Review | Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Sea of Tranquility

Author: Katja Millay
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Pages: 426
Review by: Tessa




Nastya was a promising piano prodigy. Then her hand was shattered along with her bright future. Even a prodigy cannot play the piano with one hand.

Everything in her life is broken, except for the boy who did this to her. She intends to find him and make him feel her pain.

There is nothing left in Josh's life to break and everyone knows it. He spends his life alone in his force field of grief, sadness, and apathy. He does not let anything close enough so he does not have to fear losing anything else.

The only thing he has left is his talent to build things. But no matter how many elegant tables and chairs he builds, he does not think that he can build himself a new family.

It turns out that the broken boy's force field cannot hold up when the girl who breaks everything shows up in his life.

YA Spring Fling Giveaway Blitz

Spring is officially on its way! Nothing is better than finally being able to see the grass after three months of relentless snow!

And there is no better way to experience the new spring weather than with a new book!

Lucky for you, today we are part of the YA Spring Fling Blitz. Over 70 authors are participating and over 100 ebooks, paperbacks, and swag are up for grabs!

From March 20th to April 3rd, over 70 authors come together to give away hundreds of books. The YA Spring Fling is an opportunity for readers to find new books, new authors and take part in something very special. Here is a sneak peek of some of the books involved in the giveaway. 

All are featured in the YA Spring Fling giveaway. Click here to win free books!

Discussion | Series Procrastination

I hate endings. 

Just like the Doctor, I refuse to acknowledge that everything must end, especially my favorite books (even though I would never rip out the last page of a book).

For example, I have finally come  the last episode of season 7 of Doctor Who, which is the last episode that is currently available on Netflix. I am afraid to watch this episode, because it signals the end of my adventures with the Doctor until Netflix decides to put on the next season (which ended in November of last year, so I do not know what they are waiting for). I will probably not be able to make myself watch the episode for a while, at least a couple of weeks, maybe even until the next season is available.

This happens to me all the time with books. I will finish the second to last book in a series, but then I will just never read the last one.

I start excited to read it, but then that feeling fades when I realize that it is the last in a series. Then I convince myself that I should read other books on my to-be-read list. Eventually, days, weeks, then months pass (I think I may be too good at procrastinating...). Then I make the excuse that I would have to read the rest of the books before the last one so I actually know what is going on, but I never have the time (or patience) to read all of the books again. So, I end up caught in my web of procrastination.

There is a significant list of books that I have not read yet due to this special type of procrastination. 

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

Champion by Marie Lu

In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

Undivided by Neal Shusterman

Archenemy by Frank Beddor

There are definitely more books, but I have procrastinated so long that I forget which ones they are...

I think that my biggest fear is being disappointed. All of the series that I have not finished are some of my favorites.

I have loved the Percy Jackson series since I was in middle school. Percy and his sass were helped me through the horrors of junior high and the beginnings of high school. I JUST DO NOT WANT IT TO END! I am terrified of what is going to happen in the book (I mean, someone is going to die) but I am more afraid of what is going to happen when the book is over. The world will be saved (hopefully) and the characters will all get their happily ever after (but you never now with Riordan books). There will be no more adventures with Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. I will be left in my completely ordinary world that lacks the magic of Greek mythology. 

I do not want that magic to end.

These characters sneaked in to my heart and taken control. They haunt my dreams. I cannot seem to get rid of them, but I am afraid of leaving when the book is over. 

I am also afraid to read sequels that are part of my favorite series.

Such as...

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Outpost by Ann Aguire

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

The Four novellas by Veronica Roth

Fairest by Marissa Meyer

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

It is so intimidating to continue one of my favorite series. I mean, what if I do not like it as much as the rest of the series? I loved the rest of the books in the series so much that I doubt the book can actually live up to expectations. We all know that it only takes one bad book to ruin a series.

Now that I have shared my irrational fear of fictional characters leaving me and being disappointed by my favorite series and authors, I want to know what scares you about series.

Have you ever procrastinated on reading the last book in a series? If so, which ones? Are you afraid to read new books by your favorite authors? Or do you think that I am just crazy?

