ARC Review: The Body Electric by Beth Revis

Title: The Body Electric
Author: Beth Revis
Release Date: 6th October 2014
Publisher: Scripturient Books
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: The future world is at peace.

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.

But not all is at it seems.

Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…

Someone’s altered her memory.

Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

So who can she trust?

Detailed Review: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

I'm not new to Beth Revis's writing, but I'm not familiar with it either.

Reading The Body Electric felt like a very different experience to reading Across The Universe, although I suspect that it may be because it's been two years since I read her debut. Still, I could sense the difference between both books. Yes, they were both science fiction. But the writing style seemed different.

Across The Universe was more...detailed whereas The Body Electric was simple and straightforward, something I ask for in a book because if there is too much info dumped in one part, all you're going to give readers are headaches. Huge ones. I don't want to remember how deep the lake it. I don't want to know the population of the whole planet. No thank you. 

I'm not saying there should be no details at all. I'm saying not to go overboard. Do you realise that 'overboard' rhymes with the word 'bored'? You get what I mean. There should be a minimal amount of describing to give you a feel for the place and the characters, enough that you feel comfortable with them.

It was what I exactly got from The Body Electric. I was so in tune with the book that I felt what Ella was feeling, saw what she was seeing, there wasn't any question if I would get bored.

Another bonus was that the chapters were quite short so I managed to whisk through the book without even slowing down. It makes for a light sci-fi read if you're looking for one. (AND, it's a standalone)

Plot twists are in abundance in this book. Let me repeat. Plot twist are IN ABUNDANCE in this book. You're practically stepping foot on a minefield. Your body will be bruised and battered at the end but you survived!!! (You really should celebrate.)

The characters were quite well-rounded and definitely had promising character developments. Ella was what a heroine needed to be, not those whiny characters that just go 'I can't do this I can't do that.' Jack was of course, the hot love interest and the leader of a rebel group (cliché, I know, but I couldn't resist his charms). Even Jadis, Ella's godmother had been perfectly written as it revealed her ulterior motives and true nature.

But what upset me the most was the focus on minor characters, or the lack thereof. I really wished the rest of the Zunzana (the rebel group) would have gotten more parts in the book, especially in the ending. I felt like they didn't get any credit AT ALL for what they did. I would be so pissed if I were them. No kidding.

That is one thing The Body Electric will never match Across the Universe for.

And like I said, the ending wasn't satisfying enough, but luckily it did not lead to a book hangover (if you read my last post, you'd know).

Oh yeah, my number one frustration was the author's fascination with bumblebees. I get that it's related to the Zunzana (since it's another language for bumblebee), but is it really necessary?

Brief Review: I did not plan on devouring The Body Electric like I did. With a well-executed plot and well-written main characters, it provided the fuel to keep the book going. Overall, I enjoyed the book but I hope in the future, more character-driven books can be seen from this author! 

Final Rating: 4/5 'Really Liked It!'

Your Reviewer:

Book Update + Review: Bad Blood by Nicky Peacock

Some of you might have remembered that I've already posted a review for Bad Blood. The reason why I'm reposting it again is because the author's book was put off sale. Fortunately, Nicky managed to locate another publishing house so there's a new book cover to for the book. Also, enjoy the excerpt at the end of the post. That's personally one of my favourite parts!!!

Title: Bad Blood (Battle of the Undead #1)
Author: Nicky Peacock
Release Date: 10th May 2013
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: “I am Britannia. I am your protector. I will fend off the hungry hordes of undead hands that reach toward you. I am your steadfast defender. I will stand between you and the zombie masses as they try to taste your flesh. I am strong, unyielding, and dedicated to your survival. All I ask from you… is your blood.”

