose to move on. Tyler held on to his long term crush..... And his chemistry with Kyra and their gradual romance was a sight for sore eyes and highly appreciated.

He proves to be the perfect rock for Kyra as she figures out her circumstances and unearth the mystery of what happened to her in those 5 years..... Coupled with a fast paced and engagingly thrilling plot. You just can't expect not to be hooked. The Taking may start out slow but picks up speed in record time and you are enthralled by this sci-fi, mystery-thriller. Definitely eager to see how the mystery unveils i the next book.

"Kimberly Derting serves us an unputdownable sci-fi mystery with fireflies"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Sci-fi, Romance, Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: 29th April, 2014

Rate:             4/5 (Really Liked It)

Other Books by the Author(review links):

         The Body Finder (series)
         The Pledge (series)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

Eighth Day #1 The Eighth Day

Presenting Eighth Day #1 The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni.

Here is the summary of the book:

In this riveting fantasy adventure, thirteen-year-old Jax Aubrey discovers a secret eighth day with roots tracing back to Arthurian legend. Fans of Percy Jackson will devour this first book in a new series that combines exciting magic and pulse-pounding suspense.

When Jax wakes up to a world without any people in it, he assumes it's the zombie apocalypse. But when he runs into his eighteen-year-old guardian, Riley Pendare, he learns that he's really in the eighth day—an extra day sandwiched between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people—like Jax and Riley—are Transitioners, able to live in all eight days, while others, including Evangeline, the elusive teenage girl who's been hiding in the house next door, exist only on this special day.

And there's a reason Evangeline's hiding. She is a descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, and there is a group of people who wish to use her in order to destroy the normal seven-day world and all who live in it. Torn between protecting his new friend and saving the entire human race from complete destruction, Jax is faced with an impossible choice. Even with an eighth day, time is running out.

Stay tuned for The Inquisitor's Mark, the spellbinding second novel in the Eighth Day series.

Grunsday. A magical day wedges in between Thursday and Friday..... COOL.... VERY COOL.... Kudos to Dianne K Salerni for creating such an innovative plot albeit a middle grade story.... but a thrilling read none the less. Couple with a 3d-esque cover and good writing and we have a winner.

Jax moves in with his 18 year old guardian Riley after the death of his parents and discovers a secret that changes the very nature of his lifestyle and his perspective of those around him. There is more to those around him and his own lineage and he has just barely scratched the surface of it all. Of King Arthur and Merlin and the Lady of the Lake and Morgana..... Jax discovers that magic is very much real and some of it runs in his veins.

May sound like your typical middle grade story but of course it is not. Brownie points to Salerni for concocting such an innovative plot and keeping it interesting and engaging for us readers. Jax is your typical tragedy ridden teen but the dynamics of his relationship with Riley was definitely the focal point to this story. Of course next door ghostly neighbor Evangeline is important to this adventure, trapped in Grunsdays, she brings her own excitement to this story. Very excited to see what happens in the sequel.

"Eighth day of the week and fate of the world hanging in the balance. I RECOMMEND"

Genre :      Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery

Publisher: Harper Collins

Release Date: 22nd April, 2014

My Copy: publisher and edelweiss

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

Two Short Reviews [Path of Beasts & The Bones of Stars]

Path of Beasts -

A middle Grade. I am not really sure how I should phrase the review. I have not read Book 1 and Book 2 of this series, so I didn't understand some of what was happening in this book but it did make for a great read. Innovative too but not my cup of tea.


The Bones of Stars -

This is the second book in its series and I am very sorry it became a DNF for me. Has a much better plot than Path of Beasts but somehow I just couldn't get into it. I am keeping it in hand though if I get book 1 in the forseeable fututre, I think I would like this much better than I did now.

The Asylum by AA Pencil - Release Day Blitz [+Giveaway]

Lavish Publishing and Tourz de Codex have coordinated a release day blitz to author AA Pencil's book The Asylum, second in the Beneath the Trap Door Series.

About the Book:-

"I am Melissa Andrews, a prisoner in this forlorn excuse for a psychiatric treatment center."

Melissa Andrews is scheduled for execution by lethal injection but wakes up in a secluded mental asylum with its own dark secrets.

