Book Blitz + Giveaway: Aberrant by Ruth Silver

Aberrant
by Ruth Silver

Release Date: 04/28/13

Summary from Goodreads:

In the future Dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question, including the government's match in marriage and "The Day of the Chosen", a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as natural means hasn't existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she's arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime committed, her existence. Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from "The Day of the Chosen." The truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect system.

With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.

Available from:

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Excerpt

Joshua came into my room, ignoring all rules as he helped push the dresser further from the wall, knocking it to the floor allowing me more than enough room to grab the journal and go. I tossed it inside the pack and Joshua put the map inside before we stepped out of my bedroom. I glanced down the hall, not sure what I expected to see. To the right the dormitory had been hit, and a roar of smoke and fire filled the confined space. Jacqueline was gone. Hand-in-hand we ran in the opposite direction toward the staircase.

My eyes burned. Coughing, I refused to let go of his hand as we stepped outside. Drones weren't the only things attacking Haven. Tanks rolled into town. A few soldiers jumped off, taking over the perimeter, guns drawn. I paused, gripping Joshua's hand as we were shrouded in smoke. Just a few feet away, a soldier lifted his weapon and unleashed fury on a group of innocent people. I covered my mouth with my hand to keep from crying out when a child no older than three hit the cement. His eyes remained open as blood seeped from his head. He didn't move. Didn't blink. It took only a moment to realize he’d died instantly. All I could do was stand there in shock.

"We have to move," I heard Joshua's voice, but it didn't register. The smoke swirled around us and gunfire erupted in every direction. He grabbed my arm. "Olivia, I need you to focus." I nodded once, trying my best to clear the cobwebs from my mind. I couldn't, though. I wanted to run out to the child and protect him, but it was too late. I was too late. They were here because of me, innocent blood on my hands. I felt the heat radiating from the dormitory and my eyes flashed back. "I need you here with me, Olive."

"I am," I insisted, knowing if I didn't focus we'd both be dead. I spotted more soldiers – their standard issue uniform and the Cabal crest on their jacket sleeve told me all I needed to know. The government had come looking for us. "Which way?" I couldn't see the exit. With the smoke enveloping us and the fear coursing through my veins, I forgot the direction we'd come from.

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About the Author

Ruth Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She has written under three unique pseudo names and penned well over a hundred stories.

She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, "Deuces are Wild", which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories.

Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She runs her own book blog and also enjoys photography and traveling.

Her favorite YA genre is a mix of Dystopian & Fantasy which is evident in the upcoming release of her latest book, Aberrant. Slated for release April 2013 by Lazy Day Publishing, it is the first in a trilogy.

Author Links:

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Giveaway

1 signed paperback of Aberrant (US only)
3 scrabble tile necklace charms & signed bookmark (INT)
3 bottle-cap key-chains & signed bookmark (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz organized by:

Upcoming New Releases - Week of Sept. 2

Here are the releases for the up coming week of September 2 - Sept. 8, 2013

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Feature & Follow #29

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Follow by Email, RSS or Bloglovin' is preferred :)

Q: If you could only have ONE book - one book - for the rest of your life. Don't cheat. What would it be?

OMG, this is SO HARD! How am I supposed to pick just one?! Gah. Funny thing is, the ones am trying to pick from are all eBooks, they don't have paperback counterparts. Can I just pick my Kindle then? xD No? FINE. Ok then, guess it would have to be...Interludes by Sonny and Ais. I LOVE these characters to pieces and this book out the whole series is the one that portrayed them all equally, and it was a big step towards Sin and Boyd's relationship.

*Honorable mentions: The Awakening of Ren Crown by Anne Zoelle and Know Not Why by Hannah Johnson*



What book would you choose?

Unraveling: Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Untold

Series: The Lynburn Legacy Book Two

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Publication Date: August 29, 2013

Free from bonds, but not each other

It’s time to choose sides… On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

  

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My Thoughts

I loved the first book even with the killer cliffhanger that it had. Thankfully this one doesn't end in such a fashion. Actually it ends in a very depressing tone.

That's a lie the whole book has a depressing tone. Something horrible is happening to EVERYONE in this book. It was overwhelming. They were being mean to each other, and all their families were having issues, and it was all just too depressing. With that said, even with everything bad going on around Kami she was still strong, and was holding on quite well. She is a strong and resilient girl. She is also a very stupid one.

