Review: Loop by Karen Akins

Loop by Karen Akins
Publisher-St. Martin's Griffin
Realeased- Oct 21st 2014
Pre-Order-Amazon / B & N

At a school where Quantum Paradox 101 is a required course and history field trips are literal, sixteen year-old time traveler Bree Bennis excels…at screwing up.After Bree botches a solo midterm to the 21st century by accidentally taking a boy hostage (a teensy snafu), she stands to lose her scholarship. But when Bree sneaks back to talk the kid into keeping his yap shut, she doesn’t go back far enough. The boy, Finn, now three years older and hot as a solar flare, is convinced he’s in love with Bree, or rather, a future version of her that doesn’t think he’s a complete pain in the arse. To make matters worse, she inadvertently transports him back to the 23rd century with her. Once home, Bree discovers that a recent rash of accidents at her school are anything but accidental. Someone is attacking time travelers. As Bree and her temporal tagalong uncover seemingly unconnected clues—a broken bracelet, a missing data file, the art heist of the millennium—that lead to the person responsible, she alone has the knowledge to piece the puzzle together. Knowledge only one other person has. Her future self.But when those closest to her become the next victims, Bree realizes the attacker is willing to do anything to stop her. In the past, present, or future.

My Thoughts:
To be perfectly honest, I almost gave up on this book within the first few chapters. For some reason I have the hardest time with time travel novels, I'm completely fascinated with them mind you, but the mind-spinning technology, time jumping from past, present and future and always feeling like I'm missing the bigger picture, makes me wonder if this particular genre is really for me. Loop was all of above, but still had me fascinatingly curious. So, I stuck it out. And you know what happened? It got interesting! So interesting that I couldn't put it down and before I knew it I was done and willing more pages to magically appear. Finally! I have a favourite time travel book and it's LOOP my friends! This is one helluva addicting ride.

There is so much I want to say about this riveting story and yet I don't think I can give it the justice it truly deserves. I can't believe this is Akins debut novel. The way she writes is absolutely outstanding. The time travel concept was so much more then just futuristic gadgets, lingo and terminology (which there was a lot of ) it was preciously detailed and mind-blowing to comprehend, but at the same time it was refreshing and blast to read. There were times I felt overwhelmed and even intimidated with just how big the story is since there was just so.much.happening. But it's such an unstoppable read that I needed the answers just as badly as the characters did. Which brings me to another factor. It's mysterious as hell. This is not one of those books that you can just skim through peeps, this is the kind of book that is so evasively written and enthusiastic with information overload without any real explanations as to the hows and whys, you literally are scrabbling for clues (past, present and future) to see if you can figure out the answers and who's behind everything. And once the revelation hit me, I was floored. It's thought provoking and frustrating and makes you crazy, but in the best way. I had so much fun trying to make rhyme or reason with any of it that I simple forgot to be unnerved. My experience was a dazed one, but in one of the most satisfying and entertaining ways possible.

With any kind of time travel novel, you have to take it with enough suspended belief for the book to seem somewhat plausible, but what I loved about this was, as the book started to unfold, it almost felt entirely possible. And that had a lot to do with all these amazingly well developed character who bring this outrageous story to life.

Bree Bennis is a feisty firecracker of a character, she always seems to be on a mission and not just the time travelling kind. I really loved her voice and what she was initially fighting for, but there are times where I waned to just shake her straight. For an intelligent time travel student who's a stickler for believing in protocol she doesn't seem to mind bending The Rules when it's on her own terms and she's not a very open minded creature when it comes to Finn's speculations. She constantly doubts and rejects anything he's suspicious of and I couldn't help hate how bitter and snappy she was with him. Now mind you, our girl is under a huge amount of stress and pressure and eventually she calms down long enough to finally see who's on her side, and who isn't. She's got great snark and I love that no matter what she did wrong, she faces the consequences and stops at nothing to fix it.

I absolutely adore Finn Masterson! This guy is so freaken adorable I just want to hug him to death. His comedic timing with futuristic things was absolutely hilarious. I loved his reactions and his go with the flow attitude, his confidence, his protective nature and how passionate he is about Bree. He's my new favourite guy! The romance in this is super freaken sweet. These two bicker and banter pretty much the entire length of the novel, but even their fighting has a playful energy that is irresistible. Still, I thought it was perfectly paced, not rushed but gradually bubbling till that inevitable moment. Definitely gush-worthy stuff that made my heart happy.  