A five-hundred-year-old bloody game of vengeance will need to be put on hold if vampires are to survive the zombie uprising. Britannia and Nicholas, bitter enemies and the only two surviving vampires left in London,have to work together to save un-infected humans and deliver them safely to a vampire stronghold in the Scottish Highlands. Unable to drink the zombie"bad blood," the remaining vampires need the humans to stay alive.But will the vampires tell the survivors who they are and what they want from them? Will Britannia be able to hold back her vengeance for the greater good?Is survivor Josh the reincarnation of Britannia's murdered true love? And can she bring herself to deliver him to the "safe" hold?

Survival instincts run deep, but bad blood can run deeper.

Detailed Review: Now, the main reason I loved this book so much was the action. Every word describes action. Every page has action. I also really love the author's selection of different species of the book and the contrast between the two: the vampires and the zombies.

In this book, it is explained that vampires are made by magic and zombies through science. The zombie apocalypse has arrived. Humans have been transformed into zombies after a science experiment gone wrong. It is Britannia's duty, together with two other vampires- Phillipe and Nicholas- to rescue the remaining uninfected humans so they can stock up their blood supply (yes I said blood supply, if not how will the vampires survive?)

One thing I'd like to add though, is that Nicky really writes to surprise. When things begin to become dull, she adds a little bit more action and at the same time a well-written twist to liven things up. 

As for the characters, I loved Britannia so much because of her sarcasm and wit and the fact that underneath her violent and unfeeling facade is another kinder person. I think writing Nicholas as the antagonist pairs off with Britannia really well. I really love the arguments they have. The humans who appear briefly in the book are also ones I like, too. All the characters were obviously planned and written thoroughly. 

To end this, let me gift you a quote from the book, which really inspired me.

'Be strong. Be fast. Be deadly.'

Brief Review: So much action you'll find yourself panting from just reading the book. This is an amazing book that will make you heart pound like crazy and sweat like a pig (it is possible, give it a try). I admire the author's ability to excite readers in such a short period of time.

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

To Britannia, who I think should stop avenging Langdon,

There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness---Josh Billings

So please forgive Nicholas...

Your Reviewer:

Buy Links:

Amazon 

US

 Evernight Teen

About the Author: 

I guess I’ve always been a storyteller, not in a ‘liar liar pants on fire’ kind of way, although I do work in advertising! When I was little, kids would crowd around me in the playground and I’d tell them tales of blood soaked horror filled with vampires, werewolves, ghosts and more. Yes, most would consider me a disturbed child, but my playmates couldn’t help themselves, they’d huddle around me every break time like an ancient tribe feeding off the fear; and that’s how I learned that horror stories hold a certain power, no matter what some might say, everyone is addicted to a good scare, especially if it is somewhat rooted safely in unrealistic beings... or are they unrealistic?

Writing was really a natural progression. Right now I’m obsessed with writing: a YA Urban Fantasy novel, a Paranormal Romance novella series, and several short horror stories! So I’m currently living in a functional fiction coma – and loving it!

I’ve so far been published in 5 countries: USA, UK, Australia, Ireland and Canada and had short stories included in 40 anthologies with over 17 publishers.

Author Links:

Blog: http://nickypeacockauthor.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickyp_author
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NickyPeacockYaBooks
Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Nicky- Peacock/e/B007UH2ACW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_4
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4958833.Nicky_Peacock
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/nickypauthor/
Tumblr: http://nickypeacock.tumblr.com/

Excerpt:

We ran to the hospital. On the way, we encountered hardly anyone, alive or dead. Where were they all? When we arrived at the hospital car park, I understood. Zombies were pack animals. A massive crowd of them were crammed in and around the main building like they were waiting for a concert to start, all barely paying attention to their surroundings and seemingly swaying against the force of gravity. The other thing was the smell. When watching horror films filled with shuffling zombies, the horror came from their ghastly looks—the reminder that death has a tight grip on us all, well, most of us. But what the filmmakers should focus on—if they could—was the acidic rank odor zombies gave off. They had been dead barely twenty-four hours. It took a normal human body at least thirty- six hours to really start to smell, and that was with a vampire’s heightened senses. These guys smelled like they’d been out in the sun for three weeks covered in rubbish and besieged by wily maggots. They were mostly intact, though. Maybe this hospital had been Zombie Ground Zero. Most had turned so quickly their comrades hadn’t had time to feed.