She has the quick thinking and spunky attitude, and I actually do love her humor and how loyal she is to the ones she loves. My problem is she seems to be making just one dumb decision after the other, specially concerning Jared. For having been in his head during her whole life it's as if she suddenly doesn't know the guy anymore, like he is a different species or something. She is so freaking oblivious to what is going to with him is exasperating. I'm not going to mention Holly at all except to say that she just beyond pissed me off during the whole damn book and I had been kinda hoping she would die in the big fight, sadly that didn't happen.

Not to mention, Kami's super sleuth skills which aren't very sleuthing at all. For all her nosing around and coming up with plans she seems to be lacking in one very important point. Once she starts reading about Matthew's statue and their story with the Lynburns, her spidey senses start tingling. Good, cause mine were too and she does find out some info, but her 'research' never goes past the books. There is a whole freaking town out there and everyone with different stories and legends about the town's history and she asks NO ONE. Not even Lillian, but we do find the little she does know, because she mentions it of her own accord. Therefore that ended up being a dead end there, a very important one I'm sure.

We also have the boys. Jared, Ash and Rusty. My favorite character in these books is hands down Rusty. I love the guy. I'll be flooding this review towards the end with quotes of Rusty ;) Anyway, Ash was a totally pansy through this whole book. He was just too soft..and gooey, and just too nice to everyone. He doesn't have a backbone to speak of, and that's just sad. Then there is Jared, who has always been a little crazy, and it's obvious why he is acting like he is, but it doesn't make him any less of a jerk, but at least it was understood. And I hated the first half of this book, there was barely any actual interaction between Jared and Kami, and I missed that a lot. But that wasn't even the problem, the problem was their insurmountable insecurities. Which I was getting sick of after a while. Jared does redeem himself towards the end. The last 2 chapters are in his PoV and hell, I totally forgive him for the rest of what he did in the book.

Let's talk about the plot. I'm happy to announce it did not have the second book syndrome problem in regards to the plot. There was moving forward, and there were always plans going on, and there was a big fight at the end, and soo much death. Like I said this book was overall incredibly depressing, but it went with  everything that was happening. It never once felt unreal, you could understand why and where everyone was coming from. That doesn't mean I still don't want to kill Holly, cause I do.

With all that being said, I still liked the book, and I will be following through to it's conclusion, because there is just no way I can abandon them now. I really hope Kami gets smarter and starts asking more pertinent questions and stops being so damn insecure. Looking forward to finding out what else awaits Sorry-in-the-Vale.

Would I Recommend it?

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Quotes!

"Well," said Kami, "consider out side. Just say no to human sacrifice! Excuse me, I have to go."

"Yes, all right," Kami said, intervening before Lillian could actually expire from annoyance at their feet. "We may be straying off topic."

"The topic isn't my stunning good looks?"

"Devastating thought they undoubtedly are," Kami told him, patting his knee, "no." 

"Shame," said Rusty.

"What are you doing?" Angela complained. "Are you trying to make me jog? You know I think people who jog should be shot at midday."

"Why at midday?" Kami asked absently.

"There's no need to ever get up at dawn," Angela told her. "Not even to shoot joggers. We're going to leave my brother behind, Kami; he is one of life's born saunters."

"Rusty, you idiot," Kami said. "I told you she was an evil sorceress. So you knew all about it and you're not trying to redeem her with your love or anything, are you?" Rusty held his hand out flat and tipped it gently from side to side. "Eh. Honestly that sounds like a lot of effort."

"Maybe," he added, his voice almost too casual, "this revelation will lead you to make the sensible decision, and go for me."

"And wouldn't that be a magical thirty-six hours," Kami said. "Before you died of exhaustion."

Rusty did something unspeakable with his eyebrows. "Why, Cambridge, I am scandalized!" 

"Shut up!" Kami told him. "You know what I meant. Shut up your entire face."

Lillian looked around the room. "where are the others? The Prescott girl and the good-looking one?"

"Baby," said Rusty, "I'm right here."

Lillian gave him a horrified look..

"When you called me and said bring garden shears, I really thought it might be for decapitating purposes," Said Angela. "I truly wish that had been the case."