There is a long list of secondary characters that I loved to pieces. They all brought in so much depth to this already complex story that I couldn't see any of this without them. But I will give a shout out to Mimi. She was so flippen cute!

Bottom line, I had such a blast reading this book. It's a futuristic time travel sci-fi adventure that will have your head spinning and heart pounding. It's sharp, smart and consuming from start to finish and it only left me begging for more. I can't wait to find out what happens next! Bring on TWIST!

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                                  5 Snowflakes 

Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Publisher-Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Realeased- Sept 2nd 2014
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

My Thoughts: 
Heir of Fire, is the third instalment in the Throne of Glass series and starts off where Crown of Midnight ends. I have to admit, I liked the first two books a little tiny bit more, but I think that's only because I'm an impatient reader and wanted to get back to certain storylines played out for my favourite characters and the on-hold was kinda killing me. But I understand that plots must be thickened, conflicts must endure and inevitable fate must be followed. So I sucked it up, let the story pull me along and was once again rewarded and left speechless and in awe of everything Maas brought to this epic high fantasy fantastical adventure.

Sarah J. Maas, continues to deliver complex emotion with pulse pounding action and unstoppable adventure. There is so much going on her plot wise, I wouldn't even know how to sum it up. Celaena is warped by grief and even though she was sent to Wendlyn, she has another agenda other then doing the Kings bidding, while Choal is still trying to survive the aftermath of everything he's learned. But that's only a little parts of what this book holds. This definitely felt different compared to the first two. It's more intense, dire, darker and grander. New characters are introduced who are all intriguing and brought something specifically unique into the storyline and how they impact are already established characters. There is magic, madness and monsters. There is evil. There is power. But there is also a lot of hope, friendship and love.

If there was one word I would use to describe Celaena Sardothien, it would be fearless, but we see a broken vulnerable side to her that shattered my heart. I never new the kind of pain, suffering and lost she endured. I may have suspected it, but never realized the depth of what she's been through. The scene with the Valg prince nearly undid me, and yet, Celaena still becomes an even more powerful force then I could have ever imagined. Her new-found powers makes me excited and thrilled for the anticipated ass-kicking she's going to inflict in future books. Bring it!

Choal was very conflicting in this book. He's haunted by the secrets of who and what Celaena is and what it means for the kingdoms and also torn with the knowledge of Dorian's secret as well. I can't say I cared for his distance, but I'm glad he remained loyal to his prince and the women he loves.

Dorian has always earned my respect, but after this instalment he's also earned my undying love. My heart is in pieces for what his sorry excuse of a king and father did to him at the end and I'm gutted for what will happen next and only pray for retribution. 

I really liked the new characters; Sorscha, Aedion, Manon and Rowan. Given that this is the third book in a planed six-book series, I was surprised how fast I was taken with the new cast, but they are a very welcoming addition none the less.

Aedion Ashryver, is Celaena cousin and I absolutely loved his fierce loyalty to his true queen. He's a riveting character and I predict he will be an essential asset and ally to this growing series.

Rowan is a warrior prince and bound to Maeve the Fae Queen. He's a total badass and by far my favourite part of this book. I love him so much. Yes, be beats the ever living crap out of Celaena. Constantly. But his 'don't put up with anything' attitude was both amazing and amusing. Still, I think this was exactly what Celaena needed, even if she didn't know it at the time. What they ended up meaning to each other was beautiful and moving. They are a united force that I am greatly looking forward to seeing in action.

Sorscha was an interesting character and I liked what she and Dorian shared, but to be honest, she felt more like a pawn to be used at the right moment to ensure a necessary reaction more then anything else, and I'm not sure how to feel about that.

Manon was the only character I didn't really care for. She's brilliant and vicious mind you, but her point of view felt out of place and while I though she and her clan will be more interesting and important for future books, I didn't find it necessary for this particular instalment.

