The Giver by Lois Lowry

Review by Patrick:

This book may be the best book I've actually ever read. Literally. And I don't say that lightly.

Lois Lowry is a master. This book has been on my "to read" list for many years, but, like a lot of things, I haven't gotten around to it. Well, I finally finished one book series, my schedule lightened up a little bit, and I decided to start this one. I'm so glad I did.

The book has about the same reading level and length of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, but the depth of the book and the implications are much deeper. An easy read, this book took me three workdays to finish: I just couldn't put it down. The story gripped my mind, heart and soul, and I did not want to eat, sleep, go to work, or do anything until I found out what happened in the next chapter or on the next page.

For those of you who do not know me, I'm pretty stoic. I don't necessarily feel what others feel. My range of emotions tend to range on a normal scale of 4 to 6 (with a normal person going from 1 to 10, and Rachel from probably -5 to 20). So I should warn you: I cried when I finished this book. The first thing I did when I read the end was ask my son to come to me so I could hug him, and he asked me why I was crying. After reading the book, I appreciated what we humans have so much more. There are emotions, such as love, hate, envy, jealousy, hunger, pride, fear, joy, sorrow, desire, frustration... the list goes on forever. And we have personality. We work together, and create new things. We are innovative. We make mistakes. We have loss. We have salvation. We need each other. As I was hugging my son, I felt so overwhelmed and glad that he will grow up in a world where he can experience those things.

In this book, the setting is in "The Community," which is the futuristic utopia that a certain path and thinking leads to over a long time. There is no pain or suffering, no choices to be made. Everyone is a productive member to the Community, and will have no cares or worries. Lowry shows that to obtain this level of utopia, there are trade offs to be made. I won't spoil the book further, but that's the premise. (Actually, this might be the society that Vulcans boast of.)

The story is heart wrenching. As the story went further, I felt the dread of foreshadowing of events to come. I was drawn in by the story, and worried about what happens next. I knew as I was reading it that there would be a different ending than the rest of the book. I knew something had to change, but I didn't know what. As the story unfolded, I realized with a terrible sadness, that this book might end tragically. But I will let you decide for yourself. Tell me in the comments if you think the last two pages were literal or metaphorical, because I'm not sure.

In the end, this book receives nothing but five stars from me. It does not fall short of "Phenomenal! Must read!" If you want to be more aware of the gifts you have in your life, read this book. If you desire to be a better informed citizen of the world, read this book. If you have children, ever want to have children, or know of a child somewhere in the world that you like and desire to have a better future for them, read this book. If you think we should all be nice to each other and never argue again, read this book. If your parents or grandparents are still alive, or you enjoy spending time with your family, read this book. If you want your world to be a better place, read this book. I will argue that this book should be on the required reading list for every high school or equivalent education system in the world. Please read this book.

Blog Tour and Review: Breathless by Kelly Martin

Title: Breathless (Heartless, Book Three)

Author: Kelly Martin

Genre: YA Paranormal

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb: There's good.

There's evil.

Then there's her.

When Gracen Sullivan stabbed Hart Blackwell, she thought it was over. She thought the world was safe--safe from her. Stuck in the Abyss, watching as the evil inside her body takes over, she has to find some way to stop it.

Hart Blackwell expected to wake up in Hell. Instead, he woke up in his grave. With the world falling apart, he has to put the bad history with his brother in the past or there will be no future.

Armageddon has been set in motion. Enemies will have to work together or everything will end in fire and brimstone.

The Abomination is here. And she must be stopped no matter the consequences.

Kelly Martin writes paranormal, contemporary, historical, and YA fiction. She has been married for over ten years and has three rowdy, angelic daughters. When she's not writing, she loves taking picture of abandoned houses, watching horror gamers on YouTube-- even though she's a huge wimp-- and drinking decaf white chocolate mochas. She's a total fangirl, loves the 80s and 90s, and has a sad addiction to paranormal TV shows. {Basically, she likes creepy stuff.} Her favorite characters are the very flawed 'good guys'--and 'bad guys' who don't know they are evil. She loves giving her readers books with unexpected twists and turns, but (here's a hint) most of her books have the ending spelled out in the first chapter. See if you can figure it out. If you ever have a question or comment, feel free to email her at kellymartin215 @ yahoo . com ♥ You can follow her writing adventure at www.kellymartinbooks.com

Author Links: Instagram: https://instagram.com/kellymartin215/

My "nerd" group on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1451773008377850/

Kelly's Heartbreakers (my official street team): https://www.facebook.com/groups/922087044551273/

Newsletter: http://kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com/p/subscribe-to-our-newsletter.html

