The Review Chain: Article Three (Systemet #1) by Anna Jakobsson Lund + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

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Rating: PG-13

Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction

Score: ❤❤❤1/2

Page Count: 349

Book #1 of the Systemet Trilogy

Publisher: Annorlunda förlag

Published: March 3rd, 2015

Trust will get you killed – and trust will keep you alive

In a world where the System governs everything, Ava’s a rebel – one who can control other people’s thoughts with her mind. As part of a resistance movement preparing for war, this is a useful skill. 

Levi stopped believing in the struggle for freedom when it snatched his parents from him. Now he’s just trying to live a quiet life and control the voices that threaten his sanity. 

One night Levi’s sister is arrested. To free her, he has to break old promises and get involved with people he swore he’d never associate with. Ava’s ordered to help him and, together, they leave on a rescue mission. She says he has to trust the rebels. But should they?

Review:

PROS:

1. Special thank you to the very talented author herself for sending a physical copy of the book my way in order for me to review it! As part of The Review Chain, I was sent a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Before I can ramble on too much about how interesting the synopsis sounded and how the sound of it had me interested in the novel when I first read it, let's just get right into the review, shall we? But can we appreciate that cover though?

2. Right off the bat, I was getting some CITY OF EMBER vibes from this novel which I was totally digging as the book played out. It's not necessarily a post-apocalyptic book, but it does take place in a time of uprising as it is an espionage action novel with an underlying dystopia tone that really intrigued me as I read the book. The main characters of this novel are working undercover to save one of their own who have been arrested by The System and have to go a long and potentially dangerous journey in order to save their friend. There were quite a few elements of this novel that I appreciated and made the story interesting and enjoyable as it plays out.

3. One thing I really loved about the novel was the world building. It was detailed yet simplified with the descriptions which made for a beautifully smooth and uncomplicated way of explaining the world of the book to the reader. The author used a simple and straightforward writing style which went very well with one of the POVs in this book as that particular character saw the world in a very straightforward, black-and-white way. At first, it was a little hard to get the hang of what the world looked and felt like since the beginning of the book wastes no time in getting right into the story but after a few pages, you're able to visualize this almost futuristic system with ease. 

4. Another thing I liked about this novel was the air of mistrust throughout the book. The characters can trust literally no one, not even each other as the rebellion takes shape and action on bringing down The System. With a lot to lose at stake for the character, the atmosphere of mistrust really adds that little extra magic to the story that kept me as a reader entertained and wanting to know who was really worthy of trusting and wondering just what each characters' motives really were. The paranoia that characters were feeling makes the reader feel as if they are on the mission with them, making it somewhat interactive in that sense.

CONS:

Originally Published in Swedish March 3rd, 2015

1. While I enjoyed this novel for the most part, I was a little let down by the choice of it being written in third-person for the POVs of the characters. This novel would have been killer to read in first-person for each of the POVs as it would have allowed me personally to really connect with the characters and get to know them and how they think, feel, and act, which was something I wasn't able to do while reading. I'm not sure if the third-person writing kept me from attaching myself to the characters as it distanced them from me, or if it just didn't work for me because of the kind of fast-paced story it was but I was disappointed that none of the characters really clicked for me. I wanted to love them but I wasn't really able to connect with any of them for some reason.

2. There is a lot happening throughout the book and a lot of information coming at you about The System and the rebellion and while it is paced nicely, it's still a lot of info. I found myself kind of feeling like I was drowning in all the information at some points, it just wasn't sinking in fast enough. However, if you're the kind of reader who doesn't mind a lot of information about this kind of dystopia world, you might enjoy the book just fine.

Overall, I did really like the book and the crazy plot twist did catch me by surprise, almost blowing my mind as I read. I don't know if I'll reread this one in the future but I would definitely recommend it to all dystopian book lovers. Article Three is totally a game-changer to the dystopian genre as it includes different elements that make it a unique read in the ocean of cookie-cutter dystopian novels out there. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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About The Author:

I’ve always been a daydreamer. As a kid I wasn’t that interested in other children, I wanted to be left alone with my mind and let it tell me stories. Distant worlds and time travel were frequently reoccurring topics. I was usually the hero, with the occasional side-kick. Writing came naturally to me, as a way to try to catch the stories, and later on, to share those with the friends I did manage to get, despite being somewhat strange.

