Of books, writing, and life in general
Hey, another review stop! This is a review of YA fiction We’re Done by Judy Irwin. I joined the blog tour because the book description seemed quite interesting and it’s about a very real and important topic. It’s about a bully who finds himself on the other side of things.
Today we’re having a book blast for Freedom Road by T.M. Souders. I recently won an ebook copy of this in a giveaway and I can’t wait to read it. It looks very promising!
Since the tender age of eight, music served as Samantha Becker’s source of solace against her father’s tyranny and her mother’s alcoholism. Now at eighteen, her only dream is to study classical guitar at Juilliard. But when her father’s careless actions lead to an “accident,” which threatens her ability to play the guitar, Sam becomes despondent. Losing all confidence in her future, Sam hides behind the emotional barriers that have protected her for years.
Just when Sam has given up, two unexpected people enter her life, giving her the confidence she needs, and forcing her to evaluate all she’s ever known. Battling her father’s plans for her future, band mates using her for personal gain, and a permanent injury, the odds are stacked against her. With auditions approaching and time running out, Sam must relearn to play the guitar, or be destined to give up her dreams forever. — Get this book on Amazon
Sykosa by Justin Ordoñez is FREE on Kindle today and tomorrow! :)
About the book
YA fiction for the 18+ crowd. Sykosa is a sixteen-year-old girl trying to reclaim her identity after an act of violence shatters her life and the lives of her friends. Set at her best friend Niko’s cottage, for what will be a weekend of unsupervised badness, Sykosa will have to finally confront the major players and issues from this event, as well as decide if she wants to lose her virginity to Tom, her first boyfriend, and the boy who saved her from danger. — Get a FREE Kindle copy on Amazon. Free only for June 7 – 8.
Read my review of Sykosa HERE.
“Sykosa makes for some compelling reading. Older teens and adults alike will enjoy Ordoñez ‘s tale for its humor, realism and relatable protagonist.” — Kirkus Indie Review
Sykosa (that’s “sy”-as-in-“my” ko-sa) is a junior in high school. She belongs to an exclusive clique of girls called the “Queens.” The leader is her best friend Niko. Their friendship has been strained lately because Tom—Sykosa’s first boyfriend—has gotten all serious about making her his pretty Prom princess. That is if he ever gets around to asking her. Before Prom, there’s a party at Niko’s cottage where parental supervision will be nil. He wants to have sex. She doesn’t. He sometimes acts like that doesn’t matter.It matters.
Tell A Thousand Lies by Rasana Atreya is about the fates of two sisters, fraternal twins Pullamma and Lata. Dark and awkward Pullamma only wants to be a wife. She has two other sisters so she knows that there isn’t a lot of dowry for them all, but she still hopes. Fair and pretty Lata only dreams of becoming a doctor. Her grandmother doesn’t understand and arranges a wedding alliance for her. By some twist of fate, Pullamma ends up becoming the Goddess of their village and secretly married, while Lata ends up in a forced marriage after rebelling against her grandmother and getting pregnant. This novel is a realistic portrayal of the culture, traditions, and life in a small Indian village. Read more about this book on Goodreads.
I enjoyed this book. It was quite easy to read and carried on in a very good pace. It was also so rich in culture and very realistic, so I found it quite captivating. I liked the simplicity of the writing because for me it fit in perfectly with the richness and depth of the entire book. It complemented how colorful the story was. The author was able to give life to the characters and described the setting and events beautifully. The story felt very real and I felt for all the characters.
About the book
YA fiction for the 18+ crowd. Sykosa is a sixteen-year-old girl trying to reclaim her identity after an act of violence shatters her life and the lives of her friends. Set at her best friend Niko’s cottage, for what will be a weekend of unsupervised badness, Sykosa will have to finally confront the major players and issues from this event, as well as decide if she wants to lose her virginity to Tom, her first boyfriend, and the boy who saved her from danger.
I think this is the first YA book I’ve read that has very mature content. I normally steer clear from books that talk about really serious stuff unless the cover or blurb were interesting enough to reel me in. Also, when it comes to YA fiction, I tend to go for the adventure or fantasy genre because I prefer the fast-paced, light and easy reading of these books. I decided to read Sykosa because I figured I have to review “serious” books once in a while. YES, this is still all about my reading/writing goals. It’s all about me, me, me. HAH. I sound like I’m in high school. Like Sykosa. No, not really.