Also, if you have any advice on how to cope with the ending of a series, I could really use it!

Ebook Deals | March 2015

I disagree with the idea of spring cleaning. The weather is finally getting warm, the snow is melting, and the birds are singing, so I really do not want to spend my time working inside to clean something that will be dirty in five minutes. 

Instead, I like to sit outside and enjoy the wonderful spring breeze with a good book in my lap. So, if you are running short on good books (or even if you are not) here are the best ebook deals for the start of spring.

Top Ten Tuesday | Book on my Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by wonderful bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. 

This week's topic is all about the books on our spring to-be-read list. It includes the new releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on and older books that have finally gotten to the top of the list.

Blog Tour and Review | The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders

Welcome to my tour stop for The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders. This is a YA science fiction published by Giant Squid Books. 

The tour runs March 2nd-13th with reviews, author interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule. 

About the Book:

The Burned Bridges Protocol 
by Abigail Borders
238 pages
Young adult, science fiction, dystopian

Seven hundred years ago, disaster forced humanity to abandon Earth. Life on the colony ship New Edinburgh is all sixteen-year-old Lilliane, the best programmer in her year at the Institute, has ever known. A week ago, Lilliane woke up in a life-pod. Its destination? Earth itself. Because it's time to rebuild. It's up to Lilliane and the four other survivors of the New Edinburgh to reclaim humanity's ancestral home. Today, the life pod arrived at Lady Diana--the lunar holding station that was once the luxury holiday destination for Earth’s super-rich. It’s supposed to be a good place. A safe place. Not anymore. Today, Lady Di is a battlefield. Because while Lilliane and her friends thought they they were the only humans left, somebody else got to Lady Di first. And he will stop at nothing to keep Lilliane from ever getting to Earth.

BBP on Giant Squid Books | Goodreads | Amazon | Indiebound

Review

*Disclaimer* 

I received this book from CBB Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating of the book.

The Burned Bridges Protocol was a interesting mix of science fiction, dystopian societies, and psychology. It explored so many different ideas, but everything was executed perfectly in the mere 200 pages. This was just a novella, but I would love if it was expanded into its own series (which I REALLY hope happens *hint hint*).

The New Edinburgh colony is stranded in space with a mission-- regain Earth. No one has set foot on the planet for hundreds of years, and it is up to Lilliane, Tomain, Cleo, and Becca to undo the mistakes of their ancestor and reclaim their home planet. But, as they approach their final pit stop before Earth, it becomes clear that someone does not want them achieving this goal. Together, they must fight selfishness, greed, and sassy computers to go home.

The characters were complex and the multiple perspectives, while hard to keep up with, portrayed every character in a unique way. Everyone (even the computer) had their own unique voice and role in the story. No one was left behind.

I loved the relationship between Lillane and Tomain. They have the playful humor of twins, but you could also tell that they really loved each other. They had their ups and downs, but at the end of the day, they stayed true to each other.

The relationships between the rest of the crew of the ship were also entertaining.

I also loved the subtle romance in the book. I mean, you really had to look for it sometimes, but it was still sweet and touching (and heartbreaking). Personally, I think that romance should not be the main focus in science fiction or dystopian novels, so this was perfect for me. 

The plot was quick and suspenseful and full of action. A lot of events happen in this book, but nothing felt rushed or glanced over, which is hard to achieve for such a short book. 

This was a quick read, but it will leave me thinking for a long time. The emotion, action, and suspense packed into this short novel is enough to keep me happy for a while.

I would recommend this book to fans of Across the Universe by Beth Revis, science fiction fans and any dystopian fans. 

I give The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders five stars.

About the Author: 

Abigail is fluent in three languages, grew up in Asia, studied History in the UK, and now calls sunny Southern California her home. When not working with flowers (and daydreaming about what a ranunculus flower fairy looks like) she sings about Winnie the Pooh while baking treats like pineapple tarts and sand dollar cookies for her son, El Kiddo. She has an-going love/hate relationship with all things chocolate, although coffee will always remain her first love. She also holds graduate degrees in International Management and Special Education. 