Bottom line. Heir of Fire was another powerful addition to this extraordinary world. It's filled with the kind of epic you crave for in a high fantasy escape. It's filled with so much power, magic, suspense and chocked full of heart-stopping, jaw dropping action. The ending blew.my.freaken.mind and my head and heart is still buzzing from everything that's happened. Apart of me wants to hold off till the rest of the series is done since I can't handle all these evil cliffhangers but the other part of me is screaming for MORE! An incredibly addicting as hell epic read! 

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                                4.5 Snowflakes

Review: Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey

Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey

Publisher- Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Released- Oct 7th 2014

Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

Cousins Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope are all dealing with what it means to be a Lovegrove. For Gretchen, it means she often feels like her head is going to explode. As a Whisperer, Gretchen constantly hears the whispers of other witches’ spells. And while this does help her to know when one of her own spells is going wrong, the incessant buzzing and pain the whispers cause makes it difficult to use her gift.But when something evil begins to menace Mayfair, Gretchen must find a way to master her power. Along with her cousins, a madcap named Moira, and the icy yet irresistible Tobias Lawless, Gretchen faces deadly threats and unimaginable loss in the hopes of preventing the terrible Greymalkin Sisters from rising again. The second book in The Lovegrove Legacy trilogy, Whisper the Dead will leave readers spellbound.

My Thoughts:
Whisper the Dead, is the second book in The Lovegrove Legacy and just as magical and intriguing as the first book. I have always loved Harvey's books. They are always filled with so much fun and fascination. I still tend to find historical reads a little hard to get into, but the way Harvey tells it, it felt so easy to sink into this world and enjoy the rich details, colourful characters and clever dialogue.

The storyline is quite busy with it's multiple point of views and endless string of power and magic that seems to bleed from the pages, so while it was at times, a bit overwhelming, I didn't find it overly confusing or frustrating. While this instalment is really  Gretchen story, we still have the other character to keep us informed and entertained. The plot has thickened up immensely, adding in new twist and turns I never saw coming. The pace and flow was perfectly stretched to ensure that readers stay alert and on their toes the entire experience and the setting is, as always, beautifully vivid and rich in both romance and magical intrigue and I completely adored how much Harvey put into this brilliant world.

I really love all these wonderfully put together characters. They are all blended together effortlessly. I loved the crisp dialogue and all the witty ways that gives each of them all such a unique voice and personality, especially given the large length of the cast.

Gretchen has always been entirely her own person, despite what high society thinks a proper lady should be. I love her feist, fight and determination to master her newfound powers as a Whisperer. 

I wasn't sure of Tobias at first since he seems a little aggressive at the beginning, but soon we see a different side to him. He's fiercely loyal to the Order and tries to deny his true-self, but I still loved his protectiveness and kind heart. I thought Gretchen and Tobias made a wonderful pair. They have great chemistry and provided the perfect balance to challenge and bring out the best in one another.

I really loved seeing Emma and Cormac again as well. They are a darling couple that made me smile. I'm greatly looking forward to Penelope's story next. She is such a hopeless romantic at heart and so incredibly sweet. I'm totally rooting for Cedric. Just saying.

However, I was really upset when it came to Godric's character. I simple adored him and I'm sad to see where fate took him.

Bottom line, I had a lot of fun with this book. The world Harvey created is brilliantly dazzling and dangerous and these characters will keep you invested from minute one. Charming and enchanting, this is my idea of an amazing escape. 

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                                4 Snowflakes

Review: The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa
Publisher- Harlequin Teen
Released- April 15th 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N / Chapters

VENGEANCE WILL BE HERS
Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?
With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.
MONSTER
Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.
In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

My Thoughts: 

The Forever Song is the last instalment in the Blood of Eden series and dammme what an ending! Julie Kagawa has once again delivered a heart stopping, pulse pounding finale that fans have been on edge waiting for and I'm happy to say it was everything I expected from Kagawa and more!

Our story begins with our Master vampire, Kanin and his sired-children, Allison and Jackal on a blood thirsty journey chasing down the sadistic vampire Sarren to Eden before he unleashes a plague that will destroy everything in it's path. Sarren's has a plan to wipe the world clean and start new by using his mutated version of the Red Lung virus that can kill humans and vampires alike. It's up to Kanin, Allison and Jackal to hunt down Sarren before it's to late. And with every step they take, every obstacle  they face, they do it with dark desperation in their hearts, hunger in their veins and a taste of revenge and death on their lips. Stop Sarren, find a cure and avenge the lives he's taken. It ends now!

