2014 is finally here if you can believe it (I can’t!). In some ways, 2013 was the longest year and in others it flew by. It was definitely a year of challenges, but it ended a lot better than it started.
PLUS, I found my place in the world when I came into this blog. So, I can’t help but be thankful for that. Here’s a little review about 2013, as well as my look forward to 2014!
The Deets
author: Christine O’Neil
released: August 26, 2013
format: e-book
pages: 292 pages
publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Read: September 7, 2013
Acquired: Author
Book Pages: Amazon.com
Book Type: YA, mythology, fantasy
The Down-low
My name is Maggie Raynard. After sixteen years being just plain me, suddenly, when I lose my temper, my fingers become weapons of mass destruction. Turns out I’m a semi-god, descended from Aphrodite. Sounds cool in theory, but when I accidentally put my ex-boyfriend in a coma, things go downhill pretty fast.
Now some new guy named Mac Finnegan has made it his mission in life to continually piss me off. I’m stuck learning how to use my new powers while also dealing with regular high school problems, and with this annoying—and super-hot—guy all up in my business, I’m about to flip out.
But it gets worse. I just learned there’s this watchdog council of semis who keeps an eye out for any bad apples. They think I’m the baddest of the bunch and want to take me out before I do any more damage. My nemesis Mac might turn out to be my salvation, only he’s got secrets of his own…and they may just kill us both.(From Goodreads.com)
Why You Should Buy It
A fresh twist on an ancient story, Chaos will make you laugh, tear up, and fall in love with this descendant of the goddess of love herself.
My Thoughts
*I received this e-book in exchange for an honest review via the author/publisher.*
I may sound like a broken record, but I will say it again — I.LOVE.GREEK.MYTHOLOGY. I especially love when they are folded into a contemporary story. I’m pretty big on the Persephone/Hades love quandary, so this one was a bit different for me. Maggie is a descendant of Aphrodite, a semi-god. The closest I’ve read to this is the Starcrossed series. In a lot of ways Helen and Maggie are the same — they unexpectedly find out they have these powers when they are in their teens, no one really is there to teach them about who they are, and they are both threats in some ways. However, Chaos goes in a much different direction as far as mythology is concerned. And it does draw back into that contemporary/teen setting, where we are experiencing a lot of day-to-day with Maggie, Mac, and the other characters.
Right off the bat, I could tell I was going to love this book. Maggie is HILARIOUS and had such a genuine personality. I could tell O’Neil poured her heart into the character. She made me laugh, but deeper than that, she made me care about her. She had a no-nonsense attitude that I respected and was just the right touch of goddess and human.
The writing was natural and will connect well with teens. There was a lot of reference to pop-culture, which I loved, because it really grounded the story (again) in the day-to-day. The writing also was just witty and conversational — I felt like I was looking into a friend tell me a story. The drama in the story is a great blend of greek goddess major issues and normal teenage drama. It really made the book seem more genuine. Of course the back and forth of Mac and Maggie was a bit eyerolly, because of course we could FEEL the tension between the two. That, however, is normal in teen romance. Everyone else sees what the ‘couple’ doesn’t.
I SHOULD have seen the end coming, it is one that happens a lot in these types of books. I hope, much like some other series, there will be a good resolution in future books.
To me, the cover wasn’t really getting the essence of Maggie. Maggie was sexy in a non-descript way — with her tshirts, jeans, and vans. I know they like to sex it up for covers, but I don’t think we really got “Maggie” from that. I do like how she isn’t wearing make-up.
Did I like it? YES. Will I be sticking with the series? SO MUCH YES! The series brought something fresh to the Greek myth retelling and I’m really excited to have had the opportunity to read and review the book.
Rating
Today we are excited to participate in the blog tour for Keeper of Reign by Emma Right! Keeper of Reign is a middle grade/young adult fantasy book that was released May 19, 2013.
Title: Keeper of Reign
Author: Emma Right
Publish Date: 5/19/2013
Genre: Middle Grade/YA, FantasyBook Synopsis:
Books written in blood. Most are lost, their Keepers with them. A curse that befell a people. A Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Or could it?
For Jules, the heir of a Keeper, no less, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. It was bad enough that his people, the Elfies of Reign, triggered a curse which reduced the entire inhabitants to a mere inch centuries ago. All because of one Keeper who failed his purpose. Even the King’s Ancient Books, did not help ward off that anathema.
Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth. Truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse. Provided Jules doesn’t get himself killed first.
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Add to Goodreads:
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Book One
This was a story about Elfies, a race of tiny creatures that were a combination of elves and fairies. While the Elfies used to be normal sized, a curse on the Kingdom of Reign has left them tiny. And without a ruler.
In Reign there are family Keepers — a person who keeps the family’s book safe — a book written in blood. Many of the ancient books are lost, including the one written by the King that holds all the answers to save Reign.
We begin with Jules Blaze, a sixteen year old Elfie who has four siblings and a mother to care for as his father is off protecting the kingdom. He is told that his grandparents died in an accident, but is not quick to believe the news. He begins to set off to find them, only to be brought back by his little sister. The following day, he and his siblings are out together when they learn that their home was broken into — and their mother and family book are missing.
Thus sets the stage for the quest Jules finds himself on.
This story reminded me of The Secret of NIMH or The Borrowers. There was definitely an air of mystery and a lot of suspense. All in all, there were some great lessons to be learned by the characters (and the reader). I have to say reading “books wrote in blood” definitely caught my attention! I love the excerpt I chose to share, because it shows that there is so many lost secrets — including that they are smaller than they should be.
While the book had some technical issues, the story was compelling enough to keep me reading. I do wish we would have gotten more of the back story earlier in the book and more questions answered. I think these questions most readers have about the back story will help fill in the vast world that is the Kingdom of Reign. The work definitely has a lot of potential and as it is slated as a series, there should be more to look forward to!
The cover is brilliant and the story is something I know my children will be interested in when they are old enough to read it. It is fast-paced and full of action. For a younger kids book, there are a lot of hard names, so your kids may ask a lot of questions on how to say that. Never fear, Emma does have a list of characters that come with pronunciations. This was definitely helpful. Overall, I enjoyed this story and think your middle grade kids will too.
Rating
Emma Right is a happy wife and home-school mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves the Lord and His Word deeply, and when she doesn’t have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one.
Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.
“The others stood by the doorway and gaped.
Why didn’t Grandpa tell us of this—this library?” Tst Tst’s eyes stared accusingly at Jules.
He shrugged. “Maybe you were too young—I don’t know. We shouldn’t argue about this, we don’t even know where Mom is.”
On hearing this, Tst Tst and Bitha cried, “They took her!” Tst Tst whimpered between sobs.
“Do you think the intruders are inside our living room, now?”
Ralston’s voice quaked.
Miranda said, “These books are made for giants! There’s no way a normal Elfie can handle them.”
Jules had never heard her so surprised. “They were for normal people. Once. Elfies were normal, once.” She took the lantern from Bitha and moved toward the nearest book-case. “Where did your grandpa get all these books?”
“It’s a family thing. An inheritance. You wouldn’t find it interesting.”
“Like jipsy I wouldn’t? How’d they even bring these giant books through your tiny doors?” She faced Jules squarely, her blue eyes burning like emeralds. “Tell me your secrets.”
♥
There is a tour wide giveaway. Enter to win the following:
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash (Ends 9/9/13)
♥
This tour was hosted by I Am Reader. For full tour schedule, visit here!
Meaningful books that entertain.
My blog is basically reviews of books that I have read and feel like others would enjoy. Feel free to contact me in exchange for honest reviews
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