REVIEW: The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming guise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of a Texas oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera. Photography--and fate--introduce him to Ana, whose family's interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War--as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniel's photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city.

Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys once again shines light into one of history's darkest corners in this epic, heart-wrenching novel about identity, unforgettable love, repercussions of war, and the hidden violence of silence--inspired by the true post-war struggles of Spain. 

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I received a copy of this book via Bookish First

MY THOUGHTS
I'm having difficulty organizing my thoughts for this book. This is a fantastic book, but it also is a difficult book to rate.

This book primarily takes place in Madrid, 1957. It showcases Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and during the Franco dictatorship. It follows five characters. Ana, Rafael, and Julia are siblings. Their parents died after the Spanish Civil War for fighting against Franco (for believing in education free from the church). Rafael works two jobs, a butcher and a gravedigger, and is helping his friend become a bullfighter. Julia works as a seamstress and cares for her infant daughter. Ana works at a hotel, primarily making visiting rich Americans comfortable. Their cousin, Puri, works at a Catholic adoption center caring for the babies there. Unlike her cousins, she did not encounter loss from the Spanish Civil War and believes in the Franco regime. The last viewpoint is Daniel's. Daniel is an American. His family are oil tycoons from Texas, although his mother was originally from Spain. Daniel wants to become a photographer. The book primarily focuses on Daniel and Ana as they strike up a relationship, with occasional short chapters featuring the other characters.

One of my favorite things about Ruta Sepetys' writing is how she captures individuals. The book follows multiple perspectives, but each voice and perspective is unique to that person. She also writes the characters in such a way that they feel authentic and real. Their different perspectives also show how experience affects the viewpoint. Daniel sees the romanticized version of Spain at first, while Ana sees the hardship. Likewise, Puri firmly believes she is doing the right thing and that the nuns are right because of what she is taught.

Sepetys' books are always interesting because they focus on historical events that many Americans know little about--and this book is no different in that case--but the book is never just about the event or the time period. She does a great job of showing both, but by and large, this is about the people living in this situation, and that is what I love. I love being about to see the human aspect of history and humanity in these heart-wrenching situations.

Yes, this book does get heart-wrenching. I expected that going into this book. This book feels like it captures snapshots of what it was like living in this dictatorship as a young person (an apt description considering Daniel's aspirations). The pacing of this book is difficult to place. On one hand, I felt like very little was happening, which is true. The book is made up of small moments that build and build upon one another. Yet, the book did not feel like a slow read. I was drawn into these characters and even when very little was happening, I wanted to read more.

The division of the book was also very interesting. I don't want to give any what happens to divide the book, but I can say that it was done very well and I have not seen a YA book do this in quite the same way.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, this is a wonderfully written book. I loved how Sepetys wrote the characters and explored this setting. This would not be my favorite book of hers, but that's only because she's written so many other fantastic books that the competition is tough! I'm still trying to organize my thoughts about this book, though, and I'll likely be thinking about this book for a while. 

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: I really liked this book!

BLOG TOUR: There Once Were Stars by Melanie McFarlane (REVIEW & GIVEAWAY)

Peace. Love. Order. Dome. That’s the motto that the Order has given the residents of Dome 1618 to live by. Natalia Greyes is a resident of Dome 1618, a covered city protected from the deadly radiation that has poisoned the world outside for four generations. Nat never questioned the Order, until one day she sees a stranger on the outside of the dome. Now Nat wants answers. Is there life outside the dome and if so, what has the Order been hiding from everyone?

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

MY THOUGHTS
There may be a lot of dystopian novels out there (though, the genre is beginning to simmer down), but I still love reading them and there are still so many with new ideas. This one caught my eye from the first time I read the synopsis. This book, while having dystopian themes we are used to, brings a new idea to the table and does a great job.

Nat lives inside a dome with her grandparents. Her family and others has lived in the dome for generations, ever since a disease spread outside and they had to bomb the world to rid of it. Live in the dome is controlled and strict, but the government has their reasons. That doesn't stop Nat from sneaking off into the (forbidden) forest everyday since her parents died. It's on one of these days that she notices two strangers outside her dome. But that can't be possible. There's nothing alive outside the dome, there's too much radiation. That is how her parents died. But Nat will discover the truth behind the two strangers, the dome, and even her parents death.

