GIVEAWAY! Dark Lands: Requiem by Lyn I. Kelly

Dante Alighieri, in his Divine Comedy, colored a view of Purgatory that has long reigned in the imagination. To some, Purgatory is a place where purification happens and redemption can be found. To others, it is a space for tortured souls living in limbo. All agree, though, that Dante is the definitive source for that world.

In his new book Dark Lands: Requiem, author Lyn I. Kelly offers a new twist on a tale of good versus evil in a setting seemingly nearby Dante’s Purgatory. A culmination of Kelly’s lifelong love of writing and quest to bring unique stories to the public, the story follows a brother and sister as they wake to find themselves in a land existing between life, death, and time, where the fate of the universe hangs in the balance.

“I started contemplating the idea of this other world of which we are completely ignorant, where the fate of our world is eternally in play between the most benevolent and most wretched souls to have ever lived,” Kelly said. “I began to flesh out the idea, and Dark Lands: Requiem was born.”

While Kelly has been creating unique stories his entire life for comics and other periodicals, Dark Lands: Requiem is his first novel. He feels strongly that the fantasy genre has enough witches, zombies, werewolves, and vampires to go around, but there is always room for something new. He set out to find a fresh take where everything previously known is suspended in constant turmoil.  

“Independent authors like myself have creativity to add to the marketplace.Dark Lands: Requiem is different in that it does not offer warring factions of vampires and werewolves or an authoritarian government determined to crush all resistance, nor does it take place during any kind of apocalypse,” Kelly said.

For more information, visit lynikelly.wordpress.com.

Dark Lands: Requiem

By Lyn I. Kelly

ISBN: 978-1-4834-3423-0


Available in softcover, hardcover, e-book

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and LULU

Lyn I. Kelly is a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin. Writing since the age of eleven, he has been published in Diamond Comics, Newsweekand more. When he’s not writing or spending time with his wife and four children, he is also a marathoner. Kelly resides in Keller, Texas. Dark Lands: Requiem is his first novel.

And since you stick with us until the end, here is a giveaway for you guys!

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Cover Reveal: Perfekt Control by S.T. Bende

PERFEKT CONTROL

THE ÆRE SAGA: BOOK TWO

By: S.T. Bende

Genre: Upper YA Paranormal/Fantasy (Norse Mythology)

Perfekt Control is an Upper YA Paranormal/Fantasy Norse Mythology that will be released on February 9, 2016. It is the sequel to Perfekt Order: The ÆRE Saga Book One.

Book Blurb for Perfekt Control

Rule the realms.

Brynn Aksel is a valkyrie—a battle goddess tasked with protecting both the God of War and the future of Asgard. She fends off giants and dark elves with an iron fist, a glossy smile, and no less than perfekt control. She’s focused one-hundred-percent on rising through the valkyrie ranks, and not at all on her lifelong crush on Henrik Andersson—the one guy in all the realms who could be her undoing.

Henrik serves as War’s other bodyguard, and he’s too focused on protecting their shared charge to realize that Brynn’s a girl. When an unprecedented surge of darkness abducts the Goddess of Love, Brynn’s already-steely focus is singularly directed on her new assignment—accompany Henrik to recover the realms’ source of light before the cosmos descends into chaos.

While battling demons, dragons, and the not-quite-dead, it becomes clear that immortality does not equal invincibility. And when Hel herself puts a hit on Brynn, the valkyrie has to decide if staying in control is worth losing everything . . . or if it’s time to rule the realms.

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ADD PERFEKT CONTROL TO YOUR GOODREADS TBR

Before finding domestic bliss in suburbia, S.T. Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (became overly fond of Peet’s Coffee) and Europe… where she became overly fond of McVities cookies. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher inspired the books of The Elsker Saga and The Ære Saga. She hopes her characters make you smile and that one day, waffles will be considered a health food.

Find S.T. on Twitter @stbende, her website (www.stbende.com), or send her an e-mail. While you're at it, introduce yourself to @UllMyhr and @TyrFredriksen -- when they’re not saving the cosmos from dark elves, they love meeting new friends . . . especially the human kind.

Want to connect with fellow Norse god fans? S.T.'s readers have created a Facebook group! Head over to the RagnaRockstars page to chat with other readers, talk with S.T., and get access to exclusive content... including Ull POVs and sneak peeks at upcoming Ære Saga books!

