Review - Grasping at Eternity (The Kindrily #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper

I'll start out by saying that if you start reading this series (which I hope you will), understand that once you are finished with Grasping at Eternity, you will not be able to just stop and say that you understand the full story behind Maryah and Nathaniel and just quit. Please give this saga a chance. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

The Kindrily series is so much more than just about the two main characters Maryah Woodsen and Nathaniel Luna who alternate in telling their stories on how they lost each other, or how long Nathan suffered without her around, or how Maryah struggles to understand a power she doesn't truly understand, while also trying to regain memories that she choose to rid herself of.

It's also about Krista & Carson, Louise & Anthony, Dylan & Amber, Edgar & Helen, Faith & Shiloh, & Harmony who are all considered Elements and each has their own unique ability. They even have an X-Men like jet that travels the globe at a blink of an eye. It is also about love lost, love found, reincarnation while retaining previous memories and abilities, and what being part of something greater than yourself really means.

I was actually quite surprised at how much I liked Grasping at Eternity (I have also since read the sequel Taking Back Forever). There are, of course, open questions, and I have some thoughts on Nathaniel's ability to keep secrets from Maryah, while he searches the world for archenemy Dedrick Malone (leader of the Nefariouns) who was responsible for the attack on Maryah's family which set into motion the events of Grasping at Eternity.

I enjoyed the fact even though Maryah is subjected to affection and tail chasing by River Malone, she thinks more about her friendship with his ex-girlfriend Amy, than actually hooking up with him. I will say without hesitation that I was correct in my characterization of River as a total asshat and enjoyed knowing that Maryah didn't find any comfort from kissing River.

I've been kind of weary about books that center around reincarnation in the past but Hooper does a wonderful job in creating a different feel to the idea where you are given a choice at death whether to keep your memories from your previous lives, or remove them completely. They also have the ability to choose when to return to their next lives since the Kindrily are all elementals with extraordinary powers and abilities.

Hooper also delves into Promnesia, better known as déjà vu. It's the souls way of trying to recall a place, person, or event from another lifetime. Overall, a really good read, that I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. *I would also encourage you to read my review of Taking Back Forever which has also been posted to my blog*

*Recvd via NetGalley 07/10/2013* Published May 25th 2012 by Starry Sky Publishing

Author - Karen Amanda Hooper
Title - Grasping at Eternity (The Kindrily # 1)
Published by Starry Sky Publishing
Genre - YA Paranormal, Romance
Received via Netgalley from Publisher
Released - May 25, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday 07/17/2013

"Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at “Breaking the Spine”, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

This weeks choice is-----

All Our Yesterdays  by Cristin Terrill

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Expected publication: September 3, 2013 by Disney Hyperion

Why I am waiting on this?

First, the cover is awesome. I think this is the best of all that I've seen since BEA.

Second, the premise sounds really intriguing and I love anything to do with time travel.

Here's hoping the book is seriously good!

What are you waiting for?

*Gizmos Reviews* Top 10 Tuesday - Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic! 

This weeks Topic is:

Top 10 Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

I went a little overboard, so please don't fret. I enjoy each and every single one

of these wonderful authors and their series!

1. Adrian Phoenix series The Maker's Song with Dante Baptiste and Heather Wallace

*Paranormal Romance*

2. Michelle Sagara West the Chronicles of Elantra Series featuring Kaylin Neya

*High Fantasy*

3. Tessa Dawn the Blood Curse Series

*Paranormal Romance/Dark Fantasy*

4. Suzanne McLeod the Spellcracker.com series featuring Genevieve Taylor

*Paranormal Romance*

5. Nancy Holzner's Deadtown series featuring Victory Vaughn

*Urban Fantasy*

6. Allyson James the Stormwalker series featuring Half-Navajo Janet Begay

*Paranormal Romance*

 

7. Kalayna Price series featuring Alex Craft and Haven featuring Kita Nekai

 

8. Gini Koch's Katherine "Kitty" Katt

Science Fiction-y/Romance

9. Eileen Wilks World of the Lupi series featuring Special Agent Lily Yu & lupi prince Rule Turner

*Paranormal Romance*

10. Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series

*Urban Fantasy*

11. Cecy Robson's Weird Girls series featuring Celia Wird and her 3 sisters

*Paranormal Romance*

12. Amanda Carlson's Jessica McClain series.

*Paranormal Romance*

13. Amanda Bonilla's Shaede Assassin series featuring Darian

*Paranormal Romance*

Gizmos Reviews - Day 7 Blogging Challenge - Talk About Your Blogging Quirks

Welcome back to those who have been following along!

Today's question is Talk About Your Blogging Quirks

Think Quirks as confessions from the soul.