Like I said, I never seem to tire of dystopians, but there's something about dystopians involving domes that just demand to be read. Maybe it's because of the Gone series, one of all-time favorite series, who knows. Anyway, I thought the world-building in this book was very well-developed. McFarlane described the dome, and even the outside of the dome, very well. I was able to get a clear picture of the world. The history was also explained (slowly, no info-dump here) and made sense.

I liked Nat as a main character. She's a strong and smart MC. She had trouble seeing what was right in front of her at times, especially when it came to the romance, but I liked her as the MC.

The romance was something that I was okay with, but not too wild about. First of all, I would like to mention that while there are two guys interested in Nat, one of them is kind of in the friend-zone and it's obvious from the start, so that wasn't a problem. I also happened to like the love interest. My problem was that the romance was a frustrating boomerang. They would be into each other, then they weren't talking (because they were unsure of "feelings"), and back again. It got tiring, especially when I just want them to get together and kick government butt.

As for the ending, it felt abrupt to me. Though, that may be my fault. I thought I had 20 pages left (ending up being 1 1/2, I was reading an ebook and I guess the page count was off) and I was hurrying to finish it before I had to go somewhere. So I might have rushed it. But I remember thinking "Oh my gosh I'm almost done and so much is happening" only to turn the page to find a few paragraphs left...
Will there be a sequel? Because I want one now.



IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book! I loved the story and I was able to become immersed in the world! The romance bothered at times and I kind of what more books (wish is a good thing), but I overall liked this book. So, I'll keep my eyes peeled for any more books.

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing.

AUTHOR BIO

Melanie McFarlane is a passionate writer of other-wordly adventures, a little excitable, and a little quirky. Whether it’s uncovering the corruption of the future, or traveling to other worlds to save the universe, she jumps in with both hands on her keyboard. Though she can be found obsessing over zombies and orcs from time to time, Melanie focuses her powers on writing young adult stories to keep the rest of the world up reading all night.
She lives with her husband and two daughters in the Land of Living Skies.

Website/ Goodreads/Facebook/ Twitter/Wattpad/Instagram

GIVEAWAY

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

Five (5) ebooks of THERE ONCE WERE STARS

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REVIEW: Saven Disclosure by Siobhan Davis

THE TRUTH CAN'T HIDE FOREVER

To protect Logan, I have no choice but to deceive him. 
But I’m not the only one hiding the truth. 
Will our love survive all the secrets and lies? 

Enemy alien ships crowd the skies over Earth while the world waits with bated breath. The Saven have been exposed, and where once they were abhorred, they are now championed as our greatest ally and our only possible savior.

Logan and Sadie have been separated, and the longer he is gone, the more their love is tested by duty, doubts, and deception.

Sadie and Jarod have infiltrated the highest levels of government, but they are playing a dangerous game. Surrounded by people with conflicting agendas—hell-bent on using her for their own aim—Sadie is confused when the lines between good and evil are blurred. It’s impossible to tell friend from foe, and no one can be trusted.

When the full extent of the experiments taking place in Sector Twenty is disclosed, Sadie can no longer sit back and watch as the lower classes face a horrific fate. Racing to save her loved ones and mankind, she risks her own safety and the love she’s waited a lifetime for to do the right thing.

But no one thought to save her from herself. 

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MY THOUGHTS
Saven Deception was a fantastic start to the series, and I enjoyed it, but this book was even better!

As much as I enjoyed the first book, I enjoyed this one even more! This book felt much more complex and even more action-packed than book one! This book took the ideas from book one even further, giving more of an insight into the Savens! And so much happens in this book! So many twists and turns, and, boy, I didn't see that ending coming!

Like book one, I liked Sadie. Sadie is a fantastic MC, but she is a very different person than she was in book one. In book one we are introduced to a girl who grew up in a horrible environment with a family that didn't love her. Though she was still strong and defiant. In book two, she's even stronger and has an amazing group of friends to help her. All of the characters in this book, good and bad, are well-rounded!

