Book Review: Kiss of Broken Glass

Kiss of Broken Glass

By: Madeleine Kuderick

 

General Information:

Copyright Date: 2014

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 224

Price: $9.17 (via the link below)

ISBN:  9780062306562  

Publishers:Harpercollins

Trigger Warning- Depression & Cutting!

Synopsis: In the next 72 hours, Kenna may lose everything—her friends, her freedom, and maybe even herself. One kiss of the blade was all it took to get her sent to the psych ward for 72 hours. There she will face her addiction to cutting, though the outcome is far from certain. When fifteen-year-old Kenna is found cutting herself in the school bathroom, she is sent to a facility for a mandatory psychiatric watch. There Kenna meets other kids like her—her roommate, Donya, who's there for her fifth time; the birdlike Skylar; and Jag, a boy cute enough to make her forget her problems . . . for a moment. Madeleine Kuderick's gripping debut is a darkly beautiful and lyrical novel in verse, perfect for fans of Sonya Sones and Laurie Halse Anderson. Kiss of Broken Glass pulses with emotion and lingers long after the last page.

Cover: I love the cover! I thought all the colors really pop and work well with the book. This cover was so great it made me pick it up and get it just because it was so amazing!

Theme: I believe the theme throughout the book was that you can get through anything. There will always be hard times; it will always look like it gets so much worse but it will get so much better! 

Point of view: It was written in the first person; through Kenna. 

Intended Audience: This book was written for YA. I think it was written for the younger side because of how it was written but the topics and what happened is more geared towards the older side. 

Author Style: Madeleine Kuderick can really capture the essence of how it really feels to be this low. It even makes her writing so much better when you get so emotional throughout the book and it is just written in just verse! Of course if you don't really know anything about depression and cutting or the want to cut then you might not understand all of the things with her writing but she really puts it all out there. 

Characters: Kenna was the main character that was going through all these issues. Yet again knowing that it was written in verse you wouldn't think there would be much to the characters but there was to Kenna. I didn't really like her personality but to people who like the unlikable characters then you will love her.
Of course there were other characters within the story but they were not really talked about. 

Plot: The plot was not that much of a plot. It was kind of just Kenna's journey through her issues. Which was great because then the feelings got to really stick out which I think was really important when talking about these kind of things.

Setting: I don't remember there ever being a setting other than wherever Kenna was.

My Opinion: I loved this book! I have gone through things like this so it really got to my heart which is why I think I love it so much; because it showed how it feels so much more than any other book I have ever read. 
It did bother me a lot that there was no real reason she cut herself. Of course everyone has their own issues and reasons but it made it seem like she only did it because it was the 'thing' to do. Like I said, I have gone through this and its a really hard thing to do and to stop so it kind of made me think she was making fun of it or saying there is no reason to do it when there is truly something that makes people want to do it. 

Score:

Would you recommend this book?  Yes

Want to buy it? http://www.bookdepository.com/Kiss-Broken-Glass-Madeleine-Kuderick/9780062306579

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Blog Tour: Darkest Dawn

Blog Tour

Darkest Dawn

By:  Katlyn Duncan

Genre: YA Paranormal

Published by: HarperCollins Publishers

Published on September 17th, 2015

One desperate journey for the truth

Returning to Willows Lake eleven years after her mother’s tragic death, Sloane Baker knows she will finally get the answers she needs! She always suspected that there was something more sinister at the heart of the accident that claimed her mother’s life, but a cryptic note could be the key to her past…

Two lives changed forever

The small town has always seemed safe to Brianna Taylor – until a mysterious new girl arrives who looks exactly like Bri! Now everything Bri knew has been thrown into question and Sloane’s arrival has changed the world of Willows Lake forever.

Strange things are happening in Willows Lake. But when they turn deadly, Bri and Sloane must find a way to save each other or risk losing everything they hold dear…

About the Author:

Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them.

Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.

Website: http://www.katlynduncan.com/

Twitter: @katlyn_duncan

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

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

Buy it!! 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Dawn-Katlyn-Duncan-ebook/dp/B00WKMLCQC

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/darkest-dawn-katlyn-duncan/1121945986?ean=9781474031998

itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/darkest-dawn/id991019837?mt=11

The Giveaway:

5 ecopies (mobi or pdf only) of Darkest Dawn by Katlyn Duncan

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: An Ember in the ashes

Book Review:

An Ember in the Ashes

By: Sabaa Tahir

General Information

Copyright date: 2015

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Pages: 446

Price: $12.07 (at the link below)

ISBN: 9781595148032

Synopsis: Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Cover: This cover is beautiful!! It is one of the main reasons why I picked it up in the first place. The colors and design really goes with the mood of the book. I felt like it really captured the essance of the book.

 

Theme: No theme really stood out but I can tell it's going to continue into the next book. 

 

Point of view: It was written in 3rd person but it shifted back and forth between Elias and Laia. 

