Journey with Books

Apr 22, 2012

Book Review: Oxford Messed Up by Andrea Kayne Kaufman

Unknown April 22, 2012 0 Comments

Author: Andrea Kayne Kaufman
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Grant Place Press (November 17, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0984675108
ISBN-13: 978-0984675104
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buying Link: Oxford Messed Up

Book Blurb:

Rhodes Scholar Gloria Zimmerman has come to Oxford University to study feminist poetry. Yet the rigors of academia pale in comparison to her untreated Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, fueled by her overachieving parents and manifested in a deathly aversion to germs and human contact. Her next-door neighbor (who is also, to her mortification, her loomate) is Henry Young, the appealing but underachieving English music student. Still mourning the death of his supportive mother while enduring the mockery of his disapproving and merciless father, Henry is haunted by the unexpectedly serious ramifications of a reckless and tragic youth. Gloria and Henry's relationship evolves from a shared obsession with Van Morrison's music into a desire to fill the gaps in each other’s lives. Yet the constraints of a debilitating illness and the looming revelation of a catastrophic secret conspire to throw their worlds into upheaval and threaten the possibilities of their unlikely yet redemptive love.

My Thoughts:

Oxford Messed Up is the first work of Andrea Kayne Kaufman I've ever read. I can honestly say that it's a great experience I would definitely want to do again. Oxford Messed Up is a refreshing read for me because it's very different from my usual reads. It's about real life that some real people goes through. It's an eye opener for some of us who have very different views about the realities of some people who have OCD.

The main focus of the book are Gloria and Henry. They are both messed up and flawed which made them very real to me. Gloria is a graduate student who suffers from severe OCD of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder while Henry her 'loomate' is messed up guy who has so many issues in life that lead him to being an ex-addict, ex-alcoholic with a sickness he would have to carry for life. They are both interesting in a way that you knew, as a reader that there are a lot of Glorias and Henrys in this world. Ms. Andrea Kayne Kaufman gives us a first class trip inside their lives and their heads. She let us see how there are messed up people in this world and that they need our help and understanding. We shouldn't ostracized these people.

Gloria and Henry's romance is such a sweet thing to read. I really adored reading their journey together. When they met, they were both not in a place to be romantically involved. They both know that the life they live is not normal and being together romantically would be unhealthy for so many reasons. And so they became friends. Although, the attraction was there, they didn't act on it. Their romance was a process. It progressed little by little. I really appreciate how Ms. Kaufman made the relationship as real as it could get. She didn't make Henry and Gloria magically good together. It was gradual but real and I really liked it!

I also liked the side stories of the other characters. Ms. Kaufman gave these side stories of the other characters without ruining the main plot. It was there for a reason. It helped me as a reader see the bigger picture of the main plot. It was done excellently.

Now, the only thing I didn't liked in this book is the first part. It was so slow. I was so thankful that I didn't give up on reading it because this is really a good book. The first part was the introduction of Gloria and Henry, they haven't even met yet. I understand what the author was trying to do. She wants us to know more about Henry and Gloria and what lead them to where they were before they met each other but I found all of it completely unnecessary. I think the author could have made it a little shorter than that.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this book to those who love music especially Van Morrison and poetry. The whole book has a reference of Music and Poetry which I absolutely appreciate. I recommend this book to those who loves a good and sweet romance that has that depth which makes you believe that you could always CHOOSE happiness despite all the sad and bad things that happens in life.

Oxford Messed Up is not just your typical romance read. It tackles real life. It points out the things we chose to ignore in our society. This book is one great read you wouldn't want to miss if you're looking for something real.

Kudos to Ms. Andrea Kayne Kaufman for having the courage to write a book that has the ability to enlighten its readers. We all have that power to help people with OCD if we only we will it.

About the Author:

Andrea Kayne Kaufman has guided and mentored hundreds of students as a professor at the DePaul University College of Education, where she serves as Chair of the Department of Leadership, Language and Curriculum. A professor and attorney who earned a bachelor's degree from Vassar College, a master's degree in Education from Harvard University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Andrea has students who are primarily teachers, seeking masters and doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership to serve as principals and superintendents.

Andrea is an award-winning expert in the area of school law, and has published and spoken widely about special education law, education civil rights, the No Child Left Behind Act, cyber bullying, and other legal and political issues having an impact on students and schools.

