Posted Saturday, 28 March, 2015 by jorielov Cedar Fort Inc, Lauren Skidmore, Sweetwater Books, What is Hidden, What is Hidden series, What is Lost 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “What is Lost” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
I did attempt to borrow Skidmore’s debut novel {“What is Hidden”} however time and life took me away from being able to consume the pages before the ILL (inter-library) loan was recalled back to my local library. It looked like such a beautiful novel too, and I was quite curious how she had transported us into the world of Cinderella, as I have been discovering how much I appreciate ‘fairy-tale fiction‘!
in lieu of reading what is hidden, i gained this insight from other book bloggers: (whose reviews are linked below)
I loved how a book blogger (at Novel-Ties) had a wicked new perspective on the novel inasmuch as they had on behalf of the author, due to an interesting set of circumstances surrounding reading the book and meeting the author IRL. It presented such an original lead-in to the story, I found myself nearly wanting to ask for a few more details which is always a good sign! The introduction to the setting was quite lovely as I had a feeling this series was set around ‘masks’ both in artistry and identity; a society of clandestine behaviour if you will.
I originally wanted to read What is Hidden during May [2014] for the blog tour itself, however, I was betwixt hours and availability as I had come to find Cedar Fort for the Uncovering Cobbogoth blog tour; with an upturnt schedule and less hours to accomplish everything in sight than planned, I made the gutting choice to forestall reading What is Hidden and opt instead to read Cobbogoth. IF Cobbogoth hadn’t entered my life via the cancelled blog tour of TLC Book Tours, I might never have discovered Cedar Fort and that is quite a dire revelation if you take a look-see at my Story Vault via the Publishers! It has been a true blessing to discover a third Indie publisher [as previously I had found Seventh Star Press and ChocLitUK] whose quality and capture of wicked good fiction is by far the best reading joy I’ve experienced in a very long time.
I liked the dichotomy of differences [Novel-Ties] bridged into their recollections, because it goes to the heart of character-driven story-telling as much as how to perceive what is contained within the first installment of the series itself. The way in which Skidmore threaded the depth of her character’s journey and fused it into the narrative wherein even the reader might have been a bit surprised by their responses and actions at certain parts of where what they took as a given and what they took back by seeking independence might have shown character growth as much as moxie. I even liked seeing how even a seemingly innocuous scene could tip the scale of an emotional trigger of angst for the reader.
I was a bit curious about the absence of an emotional arc on behalf of the title lead character as pointed out by [Seasons of Humility] but I do know how a character reads on paper can become as different to each new reader who picks up the novel; as stories have a quirky way of being read a thousand different ways by a thousand readers. I have experienced this myself, where I pick up a story and find myself faulting either the tone, the pace, the inclusions, or the lack of an anchour into the character yet find other readers did not find offense at all. It is healthy to find each of us absorbs stories in our own unique way and thereby are able to give the most out of our honest recollections to help guide others to know which story is truly one they will attach themselves inside.
The powerful part of the story is how Evie was able to overcome her adversity by being given a fate and identity which were not of her own choosing. When someone acts maliciously to take away her life and those of whom she loves inside it, it is how she elected to confront the situation at hand that left me seeing where her true strength lay. She is a girl who defiantly refuses to accept her lot and chooses to take what needs to be done as just dues in order to work her way back into an hour of redemptive freedom.
I can agree with the book bloggers who were a bit miffed about a lack of announcement for a sequel or an Epilogue to understand how everything ties together at the end. The book which broke my own heart for this very reason was The Golem and the Jinni and it took a very, very long time to find resolution, of which I added to my review. Being that I am picking up this series in-progress, I am thankful to have had the chance to go back through the blog tour for What is Hidden as I find blog tours very beneficial in this one particular way as to give us a way to understand what ‘happened before but what is hoped to come next’ as we are settling into the sequel. All things equal, I would have read What is Hidden but as most of the bloggers in the book blogosphere will understand, time can wick away from you!
What is Lost
"You're focusing on the wrong things here." Kit said.
"What should I be focusing on?" I asked.