Intended Audience: This is written for young adults but more towards the older side. A lot of YA books are written for the younger side and makes the reader feel kind of stupid but this was totally the opposite than that. 

Author Style: Sabaa Tahir is such an amazing writer and so easy to follow! She likes to write with some big words and makes you think. I loved the way her writing just flowed from one paragraph to another.

Characters: Elias- He always felt trapped...I liked him but he never really changed. But I do have to say that he was very selfless when it came to others asking him to be something hes not. She wrote him very well.

Laia- Yet again she was also written well but she seemed a little whiny and didn't really stand out. It did seem like shes changed a little throughout the book. 

Plot: When I first started the book it seemed kind of confusing because there were two different story lines but of course it came together at the end. I am excited to see where it goes into the next book. There were no holes that I could see because it was so very well thought out. I read this book so quickly because it flowed so well and was such an amazing book.

Setting: It was set in Black Cliff and Scholars quarter. Of course not in the USA and since it is fantasy it is in its own world. 

My Opinion: Ohh My God this book was amazing!! I loved this book and cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. When I was reading I really got to escape reality because the world was written up so much that I just got sucked in. There was so much hype for this book that I was hesitant to start reading it but it seriously lived up to the hype and more.

Book #2 A Torch Against the Night comes out August 30, 2016! 

Score:

Would you recommend it? YES

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New Booktube Video!

Hey guys!! I have a new video on my book youtube channel! 

Go check it out and make sure you like, comment and subscribe!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z6NJ34SptU

You can also go on to my vlog channel and see how our Disney vacation went!! Make sure you subscribe to that channel too!! 

https://www.youtube.com/user/truehappines365 

Hawk Blog Tour: Guest post by Marie Powell!!

This blog topic was originated by the blog Mythical books! Make sure you go check out their book blog over at mythicalbooks.blogspot.com!

Hawk by Marie Powell Genre: young adult historical fantasy Published August 1st, 2015 Published by Five Rivers Publishing 294 Pages

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hawk-Marie-Powell/dp/1927400937 Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26012924-hawk Chapters: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/hawk/9781927400937-item.html Amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/dp/1927400937 Kobo Books https://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/hawk-12 Scheduled during Teen Read Week! Check it out HERE!  

Hyw yearns to join his father in serving the charismatic Llywelyn, Prince of Wales. If only Hyw dared tell anyone of his ability to scout through the eyes of a hawk, it might help secure his place in the royal guard. Cat, his sister, longs to inherit the magical ability that runs through her mother’s line. If only she could see her future, now that she is 13 and promised to a boy she barely remembers. When a messenger summons the prince to a secret meeting, Cat and Hwy find themselves in the middle of a war that threatens to destroy all of Wales. Can they master their special abilities in time to save the royal family—and themselves? Set among the actual events and personages of late 13th century Wales, Marie Powell has constructed a fantasy novel that recreates what life might have been like for two teenagers coming of age.

About the Author:

Marie Powell (www.mepowell.com) is the author of 30 published books, including the young adult historical fantasy Hawk (Five Rivers, 2015) and Hawk and Crown (Five Rivers, 2016). She holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, and her award-winning short stories and poetry appear in such literary magazines as subTerrain, Room, and Transition. She lives in Saskatchewan, and her writing workshops are popular across the province. Read more about Hawk and Welsh history on her blog at www.mepowell.com/blog.   Website: http://www.mepowell.com/ Blog: http://mepowell.com/blog/ Follow @mepowell Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mepowellmendenhall

  From Fable to Fantasy - The Help of Animals   One of the first scenes I wrote for Hawk – maybe the first scene – was the opening, where Hyw is floating high above his world, connected with the mind of a hawk. Even after many revisions, it’s still the opening scene of the novel. I love hawks. To me, a hawk in full flight is a symbol of independence and freedom. My character Hyw also wants to use the hawk and other birds in the novel to scout out the locations and movements of the English army for his father and the other Welsh warriors. The first time I saw hawks up close was when I wrote an article on a master falconer for Prairies North Magazine (Summer 2006) and CBC Radio. That falconer told me that even the Swainson’s hawk riding on his shoulder should never be taken as a pet. They’re still wild animals, and have to be respected as such. I find their alien eyes and taloned feet chilling and fascinating, and I’m still writing about hawks (http://mepowell.com/blog/the-hawks-of-hawk/). Following Welsh mythology, Hyw can use his empathetic gift to gain insight and even control over any animal. Owls, rabbits, and foxes become his eyes and ears as the people move farther into North Wales, trying to escape the onslaught of English soldiers. A fox even orchestrates a meeting between the former prince Llywelyn and his brother, using Hyw as a medium between the world of the Old Ones and the royal princes. Hyw’s relationship with the animal world, and his hereditary ability as it evolves throughout the story, is meant to be one of give and take. I also wanted Hyw’s special power to ring true as a survival skill for any hunter-gatherer people, who felt more comfortable living on their land than in the stone castles of the so-called civilized English. Someone once asked me, how did the Welsh survive a genocidal invasion like the one in 1282? In my story, they survive through their connection with the land and the help of its animals.   The Giveaway: (3) ecopies of Hawk by Marie Powell a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: The Program

Book Review: 

The Program

by: Suzanne Young

 

General Information:

Genre: YA; dystopian

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 405
Price: $8.87
ISBN: 9781442445802


Synopsis: In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program. Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories. Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.


