The Review Chain: Level Up (Fandom Hearts #1) by Cathy Yardley + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

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Rating: PG-13

Score: ❤❤❤1/2

Genre: Romance, Contemporary

Page Count: 151

Book #1 of the Fandom Hearts series

Publisher: Cathy Yardley

Published: December 30th, 2015

Geeky introvert Tessa Rodriguez will do whatever it takes to get promoted to video game engineer– including create a fandom-based video game in just three weeks. The only problem is, she can't do it alone. Now, she needs to strong-arm, cajole, and otherwise socialize with her video game coworkers, especially her roommate, Adam, who’s always been strictly business with her. The more they work together, though, the closer they get…

Adam London has always thought of his roomie Tessa as “one of the guys” until he agreed to help her with this crazy project. Now, he’s thinking of her all the time… and certainly as something more than just a roommate! But his last girlfriend broke up with him to follow her ambitions, and he knows that Tessa is obsessed with getting ahead in the video game world.

Going from friends to something more is one hell of a challenge. Can Tessa and Adam level up their relationship to love?

Review:

PROS:

1. Upon first reading about this book, I thought it sounded super cute and would be a breeze for me to read since I adore any book that has to do with video games, graphic art and anything nerdy. This book was a combination of all three and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy and read it. I was really excited for this book going in and I'm so happy I got that chance to read it and review it for you all! Let's get on into the review! 

2. Special thanks to the author for sending me an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! To start off, I really loved Tessa's character! Not only was she an introverted young woman working in a heavily male-dominated line of work, she was also an ambitious and determined Latina woman working hard to be recognized for her skills in coding. She wanted to work hard and earn respect for what she did and by continuously pursuing her career, she challenged herself in many ways that were at first hard for her such as being social with people, making friends and getting out of the house and out of her comfort zone.

3. I also liked that the relationship evolved quite nicely in my opinion between Tessa and her roommate Adam. At first, they're nothing more than roommates, not even friends. As they both continue to search for their place in their line of work and hone in on their coding skills, they go from roommates to good friends and eventually, a sweet romance blossoms between them. It was entertaining and swoon-worthy to watch their relationship evolve and made for an easy and fun read throughout the book. The characters were also very fun and lively, showing their support for each other in many parts of the book that I really enjoyed.

CONS:

1. I did have a few problems with this short chick-lit read, however. My first issue was that the initial first kiss in the novel was a bit random. It felt a little out of place, like it was kind of just thrown in and never mentioned afterward. It felt too quick and easy especially since Tessa was very shy and introverted and it felt like too sudden of a move for her character to make at the time it happens. 

2. I also would have loved a bit more fleshing out of the supporting characters as I really enjoyed seeing them pop into the story and wanted a bigger presence from them. They added a lot to the book and I wanted to see more of them as I read. I also would have liked a bit more romantic development. I know I said earlier that their relationship developed nicely, which it did, but the romantic FEELINGS on both their parts felt a little out of left-field, too quick, almost over night. There wasn't that slow simmering build-up of romantic feelings that I personally love seeing in romantic reads. If I had seen more of that, I think I would have absolutely LOVED this book. 

Overall, it was a quick and easy read, perfect to relax with. I think if you're a reader who loves a good geeky romance story, then definitely pick this one up and see what you think! I do plan on reading the sequel to this book, which I will be posting a review of later in the month so stay tuned for that. I did enjoy "Level Up" and I hope more readers out there can enjoy the book either as much or more than I did.

Please Note: I would recommend this book to OLDER readers as it does contain mature content.

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

Audible

Barnes and Noble

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About The Author:

Cathy Yardley needs to get out more. When not writing, she's usually lurking on social media, playing Fallout 4, or watching D-list movies and adding to her unnatural mental store of character-actor trivia. She's a fangirl of Supernatural, Doctor Who, Sherock, LOTR,  and too many others to name.  She lives with her family in Seattle.  They are considering performing an intervention for her addiction to pop culture.

