Siege Sarah Mussi

Siege
Sarah Mussi

 5 star read

Reviewer: Emily
Author: Sarah Mussi
 Format:Paperback

 Genre: Dystopian

About Book

                                 
Leah Jackson - in detention. Then armed Year 9s burst in, shooting. She escapes, just. But the new Lock Down system for keeping intruders out is now locking everyone in. She takes to the ceilings and air vents with another student, Anton, and manages to use her mobile to call out to the world. 

First: survive the gang - the so-called 'Eternal Knights'.
Second: rescue other kids taken hostage, and one urgently needing medical help. 

Outside, parents gather, the army want intelligence, television cameras roll, psychologists give opinions, sociologists rationalize, doctors advise - and they all want a piece of Leah. Soon her phone battery is running out; the SAS want her to reconnoiter the hostage area ... But she is guarding a terrifying conviction. Her brother, Connor, is at the center of this horror. Is he with the Eternal Knights or just a pawn?

She remembers. All those times Connor reached out for help ... If she'd listened, voiced her fears about him earlier, would things be different now? Should she give up her brother?

With only Anton for company, surviving by wits alone, Leah wrestles with the terrible choices ...

                                                               
                       My Thoughts
                               

I really did enjoy this book, i purchased it from my local big w without bothering to read what it was about since it had no blurb anywhere. I went of the name and gunshot marks on both sides of the book and thought it was about a shooting but nothing more. 
Here i go beginning to read and within the first few pages i begin to think somethings off. i continue reading anyway but before i know it i am hooked. 
I'm brought into a world set a few generations from now, the school systems different and the technology a little more advanced. Enough to be believable. 
Leah is the main character, it follows what she goes through from the the beginning of the day of the shooting until the end. Without giving to much away it begins with Leah, 16, her younger brother Conner who is 14 and younger sister who is 6 living with their single mother who suffers some severe depression. The mother not even getting off the lounge long enough to notice her children are even alive. So leah takes responsibility. She has a concert that evening and it seems to be a massive focus for her, something she can look forward to thats purely her own. Its the brothers day to take the sister to school but he skips out leaving Leah to take her making her late for school and having after school detention. There goes her concert hopes and dreams out the door but before Sarah lets you focus on that too much gun shots sound off. 
From there its a race against time to save whomever Leah can and try and find out who is behind this. Risking her life to save others  like any good heroin and it was believable.  I believed every moment of this book from the first page to the last. Set in a dystopian world that changed are slight, it captures you and draws you in. 

Whilst this is not a light read in the slightest its not a long book but brings forth every emotion we have. i cried, laughed and clapped all through this book. 







I highly recommend this book to those who do not mind a sad story and are not triggered by shootings and death. Sarah Mussi really delivered on this book. 

What happens next
Colleen Clayton

 5 star read

Reviewer: Emily
Publisher: Colleen Clayton
 Format:Paperback

 Genre: Contemporary

About Book

                                 
How can you talk about something you can't remember? Before the sky trip Cassidy "Sid" Murphy was a cheerleader (on the bottom of the pyramid, but still....) and a straight-A student, with two of the best friends a girl could ask for. When Sid finds herself on a sky lift with a hunky local college guy, Dax Windsor, she's thrilled. "Come to a party with me" he tells her, but Dax isn't what she seems. He takes everything from Sid-including a lock of her perfect red curls-she can't remember any of it. After the sky trip, Sid is an insomniac and an obsessive late-night runner, unable to relate to her old friends. Caught in a downward spiral, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey "The Living Stoner" Lavingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey--slacker, baker, total dreamboat-- Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if only she could shake the nightmares, everything would be perfect....Witty and poignant, Colleen Claytons debut is a stunning story of moving on after the unthinkable  happens. 

                                                               
                       My Thoughts
                                 

I purchased this book having not very high expectations, thinking it wouldnt be a too heavy read. 
i was right yet so so wrong. I had no idea that could happen but Colleen managed it beautifully. 
Sid was a talented, happy, beautiful teenager who was assaulted and left to wake up on her own with a fuzzy memory and blaming herself. 
i dont want to spoil anything but this book had its ups and downs, i cried, laughed and was on the edge of my seat the entire time yearning to find out how it all ended. 
Leaving me with only 2 pages i wasn't sure if id be left questioning everything but everything was answered, wasn't rushed and i applaud any author who can pull this off. Some cannot do so with an entire book to wrap it up but in 2 pages i was left satisfied and though not wanting to leave Sid and Corey i wasn't disappointed. 