Cover: I believe the cover went with the book but I didn't like it all that much. I thought it was well designed for the book because the "program" is very clean and pristine which is what the cover looks like.  Of course this review is only for The Program but I do not like that the second cover doesn't go with this one. Series covers should all look similar but these don't. 


Theme: This is a dystopian book so it is set far into the future in a world that is not like ours but an over lying theme that you can take from this is to stick up for yourself. I understand the rules of the world but you can still stand up! 


Point of View: The narrator is Sloane; everything that happened was in her point of view. It was in first person.

Intended Audience: This is a YA book. It was written for the older bracket of YA because there were bigger words and not written below teenagers. 

Author Style: It sounded like Suzanne Young was a very smart writer and knew what she was talking about. I even had to look up some words!

Characters: Sloane: I really liked her in the beginning because she genuinely stuck to her guns and was open and honest. By the end of the book she totally changed in what she was doing and her attitude. The author really wrote her well because it felt like you actually knew her. 
James: Yet again I loved him in the beginning because he was such a good person but I don't know if he was supposed to be perceived as this but by the end of the book he was a horrible person! He was one of my most hated characters. 

Plot: The idea of this book was really cool but I wish the world was a little more built up. Suzanne Young wrote the entire plot really well to make it flow really well. But I will have to say that there was a lot of information included that was not important to the story.

Setting: It took place in the future. It was set in a neighborhood and in the program. 

My Opinion: I really liked the book because all in all it was a great story and world. It left me wanting to read the next one right away. It did have a lot of slow parts but I have to remind myself that it is only to give the information that's needed. But on the other hand there were no really big 'Wow' moments. I am going to be picking up the next book in the near future but it didn't live up to the hype. If you are looking for a good dystopian you could pick this one up but you might want to look for another one.  

Score:

Would you recommend this book?  Maybe 

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Book Review: This Book is Gay

Book Review: 

This book is Gay

by: James Dawson

Here is the link to my youtube review - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saJ1WPySZyQ

General Information:

Copyright date: 2015

Genre: Non-Fiction YA

Pages: 271

Price: $9.17 (via link below)

ISBN: 9781471403958

 Synopsis: Former PSHCE teacher and acclaimed YA author James Dawson gives an uncensored look at what it's like to grow up as LGBT. Including testimonials from people 'across the spectrum', this inclusive book explores everything anyone who ever dared to wonder wants to know - from sex to politics, how to pull, stereotypes, how to come-out and more. Spike Gerrell's hilarious illustrations combined with funny and factual text make this a must-have read.

Cover: Wow - This cover makes a statement but a really good statement! I'm sure many people will not pick this book up if they are homophobes just because of the title and the rainbow cover but I personally love how gay it is! It is so simple and well said.

Theme: Since this is a non-fiction book there is not really a theme but it is clearly all about LGBTQ issues. 

 Point of View: Yet again - its a non-fiction book so it is just written for the reader. It kinda seems like your reading a college class lecture. 

Intended Audience: This book is literally written for everyone! It is not written towards younger or older people. It is on the YA shelves though.

Author Style: James Dawson is an excellent writer! He takes the seriousness of a situation and puts a spin on it and makes you smile in the same sentence. He writes smart enough but not to smart to make you feel stupid. 

Characters: There are no characters in this book. Only blurbs from different people about the issues talked about. He did add in stories from some people that had been really affected by some of the issues. This was the only problem I had with it because since he is in England all of the blurbs were from the UK. They were still good but being from the USA I would have wanted to read some from people here. 

Plot: Yet again there is no real plot since it is non-fiction but there were a lot of topics that come up. There is nothing he is scared to talk about. 

Setting: Every where I guess I could say because the people that blurb are from the UK but all these issues are throughout the world. 

My Opinion: This was one of the best books of 2015! I have read so many this year so far but this one just puts all of those to bed. It makes you laugh, cry, smile and so many other emotions that you never thought you would have with a book. His great writing style and way he talks about the serious issues that everyone needs to be aware of makes it so easy to read. Not many people read non-fiction because they automatically think it is not worth reading because if they wanted to know about that topic they would have learned it in school or some other medium. Of course since I am a lesbian and have been submersed in the culture since before I came out I knew a lot of the information he spoke about but it was still some new ways of thinking. He made it fun to learn! I believe that everyone wither they are under the classification of LGBTQ or not should read this book! I do not think I can even speak enough justice for this one! 

Score:

Would you recommend this book?  YES! 

Want to buy this book?  http://www.bookdepository.com/This-Book-is-Gay-James-Dawson/9781471403958

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