“Maybe we should try a less populated target.” Nicholas twitched his nose and turned away from me to dry retch.
“Maybe you should grow a pair.”

“Maybe you should act like a lady.” He now had his hands on his hips, squaring up for yet another argument.

“Acting like a lady isn’t going to help now, is it? What do you want me to do? Drop my handkerchief in front of the zombies and watch them fight one another to scoop it up for me? Moron!”

“Always to the ‘nth degree with you, isn’t it?”

“Shut up. Look, the doors are holding, and they’re outside, not inside, which means there must be some people left in there alive to have barricaded this place so tight.”

“Or maybe there are just more zombies in there.”

“Well, there’s definitely a blood bank in there, and that’ll help matters no end!”

Nicholas looked thoughtful then nodded. He of course didn’t want to actually say aloud that I’d had a good idea. “So, how do we get past them?"

I assumed it was a rhetorical question, so I started down to the car park entrance, where most of the zombies were mobbing. I opened the outer door as quietly as possible.

“Ladies first,” Nicholas whispered in my ear.

“I thought we’d agreed I wasn’t a lady.” And with that, I shoved him as hard as I could into the throbbing throng of zombies.

Blog Tour + Review: IRON PENDULUM by Megan Curd

Hi everyone!!! Today we're one of the tour stops for the Iron Pendulum blog tour! Read on for my full review of the book! Also there will be a giveaway at the end, giving away some delicious prices!

Title: Iron Pendulum (Periodic #2)
Author: Megan Curd
Release Date: 28th August 2014
Publisher: -
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: Six months ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But six months can change everything.

After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn't even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she's uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

Six months can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.

Detailed Review: <<I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review>>

Iron Pendulum is the long-awaited sequel to Steel Lily. Yes, long-awaited, because I couldn't wait to see what Avery and her friends were going to do to help Dome Four and its inhabitants.

When I was reading, I found myself laughing and smiling one moment and panting the next, and then possibly crying. 

The laughing part was mainly from Jaxon and his sharp tongue, as usual. The crying and panting? Well, there definitely wasn't anything funny.

I was ranting about Iron Pendulum to one of my blogger friends, Anna from Enchanted by YA. And this is what I told her.

IRON PENDULUM IS 10 TIMES BETTER THAN THE HUNGER GAMES.

Because if you compare it to The Hunger Games, come on. There is seriously no need to compare. Iron Pendulum was such a good book, and undoubtedly much better than its predecessor too.

Let me justify this statement. 

So much betrayal. So much I think I almost died on the spot when I found out who the traitor was. And yes, when you find out who the traitor is, the twists will come. All at once. BOOM BOOM BOOM. Be ready.

And so much tragedy and pain as well. I really felt so much pain for Avery that I wanted to cry, because no fifteen year old, even one destined to be the hope of the people, should experience what she went through. Of course, the characters each had their own part to play in the book and I adored all of them. Even Riggs.

Except some, of course. Like Xander, for example.

And someone who you wouldn't expect to hate when you reach the end. 

The story was perfect. I shall leave it at that. That sentence is enough to show what I thought about the book.

And don't worry about the action. There's action already waiting for you in the first chapter, and it builds up to one explosive climax at the end.

As well as one cliffhanger.

My pleasure for giving you this warning.

Brief Review: Iron Pendulum needs to be read by every single dystopian fan, because I believe that it really is the trademark of the dystopian genre. Not only did it speak of hope in its simple but beautiful writing, it spoke of love in its many forms, from family to friends. That, I believe is what every true dystopian book should have, besides an oppressed world searching for hope. Megan Curd did it right and I just want to thank her for writing this sequel so perfectly.


Final Rating: 5/5 (no questions about it! I'd give it a six if I could!) 'Totally Amazing!!!'

