Review: When Boats Breathe and Cities Speak by Kevin McGill

Title: When Boats Breathe and Cities Speak
Author: Kevin McGill
Release Date: 4th August 2012 
Publisher: Aero Studios
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: Nick and friends find themselves on a journey to the magical moon, Mon, and the great city of Huron. Called by the voice of Huron to stop the Merfolk’s advancement of evil, Nick’s first task is to alert the city council of Huron. Expecting his job to be an easy one, he quickly finds himself stopped by the wicked sheriff of Huron, Cyrus Gorringe. Meanwhile, Yeri finally delivers Lir, the merman’s message to Nikolas, but is his task complete?

Detailed Review: I have to say that this book is just awesome. It's just too good. I really have doubts if the author is a human being at all. Maybe he's a being from Moon that's migrated to the Earth. You'll never know right?

There were many good things about this book but one bad thing about this book.

The good things:

The characters were as funny as usual, especially Daniel and Xanthus. The story is just better than the first book. Everything was just down-to-earth flawless.

The bad thing:

THE AHC AT THE END. No thanks to the author. I just hate cliffhangers. It makes me want to die. But that means I wouldn't be able to know what happens next if I'm dead.

Here's the story:

Nick has travelled to Mon, where he is burdened by the job to be the steward of the city of Huron at the age of only eleven. Nobody believes him. He claims that Huron speaks to him of the Merrow's danger to her but still people remain ignorant. Now the sheriff, Cyrus Gorringe has taken charge.

Meanwhile, Yeri has managed to deliver the message to Nick but he is stopped by one of the Merrows when he finds out that Nick is against them. Fouls are attacking the Merrows and they need the steward's help but he just won't help them. Even he has his own problems as his best friend Xanthus is plagued by the same disease which is plaguing the Merrows.

His grandfather told him that he needs faith and also needs to put his faith in his friends but how can he do that if his friends are so intent of letting Xanthus die and not finding a cure for him? This is all thanks to Tim who has finally found a way to take the attention of off Nick.

I hate Tim. I just do. Nobody has damned him to hell yet. WHY?

Can Nick really do everything on his own without the help of his friends? I doubt it. I really can't believe Tim can treat his brother so badly. He's just so mean.

Brief Review: Again, I am impressed by the author. This book once again makes me dumbstruck and frustrated at the same time. Only a book as good as this is capable of doing so.

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

My message to Nick and I hope he gets it. I hope he dares take that first step, with or without his friends:

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase-------- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Your Reviewer:

An Interview with Debbie Dee

After reading The Last Witch by Debbie Dee, I completely fell in love with the book and the author. Another reassurance was after I read The Underground Witch which was just amazing! So I just asked in a shy way if I could do an interview with her and of course SHE SAID YES. YESSSSSSSS. I felt so excited when I made up the questions for the interview and even the author says she's never had so much fun before answering questions. So this was ultimately a SUCCESS. The answers she gave was funny and but one was a bit intense.

Me: When did your interest in writing start?

Debbie: I’m not like all those other cool authors who say they have wanted to write since the day they were born. I didn’t realize how fun writing could be until about four years ago. I had just watched the movie “The Bucket List” with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson and was so fascinated with the idea of making a list of goals for myself. I put some pretty goofy things on my list– “ride a camel,” “kiss a frog,” but I also included goals that I knew would take more effort. When I scribbled “write a book,” I chuckled a little because I didn’t think it was something I could accomplish while chasing three small children. A few weeks later, an idea came to me that wouldn’t leave me alone, and in the spirit of checking off an item on my bucket list, I jotted it down. Before long, I found myself sneaking away to write more and soon realized I had a new passion in my life.

Me: What was your dream career when you were a kid?

Debbie: I wish I could remember! How lame is that? I do remember telling my sisters that I was an exiled princess from another land. So, perhaps I had my sights set on being a princess. 

Me: What is the most common problem you have always faced when writing?