Author Links:

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Review: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series Book 1) by Iain Reading + Interview

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Rating: PG

Genre: Mystery

Score: ❤❤❤❤ 1/2

Page Count: 336

Book #1 of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: November 30th, 2012

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.

After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.

Review:

PROS:

1. First off, a HUGE thank you to the author and Kelsey Butts for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review! I was pretty excited to read this book since I was a little in the mood for a mystery but also something a little more fun and nothing heavy. It's actually a little difficult to find that type of mystery book that isn't too juvenile for my personal reading taste. I enjoy middle-grade books, don't get me wrong there. However, I find that I'm beginning to lose patience with them a little quicker as I get older. Right off the bat, Kitty Hawk was able to grip my attention and I'm so glad it did. Here's my review: 

2. Kitty Hawk really gripped me because of the big presence her character has from the very first page. There was no mistaking that she was the adventurous type and didn't at all let fear or worry stop her from taking on another adventure that would be seen as risky or even dangerous. At the same time, she wasn't an adrenaline junky, rather, she thought and planned out every trip down to the very last detail to be better prepared for a safe journey and be ready for any emergency that might arise. She was very smart and quick thinking, a problem solver and very confident in her ability to handle herself when in danger. She reminded me a lot of Nancy Drew meets Agent Carter and I loved that about her character. 

3. The story was a fun adventure to read about. It had a classic feel to it set in the present day which gave it a unique tone. At times, I imagined the book playing out in the time of Amelia Earheart and had to remind myself that Kitty Hawk's travels take place in the time of laptops and smartphones. I loved that it had an old school tone to it, however, as it made it so interesting and fun to read. It was refreshing to read and I don't have a problem with recommending this novel at all. You if you want just a nice, funny and relaxing adventurous read, please consider Kitty Hawk. You won't be disappointed.

4. The only real "problems" I had with the book would be that it did get a little info-dumpy at some points, although it wasn't too bad as it only happened a few times throughout the book but it was something I had to take note of for my review. I also thought some of the flashbacks felt a little disjointed from the story and it didn't provide a smooth transition back into the story once it was over. Had those two things been tweaked a little, I would totally have given this book a full five stars. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here: 

Amazon

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About The Author:

Iain Reading is passionate about root beer, music, and writing. He is Canadian but currently resides in the Netherlands working for the United Nations. 

Iain is the author of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series, The Wizards of Waterfire Series, and the dragon of the month club. To Learn more, go to https://www.amazon.com/Iain-Reading/e/B00B0NGI6Q/

Author Links:

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Facebook

Website

Goodreads

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

1. What inspired you to write the story of Kitty Hawk?

It was the character herself that inspired me.  I loved (and still love) the idea of a female teenaged pilot named Kitty Hawk who has the courage and ambition to embark on an around-the-world adventure to discover everything she possibly can about this planet we live on.  Truth be told I am a bit jealous of Kitty Hawk's adventures.  I mean, who wouldn't want to fly their own plane around the world and experience that kind of freedom?

2. What factors went into play when writing and planning Kitty Hawk's character?

I was very lucky when writing and planning Kitty Hawk's character because she was one that essentially "wrote herself".  Once I had the most basic idea of who she was and what she could do, the rest of it just fell into place.  That isn't to say that I haven't learned more and more about her as her travels have taken her from place to place, but it was always amazing to me how real she always was and how little work it was to "create" her - I think because she was already always there, waiting.  But even so, I will admit that it took me a while to really find her voice.  Her thoughts and actions and motivations were always there, but it took me a while to find her voice in describing those to other people.  (The books are in first person, you see....)

3. Were there any other big influences besides Jack London that inspired you to write Kitty Hawk's adventure?

In some ways I am a bit like Kitty Hawk myself, in the sense that I love travel and I love to see amazing beautiful places.  I don't get to fly to them in my own plane like Kitty Hawk does, but I still love to see them.  Kitty Hawk's first adventure in Alaska and the Yukon was also very much inspired by the powerful raw beauty of those places when you experience them for yourself.  This is true of any Kitty Hawk book as well.  The places in the books are as much characters as anything else.  And those places influence the story and almost write it for me.

