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Friday, October 7, 2011
Sea Lion Books Press Release: Carnal: Pride of the Lions by John Connell
Teagan's Story: Her Battle with Epilepsy
By: Talia Jager
ASIN: B004OA6K4M
Published: February 16, 2011
Available Format: ebook
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads’ Synopsis: Teagan Kavanagh’s life is shattered when her parents are killed in a car accident. She must move in with her brother and is forced to attend public school for the first time in her life. As if starting a new school her junior year wasn’t hard enough, she continues to battle epilepsy and the constant unknown of when and where her next seizure will occur. As this new chapter in her life opens, she gets more than she bargained for. Torn between playing it safe and risking her life to be normal, Teagan must make a life changing decision.
Out of Talia’s teen dramas, this one is definitely my favorite. I think it has a lot to do with my fascination with psychology and the brain, and since this is about epilepsy, it is all about the brain. I knew quite a bit about epilepsy from having a psychology degree, but I did learn quite a few new things and got a new perspective of the personal side of the disease. I absolutely cannot imagine having to deal with the things this character faced each and every day. It was touching and inspirational.
While I still think Jager could make some slight adjustments to her writing style (again we are in first person and things can be quite literal at times), I think I have really gotten comfortable with her technique at this point. The only major issue I had through this novel was the chemistry between Zander and Teagan. For a young man, Zander is extremely serious and at times struck me as a bit stalkerish (telling Teagan he “longed” to hold her). It just didn’t feel quite authentic for an eighteen-year-old guy to speak to a girl that way. I understand they knew each other for a while, but I just wish the dialogue had been much more casual. I think it would have made things feel more natural between the two.
Other than that, this book was fantastic! I was completely absorbed in Teagan’s life and all she had to endure. I was sympathetic toward her and her family and friends. I laughed, I cried, and I was dying to know if she was going to opt for surgery and what the outcome would be. I think, aside from an entertaining read, this book could be extremely helpful for young people who are facing this disease or anyone that would like to understand more about the personal struggles that come along with it—friends, caretakers, teachers, etc. Although it is a work of fiction, it is extremely realistic and I have no doubt the experiences and emotions Teagan faces are very much a reality for the epileptic individual.
Time to get your copy of That Which Should Not Be!!!!
Last month, I had the honor of interviewing Mr. Talley... Go check that out HERE. He's a super fun guy!
Now that you've gotten to know Brett a little better, get out there and get your copy of this AMAZING book!!!!!! Go on now! Get! :-)
Thursday, October 6, 2011
The Ultimate Sacrifice
The Ultimate Sacrifice (The Gifted Teens Series 1)
By: Talia Jager
ISBN: 2940012446725
Published May 19, 2011
Available Format: ebook
My Rating: ★★★★☆
It’s pretty cool being a teen with a supernatural gift—that is unless you have the power to inflict pain with your mind and you can’t control it. That’s exactly the situation in which sixteen-year-old Kassia finds herself. Kassia enrolls in a special school for gifted teens and subsequently meets her new best friend, Mira, and a pretty awesome love interest, Daxton. When Mira is brutally attacked off campus, Kassia rescues her but finds that her power is much more dangerous than anyone knew. And, she’s caught the interest of some truly devious demons in the process. Now, she and her friends must leave the institute and try to stop the demon forces before they get out of hand. Will Kassia be able to make the ultimate sacrifice to save them all, or will she succumb to the evil that seeks her out?
I really enjoyed The Ultimate Sacrifice a bit more than Talia’s other books I have read so far (I have one more which I’m working on right now!). I think that’s because it is fantasy and has less to do with real life, which I find I like to avoid at all cost whenever possible. Ha!
I love the way this story is structured. I love the characters and the fact they each have these special abilities and work together so well. They complement each other not only in their powers but their individual personalities as well. There was such honest and interesting chemistry between them, especially Kassia and Daxton. (I think his gift was my favorite!)
There were bits and pieces of the writing that I felt could have been cleaned up a little. Sometimes the characters thoughts go off on a little tangent or at least wander off enough to be distracting from the action. I do think Jager did a better job of building up to a more definite climax in this story, and I am sure that the fantasy element played a huge role in that. I think writing from first-person point of view actually limits a story sometimes, so it really helped that she switched up who we heard from (Kassia, Mira, etc.) so we got a more rounded story. I’d love to see Talia write something from a different point of view in the future.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun, well thought out, and fresh and interesting in the world of SO much YA paranormal romance! Jager is a fantastic and talented storyteller, and I look forward to following her work for years to come…
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
JournalJabber Recap - October 4, 2011
Listen to internet radio with
JournalJabber on Blog Talk Radio
Tonight's guest was the lovely and talented Regina Wamba, owner of and artist for Mae I Design and Photography. I am always so jealous of these amazing photographers and graphic designers, and Regina's work is definitely something to be jealous of!You can check out samples of her work here:
http://www.maeidesign.com/
http://www.facebook.com/MaeIDesignandPhotography
You can also stalk Regina on Twitter at: @reginawamba
The Kid Fairy: http://thekidfairy.com/
(The fine print: The cover art design cost does NOT include fees for stock photo. The personal photo provided for manipulation has to be a photo that YOU own--aboslutely nothing copyrighted by another photographer.)
Regina's Three Facts:
1. I met Denzel Washington in NYC
2. I have a passport
3. I was married at age 18
The first correct response to amy@journalstone.com wins!
