First We Were IV Blog Tour (Review + Giveaway!)

First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy

Publication Date: July 25, 2017

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

Synopsis: A group of friends start a secret society in this out-of-control thriller from the author of The Telling and The Creeping that examines the all-consuming love of lifelong friendship—and what someone is capable of when they’re afraid of losing it.

Izzie loves nothing more than her three best friends, Viv, Graham, and Harry, and the bond the four of them share. And she’s terrified of their friendship falling apart next year when they go off to college. To bind them together, she decides to create that will belong only to them, a special thing that they’ll always share between the four of them. And so they dream up the Order of IV, a secret society devoted to mischief that rights wrongs and pays back debts. At first, it works like a charm—but when the Order of IV’s escapades get recognition beyond their wildest expectations, other people start wanting in. And soon, what started as a game of friendship is spiraling into something dangerous and beyond their control—and before it’s over, they’ll pay the ultimate sacrifice.

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Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandra Sirowy is the author of the young adult thrillers THE CREEPING, the Bram Stoker Award® Nominated THE TELLING, and the upcoming FIRST WE WERE IV. Alexandra attended a women's college as an undergrad and received her graduate degree in International Studies. When she isn't writing, she loves to travel, read, eat, and get into mischief. She lives with her husband in Northern California.

THE REVIEW

First We Were IV was a dark and engaging read from Alexandra Sirowy. As someone who doesn't normally read books in this genre, I was extremely surprised to find that not only did I like this book, I LOVED it.

Sirowy managed to grab my attention from the start and never let go. Although immediately thrown into the thick of things, Sirowy presents it in a way that intrigues rather than confuses. Once engrossing the reader, Izzie's narrative rewinds to the very start of everything and brilliantly leads back to that last moment, intwining the plot with various flashbacks, recordings, and other tidbits that added a little extra oomph to the story. Although I haven't read a lot of novels like this one, I feel like it's easy to mess up with this type of storytelling method, but Sirowy manages it with grace and ease, with great transitions and precision.

I was fascinated by Izzie and her friends' attempt at a last hurrah before college. While there were elements of the group and some actions that freaked me out, the bond shared between the members was unbreakable. The dynamic was so interesting and the characters felt so real and flawed and wonderful. And surprisely, they also felt kind of innocent? Even though some of their actions definitely were not, their hearts were often in the right place, in their own twisted way.

I don't want to talk about the plot since even the tiniest bit might give something away, but I will say that Alexandra Sirowy definitely threw me for a loop with this one. Although I don't read many mysteries or thrillers, when I do I usually see things coming or have at least a vague sense of what is going on. This book was different though because I never anticipated ANYTHING.

Also, a bit of a side-note but this book also had so many good quotes. SO MANY. I compiled a list of some favorites for the other tour back in March/April and I HAD SO MANY LINES HIGHLIGHTED AND HIGH-KEY STRUGGLED TO NARROW IT DOWN TO JUST 10. But I digress.

Ultimately, First We Were IV was an unexpected gem for me. I highly recommend people give it a try, even if it's not a genre they usually read because they may be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.

MY RATING: 4 stars

THE GIVEAWAY

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FTC disclaimer: US entires only. No purchase necessary to enter, giveaway items provided by Alexandra Sirowy.

DON'T MISS THE REST OF THE TOUR!

Week 1

July 10:  Bookish Lifestyles - Review + Tote Design
July 11:  Brittany's Book Rambles - Guest Post
July 12:  Emily Reads Everything - Review
July 13   Biscotto's Books - Moodboard
July 14:  Forever Lost in Literature - Review

Week 2

July 17:  My Friends Are Fiction - Guest Post
July 18:  Literary Legionnaire - Review
July 19:  The Reader and the Chef - Review
July 20:  Novel Novice - Guest Post
July 21:  Dark Faerie Tales - Interview

Week 3

July 24:  YA and Wine - Review + Guest Post
July 25:  YA Book Central - Spotlight
July 26:  Tales of the Ravenous Reader - Review
July 27:  A Perfection Called Books - Guest Post 

November SST: Timekeeper (Review + Giveaway!)

Timekeeper by Tara Sim
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Steampunk/LGBTQIA+
Page Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: November 8, 2016

About Timekeeper (via Goodreads):

In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.

It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.

And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve.

But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.

The stunning first novel in a new trilogy by debut author Tara Sim, Timekeeper is perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Victoria Schwab.

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REVIEW

Timekeeper by Tara Sim was an extremely delightful and imaginative book. Sim's writing style was particularly beautiful—it was so rich and vibrant that I was captivated from page one to the very end.