Adulthood didn’t stop the daydreaming, but it made me use less of it in my writing. Instead I wrote poetry and more conventional stories. Boring stories.

When I was pregnant with my second child I’d enough of them. I’d self-published one novel; a neat piece of relationship drama where nothing happened. I loved the characters but the plot was too slow. Writing, publishing and marketing were hard work, and if I was going to do it again it would not be with a boring story.

My brain rescued me by playing me a scene I’d first come up with as a teen. I knew that the street depicted was from the future, and that the boy getting beat up was on a quest to save his sister. I also had the idea that the girl saving him (who had been me in the original story, of course) was part of a resistance movement.

I ran with that, started writing and discovered the kind of writer’s high I hadn’t experienced since I was a kid. As I finished that first book (Article Three) more ideas kept entering my daydreams. Not just about the two other parts of what would be The System trilogy, but ideas that could be turned into short stories and new novels. My mind is as creative now that it has ever been, which is no small blessing for a mum of small children.

The wonderful thing about sci-fi and fantasy is that you don’t have to be tied down by norms and rules of the ordinary world.  You’re still able to address modern day issues, though. I try to use this in my writing by exploring themes that make the reader question his or her own views as well as society’s. I use characters that are not often depicted in main-stream literature. People I find interesting, who stretch our notion about what parts people usually play in literature. In my writing there’re no alpha-dogs and no damsels in distress. I’ve even declared my books love-triangle free. It sounds like a joke, but I want other things for my readers than the question about which hot guy the main character is going to choose at the end.

I’m an indie-publisher, which is equal parts funny and exhausting, and I have four novels published in Swedish. The idea to get my novels translated professionally and try to reach a larger audience is more than a little crazy, but as I started discussing it with fellow writers I couldn’t quite shake it. As I grow older I get increasingly less afraid, and also crazier, and I feel like I would be stupid not to follow my dreams when I have the chance.

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Instagram

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Review: Anomalies by Sadie Turner & Colette Freedman + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, everyone! Today, I'm so excited to present to you my post on the blog tour stop for ANOMALIES by Sadie Turner and Colette Freedman! I was lucky enough to be able to take part in this blog tour and I'm really happy to be a part of it.

I was sent a digital audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour. 

Down below is my review of the book, links to where you can purchase a copy of the book for yourself, the author links such as their social media, and finally a GIVEAWAY! Be sure to enter for a chance to win a really cool prize. Read on, bookworms!

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Rating: PG

Genre: Science Fiction

Score:

Length: 8h 5m

Stand Alone

Publisher: SelectBooks

Published: January 26th, 2016

In the future there is no disease. There is no war. There is no discontent. All citizens are complacent members of the Global Governance. But one summer is about to change everything.

Keeva Tee just turned fifteen. All of her dreams are about to come true. She’s about to make the trip to Monarch Camp to be imprinted with her intended life partner. One day they’ll have perfect kids and a perfect life. But in her happy, carefree life in the Ocean Community, something weighs on her mind. She hears whispers about “anomalies”—citizens who can’t be imprinted. No one knows what happens to them, but they never seem to come back.

When Keeva arrives at Monarch Camp, her worst nightmare becomes a reality—she is an anomaly. After they are imprinted, the people she loves begin to change, and she starts to doubt everything she’s ever believed. What if freedom and individuality have been sacrificed for security? And what if the man who solves all the problems is the very man who’s created them—and what if he isn't a man at all?

When Keeva finds a warning carved under a bunk bed she begins to understand: Nonconformity will be punished, dissent is not an option, insurgents will be destroyed.

Rating:

PROS:

1. I'm such a fan of dystopian novels it's not even funny. I've read quite a few of them such as the DIVERGENT series and DELIRIUM, and many others that I'm sure you've all heard of. When I read the synopsis of this book, there was no way I was passing up the chance to review it. I thought the concept sounded really cool and the fact that it was also an audiobook made it that much more appealing. I've been working on a lot of projects lately and sometimes I just want to listen to an audiobook to get some reading done while I go about my day. I'm so happy to review this book for you all today. Here's the review:

2. Keeva came across as a very strong female character which I am all for! It wasn't that she was great at hand-to-hand combat or that she could use a gun without any hesitation, she was strong in the sense that she was a fighter at heart. She knew what she believed in and never hesitated to question the way things worked in her world. She had a good head on her shoulders and I fully enjoyed the story from her point of view. Calix was the second POV in this book and I really liked his character. With a power hungry maniac for a father, it should have been easy for Calix to follow in his father's footsteps. Instead, Calix also questioned his father, his motives, and what affect his father's experiments had on the people of their world. He was a silent rebel and for him to be young, Calix was smart and a complementary POV to Keeva's.