QUOTE:

 Something Riggs said about trust struck a chord within me,

To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved--- George MacDonald

Your Reviewer:

Here's an excerpt that gets my adrenaline running! If you like it, I urge you to read the whole book! Hint: this happens in the first chapter.

“Jaxon…” I said, trailing off.

“Run.”

Alice’s voice rose in panic. “Jax, what do you mean—”

“When, in the history of the English language, has run ever meant anything other than run?” Jaxon’s every word was laced with tension.

And that’s when I heard them; the feral snarls of what used to be human beings echoing down the tunnel.

Ground Zeroes—or Zeroes, as we’d come to call them since meeting up with the Alliance—the burned army of Xander’s Resistance.

Sari took three steps back before turning on her heel. “I think we should go now.”

We backed up, trying to be as silent as possible in our exit. But then I stepped on the bones of a rat skeleton.

Echoes, then silence, and then it came.

Wild, livid, tortured growls, that shouldn’t come from any human being, rang through the tunnel. The cement shook, and I knew we were done for. There was nowhere to go; nowhere to hide.

LINKS:

Website:  http://megancurd.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MeganCurd

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/macdizzledoo/

Author Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4904383.Megan_Curd

IRON PENDULUM Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17984513-iron-pendulum

ABOUT MEGAN CURD

Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college. 

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Photography, traveling and snowboarding are hobbies she loves, and she doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself.

Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans.

This blog tour is hosted by:

8/30 Rafflecopter ($5 gift card to choice of Starbucks or iTunes + ecopy of Steel Lily): 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review: Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: Killer Instinct (The Naturals #2)
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Release Date: 4th November 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: Seventeen-year-old Cassie Hobbes has a gift for profiling people. Her talent has landed her a spot in an elite FBI program for teens with innate crime-solving abilities, and into some harrowing situations. After barely escaping a confrontation with an unbalanced killer obsessed with her mother’s murder, Cassie hopes she and the rest of the team can stick to solving cold cases from a distance.

But when victims of a brutal new serial killer start turning up, the Naturals are pulled into an active case that strikes too close to home: the killer is a perfect copycat of Dean’s incarcerated father—a man he’d do anything to forget. Forced deeper into a murderer’s psyche than ever before, will the Naturals be able to outsmart the enigmatic killer’s brutal mind games before this copycat twists them into his web for good?

With her trademark wit, brilliant plotting, and twists that no one will see coming, Jennifer Lynn Barnes will keep readers on the edge of their seats (and looking over their shoulders) as they race through the pages of this thrilling novel.

Detailed Review: <<I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review>>

What can I say? I didn't see THAT coming. 

Killer Instinct was just as good as the first book, The Naturals. It had just as much action, suspense, mystery and romance.

And plot twists.

Let me explain. 

There are lots of these: including the identity of the serial killer, Dean's past, Agent Locke's replacement, etc... Get ready for a few towards the end. They come without warning. 

One of the characters who I thought was a work of art was Agent Sterling. She's reserved and calm on the outside; on the inside, she's impulsive and caring. Based on Cassie's profiling of her, she is a complicated character indeed. She's very deeply involved with Dean and his father (you'll find out why in the book) and actually cares for the adolescents in the Naturals program more than she lets on.

Dean reminds me of Will from TID. Why? He pushes everyone away when they get close, to protect them. He's selfless and caring. He cares for Cassie more than he really lets on.

Once again, Cassie is the brave heroine and the main character in the story. She's intelligent, kind, and is really good when it comes to empathy. In the end she was the one who saved many lives from getting lost. I don't think I've loved her as much as in this book.

Michael and Lia were great if you wanted to find some humour to ease the tension in the book. Sloane's spurting of random facts definitely help too.

Once again, the alternating points of view between Cassie and the UNSUB also helps to create suspense in the book. It somehow discloses the identity of the killer but also it hides him, if that even makes sense. 