Blog: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSQGJ5gViQ-0ajHRvWUqaA

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1RiFqC4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KellyMartinAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/martieKay 

tumblr: martiekay.tumblr.com 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/KMBooks

Buy Links:

#Free with #KindleUnlimited Heartless (Book One): http://amzn.to/1P8YzVI

Soulless (Book Two): http://amzn.to/1Uu1ijs

Breathless (Book Three): http://amzn.to/1Upr3Rd

Hart (Book Four): http://amzn.to/1V5TRvo

Excerpt:

Hart:

"Lucien! Slow down! Wait for me!" The sounds all around us drown out my words. I can barely hear them, and I'm right there with me. I'm sure Lucien doesn't hear. I can't even see him anymore.

What I do see, through the wind whipping my hair in my eyes and squinting through the rain, is a dim light in the distance. I don't know if it’s a house or a barn or a serial killer's cabin. I don't know. I don't care. All I know is that I see it, and I want to be there. It has to be warmer and drier than out here in the middle of the woods.

Out here where any bear or wolf or fox could pounce on us and rip us to shreds.

Though I haven't heard any animal since we started into the woods.

I'm sure that's totally a great sign.

Could this get any worse?

A hand grasps my shoulder and pulls me back.

I’m pinned down on the ground before I can fully comprehend what’s going on. I can’t see what’s holding me down, but I know it can’t be my brother. I claw at its face to try to get up, but my hands are pinned down over my head, and I can’t make my legs move.

I’m trapped.

The lightning fills the sky.

For a split second, I can see.

For a split second, I wish I couldn’t.

Barefoot Book Blog Review: 5+ stars

There's no way I can write this review adequately enough: there aren't words for the emotions that this book will produce in you, I'm not an eloquent writer, and I haven't held this book in my heart long enough to give words to how amazing it is.

"Some of the most evil people in the world are the ones who hide behind righteousness. Who hide behind good and God and all that other stuff that makes them feel better than anybody else in the world. It makes them feel superior."

So, here's a review that doesn't give this book justice and some quotes that I loved from the book.

Breathless picks right up where Soulless left off. Let me tell you, those first two chapters do nothing short of put you straight into the characters life. You're thrown right into a world that is going to hell in a handbasket and no one has any idea of how to stop the Abomination.

"A part of me feels grateful that Seth did what he did. Without it, there would never have been a Gracen for me to love."

This is a journey of emotions, so many emotions, regret, guilt, sorrow, worry, happiness, helplessness, and love. There's Hart and Lucien together and Human and facing the past, what they did and didn't do.

"I just never thought it would be the kind of love that would destroy the world."

Kelly Martin is a brilliant writer. Can you imagine being a human who killed your own brother, died yourself, went to hell, was tortured by your mother, watched over a girl who was destined to be the Abomination, be killed by her, and come back alive to face the world you helped destroy? No? Kelly Martin is so brilliant that she's able to make you feel like you did that. That you can actually imagine going through it all. You can feel it. The pain, the regret, the worry, all the emotions that are drowning you.

"I just saw myself.

Me.

The real me.

The real me in the flesh.

The flesh that hurt Colleen.

The flesh that disappointed my father.

The flesh that killed my brother.

The flesh that can't forgive itself."

This story is intense and the emotions are real and strong, but there's that famous Kelly Martin humor sprinkled in the pain that I've come to love. Hart goes through so much in this story and he copes with snark and poor comebacks and reality that sometimes you need humor in the dark because it's the only way to keep the light going in you.

"That's what I need when the world ends. To be wearing high waters. Hell, then I might even be okay with it. If I must wear high waters, I might as well die."

As the story progresses and we come down to the final wire of the world ending and Lucien, Hart, and Seth come up with a plan to hopefully stop the Abomination we're left ragged. We've been through pain. We've lost everything. Lucien has his end goal. Seth has his. And Hart. His humanity, his soul is so beautiful and so stubborn.

"If we can't save Gracen, we aren't saving everybody. Let it burn. Let it all burn."

Hart is better than anyone I've ever known. Read this series. You wont regret it.

"I know."

 

Review: Breathless by Kelly Martin

    

Synopsis:
There's good.

There's evil.

Then there's her.

When Gracen Sullivan stabbed Hart Blackwell, she thought it was over. She thought the world was safe--safe from her. Stuck in the Abyss, watching as the evil inside her body takes over, she has to find some way to stop it.

Hart Blackwell expected to wake up in Hell. Instead, he woke up in his grave. With the world falling apart, he has to put the bad history with his brother in the past or there will be no future.