4. Which of the characters do you most relate to in the book?

As much as I would like to relate to Charlie and be exactly like him, I have to say that Kitty Hawk herself is probably the one I relate to the most.  Not that I directly relate to her and see myself in her, but more like I relate to her motivations and thoughts and decisions.  She also thinks and says funny things that make me laugh.

5. Kitty Hawk has a habit of following in the footsteps of Amelia Earhart and Jack London. Is there a famous adventure you would love to take on if you could?

I have always been fascinated by the tales of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine's attempt to climb Mount Everest, which is strange because the urge to climb mountains is something that I really don't understand the appeal of.  But Everest, with its summit poking up into the jetstream, has always fascinated me.

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Review: Finding Molly, Volume 1: An Adventure in Catsitting by Justine Prado + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, everybody! I'm super excited to bring you guys my stop on the blog tour for FINDING MOLLY: AN ADVENTURE IN CAT SITTING by Justine Prado hosted by YA Bound Book Tours! I always get giddy about graphic novels so this one has me a little on cloud nine.

I recieved an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour.

Down below you'll find my full review of the graphic novel, the author and illustrator bios as well as the link to the rest of the blog tour, and finally, a GIVEAWAY! Stay tuned! Read on, bookworms!

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Rating: PG

Genre: Graphic Novel

Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 170

Book #1 of the Finding Molly series

Publisher: Self-published

Published: December 2016

Finding Molly: An Adventure in Catsitting is a graphic novel about Molly Sanchez-Talebi, an unemployed art school grad who hesitantly starts catsitting to pay the bills. She dreams of breaking out of suburbia and her artistic rut, but she has a lot of self-discovery to do before that happens. The comic follows her funny misadventures as she learns that maybe these (sometimes) friendly felines are just what she needs to get her life on track.

Review:

PROS:

1. I love reading graphic novels as I've said a million times before but I'll say it again. I was pretty excited when I first saw the chance to review this book and I was even more giddy about reading it. What can I say? I'm a sucker for pretty pictures. There were quite a few things that I really loved about this graphic novel and I'm excited to tell you guys all about why you should read this book ASAP. Here's the review:

2. The first thing that caught my attention about this graphic novel is that it's actually a web-comic which had a kickstarter going on to get it in print (which it succeeded at). I love finding indie gems like this one and reading new material that differs from a lot of other books I've read in the past. This was no exception. Another thing that I really loved about this graphic novel was how diverse it was, how different it was from not only graphic novels but reading material in general. Let me break down a little more.

3. First off, the book follows Molly who is our main character and has a very unique and memorable image. She's a college student working for free at a local bookstore, is a struggling starving artist with no money, wanting to move out to a place of her own and finds herself very uninspired in her artwork, catsitting to get by alive and trying to figure everything out for herself. She's a young, Hispanic girl without a stick-figure body type and even though she gets a lot of things wrong and makes mistake after mistake with trying to figure her life out, she keeps trying. I really admired her character and drive that she had, her non-cookie-cutter image and how she deals with everyday frustrations and worries. She really learns some valuable lessons when it comes to relationships, friendships, the struggles of having a somewhat unsteady job and trying to get her art career up and going in some way.

4. The graphic novel had such beautiful colors and a very fun artistic style to it that was so pleasing to the eye and went so well with the funny-upbeat-quirky storyline that made it really fun to read. I would love to have a physical copy of the graphic novel one of these days since I feel like the illustrations would pop a lot more than they did on my eReader app that I used to read the book on. It was a vibrant color pallet that I really loved and it kind of inspired me to get some sketching done and try doing a more vibrant art piece for fun to loosen up. Yes, I'm an art nerd and an "artist" (I use the artist term loosely since I haven't sketched anything in over two months) so I feel like I related to Molly a lot more because of that. She understood my pain, OKAY. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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About The Author and Illustrator

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Review: Not In Her Wildest Dreams by Dani Collins + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, everyone! Today is my stop on the blog tour for Not In Her Wildest Dreams by Dani Collins hosted by Book Unleashed and I'm excited to be a part of the tour.