AUTHOR LINKS

Connect with ST Bende at:

WEBSITE | AMAZON | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WATTPAD | GOODREADS

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Skål, y’all!

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Book Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

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Published by: Harper Teen on July 2nd 2013

Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, ChickLit, Realistic Fiction

Pages: 312

Format: Paperback

Book Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Let me tell you this, the story is SO cliche. BUT, for all the hopeless romantics out there, you'll like it as much as I do. I mean I say that a lot don't I? Me loving a book? Well anyways, I love how simple the storyline is. As a reader, I often look for a different genre, or a more complex plot than what this one had, but it is a good refresher. Life is great after all.

I think Kasie West is trying to stick to these type of contemporary, isn't she? The cliche ones? I've also read On the Fence and that's how I feel about it too. Cliche. But I don't mind. Every once in a while you will need a book with less drama and too much adorableness in it. The Distance Between Us is adorable in a way that it's not too sweet, because often times Caymen's character is very much sarcastic and headstrong. And that's what I like best about her character. She's not the typical type of teenager that goes head over heels in front of a rich handsome guy, but rather goes crazy in her mind. I hate those over-the-top girls. And she's a responsible daughter too. Xander on the other hand is such a cutie. He's your typical dream guy. He is rich, handsome, and a gentleman. He's the guy who doesn't care whether you're rich or poor. He's the guy you've been searching all your life (Kidding, that one's a bit over the top xx) Cliche, but sweet. I liked his character but not as much as I did like Caymen's because he is predictable. He never changed from the beginning until the last page. Although I must say, I wouldn't change a thing about this guy because he already started as a good guy in this story, why ruin it? I just hoped that Kasie West had a twist to his character or maybe a better character development. But he's good. He passed. He's definitely swoon-worthy. HAHA.

Oooh, and I remember something. Their pre-sipping of drinks is TOTALLY GOALS! *insert heart emojis* If you don't understand what I'm saying, I think an excerpt would be helpful.

"Monday morning I wave good-bye to my mom and open the front door to the shop. As I walk toward school, I notice a sports car that looks just like Xander’s parked a few doors down. I bend over to look inside, and when I straighten up again Xander is on my opposite side. I jump. He hands me a cup of hot chocolate and takes a sip from his cup.
I look at the cup—the same as yesterday’s. “I only want this if you drank out of it first,” I say, refusing to say, “What are you doing here?” That might give away that I care.
He grabs the cup from me, takes a drink then hands it back."

See? I adore how Xander doesn't really mind at all especially because he's a guy and guys tend to be weirded out by those things. HAHA. All that pre-sipping rituals are seen throughout the book so I suggest you take a look for yourself!

All in all the ride through this whole book is totally enjoyable. The romance is light, and fun. It'll make you smile unconsciously at times. The family stuff is a bit serious though.

Because the last page was so open ended and I did not really like that. Not all of the conflicts were resolved. But I liked the romance! I liked the characters too.

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Semestral Break Reads!

Yey! So semestral break just came for me, and of course the best way to celebrate is READING! I've already started some books over the months that I haven't posted, but none of them I finished. Soooo, I am probably going to try and finish them all.

The first book, which I am actually about to finish is THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US by Kasie West. Hmm. Not much to talk about this one since I will be posting a review after I finish reading it along with ON THE FENCE which is also by Kasie West. I finished On the Fence a long time ago but haven't had the chance to post a review due to hectic schedule. SO now, that I have three weeks free! I will be making it up to you with all those reviews.

I also just finished reading P.S. I Still Love You yesterday. A book I started reading just last Monday. So it was a pretty fast read. I will be posting a review soon as well. But I am telling you, you might want to bring some tissue while reading. You don't want your book to be soaked with tears. Or maybe it's just me. HAHA.

I will also be trying to read a lot more because as it say on my Goodreads account, I am 23 books behind my schedule. Sooo, should I read 23 books this semestral break? Nah kidding. I can't do that. Well, I can if I don't eat or move at all. JUST READ. Here are some of the books that I wanted to read for this break.

On top of my list is Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl. It will be a completely different genre from the book I last read buuuuut, I am a huge fan of Black Widow! Especially when Scarlett Johanson portrayed her role in the Avengers. So, with that said, I am really looking forward to read this gem of a book.

Next is The Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz because who doesn't want to read a book from every villain's perspective? Ugh. This is super amazing I bet.

