Release Day Celebration: Loop - Karen Akins

Loop by Karen Akins

Loop #1

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

At a school where Quantum Paradox 101 is a required course and history field trips are literal, sixteen year-old time traveler Bree Bennis excels…at screwing up.

After Bree botches a solo midterm to the 21st century by accidentally taking a boy hostage (a teensy snafu), she stands to lose her scholarship. But when Bree sneaks back to talk the kid into keeping his yap shut, she doesn’t go back far enough. The boy, Finn, now three years older and hot as a solar flare, is convinced he’s in love with Bree, or rather, a future version of her that doesn’t think he’s a complete pain in the arse. To make matters worse, she inadvertently transports him back to the 23rd century with her. 

Once home, Bree discovers that a recent rash of accidents at her school are anything but accidental. Someone is attacking time travelers. As Bree and her temporal tagalong uncover seemingly unconnected clues—a broken bracelet, a missing data file, the art heist of the millennium—that lead to the person responsible, she alone has the knowledge to piece the puzzle together. Knowledge only one other person has. Her future self.

But when those closest to her become the next victims, Bree realizes the attacker is willing to do anything to stop her. In the past, present, or future. 

Loop on Goodreads - Barnes and Noble - Amazon.com


Praise:
"A creative take on romance in a high-stakes, high-concept mystery that trusts its readers' intelligence." - Kirkus.

"Loop is a page-turning adventure with some brilliant and original twists to the time travel genre. I devoured the entire book in one sitting!" - Julie Cross, Author of the Tempest series.

"Hilarious and suspenseful with a delicious dash of romance, Loop is a mind-bending good time!" - Melissa Landers, Author of the Alienated series.

About The Author

Karen Akins lives in the MidSouth where she writes humorous, light YA sci-fi. When not writing or reading, she loves lightsaber dueling with her two sons and forcing her husband to watch BBC shows with her. 

Karen has been many things in her life: an archery instructor, drummer for the shortest-lived garage band in history, and a shockingly bad tic-tac-toe player.

Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads - Tumblr - Instagram - Pinterest - Wattpad

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Kyra_x

Review: Desperate Reflections - Shay West

Ok guys, first up there is some major spoilers for the first two books in this review, and second, if you have absolutely no idea what will happen, look away now. (However, I think what I say is kind of a given). You've been warned...

Alex's powers are steadily growing as she experiments with them and learns more about what she can do. In this book, we see her struggle dramatically with the weight of responsibility put on her by her powers as well as having more family issues to deal with when her mother begins dating again. The tension builds as things get a lot more personal with Drifter and his Master. Alex seeks out some old friends and finally gets the help she has been sorely lacking in. Her life is getting ever more dangerous, and Drifter gets ever more desperate to end her life.

Wow, what a finale. The tension is ridiculous in this book and the emotions are soaring. The thing I told you I was waiting for in the last review? It totally happened and I couldn't be happier. Turns out it was kind of integral that it did and it works out ever so well. It's pure awesome. As said before, you can guess some of the plot, however in this book you can't guess all of it. You're sitting there, entranced, wondering how on earth Alex is going to survive all this.

Ok, there are a couple of things nagging at me. Alex yet again doesn't develop hugely as a character apart from with the whole family thing, but it isn't such a huge development and nothing actually feels life-altering. She will still be the same girl and act in the same way after this book. This is alright really as the pacing and the rest of the plot carry this through, but some extra character arc would have been quite nice.

The other? The mantra. By this point 'Get a grip, Alex' is being used so frequently as Alex begins to completely freak out that it actually begins to grate on you. There are only so many times you can read the exact same sentence before it becomes really boring and kind of annoying. Sometimes it's good to mix up phrasing!

So this book has a great ending. It's full of emotion and has been built up slowly through the books to get to this one final showdown. The book actually gets pretty terrifying as things get very real very quickly. It's no longer about time travel.. it's about a sadistic madman tracking down a teenage girl so he can kill her. I loved that her two lives pretty much collide in this last book. It is a very fulfilling ending, I loved how it played out and how everything came together.

Desperate Reflections on Goodreads

Kyra_x

Review: Twisted Reflections - Shay West

As if Alex didn't have enough to deal with, the evil prescence that precedes her into the past now definitely wants to kill her. This time she discovers something new though; another traveller.

I was once again immersed into Alex's world as she tries to balance friendship, work and boys with her supernatural time travel powers. The threat to her life is becoming more apparent, and her powers are also growing as she realises she is capable of more than she expected.

In this, the second book in The Adventures of Alexis Davenport, we discover more about the evil men and Alex's worries keep on piling up. Admittedly, I kind of guessed a lot about who these people were so nothing really came as a shock to me as there were a few hints given out beforehand. I couldn't get over how brilliant this book would be for teens as the pace is very fast and it has all of the same worries that young adults do at that age. However, this does begin to verge on the more adult side as it delves into sex, stress and work.