Wow! What a freaken ending! I'm awed, floored and speechless. If this wasn't a Julie Kagawa book, I probably wouldn't have been able to fully enjoy this experience since I tend to favor more lighter vampire stories and this is anything but light or sweet or cute. This series is dark and damaging, violent and vicious and I loved every.single.minute of it. 

You know, I don't even know what I can say about this book plot-wise. It's filled with the most gasping turns and riveting twists. But anything I say will be a spoiler and fans of this series will want to learn all the stunning revelations for themselves. So all I'm gonna say about my feelings towards this amazing storyline is that Kagawa completely out did herself with this one. All the directions she put this world through was treacherously brutal but she still manages to bring greatness to her brilliant cast of characters.  The journey to self-worth and personal growth is very shady in the life of a blood thirsty vampire but somehow they've learned to beat down their monsters and come out with their morality in hand, or well, most of them anyway. There are so many moments that gave me pure chills and thrills. Moments that shocked the hell out of me, made me laugh, made me smile and made me so so sad. But through it all, the action and suspense had me glued to every page of this devastating dark and edgy horror that made me want to both savour and devour it in the same breath.

I'm so very proud of Allison. I'm proud that in the end of everything she's been through she still got to decide what monster she wanted to be after all. That she didn't let the blood frenzy or the lost and pain she felt destroy what little humanity she had left. Instead she used her anger to fight with everything she has no matter what happens.

I've always had the biggest soft spot of our dear Kanin. He holds himself with decades of wisdom and regret that made him both vulnerable and powerful. Deep down I always suspected how things may play out for him in the end and while I was right, I wish I was very much wrong.

If Puck, from the Iron series had an evil twin vampire brother, it would be Jackal. For me to hate this character in the first book and then have that same character be completely redeemed is no small thing. I loved his taunting banter and how exasperatingly annoying he can be. He's still a selfish bastard mind you, but this journey, these books, wouldn't have been the same without him.

As for Zeke...well, lets just say I was very conflicted about his fate and leave it at that. 

LOVED the ending. Perfection is all I'm gonna say!

Bottom line, The Forever Song is a kickass conclusion to one extremely badass vampire series. Kagawa's writing is mesmerizing, her world is horrifically deadly and her characters will sink their teeth in your heart and never let go.  This was one helluva wicked ride! Congrats to Julie for a sensational job, only you can make me want to experience a dark vampire series and have me begging for more.  I can't wait to get my hands on her next big adventure, dragons!! Talon!! Gimme, Gimme Gimme!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                                  5 Snowflakes

Review: Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Publisher-Harper Teen
Released-Jan 28th 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann

My Thoughts: 
Uninvited is a rather interesting book and while I thought it was indeed fascinating and even thought provoking, I can’t say I actually liked what was happening in this particular story. See, when a story can provoke strong emotions –positive or negative- it’s a good book in my opinion. It means I care enough about what going on, but there’s a big different between disliking a certain scene or quality and actually hating everything that’s happening to our main protagonist. I’m gonna go with the whole “this isn't fair” route for this one, cause to be honest, it really isn't. I like to think that human beings have a conscience and freewill and no one can really predict your future, so to have a government come in and say that this or that person will be a criminal one day according to medical fact and then proceed without judge or jury seems rather extreme, harsh and inhuman. This is also a very dark, merciless and violent world and doesn't leave much room for anything other then fear, humiliation and pain. I wasn't exactly expecting fluff and stuff here, but some kind of humanity would have been nice.

My heart really goes out to someone like Davy. She’s a kind character who obviously doesn't have a mean bone in her body but when you’re shoved in a corner with no way out what real choices do you have? Things really never got better for her, from a cage to a training camp, it seemed no matter where she went it was always dangerous. Things got from bad to worse and all I kept thinking was; this is such a cold and brutal reality to be facing and I really never understood the whys.

I get the general idea here. The government has found some way to test people who may or may not have HTS- Homicidal Tendency Syndrome. And if you’re a carrier-innocent or guilty- one day you will be capable of murder. It’s like stopping crime before it even begins. Taking a criminal and giving it a label, back it up with tangible medical proof, find it, contain it and lock it away. Everyone starts to feel like they have control again and will eventually be able to go back to pretending that life is prefect in a messed up world. It’s a pretty cool and frightening concept if you think about it, but when you have someone like Davy, seeing what’s been done to her and what she’s been put through, it makes you question who the real monster are.