The story itself is also a masterpiece- one painted with vibrant colours and perfection. It was as good as it could be.

I really really hope that there is another book in this series, since I really haven't had much of a taste of romance yet. I can't wait to see how it develops further, if there really is a third book! I'm definitely Team Dean!!!

Brief Review: Expect yourself to read this book in one sitting. So many things came into play to make the awesomeness that was Killer Instinct: the tension that was omnipresent, the rich characters, the plot twists and the story. This book would be perfect for fans of Criminal Minds and those who delight in wracking their brains to solve a really complex mystery!!!

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

I found this to be a very good quote when it came to people's views of Dean:

There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them--- Andre Gide

Your Reviewer:

Review: Set Me Free by Melissa Pearl

Title: Set Me Free (Fugitive #2)
Author: Melissa Pearl
Release Date: 18th May 2014
Publisher: Evatopia Press
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: Lucy Tate has spent the last 5 years on the run. That is, until she met Zach, the one guy she couldn’t bear to leave even though it could cost both of them their lives.

Hunted by a crooked FBI agent who killed her parents, Lucy has taken on one disguise after the next. But Zach knows exactly who she is and in spite of mounting evidence indicating her guilt in her parents’ death, he knows she’s innocent.

Convinced that it’s time to put her years on the run behind her, Zach and Lucy vow to fight back, clear her name, and take down the real killer. 

With support from Zach’s loyal friends and his uncle, an investigative reporter, they set out on a dangerous mission hoping that the truth...will set them free.

Detailed Review: <<I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest feedback>>

If you read my review on the first book, I Know Lucy,  you would know that I described it as exhilarating. Well, Set Me Free, was ten times that. There was way more action and tension in this book than the first book. This is one of the cases where the sequel is even better than the first book.

The story was way more complicated than I thought it would ever be. When I read that Lucy would fight back in the synopsis, I never thought it would involve the losing of friends, and the intervention of higher powers. It definitely had much more action than I Know Lucy.

What I'm trying to say her is that Melissa Pearl manipulated a simple idea into a complex story. This author's got talent. I can read it between the lines. *wink*

Once again I must comment about Lucy, the main character and compare her to other famous heroines like Katniss and Tris. She doesn't live in a dystopian world like them; she lives under the same circumstances as them. She's been forced in a corner for too long, until she has to fight back. I love the Lucy in this book because she demonstrated her true strength, especially in the end as she fought for her future and it's incredible how much she has survived. She also cares about the people she loves, so she will always try to stop them from getting hurt, which was her sole reason for being on the run. 

I think that Zach was a very solid character and I admired his bravery when he didn't run away when he knew Lucy's background. Instead, he stood by her and encouraged her to fight back and stop running. 

Elliot also became much more likeable and his softer side is revealed in this book. It just shows how strong his friendship is with Zach and how he's willing to help. His skill with computers definitely helped Lucy a lot! Having him as a friend would be the best thing in real life.

Zach made a great match with Lucy. I swear, the romance between them, it literally made me melt on the spot. To be honest, what made me love this book so much was the strength of both Zach and Lucy's relationship. It was so strong that it influenced many of Lucy's decisions, especially her decision to stay and fight till the end.

There were occasions when I felt that my heart was about to burst out of my chest from the tension in the book. The author doesn't just describe the tension and action, she makes you experience it. 

More often than not, Melissa throws in a twist or two to make things interesting. They're not small twists. They're life-changing. You find yourself constantly on the edge as you progress. That's the fun of it! Don't tell me you don't want to know how it feels like!

But I swear, that twist in the end was unexpected, so please prepare yourself for a mini heart attack towards the end.

*There will be two more books in the series, featuring Jaeda and Elliot! I can't wait to know more about their stories!

Check out my review of the first book, I Know Lucy HERE.