Alex as a character hasn't really grown too much in this book. Sometimes it even feels as if she takes one step back in her development as she begins to make the same mistakes that she did in the first book, especially towards the end of the story.

As always, the historical part was really interesting. This time Alex takes a trip to Ancient Egypt, Thebes and 1980's Scotland, so it's pretty varied! She is an important figure in both of the ancient places she is taken to, being Tutunkhamun's queen and a Spartan Princess, and finds herself in situations that some of us may recognise from history.

There are a few things that I am just dying to see happen. Again, the story is pretty easy for me to suss out, but perhaps a teenager will simply enjoy the reading rather than get dragged into thinking things through too much. I am wondering whether I will be right again, so I can't wait to get my hands on the final book.

I love this series. It is so readable, interesting and very enjoyable despite my small issues. This book sets up perfectly for the finale.

Twisted Reflections on Goodreads

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #22 - Book Genres I Want To See More Of

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

So the following book genres I would really like to see more of:

1. ZomRomCom
I loved reading Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion and I think there should be more horror, comedy romance mash-ups. The Zombie thing may be dead and gone (sorry!) but I bet there are better genres to tread through.

2. Classic Retellings, Sequels and Prequels
There needs to be more sequels and prequels of the classics. Death Comes to Pemberley was a great idea, and Wide Sargasso Sea is pretty popular too. I think there needs to be more of that in the world. Maybe we should begin to explore other classics though. I don't think I've ever seen one for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?

3. Asian Folklore
There are some really weird Asian Folklore monsters out there and I would love for more people to take those and mix it up a bit.

4. Alternate History Sci-fi
Don't tell me you wouldn't like to know how Queen Victoria would have reacted to aliens on her doorstep?

5. Sci-fi Dystopian
I love sci-fi, I love dystopia, and I love it when they merge to create some truly awesome books set in an alien world with that same dystopian society I know and love.

6. Clockpunk
Think Steampunk, then replace anything steam with clockwork and you're sorted. Maybe add some sci-fi and you've got a Doctor Who episode right there. But honestly, I love the idea of clockwork machines and evil mechanisms, and the Victorian setting is always awesome.

7. Historical Fantasy
I've read a few of these and I really like it! The whole idea of magic in a very well-known age is awesome to me and I like to see it linked in to reality well enough to make you question it. When something I linked into a historical event is when things really kick off. Imagine that perhaps Anne Boleyn really was a witch? Now that would be a cool story.

8. YA Time Travel
I've recently finished a really great series in this exact genre and I loved it! A mixture of time travel and teen emotion actually works quite well and keeps things very interesting.

9. Fantasy Detective
I don't read much in the way of detective novels or PI novels, but I will gladly pick one up if there's magical or paranormal creatures involved.

10. Mythological Fiction
I know there's tons of books that currently fit this category and the market is saturated, but I want a new take. I want some really strange, really cool fiction. Think American Gods by Neil Gaiman, or a really old folklore or myth that is seldom used. Personally, I'd like to learn more about the Egyptian gods and fiction is a really easy and enjoyable way to do that.

If you're wondering about my choice of images, these are all extra examples that I've mentioned in previous posts and reviews.

What genres would you like to see more of? Do you agree with my list?

Kyra_x

Review: Dangerous Reflections - Shay West

Alexis Davenport begins seeing other faces in the mirror, faces that are not her own. When she inadvertently bets transported to Medieval Ireland and averts a small disaster, she quickly realises that she has the power to travel back in time. Her life is already complicated, and now her new home and boy drama are conflicting badly with her new-found gift. That's not even mentioning the shady, evil character who is meddling with time, and it seems like Alex is the only one who can stop him.

This book flew by in a blur for me. It had so much packed into it, everything to make it the ultimate teen read; magic, boys, confusion, parent issues, good friendships and a flowing, fast-paced narrative. I loved the massive amount of drama in this book - not only the brushes with history, which were great - but also those to do with moving to a new place, bullies and boys.

As characters go, not too many stood out for me apart from Alexis and her small group of friends. Even then, it was Alex that took centre-stage and only a couple of others stood out. I would have liked to see more of her friends in this book and have them explored a bit more thoroughly. Maybe this is done in the second book. Alex is not without her faults; she's selfish, easily jealous and unthinking when it comes to other's feelings. However, this doesn't make me like her any less. Let's face it, at her age, we are all like that; we all don't understand why our parents would act the way they do, we think everything is unfair and our hormones are going so crazy that our emotions flit from one to another like bees around flowers. In that way, the author has built a character we can all empathise with, who has a good heart and who quickly realises her mistakes. I loved the way she gained confidence and the ability to deal well with difficult situations - her character arc is subtle, and yet it really hits home after you read it.