I really liked Davy’s character. I thought her reaction to everything was really believable. She was strong at first, determined to beat down the labels and prove them wrong. We get a glimpse into the kind of life Davy lived in before and it was a good life, so when she was sent into the ‘cage’ I could really feel the magnitude of this new life. The pure intimidation and fear from the other carriers felt like a knife to your throat, twisting my stomach with hatred.

When society calls you a monster and makes you live a monstrous life- even if you know who you are- doubt, resentment, fear and eventually anger will start to weigh you down to the point where you become the very thing you swore you weren't to begin with. And yet through it all, Davy fights to keep her soul intact.

~Sean is also a very interesting character. He’s mysterious, intense and although he tries to push Davy away he turns out to be the only positive force in her world.  I love the way he always seemed to be protecting her- be dame the consequence. Although, there is something about him that makes me questions his true role in this story-line, it could be my active imagination wandering, but I think he may not actually be who we think he is. I guess only time will tell.

I also really liked Davy’s family, specially her brother Mitchell. It broke my heart to see them in such emotional heartache and being powerless to do anything to stop this from happening to Davy. It was so good to see that someone still believed in her and their unconditional love and support felt like a giant hug in a very unforgiving world.

The romance is very light, at first it was more of a general fondness for one another and a certain understanding given their cruel situation, but later it became something promising and a desperation to believe that love is possible in all this ugliness.

I also liked the ending, it gave us a sliver of hope that I think readers need to hold on to when they read this book since it felt like the entire story at this point doesn't have any real direction or reason as to why this even happened to someone like Davy and even other characters who don't seem to fit the criminal vibe.

For the most part it may seem like I didn't enjoy this book, but I really did. It may not be a favorite and it may stir-up some rather hateful feelings for this particular world, but it’s a concept that is very much intriguing and compelling.  Jordan has delivered a plausible universe that is scary as hell to contemplate with likable and realistic characters that you can’t help be invested in from minute one. I’m also curious enough to want to know what happens next and look forward to seeing what Jordan has planned for these characters and this world.

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                              3.5 snowflakes

Review and Giveaway: Amarok by Angela J.Townsend

Amarok by Angela J. Townsend
Publisher-Spencer Hill Press
Released- Nov 20th 2012
Purchase-Amazon / B & N

Life has been hell for seventeen-year-old Emma since she moved from sunny California to a remote Alaskan town. Rejected by her father and living with the guilt of causing her mother's death, she makes a desperate dash for freedom from her abusive stepfather. But when her car skids off the icy road, her escape only leads to further captivity in a world beyond her imagining. Dragged across the tundra by a crazed mountain man and his enormous black wolf, she finds that her gentle touch and kind heart earn her the wolf's friendship, and she names him Amarok, not knowing he was once a young man. When a vicious madman--trapped in bear form by an ancient Shaman--attacks the travelers and injures Amarok, Emma must find the strength to confront her fears and free the wolf she's come to love. But there's a catch--she must face down the evil shaman, a powerful Siberian mammoth hunter from the ice age, and he has no intention of giving up his power to her.

My Thoughts:

Emma wants nothing more to escape the bitterness of Alaska and her abusive step-father and go back to California where she use to belong before her mothers death. But on her desperate attempt, her car skids off the icy road and her rescuer is no other then a crazed kidnapper who captures Emma and takes her deep into the Alaska wilds with a savage wolf she affectionately calls Amarok-her only comfort.
Amarok use to have a human name, he was once called Tok, a seventeen year old boy who was on the brink of death before a monstrous Shamen cursed him, transforming him from man to wolf. Enslaved and tortured by his cold-blooded masters he has no choice but to do their biding. But just when his frozen soul thought that it can no longer be saved and death was the only answer, this young and courageous girl, Emma gives him the strength and motive to go on. If only to breath to protect her from this nightmare he's all to familiar with.

Wow, what an incredibly beautiful and cruel story! 