***

Other books in the Lynburn Legacy Trilogy:

1. Unspoken
2. Untold
3. Unbroken (2014)

Tangled Up In: Projection by Risa Green

Title: Projection

Series: N/A

Author: Risa Green

Publication Date: September 3, 2013

When 13-year-old Gretchen Harris's mother is murdered at Gretchen's 8th Grade graduation party, everyone in the town of Delphi, California, suspects a power struggle within the Oculus Society: Delphi's version of the Junior League. Gretchen's best friend, Jessica Shaw, might even hold the key to finding the culprit with The Plotinus Ability: the Oculus Society's jealously guarded secret power to trade souls, which hinges on a kiss. Gretchen's hope at finding the murderer ends in tragedy when Ariel Miller—the class outcast—stalks Gretchen and Jessica and surreptitiously films them exchanging a kiss to test if the Plotinus Ability is real, not knowing their motives. The ensuing YouTube video ("Popular Girls = Secret Lovers") goes viral, Gretchen's and Jessica's lives are further shattered, and they vanish from Delphi.

Flash forward two years later: Ariel is suddenly the most popular junior in town, but wracked with guilt over what she did to Gretchen and Jessica. When both girls reappear after their mysterious absence, Ariel finds herself pawn, suspect, and key player in their scheme to bring the murderer to justice.

  

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My Thoughts

A copy was provided through NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review

I'm sorry to report that this one was a DNF for me. I love books about astral projection and ancient civilizations. This one had both, plus a secret society! It should have been a winner by all rights.

As most of you know, characters are huge for me and in this case Gretchen just wasn't doing it for me at all. I could have excused it as her being so young but I just really couldn't stand her. The whole book seemed to childish even when we were in the middle of a murder investigation. I liked Jessica for the most part, if the book had been written entirely in her POV I probably would have been able to at least finish this, but as it was Gretchen grated on my nerves.

She was a bratty, know it all little girl. Selfish and entitled. And it all just really rubbed me the wrong way. After her mother's death I thought she would change enough for me to be able to keep reading, and she did change some obviously, but just not enough. Everything she did was annoying to me, till I just got def up and finally chucked it up as a DNF.

I really don't know if this book would have gotten better if I had kept going after the 25% mark, but for me if it doesn't grab enough of my attention by then, it hopeless. I have a short attention span when it comes to books xD If you like stories that deal with switching bodies and secret societies you should give this one a try anyway, you might end up liking it :)

Would I Recommend it?

Waiting on Charming by Elliot James

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I can't wait for.

This week I'm waiting on:

Charming (Pax Arcana #1)

by Elliot James

From Goodreads:

John Charming isn't your average Prince...

He comes from a line of Charmings — an illustrious family of dragon slayers, witch-finders and killers dating back to before the fall of Rome. Trained by a modern day version of the Knights Templar, monster hunters who have updated their methods from chainmail and crossbows to kevlar and shotguns, he was one of the best. That is — until he became the abomination the Knights were sworn to hunt.

That was a lifetime ago. Now, he tends bar under an assumed name in rural Virginia and leads a peaceful, quiet life. One that shouldn't change just because a vampire and a blonde walked into his bar... Right?

Early Unraveling: The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Title: The Chaos of Stars

Author: Kiersten White

Publication Date: September 10, 2013

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

  

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My Thoughts

First off I'm in love with that cover. It's just so beautiful!! Unfortunately the book wasn't as good as the cover. It suffered the same problem as Kiersten White's Paranormalcy Trilogy, the MC.

I actually really liked the first two books of Paranormalcy but it was during the third one that I noticed how rude and bratty Evie was, and I have the same problem with Isadora. She is incredibly rude to her parents. At first I thought she might be right about her parents not loving her after the tomb issue, and Isadora being so young at the time, I was willing to let it go. My problem is she is not 10 anymore and she completely shut off her parents. If I had been told about the tomb I would have started asking questions later. I mean her dad is the God of the Afterlife for god's sake, there had to be more to it! Which there kind of was but not in the way I was thinking, but that's ok.

I also get she might be having existential issues what with everyone being immortal and her being the only mortal in the household, but again, she should have eventually talked to her mom about it. That's why she is there! Because it's not as if they actually had a horrible relationship, they didn't. It wasn't the best obviously but she could have changed it at anytime but instead chose to be close-minded and bratty and just plain bitchy about the whole thing.

At least she starts changing towards the end so there is some character growth on her part, but it just wasn't enough for me, too little too late. Specially cause the plot was flimsy at best and it only made an actual appearance at the start when it's introduced and the end when it's concluded...The whole book is basically Isadora doing her projects and hanging out with her new friends. I liked all her friends way more than Isadora. The romance was nice and I loved Ry, but I just don't see how he could like her with how rude she always was to him.

In short, this book was basically just a fluff read with some mythology to give it some originality. While it was nice reading about some of the gods, it was all very superficial. White could have done so much with this mythology, if she had just gone more in-depth, but instead I'm left wanting so much more.

Would I Recommend it?