January 2016 Wrap Up!

I'm starting a monthly wrap up so you guys can see what non-review books I've been reading, and maybe a couple of my other favorites, like music, movies, food, etc. And maybe a little sneak at my photography skills outside of book pictures!

Here's what January looked like for me!

Books I Read:

—Hunted by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki

—Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson

—The Martian by Andy Weir

—Matthew 1-28 from The Holy Bible

—'A Feather From a Thousand Li Away' from The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (for my English course)

Photography:

Winter Storm Jonas in Tennessee

That's all I have for this wrap up. Hopefully I'll have some more interesting stuff for you guys next month once I get results back from my state's Governor's School program. Have a great February!!

With love,

The Book Lioness

"Cross the Stars" Pre-Release Blitz

Title: Cross the Stars

Series: Crossing Stars Duet #1 

Author: Venessa Kimball writing as V. Angelika

Genre: New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: March 8, 2016 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28397859crossthestars 

Blurb:

A year shy of graduating from Georgetown University, Ella Wallace feels like she is losing direction. Having carved her own path through life, rejecting her family’s elitist influences, the last thing she wants is to waste time and prove her parents right. A happenstance summerlong program abroad offers the perfect opportunity to immerse herself in volunteer work, finding richness in family and purpose she has never experienced before. 

Prince Rajaa bin Ammaar is returning home to Jordan from Georgetown University. His intent is to spearhead a refugee program meant to bring peace to his country. Amidst threats of civil war and revolt, Raj stands for his convictions, even when they challenge his family and the very culture he is preordained to uphold. A chance encounter at a crowded party in D.C. brought Ella and Raj together for one fleeting moment – two people never thought to meet again. But it’s not until their diverse worlds collide in Jordan that they realize the power of their connection. With the refugee program as their reuniting bond, they must cross the stars and defy their clashing cultures to protect their forbidden love.

With the culturally rich Jordanian backdrop, Cross the Stars will take you on a journey into the geographical and cultural Middle East, the resilience of people amidst turbulent civil unrest, the parallel unrest of two lovers’ clashing fates, and the diversity they must challenge with every breath to keep their love alive.

PreOrder Now:

Amazon US: http://goo.gl/L9OtSW 

Amazon CA: http://goo.gl/QWQMqv 

Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/ZkEKAj 

Amazon AU: http://goo.gl/1n0572 

Nook: http://goo.gl/nZAZVv

Kobo: https://goo.gl/p9r8oUi

iBooks: Coming Soon

Author Bio: 

 

Having always been passionate about the written word, Venessa Kimball embarked on writing what would become her debut novel, Piercing the Fold: a young adult urban fantasy series in 2010, with a 2012 release with Crushing Hearts Black Butterfly Publishing. She has also written the Teen contemporary romance series, the Evan series. Venessa also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name V. Angelika. When Venessa is not writing, she is keeping active with her husband and three children, chauffeuring said children to extracurricular activities, catching a movie with her hubby, and staying up way too late reading.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VenessaKimballAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VenessaKimball 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/venessakimball7

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/VenessaKimball/e/B008HFW8CS

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14817283.V_Angelika 

Giveaway:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/81aa7894823/ 

"The Martian" Review

Yes, I do already have another review for you guys, and before you kill me...I saw the movie before I read the book. MERCY! Haha, anyway, I received this book for free through Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. Since I'm feeling lazy, the synopsis will simply be a photo of the back of the book, but I will still have my review and favorite quotes included. Let's dive into Andy Weir's The Martian. 

Review:

This book was so flipping hilarious. Yes, it was serious with the whole Mark-Watney-could-die-at-any-given-moment-on-Mars scenario, but Watney's dry sense of sarcasm WAS LITERALLY ME EVERY DAY AT SCHOOL. I connected so well with the way he pretty much laughed at any situation he was in, after first admitting to himself how totally screwed he was, of course. I loved how realistic and plausible everything seemed, from the Hab on Mars, to NASA in America, and the Hermes floating through space. 

Rating:

5 out of 5 stars, without a doubt. Although a word of caution to any younger readers: lots of explicit language.

(Very Few of My) Favorite Quotes:

[ ] = In place of a foul word.

"I wondered why I wasn't more dead."