"The people who want you dead."
"Does that include you?"
She grinned at me, her white teeth gleaming.
After failing to exact vengeance on the prince, maskmaker Joch flees Venesia to find his long-lost love. Along his way, Joch meets a red-clocked assassin named Kit, who tells him she knows where to find the answers he's seeking.
Soon Joch and Kit are racing to avoid the prince's guard and find their way to safety. And though Joch wants to trust Kit, he suspects she's leading him straight into a trap.
This dazzling story of second chances features a sumptuous setting, rich characters, and a plot that will keep you guessing. Unravel the deceptions and uncover the mysteries in this thrilling fantasy.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Series: What is Hidden,
on 10th March, 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 240
Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
About Lauren Skidmore
Lauren Skidmore grew up in Kansas, with stints in Ohio and New York, and currently lives in Utah. She attended Brigham Young University where she earned a BA in English Teaching with an emphasis in Teaching English as a Second Language and Japanese.
She then spent a year in Japan teaching and traveling. She hasn’t made it to Europe yet, but it’s on the list and has been to 30 states in the U.S. so far. When she’s not exploring new places, you can probably find her on the internet with fifteen windows open and looking at just one more thing before actually getting something done.
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Saturday, 28 March, 2015 by jorielov in Action & Adventure Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Castles & Estates, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Cliffhanger Ending, Espionage, Fairy Tale Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Heroic Bloodshed, High Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Inspired By Author OR Book, Inspired by Stories, Re-Told Tales
Posted Sunday, 15 March, 2015 by jorielov Harper Books, HarperCollins Publishers, Joakim Zander, The Swimmer 2 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I was selected to be a tour stop on “The Swimmer” virtual book tour through TLC Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the book direct from the publisher HarperCollins Publishers, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Intrigued to Read:
It’s oft difficult to explain what draws my eye towards a novel up for review, however, in the particular instance of The Swimmer it was to segue back inside the thrillers of my youth. I used to read a heap of military espionage thrillers, which were not quite as intense as a Jason Bourne story (I opted instead to watch Bourne on the silver screen) but were equally of merit and of intensity of drama intermixed with the daring feats of the characters who strove not only to keep themselves safe and alive, but those of whom they were protecting and/or attempting to bring to justice; depending on the story-line’s arc.
The sweet part of finding The Swimmer in my postbox was the unexpectedness of realising this is a novel in-translation from it’s Swedish version! I must’ve missed this bit to the story whilst I had read through a list of synopsises in order to pick out my Spring selections; herein this is of interest to me, due to heritage lines in my ancestral past. Scandinavian history and modern society are of keen interest to me, and it is quite rare where I can tip my hat towards finding Swedish authors and/or any other currently in-translation to English which whets a palette of interest for me to read.
The sea of stories being regularly published is so very vast, I sometimes find it difficult to seek out stories across the channels of where the voices of story-tellers converge. It is a goal of mine to read more stories outside my own country of origin, and this happily, is one novel in that direction! On a smaller note, I could relate to the title itself without the context of the novel’s heart attached.
The Swimmer
by Joakim Zander
Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours
A deep-cover CIA agent races across Europe to save the daughter he never knew in this electrifying debut thriller— an international sensation billed as “Homeland meets Stieg Larsson”—that heralds the arrival of a new master.
Early 1980s, Damascus. A nameless American spy abandons his newborn child to an uncertain fate. His inability to forgive himself for what he has done leads him on a lifelong quest to escape his past that will take him to Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq—anywhere where the danger and the stress allow him to forget.
Thirty years later, EU aide Klara Walldéen is learning to navigate the world of politics—the lines between friend and enemy, truth and lies. But Klara has just seen something she should not have: a laptop containing information so sensitive that people will kill to keep it hidden. Suddenly she is thrown into a terrifying chase through Europe, with no idea who is hunting her or why.
Their stories converge one stormy Christmas Eve in the Swedish archipelago, where blood is spilled, shocking discoveries are made, and the past inevitably catches up with the present.
Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Crime Fiction, Thriller Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 978-1443433693
Published by Harper Books
on 10th February, 2015
Format: Paperback ARC
Pages: 432
Published by: Harper Books (@harperbooks)
an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (@HarperCollins)
Translated by: Elizabeth Clark Wessel (@lizclarkwessel)
Available Formats: Hardback & Ebook
Converse via: #TheSwimmer
About Joakim Zander
Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Joakim Zander has lived in Syria and Israel and graduated from high school in the United States. He earned a PhD in Law from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and has worked as a lawyer for the European Union in Brussels and Helsinki. The Swimmer is his first novel; rights have been sold in 28 territories. Zander currently lives in southern Sweden with his wife and two children.
Website | Twitter
Posted Sunday, 15 March, 2015 by jorielov in 20th Century, 21st Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, ARC | Galley Copy, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Crime Fiction, Debut Author, Debut in United States, Debut Novel, Espionage, Father-Daughter Relationships, Fly in the Ointment, Geographically Specific, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Scandinavian Literature, Spy Fiction, TLC Book Tours, Vulgarity in Literature
Posted Friday, 6 March, 2015 by jorielov Elizabeth Collison, Harper Perennial, HarperCollins Publishers, Some Other Town 2 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Some Other Town” virtual book tour through TLC Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the book direct from the publisher HarperCollins Publishers, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. Except to say, shortly after I received my copy of “Some Other Town”, the blog tour itself was cancelled quite unexpectedly. I still was quite curious to read this novel, as it held such a curious plot inside it itching for me to discover where it would lead me to venture. Therefore, I picked a new date (originally the 3rd of March) to post my review off-tour. A few technical and life moments interrupting my plans, I’ve finally been able to share my thoughts on the 6th of March! I was thankful Trish @ TLC was able to help me with the book cover, synopsis, and author biography as my tech errors were driving me a bit batty ahead of my review!
Books to take a chance on:
You have to understand, I have a thirst for stories which do not fit within a ‘particular box of genre or literary category of interest’, and thus, this particular novel spoke to me to request! I have previously mentioned a bit about how it is to receive a list of books coming up for review and selection on a blog tour — this beautiful sub-culture of book bloggers who have found a niche within their own individual online world of bookish culture, news, and the geektastically brilliant joy of being wrapped inside the ‘art of discovering’ a new to me author!
I have a penchant for time slips and time travel narratives, but also, the more oblique and abstract of where time, dimension, and the human conscience travel within a narrative arc. The lines by which begin to blur between reality, dreams, and the innermost desires of a human mind to voyage inside as the person within the soul attempts to sort through a few things. This introspective pursuit of alighting within the partitions of ‘time’ where there is a living ‘outside of time yet in-step with the living reality’ which consumes of us all. The kinds of stories where you are broaching into a nether space of original thought and the context of which can either resonate or dispel the appeal of what pulled you into the synopsis.
Ironically or not, as I was sorting out how to begin my review tonight, I had this unexpectedly lovely conversation with a novelist whose ‘this side of cosy hard-boiled’ new release is on the fringes of being promoted in the near future – mind you, I caught up with her on Twitter the very day she purchased her new domain for her newly minted website! Champion, eh? Without deferring to my favourite way to capture these moments encased in the randomness of wicked sweet conversations, you will find the gist of our convo timelined on Twitter itself! If you want to make sure you can catch the rest of our thread, kindly pull up my feeds, and happily follow it along!
It was inside this particular convo, I aligned my thoughts ahead of my ruminations! Because part of my instinctive joy, is remaining on ‘the edge of where fiction has gone and where it can become inventively curious’ to follow! Hence why my dedicated passion continues, after having found Lemongrass Hope at round Mid-Summer in 2014! Others have bewitched me, but this particular one I bring back to your attention, dear heart, due to how ‘time, space, and mind’ were entwined.
Further still, another TLC tour beckoned to me, except this time I was too late on the switch to participate; giving me a fervent desire to seek out The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson at my local library post haste! You can see on the blog tour page what sparked my interest as it is curiously aligned with Some Other Town. In the end, I turnt in a purchase request in order to curb the ‘six months out wait from publication’ to request it through ILL’ing! Confirmation of it being ordered arrived half a day after I left these remarks upon this review prior to posting it live! I cannot even express how giddy it made me feel knowing I’d have my hands on a copy!
