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[Blog Tour] Focus by Alyssa Rose Ivy + Flight Review
Welcome to the blog tour for Focus by Alyssa Rose Ivy organized by AToMR Tours! Focus is the second book in The Crescent Chronicles series. I’m reviewing the first book, Flight.
Focus (Crescent Chronicles, #2) by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Release date: January 23, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Group: Mature YA/ New Adult
Book links:
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads
Summary: Freshman year of college is hard even when you’re not tied to the future king of a supernatural society.
Allie dives into college head first with Hailey as her roommate and the city of New Orleans as her backyard. As things within The Society heat up, Allie realizes that whether she’s with Levi or not, she’s in far too deep to turn back.
Review
I love the cover. It’s dark, mysterious and sexy in a way. I’ve never been to New Orleans, but in my mind, New Orleans is dark and kinda gothic. Reminds me of Anne Rice’s novels. I pronounce New Orleans as the capital of supernatural setting.
Allie and Levi are meant to be together. I’m not a huge fan of Levi, but then I start to understand and try to cope with his attitudes. His mysterious side is appealing, and I want to know more about him.
Allie is insecure, but I love her guts. She’s mature, willing to take a risk. Allie is likeable, whereas Jess is someone who can raise eyebrows.
Overall, I like the story. It’s unlike any other paranormal romance books. Once you read it, you’d be hunger for more. Can’t wait to read Focus and Found. Oh, one more thing, Flight is not about vampires or werewolves. Not gonna tell you what :))
About the Author
[Book Review] Marked: House of Night 1
Title: Marked (The House of Night Book 1)
Authors: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Published: April 1st, 2007
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: YA/Paranormal/Vampire/Urban Fantasy/Supernatural
Format: Ebook
Enter the dark, magical world of the House of Night, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has just been Marked as a fledgling vampyre and joins the House of Night, a school where she will train to become an adult vampyre. That is, if she makes it through the Change – and not all those who are Marked do.
It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint her human ex-boyfriend.
To add to her stress, she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers: When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite group, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny – with a little help from her new vampyre friends.
Zoey adalah remaja keturunan suku Cherokee, salah satu suku terbesar dari 5 Indian tribes di Amerika. Suku Cherokee terkenal sangat spiritual. Buku pertama dari seri House of Night ini mengambil latar tempat di Tulsa, Oklahoma. menurut situs ini, memang banyak keturunan suku Cherokee yang bertempat tinggal di Tulsa.
Balik lagi ke Zoey, tokoh sentral dalam cerita ini. Zoey digambarkan sebagai anak pemberontak yang tidak bahagia sejak ibunya menikah lagi dengan John Heifer, ayah tirinya, seorang control freak yang juga salah satu tetua People of Faith, aliran agama radikal. Suatu hari, Zoey diikuti oleh seorang tracker, lalu muncul tanda bintang sabit didahinya, sebagai tanda bahwa Zoey adalah calon vampir yang harus pindah ke sekolah khusus calon vampir, House of Night. Perlahan, kekuatan supernatural Zoey semakin kuat, hingga ia didatangi langsung oleh dewi Nyx dan di”baptis” oleh Nyx. Zoey dijadikan mata dan telinga dewi Nyx.
Zoey bertemu dengan teman-teman baru, juga musuhnya, Aphrodite, ketua perkumpulan eksklusif, yaitu Daughters of Night. Aphrodite berambisi ingin menjadi high priestess. Masalah muncul ketika Zoey yang memiliki kekuatan istimewa menjadi murid Neferet, high priestess yang juga mengajar di House of Night.
Ditambah lagi Erik, mantan kekasih Aphrodite, suka dengan Zoey. Heath, mantan Zoey di sekolah lama, tidak putus asa, malah semakin semangat mengejar Zoey hingga ke House of Night.
Ciri-ciri vampir di buku ini agak berbeda dengan penjabaran vampir di buku Bram Stoker, Stephenie Meyer, atau Anne Rice.
Vampirism terjadi karena seseorang diberi tanda, dididik sebagai murid di House of Night, dan kuat hingga lulus sekolah. Hanya murid terpilih yang bisa menjadi vampir. Yang tidak lulus akan mati.
Bloodlust tetap ada, tapi biasanya semakin tinggi tingkatan seeorang, kevampirannya akan muncul.
Di buku ini, Zoey mengalami masa transisi dari remaja biasa hingga menjadi murid di House of Night, pre-vampire.
Yang seru adalah saat Zoey dan teman-temannya melakukan ritual purifikasi menggunakan elemen: udara, api, air, bumi, dan roh. Lebih mirip ritual witch daripada vampir.
Penggunaan herbs dalam ritual juga menarik. Menurut buku ini, sage digunakan untuk mengusir energi negatif. Ritual ini pada awalnya memang dilakukan oleh Native Americans, tetapi di jaman modern ini, ahli Fengshui juga melakukan hal yang sama, terutama jika baru pindah rumah atau kantor.