"I'm a botanist and mechanical engineer; basically, the mission's fix-it man who played with plants."

"My [butt] is doing as much to keep me alive as my brain."

"[Heck] yeah I'm a botanist! Fear my botany powers!"

"I suppose I'll think of something. Or die."

"If ruining the only religious icon I have leaves me vulnerable to Martian vampires, I'll have to risk it."

"How come Aquaman can control whales? They're mammals! Makes no sense."

"We have a certain bond, after I spent two days in it during the Great Hydrogen Scare of Sol 37."

"Once I got home, I sulked for awhile. All my brilliant plans foiled by thermodynamics. [Darn] you, Entropy!"

"It's a desert so old it's literally rusting."

"I wonder what NASA would think about me [messing] with the RTG like this. They'd probably hide under their desks and cuddle with their slide rules for comfort."

"Fortunately, when you spend a lot of time in space, you learn how to [poop] in a bag. And if you think things are bad after opening the [urine] box, imagine the smell after I drop anchor."

"With all due respect to Carl, I can call it whatever the [heck] I want. I'm the King of Mars."

"I've gutted that poor rover so much, it looks like I parked it in a bad part of town."

"I haven't been this excited about a yes since prom night!"

"Jack, I'm going to buy your whole team autographed Star Trek memorabilia."

"Turns out the L in LCD stands for Liquid. I guess it either froze or boiled off. Maybe I'll post a consumer review. 'Brought product to surface of Mars. It stopped working. 0/10.'"

"They did it because every human being has a basic instinct to help each other out. It might not seem that was sometimes, but it's true...This is so fundamentally human that it's found in every culture without exception. Yes, there are [buttholes] who just don't care, but they're massively outnumbered by the people who do. And because of that, I had billions of people on my side."

"Discovering April" Review!

Hey y'all! I hope you guys haven't been too blizzard-ed (?) out with winter storm Jonas and all the snow storms the south has been receiving! But, cold weather is the PERFECT time to cuddle up with a blanket, coffee (or hot cocoa), and a good book, and that's precisely what I have done! This review is over "Discovering April" by Sheena Hutchinson, an author of which I had the pleasure of meeting at UtopYA last summer. Featured will be my review and rating (of course), the synopsis of the novel, as well as my favorite quotes, and links to Sheena's social media/website. Let's begin discovering "Discovering April"! (See my punniness? xD)

Synopsis:

April Landau thinks she has everything she’s ever wanted. Her high school sweetheart, a house she can’t afford, her bipolar tabby cat, and she’s all set to begin her Junior year of college. Just when she least expects it, her life gets thrown for a loop. When things between her and her long time boyfriend unravel, she becomes stuck in a downward spiral of emotion. Finally, opening her eyes to the fact that she may have given up more than she ever could have imagined in this relationship. She finds herself struggling to keep her head above water.

Enter April’s next door neighbor— Jared Hoffman. He’s her complete opposite. A high school drop out who was forced to take over his parent’s business after their untimely death. It’s no surprise this tragedy affected him greatly, causing him to recede almost completely from society. 

But he has one secret. A secret he’s been carrying around for years. 

What happens when their worlds collide? Can an old friendship be the one thing that brings these two back to life? 

Review:

Okay, let me just start off my saying that this book is only for readers of a mature age due to quite a bit of sexual, steamy scenarios. With that out of the way, I can digest and process my feelings towards the novel. I felt like the title was very true to the story; as you watch April realizing who she was before she started dating her boyfriend Hunter, you see just how much she truly gave away in that relationship, and it's so realistic to see that she was literally blinded by love and so filled with denial that she allowed herself to stay in an unfaithful relationship with him. Now, when Jared comes back into the picture (plus the switched POV in the epilogue), you see that initial childhood connection spark up between them, and it's really touching to see how their love lasted through Jared's loss of his parents, all of April's horrible boyfriends, and the several years of no communication between the two neighbors. The story felt very true to how much pain and fear, along with the immense happiness, you feel in a strong relationship. Amazing work, Sheena.

Eating:

4 out of 5, just because of the amount of mentions to sex and the language scattered throughout. Again, this novel should only be read my readers of a mature age. It's not Fifty Shades, but it definitely has quite a few mentions to it, and I don't want to risk any children accidentally reading it and getting a huge surprise.

