(Blog Tour) Book Review and Giveaway: THE PRISM OF ASHLEI (THE GAILEAN QUARTET)

TITLE: THE PRISM OF ASHLEI

AUTHOR: Christine Schulze

IMPRINT: CreateSpace

PUBLICATION DATE: 26 February 2010

PREVIOUS TITLES IN SERIES: None

Ashlei almost dropped the glass, for a reflection suddenly stared at her in the Prism, a face which was not her own. The person also possessed red-gold hair, thick waves cascading over her shoulders. A dark indigo cape pulled close around her shoulders; her lips shone a vibrant red, her eyes a vibrant violet. For a moment, Ashlei was reminded of herself, though this person was certainly someone of great importance. Yet she was also the closest thing Ashlei had ever seen to a Fyre. The impossibly beautiful person staring at her must be a Fyre. Ashlei's heart pounded as those piercingly solemn and commanding eyes stared right at her. Seeing she'd commanded Ashlei's full wonder and attention, those crimson lips parted to speak: "Hello, Ashlei."

---

THE PRISM OF ASHLEI description and cover art courtesy of GOODREADS.

I received an electronic copy of THE PRISM OF ASHLEI as part of a blog tour arranged by the TEEN BOOK SCENE.

---

THE TWEET
Escape into the lush world of THE PRISM OF ASHLEI, where a young girl must complete a quest to stop the evil Rachendorf from taking over.

WHAT WORKED
THE PRISM OF ASHLEI is a wonderful story that is easy to escape into for a few hours. For me, it was the perfect "summer read." I loved the lush descriptions of Ashlei's world and the character interaction was great.

What drew me in to THE PRISM OF ASHLEI was the action right from the start. This is a classic adventure story, with a few twists thrown in, that pulls a reader in and doesn't let go until the conclusion of the story. It's fast paced, yet easy to read and understand, despite being set in a very different world from reality.

I liked how the author used a flashback to tell Ashlei's story to Aryl during their initial encounter. Since the story begins with Ashlei having already started on her journey, it was necessary for the author to give some sort of backstory to explain how Ashlei got to that point. The use of a flashback to do this kept the story interesting and was as far away from an info dump as possible.

I also liked how, despite this being part of a series, THE PRISM OF ASHLEI is a complete story with a definite ending (no cliffhanger!). While I appreciate the use of cliffhangers to make readers want to continue with the series, I personally want to read a complete story with an ending. You can still hook readers without having to end a novel suddenly in the middle of an event or story arc.

OVERALL
Fans of fantasy and adventure will enjoy THE PRISM OF ASHLEI. The story itself may be a little conventional, but the fast paced action and adventure keep it interesting.

THE PRISM OF ASHLEI is appropriate for middle grade and teen readers alike.

MY RATING IS

---

Want to win THE GAILEAN QUARTET and have a character named after you? Enter author Christine Schulze's contest HERE.

For more information on THE PRISM OF ASHLEI, THE GAILEAN QUARTET and author Christine Schulze, visit THE GOLDEN HEALER.

---

(Blog Tour) Book Review: THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS

TITLE: THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS

AUTHOR: Jane George

IMPRINT: Red Willow Publishing

PUBLICATION DATE: 15 April 2011

PREVIOUS TITLES IN SERIES: None

When the enigmatic Ringmaster asks 15-year-old Evanja (Evan) Leane to run away and join the circus, she says yes. Anywhere’s got to be better than foster home Number Eight. Evan learns that this ragtag circus, a haven for throwaway teens, relies on more than spectacle and illusion. This circus is built on magic. Each of the teens possesses a donvrai, a true gift, that manifests only in the presence of the Ringmaster’s mysterious Ju-Ju. Unlike many of the other teens who must wait for their donvrai to emerge, Evan’s gift surfaces on her first night: she can read horses’ minds. This would be totally awesome except she has been deathly afraid of horses since foster home Number Three. But circus is a dying art. If Evan wants to save her beloved new-found home, she must concoct a brilliant horse act that will bring in the crowds. And she’d better get over herself and get on with it fast; there’s a traitor close to the Ringmaster who will stop at nothing to make sure she doesn’t succeed.

---

THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS description and cover art courtesy of GOODREADS.

I received an electronic copy of THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS as part of a blog tour arranged by TEEN BOOK SCENE

---

THE TWEET
THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS: an imaginative story of a magical circus, a teen girl w/a special ability & her journey to find a place to belong.

WHAT WORKED
I requested to be part of this tour because the book synopsis said it was about a teen girl who joins a magical circus to get away from an abusive life. Really, what could be better than a circus and a magical one at that? Nothing apparently! THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS was an adventurous novel that gave readers an inside look at circus life. And the magical aspect of the story really drew me into the plot and characters.

Evanje, a.k.a. Evan, is a wonderfully developed character. I was immediately drawn into her story and could empathize with her feelings of wanted to escape her abusive foster home and find a place where she would not only belong, but where she would be truly loved. And she found this at the circus. I especially liked the development of the unconventional family the circus members represented. Even though they were not all related by blood, they stood up for their fellow circus folk and were willing to do anything to help each other. This was a great contrast to the "family" situation that Evan escaped, where she was treated completely opposite.

THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS also contained black and white illustrations that made the story come alive for me. They made the imaginative and magical story seem more real because I would actually see an artist's rendition of the world and people existing in it.

OVERALL
I loved the circus atmosphere described in THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS. The individual characters and their special abilities, or donrovai, were interesting to read about and made THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS an exceptional story.

MY RATING IS

---

For more information on THE MUMBO JUMBO CIRCUS and author Jane George, visit
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER

---

(Blog Tour) Book Review: STUPID FAST

TITLE: STUPID FAST

AUTHOR: Geoff Herbach

IMPRINT: Sourcebooks Fire

PUBLICATION DATE: 1 June 2011

PREVIOUS TITLES IN SERIES: Standalone

Fifteen-year-old Felton Reinstein has always been on the smallish side, but in his sophomore year he starts growing...and growing.

During gym one day he smokes the football jocks in a 600-yard race. Felton has never been interested in sports, but there's no doubt-he is "stupid fast." As he juggles his newfound athletic prowess, his mom's sudden depression, an annoying little brother, and his first love, he discovers a shocking secret about his past which explains why he's turning out the way he is.

---

STUPID FAST description and cover art courtesy of GOODREADS.

I received an ARC of STUPID FAST as part of a blog tour arranged by TEEN BOOK SCENE

---

THE TWEET
STUPID FAST leads readers into the average life of a teenage boy and allows them to see into his thoughts and feelings.

WHAT WORKED
Felton is a somewhat dorky, somewhat nerdy boy, who one day hits the puberty lottery by becoming a tall, "stupid fast" teen. His story (told first person through the eyes of Felton) is genuine and heartfelt, though it can wonder off point at times, yet it really embodies the struggles a male teenager has to go through. Felton is by no means popular, but his fastness garners attention from the more popular crowd, specifically football players, who want to use his ability to their advantage in the game.

STUPID FAST is hardly just about sports though. In his home life, Felton is forced to take on adult responsibilities because of a, physically here, yet still absent, mother, who is struggling with the past and present. Felton takes on a kind of father-figure aspect for his brother, Andrew. I liked how the author, Geoff Herbach, was able to incorporate this serious family dynamic into STUPID FAST, yet still have a good deal of humor throughout the storyline.

OVERALL
STUPID FAST is a great addition to a genre that is lacking in stories based around a main male teenage character. While it may turn off some female readers, STUPID FAST is a good story with an authentic look into the mind of a teenage boy.


MY RATING IS

---

To learn more about STUPID FAST and author Geoff Herbach, visit his WEBSITE

Click HERE to purchase STUPID FAST from The Book Depository.

---

(ARC) Book Review: Darkest Mercy

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Description and cover art courtesy of Goodreads.

Publication Date: 22 February 2011.

I received an ARC of Darkest Mercy from Different Area Codes Book Tour.


Description
The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.


MY THOUGHTS

The Tweet
Darkest Mercy is the final book in the Wicked Lovely series. Author Melissa Marr has written a fantastic and fitting end for her characters.

What Worked (for me):
Like the previous books in this series, Darkest Mercy explores the dangerous and seductive world of faerie and its inhabitants, as well as the humans they come into contact with. Marr has brought all of the characters from the previous books together for the perfect conclusion to their stories. I do not want to give anything away, so I'm afraid this review will be a bit vague and brief, but readers of this series will not be disappointed with the ending that Marr has written for her characters.

The most intriguing thing about the Wicked Lovely series is that Marr has written such great and multi-faceted characters. Even the villains are so well written you can't but help feel some compassion towards them. Throughout the series, Marr has explored the deepest parts of her characters' psyches and revealed their darkest desires. Darkest Mercy continues this tradition and then some.

Overall
Darkest Mercy is a edge of your seat, adventurous ride that left me gasping and wishing for more. My only disappointment is that this is the end of the series, but I have so enjoyed the journey to this point. If you haven't read the Wicked Lovely series yet, you are missing out on one of the best young adult series' written.

MY RATING IS 5 STARS.


Darkest Mercy Book Trailer

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011

In addition to The Story Siren's 2011 Debut Author Challenge, I will be participating in Book Chick City's 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011. It sounds like a great challenge and I'm excited to see if I can make the 100 book mark. For more information on this challenge, visit Book Chick City.

Challenge Details

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011
• Rules - Read 100 or more books in 2011
• All books can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.
• Only print books and ebooks count (no audiobooks).
• You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.
• At the beginning of Jan 2011, I will add a link so you can add your reviews but this is not obligatory.
• You don't have to have a blog to join in - for those without a blog just FILL IN THIS FORM and I will add you to the list - just join the discussion in the comments section to let us know when you've read a book and what you thought of it! :)
• You can also follow each other's progress and chat about the VC books you read on twitter too - just use #100BooksInAYear :)