The time travel element is fascinating and I loved the way it worked. Thankfully there were no loose ends in the explanation, but there was a hint of something more to come as Alex's powers develop. I loved the situations Alex found herself in and the amazing way she dealt with them, using her knowledge of history to ensure the timeline stays the same. You get the feeling that a lot of research has gone into these parts as you are truly transported to each of the times and places.

There was one thing that I did not like, and I am sure most people will agree with me here, the absolutely major cliffhanger ending. I turned the page, fully expecting there to be more story, only to be greeted with more titles from Shay West. My mouth must have fallen open and I just sat there a little bit confused. It honestly seemed like half the book had just been ripped away from me! OK, so this really makes me want to read the second book (Twisted Reflections) but most of the time I like the story to round its-self off as a whole instead of leaving the entire thing gaping like a wound.

Despite the ending, this was a great read. It's fast, shows a teenage viewpoint beautifully and it has just the right mixture of action, angst and fun. I need the second book right now.

Dangerous Reflections on Goodreads
Dangerous Reflections on Amazon.com
Dangerous Reflections on Amazon.co.uk

Thank you to Pamela Labbe at Booktrope Publishing for the review request and to Shay West for writing this great piece of fiction. This has not affected my rating.

Kyra_x

New Release: Highland Passage - J.L. Jarvis

Highland Passage by J.L. Jarvis

Publisher: Bookbinder Press

Release date: July 26, 2014

Genre: Romance, Time Travel

Synopsis:
Mackenzie Cooper has had it with romance. On her way home from another blind date arranged by her well-meaning sister, she is caught in a snowstorm. While maneuvering the twists and turns of the icy road, Mackenzie loses control of her car and crashes into the rocky hillside.

When a rugged Scotsman pulls her to safety, Mackenzie is sure she must be hallucinating. Through the storms fury, he takes her to shelter in one of the mysterious stone chambers scattered throughout Putnam County, New York. Snowbound, Mackenzie must wait out the storm with this strange, kilted man who claims to be a Highlander from eighteenth-century Scotland. By morning, she not only believes Ciaran MacRae's story but has also lost her heart just in time for him to kiss her, promise his love and then vanish.

Unable to forget him, Mackenzie returns again and again to the stone chamber, hoping to unlock the secret of Ciaran's disappearance. But if she does, she will have to decide whether her fierce feelings for Ciaran are worth abandoning all that she knows to travel through time to find her gallant Scotsman.

In addition to being available in print at major online booksellers, Highland Passage is also available as an ebook exclusively through Amazon for sale and for free as part of Amazon's new Kindle Unlimited program.

Author Bio:
J.L. lives on a mountaintop in New York. You can join her online:
Facebook - Twitter - Tumblr - Pinterest - Her Blog

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #11 - Topics I Love Reading About

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

Topics I Love Reading About:

1. Time Travel
Time Travel has so much potential. You can add to events that have already happened or invent a futuristic world, you can change events and affect timelines, you can give accounts of prehistory and you can make it completely silly if you want to. Characters have so many fascinating moral questions to ask themselves when it comes to this topic, and there can be so many loyalties and ties. A huge topic that never gets old.

2. Hidden Worlds
There are so many books out there with hidden worlds in, and yes, mostly they're supernatural or paranormal in origin, and I love that. Neverwhere, The City's Son, Mortal Instruments, Rivers of London, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Ingo.. the list never ends. There are so many ideas and so much inspiration, I don't think I'll run out of reading for this topic, either.

3. Supernatural Powers
Throw me a book with someone who has weird powers, or with someone who discovers a paranormal creature and I will guzzle it down. Every Other Day, Runemarks, The Body Finder, Impostor, Some Quiet Place, Between the Lives; these are all examples of this idea being worked to very different effects. Some of these I haven't read yet. and I really can't wait!

4. A Spin on a Classic
Recently I've fallen out of love with Fairytale spins and now I want something a bit different; I want classic tale spins. I've seen a few about Peter Pan, such as Alias Hook and Tiger Lily, and a couple of Oliver Twist; Dodger, The Artful and Olivia Twisted being a couple of examples. Broom with a View caught me by surprise, being a witchy retelling of Room With a View. I can't wait to get started on Splintered by A.G Howard for her take on Alice in Wonderland. I wonder how many more takes on a classic I can find!

5. Strong Female Characters
Simply the idea of a kick-ass heroine is my cup of tea. Think Lyra from His Dark Materials, Celaena from Throne of Glass, Vin from the Mistborn series or Arya from Game of Thrones; these are the kind of girls I like to see.

6. Assassins and Murders
Speaking of Throne of Glass, and Game of Thrones, I love a bit of action and violence. I even like a bit of blood, as long as it doesn't make me gag while I'm reading it. I find it really easy to write as well, but enough of that. Assassins and Murder make for a really interesting book, full of important moral questions and difficult decisions for characters. It's tough for me not to like a book that runs deeper through the human nature. Another good series to read would be His Fair Assassin as well, that also has a bit of religion thrown in for good measure.