In her personal and professional life, Andrea has been involved with issues relating to special needs, in particular Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Her debut novel, "Oxford Messed Up," is a literary love story that transports readers on a redemptive and emotional journey, where the academic world of Oxford University serves as a backdrop for true learning, self-discovery, and transcendent love. Andrea's professional expertise and personal experience have given her the vision to create a novel hailed by experts as one of the first to present the inner workings and treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder accurately, from the inside out.

Andrea is currently working on her next novel, "Parent Over Shoulder." In this poignant love story, Andrea brings her education background, sensitivity, insight and articulate writing style to another "hell" found in many school communities - cyber-bullying.

Andrea draws inspiration for her writing and life from poetry, Van Morrison's music and other classic vinyl, her daily walks along Lake Michigan, and her time spent with her husband and two children in their equanimity-filled Chicago home.

Where to Buy:

Free Great Books On Amazon

Unknown April 22, 2012 0 Comments

You guys can download all these great books for free on Amazon! You don't have to own a kindle to be able to read these books. You can download an app to read these books on your phone, tablets or computers.

Download your apps here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=dig_arl_box?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

Apr 17, 2012

Blog Tour: Book Excerpt and IPAD 3 AND KINDLE Giveaway: Socialpunk Book 1 by Monica Leonelle

Unknown April 17, 2012 0 Comments

Book Blurb:

Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.

Book Excerpt:

Excerpt #1: Prologue

After playing God for six years with the world he created, he couldn’t control any of his subjects, none at all. Over the years, he had watched them evolve and become the sum of their own choices rather than the sum of his; and for that, he regretted ever giving them life.

A small, blinking red light from just inside his eyelid reminded him of the news they sent him earlier that morning. The company had cancelled his funding and would shut down his project within three months. According to them, the project cost too much and took up too much space, and the inconclusive results couldn’t be published reputably, now or in the future.

Six years of his work, tens of thousands of lives at stake—and he could do nothing to save any of it. He bowed his head, letting his chin rest on the rim of his breakfast smoothie. The smoothie reeked of powder—crushed pills—but he supposed he had better get used to it. He wouldn’t be able to afford the luxury of real food after they canned him.

He closed his eyes and called up the camera view of one of his favorites, number 3281. She fascinated him; he couldn’t deny it. When he had designed her, her pre-teen rebelliousness lit fire in her eyes. A survivor, he’d thought. He’d meant for her to have it all—to grow up, to get married to the love of her life, and to have a beautiful family of her own someday.

But he had only given her sadness so far. Instead of creating a strict father, he had given her an abusive one. Instead of creating a loving boyfriend, he had given her a friend who could never love her. And instead of creating a strong, proud mother, he had given her a meek one, who watched the whole thing unfold and did nothing about it.

He looked at his last and final creation sitting in the chair across from him—his own son, not awakened yet. The law forbade him to have any children of his own, so this boy would substitute.

But he had done the unthinkable with this creation—he had bestowed on it his own thoughts, emotions, and decision-making processes. He’d given the boy his own mind, his own physical characteristics, his own wants and desires.

He had never done so with any of the others because of the dangers of investing too heavily in any one of his subjects. But who could he kid? He had not stayed objective thus far, watching some of his subjects more closely than others, wishing for the happiness of some at the expense of others. He had become an abomination, a monster of his own doing, who had created subjects only to watch them suffer.

He couldn’t forgive himself; not now, not ever. His eyes lingered on the vial that sat next to his breakfast smoothie, that he’d stowed away for the day when they destroyed all his work, his entire world. He would save it, tuck it away for now, for as long as he could protect them. When things spun out of his control, he would drink it and end himself the way he had ended them.

In the ancient stories, gods frequently gave their sons as gifts. Now, he would give his son as a gift to her, number 3281. So she could be happy in her last months on earth, before they destroyed her with the rest of them.

About the Author:

Monica Leonelle is a well-known digital media strategist and the author of three novels. She blogs at Prose on Fire (http://proseonfire.com) and shares her writing and social media knowledge with other bloggers and authors through her Free Writer Toolkit (http://proseonfire.com/free-writer-toolkit).

Where to Buy:

Kindle

Hard Bound
Socialpunk (Socialpunk #1)

Amazon:
http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkA

Barnes and Noble:
http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkB

Giveaway:

No purchase necessary.

Contest is open worldwide.

