Recent Reads: Unraveling by Sara Ella

Source: From Book Look Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Unraveling by Sara Ella
Series: Unblemished #2
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson/ Harpercollins
Publication Date: July 11, 2017  

 

Format:  Hardback

Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

What happens when happily ever after starts to unravel?

Eliyana Ember doesn't believe in true love. Not anymore. After defeating her grandfather and saving the Second Reflection, El only trusts what's right in front of her. The tangible. The real. Not some unexplained Kiss of Infinity she once shared with the ghost of a boy she's trying to forget. She has more important things to worry about--like becoming queen of the Second Reflection, a role she is so not prepared to fill.

Now that the Verity is intertwined with her soul and Joshua's finally by her side, El is ready to learn more about her mysterious birth land, the land she now rules. So why does she feel like something--or someone--is missing?

When the thresholds begin to drain and the Callings, those powerful magical gifts, begin to fail, El wonders if her link to Ky Rhyen may have something to do with it. For light and darkness cannot coexist. She needs answers before the Callings disappear altogether. Can El find a way to sever her connection to Ky and save the Reflections--and keep herself from falling for him in the process?

Review: 
First off, this cover is gorgeous. I liked the first cover too but this ones colors are so vibrant. Secondly, that is a long synopsis, so there isn't much more detail I need to go into there. Third, this might be a lengthy review... sorry about that - all the feels.

This book, much like book one, took a little while to speed up. I thought that we would pick up right were we left off, and we sort of do but it does have a very lazy-pace feel. The book is told from a few points of view - Eliyana, Joshua, and sometimes we get a bit from Ky. We follow the three as they all try to save the reflections and their love. This is the ultimate love triangle, so if you aren't a fan of those - this book will not be for you. Eliyana is not really sure who she loves, but both boys are in love with her and the fate of the Reflections (or Worlds) has a lot to do with that love and the connections they have. Eliyana holds the Light and the boys share the Dark and they cannot be connected - thus the problem.

This book like the last, had SO many plot twists, luckily they are throughout versus just at the end like last time, so it gave me more time with them. I found myself wanting to shake El/Em most the time, she is so down on herself and needs reassurance from her male counter-parts in order to feel worth and that is very troublesome to me. I wasn't a fan of that aspect. I thought that with her new role she would be more assured in this installment.

Even with twists throughout, there was still a cliff-hanger of an ending!  I cannot wait for the next book to find out what happens. Even though I want to shake her El/Em and the love triangle really are the plot of this book and the author has you swooning/ wanting to kick each of the boys at one point or another. The fantasy and the worlds that are built in this book are wonderful and you get so much more of them here than in the last book.

I really enjoyed this and can't wait to see what happens to Eliyana, Ky, and Joshua in Unbreakable. 

Recent Reads: Hello Stars by Alena and Wynter Pitts

Source: From Booklook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Hello Stars by Alena aand Wynter Pitts
Series: Lena in the Spotlight #1
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Publication Date:  

 

Format:  Paperback

Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

Lena Daniels never thought she’d get the chance star in a movie. Headstrong and determined, she has her life planned out to the minute. But when her best friends, Savannah and Emma, tell her about an audition, she knows there’s nothing else in the world she’d rather do. And now that she’s gotten her wish, Lena finds that being in the spotlight is harder than it sounds. She got everything she never wanted! Her face turns up everywhere she goes, and everything in her life is flipped upside down. Lena wonders if this is a dream come true or a horrible nightmare. Even a visit from her best friends during filming turns into a disaster.

With her little sisters—Ansley, Ashton, and Amber—and her mischievous pup, Austin, constantly at her side, Lena must face the challenges of everyday life while chasing her dreams of being a model and actress on the big screen. Lena tackles tough choices, learns the value of perseverance, and keeps her hopes high. She knows her faith and family will keep her feet on the ground and her eyes on the stars.

Review: 
I know that by working with Booklook Bloggers I am getting Christian Publishing. Up to this point, I have chosen books that either I feel will hold their own without religion being presented outright and in a prominent way - with values and morals versus scripture. On some occasions I have even reviewed books with bible verses shared before a story so that you know the moral going into the tale in books for younger kids. All that being said, I don't mind when there is religion in books, however I am not religious and with this particular book I had a few issues.

Lets start with the good stuff - I thought this tale overall was a pleasant one. The characters were interesting and the theme overall was pretty good. I also really liked that it is a youth writer with her mom. It is also a pretty short read and I liked that the main character journals - I think that is very important in a young persons life.