Menurut situs ini, weengush atau sweet grass digunakan untuk membersihkan tubuh, pikiran dan jiwa. Disakralkan oleh suku Indian karena sweet grass merupakan simbol penyucian. Agak membingungkan karena menurut situs tersebut, asap sweet grass tidak disukai roh jahat. Tetapi, menurut buku Marked, asap sweet grass bisa mengundang roh-roh lain yang jahat.
Zoey menyebutkan pohon oak dianggap sakral untuk bangsa Cherokee. Menurut situs ini, pohon oak dihubungkan dengan misteri api suci, salah satu elemen penting dalam ritual Cherokee.
Satu sisi, buku ini agak childish, tapi isinya sangat tidak childish. Apa gue bakal lanjut baca seri House of Night? Absolutely! This book is addicting.
Nggak sabar kelanjutan kisah Zoey dengan Erik dan Heath juga Aphrodite.
Promotional Event: Altered Souls (Witch Avenue, #2) by Karice Bolton
Title: Altered Souls (Witch Avenue #2)
Author: Karice Bolton
Release date: Oct.31st, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Links to find the book:
Goodreads
Amazon
Nook
Book Description:
The realm of Altered Souls brings nothing but unrest, deceit, and pain forcing Triss to come face to face with heartbreak from her past.
Facing a betrayal like never before, Triss questions everything she thought she knew about her family, coven, and abilities.
With the help of Logan, she embarks on a journey enabling her to confront the dark side of magic and the person who controls it. Realizing Triss’s ancestors have been seduced for centuries by the dark side, Triss and Logan must ensure no more in their world fall victim to the realm of Altered Souls, even if that means ending the ones they love.
Giveaway per blog: (1) eBook copy of Lonely Souls (Witch Avenue, #1) or Altered Souls (Witch Avenue, #2). Book will be gifted from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Mobi and epub formats only. Open International. Participants may handle the giveaway however they would like. All winners must be submitted to this form by Jan. 2.
If a winner does not have an e-reader they can download the Kindle app for free to their computers on Amazon.
Excerpt from the book
As our lips met, the search for our security began. Neither of us wanted to believe that we could lose this. Running my fingers through his hair, I gripped his neck with my other hand. I didn’t want this closeness to end. The firmness of his body stretched along mine as he lifted me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist, not wanting to detach from his kisses as they led away from my mouth down my neck. Feeling his breath dance across my skin as he kissed my collarbone brought a shivery delight to my senses. The softness of his lips was such a contrast to the firmness of his grasp as he guided his hands down my back.
He spun around, pinning me up against the tree with his weight, as I let my mind wander to what might be waiting for me next. My breathing got faster with each second of anticipation. He slowly brought my chin up and his lips began exploring mine once more. With every kiss, his mouth pressed harder along mine, and my heart exploded with curiosity. I let my hands find their way back to his neck up to his hair, twisting and pulling him closer to me with all of my strength.
He pulled away slightly, and I opened my eyes to see him searching my expression for something. For what, I wasn’t sure.
“I don’t ever want to lose you, Triss.” Logan shook his head. “I couldn’t—”
“Shh.” I placed my index finger to his lips. “You won’t.”
My hand trailed down his chest to the first button that I attempted to unfasten.
About the author:
Karice married the love of her life who she met in high school, and she still can’t get over how cute and funny he is. They have two English Bulldogs that are the cutest bullies in the world, and they use their cuteness to get what they want. Karice loves the snow and gravitates towards the stuff as often as possible! She enjoys skiing and tries really hard to snowboard, but often makes a nice little area to sit while everyone zips by on their board. She enjoys writing, and she also loves to read just about anything with print.
Karice Bolton
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Thanks to AtomR Book Blog for hosting this tour.
[Book Review] Radiance: Death Can Be Cute
Radiance
Author: Alyson Noël
Publisher: Square Fish
Release Date: August 30, 2010
Pages: 183
Radiance is a cute book about death and afterlife. Buku ini ringan tapi sarat makna.
Pertama: tentang kematian yang digambarkan Alyson Noel, penulisnya, sama sekali tidak menakutkan.
Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. Riley and her dog, Buttercup, have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she’s summoned before The Council. They let her in on a secret—the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can’t quite figure out.
Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But he’s never met Riley.
Riley yang sewaktu hidup tidak puas dengan dirinya dan selalu menjadi bayang-bayang kakaknya, Ever, baru tersadar akan sikapnya yang annoying setelah ia meniggal.
Berbekal pengalaman sewaktu hidup, Riley berhasil membujuk the Radiant boys, kakak-beradik badung yang gentayangan di kastil. Riley dan mentornya, Bodhi, diminta untuk menangkap arwah penasaran agar kembali ke dunianya. Mereka dinamakan Soul Catcher
Buku ini walau untuk ABG, masih cocok dibaca oleh segala usia. Kematian bukan hal yang menakutkan.
Gue bahkan ngakak di beberapa bagian. Penggambaran Here and Now juga jelas, terbukti penulisnya memang riset terlebih dahulu tenang kematian dan kehidupan setelah mati. Yang paling seru adalah saat Riley dan Bodhi terbang di kota London. Magnificent!
Surely I will buy all the series ^^
Happy reading,
lustandcoffee 