Review: Rise by Amanda Sun

Title: Rise 
Author: Amanda Sun
Source/Format: freebie, iBooks ebook edition
More Details: YA, Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Harlequin Teen, May 1, 2015

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A long, long time ago, before the world was as we know it, Izanami and Izanagi came into being. Two of the first of the ancient gods of Japan, they crafted the world from ink and their own imaginations. Izanagi wants, more than anything, to be with Izanami—but one moment of pride could tear them apart forever. Yuki and Tanaka have been friends for as long as they can remember, but lately deeper feelings have been bubbling beneath the surface. How do they navigate the transition from friendship to true love without destroying the powerful bond between them? Set a millennia apart, can these two couples, living parallel love stories, find their happily-ever-afters?

I really enjoyed Rise by Amanda Sun. It was a really quick read—it's a short story—and perfect to get me motivated again. Rise follows a few of the series well known characters—Yuki and Tanaka—intertwined with the story of Izanami and Izanagi. The writing was fantastic, and though I haven’t kept up with this series lately, I’m looking forward to getting back into it. I really can’t say much, and I don’t want to unintentionally spoil some of the details for those who haven’t read it. So all I can say is that I enjoyed reading from both perspectives in the different time periods, and I recommend Rise to those who are familiar with this series.

Release Day: The Death Code by Lindsay Cummings

Today is the release day for The Death Code by Lindsay Cummings, the second book in the Murder Complex series!

 About the book (Synopsis from Goodreads...)

With short, fast-paced, alternating point-of-view chapters, The Death Code starts several weeks after The Murder Complex ended. Zephyr keeps the secret about Meadow close—that if she dies, The Murder Complex will be destroyed, too. Meadow, desperate to find her brother, father, and little sister, is determined to fearlessly fight to the end, even if it means sacrificing herself and her friends, new and old. The Death Code introduces a memorable cast of secondary characters and delivers a vivid and scary thrill ride read...

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Lindsay Cummings is the 23-year-old author of THE MURDER COMPLEX duology and BALANCE KEEPERS trilogy at HarperCollins. She lives in Celina, TX, with her Grumpy Husband Josh, a German Shepherd, a German Shephusky, a real Wolf Cub, a draft horse named Dan the Man, a hedgehog named Hedwig, a cat named Crookshanks, and 5 silly, egg-laying chickens. She's still trying to convice her husband to let her get a teacup pig and name it Pigwidgeon. She is convinced her Hogwarts letter was just lost in the mail...

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Musing Mondays (30)

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB(Jenn) at A Daily Rhythm, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My Musings for the Week...

Have you ever started a series or trilogy but then never ended up finishing it? I know I have over the years for a variety of reasons. Below is a short list of the most common reasons as to why I haven’t finished a series...

• Lost Interest/ Bored 
• Series took a turn for the worse halfway through 
• First book failed to impress me 
• Really liked the initial series but the spinoff novels aren't really doing much for me 
• I just don’t have the last book(s), yet… 
• Uncertain if the end will live up to the glory and wonderfulness of the previous books 
• Finally, sometimes they just need to end, and I don't have the enthusiasm to continue...

I don’t know, maybe later I’ll do a list of series I haven’t finished, but those are the most common reasons why.

So, what are your most common reasons for not finishing a series/trilogy?

Release Date Reveal & Giveaway: Titans by Victoria Scott

Today I'm excited to take part in sharing the release date and synopsis for Victoria Scott's upcoming YA novel, Titans. Stick around till the end of the post for a giveaway where you can enter for a chance to win signed books. And without further ado, Titans will be released on...

February 23, 2016!

And here's the synopsis...

Astrid Sullivan's family can't catch a break. Her grandfather played cards and her dad bet on the Titans--half-horse, half-car that race around impossible tracks. They've lost their home, their savings, and each other. So when Astrid makes some new friends who give her the chance to participate in this year's Titan races, she wonders if it's worth risking everything. She never thought she'd even touch a Titan, and this one is first gen when the models racing now are Titan 3.0s. There's no way for her to win...but with her family slipping away and her dad without work, Astrid can't help but feel like the only person she can bet on is herself.

Titans delivers Victoria Scott's signature blend of incredible action and impossible odds, and will leave readers' hearts racing...

Don't forget to visit the author online...

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And now for the giveaway. Below you can enter to win a signed copy of Fire & Flood and Salt & Stone from Victoria Scott! The giveaway is US ONLY.

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Review: Cookie Love by Mindy Segal with Kate Leahy

Title: Cookie Love: 60 Recipes and Techniques for Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary
Author: Mindy Segal with Kate Leahy
Source/Format: Blogging for Books, Hardcover Review Copy
More Details: Cooking, Food
Publisher/Publication Date: Ten Speed Press, April 7, 2015

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Mindy Segal is an up-and-coming chef and baker who's serious about cookies and bars. In her first cookbook, Segal turns classic recipes into more elevated, fun interpretations of everyone's favorite sweet treat. From Brown Butter with Hickory Smoked Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies and Crème de Violet Snickerdoodles, to Citrus, Brown Butter, and Graham Cracker Shortbread with Framboise Preserves and Hibiscus Sugar Rugelach, Segal's recipes are inspired and far from expected. This modern twist on a traditional favorite is the perfect addition to every baker's bookshelf...

I can’t really say that the synopsis was what got me interested in this book, because it didn’t. I really wanted to get this book based solely on the fact that I like to bake, and Cookie Love seemed to be the perfect fit for me.

This book has too many cookie ideas, but don’t get me wrong that’s actually a good thing! The recipes span across a wide variety, everything from basic cookies to snickerdoodles, a handful of short bread variations, and even Milanos. They are a little more complicated than the average cookie recipe, but would probably be great if you’re looking to try something new or for a get together to impress guests. The back section of the book covers some basics—cooking techniques and clarification on leaveners and supplies. There’s even a small section on making your own butter.

Ok, now that I’ve gotten my initial thoughts out I’m going to move on. Out of this book, I selected one of the recipes to try before I sat down to write this review. It’s called “Ode to the Chunky Bar.” Let me just tell you that the cookies were delicious and the texture was really good. The taste of the actual cookie wasn’t too sweet but with the raisins and extra chocolate added in it hardly mattered. Below you can see pictures of how mine came out:

Overall I like this book and will be keeping it on my shelf. And I recommend it to people who are looking to expand their horizons when it comes to baking cookies.

This copy of the book was provided by Blogging for Books for this review, thank you!

KATE LEAHY is a freelance writer and the co-author of A16 Food + Wine (with Shelley Lindgren and Nate Appleman) and The Preservation Kitchen (with Paul Virant).