Not sure about these next two books actually, but I wanted to read The 5th Wave and Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey before the movie comes out on 2016. And I am pretty sure that when 2016 comes, I'll be super busy and won't have time to read these two. So I am planning to read them earlier. But like I said, I am not so sure yet.

Now this I've been wanting to read for so long because Regan from Peruse Project loves it! And I think Kat from Katytastic said she did too. So I'm not gonna lie, this is an impulse read. I personally don't know what this trilogy is about but I know that this will be a great read for the upcoming halloween. 

Now that is about it for this post. I hope that you guys enjoyed reading, and probably get some ideas on what to read for this month too. Will be posting another one soon. Goodbyiiieeeeeeeeeee!

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Book Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

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Published by: Harper Teen on March 9th 2010

Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery, Fiction

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Book Blurb:

Taylor Markham was eleven when her mother abandoned her on the Jellicoe Road. At seventeen, she finds herself in a similar situation when her guardian Hannah, who found her on the Jellicoe Road, suddenly disappeared. Taylor's only clue is a manuscript about five kids that lived in Jellicoe eighteen years ago. As if leading the boarders of Jellicoe School isn't already stressful, she is now forced to face her past. Taylor untangles her problems one by one, leaving her with more questions about her recurring dream of a boy in a tree and surprisingly, the intimidating Cadet leader Jonah Griggs.

Trigger warnings for Jellicoe Road: abandonment, teenage sex, drugs

Jellicoe Road holds a lot of depth.

I heard a lot about Jellicoe Road through readers that I met on the internet as well as my favorite booktubers. It struck me as interesting, and I find myself checking out at a local bookstore’s cashier with Jellicoe Road on my basket of books.

Confusion was the first thing that I had to conquer as soon as I read the few pages of the book. I’ve never read anything in its genre and I felt as if it’s written in a very cryptic way. I didn't know whose perspective I'm reading, and it skips from one story to another. I didn’t think I was ready to read it so I placed it back on my shelf and let it stay there for months. But last week, as I was re-arranging my book shelf, I stumbled upon it again as if it’s calling me to read it. At that time, I wasn’t really reading anything so I thought I should give it another try. Though my feelings about Jellicoe Road remained conflicted, I read it continuously. I immersed myself in the book without pressuring myself to finish it quickly. I took my time to understand and absorb everything. And right now, it was one of the best decisions I made.

Amazed. This was what I felt after finishing Jellicoe Road. I couldn’t believe what I just read. It wasn’t extraordinary in a “Wow!” or “Oh my God” way, but the book tells you the story in a way that it would end up leaving a mark in your heart. I admire how Melina Marchetta weaved the story of the past and the present. Again, I must reiterate that reading the first several pages of the book might be confusing. It talks about townies and cadets, territorial wars─ all in a boarding school setting. Not sure if reading the excerpt at the back of the book will help, but I suggest you read it blindly. It’s the best experience.

This book made me feel all kinds of emotion. Not just happy and sad, but also frustrated, annoyed, angry, heartbroken and more. For someone who does not easily break or cry, I may have shed more than a bucket of tears for this one. Jellicoe Road is a beautifully crafted novel that you should not pass on.

The character developments also played a huge role in this one. All of the characters share similar issues, they are neglected teens. So naturally as a reader, I was looking forward to their backstory. What made their characters turn out this way? What should I look forward to? Will the character be the same throughout the novel? Because Jellicoe Road is full of twist and turns, each character’s journey was so meaningful and real.

Another warning that I should address is the fact that I am deeply in love with this book, but I do not think everyone will enjoy it. For someone to appreciate this book at the utmost level, one should be fully immersed in it. No other distractions while reading Jellicoe Road. As I’ve mentioned earlier, it can feel cryptic at times. It was written lyrically and the plot can be a bit heavy to handle. If you are up to that, then this book is for you.

To end this review, I must say that Jellicoe Road is very much deserving of its Printz Award. It is a rollercoaster ride that I never thought I would take, but gladly did. I will certainly keep in mind to recommend it to those who are open for discussions about it.

I would give this a hundred stars if I could.

Melina Marchetta was born in Sydney Australia. She gained a lot of recognition from her first novel, Looking for Alibrandi, which was made into a major Australian film in the year 2000. It won th Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film and Best Screenplay which Marchetta also wrote. She continued releasing hit novels such as Saving Francesca, On the Jellicoe Road, Finnikin of the Rock, The Piper's Son, and Froi of the Exiles. 

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