Debbie: I can never seem to find enough time to write, or at least enough time to satisfy my craving! 

Me: Are you a perfectionist?

Debbie: Haha! I would say yes, but my family would probably say no because I often let the dishes and laundry pile up when I’m in the middle of writing. Alright, alright, there have been several times when I didn’t make my bed for days, BUT in my defense, I wrote some of my best stuff during that time.

Me: How would you feel if any of your books were promoted to be a movie?

Debbie: I’ve always seen my stories like a movie in my head, so it would be very exciting for me to see it on the big screen. But, I think I’d also be terrified that the movie would be a total flop or that the script would go into some crazy direction that I didn’t agree with.

Me: Are you happy with what you've accomplished in writing so far?

Debbie: I am! I’ve had so much fun sharing Emmeline’s story with others, talking with fans, and visiting fabulous blogs like this one. I write because I enjoy telling a good story and I feel very fortunate that I’m able to go on this adventure.   

Me: What was your first inspiration for the Incenaga Witches trilogy?

Debbie: I get my best ideas in the morning. However, this is when I get my worst ideas too! One morning I dragged myself out of bed and Emmeline’s story popped into my mind. Literally, my head was a fuzzy morning mess and then suddenly, I imagined a girl in a frightening situation. I jotted the idea down, hoping that as the morning wore on, and I had a chance to wake up a little more, I would still think it was a good idea. Trust me, there have been plenty of times that I’ve laughed over my cheerios at an idea I considered brilliant only moments before. But Emmeline’s story passed the breakfast test, so to speak, and after a lot sleepless nights, The Last Witch was born. 

Me:  Where did you get the idea of O'fin from? (He's really cute!)

Debbie: I love O’fin! I based him off my little boy, Ethan, who is the cutest, sweetest kid I know. My youngest daughter couldn’t say Ethan’s name for the longest time so she just called him, Oh-fin.

Me:  If you could be a character in your books, who would it be and why?

Debbie: I have a novel set in ancient Egypt due out fall 2013 that has a main character I find very endearing – Tiy. She looks nothing like an Egyptian and is very self conscious about it, especially when she is invited to attend the royal school and is bullied by the rich Egyptian girls. But, the Pharaoh’s son is fascinated by her and welcomes her into his close circle of friends. I love the adventures she has with Egypt’s prince and that she remains true to herself even when everything around her is telling her she should be something different. 

Me: Which book did you find harder to write: The Last Witch or The Underground Witch?

Debbie: They were both fun to write, but the editing process for The Last Witch was more difficult for me. I had no idea how intensive editing could be,

Me: Any advice to those who like to write?

Debbie: Take classes, go to writers conferences, and don’t be afraid to let people critique your work. And have fun! 

Me:  Can you please tell us what is going to happen in the last book of the trilogy? Please?!?

Debbie: I’ll give you a few hints: The villain isn’t who you’ll expect, someone loses their memory, and one of my favorite characters dies.

Me: Do you have a way to help you when you encounter a writer's block?
  Debbie: I usually step away from whatever project I’m working on and do something else, often something not related to writing at all. So far, this has helped!

Me:  What do you always have with you when you are writing?

Debbie: Hmmm. Good question. Other than my laptop, my sweet little dog is the only other consistent thing with me while writing. He always finds a way to cuddle by me.  

Me: If you are given the chance to kidnap an author and talk to him or her, who would it be and why?

Debbie: Such fun questions! Assuming I wouldn’t go to prison for life, I’d have to kidnap Shannon Hale. I just love her work and her overall persona. If you haven’t been to one of her book signings yet, you should definitely go. She is so down-to-earth, hilarious, and friendly. I was so nervous to meet her, but she was nice as pie, in fact, she gave out free pie! I remember thinking that I wanted to be just as cool as her someday. 

You can find a review of The Last Witch here.
You can also find a review of The Underground Witch here.