3. The mix of a dystopian society and fascinating life forms was such a great blend in this book, I had a hard time figuring out how to explain the concept to someone who asked me what the book was about. It felt like an alienesque adventure but also not since there weren't actually any aliens. It was a futuristic story that had me on the edge of my seat at some points and mixed in with torturous experiments, kids on the run, an underground civilization that is believed to be nothing more than a fairytale, genetics having a huge part in the story, dark secrets, and twists and turns, it was a book I had fun listening to. The creativity of this novel was entertaining and refreshing and I'm excited for the next installment of the series!

4. Overall, I was just really impressed with this book. The scientific and futuristic mood and themes of this book were so interesting, the descriptions were simple to understand and imagine, even the explanations of the genetics and science of the world was easy for me to understand, science being my least favorite subject. The world building was strong, the writing was excellent, and the adventure was thrilling! I highly recommend this book if you're in the mood for an exciting sci-fi dystopian novel. I also highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator put on a fantastic performance, almost soothing me to sleep many times. As a final note, I also loved that there was only a tiny hint of romance in this novel, it allowed me as a reader to remain completely focused on what was going in the world of this novel without feeling like it was some sort of space-opera.


The reason why I didn't give this book a five-star rating is because while I enjoyed mostly everything about this book, I didn't enjoy that it was a little hard to get into in the beginning. It's the case with a lot of sci-fi novels so don't take it too seriously. I think if you give this book enough time to really get the ball rolling, it's worth the read and time in my personal opinion. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Books-A-Million

SelectBooks

Audible

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About The Author:

Sadie Turner is a Los Angeles-based producer and writer originally from Brighton, England, who works in business development with several Hollywood entrepreneurs. She has various projects in development, and also teaches yoga. 

Author Links:

Goodreads

Twitter

Instagram

Website

COLETTE FREEDMAN- An internationally produced playwright with over 25 produced plays, Colette was voted “One of 50 to Watch” by The Dramatist’s Guild. Her hit musical Serial Killer Barbie played to sold out shows in 2015 in both Los Angeles and New Zealand. 

Her play Sister Cities was the hit of the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe and earned five star reviews: It has been produced around the country and internationally, fifteen times including Paris (Une Ville, Une Soeur), Rome (Le Quattro Sorelle) and Australia. It is next up in Chicago August 2016. She wrote the film which is currently in post-production and stars Jacki Weaver, Alfred Molina, Jess Weixler, Stana Katic, Michelle Trachtenberg, Amy Smart, Troian Bellisario, Tom Everett Scott and Kathy Baker.

She has co-written, with International bestselling novelist Jackie Collins, the play Jackie Collins Hollywood Lies, which is gearing up for a National Tour.

In collaboration with The New York Times best selling author Michael Scott, she wrote the thriller The Thirteen Hallows (Tor/Macmillan).

Her novel The Affair (Kensington) came out January 29, 2013. The play of the novel earned both critical and commercial success as it toured Italy February through May 2013. Her sequel novel The Consequences (Kensington) came out January 28, 2014.

Her YA novel Anomalies (Select Books) came out February 9, 2016.

She also co-wrote the film And Then There Was Eve which is currently in pre-production and begins principal photography May 2016.

Author Links:

Website

Twitter

Goodreads

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Review: Gamescape: Overworld by Emma Trevayne + Playlist + Favorite Quotes & GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, my fellow booknerds! Today is my stop on the blog tour for Gamescape: Overworld by Emma Trevayne hosted by Fantastic Flying Book Club and I'm really happy to be a part of this tour! If the cover alone doesn't interigue you, hopefully my review of this little guy will.

As always, I'll start by saying that I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour. Now that we have that out of the way, let's move on, shall we?