The issues that I had were not with the prominent prayer or things like that - it was that the parents are teaching the children that God is responsible for all lifes paths - they should try for things but everything is in God's hands. I can't really get behind that - why would your kid try to succeed at anything if nothing they do matters and God has already chosen anyway?... I know this is a huge debate, I am not trying to start anything, I am just saying how I feel. 

I think that prayer and motivation can be used to push people, I don't think that conveying 'God's got it' is the most important thing. There was even a moment when the parents told the girls that they "can't" make important decisions by themselves and would always have God and them around to help. Teaching kids that they can't do things ... that is not learning to me.

All that being said, I think that is you are religious and need a book for your middle grade reader this is a good one, they are just not beliefs that I share (sorry). 

Recent Reads: Ready, Set, Find Christmas

Source: From the BookLook Bloggers and Zonderkidz in the exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Ready, Set, Find Christmas by Zondervan Publishing
Publisher: Zonderzidz
Publication Date:  October 4, 2016

 

Format: Board book/ Hardback

Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

Get ready to follow Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem. They are in a hurry! Mary is expecting the baby Jesus and they need your help to find many things along the way. This holiday board book is perfect for young children who will love finding the 48 objects hidden on the pages while reading the classic story of Christmas, accurately retold and with scripture references. On your mark, Ready-Set-Find! 

Review: 
This was a religious board book for very young children that focuses on Mary and Joseph and the birth of Christ. While I am not really religious this search and find book was very cute and the objects that needed to be found were interesting. The book is short and features vibrant colors and an interactive nature that will be very amusing to your child. The board book will be easy to handle for little hands and each page has a tab to flip to it. There are lots of cute little animals and the pictures are perfect for a younger audience. A great book for the holiday, esp. if you are religious and would like to share that with your child.
 

Recent Reads: Curio by Evangeline Denmark

Source: From BookLook Bloggers and Blink in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

 
Curio by Evangeline Denmark
Series: Curio #1
Publisher: Blink
Publication Date:  January 5, 2016

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:
 

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Grey Haward has always detested the Chemists, the magicians-come-scientists who rule her small western town. But she has always followed the rules, taking the potion the Chemists ration out that helps the town’s people survive. A potion that Grey suspects she—like her grandfather and father—may not actually need.

By working at her grandfather’s repair shop, sorting the small gears and dusting the curio cabinet inside, Grey has tried to stay unnoticed—or as unnoticed as a tall, strong girl can in a town of diminutive, underdeveloped citizens. Then her best friend, Whit, is caught by the Chemists’ enforcers after trying to protect Grey one night, and after seeing the extent of his punishment, suddenly taking risks seems the only decision she can make.

But with the risk comes the reality that the Chemists know her family’s secret, and the Chemists soon decide to use her for their own purposes. Panicked, Grey retreats to the only safe place she knows—her grandfather’s shop. There, however, a larger secret confronts her when her touch unlocks the old curio cabinet in the corner and reveals a world where porcelain and clockwork people are real. There, she could find the key that may save Whit’s life and also end the Chemists’ dark rule forever.

Review: 
First off, I love this cover, it is beautiful and the synopsis is wonderful as well. I knew that this book was going to be crazy detailed and there are multiple worlds we, as readers, get to experience. I also heard a lot about this book, on blogs, vlogs, the internet in general and I have to say that it was mixed reviews.  So how do you know if this book is really for you? - Well, if you like steampunk, dolls, world building, a strong female lead, and a bunch of craziness - I think you will enjoy this one. If you don't like those things - probably not. 

The best part about this book is the world building, in the first part you get wrapped up in this horrific society where Chemists run everything. They are the law and you have to follow their rules - no touching the opposite sex, go to work, home before dark, take your ration - which is your only way of survival in this new world otherwise you starve to death. Then as the story progresses you and Grey are thrust into another world, completely different. This world is made of dolls and tinker toys and magic and mystery and Grey has to find someone and then get back out into her world to save it from the evil Chemists.

The book was crazy detailed and the worlds were captivating and interesting, sometimes a bit on the strange side, but it seems like in the end it will all work together well. I am not sure how the author decided to go from Chemists and a dystopian society to one with play-things as living beings, but it was something new that I have never read before, so props for that.

Grey is our main character and from the very beginning she is strong-willed and you can tell she is not a fan of the Chemists and how her world works. She is determined to help her family and all the people she knows but we follow her as she learns more about herself, these two worlds, and the magic that permeates then both.  

This was a really fun read and I very much enjoyed it. I don't want to give too much away but I cannot wait to see where the next book leads us.