7. Steampunk
Every steampunk-style book I've read so far has been great! I love the Victorian era and the addition of creepy cogs and steam power. But I love it even more when someone takes the genre and twists it further to combine with another one. Take The Infernal Devices, for example. This is primarily a sort of supernatural style book, but add in a few creepy machines and a Victorian setting, and you get something quite different to Cassandra Clare's other series, The Mortal Instruments. Or The Silver Sickle, where the steampunk leanings really add something special to the sci-fi setting.

8. Dystopian Settings
I'm a sucker for dystopia. I love the classics like 1984 and Brave New World, but some of the YA dystopian fiction is pure genius. Among my favourites are The Hunger Games, The Selection, Maze Runner, Wither and The Handmaid's Tale. I find it so interesting that so many people have ideas about who the world could be. So many thought What If..? and came up with answers that many people couldn't dream of. I love the fact that the dystopian genre is a way of getting concerns out in the open. Take Breathe, for example, the question asked is: What if we got rid of all the trees? Lo and behold, the world left behind is imperfect and imbalanced, with a minuscule population forced to live in huge bubbles because without them they would die in the earth's atmosphere. It really makes you stop and think about the big issues.

9. Fantasy Creatures
So Vampires and Zombies are off the cards for now, but I'm not bored of witches yet, or trolls, or goblins, or banshees, or fairies (yet, my limit is coming up soon), or even ghosts. I'd just like to see something original and a bit strange, which is why I find The Soul Screamers series, the Trylle Series and  Stolen Songbird so intriguing. There's something great about the lesser known paranormal entities coming to the fore.

10. Fairytale Elements
I may have lied slightly about being sick of fairy tales. I am not completely, but now I find myself being pickier. I prefer having elements rather than a whole retelling, I prefer mixed genres like in The Lunar Chronicles, sometimes I like it to be firmly grounded in reality like Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and I prefer something stupendously unexpected happening.

Bonus!
11. Hyped to Must-Read Status
If a book has been hyped at me so much every single person seems to have read it but me, the chances are, I will give it a go out of pure curiosity. I love to try out new things, so even if it's not within my usual boundaries, I decide it might be worth the risk. Recommendations made to me nearly always get a chance. For example; I had no intention to read Anna and the French Kiss, but since a Goodreads friend recommended it to me, I've decided to give it a go.

Which kind of books do you love to read about?

Kyra_x

The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas

This book, first of all, is stunning to look at. Black colouring on the edges, a kaleidoscopic feeling cover in yellow, red and black, perfect black script in curling, jaunty lettering. Um, wow.

Ariel Manto is a PhD student who is interested in thought experiments and the works of Thomas E. Lumas, a little known writer whose ideas were extremely radical. Saul Burlem, her mentor, is missing, but Ariel carries on her studies regardless. That's when she comes across an extremely rare book; The End of Mr Y. The catch? The book is cursed. If you read it, you die. You can guess what happens next. Ariel reads it, and soon discovers that not all of the book is fiction. By drinking a little bit of holy water and carbon, a person ca transport themselves to the Troposphere; a place where you can read other people's thoughts, see Gods and even go back in time. Oh, and did I mention that two guys from America are after her and the book?

There's one or two things to mention about this book. It takes a little while to get into it. I was beginning to wonder if Ariel would actually try to get into the Troposphere or not. It wasn't until the middle of the book that things really started to get moving. The other thing is that this book has conversations relating to the existence of God, quantum physics, and various theories that I have actually almost forgotten now. So, some readers may have to persevere if they are not at all interested in these things. However, the ideas and theories in the book are every plausible, and that, I believe, is the mark of a good book. Like when many people were sure Dan Browns 'The Da Vinci Code' was based on truth. Well, maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

Ariel, as a main character, is bittersweet. Just when you think you like her she will say or do something self-destructive or stupid. She is very clever, so we tend to feel that she should know better. Her past is sometimes difficult to empathise with. Her current situation isn't one you'd necessarily like to be in either. Still you do feel for her sometimes.

The writing style is nice, descriptive, but sometimes the dialogue is too much. Explanations of theories and arguments, though necessary for the plot to develop and for the big reveal at the end, are taxing. If you're tired, it's quite likely to not sink in at all.

Having read the whole book, it is fair to say that the plot is interesting, clever and absorbing in part, but I cannot say that it was 'hugely enjoyable' (as The Times said) for me.

Two out of five I'm afraid. Good premise, great ideas, but not a book that I'll be likely read again.

PS; You may have heard of another novel that has taken off a bit more; 'Bright Young Things'. I havn't given up on this writer, so I may be giving this a go.