SPOILERS

Sid lied and said she just fell asleep to her friends and family, leaving her isolated and having to deal with a traumatic experience by herself. Coming to terms with what happened was very hard for her, if she had opened up things might have been easier but i understood she was afraid. Then she felt it was too late to come clean.
Colleen dealt with rape, drugging, eating disorders and taught readers a valuable lesson or two by the end. 

Corey was Sids rock, he has his own issues that were skimmed over but it gave enough to give us an insight but still kept the story Sids. 







this is a beautifully written book that i would recommend to anyone. Well done Colleen Clayton on this amazing book.

Author Spotlight Gerry Barrlett and her Glory St. Claire Book Series

Gerry Bartlett

http://www.gerrybartlett.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gerry-Bartlett/213300905382286?ref=ts&fref=ts 

About the Author

Bartlett figures that vampires are pretty much like everyone else except for the liquid diet.

Eternity or Mexican food? Tough call.

Then there’s the whole problem with sunlight. When would she treasure hunt for her own antiques business on the historic Strand in Galveston ?

Gerry’s a native Texan and lives halfway between Houston and Galveston with her own wonder dog, a Bedlington Terrier named Belle.

When she started writing, she was still teaching and used the pseudonym Lynn McKay. You can probably still find her historical for a penny on-line. Now that she’s no longer in the classroom, she has come out of the closet and uses her real name, much to her mother’s delight and sometimes embarrassment. Author’s note: Sorry, Mom, but, yes, I do have to write "those scenes."

 Her antique business on the historic Strand on the island is open again after it went under eight feet of water during Hurricane Ike. When she's not treasure hunting for the store, she loves heading to the Texas capitol of Austin where she imagines her vampire Glory St.Clair of the Real Vampire series has her own antique business and vintage clothing shop. 

You can read more about Gerry and her series at gerrybartlett.com and find links to her fan sites there. 

She's shown here in her back yard with dog Jet, a whippet. He's her alarm clock and literary muse, keeping her company when she's at the computer. 

Gerry loves to hear from readers and you can reach her from her web site or by snail mail at P.O. Box 101, League City, TX 77574-0101. 

She previously wrote as Lynn McKay and you might find her Regency historical available on Amazon too.

You can check out Gerry’s website or follow Glory St. Clair's blog at Myspace. Gerry’s birthday is November 21. No, she won't tell the year, but, as a Scorpio, not only does she write "those scenes", but she really enjoys writing them.

Real Vampires Have Curves  

(Glory St. Clair #1) 

What - did you think all vamps were pale, thin and brooding? Don't I wish.

Gloriana St. Clair is an eternally "full-figured" vampire-she just happened to be bloating when a sexy Scotsman sank his teeth into her. She and said Scot- Angus Jeremiah Campbell III, aka Jeremy Blade-have been on and off again for centuries, currently off. A couple hundred years has taught them how to press each other's buttons-in good ways and bad.

Glory's headed for Austin and a new business venture: Vintage Vamp's Emporium. After all, she loves clothes, and she is an antique. Only problem is, there's a billionaire techno-freak vampire hunter on the loose. Blade's in total he- vampire mode, and wants Glory to move in with him so he can "protect" her. But it's time for this vamp to explore her own powers.

http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Curves-Glory-Claire-ebook/dp/B001AZ2V10/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1365381638&sr=1-5 

 

 

Real Vampires Live Large

  (Glory St. Clair #2)

It's not easy to keep a boyfriend, run a business, and survive for centuries as one of the immortal undead. Glory St. Clair knows-ever since a sexy Scottish vampire bit her while she was a tad...bloated. But when a frustrated vampire hunter firebombs her vintage clothing boutique, she's ready to pitch a fit. Then her long-time, part-time lover takes off in a rage to hunt the hunter and prove himself worthy of her. And that's only the beginning of her troubles.