Down below I have compiled a few of my favorite quotes from the book as well as the review, of course which you can read to get my thoughts on the book. Also, there is a playlist that I created which I hope you guys will enjoy listening to and last but not least, a GIVEAWAY! Let's get the show on the road!

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Rating: PG-13

Genre: Science Fiction, Gaming, Fantasy

Score: ❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 496

Book #1 of The Nova Project series

Publisher: Greenwillow

Published: September 13th, 2016

The planet is dying. Centuries of abuse have damaged the earth beyond repair, and now all the authorities can do is polish the surface, make the landscape look pretty to hide the disease within. Two prominent yet mysterious businessmen couldn’t fix it, either, but they did something even better. Together, they invented Chimera, the most complex and immersive virtual reality video game the world has ever known. The Cubes in which Chimera is played quickly became a fixture of this landscape: part distraction, part hospital, and almost wholly responsible for holding up the failing world economy.

Miguel Anderson is also dying. He isn’t the only one who plays the game–everybody does–but Miguel has more reason than most: When players leave their Cubes for the day, the upgrades and enhancements they’ve earned for their virtual characters leave with them. New lungs to breathe poisoned air, skin that won’t burn under the sun are great and everything… but Miguel, born as broken as the earth, needs a new heart–and soon–if he wants any hope of surviving just a little longer.

Then the two Gamerunners announce a competition, with greater rewards and faster progression than ever before, and Miguel thinks his prayers have been answered. All he needs to do is get picked to lead a team, play the game he’s spent years getting good at, and ask for his prize when he wins. Simple, really.

At first, things seem to go according to plan. Mostly, anyway. Inside his Cube, with his new team–including his best friend–at his back, Miguel begins his quest. He plays recklessly, even dangerously, for someone whose most vital organ could give up at any moment, but his desperation makes him play better than ever. The eyes of the world are on him, watching through status updates and live feeds, betting on his chances. With greater rewards, though, come greater risks, and the Gamerunners seem to delight at surprising the competitors at every turn. As he ventures deeper into a world that blends the virtual and the real to an unsettling degree, Miguel begins to wonder just why the game was invented at all, and whether its stakes could be even higher than life and death.

Review:

PROS:

1. Okay, I'm honestly a sucker for a book based on video games or gaming of any sort. I think it's partly because all my friends are gamers and I've been sucked into that world for a few years now and every day I get a little more and more obsessed with games. I just adore them! So, when I first heard people talking about this book, I was interested by the cover. I mean, it's so darn cool. When I had the chance to potentially review the book, I jumped at it and crossed my fingers in hopes I would be able to do just that and long story short, I'm happy to show you guys my review for this book! Let's get started.

2. I really loved the world of Chimera and the 'real world' in which the characters lived. To be honest, they were both pretty scary worlds even though one had advanced technology and one was the advanced technology. The real world in the book was very much a fake one where even the plants such as trees and grass weren't even real, only holographs and illusions made by their advanced tech. People didn't know what simple things such as wheat looked like, didn't know what it meant to grow something from the ground, and a lot of people walked around with robotic hands, fingers, arms, you name it, all earned in the game of Chimera. The game itself was complex with it's constantly changing simulations bringing the characters into a virtual version of deserts, countryside, even the city. It was really neat and easy to picture in my head which kept me hooked.

3. The characters were all interesting as well. Miguel is a person who doesn't give up easily and he's very much a problem solver. Sometimes he lets himself go off course but he's always quick to get back on track. Miguel has a medical condition that keeps him from living to the fullest and he's slowly dying but he doesn't let that stop him from playing Chimera since he's natually just a driven person. I also really liked his friends both in the real world and in the game. A couple of them were slightly jerks but also had redeeming factors while playing the game. There was some nice chacacter development that I liked and it kept me dedicated to the characters while reading.


4. The book is fast-paced when it comes to the game-play and full of action as the characters battle their way through Chimera. It's a lot of fun to read and I think if you like gaming or just like books about gaming, this book is something I think you should consider picking up. I especially think that this would be the perfect gift for someone who's a fan of video games even if they're not big on reading. I also really liked that it had simliarities to The Maze Runner which I LOVED and reminded me a little of things such as Sword Art Online, Ender's Game, and The Giver. Overall, I just really enjoyed it as it had a lot to offer such as twists and turns, some mystery, and suspense.  