Brief Review: Not for the first time, Melissa Pearl has impressed me with this sequel to an awesome book. Her writing is what brings the characters to life and pulls you into the action of the story. Even the story itself is carefully mapped out with some interesting twists along the way. I wouldn't want a different sequel than this. This is THE BEST OF THE BEST. *thumbs up* 

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

 This is what I would have said to Lucy throughout the whole book; Bob Marley said it best.

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight--- Bob Marley

Your Reviewer:

ARC Review: The Reckless Engineer by Jac Wright

Title: The Reckless Engineer

Author: Jac Wright
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing, New York
Release Date: 6th Nov 2013
Find on: Goodreads 

Quick Review: 

Love is a battlefield. 
The aftershocks of an affair reverberate out to those in the lives of the lovers, who will NOT take it lying down.

Jack Connor's lives an idyllic life by the Portsmouth seaside married to Caitlin McAllen, a stunning billionaire heiress, and working at his two jobs as the Head of Radar Engineering of Marine Electronics and as the Director of Engineering of McAllen BlackGold, his powerful father-in-law Douglas McAllen's extreme engineering company in Oil & Gas. He loves his two sons from his first marriage and is amicably divorced from his beautiful first wife Marianne Connor. Their delicately balanced lives are shattered when Michelle Williams, with whom Jack is having a secret affair and who is pregnant with his child, is found dead and Jack is arrested on suspicion for the murder.

Jeremy Stone brings London's top defence attorney, John Stavers, to handle his best friend's defence.

Who is the bald man with the tattoo of a skull seen entering the victim's house? Who is "KC" who Caitlin makes secret calls to from a untraceable mobile? Has powerful Douglas McAllen already killed his daughter's first partner and is he capable of killing again? Is Caitlin's brother Ronnie McAllen's power struggle with Jack for the control of McAllen Industries so intense that he is prepared to kill and frame his brother-in-law? Is the divorce from Jack's first wife as amicable on her part as they believe it to be? Are his sons prepared to kill for their vast inheritance? Who are the ghosts from Caitlin's past in Aberdeen, Scotland haunting the marriage? What is the involvement of Jack's manager at Marine Electronics?
​
The cast of characters is made even more colorful by the supporting entourage: the big Scott and his gang, Hosé and Heineken, who carry out Douglas McAllen’s “troubleshooting;” McAllens' bumbling solicitors McKinley and Magnus Laird; Caitlin McAllen’s handymen, Cossack and Levent; and Jeremy’s sidekick, the gay black actor working in the London West End.

While Jack is charged and his murder trial proceeds in the Crown Court under barrister John Stavers’ expert care, Jeremy runs a race against time to find the real killer and save his friend's life, if he is in fact innocent, in a tense saga of love, desire, power, and ambition.

Detailed Review: << review copy received from the author himself >>

For me, this book was actually quite good but I found it quite relaxed as in the tone of the book. It kinda gave of a 'boring' feeling because this genre was not much of a YA. Well, it isn't - so it didn't really suit my taste in story. 

But the quality of storyline was amazing and the characters were expectedly detailed and not too complex. His style of writing is quite compelling if you're into psychological crime and murder stories. Moreover the story had a style of quick witted characters and characters that I have come to love. 

Putting aside my feelings of the book, I think The Reckless Engineer was written in really reality-based and proved to be very realistic. In other ways, the book was pretty good and I enjoyed it as well :) 

The author (Jac Wright) has an excessive knowledge and a clear understanding of the underworld and reality that has made me rethink and reread his book! Clearly, this book has made an impact to some readers who enjoy thriller and suspense genres. 

But what made me enjoy the book the most was it's detailed storyline! 

Wright has developed a clear understanding yet equally as confusing and thought-bearing that made me think and question the likes and dislikes of the characters and plot. But in the end I wish the book was more bending to the YA genre... 

I'd give it 4.5 or 5 stars but my rating system is designed to give a fair rating - but due to it's imaginative quality, it deserves to have a better rating. The only down side to this book was it's slow development from the start but it definitely picked off later on. 