Winners will be selected using Random.org and announced on MonicaLeonelle.com by May 1, 2012.

Prizes will not be rewarded until winning entries are verified, ie: if you win and said you added Socialpunk to Goodreads, but then you didn't, you don't get your prize. (Just trying to keep it fair :))

Blog Tour: Book Review and Giveaway: Ransom (Redemption Series Book 2) by R.K. Ryals

Unknown April 16, 2012 1 Comments

Hi my loves! I'm back with another blog tour! This time, I'm reviewing a book entitled Ransom which is the second book of Redemption Series written by R.K. Ryals. I'm sure, if you've been here a lot, you're now familiar with this series because I've featured its book trailer and I've been raving about it for the past few weeks. I love love love this series! I'm such a fan! Anyways, I'm going to tell you what I loved about it! Plus, there's a bonus giveaway! I know you're all gonna love this! By the way, before I forgot, this fabulous tour was organized by CBLS Promotions.

Please Note:

If you haven't read Redemption, please don't read this review.

Read my Redemption Review first in here:

Redemption (Redemption Series Book 1)

File Size: 453 KB
Paperback: 276 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1475014074
ISBN-13: 978-1475014075
ASIN: B006X1FU9Q
Kindle Buying Link: Ransom (Redemption Series)
Paperback Buying Link: Ransom (Redemption Series Book II )

Book Blurb:

Vengeance is the path of the Damned. It is not a path taken lightly. For a Naphil, it could mean ransoming his soul.
~Bezaliel~

Dayton Blainey is caught between two worlds: Heaven and Hell. Bound to a Demon she's beginning to care about, she is thrown into an adventure she may not survive.

But she will try.

Separated from her friends, she is forced to use powers she just discovered she had while surviving the wrath of a Demon queen.

She will be tested.

And in the search for a ring that may unbind her from Marcas Craig, Dayton will discover that the bond between an Angel and a Demon goes much deeper than blood.

She will endure.

My Thoughts:

I actually don't know where to start with this. But here it goes, Ransom is absolutely one of the most incredible books I've ever read!

Ransom is just so perfect to me. If you've read my past reviews, you'd know that I'm not really good with YAs and Self Published books but these past few months I've recovered my love for YAs, it was something I've lost these past few years, I don't know when or how I lost it. I just did. I chucked it up to finally out growing YAs. I'm quite happy and surprised that I've learned how to appreciate the good sides of YAs again. I can definitely say that those things that I love in YAs and Paranormal Romances can all be found in Ransom.

Ransom started in where Redemption ended. It's really good! You know, I said before that Redemption is good then you must definitely read Ransom because it's even better! Everything has been upgraded! The romance, the action scenes, the interactions of the characters are just so fascinating.

I've decided to make a list of what I liked and disliked from this book. I wanted it to be clear for everyone to see.

What I liked:

I loved the plot! The plot was amazingly executed! The battle between good and evil and everything in between them is so fascinating. Every scene and every action has a meaning. I appreciated how Ms. R.K. Ryals continued this book from the first one. It just becomes more exciting and intense as I turn another page!
All the characters are amazing! Each one of them will make a mark on you. They are so real! You can see how they develop and mature. Especially Marcas and Dayton! They are the realest and most alive characters I've ever encountered. I think of them as if they are real. And the minor characters are also awesome! They have a purpose on why they were in this book. They weren't just put there to be a decor. I think Ms. R.K. Ryals succeeded on making her characters alive which most authors failed in doing. You can feel the love of the author to the characters she created because she gave them a reason to be there.
The conversations, lines and interactions between the characters are fascinatingly natural. The flow of the conversations and interactions are not forced. They are funny when they are meant to be funny. I felt the sadness and hurt when they were meant to be felt that way. I felt the giddiness when Marcas and Dayton are interacting in a way that would suggest romance. I felt anger when things are bad. That's what I meant when I said, it was all so natural. As a reader, you weren't forced to make yourself feel a certain way just because you wanted to feel something for the book you are reading. This book is so natural because it would make you feel all of these emotions because it's simply makes you feel that way. It tugs at your heart and it affects you.
The love triangle was done in a tasteful way! In the first book, I said there was a hint of a love triangle in there. You know, I'm not good with love triangles maybe because I'm just so sick with them! (Probably why I gave up on YAs in the past) But Ms. R.K. Ryals created a triangle that is not annoying nor irritating. I think it came out that way because she let the relationships go its own way. It wasn't forced to be a love triangle, it just became that way because it makes sense that way. She let those feelings of the characters go into a natural direction. Marcas and Dayton's relationship blossomed into something more while Dayton's relationship with Connor became clearly just friendship. Feelings were viewed in a more realistic way. And I absolutely loved how Ms. R.K. Ryals resolved this triangle. I loved how she did it without over complicating things. It was tasteful and done right!
The romance between Marcas and Dayton is so good! I liked how gradual the romance blossomed. I'm actually amazed at how they progress from enemies to frienimies to real friends to feeling something more and then to definitely being something more. I love how their emotions and confusions were clearly shown! They weren't magically together because they were thrown together. They went through a process together. Their relationship progressed up to that point because of the challenges and experiences they had together. It was something so fascinating to see in a YA book. The impossibility of the relationship because of WHO they are is something that even I as a reader muddles over. I guess that's why I wanted their love to win against everything. I root for them to be together because even I can't see how they can resolve the problem. I really feel for them.
The relationship of Dayton with her friends is so heart warming to read. This is actually one of my favorite parts in this series. Dayton's relationship with Monroe and Connor is so good. I just loved reading their scenes together. I feel the friendship, the love and protectiveness that they have for each other. It was really nice because it makes you want to have them as your friends because they have each others backs. No matter how bad the situation is, they don't abandon their friends. I just love the friendship these three have!
The action scenes makes your heart pound so loud! These scenes are so good because I see them inside my head like it's a movie! It was so good!
The ending! I'm just going to say how much I love the ending. It was perfectly done! I'm not going to say how it ended, just that, it feels right to end it that way. Mind you, there is another book after Ransom. It's the conclusion of this series and I am eagerly waiting for that book which is hopefully coming on May.

What I didn't like:

None! I absolutely liked everything! Everything that happened inside that book is so natural and it all felt right, like it's supposed to happen that way and because of that there is absolutely nothing I didn't like.

Overall, reading Ransom is like seeing it inside your head like a movie. Every scene and every line seems so natural that it could be seen inside your head and could be felt inside your heart which I think is why this book is so special because it has that ability to take you to a big adventure of self-discovery and make you experience a great heart-felt romance! If you want to experience everything that is written in this review then you have to hurry and read this series!

About the Author:

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, R. K. Ryals is a scatterbrained mother of three whose passion is reading whatever she can get her hands on. She makes her home in Mississippi with her husband, three daughters, a Shitzsu named Tinkerbell, and a coffeepot she couldn't live without.

She is currently working on Retribution: Book 3 in the Redemption Series.

Website/Blog - http://rkryals.blogspot.com

Where to Buy:

Amazon Kindle

Paperback

Giveaway:

This Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY!

Please note:

All entries are checked for accuracy and will be validated. Clicking on "enter" ensures that your task has been completed. If your task has not been completed, your entry will not be counted and will be considered invalid.

If you are chosen as the winner of this contest and you have not completed the task(s) that you claim to complete, a new winner will be randomly chosen. So please be sure that you have completed a task before clicking "enter".

Thank you for your understanding.

Blog Tour: Book Review and Giveaway: Embrace by Cherie Colyer

Unknown April 15, 2012 1 Comments

Hi my loves! I'm here again with another blog tour! This time, I'm reviewing a book entitled Embrace by Cherie Colyer. This blog tour was organized by YA Bound Tours. And now let's see what this book is all about.

Book Blurb:

How far would you go to save the people you love?

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.
Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound.

My Thoughts:

Embrace by Cherie Colyer is an enjoyable YA read. It's full of mystery, sweetness and magic that would surely make the readers turn the pages as fast as they could.

What I liked:

I liked the plot of this story. It's quite unique and very easy to read. The twists and turns are fun and simply amazing.
The way it is edited is nice. I hardly see any typos which is good.
The characters are nice too. They're very fun to read and really nice to get to know.
Isaac! You just have to love the mystery boy!
The chemistry of Madison and Isaac is quite nice. Although, you may see on the list below that I didn't like that instant love that they had at first. It's too sudden for me. But at the end, I did like them together!
The pacing is also nice. The flow of the story is somewhat natural.
The dialogue flow is good too. It has this nice way of affecting you. I think the author has a nice way of making the conversations and interactions of the characters feel natural and not forced.

What I didn't liked:

The instant love between the two main characters bothered me. It seems that they didn't have this time to get to know each other and build the right kind of romance. I do like the characters but I think it would have been nicer and a lot more believable if the they had the time to let the romance blossom in the right pace.

Overall, Embrace by Cherie Colyer is a nice and satisfying read that would be enjoyed by readers who love their YA Romance completely blended with mystery, action and lots of sweetness!

About the Author:

(From the Author's Website)

A little about myself:

I write young adult and middle grade novels. I love finding new stories that keep me up late reading. While my favorite genre is fantasy, if the book is beautifully written with characters that come alive I’m all over it.

My debut novel EMBRACE is now available from Omnific Publishing.

website: http://cheriecolyer.blogspot.com/

twitter: cheriecolyer

Where to Buy:

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Apr 10, 2012

Blog Tour: Book Review: Going Under by Georgia Cates

Unknown April 10, 2012 2 Comments

Author: Georgia Cates
File Size: 450 KB
Publisher: Georgia Cates; 1st edition (March 10, 2012)
Language: English
ASIN: B007J7FTZI
Buying Link: Going Under

Blurb:

Jessie Boone is a self proclaimed bad boy and doesn't march to the beat of anyone’s drum, but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life and his determination to leave it behind is fierce. When he finds himself transferred to East Franklin High School, he sees his opportunity to use his athletic ability to snag a college football scholarship, but Forbes Henderson, the player Jessie means to replace isn’t giving up his spot willingly. In fact, Forbes is willing to go to extreme measures to retain his place as first string quarterback. When Forbes’ malicious plan to injure his replacement fails, Jessie is furious and determined to show him he messed with the wrong person; not only is he going to take the position of first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too.

Claire Deveraux is perfection at it’s best. She is beautiful, intelligent and unaware she just became Jessie Boone’s conquest as revenge against her boyfriend, Forbes Henderson. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jessie Boone, and she fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises to rock her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jessie, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jessie learn the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?

My Thoughts:

Going Under is very nice and fun read. It's a bit different from the other YA's because it's not empty or shallow. It has depth and it would make you think of what some unfortunate young people go through.

What I liked:

The plot of the story is something I really enjoyed. My favorite part was the intense angst, the author wrote it well.
The characters are really memorable. Jessie and Claire are fun to get to know. Sometimes, you see yourselves in their position and you'll tell yourself that once, you've felt the way they did at the story too.
The oozing chemistry between Jessie and Claire is impossible to ignore. Their romance was really enjoyable to read. It was like you're watching them antagonize each other first and then you watch them get close and their feeling for each other gets intense with each scene. The build up was nice.
The changing of perspectives. I love seeing through Jessie and Claire. Their thoughts and feelings were clear and written well. I think Ms. Georgia Cates has captured those feeling of a teenager perfectly. The frustrations, confusions and hang ups that they felt through out the book were written in a way that a reader would feel them and empathize with these characters.

What I didn't liked:

The ending was abrupt. (The author fixed this. She posted another chapter on her blog and this chapter would also be included in the book. I think it was very gracious of her to listen to her readers).
I didn't like Claire at the first few chapters, maybe because of her continues whining that they didn't see the real her but this changed after a while. I guess, I didn't understand her before.

Overall, I think this book is a nice quick and fun read. It would be perfect for the teenagers and for the teenagers at heart who wants to read a high school themed book that has depth, angst and a very cute romance without loosing its incredible intensity.

About the Author:

http://georgiacates.com/

Meet Georgia Cates -

I am a wife, mother of two daughters and a labor and delivery nurse. I have recently added Paranormal Romance Writer to my list of things to keep be busy, but I am ecstatic to release my debut novel, Blood of Anteros, the first book in The Vampire Agápe Series.

Like others that enjoy a great story of paranormal romance, I am easily bored by the tale of an obtainable, ordinary romance and was inspired to create The Vampire Agápe Series. When I am not tied up with my family or delivering babies, I am working feverishly on the second book in The Vampire Agápe Series.

Where to Buy:

Apr 9, 2012

Blog Tour: Book Review and Giveaway: Redemption (Redemption Series 1) by RK Ryals

Unknown April 09, 2012 14 Comments

Hi everyone! I'm back again with another blog tour and a GIVEAWAY. This lovely tour was organized by CBLS Promotions. I'm posting my thoughts about this amazing book entitled Redemption by R.K. Ryals. It's actually the first book of the Redemption Series. I'm also going to post a review for Ransom, which is the second book of the series, in a few days. I promise you wouldn't have to wait so long. First, let's see what Redemption is all about!

Title: Redemption (Redemption Series, Book 1)
Author: R.K. Ryals
Publisher: Self
Length: Approx. 105,000 words
Genres: YA Paranormal Romance
Buying Link: Redemption (Redemption Series)

BLURB:

“The Time has come when He will come looking. She is ready. I have faith in her. She is her father’s daughter. She carries my blood. And I will never forgive myself for feeding her to the wolves.”
~Bezaliel from Redemption~

One Girl...

At sixteen, Dayton Blainey is a foul-mouthed, grief stricken shell of a girl forced to live with a religiously eccentric aunt following the death of her parents.

One Sacrifice...

Often upstaged by her moral older sister, Amber, Dayton is often flung into the shadows, forgotten. But age changes things.

No Hope...

As Dayton's seventeenth birthday approaches, her Wiccan best friend, Monroe, sees a vision outside Dayton's bedroom window that flings her into a world where right and wrong become dangerously twisted.

Redemption is the story of one young woman who must disentangle herself from a web of lies endangering her soul, and who discovers an attraction to a mysterious stranger that may just kill her.

My Thoughts:

Redemption had been a big surprise to me! Ms. R.K. Ryals wrote a book that has a perfect mix of everything you would want in a YA read.

I will absolutely not give out anything more than what was written on the book blurb. I figured out that the blurb was written that way for a reason. Sometimes, it frustrates us that the blurb doesn't give out much, but what we didn't know is that it is written that way to make the reading of the book much more pleasurable. The mystery is what gets us going. The craving to want more gives that much needed push to make us read more and it doesn't spoil us, doesn't it? I absolutely love that the blurb was written as vague as it could be. The intensity of the read would be much affected if I outed anything more and that's why I've decided to leave you guys in the dark, I'm sure you'll find the light once you've read this book! This is the only hint you'll get from me, nothing more and nothing less!

Redemption has been a revelation to me. There are certain perceptions about self publishing going around the net, and I think most of you knows this, but Ms. R.K Ryals has proven them all wrong!If you read this then you'll see that there are treasures hidden in the Self Publishing World.

Redemption is one of the most exciting reads I had the pleasure of reading this year. It's full of action and mystery that would make your head swirl! It has a bit of romance. Note that there is a love triangle here but not the kind that would make you irritated and throw the book out. It's done in a way that you could probably relate to it. It's done in a way that you'll know who to root for and it's pretty fantastic!

The characters in this book are simply amazing! The story actually revolves around Dayton (Day) but what I liked about this is, we get to see this girl around the people she interacts with and in turn we get to see those people around her and as a reader we try to complete the puzzle of their personalities. The complexities around them are what makes this book so much enjoyable to read. You'd want to know what pushes them to do what they did! The mystery of what Dayton is and the mystery of what the people around her are, makes you go on reading this book no matter what the time is. I think it's one of the signs if an author is effective. You'd just continue on reading until that very last period.

I also liked the pacing of the story. It was just right. The build up was getting intense page by page and I absolutely loved it! There are some little typos along the way but it's barely there. I don't think you'd really notice it if you didn't look for it. I'm just wired differently that's why I noticed those few little typos.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! There's nothing I didn't like about it actually, which makes this book so amazing. There were no dull moments when you'd want to skip a page to get to the point. As I said the build up of the story was getting intense page by page and that's why you wouldn't want to miss one. If you're looking for a book that would make you think and feel intensely then, this book is for you! It would be a colossal mistake to miss reading this book!

More about the Author:

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, R. K. Ryals is a scatterbrained mother of three whose passion is reading whatever she can get her hands on. She makes her home in Mississippi with her husband, three daughters, a Shitzsu named Tinkerbell, and a coffeepot she couldn't live without.

She is currently working on Retribution: Book 3 in the Redemption Series.

Website/Blog - http://rkryals.blogspot.com

Where to Buy:

Giveaway:

Just complete the tasks on the rafflecopter form and you're good to go! This is open Internationally, so everyone is welcome to join!