TGIF- Feature & Follow Friday #148

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY is a blog hop that is designed to provide as much exposure towards other bloggers as well as yourself, and to expand following. It's hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each whom feature a chosen blog for a week, it's also an interesting way to get to know one another bloggers.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Happy Mother's Day! Who is your favourite mom from fiction?

Mine would be Jocelyn from The Mortal Instruments, Clary's mom of course! She's so protective of her daughter and loves her and also loved Jonathan once. Also she's a kick-ass Shadowhunter who can fight! 

Another of my picks would of course be Clara's mom from Unearthly. I like her because she is really cool and always tries to help her daughter and son. It's so sad she had to die in the end... Why?!?

Review: AfterLIfe by S.P. Cloward

Title: AfterLife
Author: S.P. Cloward
Release Date: 11th September 2012
Publisher:--------
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: If you think you’ve read every possible “undead” scenario there is, you’re in for a surprise. AfterLife transcends the typical zombie or vampire genre and audience to present a plausible explanation of where such stories come from in an unsettling but believable way. Even those who shy away from this type of science fiction are falling prey to the “what if” question that makes this book so unique – and so compelling. What if the undead live among us but we don’t recognize them? 

At the time of his premature death, Wesley Lohmann not only learns about this unique race of humans, but due to a small genetic marker in his DNA, discovers he is one of them. He is now a Mortui, and must leave behind everyone he knows and loves. Through death Wes learns to live, learns the meaning of love, and learns to put others before himself. Ultimately, dying was the best thing that ever happened to him.

AfterLife is a richly woven tale of the struggle between good and evil, of allegiances, loyalties, and betrayals. The undead are surprisingly human and deeply motivated in their struggle for survival. Readers of all ages have been captured by the compelling story of Wes and AfterLife. Once you start reading you won’t be able to stop. And you’ll never look at a stranger the same way again.

Detailed Review: Hmmmm, the description of this book got me interested in it, because I wanted to know what other scenario is possible in the book. At first, I was like 'Yeah right'. 

But you know what, the author hit the mark in the head, and in my face. I did feel a bit ashamed for doubting the book but after that I just carried on reading like it was the MOST AWESOME BOOK IN THE WORLD. Yup, you heard it. 

It's like Warm Bodies, where the main character is a zombie, but in this book he's called a Mortui. Mortuis are people who die a premature death so they don't have to go through a second death. Cool right? So if they die, they are able to come to life again since their soul doesn't sever from their body. 

This book was told from two main characters in the story. The protagonist is a man named Wesley Lohmann who killed himself for a woman and finds himself alive a few hours later.

Then the antagonist is Seth, who you can just call the evil person with his own agenda. You know what bad guys do... 

But what's different between them is that they come from different Mortui organisations, the Atumra and AfterLife. 

Just think of it this way. The Atumra think themselves as gods and want to take over the human race. AfterLife just wants live peacefully with humans and help them in any way they can.

But what's the best about being a Mortui is the MEDITATION. Don't just stop reading. There's more. Mortui's don't sleep although they look like they do. They MEDITATE. First they can start making their own dreamland. Wesley did his on Disney World, which was quite helpful in the end to help defeat Seth. So imagine if you can build a whole world inside your head AND go inside it while you're asleep. It's even better than dreaming. It's permanent. 

Brief Review: So what's good about this book? EVERYTHING. The plot, the characters, the setting, the ingenious mind of the author who managed to conjure up this book.

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

I don't mean to make the Mortui feel more superior to us, but it's sort of true.

If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he's dead, then maybe he was a great man. ------James Dean
Your Reviewer:

Waiting on Wednesday: Fire with Fire by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by us, that highlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication 'can't-wait-to-read' selection is:

Title: Fire with Fire
Authors: Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian
Release Date: 3rd September 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

When sweet revenge turns sour… Book two of a trilogy from New York Times, bestselling authors Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian.

Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.

Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...