Some Other Town
"But here is the strangest part. Now in the mornings when I wake from the dream, for an instant it's as if there are two of me. The one that will rise and go off to work and come home again to Mrs. Eberline. And the one that awakes from the dream of the van and feels something inside of her rising. Quickening, yearning, keening."
Margaret Lydia Benning, twenty-eight and adrift, still lives in the same Midwest town where she went to college. By day, she works at the Project, a nonprofit publisher of children's readers housed in a former sanatorium. There she shares the fourth floor with a squadron of eccentric editors and a resident ghost from the screamers' wing. At night, Margaret returns alone to her small house on Mott Street, with only her strange neighbor, Mrs. Eberline, for company.
Emotionally sleepwalking through the days is no way to lead a life. But then Margaret meets Ben Adams, a visiting professor at the university. Through her deepening relationship with Ben she glimpses a future she had never before imagined, and for the first time she has hope . . . until Ben inexplicably vanishes. In the wake of his disappearance, Margaret sets out to find him. Her journey, a revelatory exploration of the separate worlds that exist inside us and around us, will force her to question everything she believes to be true.
Told through intertwined perspectives, by turns incandescent and haunting, Some Other Town is an unforgettable tale, with a heartbreaking twist, of one woman's awakening to her own possibility.
Places to find the book:
on 24th February, 2015
Pages: 304
Published By: Harper Perennial (@HarperPerennial),
an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (@HarperCollins)
Available Formats: Trade Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #SomeOtherTown
About Elizabeth Collison
Elizabeth Collison grew up in the Midwest and now lives in the San Francisco Bay area. She received her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and has worked as an editor, graphic artist, and technical writer. This is her first novel.
Website
Posted Friday, 6 March, 2015 by jorielov in 20th Century, ARC | Galley Copy, Art, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Clever Turns of Phrase, Contemporary Romance, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Fly in the Ointment, Ghosts & the Supernatural, Illustration for Books & Publishing, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Library Love, Literary Fiction, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Lyrical Quotations, Medical Fiction, Mental Health, Psychiatric Facilities, Singletons & Commitment, Small Towne Fiction, Sociological Behavior, The Seventies, TLC Book Tours, Wordsmiths & Palettes of Sage
Posted Tuesday, 17 February, 2015 by jorielov Cedar Fort Inc, Stephen J. Valentine, Sweetwater Books, The Lazarus Game 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “The Lazarus Game” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Interested in Reading:
I love to share what excites me within the inertia first moments of a ‘new book’ discovery, which is why I have spoken about my attachment to ‘techno-thrillers’ on my review for Eruption and my desire to sort out Dystopian Lit on my review for An Uncommon Blue. Except to say, The Lazarus Game is a bit like picking up a genre from point of exit from Virtual Blue! The similarities between the two are quite impressive as both are bonefide fictional stories writ inside the world of virtual reality (unsure if the curiosity behind VR is due to being bourne at the latter half of the ’70s but my generation appears to love exploring these worlds & seeking to sort out what you can achieve whilst your within them) and both make a valid point about what is right, wrong, and hidden within the walls of gray. Those little nudges of where the human condition seeks to point a compass point on a lesson of both morality and justice.
The Lazarus Game
"You've got to go in after him."
"Go in?"
"Inside the game. Carter, you have to play the game to save him."
It was created to change the world. With the power to resurrect the minds of history's brightest stars, the Lazarus Game promises to pool mankind's generations of geniuses and merge them in a modern utopia.
But teenage genius Carter Chance has discovered the deadly secret behind this popular virtual reality, and now he's the only one who can stop his generation from destroying themselves for a computer-generated fantasy.
