Review of Luminaire by Ciye Cho

Synopsis: "Being the only human in a world of merfolk... isn't easy. Florence Waverley chose to stay in Niemela, but things have gone awry. Secrets have risen and the prince she cares about has pulled away. All the while, dark dreams warn her of a tragedy that only she can stop. But in order to save the merman she loves, Florence will have to enter the Life Path tournament: a brutal test of fear and madness.

The tournament is a rite of passage--a maze where young mermaids and mermen battle to find their purpose. It is also a place where Florence will face grave danger: mermaids with evil magic, tunnels filled with sea fire, and guardians who wish to use her as a pawn in their secret plans. But will Florence be strong enough to survive the tournament... or will she perish inside it?

Everything hangs in the balance: her life, her world, and her love.

("Luminaire" is the second book in the Florence Waverley series.)"

My Review: Lets start off by saying this is the second book in the series and I really enjoyed the first, Florence. For some reason latey I have been disappointed with follow up books in a series, but with Luminaire that is not the case! We get to continue Florence's undersea adventures through turbulent times. I think that this book may have been even better than the first, maybe because romance really took a back seat to adventure and self discovery. Also while the book is filled with action, it doesn't feel like it is crisis after crisis until the main event of the Life Path Tournament. Now I can't talk too much about things without spoiling surprises but I really like where the story is headed. I enjoy how Ciye Cho really made you remember that she is underwater, the characters and scenes really stick to the setting (I know that sounds odd but I really hate when stories or characters that are not human or on earth start to take on the traits of being on earth and forget the true setting).

 

My Rating: I really enjoyed Luminaire and I think that many of you will also enjoy it, but I do suggest reading Florence first as it is a continuation of the story.  I give Luminaire a rating of Four Paws!

 

 

Luminaire was sent to me by the author for an honest review.

 

You can find out more about the Florence Waverley series and Ciye Cho on Goodreads or the dedicated series Website.

 

 

If you would like to obtain your own copy of Florence and/or Luminaire they can be found on Barnes & Noble and Amazon

 

 

You can also see my original review of Florence, book number one of the Florence Waverley series HERE

Monday Reading List

Its Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Share what books you have finished in the last week, are currently reading and what might be coming up next!

Reviews Posted Last Week:

Links will take you to my review

 

Twelve Months by Steven Manchester
I'll See You in the Morning (Bedtime Story)

Books Finished Last Week:
Reviews will be posted at a later date

Mommy Hugs
Pajama Time
Wintergirls
 

Currently Reading:

October Night by Theresa Oles - Kindle - 15%
Chasing Dragons by Doug Jaffe - Kindle - 26%


 Books to be Read Soon:

 

Blood in the Valley by JK Hogan (Requested Review)

Heat Wave by Richard Castle (Audio Challenge)

And the Soft Wind Blows by Lance Umenhofer (Requested Review)



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So I was planning on getting a lot more reading done this weekend but of course had another bridal shower to go to on Saturday and then Munchkin cut his third tooth on Sunday.  Gosh I hope the teething thing gets easier because he is absolutely miserable! In fact he has been so unhappy I don't even have a new cute picture to share with you :(

Well lets hope this week is better, I have a lot of reading to get done this month!

Hope you all have a great week!

May the 4th Be With You!

 

 

Its that ever so special day that all us Star Wars fans celebrate and let our geek out!

 

I would normally celebrate by watching the movies, or calling my brother to chat about our Star Wars memories but unfortunately I am not going to have the opportunity since I have a bridal shower today. So instead I will leave you with this killer video!

 



 

 

May the 4th be with you all!

Bedtime Story: I'll See You in the Morning

 



Synopsis: "This dreamy little book is like a hug and a kiss goodnight. Reassuring and loving, with a padded cover and foil cover highlights, it's sure to become a favorite part of every child's goodnight ritual."

My Review: This is a great book for bedtime, and would be perfect for those little ones who seem to be afraid of being alone or the dark. A sweet reminder that you will be there all through the night and will still be there in the morning to greet them. It is the perfect length book for bedtime and has a lot of cute little animals to point out in the pictures. The images are bright for those little wondering eyes too. The only issue I had with it is that it gets into a nice rhyming scheme but then you suddenly loose the rhythm due to wording.

 

My Rating: I give this one a rating of Two Paws and a Stump Wag. I wish the wording had stayed a consistent rhythm but it is still a sweet book.

 

 

 

Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

From the Review Pile #1

I have been horrible about keeping up with my review pile so I thought I would join Stepping Out of the Page and showcase one of the books waiting each week.

 

 

 

From the Review Pile is a meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review (or if you don't receive review books, any book that you own and really want to read/review) but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

I know that a lot of you have a huge pile of books that you want to read/review, but it understandably takes a while to get around to reading them all - here you can give a book (or two!) some of the publicity that it deserves, even if you haven't read it yet!

 

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Tale of the Taconic Mountains by Mike Romeling

 

 

Everyone had an agenda and it just seemed like coincidence—and of little consequence—that they happened to end up in the small town of Cedar Falls nestled at the base of Bakers Mountain, deep in the ancient Taconic Mountain range. Completely involved, even obsessed, with their own pursuits, it was hardly surprising the visitors would be unaware of older agendas both within the dying town and up in the forests and ridges of the mountain looming above.

