Waiting on Wednesday #11

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Today’s featured book is an up-and-coming sci-fi due out on shelves next month. And if you like the summary as much as I do, you’ll be dying to get your hands on it, too.

Pivot Point by Kasie West

Release date: February 12^th, 2013 (HarperTeen)

320 pgs.

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Leave a link or comment below!

Blog Tour: Tournament of Chance by S.G. Rogers (Review + Tens List + Giveaway)

Published: September 28^th, 2012 (Musa Publishing)

Pages: 273

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

In the Kingdom of Destiny, King Chance decreed any female be she high or low born may earn a place at court by winning an archery competition known as the Tournament of Chance. Although no commoner has ever won before, this is Heather’s year. To prevent her from winning the tournament, however, King Chance will stop at nothing. The king does not yet realize Heather of the Jagged Peaks will be the spark that ignites a revolution — in time. [Description from Goodreads]

Heather is a spitfire, backwater girl who knows how to wield a bow and arrow. She’s always dreamed of living in the ornate palace she visited as a child, and if she wins the Tournament of Chance, she can fulfill that dream. But when the tournament turns into an uproar, little does she know that she’s about to be swept into a mission much more daring and significant than her own.

I’m not really one for fantasy, so it’s all the more surprising that I liked this book. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but as the story progressed, I got more and more engrossed in it. It grew on me, you could say. I felt like the plot has many layers that continued to be pulled back and revealed, and each one delighted me more than the last. And each plot twist was completely unexpected. That’s probably one of the things that kept me hooked throughout the story. Every chapter held something new…dragons, trolls, volcanos, time travel.

I didn’t completely connect with Heather, but I loved her bravery, her stubbornness, and her independence. Her character, as well as her fiery red hair, reminded me of Merida from Brave.  Dane, in all his superiority and moodiness, was actually rather attractive as a character. He was like a medieval Mr. Darcy type, and I kind of liked that. I might even steal that kind of character someday for a novel, because it would be awfully fun to write someone like him. I found the rest of the crew funny and entertaining, especially Gumm the troll. The fairies, despite the way they were portrayed, were a favorite of mine, too.

I did have some minor qualms, though. The whole “dragon transformation” and use of magic seemed a little corny at times. Ok, maybe all the time, but I tried to not let it bother me. On the bright side, S. G. Rogers completely developed her world of Omaria, which I really appreciated. Her observance to detail and consistency made the book that much more impressive.

When it comes down to it, Tournament of Chance is a very-well done fantasy. I loved the combo of action and romance, and the plot twists kept me coming back for more. I would recommend this to older teens as well as middle-grade readers in a heartbeat. It’s a fun, adventurous tale that will keep you laughing the whole way through.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: Mild (Only a few minor words)

Violence: Mild (action violence)

Sexual: Mild (A kiss or two)

~~

Author S.G. Rogers shares her top ten favorite movies with us:

Favorite Flicks by S.G. Rogers

I adore movies. Movies that combine serious with comedic moments tend to rise to the top of my list, but sometimes very serious and ultra-silly movies do too. Here are ten of my all-time favorites:

1) The Great Escape (1963) – Irrepressible humor and indomitable spirit in the face of horrific circumstances. I hope nobody ever tries to remake this brilliant film.

2) Airplane! (1980) – An absolutely ridiculous movie riddled with sophomoric humor.  Right up my alley.

3) The Three Musketeers (1973)/The Four Musketeers (1974) – Two films, I know, but inseparable. Michael York plus swordplay sets my little heart aflutter.

4) Oklahoma! (1955) – Corny but classic, with great music.  Gordon MacRae was a hunk of man, might I add.

5) Star Trek (2009) – The bit between McCoy, Kirk, Uhura, and Captain Pike as Kirk fights his allergic reaction to an inoculation is pure filmatic genius.

6) Battlestar Galactica (2003) – This pilot for the mini-series had it all.  Twists, turns, subtext, conflict… and Jamie Bamber. 

7) White Nights (1985) – The scene in which a Russian defector (Mikhail Baryshnikov) realizes his plane is being forced to land in the U.S.S.R. always gives me goosebumps.  Awesome dance sequences, too.

8) Oliver! (1968) – Shucks, who doesn’t adore a movie about an adorable orphan who wants to be loved? Fabulous musical numbers and star performances.

9) Aliens (1986) – This film falls into the end of the serious range, but it does have some funny moments – particularly amongst the mercenaries.  If you don’t break a sweat when watching this movie, you lack sweat glands.

10) Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) – Almost every Hayao Miyazaki film is wonderful, but the fabulous and fashion-forward Wizard Howl has a particularly memorable flair. His character is flawed in a painfully self-centered way, but Howl comes around in the end. The animation is astounding in its beauty, and every time I watch this movie, I enjoy the journey.

~Giveaway~

Enter the giveaway below to win a $25 Amazon giftcard!

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Top Ten 2013 Debuts I'm Looking Forward To

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Top Ten Tuesday, but here I am again! They’re too much fun to not participate. Today’s topic is 2013 debuts. New year, new authors, new books. Take a look at what I’m pining for this year:

1) Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza. Sounds like an incredible dystopian debut.

2) Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans. Otherworldly thriller? Sign me up.

3) Pivot Point by Kasie West. I’d read this just for the cool cover.