My main problem with book one was the romance. The romance in book one was a bit fast and the on and off again relationship was frustrating. In this book, I actually found the romance less frustrating. I was able to root for them in this book! Though, in true sequel fashion, the couple is separated most of the book.

Annnnnnd, the ending! Man, was that a cliffhanger!


IN CONCLUSION
This was a fantastic sequel! It's not often that you come across a sequel that can beat it's predecessor! I will definitely be continuing this series, especially after that ending, and I look forward to more by Siobhan Davis!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

SST REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: All The Feels by Danika Stone

College freshman Liv is more than just a fangirl: The Starveil movies are her life… So, when her favorite character, Captain Matt Spartan, is killed off at the end of the last movie, Liv Just. Can’t. Deal.

Tired of sitting in her room sobbing, Liv decides to launch an online campaign to bring her beloved hero back to life. With the help of her best friend, Xander, actor and steampunk cosplayer extraordinaire, she creates #SpartanSurvived, a campaign to ignite the fandom. But as her online life succeeds beyond her wildest dreams, Liv is forced to balance that with the pressures of school, her mother’s disapproval, and her (mostly nonexistent and entirely traumatic) romantic life. A trip to DragonCon with Xander might be exactly what she needs to figure out what she really wants. 

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS
To Liv, the Starveil movies are her life. She loves the movies and she's deeply immersed in the fandom, making online vids and online friends who share her deep love of Starveil. She can't wait to see the new Starveil movie, only to find out that her favorite character, Spartan, is killed off. Liv refuses to believe that Spartan is dead, so she decides to prove that he is not dead. She starts an online campaign that shoots across the fandom.

Okay, so when I first heard about this book, I knew I had to read it! I've been in this position before, every fangirl (or boy) has. While with me it was books, not movies, and all I did was kill the author off in my own story, I can relate to Liz. Still, fandoms are such a big part of the world now, so it's exciting to see a book that fully explores it.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. As I mentioned, Liz is relatable. She's also a normal girl. She's not one of those redhead and skinny MCs that are unaware of how beautiful they are (this sums up the MCs of a whole lot of YA). She's a normal girl, just starting college, who spends a majority of her time online. I did think she was a bit whiny and dramatic at times, but other than that, I liked her.

As for supporting characters, I really liked Xander. He's the best. Xander is in a completely different fandom than Liz, and doesn't really understand Starveil, but they are such great friends. Xander actually helps Liz out with #StarveilSurvived and even takes her to DragonCon. I seriously love their friendship. I also liked other various characters, but I love Xander. Though, I will say that Liz's mom annoyed me, because of the things she said about fandoms. I understand why Liz's mom is against fandoms, but she did say some horrible things.

As for romance, there is a very slow romance in the book, so you'll be shipping it for a while. But I actually really liked the romance. It never took over the plot!



IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book! It's a fun book about fandoms, friendship, and more. Also, Xander is awesome! So, pick up this book if you want a fun contemporary featuring fandoms!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Danika Stone is an author, artist, and educator who discovered a passion for writing fiction while in the throes of her Masters thesis. A self-declared bibliophile, Danika now writes novels for both adults (The Intaglio Series and Ctrl Z) and teens (All the Feels). When not writing, Danika can be found hiking in the Rockies, planning grand adventures, and spending far too much time online. She lives with her husband, three sons, and a houseful of imaginary characters in a windy corner of Alberta, Canada.
Ms. Stone is represented by Morty Mint of Mint Literary Agency.

GIVEAWAY:

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REVIEW: LINK by Summer Wier

For seventeen-year-old Kira, there’s no better way to celebrate a birthday than being surrounded by friends and huddled beside a campfire deep in the woods. And with a birthday in the peak of summer, that includes late night swims under the stars.

Or at least, it used to.

Kira’s relaxing contemplation of the universe is interrupted when a piece of it falls, colliding with her and starting a chain of events that could unexpectedly lead to the one thing in her life that's missing—her father.

Tossed into a pieced-together world of carnivals and gypsies, an old-fashioned farmhouse, and the alluring presence of a boy from another planet, Kira discovers she’s been transported to the center of a black hole, and there’s more to the story than science can explain. She’s now linked by starlight to the world inside the darkness. And her star is dying.