The reason I didn't give this book a five-star rating is because at times the book did get a bit slow and I found myself wishing it would pick up the pace even just a tad. I also thought the ending was a little too rushed and could've used another chapter or two to wrap up the book and set up the story for the sequel. Long story short, I quite liked this one. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

iTunes

Read An Excerpt!

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About The Author:

YA sci-fi/cyberpunk writer. Fan of words and music and chocolate. Represented by Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Literary Management. My first novel, CODA, will be out Spring 2013 from Running Press Kids, and its sequel, CHORUS, will be released the following year.

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

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Blogger's Choice Playlist!

I'm so super darn excited to share another playlist with you guys since it's always so fun to compile a list of songs together that remind me of a book whether it's by the lyrics or if it's simply the tone or tempo of the song. Here I have put together a little playlist for Gamescape so I hope you all enjoy the songs I picked out! Enjoy!

HEIST by Lindsey Stirling

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RUNNING GUNS by Alyssa Reid

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C'EST LA VIE by Eppic

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PEOPLE LIKE US by Kelly Clarkson


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BRIGHTER by Against The Current

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Review: Petrified by Olaf Moriarty Solstrand +Excerpt & GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Howdy! Today is my stop on the blog tour for Petrified by Olaf Moriarty Solstrand hosted by YA Bound Book Tours and I'm really excited about it! First off as always, I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour. 

Down below are all the links to where you can buy this book or check it out and also the author links in case you want to check them out. Also, be sure to check out the excerpt from the book and last but not least, the GIVEAWAY! Now that we have all the details out of the way, here's my review for the book! Enjoy!

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Petrified by Olaf Moriarty Solstrand

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Rating: PG

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Score: ❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 174

Stand Alone

Publisher: Solstrand Publishing

Published: August 15th, 2016

Gunhild is a private in the Royal Army. She’s headstrong and reckless, but she’s also the best troll hunter in the country, and when a troll gets away with a national treasure, she’s the only person with any chance of getting it back.

Kirabo was on his way home to Aberash after a fulfilled research mission, but he managed to enter the wrong coordinates into his spaceship. Now he and his PA robot are stranded on a far-off planet, and they don’t have enough fuel to get back home.

As genres collide on Troll Island, Earth, the troll hunter and the space explorer have to overcome their differences and work together if they want to survive this fairytale. 

Review:

PROS:

Source

1. When I first saw this book, I was immediately drawn in by the cover art. The synopsis only made me more interested since it sounded very much like a fantasy world but then there are also robots and aliens. The contrast just sounded like too much fun for me not to want to read this book and so, I did read it. Here's the review:

Source

2.  When the book first starts out, I really liked that it followed a young girl and her mother as they get ready for bed. The young girl asks her mother to tell her a bedtime story and from there, the story of Gunhild is told. I loved that the book felt like a bedtime story because of the setup. It definitely felt like a story to tell before bed and it is totally one I would've loved to have been told when I was a kid, or really any age.

3. The story is very much a unique one. It was so different than a lot of YA books I've read in the past and not just because of the world and the characters, but just because of the fact that it was almost like a sci-fi movie. It had trolls, aliens, robots, a middle earth type feel to Gunhild's world, not to mention very awesome action scenes that kept the book fun and fast paced. I really had a lot of fun reading this book because of how different it was and it had a lot to offer to all kinds of readers. 

Source

4. I really liked Gunhild's personality. She was very strong and very much a go-getter and didn't approve of when she wasn't taken seriously for any reason. She wanted to prove to a lot of people that she was strong and a good fighter despite her hot-headedness and rule-breaking habit. She was very fiery and I really liked her character because of that. I also really liked Kirabo and RJ since they did bicker a lot and it was very entertaining to read. Kirabo was a little unsure of Gunhild's world since he was an alien after all and RJ was a very snarky but helpful robot full of personality. He reminded me a little of Iko from The Lunar Chronicles and he was very loveable.

5. Overall, this was just a very fun and different read than a lot of books I've been reading lately. I think a lot of different readers will enjoy this one especially since it has a lot of elements that fit very well together even though they were all so different. Who would have thought an alien and robot could fit into a world where machines are unheard of and weapons such as swords are advanced technology. I highly recommend this one if you just want a fun adventure with action, humor, fantasy, and a lot of trolls.