4) Altered by Jennifer Rush. I have it on hold at the library this very second. *hyperventilates*

5) Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton. If the book is as stirring as the cover, I’m gonna love it.

6) Poison by Bridget Zinn. Looks like an adventurous middle-grade novel.

7) Nobody by Us by Kristin Halbrook. This'll probably be the comtemporary romance of the year.

8) Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson. Because I love retellings.

9) Coda by Emma Treveyne. Dystopian with a focus on music? Um yes.

10) A Point So Delicate by Brandy Colbert. I have a fetish for books about ballet. *shrugs*

What debuts are you looking forward to this year? Leave a link or comment below!

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Published: January 11^th, 2011 (Delacorte Books)

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives. [Description from Goodreads]

When death steals the joy from Michele’s life, the last thing she wants to do is go live with her stiff grandparents in far-off New York City. The fact that they don’t want her there doesn’t make it any better, either. But then she discovers that the grand old house holds things that can transport her back in time to visit her relatives- and a certain dashing young gent that seems to show up everywhere in her life.

That’s when things get a little more complicated.

Thanks to Doctor Who, I’m constantly intrigued with the concept of time travel. The River of Time series really delivered, and I eagerly moved on to Timeless. There were several things I liked about it, though I can’t say it beats all else I’ve read in the genre. The characters, especially Michele, were difficult to connect with. Her reactions and responses seemed suited for a girl younger than her. In addition, Timeless lacked the usual intensity and peril that fills YA books nowadays, which didn’t make me like the book any less but made it feel a bit more juvenile. Because of those two points, I’d recommend this book for younger teen or tween readers. It’s no doubt, though, that mature readers could easily enjoy it as well.

I was surprised at the accuracy and preciseness of the history aspect. When I heard the book was written by a singer/songwriter, I had my doubts about how in-depth and accurate the historical facts would be, but it’s apparent that Alexandra did some thorough investigating beforehand. I loved that Michele traveled to different time periods- sometimes it gets monotonous when the time-travelling only involves one place in history. Each visit in time showed the reader a peek of the culture and tradition during that particular time period, and I loved that as well.

Now, I know others have raved on Phillip, Michele’s love interest, but I really didn’t find him that attractive. He was…perfect. Loving, gentle, honorable, and musically talented, all wrapped up in one handsome, dark-eyed package! Sounds nice, eh? I don’t go for the perfect type, though. I liked the romance between them mainly because they couldn’t be together (since they live in different time periods). I’m eager to see how they fix that little problem in Timekeeper (#2).

One thing I didn’t particularly enjoy was the writing style. It felt like I kept being told what was happening instead of letting me, the reader, put it together myself. Also, the science of the time traveling seemed kind of ridiculous and not quite believable. It’s tricky to make time travel seems believable, but some people have pulled it off nicely. Timeless? Not so much.

So while I can’t say it’s the best that I’ve read in the time travel genre, I did enjoy the story, particularly the romance and history aspects. I feel it might be more suited for readers on the younger end of the spectrum; I know I would have loved it more if I were a little younger. Either way, all qualms aside, Timeless is definitely an enjoyable read-something I much enjoyed myself. I wouldn’t put too much expectation into it, though. A fun read, but not one to be taken too seriously or looked at with too critical of an eye.

 

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: None

Sexual: Mild (Some kissing. Two characters contemplate sleeping together, but decide against it.)

Not a Fan: Teen Edition by Kyle Idleman

Published: April 23^rd, 2012 (Zondervan)

Pages: 224

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

If someone asked, 'Are you a fan of Jesus?', how would you answer? You attend every movie featuring a certain actor, you know the stats of your sports hero, and you can recite lyrics from your favorite songs. In short, you're a huge fan. But are you treating Jesus the same as the other people you admire? The truth is Jesus wants more than the church attendance, occasional prayer, and the ability to recite Scripture---the fan response. He's looking for people who are actually willing to sacrifice in order to follow him. In this teen edition of Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman uses humor, personal stories, and biblical truth as he challenges you to look at what it means to call yourself a Christian and follow the radical call Jesus presents. So, will you be a fan, or a follower? [Description from Goodreads]

I heard about this book a while back but never considered reading it until someone recommended it to me. And I was absolutely blown away. The writing is easy to read and understand while being full of humor (loved Kyle’s hilarious footnotes) and teen lingo. Kyle focuses on the meaning of truly following Jesus by having us define our relationship with Him. He also uses several Biblical examples of aspiring “followers” from the books of Matthew, Luke, and John. He draws the line between follower and fan, diagnosing “symptoms” of both, and outlines the radical relationship and love that a true follower should have.

I suspected the content to be simple information I already knew, but was surprised at the deep, profound message this book contains. The conviction I felt while reading Not a Fan wasn’t something I expected. The truths of this book have been long forgotten (or ignored) by our society and the church, and the line between “comfortable fan” and “radical follower” has been smudged. This book un-smudges that line, clearly spelling out the sacrificial life of a follower compared to the relaxed existence of a fan. I highly recommend it not only to those doubting the solidity of their faith but to anyone who calls themselves a follower. Not a Fan wipes away the false beliefs of this world that often take up residence in our hearts, and replaces them with the raw faith that lies at the core of Christianity. We all need to be reminded of what Jesus really meant when He called us to “take up your cross daily and follow Me.”