When her questions are unanswered, she has no choice but to form alliances and infiltrate her captors' barriers. Little does she know that she is at the center of one of the asylum's major plots.

What will she uncover about the institution and herself and will she find a way to escape before it's too late?

About the Author:-

A. A. Pencil works part time as a school nurse at an all-boys Catholic school in New York City. As a Lupus survivor, she uses writing as a significant part of her therapy and you will see influences from classical writers such as Agatha Christie and Edgar Alan Poe in her work. When not working or writing, she enjoys cooking, shopping and walking. She has sponsored a child in Mexico for over three years with a children's organization. She currently lives in a borough of New York City with her extended family who are her greatest supporters.

Some Very Important Link -

Official website - http://www.aapencil.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/aapencil

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BeneathTheTrapDoor

Amazon - http://www.amazon.in/The-Asylum-Book-Beneath-Series-ebook/dp/B00K21SWPW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399257946&sr=8-1&keywords=the+asylum+aa+pencil

B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-asylum-a-a-pencil/1119411831?ean=2940149407637

And Now Of Course for the Giveaway .....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tourz de Codex: Captive by Samantha Jacobey [Interview & Giveaway]

Day 5 and its my day to host Samantha Jacobey's Captive for the day. Check out an interesting interview with the author and a huge giveaway.

About the book:-

Captive - A New Life Series

Formerly Life of Recovery

To what lengths would you go to break away from a life filled with pain and suffering?

Tori Farrell has lived a dangerous life. When you grow up with a Motorcycle Gang of Mercenaries and Drug Lords like the Dragons, a normal life is more like a fairytale. For years, she accepted her dark reality, a world consisting of drugs, sex, violence and murder. In the end, she learned the most valuable lesson: survival.

After years of being ruled by the Dragons, Tori uses her skills of seduction and assassination to free herself from the grasp of the people who vowed they would never let her go. Taken in by the FBI, she fears not everything is what it seems, and soon finds herself lost in a web of lies and deceit. She thought getting away from the Dragons would put her on a path to a new and better life, but now she must face the cold hard truth” there is always a price to be paid.

˃˃˃ Excerpt

"Quietly, he explained to her that he was going to arrange for another group to kill the Dragons and send her to live with someone who would take care of her. Not understanding, she asked why she would have to go with someone else. If the Dragons were dead, why couldn't she just go with him? He refused to explain, and simply said, "You are going to have a different life, baby girl. A life I cannot give you. You must be strong and willing to do whatever it takes to make this happen. Promise me you will do this...."

˃˃˃ Book 1 of 7 in A New Life Series

This is the first in a series that chronicles the life of a young woman who is raised by a group of men who work as freelance mercenaries in the dark world of drug trafficking and murder for hire. They acquired the young woman at a very young age, as she has no memory of life before them. The book opens as she has broken free and moves through a series of current events and flashbacks that explain the beginning of her story. It is very dark with an unfinished feel, because in the end, the past is not the real story - the real story is what happens from here.

˃˃˃ WARNING: GRAPHIC SCENES

This book is intended for readers 18+ and contains scenes that may cause distress to some readers: Domestic Abuse, Kidnapping, Rape and Substance Abuse are described in detail.


Author bio:-

Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations anywhere at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.


I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the books that are currently available and hope you will enjoy reading them just as much. And of course, there will be many more stories to come.

Useful links:-

Author links:
Twitter
Official Website

Trailers:  Captive  |   Bound  |   Entwined

Buy Captive:   Amazon (kindle)  |   Amazon (paperback)   |  iTunes  |   B&N
                         Google Play (Captive)  |    Google Play (Bound)  |   Google Play (Entwined)

An Interview with the Author:-

Tell us something about yourself…

I was born and raised in West Texas in a rural area, but just outside of a larger town, so I guess you could say I experienced both worlds. I was and still am a tomboy, and I know that god gave me all sons for a reason. My favorite vacations are spent camping and fishing, I would wear jeans year round if I could, and love to get my hands dirty building things and working on projects.


How do you research for a book before you begin the writing process? 