The world and world-building was probably the strongest aspect of  the book. Timekeeper was absolutely brilliant and definitely had one of the most unique worlds/concepts I've ever read about. From tracing back to the mythology of time every few chapters to the detailed descriptions of how time functions, how timekeepers' powers work, and the lives of the clock spirits, I felt truly transported into the world.

Danny may not have stood out to me as a protagonist overall, but he was an admirable and lovable character that I just wanted to give a hug constantly throughout the book. What struck me the most about him was how real and relatable he was. And yes, this did stand out to me more than other protagonists of other books. He was flawed, but he was a good person. A lot of characters seem to always know what to do in any situation, but he didn't and he realized it. And I kind of loved him for that. Were there times when I wanted to hiss at him to stay focused? A few. But did I still love him anyway? Absolutely.

I felt like a lot of the characters were pretty much secondary. Although some played more pivotal roles than others, the focus was mainly on Danny. Which I'm fine with, but I would have enjoyed diving deeper into some of the other characters' personalities and histories. Sim did briefly touch on a lot of their backstories, but I would have liked to see more interactions between them.

Speaking of interactions, I'd like to talk about the romance. I thought Danny and Colton were ADORABLE together, and I wanted them to be happy and unhurt and never live in fear and have a happily ever after, but at the same time, it didn't quite work for me. I loved Colton, and I know as a clock spirit he didn't have many opportunities to explore and grow since he was stuck in his tower for who knows how long, but I disliked his lack of a history. A lot of the faith that I put into my OTPs has to do with the couple's individual personalities, pasts, and growth, and that was hard to see in Colton (and thus their relationship).

Overall, I really enjoyed Timekeeper. While some minor characters fell flat for me, I believe there are so many opportunities for them to become stronger as the series progresses and Tara Sim already has a great foundation for that development. In addition, there were so many other amazing details throughout the book. Sim's writing was absolutely exquisite and her world-building was equally as extraordinary, and I cannot wait to see what she will explore in the rest of the series.

My Rating: 3.75 stars

About the Author:

Tara Sim can typically be found wandering the wilds of the Bay Area, California. When she’s not chasing cats or lurking in bookstores, she writes books about magic, clocks, and explosives. TIMEKEEPER is her debut novel. Follow her on Twitter at @EachStarAWorld, or check out her website tarasim.com for fun extras.

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Blog Tour - Every Big & Little Wish (Guest Post + Giveaway!)

Every Big & Little Wish by E.C. Moore
Publisher: Booktrope Publishing
Publication date: October 20th 2015
Genres: Romance, Young Adult

About Every Big and Little Wish:

E.C. Moore’s young adult novel, Every Big and Little Wish, opens in late spring 1970. Sixteen-year-old Jacy Wilbert’s Mom got promoted, so her parents sold their Victorian home in California and moved to a townhouse in Oregon.

Torn away from the only home she’s ever known, forced to leave her beloved German shepherd behind, Jacy feels misplaced. Exacerbating an already terrible situation, her dad runs off with the bombshell real estate agent who sold them their townhouse. And, just when it seems things can’t get any worse, her mom loses the stupid job they left California for in the first place and begins to drown her sorrows with pink wine, night after night. Jacy’s caught in the middle, struggling to maintain a relationship with her AWOL dad while tolerating his annoying, much-younger girlfriend.

Missing old friends back in California, and feeling like an outsider, Jacy needs to build a new social life in a new school. Not the sort of girl to wait around for what she wants to come her way, she sets her sights on Neil Wilder, the best-looking boy around.

Everything changes when Jacy Wilbert knocks on the wrong door.

Goodreads | Amazon

~ GUEST POST ~

How I Came to Write Every Big & Little Wish

Every Big & Little Wish is dark and suspenseful but not without lighter moments and heart. I chose 1970 as the setting. I believe this iconic period helps to set the narrative apart. This coming of age novel is a fictional attempt to explore what if felt like to be stalked and kidnapped from my own unique perspective. Although Jacy Wilbert goes through much of what I did, my protagonist is not like me in any way shape or form, and I chose to depict her a few years younger than I was when I got abducted. But her German Shepherd Thor is a genuine portrayal of the guard dog my dad bought to protect me, right down to his name, unusual coloring, and astounding bravery.

I usually begin a book with a seed of an idea. For instance, on a walk one day, I noticed a rundown house with Christmas lights still up in late spring, a dried up wreath hanging on the entry door, and a yard full of potholes. An attractive high school girl walked by just then. If such a girl liked and wanted to meet a boy who lived in such a house, would she be brave enough to knock on his door? What sort of girl could ignore such a ramshackle exterior? How could she be so bold? My protagonist, Jacy Wilbert, was born. I always knew I would write a book loosely based on my stalking and eventual kidnapping, so I began to incorporate that scenario into the outline.

