Tempest by Julie Cross



The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Released: Out now!

Holy god, what a book. This book makes the take a rollercoaster on their emotions. I mean how can a book do that? Julie Cross is debuting into the world of wonderful YA with Tempest a time-travelling book that I can actually get my head around. What is interesting is the fact it is written from a guys point of view by a female author, and i think she has pulled it off very well. *insert bowing to the writer*

Jackson Meyer has the recessive Tempest gene, which allows the holder to travel through time, with and without consequences along with a better memory capacity e.g. Photographic memory etc. In 2009 an event takes place which rocks his work literally. He is thrust back into 2007 and cannot get back. During this time he learns many home truths about his Dad and who's after him, oh and did i mention he has to get back to 2009 to save Holly?

So, this book is super enjoyable once, and only once the story picks up, it is really nice to know the background of Jackson and Holly and this and that, you know? But me? I'm a fast paced story lover, a book that keeps churning out suprise after suprise. It is really only the last third that the story pace picked up and the reader was swept away. It made me enjoy the story alot more and i finally understood why the author added so much background, we were going to need itto get our head around the story.

Cross then changed everything we already knew at the last minute and left us, the reader looking at that last blank page going, crap, i have to wait an eternity for the next one!

Thanks to Mykindabook on twitter for holding a competition to win a pretty hardback version!

Talia x

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Published by: Hodder & Stoughton (UK)
Released: Out now!





Doesn't the blurb just make you want to read more? It did to me, so what did i do? I bought it, poor little broke me! I confess i am a HUGE fan of dystopian novels when they are done well and when they aren't done well, i slate it and donate the book as it doesn't deserve a place on my overly crammed bookcase. This review is a shorty as i don't have much time!

Delirium is a dystopian fans dream, a fresh take on what it would be like and the ridiculous things 'governments' would do and say. So love is classed as a disease that they have found the cure for although they can only give it too them when they are 18. Lena's Mum was immune to the cure and was taken when she was younger so she lives with her extended family most of whom have been cured. Lena will struggle through ordinary teenage problems with a dystopian twist, Will i still be good friends with Hana after the procedure? How can i fall in love with Alex. (oomph!)

This novel is so beautifully written and described i felt like i was in the novel living Lena's life. The plot is so well integrated the reader knew what would happen but would still not expect it.
It comes into its own about two thirds through where the action picks up before te reader is dumped unceremoniously on the edge of a very high cliff. So as you do, look online and find book two 'Pandemonium' is out later this year! YAY!

Dystopian novels are not for everyone but if you are yet to try one, this is going to be one of my top three dystopian series!

Talia x

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul

Published by Egmont
Released Now.

'The Dark Divine' by Bree Despain follows the story of Grace Divine the daughter of a pastor. we as the reader see her easy relationship with her brother unfurl when childhood friend - and crush- comes on the scene after a three year absence. One is able to guess, something isn't quite right with Daniel and we soon learn what, and who else has been infected.

Having a scrawl through my school library i come across this book. I took it out and started reading it on my way home and was suprised not be immediately engrossed. Yes the plot was a good start but it was maybe just a bit too slow and trying to fill in too many gaps. It is written with a certain childish flair, very simplistic writing that is easy to understand. For me, i like a challenge in books i read with the language if the stroy-line itself doesn't keep me interested. What kept me on was Becca Fitzpatrick's review praising it, i've read (and enjoyed) her books and ones she commends but i was sorely disappointed with this read and felt that her praise was not worthy.

Daniel is inexplicitly the books 'bad-boy'. Who could resist? Obviously not Grace who couldn't see a bad bone in his body. But she couldn't tell who  was good or bad so i don't take her account. About 50 pages in the great 'secret' is guessed by the reader and leaves them thinking, story over. But no a few chapters at the end reveal another twist to try keep the reader with her, to little success as they will have already guessed.

Overall this book is an ok read with lots of glaring holes, it didn't leave me wanting more, it left me returning it back to the library dissappointed.

Talia x

Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke



The next generation of shape-shifting dragons from the popular author of the Dragonfire novels.
Zoë Sorensson is perfectly normal, except she's been told she's destined for great things. Zoë's the one female dragon shapeshifter of her kind. But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr and her powers are AWOL, so she's sent to a Pyr boot camp.
 
Zoë quickly realizes that she has to master her powers yesterday, because the Pyr are in danger and boot camp is a trap. The Mages want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line-unless Zoë and her friends can work together and save their own kind.

Published by Allison & Busby
Release Date: Out now!



A unique novel if ever I've seen one! This is a totally different take on dragons - and i LOVE dragons. We meet Zoe, the only female dragon of her kind, and there can only ever be one. It has many humerous touches that bring the character to life, one of which, Zoe the kickass dragon, is a vegetarian!

Zoe has many problems, some very girly problems others a bit more mystical. Her dragon powers have yet to kick in and she is slated by all the others - and they are all men. A paranormal story isn't complete without a love interest or two, so we meet Nick, whom she may be destined to be with, dating another girl. Ow! While at bootcamp they are infiltrated by mages and put against eachother, without knowing it and only one person can help, the wyvern, which happens to be Zoe!

The dragon lore is very specifically thought and told making it easy for the reader to image these happening and such. The dragons themselves sound very pretty and an amazing thing to be. (Dreams of flying as a dragon much!)

This book is very fastpaced and a keen read, and fast paced, i really can't wait to get my 'claws' on it and have thus pre-ordered!

Talia x

Night School by C.J.Daugherty

Allie Sheridan's world is falling apart. She hates her school. Her brother has run away from home. And she's just been arrested.

Again.

This time her parents have finally had enough. They cut her off from her friends and send her away to a boarding school for problem teenagers.

But Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. Its rules are strangely archaic. It allows no computers or phones. Its students are an odd mixture of the gifted, the tough and the privileged. And then there's the secretive Night School, whose activities other students are forbidden even to watch.

When Allie is attacked one night the incident sets off a chain of events leading to the violent death of a girl at the summerball. As the school begins to seem like a very dangerous place, Allie must learn who she can trust. And what's really going on at Cimmeria Academy. 

             From Goodreads.com

       Published by Atom

               Release Date:Out Now!


Wow, what can I say? This book is totally different to how i thought it would be, the usual vampire/werewolf/whatever romance novel. It is a MYSTERY! yeah! This book at 453 pages is a fair length but, i being a fast reader took around five hours, the fast pace and the unfolding events kept those pages turning.

We meet our main protagonist Allie - disfunctional teenager with a major problem- spraypainting her Headmaster's door. The reader - and Allie- is soon chucked into the Cimmeria Academy, with the dreamy guys (Comon, you know you want them!) the twists and the turns, especially when... Oops no spoilers for you! (thought it burns me up! ;) )

There were many a turn in the story i was shocked at and more that i couldn't believe! If i were to be totally honest I think Daugherty lost the story line and waffled her way through about 20-30pages before swiflty picking up again. This I think was saved by the fact Daugherty managed to inject another dose of excitment into the novel.

On closing this book I honestly had wondered "what the hell just happened" before thinking further, that was a really awesome read, and "please sir can i get some more?"

Thank you Atom for an Advanced copy through your Atomics service!

Talia x