Favorite Quotes:

"When you spend practically every moment with someone and then they just disappear, you just don't know how to act when you're alone."

"I'm expecting an answer, one that will make everything fall into plae. Maybe there is no answer. Mate sometimes, the guy is just a complete asshole. I wonder if Prince Charming ever screwed over Cinderella. Is there really such a thing as happily ever after?"

"Sometimes you just need to get away from it all to refocus again."

"Staring at the sloping symbol before me [infinity symbol], it loops around in a never-ending reminder that everything comes full circle."

"One smile from him made my anger disappear like a feather on the wind. Either I'm in love with him, or I'm in need of serious medication."

"From the moment he showed me the stars—the real stars—I have been unequivocally his."

"Men, real men, that is, do these things for women, not because we have to, but because we feel they deserve to be honored in some small, tiny way every single day."

"I glance up and see the gleam in his eyes, and my stomach twists in a weird sensation. It's strange, because I don't know how to describe it. It's not anxiety or those butterflies everyone always talks about. It just feels...real."

"I guess you can't find what you aren't looking for."

"The people around us disappear, the floor beneath us falls away, the music is a distant melody, and it's just us. Us. Just like that, I became part of a couple, us."

"You've said life is a series of choices, but I think it's also a series of opportunities, a series of lessons, a series of me moments all strung together that loops around into a lifetime—it's a lifetime of moments. Every decision, every person that has entered my life, has shaped who I am today."

"After being with Jared, how am I suppose to settle for anything less?"

"I guess there are just some things you new to know for yourself. There is no substitute for peace of mind. There is no reasoning with love, no common sense, no thinking. Feelings like love and friendship are beyond common sense, beyond all reason."

Sheena Hutchinson:

www.sheenahutchinson.com

Instagram: @author_shea

"Twixt" Book Review!

Hey y'all! It's New Year's Eve and I'm ready to go out of 2015 with a book review just for you guys! Twixt is book one in the Enchanted Outlaws series, written by the charming and charismatic Diane J. Reed, and to get this review started, here's the synopsis:

Everyone in Ophir Creek, Idaho knows the wild legend of Corvine O’Dannan, a mysterious Irish woman with “fairy powers” who came to town during the gold rush to find her fortune, only to be betrayed by her lover and meet a tragic end. 

Fast forward to the twenty-first century, and her descendent Rose doesn’t have time for such nonsense! After a crash-and-burn marriage, she’s returned to her hometown to renovate her father’s gold-panning business and to start over. But everything changes on her 30th birthday when her friend talks her into doing a love spell. Unbeknownst to them, they conjure the spirit of the very same man who once tormented Rose’s ancestor. Why? Because Rose was Corvine O’Dannan in a past life—and her really bad habit of attracting Mr. Wrong still haunts her, and now jeopardizes her very life. 

What Rose doesn’t realize is that along with this dark curse comes an extraordinary blessing—in the form of a soul guardian named Chance Murphy who’s been protecting her for centuries. But this time around, the evil spirit that plagues Rose has stolen Chance’s body. So the only way that Chance can reach her is late at night in her dreams, when he appears as a magical raven who escorts her to an enchanted island off the coast of Ireland. There, Chance becomes a man again, and he shows Rose how to heal her past through the fairies’ special brand of magic. But will Rose finally be able to forge a new future and make the man of her dreams become real? Only if she can once again believe . . .

Review:

Being of some Irish descendancy, I have always loved the Celtic scenery and culture and the music, especially. When the book opened up in Ireland back in the "olden days", I was immediately intrigued by young Corvine and her struggles to understand the difference between love and deception. However, once it did fast-forward to the 21st century, some things did seem to move a bit slowly, although it allowed for some beautifully written descriptive details (which those of you who have been with me for awhile know that I absolutely adore details!!). I fell in love with Crystal immediately, understanding the want to simply stay silent and distant from the world to escape to a better place, and I related to Rose in the fact that I never like accepting anyone's help, and I always, sometimes at my risk, take care of others first. Now in the romance area, can I just say that I have never seen such an accurate written description of love before in any prose I've ever read? It was raw and innocent and real and I couldn't get enough of it. Hey, Diane, can you get me a dream island too so I can make out with some tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious raven guys? ;) Haha, overall, I truly enjoyed this book, and I loved the magic that permeated everything. However, I will have to knock off a half star since it did take so long for the story to pick up pace, but still extremely high recommendations for readers of every age, both boy and girl, although girls may enjoy this story a bit more due to the incorporation of fairies and magic.

Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars (:

Well, there you guys have it! My last review of 2015! Later on tonight or tomorrow I will give some details on a new monthly update thing I will be starting at the end of each month as a sort of wrap-up, with the books I read, bought, and even tv shows or crafts or any other obsessions I had that month. So stay tuned for more info! To check out Twixt or any other books by Diane, you can visit her website at:

www.banditsranch.com

"The Summer Solstice: Enchanted" Review

Hey guys! Since I've found myself on a "reading roll", I've got another review of a pretty great book for you guys. The book is titled "Enchanted", book one in "The Summer Solstice" series. The author of this novel is K.K. Allen, an amazingly sweet woman who sent me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

After her mother's mysterious death, Katrina Summer is hurtled into life in the quaint, seaside town of Apollo Beach where she learns of her Ancient Greek ancestors from which the Summer family descends. Leading to her birthday, the day of the Summer Solstice, enigmatic visions and disturbing dreams haunt her, but when her visions start to become reality, her fear turns to terror as powerful forces threaten the lives of those around her. Her world becomes filled with mythological enchantment and evil prophecies that lurk around every corner...

About the Author:

K.K. Allen is the Author of the Summer Solstice series. Enchanted and The Equinox are now available in Kindle and Paperback formats. Ms. Allen was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, raised in Seattle, Washington, and currently resides near Orlando, Florida. She has always had a passion for reading and writing and has done so every day since the young age of 12. Writing has even transitioned into her career as Media Industry professional. "There's just something about telling a story that drives me in everything that I do. Whether I'm creating a content outline for a website or writing a script for a video project, it's all about the storytelling." Ms. Allen is proud to say that she's worked with stellar professionals who have provided her with additional opportunities to grow into the writer that she is now.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5 stars

Review:

Although I say 3.5 stars, overall I enjoyed this book. The only complaints I have is that I feel that it took too long in the novel to introduce the scenario and events that were occurring that it left me a bit confused and bored. However, once the real action and plot of the story picked up the pace, I devoured the rest of the book. And of course, who doesn't love an adorable ship to root for?! I love how original the idea for the story is; it's not just your typical Greek mythology book, it's something much more in depth and undiscovered. I will be receiving the second and third books soon to review, so keep your eyes posted for those. Until then, have a splendid week and a blessed Holiday Season!

To check out more from K.K. Allen, visit her website at:

www.kk-allen.com

"Afognak" Review!

Hey y'all! How are your pre-holiday festivities going? I hope you all are doing fantastic! I have a review for you guys over an AMAZING book that I just finished up, titled "Afognak" by author James Rains. I was contacted by him and was requested to review his book in exchange for a free copy (which is always lovely!) Let's dive in shall we?

Synopsis:

Run. Fight. Die.

The island of Kodiak, Alaska has been harboring a dark secret for centuries, and that secret is about to be unearthed.

Dr. Joseph Karikoff and a group of survivors race against time to flee the horrors unleashed on the island in this apocalyptic biomedical thriller.

Rating:

SIX OUT OF FIVE STARS

(But since that's not technically possible, a five out of five, hands down)

Review:

"Afognak" is breathtakingly real. It os chaotic, messy, violent, and utterly terrifying to imagine. There is absolutely no sugarcoating to the details, allowing any reader to completely immerse into the story. On top of the excellent prose, it has a surprisingly sinister under plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It has twists that will leave you astonished and heart-broken, and the unification of all the different perspectives and characters is almost, if not completely, flawless. The use of dramatic irony is superb and makes you want to smack a couple (ahem, ALL) of the characters for their ignorance. Tying it all together is a cliffhanger that left me searching the following pages for more. I cannot wait to read the upcoming sequel, "Chiniak" and to figure out the questions left open-ended in the epilogue.

For more information on James Rains, or "Afognak", visit www.jamesrains.com