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Archive for September 13th, 2016

Initiation

Posted in 4 Star Books on September 13, 2016| Leave a Comment »

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Initiation (The Warrior – 1) by Rebecca Royce

My name is Rachel Clancy. Thirty years before I was born, the world ended. Today is my sixteenth birthday. Today I will go Upwards to fight the monsters and, statistically speaking, I won’t be coming back—at least not still living.

Initiation is the story of sixteen year old Rachel Clancy, born with a specific set of genes that let her fight monsters, she has trained her entire life to kill Vampires and Werewolves. Knowing since birth what her destiny would be has not made the onslaught of emotions she faces as she journey Upwards any easier. It doesn’t help that her father is drunk and her best friend just doesn’t get ‘it.’

Rachel isn’t prepared for the level of deception she faces, and before long she will find herself on a quest she is in no way prepared to handle. What happens next will alter not only Rachel’s life but the lives of everyone she knows. She will learn beyond a shadow of a doubt that sometimes the monsters we know are worse than the ones we don’t and that love can surprise us when it comes from somewhere we never anticipated it.

If she lives, she will be a Warrior. If she doesn’t, no one will ever remember her name.

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My Review

4 stars

Humans now live deep underground, safe from the vampires and werewolves that rule Upwards. Among the humans is a group called Warriors. There are raised and trained to go Upwards and fight the vampires and werewolves. Rachel is one of the Warriors. She has a rough home life and low self-esteem but she is prepared to go Upwards and fight. But when the day comes she finds herself Upwards by herself.

While fighting, a pack of werewolves that has been sent to grab a Warrior catch Rachel. When they return to their pack Rachel learns that the human’s beliefs of Upwards are wrong and that there is a traitor among them. While with the werewolves, Rachel meets Jason and there is an instant attraction. When she returns to the humans, Rachel longs to return to Jason but knows she has share the information with the humans.

I am a huge fan of post-apocalyptic and dystopian stories so Initiate was right up my alley. I love how this has a different take from most stories out there. I loved the vampire and werewolves and the whole traitor. Rachel does have low self-esteem and a lot of teenage angst and obsession with another Warrior. But then she rises to her role.

This is a great story with one heck of an ending. I really enjoyed this book and am excited to read the next book in this series.

To purchase Inititation make sure to visit Amazon, Goodreads and Rebecca Royce’s website.

I received Initiate for free from Candid Book Reviews in exchange for an honest review.

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When in French

Posted in General Information on September 13, 2016| Leave a Comment »

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When in French by Lauren Collins

A language barrier is no match for love. Lauren Collins discovered this firsthand when, in her early thirties, she moved to London and fell for a Frenchman named Olivier—a surprising turn of events for someone who didn’t have a passport until she was in college. But what does it mean to love someone in a second language? Collins wonders, as her relationship with Olivier continues to grow entirely in English. Are there things she doesn’t understand about Olivier, having never spoken to him in his native tongue? Does “I love you” even mean the same thing as “Je t’aime”? When the couple, newly married, relocates to Francophone Geneva, Collins—fearful of one day becoming “a Borat of a mother” who doesn’t understand her own kids—decides to answer her questions for herself by learning French.

When in French is a laugh-out-loud funny and surprising memoir about the lengths we go to for love, as well as an exploration across culture and history into how we learn languages—and what they say about who we are. Collins grapples with the complexities of the French language, enduring excruciating role-playing games with her classmates at a Swiss language school and accidentally telling her mother-in-law that she’s given birth to a coffee machine. In learning French, Collins must wrestle with the very nature of French identity and society—which, it turns out, is a far cry from life back home in North Carolina. Plumbing the mysterious depths of humanity’s many forms of language, Collins describes with great style and wicked humor the frustrations, embarrassments, surprises, and, finally, joys of learning—and living in—French.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble     Goodreads

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(Extra)Ordinary: Inspirational Stories of Everyday People

Posted in Uncategorized on September 13, 2016| 2 Comments »

(Extra)Ordinary: Inspirational Stories of Everyday People

(Extra)Ordinary: Inspirational Stories of Everyday People by Keith Maginn

Inside each seemingly ordinary person is an extraordinary story waiting to be told.

That’s what author Keith Maginn discovered when he dug deeper to learn more about many of the people in his everyday life.

One friend had overcome an addiction to crack cocaine.

Another had lost a son in a tragic accident and started a foundation in his honor.

Yet another was a survivor of the worst plane crash in Central American history.

Each of the stories featured in (Extra)Ordinary will touch your heart, stir your soul, and open your eyes to the amazing people who are all around you.

You’ll learn to look for the incredible in the seemingly mundane, and you’ll be reminded that everyone–including you–is anything but ordinary.

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My Review

5 Stars

Everyone has their own stories. Sometimes we know a little about it but most times we are oblivious to others. I admit that it is easy to find myself thinking about me, what I’m going through, what I want to do and such. But to truly understand ourselves we should look outwards.

(Extra)Ordinary is one of those books that opens our eyes to those around us. From friends, co-workers or someone you meet shopping. We all have our own struggles and how we cope. These things can be overwhelming and can feel like everything has gone to hell. But living with them and finding that reason to keep going can be the inspiration that others need.

This is a great book about some of Keith Maginn’s friends. But reading about them has made me realize that we all struggle in life. The key is to keep going and reading these stories is a great way to encourage you to keep fighting. This is a truly moving story and one that will help you get through tough times. Definitely check out (Extra)Ordinary: Inspirational Stories of Everyday People.

To purchase (Extra)Ordinary: Inspirational Stories of Everyday People make sure to check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads and Keith Maginn’s website.

I received (Extra)Ordinary: Inspirational Stories of Everyday People for free from KiCam Projects in exchange for an honest review.

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