This is the kind of story that breaks your heart into little pieces and lifts it up at the same time. It's the kind of story that will ignite strong and raw emotions for these characters and commands you to hear their tale and feel their pain and hope with ever fiber of your being that goodness will conquer and happily ever after can be achieved.

Angela J.Townsend's writing is simply breathtaking. The plot is unique and intriguing. It's surrounded by a native legend, cursed lands and sinister magic. Blended with the harsh endless winter background and the gradual pace the story was measured in, it truly compliments what these characters had to endure emotionally and physically. A slow ache, a needless suffer and blazing hope. It was also romantic in a different way then most stories. It wasn't filled with heated passion or desirable needs. It was formed with kindness and affection and what one tender touch can mean to a broken and shattered heart.

Your heart will undoubtedly go out Amarok and Emma. These are two people who were brought together by madness and monsters and who find comfort in simply knowing they aren't alone in this nightmare.

Emma isn't like your average protagonist. She's no stranger when it comes to abuse or being treated with such hatred. Her guilt welcomes it, but apart of her still wants to live. One would normally expect her to be weak, scared and powerless given her situation, but she proves to be a fearless and unflinching character who's a fighter and a survivor. I adored her bravery and courage and her fierce determination and loving heart. 

Amarok is such a gentle and kind soul. I had a hard time reading some of the more painful scenes, wanting nothing more then to reach into the pages and protect him from such horrific cruelty. I loved his loyalty and the way he would protect Emma with his very life. Such a gorgeously written being.

Weasel Tale (such a fitting name) was pure evil and probably one of the easiest characters to loath in all my reading existence. I wanted nothing but a slow unkind death for him and believe me, when you meet him you will to. I never did understand why he chose to kidnap Emma. For a deeper purpose or just cause he could, it wasn't ever really brought up.  I also liked what Ben and Jock brought into the story as well, even though they had a small role it still made all the difference.

All in all, I really enjoyed this story. It's vicious and gripping but also lovely and touching. I'm not sure if a sequel is in the works, but it's perfect as a stand alone. It ends on a hopeful note and that's good enough for me.

My only advise is to wait to read this for when your in a quiet and sentimental mood for the story to really soak in just right. It's not meant to be rushed but savored.

Beautifully done!

                                                                     

                                                                    4 Snowflakes

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Blog Tour: Chasing McCree by J.C. Isabella

Today WinterHaven Books has the wonderful opportunity to review Chasing McCree by J.C. Isabella. Special thanks to YA Bound for hosting this blog tour as well as allowing us to participate!

Chasing McCree by J.C. Isabella

Publisher- Self-pub

Released-April 14th 2012
Purchase-Kobo /Amazon / B & N 

Briar Thompson had it all. The right clothes, the right friends, the right car. Being popular was all that mattered. Her parents were rich and treated like royalty throughout the community. She thought her senior year of high school was going perfectly, until the night her drink was spiked at a party by one of her so called friends.
That was the night she met Chase McCree.
Chase wanted to go back to Montana. To the ranch and the wild, wide blue sky that went on forever. He wanted nothing to do with flashy cars or spoiled rich kids. But he found himself head over boots for the quirky cheerleader who turned her back on her social status. She befriended him when no one else would.
Shunned and hurt by the people who were once her friends, Briar flees with Chase to his family ranch in Montana. There she discovers another world, and apart of herself she never knew.
The cowboy wasn’t like anyone she’d ever met. The cheerleader wasn’t like anyone he’d ever met. Apart their lives didn’t seem to make sense, but together, they were chasing forever.

My Thoughts:

"I'd follow you to the end of the earth just to kiss you."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him with everything in me. "Good thing for you I'm not going anywhere."

Chasing McCree is a story about a city girl and a country boy or more like a princess and a cowboy. At first glance Chase McCree and Briar Thompson seem like the total opposite of one another. Chase is hard working and mature beyond his years. While Briar lives a sheltered rich life and moves with the popular crowd at school.

One night, bored out of his mind, and missing his tranquil life in Montana, Chase decideds to give his horse, Ash, a little workout to a city park. There he stumbles into a girl he recognized from school but being the new kid doesn't really know her well.  Briar Thompson is an amusing drunken mess but also emotionally distraught but Chase, being the gentlemen that he is, takes pity on her and helps her out, which starts an unexpected friendship. 