There was the discontented novelist fleeing his job and his family, hoping to regain his mojo with a young girlfriend and a new book; a mother in search of her long-estranged daughter, but finding first an unlikely romance with the proprietor who loved his failing bowling establishment like a child—at least when he wasn't making plans to burn it down for the insurance; a soap opera queen who thought she was stopping by for a simple PR gig for the PETA folks when the town was plagued by thousands of bats in search of a new home. Instead found herself revisiting Gretchen Foley, the frightened disturbed child she had been before emerging as the famous Amber Steele.

There were the two Native American friends who came to climb the mountain in search of the fabled quartz Spirit Stones of their Mohican ancestors, the young man who wanted to retrace the steps of his grandfather who once lived along the river that flowed through town. But instead he would come to grief and need to be carried down the mountain by the mysterious and seemingly ageless Boudine sisters who had led secluded lives high on the mountain as long as anyone could remember. Few knew where these strange women had their cabin, but the dying Randle Marsh did, and it was said that he visited the sisters often; was he trying to live on endlessly as dark rumors suggested the sisters did? The rustic Wayne Funt knew where they lived too, but he would leave them strictly alone until he and his dog Duke played a major role in the mayhem that broke out during the raging Christmas snowstorm that buried the town and the mountain.

This collision of clashing agendas was presided over by a sheriff who did the best he could to navigate a safe landing for as many as he could who shared the wild ride on this memorable, often frightening year. And if the result could often be laced with humor and absurdity, it was always tempered—sometimes tragically—with what has always been true: sometimes, deep in the heart of the New England mountains, there are things going on, things both lighter than air and darker than starless night.



Review of Twelve Months by Steven Manchester

Synopsis: "Don DiMarco has a very good life – a family he loves, a comfortable lifestyle, passions and interests that keep him amused. He also thought he had time, but that turned out not to be the case. Faced with news that might have immediately felled most, Don now wonders if he has time enough. Time enough to show his wife the romance he didn’t always lavish on her. Time enough to live out his most ambitious fantasies. Time enough to close the circle on some of his most aching unresolved relationships. Summoning an inner strength he barely realized he possessed, Don sets off to prove that twelve months is time enough to live a life in full.

A glorious celebration of each and every moment that we’re given here on Earth, as well as the eternal bonds that we all share, TWELVE MONTHS is a stirring testament to the power of the human spirit."

My Review: Wow! Just Wow! This was one of the most emotional books I have read in years! Okay now that I have that out of the way, let me talk about the book and my experience with it. When I first started reading it for some reason I could hear Paul Harvey's voice narrating it, I don't know where this came from but that was what I heard (I kept waiting for "And now you know the rest of the story"). Then by not even a quarter of the way through the book I had already had a few laughs, some cringes and then of course about twenty pages of sniffling and tears. There is so much that can be taken from this story (in fact I book marked several pages and highlighted lines) about family, love, caring for others, making peace and what means the most when time is short, but I think what I will take away most from this story is Bella. I can only hope and strive to be even half the wife that she was, the strength, love and support she radiated throughout the story was amazing. I hope that you will all give this book a chance, I think it is one of those books that could mean something different to each person who reads it.

 

My Rating: I really can't say enough about this book, it was an inspiration. I really hope you will get a chance to read it! I give it a rating of Four Paws and a Stump Wag!

 

 

Twelve Months was sent to me by the author for an honest review.

 

You can find out more about Twelve Months and the author, Steven Manchester on Goodreads or on his Blog/Website.

 

You can also obtain your own copy of Twelve Months in either Ebook or Print formats on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.



Wednesday Writing

So Wednesday is my official writing update day. I have so many story projects going on and I need a push to get some done. So I will be trying to post each Wednesday about how my writing adventures are going (and I may need a swift kick in the pants by you guys sometimes).

Current Active Project:

Princess Bs - 34,317 words

A story about a woman, recently divorced and returned to her home town to figure out what is next. She encounters an old friend and spends a weekend with him and his daughters. Feelings that are long since buried are rising up again, but are her recent loss and his current life going to stand in the way of their happily ever after?

Tamlyn Marie's Grace -

Think Cinderella only with a matchmaker ;)

Other Works in Progress:

The New Old Home - 17,193 words

Everyone dreams of winning the lottery, but what would you do with that money? That is the question presented to Natalie, when she is at the lowest point in her life, she is presented with an opportunity to make any normal person's dreams come true, but all those winnings can't give her what she wants most.

Night Rider - 17,229

Alice is a recent high school graduate who is a very accomplished competitive rider in Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, and Western/Rodeo. Her parents had arranged for her to attend a private college on the east coast geared specifically to equine professions. However, Alice wants to focus on her studies in English Literature. When she arrives at the college she hides her riding abilities, but can she keep her talent and love of horses hidden?

The Last Mountains - 13,468 (handwritten) = 15,766 (typed)

A equine shapeshifting family is being hunted to near extinction and the young new leader must go against all her lessons and approach the elite council for aide. Will they help her? How will she keep her family's traditions and values alive, let alone her herd?

Other Ideas Plotting:

Bloodsoar's Story

A pegasus struggles through life, ejected from the herd, near capture by humans.

The Assassin's Assassin

A student learns what the school is really teaching and sets out to destroy those who support the program.

Angel Story

Angels battle out an age old feud in a parallel world

 

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Well, I didn't make any progress this last week :( it was a crazy week in the office as it is at the end of every month.  But lets hope that by the next update (at the beginning of next month) I will have made substantial progress!!

Happy writing adventures to you!