I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this book tour.

Down below is my review for this book as well as the authors links, purchase links for the book, and finally a GIVEAWAY! I hope you all enjoy!

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Rating: PG-13

Genre: Romance

Score: ❤❤❤

Page Count: 280

Book #1 of the Secret Dreams series

Publisher: Smashwords

Published: January 15th, 2017

Paige Fogarty never believed Liebe Falls’ golden boy, Sterling Roy, could want a No Good Fogarty, but one magical night, they kissed—ruining her already murky reputation. Fifteen years later, she’s still shunned, now as a professional accountant auditing Roy Furnishings. It’s a daunting task even before she’s forced to work with him.


Sterling made a fool of himself over Paige once. Never again. He only returns to the factory his mother calls his ‘legacy’ to ensure Paige doesn’t pull a fast one. When their chemistry blazes hotter than ever, he wonders if he misjudged her, but secrets come to light, including an embezzler she tries to protect, proving she’s still the wrong girl. So why does holding onto her feel so right? 

Review:

PROS:

1. I'm going to admit that this book isn't usually something I'd pick up but I thought it looked interesting and sometimes, you just have to take a chance on a book even when you're not too sure about it. I think it's a great thing to get out of your comfort zone every now and then and I'm really glad I was able to review this book for all of you. Here's my review:

2. I thought the story was intriguing. It was equal parts drama and romance which sometimes can create a bit of an unrealistic storyline but I think it somewhat worked for the characters and their backstories. There's a lot of angst between our two MC's, Paige and Sterling. Call it an old flame that was never put out but it created a good base for the romance without feeling like insta-love. I would have liked the romance to have been a bit more developed, however, but overall it was an enjoyable romance that we get in the story.

3. The characters were interesting, Paige being very stubborn and independent. I thought she was a likable character though I wasn't too attached to her. Same with Sterling. He was thought to be the typical 'Golden Boy' who came from a rich family by Paige and her family. They didn't exactly get along with each other at all in the beginning but the development between them as the story goes on has a nice pace. I also liked that this book was told in both of their perspectives since we get to learn about both characters and their families that way.

I think if you like books with angst, mystery, affairs, secrets and drama, you might enjoy this book. I'm not sure what elements I would've liked to see in this book in order for me to give it a five-star rating, it's a bit hard to put my finger on it. This book wasn't quite my cup of tea but I was glad that I got to read it in the end.

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon (US)

Amazon (CA)

Amazon (UK)

Amazon (AU)

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

iTunes

Google Play

Smashwords

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About The Author:

USA Today Bestseller Dani Collins is the author of thirty romances for Harlequin Presents, Montana Born and herself. Dani lives in Canada with her high school sweetheart. Join Dani's newsletter and receive Cruel Summer, a short ebook romance, as a welcome gift:http://danicollins.com/free-book/ 

Author Links:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

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Instagram

Google Plus

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Only In His Wildest Dreams (Book 2)

Synopsis: When Mercedes takes in her confused niece and nephew, jeopardizing the job she loves at a retirement community, she turns to the new handyman for advice. L.C. can fix anything and he’d love to be part of this misfit family, but he has a secret back home that Mercedes will never forgive.

Pre-Order: Amazon

Available February 1st, 2017

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Review: Living In The Shallows by Tani Hanes + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, everyone! Today is my stop on the blog tour for LIVING IN THE SHALLOWS (UK CRUSH #1) by Tani Hanes and I'm really excited to be reviewing it for you guys!

I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour.

Down below is my full review of this book, the links to where you can buy yourself a copy as well as the author's links and finally, a GIVEAWAY! Be sure to enter for a chance to win a cool prize. Read on, bookworms!