The only reason I didn't give this book a five-star rating was because while I did have fun reading it, there wasn't really anything keeping hooked into the story. It was a casual read but at times felt a little too casual as there was nothing really keeping me hooked to the story even though it did keep me fully entertained. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:
Amazon

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About The Author:

Olaf Moriarty Solstrand (1982-) is a Norwegian writer and librarian, currently living in Ski, Akershus with two lovebirds, one wife and a hyperactive Twitter account.

Since 2001, he has written scripts for more than sixty Donald Duck comics, and his stories have been published in 29 countries. His first novel, Trolløya, was self-published in 2013.

In 2010 he received the Raptus Award for the work he's done for Norwegian comics. 

Author Links: 

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

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Excerpt: 

The general’s secretary sat writing a letter when Gunhild stormed in through his door. “Is he in?”she enquired.

“Hello, Gunhild,” replied the secretary, a young man who looked like he might be in his twenties. She knew she’d heard his name once, but she could never remember what it was. He checked his papers. “Yes, he is free now. Do you have an appointment?”

“No,” Gunhild replied and went directly through the door to the general’s office. This wasn’t the first time she had been in this office, but the last time she was here, General Bjerkedal had been in command. A few months ago, the old fogey had finally retired and his second in command, Aslak Espenson, had taken over. At thirty, Espenson was only half as old as Bjerkedal, but he had been an officer for many years already and had worked with General Bjerkedal over the last few years, so everyone had agreed that he was the best choice to take over the general’s chair after Bjerkedal left. Now Espenson was sitting at his desk making a sketch. For a few seconds he looked a little surprised to see Gunhild, but he quickly regained his composure.

“Private Baardsdotter,” he said, nodding towards a chair on the other side of the desk to indicate to Gunhild that she should sit down. Gunhild went straight up to the general and threw the rejection letter down in front of him.

“What is the meaning of this?” she said.

“Ah. I should have guessed.”

“You have no right to do this.”

“You are wrong. To assess an applicant’s qualifications for promotion is not just a right I have, it is my duty as a general.”

“You have no right to discriminate against me because I am a woman.”

“What are you talking about?” The general looked surprised. “Did you think that was why you were rejected? But... didn’t you read the back of the letter?”

Gunhild looked down at the letter. There actually was something written on the back of it. The general tried to stifle a smile.

“We can do it verbally,” he said politely. “I’ve looked at your personnel file, Baardsdotter. By all accounts, you’re one of our best knights. Your grades are excellent and you know all the fighting techniques we have taught you better than people who have been knights for twice as long as you – it wouldn’t surprise me if you’ve even come up with a few techniques yourself. And I would be blind not to have noticed that none of the other knights here can use a sword as well as you.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“The problem is your attitude. You’re eager. You’re impulsive. You’re brave...”

“Since when is that a problem?”

 “It is a problem when you are as brave as you. How many trolls have you killed in the last month?”

Gunhild did some quick mental calculating. “Five.”

“So, about one a week. Did you know that, on average, the other knights kill three to four trolls in a year? And that few of them ever set out to kill a troll all alone, but rather make sure that there is always a helping hand in case they need it?”

“Are you trying to say that the reason you’re refusing me a promotion is that I am better than all the others? Where’s the logic in that?”

“I haven’t finished.” Espenson had got up and gone over to a cupboard full of paper. There was so much clutter in the cupboard that Gunhild wondered how he was able to keep track, but he quickly picked out a folder from the cupboard and it was quite obviously what he wanted.

“Tell me,” Espenson said sitting back down, “how many times have you been hospitalized in the past month?”

Gunhild blushed. “Two, maybe?”

“Four.” Espenson looked at her with seriousness. “There is nothing wrong with you being brave, but time and again you have overestimated your own strength. You do not assess the risk of a situation before you throw yourself into it. I have talked with your doctor and she believes that in at least two cases, it was just luck that stopped you from being killed.”

Gunhild felt herself getting angry again. “I maintain a hard line because I care about this army. I care about the job we do to keep the kingdom safe. That’s not something I should be punished for, it’s something I should be...”