If she doesn’t return home before the star’s light disappears and her link breaks, she’ll be trapped forever. But she’s not the only one ensnared, and with time running out, she’ll have to find a way to save a part of her past and a part of her future, or risk losing everything she loves... 

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I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for a honest review

MY THOUGHTS

This book sounded really interesting, so I decided to pick it up! This book is a very interesting sci-fi, and wasn't what I expected, but still an interesting book. Some aspects of it fell short for me, but I still liked this book.

Kira is celebrating her birthday with her friends when a piece of the sky hits her. Literally. Now instead of dreams, Kira sleeps into another world. An odd one populated by only a handful of people, including a boy that Kira can't help but be interested in (despite her long crush on one of her friends). Kira quickly founds out that her dreams, and the boy, are real and that there's a real danger that she could be stuck in this other world. While Kira and her friends try to piece things together she will find more than she expected, including information on her father who went missing years ago.

I loved how interesting this book was! So much science and still so unique! I love the idea of parallel universes (pretty much my favorite thing to read in books, ever), while this was not about parallel worlds, it was very similar. The idea of the other worlds, black holes, and the dream factor was very interesting! Still, while I loved the idea, some parts I had a hard time believing. For example: <highlight to view spoiler>While the other worlds like Earth idea is really cool, it was hard to believe that Kira was not from Earth. I can believe, in fact I do believe, that it's possible for humans to inhabit other planets, but I have a hard time believing that the societies and language will be so similar that you could assume for a majority of the book that Kira is from Earth.<end of spoiler>

The characters in this book were great and I liked them. Though, they felt a bit like you're average YA characters to me, not that that's a bad thing. So, really, there's not much I can say about them. Though I did like how Kira didn't keep her friends in the dark, like most MCs in YA.

As for romance, it was just strange. I'm about confused by if there was a love triangle. I liked Zane, Kira's friend, and their romance felt entirely realistic. It was a cute friend to more relationship. Evan, the boy from the other world, confused me. I liked him and it seemed like there was supposed to be something there, but it fell flat. It was really unclear and ,honestly, a bit unbelievable.

IN CONCLUSION
Overalll, I did like this book. Some factor fell flat, but this book has a very interesting and unique storyline. I'm curious to see where the rest of the series will go.

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it.

REVIEW: Saven: Deception by Siobhan Davis

I’ve fallen hard for an alien, but he’s harboring secrets.
Massive secrets that threaten the very essence of humanity.
How can I give him my heart when his race plans on taking my future?

Sadie Owens has been slowly dying inside. Bit by bit, piece by piece, day by day. Trapped in a life she hates, she relies on only one person—herself.

Despised by her family and betrayed by an unscrupulous government, Sadie dreams of a different life. When she is chosen to participate in the government’s new social experiment, she is ecstatic at the prospect of spending six months in Thalassic City, the shiny new city under the sea.

Immediately drawn to Logan Chandler, Sadie is captivated by the beautiful boy with the ocean-blue eyes. Logan seems to embody everything that has been forbidden, but he isn’t all he appears to be.

Confused over Logan’s true intentions and concerned when best friend Jenna starts transforming in front of her eyes, Sadie partners with newcomer Jarod in a bid to uncover the government’s real agenda. The truth is more shocking than anything she could ever have imagined.

When Sadie finally understands why the Saven walk among us, will it be too late to save her heart and the human race?

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I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS
I adore Siobhan Davis' True Calling series, so of course I immediately added this one to my TBR list. I didn't enjoy this as much as her previous series, but I still really liked it. It's a great sci-fi and dystopian book that brings a new story to the genre!

Sadie Owens is a Star, the lowest and most populated class in her society. She's forced to work at a young age and she's not even allowed to ever get married or have children. Her family also doesn't like her, at all. Sadie sees her life as a hell, so when she's chosen to participate in a new experiment by living in Thalassic City for 6 months. She's immediately drawn to Logan and begins having online conversations with him, but she begins to question his intentions. But Sadie has bigger problems. Her new friend has been changing, acting strange, and hanging around someone that Sadie doesn't truth. Sadie also begins to question what the truth behind the experiment it and begins digging for information. What she discovers will shock her.