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Rating: PG-13

Genre: Contemporary, New Adult

Score: 3.25 stars

Page Count: 313

Book #1 of the UK Crush series

Publisher: Kindle

Published: October 28th, 2016

Aileen Foster, a shy, 22 year old student from LA, thinks she has landed a dream job as an interpreter for some actors making a film in Japan. She gets a shock when she arrives in Tokyo and finds out that they are UK Crush, the hottest boyband around. She has been orphaned for most of her life, and it's a shock for her to enter their world of frank physicality. The boys come to love her, and Aileen is forced to look at her life and choices, and decide if she's ready to be brave and start living.

Review:

PROS:

1. I thought this book looked like it could be a fun little contemporary read especially since I honestly think that any contemporary novel that has something to do with a boy band is worth reading. It's just way too entertaining sometimes. I've come across too many books that had to do with a boy band and ended up being very entertaining that now, I jump at the chance to read yet another. Which is what happened here. I'm happy to be reviewing this book for you all so I hope you enjoy!

2. I really liked the characters from the beginning. I thought our MC Aileen was a smart girl and very brave for taking a job halfway around the world at such a young age. She was feisty and although she was small and didn't come across as too intimidating, she was a force to be reckoned with and didn't back down too easily from a challenge. The boys of UK Crush were also entertaining, often smothering Aileen in hugs and messing with her like a good group of guy friends should. They looked out for her and often expressed that they appreciated her company, even giving her the nickname of Tink because she was petite. The relationship they had with each other was often fun and full of laughs.

3. I also appreciated the diversity of the characters, how they were all different races, came from different walks of life and cared about each other like a family. I also liked the setting of the book being in Japan, though I would have loved to have seen a little more scenery and descriptions of the things and places they saw since I personally love books set in Korea, Japan, China etc. I think it creates such a colorful atmosphere and I would've liked a little more of it in this book.

CONS:
1. While I liked some things about Aileen's character, I did find her to be a bit of a crybaby about half the time which got pretty annoying. She cried with every emotion and though she admitted she was a crier, it just got a little tiresome. I also didn't like how she went from a shy and quiet character to being a flirt so quickly. It felt a bit extreme and unrealistic of a development for her character, not to mention that she only seemed interested in one of the band members yet she wasn't upfront about her feelings at all and kissed all of them, not seeing the damage she was doing or the big deal.

2. I also didn't buy the romance between Aileen and the two love interests. It was too much along the lines of insta-love, especially since they were confessing their love to Aileen after only knowing her for a WEEK. It was too rushed, out of place, and felt forced to hurry along the romance. It needed way more development and the love triangle just didn't work for me.

This book was a quick read and I think some people might end up really loving this book but I just wasn't much of a fan. I still recommend this book if you just want something quick and easy to read to entertain you or if you're looking for a contemporary story to try out. PLEASE NOTE: This book has some MATURE content and is in fact for New Adult audiences.

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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About The Author:

My name is Tani Hanes, and I am a 51 year old substitute teacher. I'm from central California and am a recent transplant to New York City. The most important things to know about me are that I'm punctual, I love grammar and sushi, and I'm very intolerant of intolerance. The least important things to know about me are that I like to knit and I couldn't spell "acoustic" for 40 years. I've wanted to write since I was ten, and I finally did it. If you want to write, don't wait as long as I did, it's pointless, and very frustrating! 

Author Links:

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Read Preview of "Diving Deep" (UK Crush #2)

Synopsis: Fair warning: Birdie and Teddy are young, and really, really, in love. Like a lot. And they do a lot of stuff. All the time. Everywhere. So, if that kind of stuff isn't your thing, well, you know what to do :o)

Birdie never thought she'd fall in love with anyone, let alone a singer in the biggest boyband in the world. And she never, *ever*, thought he'd fall in love with her, either. Yet here she is, living with Theo Shelley, one quarter of UK Crush, in his London house. She has the biggest piano audition of her life coming up, to Hamilton Conservatory in New York City, but it's hard to focus on that when she's learning how to be in a relationship for the first time in her life.