• Before posting my review to my blog, I use a word document to ensure that it actually sounds intelligent enough and not babble. Have already seen too many reviews disappear without a trace in not doing it this way.
• I have a tendency of allowing emotions to get the best of me IE my dislike for insta-lusts, and 3 way love triangles that make no sense, or TSTL heroines who are repetitive in nature.
• I wish I was more of an advocate for using GIF's in my reviews.
• I wish I could learn coding and HTML so that I can transfer my blog to Word Press.
• I find myself counting the number of words I use in a review and usually stop around 500.
• I wish, all the time, that my reviews would gain more popularity and comments, and find myself crying when a really good review goes unnoticed.
• I have an EXCEL spreadsheet that tells me what book I SHOULD read next, and when the book actually releases. 
• I currently have a list of every single author that I follow, and there are a bunch, and go to web pages like http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ to find out when the next book is schedule to release or if I have missed back installments.
• I don't do excessive giveaways or author interviews which is probably why I don't have the appropriate number of pageviews for the number of followers I'm supposed to have.
• I am terrible in remembering to review a book after I read it. (I've gotten better lately, but I am currently way, way behind on my reviews from April through June.
• I absolutely can not in any way shape or form read a book without making a story page of what is happening with the story, who the characters are, whether they live or die, or whether I want to throttle them. 
• Fact: I have short term memory loss which goes with the need to take notes.

What are your blogging Quirks?

Do you have any recommendations to help me out? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Release Day Review - Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

How in the hell am I supposed to start another book after reading Dangerous Girls? How am I supposed to take anything that I've read at face value knowing that my heart has literally been pounding in my chest the entire time I've been reading and then the author goes for a SHOCKING ending that has left me breathless? How can I not go back and re-read Dangerous Girls yet again to find out if, along the way, I missed certain signs that Haas left for us to find like bread crumbs?

Dangerous Girls will literally mind screw you in so many different facets that you will end up becoming a babbling mess of emotions by the time you are finished. Haas has created a mystery novel that is ripped from the headlines of the most terrible trials in recent memory. If you followed the Amanda Knox trial (2009), toss in what happened to Natalee Holloway (2005) in Aruba and you get an idea of what Dangerous Girls is like. Then, throw it all out the window and start over again because nothing is as it seems or appears.

I will say this to future readers; go into Dangerous Girls with your mind wind open for all sorts of possibilities, angles, twists, turns, betrayal, outrage, and outright screaming at your book because Haas does such a wonderful job of luring you into her evil web only to be heard miles away laughing her ass off like Doctor Evil after finally besting Austin Powers.

Dangerous Girls is told from Anna's point of view with flashbacks. Haas alternates her story between the frantic call when Elise's body is discovered, to when Anna and Elise became nearly inseparable, to Anna's trial and the subsequent media frenzy which includes a Nancy Grace wannabe extorting the fact that Anna is seriously deranged, emotionally unstable, and most likely guilty of Elise's murder, to the twist that is Anna's relationship with Elise and her boyfriend Tate Dempsey, and finally, to Anna's time behind bars while waiting to be found guilty or innocent of killing Elise.

You will find yourself emotionally attached to Anna one way or the other. You will make choices and decisions based on not only what Anna is telling you, but what the tertiary characters are saying about her as well. Who will you believe? Anna, the over bearing prosecutor, or her so called friends? In the end, does it really matter who you believe, or will you correctly guess the final twist that Haas lays out for you brilliantly?

Author - Abigail Haas
Title - Dangerous Girls
Releases - July 16, 2013
Publisher - Simon Pulse
Genre - Murder, Mystery
Received from publisher through Edelweiss

Cover Reveal & Giveaway! Wings (Black City # 3) by Elizabeth Richards

Today we are super excited to share the cover to WINGS, the third and final book in author's Elizabeth Richard's BLACK CITY series!

Check out this beauty! 

Wings (Black City #3) by Elizabeth Richards
Expected Publication: March 2014 by G.P. Putnam's Sons PYR

Get the first two books in the series! 

OPEN INTERNATIONAL!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gizmos Reviews - 15 Day Blogging Challenge Day # 6 - Describe How You Shop For Books:

Welcome once again to the 15 day Book Blogger Challenge!

Today's challenge is to Describe How You Shop For Books:

I will be totally honest, I don't purchase that many books. When I do, however, I usually wait for them to be on sale via Amazon like say .99, to $2.99 range. I won't purchase any E-book that are over $10.00. Especially if a Mass Market Paperback is available for less.

With Barnes & Noble closing the store nearest to me, and moving further away from me, I just haven't found the desire to travel 10-15 miles away to purchase a book. I rely on my local library a lot for my choices in reading material. Why spend money when you can get them free?