The Energy Vampires want her-and not in a good way. They're paranormal drug dealers, selling thrills to those who've lived for ages, been everywhere, and done everything...and they want to suck Glory dry. But it'll take more than a few super-suckers to get the goods out of her.

http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Large-Glory-Claire-ebook/dp/B0017SYNWA/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1 

 

Real Vampires Get Lucky 

  (Glory St. Clair #3)

 When a female loan shark named Lucky is attacked and left for dead, vampire Glory St. Clair turns her into one of the undead to save her——but eternity would have been safer without her. Vamps prefer a low profile, and that's not Lucky's style. She prefers to flaunt her sexy rock-star ex-boyfriend and great shoes. Trouble is, her flamboyant behavior is not only drawing every vampire hunter within miles— it's bringing her would-be killer out of hiding, too.

 http://www.amazon.com/Real-Vampires-Get-Lucky-ebook/dp/B0011UGLTC/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

Real Vampires Don't Diet 

  (Glory St. Clair #4)

Gloriana St. Claire-curvy, stylish, and undead-is spending New Year's Eve alone. And it's all because her boyfriend, Jeremy Blade, is traipsing off to parts unknown to rescue his supposed daughter from the clutches of "dangerous radicals." But just as Glory settles in for the evening, a phone call from the bodyguard of a drunk, newly-undead rock star could end her year on a crazy note.  

http://www.amazon.com/Real-Vampires-Glory-Claire-ebook/dp/B001ODEPE4/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2

Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs 

  (Glory St. Clair #5) 

 Glory St. Clair loves soaking up Hollywood's vampire nightlife with her sexy Scottish lover, Jeremiah. Especially when she meets a vampire/ diet guru who promises to give her the body she's wanted for centuries. One problem: his clan and Jeremiah's are ancient enemies. But Glory's not about to let a stupid family feud come between her and slender bliss. Yet, she can't help...

 http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Their-Thighs-Claire-ebook/dp/B0030CVPQ8/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

 

Real Vampires Have More to Love 

  (Glory St. Clair #6) 

 Glory St. Clair is a vampire with man trouble. Between her on-again, off-again lover Jeremy Blade, smoking hot rock star Ray Caine, and former bodyguard turned apartment mate Valdez, there's enough man-candy around to make even a gal with a liquid diet feel a sugar rush.

Glory's got no time to enjoy it, though, considering that she's in the middle of planning her best friend's wedding. And let's not forget that there happens to be a hit on her head, thanks to when she took out a techno-freak billionaire. Now, between planning a bachelorette party and dodging stakes, Glory has to decide which man she really wants, before her love life meets an early grave...

 http://www.amazon.com/Real-Vampires-Have-More-ebook/dp/B0046ECF90/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

 

Real Vampires Don't Wear Size Six

  (Glory St. Clair #7) 

 After Glory St. Clair kicked out the demon that had set up shop in her body, she had a serious fallout with longtime lover Jeremy Blade. But before Glory can win him back, she has some issues of the hellish variety to deal with.

When Lucifer himself offers Glory the ultimate temptation-work for the devil and he'll make her a size six-the curvy vampire's not sure if she can resist. But what Glory does know is that somehow, she's going to get back the man she loves and show everyone that real vampires always have more to love.

 http://www.amazon.com/Real-Vampires-Dont-Wear-ebook/dp/B004XFYRY8/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

 

Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans 

  (Glory St. Clair #8)

 Someone is eating for two...

Full-figured vampire Glory St. Clair thinks things are finally going her way. She's no longer possessed by a demon, the legions of hell aren't on her tail, and her love life is heating up since she managed to reconnect with her maker-and longtime lover-Jeremy Blade.

When a pregnant demon shows up on her doorstep, Glory knows that everything is about to go to hell. Alesa is claiming that the baby she's carrying is Rafe's, conceived while she was inhabiting Glory's body. A clever trap? Or could it be true?