Preview On Wattpad
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Review: Distant Horizon by Stephanie Flint

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Rating: PG

Genre: Fantasy, Dystopia

Score: 3.75 stars

Page Count: 320

Book #1 of the Distant Horizon series

Publisher: Infinitas Publishing

Published: October 27th, 2016

The Community is safe.
Unless you have superpowers.

Sixty years ago, a hallucinogenic plague annihilated half the world’s population, leading to the formation of the Community—an international government that promises its citizens safety, security, and efficiency. Every day, Community citizens swallow a mandatory pill to ensure their immunity to the plague. A year after graduating high school, they take the Health Scan.

Most pass, and continue with their lives. Others disappear.

Eighteen-year-old Jenna Nickleson hasn’t taken the pill since her senior year in high school. She feels more alive without it, and she hasn’t shown any signs of infection—at least, not until two days after a surprise Health Scan is announced and Special Forces arrive at her university campus.

Spurred by the recent string of hallucinations, Jenna searches for any inkling of what happens to those who fail the scan. Rumor has it that they’re sent away for treatment and, once cured, receive a menial job. But when she uncovers the cruel truth behind the plague, her ideal world is shattered.

Underneath the illusion of safety, Special Forces agents harbor a dark secret.

The plague is a lie.

Review:

PROS:

1. Special thanks to Sara from YA Book Bound Tours for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Now, since I really love dystopian novels and any book set in the future, I was really excited when I got the chance to review this book. It sounded like a really neat concept and since I'm a sucker for books about conspiracies, I couldn't pass up the chance. Here's the review: 

2. The story was action-packed which kept the book moving forward, especially since there is quite a lot going on and the characters are having to overcome difficult obstacles. The rigid and strict society that our characters live in is reminiscent of other dystopian worlds I've read before so while it was a little cookie-cutter in that sense, I still thought it was a cool setting and an interesting world to learn about as the story progresses.

3. I would describe the setting and overall feel of this book as DIVERGENT but instead with superpowers with a steampunk overlay and a dash of MATCHED. It was a pretty standard dystopian world, however, the book is laced with uncovering secrets and lies which made it interesting to read. I also liked the characters even though none of them really stood out to me but I was still invested in seeing what happened to them all. They were a very smart and clever group of kids so it was fun to see their problem-solving skills take action many times throughout the book.

4. The writing was also great and it is a fast-paced book so I would totally recommend it if you're a fan of other dystopian novels or a fan of action-packed sci-fi adventures. While not my favorite dystopian novel, I can't really put a finger on what I didn't like about the story itself. I think I would have given this book a higher rating had it been more original as like I said before, it was reminiscent of a lot of other dystopian novels. If the book had an element that was creative to its genre or a huge plot twist or two thrown in, I think I would have enjoyed it more. Otherwise, it was still a nice read. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

Amazon UK

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Kobo

Smashwords

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About The Author:

Stephanie Flint (formerly Stephanie Bibb) graduated from the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in photography and a minor in creative writing. She merged the two interests into book cover design and photographic illustration, but she particularly enjoys writing speculative fiction and plotting her stories in the form of table-top RPGs with her husband, Isaac. They cofounded Infinitas Publishing in June 2015. 

Author Links

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Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Website

DeviantArt

Flickr

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I hope you all enjoyed this book review! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Review: #BabyLove: My Toddler Life by Corine Dehghanpisheh + Interview

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Rating: G

Genre: Children's

Score: ❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 36

Publisher: My Art To Inspire

Published: September 20th, 2016

In #BabyLove: My Toddler Life, a new children’s picture book by Corine Dehghanpisheh, a curious toddler loves to play… especially with his mommy’s smartphone!

When Mommy finds him using her phone without permission, it’s the perfect teaching moment.  Mommy reminds her little one that what matters most in life is time together filled with love and attention.

Her simple reminder:  Put down our phones.

#BabyLove: My Toddler Life is the second book in Corine’s #BabyLove Book Series.  The first book in the series, #BabyLove: My Social Life, won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Picture Books 0-5.