At school, Briar is pushed aside by her so-called-friends and turns to Chase for companionship. They have an easy instant connection. Briar begins to see her self differently when she's around Chase. Someone who can be comfortable in her own skin.

So when Chase tells her that he's leaving Florida for good and moving back to Montana, neither of them want to lose their new found friendship. So when Chase invites Briar to Montana for the summer, to his surprise she agrees. Once they get to the ranch it's a whole different world and Chase and Briar start to realize that they have more in common then they thought, changing their lives for the better.

Aww, this was such a sweet sweet story! There really is no other way to say it. Once in awhile a book will come along that may not have a huge plot line or in-depth meaning or even excitement and suspense, but it still makes you fall head over boots in love. Chasing McCree is that book for me.

I absolutely adore the way J.C. Isabella sets up the story. How different we see city life compared to country living. While the city does provide more opportunities and endless entertainment, there is just something really calming and peaceful about being on a ranch. That was my favorite part of the book. Being on the ranch and taking it all in. From the animals to haying and riding horses and kicking back swinging on a porch swing. But it's not all fun and good times. I never realized how much energy goes in running a successful ranch or the possibilities of real danger. Still, I could totally see why Briar and Chase love it so much. It really does feel like a different world and it made me feel relaxed and happy. 

There is nothing I enjoy more then genuinely caring about the characters I read about.

There is only one other cowboy that I've read before and that would be Tucker from the Unearthly series, but after meeting Chase, I gotta tell ya, these country boys are starting to look really good. 

Chase is the kind of guy that I'd be proud to hang on my arm. Thoughtful, sweet, well mannered and quite the gentleman. He's a boy with a mans life. He's honorable, responsible, respectable and fair. 

Briar is really the one who surprised me the most. She's not at all who I thought she was and I loved seeing her finally be happy and content with her life. She's got a lot of sass and this amazing scrappy side, something I'm sure she inherited from her grandma (whom I adored). I love the way she's always right there to defend Chase to anyone who dares utters a negative word. Very cool. I also commend her for being brave enough to take a risk, following her dreams with her heart leading the way. 

Together these two bring out the very best in each other. I loved those playful moments. They made such a cute pair. The romance is very clean. A kiss stolen here and there and a little pantry incident, but it was enough to still make me smile.

I also really loved Chase's aunt and uncle and his friends. Everyone played their role well, making the experience that much grander.

Bottom line, I really just fell in love with this one. It's a simple story, yes and it's even a bit predictable, but I couldn't care less. It's a beautiful and tender love story about two people who find a connection and don't want to let it go. It's a story about finding that spark and passion that makes life worth living and doing it cause you love it and not cause your obligated. My only complaint was that I wish it was a little longer. I was  having so much fun reading about Briar and Chase and ranch living that I wasn't ready to let them go. 

J.C Isabella has a new fan, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books! 

Charming, fun and adorable!! Definitely recommended!

                                                                     4.5 Snowflakes

                                                                   

About the author- J.C Isabella

I'm J.C. Isabella, and I love to write. I've been writing for about ten years now. Mostly it was just for fun, for me. But my friends liked my work, so I decided to self publish. I hope you enjoy the rest of my site, and the books I have written.The reason I chose to write romance, is because I love a happy ending. In YA there are so many lessons to be learned, so many firsts to be had. Why not write about first kisses, first crushes, or trying to explain to your father you were bitten by your boyfriend, who happens to be a werewolf?One thing I will always promise in my books is a happy ending. I've always hated getting to the end of a really great novel, and feeling let down because it didn't end the way I thought it should. So about ten years ago, I decided to write a book. I remember it was about these kids who hijack a boat to find buried treasure in Mexico....Needless to say, my writing has come a long way since my teen years, and I know I have room to improve, but I feel guilty having these books sitting in my computer, with no one to read them. So I'm putting them out for the world to see!
I try not to take myself too seriously. I'm not an editor, nor am I a total wiz when it comes to grammar or language. I try my darndest though, and I hope to give people an enjoyable read that is nice a break from reality.
I put a lot of work into what I do, and I appreciate people reading my work. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

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Giveaway!  The author, J.C. Isabella is giving away a few e-book copies of Chasing McCree and the short story A McCree's Star Spangled 4th!  Just fill out the rafflecopter form to enter!

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