Our Lovecraft Trivia contest is still running. You have one more week to get your answers in for an entry. The winner will recieved a signed copy of That Which Should Not Be from our favorite Alabama fan, Mr. Brett J. Talley...AND a $25 Amazon gift card! How awesome is that??
The Lovecraft Trivia questions are:
1. What is written on Lovecraft's tombstone?
2. In the HP Lovecraft Historical Society's newly released film, The Whisperer in the Darkness, from what planet do the "living fungi" originate?
3. Complete this quote, "'The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is __________."
2. In the HP Lovecraft Historical Society's newly released film, The Whisperer in the Darkness, from what planet do the "living fungi" originate?
3. Complete this quote, "'The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is __________."
Also, if you want to get more creative with your submission--take a photo visiting Lovecraft's grave perhaps?!?!?--you can earn EXTRA entries!!!
Get those answers in to Amy at amy@journalstone.com before it's too late!
Send a picture of you, your kids, your dog, your mom, your next door neighbor, or even that creepy old guy at the grocery store...dressed up in spooktastic Halloween gear. We'll be putting our favorites up on the JournalJabber website and the banner for the show on Blog Talk for our special Halloween show, October 25, 2011.
I'll tell ya, something we are certainly not short on over at JournalJabber is FUN!
Tune in, Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 9PM EST!!!
Links you need to know:
http://journalstone.com/journaljabber/
www.blogtalkradio.com/journaljabber
Cassie’s Blog: www.gatheringleavesreviews.blogspot.com
Cambria’s Blog: www.theunlockeddiary.blogspot.com
Monday, October 3, 2011
If I Die Young
If I Die Young
By: Talia Jager
ASIN: B004ZLD0P2
Published May 5, 2011
Available Format: ebook
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Cailyn is your average teenage girl, dating and hanging out with her best friend at the mall. She’s had a few health problems, some asthma and allergies, but she isn’t prepared for the news that she is a lot sicker than she thought. So sick, in fact, her life may be over much too soon.
Drama of any sort is something that I have to read quite sparingly. It is just too much for me to read something far too close to real life, especially life that is tragic and sometimes depressing. I really enjoyed the basis of this story. I think Jager is fantastic at understanding the feelings and emotions of the characters she writes about. Who could truly understand what goes through a young girl’s mind when she is on the brink of death?
Cailyn’s life felt very authentic to me. I think that much of what she experiences and felt was exactly how it is for young people who are faced with a situation similar to hers. There were times that the writing style bothered me just a bit. I think Jager could really fluff her stories up a bit to make the writing itself more interesting. She has the story; it just needs a little spark to really grab the readers’ attention.
Overall, this book is quite enjoyable and I do recommend it to anyone who likes a little real-life drama and teen romance. I think the further I read into the story, after Cailyn’s heart transplant, everything really picks up and it is much easier to lose yourself in the writing.
Thanks, Talia for allowing me the opportunity to read and review your work!!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Giveaway and Book Release: Paradox series by Patti Roberts
Patti Roberts, an author and fellow blogger, is getting ready to release the second book of her Paradox series, and she is offering up a free ebook of the first, Paradox: The Angels Are Here. I haven't quite gotten to her novel on my to-read list, but I have heard nothing but great things about this book, and Patti even interviewed ME on her blog (how neat, huh?!?!)...
Head over to Patti's blog to enter for your chance at the free ebook: http://paradox-theangelsarehere.blogspot.com/2011/10/one-free-copy-to-reader-daily-of.html
Now, here's what some others have had to say about the book:
Head over to Patti's blog to enter for your chance at the free ebook: http://paradox-theangelsarehere.blogspot.com/2011/10/one-free-copy-to-reader-daily-of.html
Now, here's what some others have had to say about the book:
Paradox - The Angels Are Here
(Book 1 in the Paradox Series)
Patti Roberts is a born story-teller who knows how to throw in those great twists through the book - Paradox "The Angels Are Here". Beckie
After reading dozens of Angel based books, I cannot recall a time when I said, hey- I like this. Well, surprisingly, I loved this. This book is up there on my list of favorites. First of all, the writing was excellent, I was literally flabbergasted and felt inferior in anything I’ve ever written. Natalie
Patti Roberts had introduced me to a fascinating world of angels. Natshane
Roberts knows how to spin a good tale that appeals to our deepest emotions and makes us wonder what may be hidden behind the portal to our world. Miss Reviewer
Patti Roberts is a truly remarkable writer. The way she weaves her tales among the story is extraordinary. I can honestly say I was in awe of the way she managed to do it. I'd love to have that talent. Suzy Turner
I am a sap for anything that brings me to tears...and this book did just that. Death of a loved one is always a difficult situation to address and Patti does it so beautifully. Kristin
I closed the book and said to myself, “I have to have more right now” LOL. I love Patti’s style of writing, it is a book you have to read slowly and carefully, but only so that you don’t miss anything, Patti does such a phenomenal job at describing every detail, and I am dying to figure out how a war 900-years ago revolves around a little girl and her Angel friend. Natalie
Dear Patti, Thank you for writing such an amazing book. I can't wait to see what happens next with Grace! Love, Nuayma
Paradox - The Progeny Of Innocence
(Book 2 in the Paradox series)
Available November 2011
Read Chapter One of Progeny of Innocence HERE.
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