Armageddon has been set in motion. Enemies will have to work together or everything will end in fire and brimstone.

The Abomination is here. And she must be stopped no matter the consequences.


Review: Rating- 5+

There's no way I can write this review adequately enough: there aren't words for the emotions that this book will produce in you, I'm not an eloquent writer, and I haven't held this book in my heart long enough to give words to how amazing it is.

"Some of the most evil people in the world are the ones who hide behind righteousness. Who hide behind good and God and all that other stuff that makes them feel better than anybody else in the world. It makes them feel superior."

So, here's a review that doesn't give this book justice and some quotes that I loved from the book.

Breathless picks right up where Soulless left off. Let me tell you, those first two chapters do nothing short of put you straight into the characters life. You're thrown right into a world that is going to hell in a handbasket and no one has any idea of how to stop the Abomination.

"A part of me feels grateful that Seth did what he did. Without it, there would never have been a Gracen for me to love."

This is a journey of emotions, so many emotions, regret, guilt, sorrow, worry, happiness, helplessness, and love. There's Hart and Lucien together and Human and facing the past, what they did and didn't do.

"I just never thought it would be the kind of love that would destroy the world."

Kelly Martin is a brilliant writer. Can you imagine being a human who killed your own brother, died yourself, went to hell, was tortured by your mother, watched over a girl who was destined to be the Abomination, be killed by her, and come back alive to face the world you helped destroy? No? Kelly Martin is so brilliant that she's able to make you feel like you did that. That you can actually imagine going through it all. You can feel it. The pain, the regret, the worry, all the emotions that are drowning you.

"I just saw myself.
Me.
The real me.
The real me in the flesh.
The flesh that hurt Colleen.
The flesh that disappointed my father.
The flesh that killed my brother.
The flesh that can't forgive itself."

This story is intense and the emotions are real and strong, but there's that famous Kelly Martin humor sprinkled in the pain that I've come to love. Hart goes through so much in this story and he copes with snark and poor comebacks and reality that sometimes you need humor in the dark because it's the only way to keep the light going in you.

"That's what I need when the world ends. To be wearing high waters. Hell, then I might even be okay with it. If I must wear high waters, I might as well die."

As the story progresses and we come down to the final wire of the world ending and Lucien, Hart, and Seth come up with a plan to hopefully stop the Abomination we're left ragged. We've been through pain. We've lost everything. Lucien has his end goal. Seth has his. And Hart. His humanity, his soul is so beautiful and so stubborn.

"If we can't save Gracen, we aren't saving everybody. Let it burn. Let it all burn."

Hart is better than anyone I've ever known. Read this series. You wont regret it.

"I know."

Release Blitz: Stupid Humans by VR Craft

    

Synopsis:
What if all the intelligent humans abandoned Earth... and we're what's left?

Samantha is a journalist who travels through the wormhole to New Atlantis and discovers that embarrassing reality when she meets the People, humanity's more intelligent—and smugly superior—distant relatives. Unfortunately, thanks to humanity’s penchant for fighting, a Human/People conflict is brewing. She could almost forget she's not on Earth, except the People have tails and don't slap idiot warning labels on everything.

Plagued by anti-Human sentiment on New Atlantis and unwilling to return to Earth, Samantha moves to the Five Alpha, the space station closest to the wormhole, where Human—and People—stupidity lurks around every corner. Then the conflict worsens, causing concern for the security of the wormhole—and its closest neighbor. Naturally, politicians from both sides decide they can provide a diplomatic solution by holding peace talks on the station.

When sabotage puts both Five Alpha and her only route back to Earth in jeopardy, everyone blames Samantha—including a manipulative politician with her own agenda—forcing her to fight to uncover who is plotting to destroy the wormhole and cut off Human/People relations for good. Can she find a way to save the wormhole—and her sanity—before it's too late?

Snippet:
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Anderson asked an hour later, as Brad sat on a cold examination table and waited to get even colder.

"I'm positive. Put me in cryo right now. You have my instructions." Brad shoved the signed consent form and travel order back at the doctor. Could Anderson tell he was terrified his plan wouldn't work and not at all sure he wanted to do this?

Anderson stared at him for a moment and finally took the pad. "You know...." He ambled back to the row of cryocans. "You still have a few minutes to reconsider."

"I've made my decision."

"But what if your girlfriend doesn't follow you in? Are you sure you want to go to Eart, a planet you've never visited before, by yourself, in the current political climate?"

Brad took a deep breath. "She's only refusing to go back because she doesn't want me to leave my home for her. Once I'm in cryo, and you can't wake me up or take me off the ship, she'll join me."