I try to stick to things I already know or have experienced. If there is anything I need to look up, I do use google, but mostly I just think about things. I like to ask lots of questions… why would this happen? How would this character feel about a situation? How would they act or what would they do? I guess you could call it role-playing in my head, and I have been all about that since I was a little girl, holding entire conversations inside my head with multiple participants. I used to worry that I was borderline crazy, but lately I have come to realize lots of people do this, and we are the creators of fiction stories that the world loves to hear.


How similar to its principle protagonist and the main cast are you? 

Not really similar, on the surface, at all. What I have done is drawn from my long life of experiences, as well as those of people around me, and spun them together into a web. There are bits of me and things that I like and enjoy sprinkled throughout the story, but you would really have to know me to see them. Also, a great deal of it is things that I would love to have had or tried, or I knew someone who did them, so I am living those out through my characters, if you will.


Describe ‘CAPTIVE’ in 5 words – 

INCREDIBLY UNIQUE DARK SUSPENSE FANTASY


Share your thoughts for budding authors. 

Don’t do it for the money. This is not a ‘get rich quick scheme’ and the odds of you making big bucks fast and easy are somewhere between slim and none. Do your homework, put yourself into your writing and make it great. Dream big, but don’t bet the farm on your success. And finally, always be evaluating, revising and improving, in all aspects of the process – your writing and your networking / promotion (you will be promoting yourself a great deal if you want to see any real success).

Giveaway:-

3 winners = Each will get one of one of each mentioned below.
Swag pack of signed book cards, ebooks and $25 giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unbound #1 Blood Bound

Presenting Unbound #1 Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent.

Here is the summary of the book:

Bound by blood, condemned by fate

As a bloodtracker, Liv is extremely powerful. And in a world where power is a commodity that can get you killed, Liv's learnt to survive by her own rules.

Rule number one? Trust no one.

But when a friend's daughter goes missing, Liv is bound by a potent magical oath. She can't rest until the child is safe.
And that means trusting her dangerous ex, Cam.

A sinister prophecy tells that she and Cam will be the death of each other, yet Liv's tired of being a slave to destiny. She's ready to play the forces controlling her world at their own game.

No matter what the cost.

I have only just begun to scratch the surface with Rachel Vincent's book. Prior to Blood Bound, till now I have only read My Soul to Take. I liked that one much better than Blood Bound though. Not that this one wasn't exciting. It really was and a fast paced thriller too but still somehow with a few short comings.

The synopsis itself is quite misleading. Liv was helping to solve her friend Annika's husband's mysterious death because they were bound to an oath, the daughter's disappearance came way later in the story and not at all, the focus of the story. Also with characters as 'Skilled' as the characters in the book like Liv and Cam, you would expect the story to be teeming with action scenes but it is more or less a starcrossed romance but with a bittersweet ending.

Now I have nothing against that.... I do love a good paranormal romance. Liv and Cam, the protagonist couple were perfect for this setting. Both of them are 'Skilled' trackers. Both are strong. Determined.... And extremely adorable with each other..... And dealt a heavy hand by fate.... or by a friend with the 'Skill' for foretellings. Not to say there wasn't enough tension.... because they had it down to a 'T'.

Secrets and Manipulations abound, with gangsters and underworld King Pins running the show. This proved to be quite the easy and a fast paced read. The character journey of both Liv and Cam was definitely the main point to the plot and I enjoyed this thrilling ride.

"Thrilling and Fast Paced"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Mira INK

Release Date: 1st September, 2011

Rate:             3/5 (Liked It)

Other Books by the Author(review links):

         Soul Screamers (series)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

The Books of Ore #1 The First Book of Ore: The Foundry's Edge

Presenting The Books of Ore #1 The First Book of Ore: The Foundry's Edge by Cam Baity & Benny Zelkowicz.

Here is the summary of the book:

Two kids on a rescue mission.
A mysterious realm of living metal.
One secret that will change the world.

For Phoebe Plumm, life in affluent Meridian revolves around trading pranks with irksome servant Micah Tanner and waiting for her world-renowned father, Dr. Jules Plumm, to return home. Chief Surveyor for The Foundry, a global corporation with an absolute monopoly on technology, Phoebe's father is often absent for months at a time. But when a sudden and unexpected reunion leads to father and daughter being abducted, Phoebe and would-be rescuer Micah find themselves stranded in a stunning yet volatile world of living metal, one that has been ruthlessly plundered by The Foundry for centuries and is the secret source of every comfort and innovation the two refugees have ever known.