This action-packed sci-fi thriller delves deeper into your perceptions of reality, life, and the value of a soul.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
on 10th February, 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse on Twitter via: #TheLazarusGame
My Review of The Lazarus Game:
Valentine gives his quirky character of Carter Chance a bolt of cheeky humour fused with teenage self-indulgent confidence that gives you a happy pace to begin the story upon! He’s upfront (Carter) on his situations and honest about how he feels about his life, but it’s the manner in which he deposits this information to the reader that is cheekily crafty! He pulls back the layers of his mathematicai brain in order to remain relatable to the masses, but in so doing, he makes you wonder about the more technical bits behind the back-story!
Fly in the Ointment : Content Note (of Warning)
This is a bit awkward to admit, but I stopped reading this novel on page 5. Yes, page 5! Because the author made a fatal flaw in what he chose to include in the story itself — you see, I rescue cats. I have adopted animals through rescue organisations my entire life, and every animal lover knows that when you rescue dogs, cats, and other animals who may or may not have had the best start in life can come home with baggage. They have emotional and psychological trauma and stress to overcome, as much as the issues they have with adapting to living indoors and being around humans again to the point of being able to trust without innate fear. Read More
Posted Tuesday, 17 February, 2015 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Children's Literature, Content Note, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Dystopian, Fantasy Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Gaming, Indie Author, Literature for Boys, Reader Submitted Guest Post (Topic) for Author, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction, Virtual Reality, Young Adult Fiction
Posted Friday, 13 February, 2015 by jorielov Cedar Fort Inc, Marilee Jackson, Midnight Runner, Sweetwater Books 6 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “Midnight Runner” direct from the publisher Front Table Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Curiosity was Piqued:
My curiosity to read this novel was piqued as I do happen to be drawn into story-lines where the lead characters are caught inside compelling dramas. I like reading about strong female characters who overcome adversity and as I routinely mention, I have a particular fondness for Southern Lit which can be quite an emotional and difficult read (depending on the novel).
What stood out to me before I went into reading Midnight Runner is how two girls of seemingly different backgrounds find their lifepaths intersected with each other’s — to where it would appear on the onset, a choice has to be made about how to move forward or how to stumble backwards. This is most definitely a novel of flight in order to survive and overcome a past that is not wrought out of happy circumstances, yet the title lead characters spoke to me within the small space of the synopsis to implore a closer examination of their story.
I fancy historical fiction moreso than I ever realised, so for this to be set within the Medieval Ages (I marked this as 15th & 16th Centuries as the ‘exact’ date is unknown) held a certain cross-appeal for me. Books are my method of time travelling, and if I can find a way to cart myself back as far as I dare to stretch my imagination, I want to go where an author will lead me! I’m just never quite as certain if where I end up is somewhere where I want to settle for a long period of time! Ha! The journey itself is what envelopes me into a character’s shoes and into the heart of where a novel resides.
Midnight Runner
by Marilee Jackson
Source: Direct from Publisher
"Run." The soft whisper in her ear cut through the pitch-black hiding place. After the nightmare she had just endured, he was the only person she could still trust.
She waited. The silence surrounded her life a heavy blanket.
"Run!" he shouted, and they took off in opposite directions.
Orphaned, mistreated, and misunderstood, Moira has always dreamed of building a new life in the royal city. But when she finally arrives, her ambition gets the better of her. And little orphan Moira becomes a person she never imagined.
Isobail has never been ambitious. She wants nothing more than the simple life she's always enjoyed. But when she's recruited to work in the royal city, she finds her dreams changing.
This medieval tale of secrets, mistaken identities, romance, and long-sought redemption is sure to captivate readers. With a compelling story and characters that will keep you guessing, this book will change how you feel about villains and heroines, loss and love.
Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Young Adult Fiction Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Published by Sweetwater Books
on 10th February, 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 272
Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse on Twitter via: #MidnightRunner Read More
Posted Friday, 13 February, 2015 by jorielov in 15th Century, 16th Century, Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Castles & Estates, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Coming-Of Age, Content Note, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Domestic Violence, Fairy Tale Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Midwife | Midwifery, Orphans & Guardians, Psychological Abuse, Re-Told Tales, Realistic Fiction, Trauma | Abuse & Recovery, Women's Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