"You're sure of that?" Anderson pushed buttons on the nearest can. Samantha called those things coffins, and suddenly Brad saw the resemblance- it did look like a sleek, white coffin with blinking lights. He'd never been in cryo before, and despite everything he'd read about how safe it was, the prospect of spending months in that thing was  a little nerve-wracking. But cryosleep was necessary to protect travelers from the potentially damaging physiological effects of traveling through a wormhole, and a trip through the Divide was necessary to get to Earth. Besides, cryo had been used safely for years, and he had nothing to worry about.

Screw that, as Samantha liked to say. He was terrified.

"I'm sure," he said with as much confidence he could fake.

"Her reasoning, as you've described it, sounds right." Anderson unlocked the narc box and removing a dose of anesthetic, which he slapped into a port at one end of the cryocan. "But there are a few problems."

"Problems? What do you mean?" Brad swallowed, his throat dry.

"You know she had her medchip locked, right? And the only restriction she put on it was no cryosleep?"

"She did what? Why would she do that?"

Anderson shrugged, leaned against the can, and stroked his chin. "You know the usual reasons people restrict a medchip, but nobody puts a cryo lock on it for moral or religious reasons. It can't be construed as hurting anyone else, and you still have a heartbeat- even if it is extremely slow- so you're not technically dead. People feel much more secure about their beliefs in the afterlife when they don't have to come back from the dead."

"Then why?" Brad gripped the table. The whole world was falling away from him, and they were still under AG.

"Well, I really can't speculate. But, you know, some people do."

There was only one other reason a person might have a no-cryo lock. "You mean she might have pissed someone off? Like a criminal who might want to put her out of commission for an extended period of time without actually committing murder?"

"Some people place cryo restrictions for that reason. Your girlfriend is a journalist- like you, right?"

Brad frowned. "Uh, yes. But she writes features about seeing this place from the Human perspective. She doesn't cover crime."

"Again, I can't speculate." Anderson shuffled over to his desk, where he stared down at a data pad for a moment. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, because it's confidential- sort of like what I just told you- but it does affect the treatment you're about to choose for yourself, so I'm making an exception. And I didn't tell you any of this."

"Of course. What is it?" He had no idea Samantha had so many secrets. What now?

"She placed that restriction on her medchip five years ago, shortly after she arrived here from Earth. That means she was damn sure she didn't want to go back a long time before she met you."
 

Rebel Dawn by A. C. Crispin

 

Synopsis:

Here is the explosive conclusion of the blockbuster trilogy that chronicles the never-before-told story of the young Han Solo.  Set before the Star Wars(r) movie adventures, these books chronicle the coming-of-age of the galaxy's most famous con man, smuggler, and thief.

The Millennium Falcon is "the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy."  So when Han Solo wins it in a game of sabacc, he and Chewbacca become kings of the smugglers—uncatchable, unstoppable.  But with the Empire clamping down, Han knows his luck can't last.  Still, when an old girlfriend who is now the leader of an insurgent Rebel group offers him a shot at an incredible fortune, Han can't resist.  The plan seems a sure thing.  The resistance will be light and the take enormous.  Han and his friends will divide it equally with the Rebels.  Too bad for Han that the planet of Ylesia is far from a pushover, that the Rebels have an agenda of their own, and that smuggler friends can often turn into enemies...quicker than lightspeed.

Review by Patrick:

Want a ride? 'Cause this book will turn your stomach like being a passenger with Han making a Kessel Run. And yes, the Millennium Falcon not only make an appearance, but becomes Han's own ship.

What Crispin does as a writer with this book is absolutely fantastic. The story that was introduced in the first two novels of this trilogy comes to a close, but in addition, a wonderful back story is presented that ties directly into the first Star Wars movie, Episode IV: A New Hope. It's like there were these individual pretty strands that were made from the first two books or from our experience watching the Star Wars movies, and Crispin takes those strands and builds a beautiful web of storytelling.

Life isn't easy for the scoundrel and his Wookie companion. Things get pretty risky in the smuggling business, then there's the Hutts who are pretty upset, a lot of bounty hunters and one really famous one named Boba Fett... then there's the rebel alliance who have their own priorities, and an old love interest who gets caught up in everything as well.

Again, if you are a fan of Han Solo, or Harrison Ford, or just Star Wars in general, this trilogy was a good read. It had new story lines in it, with new characters, but it never strayed away from the consistency of the saga. I liked it and can't wait to read more. This book gets 4 stars from me, although I will have to admit, that about half way through, I couldn't put the book down.