Cam Baity and Benny Zelkowicz have fashioned an intensely inventive, engaging, and thought-provoking tale of two worlds on a collision course and the two young rivals who find themselves on the front line. The Foundry's Edge is the first book in a trilogy that will transport young readers down a mechanical rabbit hole and send them on an adventure that explores the hidden costs of indulgence, the perils of unchallenged nationalism, and the world-altering power of compassion and conviction.

'Wonderland' but with a steampunky metallic makeover. The Foundry's Edge creates an imaginary world of the living breathing mechs. I am still experiencing book hangover after The Forever Song. So I wasn't really able to appreciate this book, very much. But yes it is catered to kids and they will definitely love it.

Phoebe and Micah go in the proverbial rabbit hole after Phoebe's dad, Dr. Plumm had been kidnapped by the Foundry thugs. Devasting secrets are realized there and Phoebe and Micah must settle their differences if they are to free Dr. Plumm and help the native mechs deal the threat of the Foundry. Highly imaginary and the thrill of the adventure, The Foundry's Edge proved to be quite the book.

"Wonderland with the mechanical makeover"

Genre :      Middle Grade, Fantasy, Steampunk

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Release Date: 15th April, 2014

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

The Finisher

Presenting The Finisher by David Baldacci.

Here is the summary of the book:

Welcome to Wormwood: a place where curiosity is discouraged and no one has ever left.

Until one girl, Vega Jane, discovers a map that suggests a mysterious world beyond the walls. A world with possibilities and creatures beyond her imagining.

But she will be forced to fight for her freedom. And unravelling the truth may cost Vega her life.

This is my first Baldacci read, and I gather that he is a renowned adult thriller author. So, The Finisher is more or less a break from tradition for him and into a hybrid YA/Fantasy/Dystopia genre. Quite a bit of a mix yes but maybe not quite on mark yet. I will surely be checking out some of his best sellers before I make an opinion of him on my list.

The Finisher, is a rich and intriguing tale with some very many exotic details that went into world building. Which was very well done. It did drag a lot though but make no mistake. While going till the end of the book, it raised even more questions that answering them.... but their is a high level of mysterious intrigue that keeps the readers on board, proving Baldacci's caliber for the particular sub-genre of the tale.

Wormwood and the Quag. The Wugmort and their distinctive vernacular and the mysteries of these places. The world building as I said was brilliantly done and while I admired Baldacci for concocting a new language for the Wugs (the residents of Wormwood), it does start to get annoying and repetitive after sometime. A bit of an info-dump can be seen here but I have my fingers crossed that there will be more in the series hence the needful..... OR IT WOULD REALLY SUCK IF IT DIDN'T....

Baldacci introduced a lot of fantasy creatures of his own making in here and some gorgeous illustrations accompanied to make them seem even more real and rightfully not repetition of popular culture.... And curiosity is discouraged. I definitely like the feeling of intrigue and mystery we see its protagonist Vega Jane go through. As she starts out in this book fighting authority and the desire for the attainment of truth.

And I'm not really sure what to think of Vega Jane yet. She is cut above all else. Quite stubborn and out spoken. And just like the stereotypic YA heroine possess a sense of honor, pride and a arrogance in leaps and bounds. I did enjoy her character but there wan't anything really unique in her that sets her apart for other YA heroines.

Info-dump and world building aside, the plot is very well built to maintain the mystery of Wormwood and all else with the puzzles and questions piling about as the story progressed. While the questions remain unsolved till the end.... the history of Wormwood, Morrigone, John and many such still remain. Hopefully there will be more in this series because we are very much invested to getting all these answers.

But what this book mostly lacks was a glossary. Yes there were illustrations to help us visualize the fantasy elements, the creatures and the magical artifacts mentioned but a little more description about them would have been nice.... So at the moment it looks to be a standalone book but I'm hoping beyond hope that it would be part of a series because we need answers and there is a great scope of more stories in this.

"Baldacci maintains the intrigue of mystery in his break from tradition but still leaves questions unanswered"

Genre :      Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Dystopia

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Release Date: 29th February, 2014

My Copy: publisher

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

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