Rating:

PROS:

1. Special thanks to the publisher for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! When I was first contacted to review this little guy, I was actually a little excited. I think children's books are so fun to read, even though I don't actually read a lot of them, but I've been wanting to review more children's books to add to my selection of book reviews. I know that not everyone reads YA or NA books, but a lot of people also don't read children's books. I'm always wanting to expand my catalog of reviews to cover all genres and age ranges so this book seemed like a good place to start. Whether you're looking for a book to read to a little tot or simply curious about this children's book, I'm excited to review it for you all. 

2. I think this book talks about a pretty important topic that is taking the world by storm: social media. It's normal to have one or more social media platforms that you check in on every day, multiple times a day. If you're like me, you have more than one social media platform and tend to pay attention to all of them throughout the day, even checking your likes, comments, or followers without realizing it. It's easy to get so caught up in social media and miss the little happy moments because we're so busy trying to capture that moment in a picture or video to share with the world. This book takes a look at a mom who is constantly filming or snapping pictures on her phone of her baby to capture the moments but also showing that some moments need to be experienced without a camera in your hand. 

3. I think this book is a great lesson for kids and parents, showing us all that while social media is a fun way to take a load off after a long day, is can also make us miss out on the full effect of living in the moment. Kids are naturally curious about devices such as tablets and smartphones, especially when they see the people around them constantly using them. The book shows a baby being curious about the device, playing with it, and having a not so good outcome when the device gets damaged. We get to see the baby playing with mom's phone, her realizing that he's only following her example, and the mom seeing that maybe she should keep her phone away a little more often. All these points and valuable lessons teach both kids and parents that the world isn't just on a little five-inch screen. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

Q #1: What inspired you to write this book?

Being a mom of a toddler inspired the writing and illustrations of my book.  As a mother first, I find it necessary to be mindful of my phone and overall screen time throughout the day.  

Since I work from home, I use my computer and phone regularly.  Some days are easier than others in finding the right balance.  It's difficult to explain to a toddler that Mommy is working.  She doesn’t fully understand the difference between personal and work time.  She just sees me using technology and not playing with her.

Q #2: Do you feel this book takes on an important topic that people need to be aware of?

I do believe that the book takes on an important and very relevant topic of parenting into today’s digital world.  Finding balance, making the best social media decisions, and leading by example is a constant challenge. 

As a parent, I know I want to create lasting memories.  Sometimes that means documenting a moment in a photograph or video to either keep private or share on a social platform. 

At other times, I don’t want to ruin a moment by trying to capture it with a recording or picture.  I just want to experience the entire moment including the feelings and smells and truly live it.

I think it is important to teach our children how to balance technology in life.  It’s getting more and more challenging as technology, and our connectivity continues to evolve.   

Q #3: Do you think social media is good or bad on some levels?

As with most things in life, there is always good and bad on some levels.  I don’t think social media is all good or all bad.  There are definite pros and cons.

An advantage of social media is using it to keep up with close friends and family.  We live away from our family and most of our close friends.  So, it is nice to see what’s going on with those we love, and they know what is going on with us at least on a surface level of course. 

I also find that social media can be positive for businesses.  I use it regularly to share information about my books.

Of course, there are also many negative aspects to social media such a bullying, security, and lack of in-person socialization and living in the moment. 

Q #4: Would you say people spend too much time on social media?

I can’t say that all individuals spend too much time on social media.  I am sure there are some who waste too much time or put too much value on the data of each post or their total number of friends. 

My hope is that most people enjoy a secure and balanced existence with social media.

Q #5: What is one thing you hope to accomplish with your children's books?

My first hope is that people enjoy the books. 

Secondly, I hope that the books start conversations and discussions at home or in schools.  Technology and social media is part of our daily lives.  At the same time, it is important to be mindful of our technology use and of what we are teaching our children. 

Q #6: What is your favorite social media platform?

At this time, my favorite social media platform is Instagram.  I am a visual person so it’s more in-tune with what I enjoy- pictures, short videos, little text.

Having said that, I do use multiple platforms including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Author Links:

Goodreads

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

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I hope you all enjoyed this book review! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!