I have a love for dystopians and sci-fi, but sometimes they all seem the same. That was not the case with this book. Same things like class system and suspicious government were in the book, as that's generally involved in most dystopians, but the plot of this book is a little bit different. One word: Aliens. Let me just say, I love books with aliens in them. I have a minor obsession with aliens and it's one of my favorite things to read about in books. Besides the aliens and maybe because of the aliens, the whole idea behind the experiment and the government secrets and the way it was approached was great.

As for characters, Sadie was a great MC. She really did have a horrible life, so I could automatically root for her to find a better life. She's also a really great friend.  This book had a large variety of other minor characters. Usually having a lot of different characters in a book makes it confusing and hard to connect to, but it actually made the characters more round and the story more developed.

The main reason why I didn't enjoy this book as much as the True Calling series is because of the romance. The romance wasn't insta-love, more like insta-attraction, though it still felt a bit fast. That didn't bother me as much as the back-and-forth motions throughout the book. Logan wanted to be with her, then pushed her away, and then he wanted to be with her again. It got a bit frustrating, which Sadie also felt. As the book went on, I became less upset with the romance,, especially as the plot and the action began to take more of the spotlight.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I really did like this book. I think it's a fantastic start to a new sci-fi series! Besides some issues with the romance, I enjoyed this book! I recommend this to fans of dystopian, sci-fi, and aliens!

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing.

REVIEW: A Gift of Poison by Kate Avery Ellison

Steampunk. Romance. Dragons. A new novel by bestselling author Kate Avery Ellison. 

As the orphaned niece of a cruel lord, Briand is the scapegoat of the castle. She has few friends and even fewer options, and every day is a struggle to stay ahead of trouble caused by malicious guards and irritable castle servants. 

Briand is set to be banished to the wildlands, a death sentence, when she when she accidentally unlocks a hidden power and involves herself in a rebel plot and her life abruptly changes. 

Imprisoned in the company of a band of rebels, Briand must do what seems impossible: call up sleeping dragons in the north. But the fearsome Prince's assassins called Seekers are looking for her, Briand doesn't know if she can trust the mysterious, enigmatic rebel leader Kael, and there might be a traitor in the rebels' midst.

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I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS
I adore Kate Avery Ellison's books and she's one of my favorite indie authors, so I was quite happy to read another one of her books!

This book is about a girl named Briand. She lives with her uncle in his castle, and he hates her. In fact everyone seems to hate her and she's always getting into trouble. If she causes any trouble, she'll be banished and sentenced to death. After a trap is set for her, that's exactly what will happen.Except, she accidentally ends up unlocking an ability that can basically save their country from a tyrant rule. Now, she must travel with rebels, figure out this ability of hers, while all the while avoiding those who want her dead.

I've read The Season of Lightning, which takes place in the same universe, so some of this world was familiar. But this book was very different! First off, this book has dragons, so that right there is awesome. Also, this book focuses on different countries and just a completely different storyline. I thought the world was very developed and it felt like a very real fantasy world, if that makes any sense.

You can't but feel a little bit sorry for Briand, because she got all the short straws in life, but she would probably hate us feeling sorry for her. Despite her circumstances, and maybe because of her circumstances, she's very strong. Though, she knows to ask for help when she needs it. The other characters were interesting in how they interacted with her, mostly because they all hated her at first. I though it was interesting seeing them slowly loose their dislike towards her.

As for romance, there wasn't any! There were moments where it seemed like there would be moments that the romance would appear, but no. It never went anywhere.

My main pet peeve with this book is the ending. The ending felt rushed and then abrupt. It seemed like there should've been a bit more, at least. I'm kind of curious is any of the characters appear in The Season of Lightning, but I read it before this book and I really can't remember.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I did enjoy this book, which didn't surprise me! This was a fantastic fantasy, and while I had issues with the ending, I enjoyed everything else! I really recommend any of Kate Avery Ellison's books and you bet I'll be reading more of her books!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!