For some reason, parents are often portrayed as peripheral, two-dimensional characters in novels. I wanted Jacy’s parents to be genuinely human and flawed. I didn’t conceal or suppress their bad conduct or erratic behavior patterns. I attempted to illustrate Jacy’s response to her parent’s actions with the choices she makes in return.

The attraction Jacy feels for Neil Wilder, the best-looking boy around, is all consuming and leads her to knock on the wrong door. How could she know it was the wrong door? Contact with the Wilder family leads to obsession and danger.

~

About the Author:

When Elizabeth’s not writing feverishly, you will find her out walking or sightseeing. She’s crazy about coffee, books, cooking, good wine, cairn terriers, miniature ponies, historical houses, tapas, and witty people.

She resides in a fifties bungalow in Southern California, with her creative-director, hubba-hubba husband, a yappy blonde dog, and one feisty Chihuahua.

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Blog Tour - The Secrets We Kept by Lily Velez (REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!)

The Secrets We Kept by Lily Velez 

Publication Date: November 8th 2015

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

About The Secrets We Kept: One year. That’s how long it’s been since childhood sweethearts Sully Graham and Cadence Gilbertson broke up, since one adoption and one out-of-state move turned their worlds upside down.

Suddenly, Cadence is back in New York City, but something’s different about her. The light in her eyes, the music in her laughter, the warmth in her smile—all of those things have entirely vanished. In their place stand the makings of a girl Sully can’t even begin to recognize, much less understand.

Still, despite the collective history of heartbreak between them, he’s convinced he can win her trust again, and he’s committed to proving the invincibility of their love no matter what it takes.

But Cadence is quietly harboring secrets of her own. Dark secrets. Ugly secrets. Secrets that could break a person. And though broken herself and unbearably lonely, she’s determined to protect Sully from her terrible, biting truths. Even if it means locking him out of her life forever.

The only problem is it seems her heart hasn’t quite received the memo. One glimpse of him is all it takes for her to trip into familiar (and, she’ll admit, addictive) feelings that threaten to all but consume her. Now her biggest fear is that her secrets will begin to slowly unravel one by one…long before Sully’s resolve ever does.

The Secrets We Kept is a moving story about first love, friendship, and forgiveness, and the enduring bonds that forever connect us and give us our strength.

The Secrets We Kept is a beautifully written novel about loss, love, friendship and hope.

The plot was very character-driven, which I enjoyed immensely. I felt a deeper connection to the characters, and I thought Velez balanced the foster care/adoption lifestyle, the characters' internal and psychological struggles, and the romance extremely well. Sometimes a certain aspect of a book can overpower the rest, but Velez did not disappoint. She weaved the different components and themes of the story in a way that helped the story instead of hurt it.

There were a few parts that seemed cliche to me (like Cadence's secrets), but compared to what I've read in the past, Lily Velez wrote it so much better. I also thought that some of the conflicts resolved too quickly once the conflict escalated, but as cliche as it sounds, I could not put the book down. I kept wanting to know more and refused to stop until I got the answers I wanted and needed.

The characters were all very well-developed and felt real and raw. Their lives truly exemplified the idea that life is like a rollercoaster — there were so many times when they were on the brink of falling and were constantly trying to make it back to the top. All of the characters were absolutely maddening at times, but at the same time I couldn't help hut love them and want to cheer them on. They all go through so much throughout the novel, and I just wanted them to be happy again.

Sully and Cadence were extremely cute together. Even though most of the novel was building up to them getting back together (or not), the snapshots of their lives before California were absolutely adorable and all I wanted was for them to have moments like that again. It was frustrating to see them struggling within the relationship with each other as well as with their family and friends, but based on the circumstances I could understand why they acted the way they did.

As individual characters, Sully and Cadence were definitely interesting. It was hard to see them close themselves off from their loved ones and I grew irritated with them at times, but I know that I could probably not do much better if I was in their shoes. 

Overall, The Secrets We Kept was a quick and enjoyable read.

My Rating: ✪✪✪ 1/2

~~

About the Author:

Lily Velez has been writing stories since she was six years old. Not much has changed since then. She still prefersthe written word and her overactive imagination over the ‘real world’ (though to be fair, her stories no longer feature talking dinosaurs). A graduate of Rollins College and a Florida native, when she's not reading or writing, she spends most of her days wrangling up her pit bulls Noah and Luna, planning exciting travel adventures, and nursing her addiction to cheese. All this when she isn’t participating in the extreme sport known as napping. You can learn more about Lily and her books at www.lilyvelezbooks.com.

Lily's debut young adult novel, The Secrets We Kept, released on November 8, 2015.

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