Booties and bibs are the last thing on Glory's mind when she discovers dark secrets from her own forgotten past. Who is she? What is she? And how will the men in her life deal with the fact that she may be more powerful than she knew? One thing is certain. Glory has way more to worry about than fitting into her favorite pair of jeans..

http://www.amazon.com/Real-Vampires-Skinny-Jeans-ebook/dp/B005GSZJ02/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1365386415&sr=1-2 

 

Real Vampires Know Hips Happen

  (Glory St. Clair #9) 

 Does plaid make your butt look big?

Glory St. Clair knows that it does. But she'll even throw on a Campbell kilt if it will help her win her hunky Scottish lover back. She's risked everything to cross the Atlantic to confront him in Scotland. Now powerful forces are determined to keep them apart. An attack on Jeremiah Campbell leaves him with amnesia and he doesn't remember her or their centuries together. Glory must win her man back and prove to her nemesis that she's where she's always wanted to be, even if it means dragging Jerry back to Texas.

Jeremiah doesn't remember the woman who claims they've been together so long but he's more than willing to take what she freely offers--her ancient blood and her voluptuous body. But when she tries to get him to travel to the New World in a flying machine and to work with his ancient enemy, he thinks she's cracked. In his mind, he's stuck in 1590. This modern world is almost too much for him. But there's something about this woman with the generous curves... Soon enough he finds himself risking death for her more than once. Who or what seems determined to keep them apart? The ancient warrior in him won't stand for it. And the fight is on.

 http://www.amazon.com/Real-Vampires-Know-Happen-ebook/dp/B0099CWAOO/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2

 

 

 

 

Between by Jessica Warman

 Between

          by Jessica Warman       

 4 star read

Reviewed by:Emily

Publisher:Walker and Company

 Format:Paperback

Source:Purchased copy

 Genre: Contemporary

About Book

Elizabeth Valchar-pretty, popular, perfect- wakes up after spending her eighteenth birthday party on her family's yacht to investigate a thumping noise. What she finds will change everything she thought she knew about her life, her friends, and everything in between. As Liz begins to unravel the circumstances surrounding her birthday night, she will find that no one around her, least of all Liz herself, was perfect-or innocent.

My Thoughts

Elizabeth Valchar-pretty, popular, and perfect-wakes up the morning after her eighteenth birthday party on her family's yacht, where she'd been celebrating with her six closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, what she finds will change everything she thought she knew about her life, her friends, and everything in between. As Liz begins to unravel the circumstances surrounding her birthday night, she will find that no one around her, least of all Liz herself, was perfect-or innocent. Critically acclaimed author Jessica Warman brings readers along on a roller-coaster ride of a mystery, one that is also a heartbreaking character study, a touching romance, and ultimately a hopeful tale of redemption, love, and letting go.

After reading a few of  Jessica Warmans other books i decided to finally purchase Between. Now im glad i did, its taken me less then a few hours to finish the book and i enjoyed it a lot. Not as much as i have other contemporary books but if you are up for a slight spoiler (possibly wont even be one) read below to find out my one tiny little problem. All in all id give this book 4 stars.

amazingly executed and stunningly real in the sense that it actually gives you a realistic look into high school life. The popular kids arent all perfect as some might think, bully's are mean but not so mean as many books make them out to be. Finishing this i just want to sit down and cry. Im not exactly sure if its from happiness at the peace i felt at the end or the fact that it just didnt end the way i wanted. Guess we all cant have our happy fairytale ending.

ALERT!! Possibly spoiler

Dont get me wrong. i loved loved loved this book and would give it 5 stars if it wasnt for my dislike of books where at the end the character ive come to love doesnt get a second chance at life to go back and fix her mistakes where they started. That being my only problem with the book if it ended with what i would call a perfect ending id of given it 5 stars....i guess its just me being slightly crazy for wanting everything i read about to be a magical fantasy where anything is possible. I would recommend this book to anyone who can handle story's like this because it is amazingly written and does a fantastic job at making you love everyone in it.

Whilst loving this book though i have to admit it does resemble the lovely bones quite a bit in the fact that it has the same idea about being in limbo and those whom where closest to you being able to get signs from you. even if you cant exactly prove it rationally. Overall fantastic read and well, slightly predictable, i found it amazing and would say its hours worth of reading well spent.