“...praised and rewarded for?” interrupted the general brusquely. “No, I don’t think so. Every time you put your life on the line to take up a challenge, when your courage makes you overestimate your own strength, the army is in danger of losing one of its best soldiers. We need you here, Baardsdotter. We do not want to lose you.”

“Okay,” Gunhild mumbled. Damn. She had prepared a long speech about how it was unfair that she didn’t get promoted, but she was in no way prepared for this argument. “So I did not get promoted because I put my own life in unnecessary danger?”

“No,” replied the general. “It’s bad enough that you put your own life in danger. If I promote you to sergeant, it’ll be even worse. If I had given you the job, you would be responsible for a troop of knights. If I gave you that responsibility, it would no longer be just your own life at stake every time you threw yourself into a situation that you failed to master. That could mean five lives; that could mean ten lives. A couple of our sergeants have responsibility for troops of over twenty knights. That is just not a chance I am willing to take.”

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Review: Tenderfoot by Abby Drinen +GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, my friends! Today is my stop on the blog tour for Tenderfoot by Abby Drinen hosted by YA Bound Book Tours and I'm quite excited about this one. Let's be honest here, I'm always excited about blog tours regardless of the book. I just love reading and review and letting all know about the really cool books that are out there in the world! Plus. it gives me an excuse to talk about books all day long so it's a win-win.

Anyhoo, here are all the details about the book, the author, as well as my review for the book and last but not least, a GIVEAWAY! Whoot whoot! As a short disclaimer, I was sent an e-copy of this book as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. Now without further ado, you may scroll down and read.

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Tenderfoot by Abby Drinen

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Rating: PG

Genre: YA Sci-fi

Score: ❤❤❤

Page Count: 378

Book #1 of the Tenderfoot series

Publisher: Enova Press

Published: June 24th, 2016

“No lights, no sound. But my skin knows this isn’t home. Why aren’t I afraid?”

Orphaned teenagers, Linnea, Sammy, Logan, and Daisy, are strangers with almost nothing in common until they’re drawn into the fabric between worlds, crossing over from Earth to a place called Enova. Leaving behind lives filled with pain and loss they find hope in this new place. Until an assassination attempt on their lives changes everything. These four strangers must now band together and unravel the mysteries behind their purpose in Enova if they want to survive. 

Review:

PROS:

1. Since I'm a lover of all things sci-fi, I jumped at the chance to review this book. It sounded a little bit like a sci-fi version of The Lovely Bones except without all the murder and depressing storyline with more adventure and excitement. I thought it could be a really neat book and I'm currently in a huge sci-fi mood so I thought this book might be one worthy of picking up. And can we just talk about the cover? The wolf emblem is just on point! Okay, here's the review! 

2. I really liked that this book is told in rotating points-of-view from each of the characters. I think it gave more detail and insight as to what was going on in their world as well as told you a little more about the characters. It was neat to learn about the characters and their way of thinking as each one told the next part of the story and made it enjoyable. The characters were also very diverse in their backgrounds which made them more realistic as they each struggled getting used to their new world.

3. The idea of this world called Enova was pretty cool. I love sci-fi because of the different worlds that the characters live in and call home and this book totally has that. I wouldn't want to visit Enova, it kind of seems a little scary, but it was a lot of fun to read about and get to know more about what separates Enova from earth and how the characters ended up there.

CONS:

1. Even though this book was a lot of fun to read, and interesting of course, I didn't really connect with any of the characters. In fact, I personally found most of them annoying but there was some decent character development that kept me reading.

2. Another thing was that while it was entertaining, I found that it was easy for me to put down after reading a couple of chapters here and there throughout the day. It didn't really keep me hooked on what was going on nor did it have a fast enough pace for my personal taste. It was a little slow going at first and a little hard for me to get into once I started reading it. 

Overall, this book is fun, interesting, and unlike a lot of other sci-fi books I've read in the past. I think if you want something quick and easy to follow, try picking this book up and see how you like it! 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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About the author:

I share my hunk of Northern California land with my husband, three kids, and a red Rottweiler named Paco. I like to write about realistic characters in unreal worlds. The question I ask myself when I sit down at the keyboard is: how can I make this next scene a whole lot of fun to read?

Author Links:

Goodreads

Twitter

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Website

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