Monthly Archives:: April 2012

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Review: Radiate by Marley Gibson

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Radiate
Marley Gibson
Release date: April 3rd, 2012
by Graphia

Goodreads / Purchase

Hayley Matthews is determined to be the best cheerleader she can. She works hard and pushes herself 110% all the time.
 

Then Hayley finds a lump on her leg. The diagnosis is cancer. The prognosis is unclear. She could lose her leg. Or maybe her life.
 

At first Haley is scared, terrified. In an instant, everything she’s worked for seems out of reach. But Haley is strong. She’s going to fight this disease. She will not let it take her life or her dreams.

*A copy was provided by Thomas Allen & Son for review purposes*

“This is a story of how cheerleading saved my life”

Some may be thinking “Aww poor her she was a loser and being a popular cheerleader “saved her””. Nope: We’re talking cancer. We’re talking honest to goodness heartfelt emotions. Although this is not about the cancer itself more than it’s about the power of positive attitude. After reading this, I truly believe that we have the power to make our own miracles. It’s an inspiration to all who are going through a rough patch. Don’t ever believe you can’t come out of it!

If you’re now thinking “Oh another of those mind over matter stories that I’ll never believe really happen”. Guess what, this is a based on a TRUE STORY. It’s still a classed as a work of fiction, but at its core, this is the author’s experience with cancer. I only found this out at the end, and it made me love the book even more. To know someone – even moreso: a teenager – was this strong, this inspiring, it’s truly something to look up to.

In this book though, it’s Hayley Matthews. Hayley has just gotten her dream of making the varsity cheerleading squad when she starts to get pains in her leg. For a book about cancer, it’s surprising more enlivening than depressing. She never develops a desolate – the world is ending – attitude. She stays remarkably positive with a determined perseverance that makes it a really fantastic read. I would even say uplifting. She made me realize that we are stronger than we make ourselves out to be. She takes what’s been given to her, and she gives it the finger – this is who Hayley is. I adored her. I loved that she doesn’t succumb to the staring and whispering. She goes in front of a crowd to cheer because she loves it; with a limp, with a bald head, with scars, and with a smile. This, to me, is plain a simply admirable.

Besides the cancer, we’ve got family, friends, football, romance – all the things that make a good book even better. The family dynamics, especially, is great. We have siblings, parent, even friends’ families that feel like her own. We also have a reappearing long lost childhood friends. But most of all, we have love. The love that Hayley shares for her friends and family is unequivocal. I wasn’t only feeling for her, I was feeling for everyone around her. Full of shocks and secrets – the side stories give off as much heart as the central one. I really enjoyed how it was all interjected seamlessly into this already loaded story.

It’s undeniably emotional, but also positively encouraging; I’m actually quite surprised that I haven’t seen this book around more, so please, give it a chance because it will surprise you!


5 Hot Espressos

Waiting on Wednesday (33)

Posted by on 04/25/2012 • 63 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  My pick this week:

The Farm Emily McKay Release date: December 4th, 2012 by Berkley Books (Penguin) Add it to your Goodreads

Life was different in the Before: before the Ticks began devouring humans in a deadly swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined “for their own protection.” These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister…

Review: Ascend by Amanda Hocking

Posted by on 04/24/2012 • 20 Comments

AscendAmanda HockingSeries: Trylle Trilogy, #3Release date: April 24th, 2012by St. Martin’s Press

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Wendy Everly is facing an impossible choice. The only way to save the Trylle from their deadliest enemy is by sacrificing herself.  If she doesn’t surrender to the Vittra, her people will be thrust into a brutal war against an unbeatable foe.  But how can Wendy leave all her friends behind…even if it’s the only way to save them?The stakes have never been higher, because her kingdom isn’t the only thing she stands to lose. After falling for both Finn and Loki, she’s about to make the ultimate choice…who to love forever. One guy has finally proven to be the love of her life—and now all their lives might be coming to an end.   Everything…

Siege Tour Stop – Review & Interview

Posted by on 04/23/2012 • 25 Comments

RIGHT? How awesome is today!? I am beyond thrilled to have Rhiannon dropping for the Siege Blog Tour. First you will see my glowing review of Siege, the final book in the As The World Dies trilogy which is my favorite EV-ER. Then I’ve got a super awesome interview with Rhiannon to show you. If you haven’t read this series yet, don’t worry – everything is SPOILER FREE! So you have to read this, and then go get these books because if you don’t, I may cry.

SiegeRhiannon FraterSeries: As the World Dies: A Zombie Trilogy, #3Release date: April 24th, 2012by Tor BooksGoodreads / Purchase

The zombie illness has shattered civilization. The survivors who have found tenuous safety in Texas defend their fort against the walking dead and…

In My Mailbox (31)

Posted by on 04/22/2012 • 105 Comments

“In My Mailbox” is a meme, created by Kristi at The Story Siren, that features books I have received/ purchased/ borrowed during the week. 

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m loving the nice weather! We’ve already gone to the zoo and everything. Though there wasn’t much there but I saw chickens… yeah… anyways. I’ve got a bunch of book/blog news to highlight from the past week. First I had the Untouched blog tour come by on Wednesday; I interviewed Jus and you have a chance to win – find it here. Then I had the Until Next Time tour drop by for a hot dream cast – have a look! I also received 2 copies of Revived by Cat Patrick so I’m giving one away here. On…

Review: Untouched by Jus Accardo

Posted by on 04/21/2012 • 24 Comments

UntouchedJus AccardoSeries: Denazen, #1.5Release date: March 28th, 2012by Entangled Publishing

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Until he met Dez, Kale’s days were filled with violence and death. He was used as a weapon of destruction by the power hungry men of Denazen. He’s a Six. A person with an abnormal ability. Some people call them gifts, but not Kale. Kale’s touch means instant death.

But now there’s Dez, the girl he can touch, and they’re hunting down Sixes and warning them about Denazen. Kale is learning about the world outside captivity and trying to put his dark past behind him. But they underestimated how badly Denazen wanted him back.

When Dez sacrifices herself to save the new Six they’d rescued from falling into the corp’s hands, Kale is lost. Denazen has brought…

Fresh Batch (April 22nd – 28th)

Posted by on 04/21/2012 • 26 Comments

Exclusively titled for Xpresso Reads, Fresh Batch features the hottest releases of this upcoming week. Flavor of the week:

SiegeRhiannon FraterSeries: As the World Dies: A Zombie Trilogy, #3Release date: April 24th, 2012by Tor Books

Goodreads / Purchase

The zombie illness has shattered civilization. The survivors who have found tenuous safety in Texas defend their fort against the walking dead and living bandits.

Katie has made peace with the death of her wife and is pregnant and married to Travis, who has been elected Mayor. Jenni, her stepson, Jason; and Juan—Travis’s righthand man—are a happy family, though Jenni suffers from PTSD. Both women are deadly zombie killers. In Siege, the people of Ashley Oaks are stunned to discover that the vice president of the United States is alive and…

Giveaway – Revived by Cat Patrick (US/Can)

Posted by on 04/20/2012 • 26 Comments

RevivedCat PatrickRelease date: May 8th, 2012by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger—and more…