The Burned Bridges Protocol is Abigail’s first novella. Her first novel, Cyrion, is scheduled to be released by MuseItUp Publishing in spring 2015.

Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter 

 Giveaway:

Five (5) digital copies of The Burned Bridges Protocol (INT) & a signed paperback copy (US)

Ends March 18th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Blog Tour and Review | Snark and Stage Fright by Stephanie Wardrop

Snark and Stage Fright
by Stephanie Wardrop
Release Date: 03/10/15
Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

Happily-ever-after isn’t as happy or forever as Jane Austen makes it look. Just something Georgia Barrett learns when her sharp tongue costs her the only guy she’s ever really cared about: Michael Endicott.

Determined to move on, Georgia lands the lead role in the school’s fall musical. But to survive on stage, she’ll need to learn to express herself without her protective shield of snark. She soon discovers being honest with others means being honest with herself, and the truth is she’s still in love with Michael.

But from the looks of Michael’s new girlfriend, Georgia isn’t the only one who tried to move on. Apparently, some people are just better at it than others. And when Michael and his girlfriend join the cast of the fall musical, Georgia finds out that snark and stage fright are the least of her worries...

Buy Links

Amazon

Trailer Talk | Insurgent

Clearly I am not Dauntless, because I am a little late with jumping on the Insurgent train.

I just saw the final trailer today, and I am wary of how the movie is going to play out. I enjoyed the Divergent movie. It could have been better, and it could have been worse. Since it is one of my favorite books, I was very critical of the film, and it did not live up to my expectations.

So, I am hoping that Insurgent can make up for that.

Discussion | My Thoughts on Twitter

As some of you may know, I finally succumbed to the pressure and made a Twitter for the blog, and I could not be happier with the decision!

You can find me at @Crazyfor_YA. 

I joined about a week ago. The first couple of days were pretty calm, but then the 2015 Love A Thon happened. It was chaos. I felt like a teenager who just got their license, but then was thrown into the Indy 500 (or some other major racing competition, I do not know much about them).

I had to navigate an ocean of tweets, mentions, and replies. It was confusing, but extremely fun to be in the midst of everything.

Know that I have experienced the joy (and chaos) that is Twitter, I wish I had joined sooner. Of course there are both pros and cons to being on Twitter and other social media, and that is exactly what I am going to explore today.

Last List Blog Hop | Strange Skies by Kristi Helvig

Today, I am glad to be a part of the Last List Blog Hop to get the word out about the wonderful authors who are on Egmont's Last List. 

Sadly, Egmont USA, a popular publisher, has closed its doors. This has left its authors in a bad position. They will not have a marketing team to help get the word out about their books. So, Cuddlebuggery organized this blog hop to help these wonderful authors publicize their books. 

The book I am spotlighting is Strange Skies by Kristi Helvig, the second book in the Burn Out series. 

To find the full list of books being sponsored and the rest of the blogs on the hop, click here.

The Versatile Blogger Award

We were nominated by Georgia May @ TeenBookHoots for The Versatile Blogger Award!

Thanks Georgia May!

This award was created by bloggers to recognize quality and unique writing, creative content, attractive graphics and designs, and connection with readers. To say the least, it is one of the best blogger-nominated awards out there!

Rules of Versatile Blogger Award:

 1. Nominate other bloggers relatively new to blogging or you regularly follow.
 2. Let the bloggers know that you've nominated them.
 3. Share 10 random facts about yourself.
 4. Thank the blogger who nominated you either by leaving a comment or following them and link back to their blog.
 5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your post.

Random Facts

1. I am currently obsessed with Netflix, which has led to me binge watching Doctor Who, Once Upon a Time, and The Office.

2. I really enjoy journalism.

3. I have two puppies, a jug (a mix between a Jack Russel and a pug) and a Pekingese. 

4. I have been blogging on and off for two years now.

5. I also like to make jewelry, especially bracelets.

6. Tennis is my favorite sport.

7. I am always cold, no matter how many blankets I bury myself in. 

8. I am a procrastinator.

9. I am a moody mood reader (which is not a good combination).

10. Blogging is one of my favorite things in the world!

I nominate...

Lauren @ A Blonde Librarian