Brief Review: The Reckless Engineer was interesting and fantastically developed. Jac Wright (the author) has used such a provocative style of writing that had finally won me over to the very end of the book! This book is definite lover to readers who enjoy a suspense and thriller story!

My Rating: 4/5   "Really Liked it!"

Reviewer: 

Review: Modern Suburbia by Chris Merlo

Title: Modern Suburbia
Author: Chris Merlo
Publisher: ~
Release Date: March 17th 2013
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: Teal County. The populace would say it's a prime community of modern sophistication and wealth, filled with every form of entertaining consumption one could desire. Expenses were not spared in producing this lavish and clean looking suburb, along with creating an effective and expanded judicial and policing system and a wide and over reaching corporate industry. 

But not everyone finds Teal County to be so fantastic. A young man by the name of Nathan Grant, who has a bitter love-hate relationship with the County he was raised in, is heading back after a long absence in hopes of finishing one last job, part of which includes transporting a very valuable item. The crudeness of the County officials had ironically been both the inspiration for his plans, and now was an abrupt interruption to them, as his freedom in the County is cut short just as soon as he arrives. From there, the story's woven tapestries begins to unravel, and we find foes of Nathan with a set of their own agendas in mind, as well as friends willing to help. With the aid of his friends, Emily, a highly attractive party going drug user, and Aiden, a capable well to do computer genius, among others, Nathan must prevail through the hurdles made by County authorities that stand in his way as he tries to complete a task for Martin Benson, a sleazy corporate high roller. Little does Benson know, Nathan has a few alternative plans of his own for Benson, and little does Nathan know, he might be getting into more hot water than he bargained for. After it is revealed Benson has ties with Falco Dietrich, a German terrorist, along with a handful of his cohorts, and it would also seem the highly effective FBI team of Agent's Simms and Harris has secretly had an eye on Benson for quite some time, several culminating moments of action and deceptions determine the fates of these characters. All while in the midst of negotiating through the complexities of the modern suburb of Teal County.

But even when cornered, Nathan proves his wide knowledge of the town he grew up in can give him a tricky advantage, and that he may have more than one motive for why he chose to target Benson in his plans.

Brief Review: << arc received from the author himself >>

Hmmm... Read this and tried to figure out what to say... why? Because well, I tried but the book didn't suit my tastes. It was kinda confusing but I totally vote the author's mysterious writing skill though it kinda got me lost in the plot so let's just say that I didn't really... like it? 

I know I'm being mean but if you guys, the readers want an honest review for me... this book was so-so. Not great and not bad... it's in the 'safe' zone. But I wish the story was more comical or 'fun' to urge me to read forward. 

It's a pretty long description above but I don't think it suits some reader's 'taste' where our blog is aimed at Young Adult (YA) readers. 

But never fear, the book has it's good and bad qualities. It's good points: 

• The characters were described detailed and fine
• the author's writing skill is well and mysterious which definitely shoots through it's 'mysterious aura' 

I recommend this book to an adult audience or an age where you don't find this book... Slow? That's my opinion and please don't take this personally cause even I, found this book kinda slow. 

I think this book can be improved... I think if the author, Merlo had actually made it more heart-pounding, more crazy (exciting) and showed more of his writing skill - he would have killed it! But I believe that his writing has potential, maybe some places to polish up. All he needs to do is capture his readers in the web of mystery he has already created. 

But it's totally up to the readers, if you want to take the chance "GO FOR IT!" or if you don't think you should, it's still up to you! 

Cause I think readers with the thirst of mystery, you should try it out... but if you still don't feel so? 

it's up to you, 

the reader

...

*Really sorry for the short review but I couldn't find much to say...*

Quick Review: I found this book slow and it's not really go-lucky for people who read for the excitement but I think this book has a lot of potential and I really wished the author, Chris Merlo used more exaggeration and develop a more 'fun' skill of writing. 

My Rating: 3/5   "It's OK... but not for me."

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