Ever since I read Burn for Burn, I've been thirsting for this book! My all time favourite character is Mary because she's so pretty ( on the cover ) and there is something special about her which I like. Kat is awesome too! She's such a brave person. And the theme of revenge is so strong you can practically taste it when you read it. So I bet Fire with Fire would be the same, or even better: Goddamn Awesome! I'm so in love the cover!

TGIF: Feature & Follow Friday #147

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY is a blog hop that is designed to provide as much exposure towards other bloggers as well as yourself, and to expand following. It's hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each whom feature a chosen blog for a week, it's also an interesting way to get to know one another bloggers.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Give us a sneak! What are you reading? Tell us about a fun or fail scene in your current read.

Hmmm. I am currently reading a sequel to a book, called 'When Boats Breathe and Cities Speak'. I think it's a fun read because it can be both serious and funny all at once. 

Here's the funny moment which I want to share with you: 

“It licked me.” Daniel shuddered.

Nick dropped his head in relief

.

“It licked me. It licked me. It licked me. I’ve never

seen a tongue so big. It was so . . . licky. Where’s my

cane? Where’s my cane? Where’s my cane?”

“It’s in your hand, poor Daniel,” said Brandy.

I really laughed when I read that. I think Daniel was truly traumatized by what had happened to him. Poor Daniel.

Review: Arabelle's Shadows by Fleur Gaskin

Title: Arabelle's Shadows

Author: Fleur Gaskin

Release Date: 25th November 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Find on: Goodreads, Amazon

Quick Review: Everything in Arabelle's life is coming together. She has confidence, great friends, she's even dating Naak, a wealthy Thai socialite. But there are too many models in Bangkok. Arabelle’s broke, she can’t find an agent in New York, and Naak isn’t as wonderful as he first appears. Slowly the Shadows creep back into Arabelle’s mind, bringing with them thoughts of hopelessness and despair. The vile Shadows know something Arabelle’s refusing to remember and, if she’s not careful, they’ll use it to destroy her. Based on a true story, Arabelle’s Shadows takes us on a journey through the struggles of growing up, not quite making it as an international model, and attempting to overcome a crushing depression.

Detailed Review: I must say I wasn't immediately pulled into the story but I am still going to give it a high rating. Why?

This book is different than others in so many ways. The story, the concept, the descriptions, they felt like they were coming from a different life and world.

What I think made me impressed was the author's ability to describe the simplest feelings like love and depression. And also, it feels real, and I think it reflects the author's life as a model before she wrote this book. Not many books can give me this feeling of reality because they were simply too perfect or too simple.

Every diary I’ve ever written has been sad. It seems I only ever write when I’m depressed or overwhelmed or some bad thing has happened. Not this time though. This diary’s going to be happy!

Arabelle has finally managed to escape her family and home in New Zealand, where problems have been plaguing her. She intends to become an actress, but decides to become an international model for more exposure towards the entertainment industry. In her career, she visited many countries such as Thailand, France, Malaysia, South Korea and Greece.

Now and then, the Shadows come and urge her into surrendering to them, but everyday she fights a battle with them where a stalemate is always reached. She believes in not losing to them. She believes in life.

She has always been a sensitive person, when someone near her gets hurt, she would also shoulder the very same feelings the person is experiencing, causing her to develop a depression since she was young.

I was actually flattered by how Kuala Lumpur was described with positive remarks. It's great if somebody thinks the place you stay in is good.

Brief Review: This book is beautiful and has its flaws, but doesn't every person have his or her flaws too? The book was a really great experience and I'm glad that I decided to agree in reviewing it. It makes us believe that we have the right to have our own life and not let negativity take over. This will give people another perspective of life where nothing is perfect but sheer determination will always help you overcome.

Final Rating: 4/5 'Really Liked It'

QUOTE:

I believe Arabelle and the author Fleur herself had this thought in their heads when they pursued their careers:

Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough---- Og Mandino

Your Reviewer: