Review: ABOVE

Above is a fascinating tale that begins with an abduction and ends with a message of hope, forgiveness and freedom.

SYNOPSIS:

I am a secret no one is able to tell.

Blythe Hallowell is sixteen when she is abducted by a survivalist and locked away in an aban­doned missile silo in Eudora, Kansas. At first, she focuses frantically on finding a way out, until the harrowing truth of her new existence settles in—the crushing loneliness, the terrifying madness of a captor who believes he is saving her from the end of the world, and the persistent temptation to give up. But nothing prepares Blythe for the burden of raising a child in confinement. Deter­mined to give the boy everything she has lost, she pushes aside the truth about a world he may never see for a myth that just might give mean­ing to their lives below ground. Years later, their lives are ambushed by an event at once promis­ing and devastating. As Blythe’s dream of going home hangs in the balance, she faces the ultimate choice—between survival and freedom.

REVIEW:
   
Above drew me in quickly and held my attention until the very last page. Isla Morley describes Blythe's abduction by survivalist Dobbs and subsequent imprisonment in such great detail that at times I felt that I was with Blythe holding my breath as I waited in anticipation to see what horrors lie around the next corner.
       
    Morley did an incredible job of creating the character of Dobbs. I could tell that Dobbs thought he actually cared for Blythe despite what he did to her. Between his collection of tracks, his collection of 200 DNA samples from various animals, his seed collection and the manifesto he writes (not to mention abducting a teenage girl) certainly makes him come off as crazy. For the first part of the book I couldn't find a single redeeming quality about him. He is a wonderful villain.
    As Blythe plots how she can possibly escape over seventeen long years I found myself wondering what I would do in her place. Would I have the strength to fight to live after all the Blythe went through. My heart broke for her when Dobbs stole her innocence and then when she lost her first child. You don't blame Blythe for going a little crazy after that.

    As Blythe raises her second child, Adam, in the silo where she has been held all this time Morley shows how much Blythe has changed since her abduction. Now that she has another person to look after plans of escape have to be put aside. The sacrifices that come with motherhood are shown through Blythe's relationship with Adam over time.

    Part two of Above focuses on the world that Blythe and Adam encounter when they finally find a way to get out of the Silo,  and they find out that Dobbs had been telling the truth the whole time. The world Above is not the world Blythe left seventeen years ago and remembers.
 
    Facing a post apocalyptic world corrupted by radiation Blythe faces a whole knew set of challenges. Can she survive in this strange world? It is in the part two of Above that we really get to know Adam, who ends up being my favorite character in the book.

    Can you even begin to imagine what it would be like to be born and raised underground? Never seeing the sun or breathing fresh air. This is Adam's reality. His childish innocence and wonder bring hope to a world filled with devastation. It is because of him that Blythe can find a way to move past what happened to them, face the challenges and disappointments that the world above provides and harnesses the hope to move forward in life.

    Above was a great, and at times a little bit odd, book. I happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense and post-apocalyptic novels.         

RATING: 4/5

Review: Pure Fake

 

SYNOPSIS:

Gina is the kind of girl who works hard to keep up her appearance -- not just her hair and makeup, but going so far as breast-enhancement surgery and regular diet pills. When tall, athletic, good-looking Colter wants to be her boyfriend, Gina jumps at the chance. She thinks they'll be the perfect couple and ignores the warning signs that things aren't right with him. That includes rumours that his past girlfriend has a restraining order against him. But when Colter's actions put Gina in physical danger she is finally forced to wake up to what Colter is really like.

REVIEW:

    Pure Fake reads like a Lifetime Original Movie. Which isn't necessarilly a bad thing as long as that's what you go into the book expecting. It was a perfectly enojyable book but it lacked a certain amount of substance and depth to be an out of this world must read.

    The main character, Gina, is hardly likeable. There are plenty of times in Pure Fake that you feel sorry for Gina but even in the end I don't think you truly like her. She is petty, mean, jealous, conceited and rude. When she hears the stories of Colter attempting to rape and abusing his ex girlfriend, Mel, she is quick to side with him and label Mel as an attention seeking liar.

    When things spiral out of control and Gina starts to see that Colter has a substance abuse problem and he turns his rage on her she finally believes Mel. But like many young women in her situation she blames herself for his outbursts and abuse. She believes him when he says it wont happen again and that he will get help. We all know how that story goes.

    I found the abuser and victim psychology, although basic, pretty true to form in Pure Fake. Reading books about abuse can be a very difficult experience, especially for those who have had to go through it in the past. I don't think that this book is triggering but if you are recently coming out of an abusive relationship I would suggest reading some happier material for the time being.

    I want to tell you a story bit about me. The first time a guy ever physically hurt me  on purpose I was 15 and at Bible Camp. He punched me in the face and then later during the week fractured my finger. He was all apologies and I love you's and I, being a hurt and lonely tween, believed him. I never told my parents, in fact if they read this it would be the first time they hear about it, and I didn't break up with him. The abuse just got worse but he hid it better. I can't tell you why I put up with it. I knew that what he was doing to me wasn't any form of love. All I can say is I felt awkward at school and the fact that he liked me made me feel special. He was older than me and I tried to brush off the abuse by saying that we were roughhousing to much, or I had brought it on myself. I told myself he didn't mean it. I only found the courage to end things with him when he called to tell me he had cheated on me and that he wanted to break up because he felt so guilty. He then immediately changed his mind and said he wanted to stay together. That was the last straw, I had put up with so much from him and then he was going to act like this. I snapped back into reality. He didn't care about me. I told him it was over and to stay away from me. I tell you this to let you know that I have been where Gina was and I can understand some of her actions. It's easy to say that you will leave someone or call the police until it is you in the situation. I think that Beverly Scudamore did a pretty good job showing that part of being a part of an abusive relationship.

    It's not an epic, life changing, novel but it is a quick and entertaining read. So when you are in the mood for a day of Lifetime movies and similar books this is a great one to put in your TBR pile.
 
RATING: 3/5

 

Do You Think You Or Someone You Love Might Be In An Abusive Relationship?

Warning Signs of Abuse:

• Telling you that you can never do anything right
• Showing jealousy of your friends and time spent away
• Keeping you or discouraging you from seeing friends or family members
• Embarrassing or shaming you with put-downs
• Controlling every penny spent in the household
• Taking your money or refusing to give you money for expenses
• Looking at you or acting in ways that scare you
• Controlling who you see, where you go, or what you do
• Preventing you from making your own decisions
• Telling you that you are a bad parent or threatening to harm or take away your children
• Preventing you from working or attending school
• Destroying your property or threatening to hurt or kill your pets
• Intimidating you with guns, knives or other weapons
• Pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you’re not comfortable with
• Pressuring you to use drugs or alcohol

You may be experiencing physical abuse if your partner has done or repeatedly does any of the following tactics of abuse:

• Pulling your hair, punching, slapping, kicking, biting or choking you
• Forbidding you from eating or sleeping
• Damaging your property when they’re angry (throwing objects, punching walls, kicking doors, etc.)
• Using weapons to threaten to hurt you, or actually hurting you with weapons
• Trapping you in your home or keeps you from leaving
• Preventing you from calling the police or seeking medical attention
• Harming your children
• Abandoning you in unfamiliar places
• Driving recklessly or dangerously when you are in the car with them
• Forcing you to use drugs or alcohol (especially if you’ve had a substance abuse problem in the past)

You may be in an emotionally abusive relationship if you partner exerts control through: 

• Calling you names, insulting you or continually criticizing you
• Refusing to trust you and acting jealous or possessive
• Trying to isolate you from family or friends
• Monitoring where you go, who you call and who you spend time with
• Demanding to know where you are every minute
• Punishing you by withholding affection
• Threatening to hurt you, the children, your family or your pets
• Humiliating you in any way
• Blaming you for the abuse
• Accusing you of cheating and being often jealous of your outside relationships
• Serially cheating on you and then blaming you for his or her behavior
• Cheating on you intentionally to hurt you and then threatening to cheat again
• Cheating to prove that they are more desired, worthy, etc. than you are
• Attempting to control your appearance: what you wear, how much/little makeup you wear, etc.
• Telling you that you will never find anyone better, or that you are lucky to be with a person like them

Sexually abusive methods of retaining power and control include an abusive partner:

• Forcing you to dress in a sexual way
• Insulting you in sexual ways or calls you sexual names
• Forcing or manipulating you into to having sex or performing sexual acts
• Holding you down during sex
• Demanding sex when you’re sick, tired or after hurting you
• Hurting you with weapons or objects during sex
• Involving other people in sexual activities with you against your will
• Ignoring your feelings regarding sex
• Forcing you to watch pornography
• Purposefully trying to pass on a sexually transmitted disease to you

Sexual coercion
Sexual coercion lies on the ‘continuum’ of sexually aggressive behavior.  It can vary from being egged on and persuaded, to being forced to have contact. It can be verbal and emotional, in the form of statements that make you feel pressure, guilt, or shame. You can also be made to feel forced through more subtle actions. For example, an abusive partner:

• Making you feel like you owe them — ex. Because you’re in a relationship, because you’ve had sex before, because they spent money on you or bought you a gift
• Giving you drugs and alcohol to “loosen up” your inh)ibitions
• Playing on the fact that you’re in a relationship, saying things such as: “Sex is the way to prove your love for me,” “If I don’t get sex from you I’ll get it somewhere else”
• Reacting negatively with sadness, anger or resentment if you say no or don’t immediately agree to something
• Continuing to pressure you after you say no
• Making you feel threatened or afraid of what might happen if you say no
• Trying to normalize their sexual expectations: ex. “I need it, I’m a man”

Even if your partner isn’t forcing you to do sexual acts against your will, being made to feel obligated is coercion in itself. Dating someone, being in a relationship, or being married never means that you owe your partner intimacy of any kind.

(ABOVE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELPLINE http://www.thehotline.org/ )

THERE IS HELP OUT THERE!  
 Please Reach Out.
 Call The National Domestic Violence Helpline 1-800-799-7233 | 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

Review: Witch Finder

 Witch Finder

By Ruth Warburton

Synopsis:
    Luke has waited his entire life to join the brotherhood of witch hunters. Ever since he saw his parents murdered at the hands of a witch. Now he is finally old enough. He has passed the first two tests, now he just has to pass the third and final test. Kill the witch that he randomly picks from the book of witches.
And isn't it just his luck that he picks a sixteen year old witch with some very powerful ties. It's the witch or him in a fight to the death. Only one of them can survive.
Rosa's family is on the brink of bankruptcy and she is to be married off so that her cruel brother and uncaring mother can gain power, status and riches. All she wants is to be free. Free to use her magic, ride her horse. Free to be her own person.
Can Luke kill Rosa and finally join the brotherhood? Or will he lose himself instead?

Review:
    Ruth Warburton's Witch Finder is a harsh look at the world in a brutal time.
    In a time where women have no rights and must marry for power and for the sake of their family there is a hint of Austen in this tale. Rosa wants nothing more than to be free. Free of her mother, free of her brother Alexis and certainly not married off to the cruel Sebastian. But that is not an option for her.
    The story of Luke, the novice Witch Hunter and Rosa, the beauty filled with magic and with ties to the most powerful witches in the world, is a predictable one. The kids from opposite sides of the tracks fall for one another. Very Romeo and Juliet and not done particularly uniquely or well.
    The brutality towards women and animals is stomach turning in it's detail. Although it accurately desplays the psychotic nature of Sebastian I would have liked a warning as to how graphic some of the violence would be. It was a bit disgusting and somewhat unnecessary.
    Overall I was disappointed with Witch Finder. I will not read the others in the series and I don't recommend it.
Rating: **/*****

Review: Eve & Adam

 

Eve & Adam

By Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Synopsis: 

Eve is the daughter of Terra Spiker. As in Spiker Biopharmaceuticals, a multibillion dollar company dedicated to medical researchers. The cutting edge of medical research.
And it's the Spiker Biopharmaceutical Research Facility that Eve is brought to after she was hit by a car. An injury so bad she may lose her leg.
 Shut up in her suite at the research facility Eve is bored. She want's her friends, she even wants to go back to school, but that's out of the question. Then Terra is struck with a brilliant idea. She gives Eve a workspace and sets her to the task of creating the perfect boy with the new computer program her company has designed to teach genetics to children. Eve goes about creating Adam with help at times from her "drug addict slut loser friend" (In the words of Terra) Aislin.
Yes, Aislin does have a penchant for getting into trouble but Eve loves her completely. And the feeling is mutual, but even when she has the best of intentions Aislin gets into a couple major messes and needs Eve to come to the rescue.
 Enter Solo, the mysterious and gorgeous guy that arrived with Terra after the accident. He is Eve's ticket out of the Research Facility. He's been living there since the death of his parents and has figured out all of the facilities security flaws. He can smuggle her in and out of the facility with minimal recording of their actions, and what the security camera has recorded he can delete later. How does he know all of the security flaws? Because he's been exploiting them to take down Terra Spiker and her company. He just needs to get his hands on the information that could land her in jail forever.
 But can he complete his quest after getting to know Eve?

Review: 

 I loved Eve & Adam. It felt like a breath of fresh air. I breezed through the book without realizing how fast it went by and when it was over I was left wanting more. What else can you ask for in a book?
And I have to admit that it won extra points for being set in the Bay Area. But everyone gets excited when a book is set where they grew up don't they? So little bit of bias!
 Eve's naivety, hurt and impulsivity make her a great protagonist. You enjoy watching her grow and learn throughout the novel. Her loyalty and love is fierce and admirable. It is easy to fall in love with her.
 Solo's quest for the truth and pursual of exposing crimes against humanity make him the perfect "bad boy" any girl could easily fall for. A rebel with a cause is always attractive. The fact that his most tragic flaw is to fall for the enemies daughter makes him just that much more likeable. Although it is a wonderful Romance Sci-Fi, Eve & Adam also brings up important morality questions.
Is it ok to play God? What is ok to do in the pursuit of science? Do the benefits of these pursuits outway the actions we took to get there? It is a great introduction to how we come about our medical cures in the modern world and some of the horrors that go on behind the scenes.
A definite Must Read!

Rating: ****/*****

Series Spotlight: Mythos Academy

SPOTLIGHT ON:

The Mythos Academy Series

By Jennifer Estep

Who would enjoy the Mythos Academy series? Fans of the Percy Jackson series will feel right at home at Mythos Academy.


FIRST FROST: a prequel novella that is only available in e reader format.
Synopsis: Meet Gwen Frost. Gwen has a unique gift. When she touches something she can see every memory attached to it. Which obviously makes her a little nosy. But she isn't prepared for what she sees when she borrows her friend Paige's hairbrush one day. And she is defenitly not prepared for the series of events that one vision would set off.





TOUCH OF FROST:

Synopsis: Gwen is still reeling from all the loss and pain she had been dealing with for the past months when she is swept away from the world she knows, the only place she still feels safe, and is sent to Mythos Academy. A school where the myths of old still live. Her classmates are now Valkeries and Spartans and everyone is trained in the art of war. Trying to learn how to fit in and survive High School in this new world is hard enough, when one day Gwen discovers the mean girl in school lying in the library. Dead. Now Gwen has a mission. She is going to figure out who did this and why.




HALLOWEEN FROST: This story can be found in the Entangled anthology By Edie Ramer (all proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Fund)
Synopsis: Gwen and her friends are in for more tricks than treas when they run into a mythological monster intent on killing them.








KISS OF FROST:
 Synopsis: Gwen is nursing a crushed heart. And to make matters worse the beautiful boy that has done the crushing is in charge of shaping her into a master swordsman. In other words, torture. Gwen doesn't know how she will get through the rest of the year when an assassin shoots an arrow at her head while she is working in the library. Now Gwen has to learn how to fight or die trying.




DARK FROST:
Synopsis: You have to know life wont be any semblance of "normal" when you go to a school steeped in Mythology, but you don't usually expect to be the person that an entire evil organization wants dead. Gwen soon finds out her Mom has hid a powerful artifact and that she's in a fight for her life.


CRIMSON FROST:
 Synopsis: Gwen is alone in the fight to clear her name, everyone believes she has gone to the dark side, can Gwen show them the truth in time?




SPARTAN FROST: 
Synopsis: Meet Logan Quinn, the beautiful Spartan warrior and love of Gwen's life. He has to get away. Away from Gwen. Away from Mythos Academy. Away from everything before he hurts someone else he loves. This is Logan's story. 






MIDNIGHT FROST:
Synopsis: Things seem to be back to normal at Mythos Academy, well as normal as things can get when you live in a world where Myths are real. Until someone tries to poison Gwen. The good news is Gwen avoided drinking the poison, the bad news is someone else drank it instead. Now Gwen has

to find the antidote and fast, even though she knows that to retrieve the antidote she has to walk right into a deadly trap.

KILLER FROST

Release Date: February 25, 2014

Synopsis: 

The final battle has come and everyone is looking too Gwen to lead them to victory. But she's still not sure how she is supposed to achieve that. Can she find it in herself to rid the world of this evil scourge or will this be the end of Gwen Frost?
Review:
    Killer frost was a great ending to the Mythos Academy series that all fans will be satisfied with. I have to admit I didn't enjoy it as much as Midnight Frost. The action doesn't start until about halfway into the book and there is less time spent with the mythological creatures Gwen cares for (which tends to be my favorite part of the series.)
    I will admit I cried. Be prepared to read about the loss that comes with all great battles between good and evil. Gwen and her friends continue to inspire and you will root for them and feel their triumphs and their anguish as their story comes to an end.
    I also really enjoyed the use of mythology throughout the series. Whether you know a lot about mythology and like to hear modern takes on the ancient myths of you are new to mythology Jennifer writes in such a way that everyone can enjoy it. For those new to mythology the story certainly makes you crave more and may lead you to learn more about the myths of old.
    Jennifer Estep not only weaves a wonderful conclusion to her Mythos Academy series but leaves her readers with a wonderful message to carry with them, "Self-sacrifice is a very powerful thing, especially if you do it of your own free will," In a world where people are becoming increasingly more selfish it is an important statement to remember. The sacrifice of ones self and ones time can change the course of history.
    Overall I loved the Mythos Academy series. Was it life changing? No, not really. But it was a great series that was entertaining and included tons of important messages that even adults need to be reminded of at times. The loyalty, friendship, faith and bravery shown through out the entire series is inspiring and it's something every reader should aspire to emulate. 

Killer Frost: ****/*****

Mythos Academy Series: ****/*****

Who Will You Meet at MYTHOS ACADEMY?

Plus my dream cast! (With help from my mom and husband)

Gwen Frost: A Gypsy with the power of psychometry, the ability to know an objects history by touch. Gwen enjoys knowing other peoples secrets and the fact that they can't hide them from her. She also has a MAJOR sweet tooth that her Grandma Frost helps keep satisfied. She's most comfortable in jeans and a sweatshirt reading a comic book. 

  My Pick? Victoria Justice!

Daphne Cruz: A Valkyrie and world class archer. She also has an amazing gift with computers. Daphne looks like the epitomy of a "girly girl" obsessed with pink, designer clothes and high end purses. She and Gwen are best friends.

  My Pick? Jennifer Lawrence!

Logan Quinn: Drop dead gorgeous and deadly to boot Logan is a Spartan and the best fighter on campus. He is the love of Gwen's life. But he has secrets. Secrets he doesn't want anyone to know, especially Gwen.

  My Pick? David Henrie!

Carson Callahan: Casrson is a Celt and the head of the marching band. Quiet, shy and one of the nicest guys around but a strong and fierce warrior when it comes down to it.

  My Pick? Cody Linley!

Oliver Hector: A Spartan who helps with Gwen with her weapons training and soon becomes one of her close friends and fierce protectors.

My Pick? James McAvoy!

Kenzie Tanaka: Kenzie is another Spartan who is close to Gwen and helps with her training. He is also dating Talia Pizarro.

  My Husband's Pick? Henry Shum Jr!

Savannah Warren: Savannah is the gorgeous Amazon that is dating Logan, that is until Gwen walks into the picture. 

  My Pick? Shailene Woodley!

Talia Pizarro: Talia is the Gwen's Amazonian sparring partner and Savannah's best friend.

   My Mom's Pick? Danielle Panabaker!

Alexei Sokolov: A Bogatyr Warrior training to become a member of the protectorate. 

  My Mom's Pick? Mark Salling!

Rory Forseti: Gwen's Spartan cousin and a first year student at the Colorado branch of Mythos Academy.

  My Pick? Eva Green!

Coach Ajax: The head of the Athletic Department. 

My Mom's Pick? Robert Downey Jr

Geraldine (Grandma) Frost: Gwen's Grandma. She is also a Gypsy and can see the future. She is the one that keeps Gwen (and her friends) in sweets!

My Mom's Pick? Dianne Wiest!

Grace Frost: Gwen's mother. She has the ability to tell a truth from a lie just by listening to people speak. 

  My Husbands Pick? Jennifer Connelly!

Nickamedes: The head librarian of The Library of Antiquities. He is also Logan's Uncle.

  My Mom's Pick? Mark Ruffalo!

Professor Aurora Metis: The myth-history teacher at Mythos Academy. She and Grace were best friends as students and she has become Gwen's mentor.

My Pick? Jaime Gertz!

Raven: Raven can be found fulfilling various odd jobs around campus but is best known for manning the coffee cart. There seems to be more than what meets the eye with her...

My Mom's Pick? Annette Bening!

Linus Quinn: Logan's Father and the head of the Protectorate. 

  We all agree on this one! Edward Norton!

Agrona Quinn: Logan's Stepmom and a member of the Protectorate.

  My Pick? Madeline Stowe!

Rachel Maddox: A chef at the Colorado branch of Mythos Academy and Rory's Aunt.

  My Pick? Jaimie Alexander!

Covington: The Head Librarian of the Colorado branch Library of Antiquities.

  My Mom's Pick? Jason Statham!

Loki: The Norse god of chaos.

  My Pick? Benedict Cumberbatch!

Nike: The Greek goddess of victory.

My Pick? Liv Tyler!

Sigyn: The Norse goddess of devotion and Loki's wife.

  My Pick? Jessica Chastain!

Meet The Author

 Jennifer Estep is the New York Times best selling author behind the Elemental Assassins series (adults) , Mythos Academy (young adults) and Bigtime, a paranormal romance series (adults).

 Her books are available in print, audio, and e-book formats from a variety of retailers, including the following: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million / iTunes / Kobo / Audible / Brilliance Audio