Live by the Sun, Love by the Moon | J. T. Jackson

At first glance, Luna Stone seems to have a normal nineteen year old girl’s life. She goes to college, studying for psychology. Works at a coffeehouse. But Luna’s life is far from normal. In addition to her coffeehouse job, she also works nights at a strip club. Dancing and waitressing to keep up with her mother’s hospital bills. More recently, a old friend of Luna’s decides to pop up and beg for forgiveness. And to top it all off, her teacher recently offered her a internship at a law firm. Which is a opportunity she could not pass up.

Twelve weeks, personal assistant, no pay, but a good recommendation. Seemed easy enough. But what Luna didn’t know was the job wasn’t going to be the hard part. The hard part wasn’t even her new over-achieving, young, polar opposite boss Mr. Ian Hanson. The hard part, was not falling in love with him.

In the first book of the Live by the Sun, Love by the Moon Trilogy, we meet Luna at a time in her life when her world gets turned upside down and seems to be falling apart. But it isn't her world she's worried about breaking, it’s her heart.

Non-Spoiler Review

This book started off really well. I enjoyed the characters. I enjoyed the storyline, but the story seemed to progress very slowly. I really think this should have been a stand-alone novel not only because I'm tired of series, but also because I'd rather have one big book that's intense and awesome rather than several books that aren't as plot-driven. The characters were well-written. They were realistic and easily relatable. I especially loved Luna's backstory and her personality. 

One thing I was really frustrated by was Ian and Luna's relationship. It was extremely wishy-washy. I've read so many books where there's a constantly fluctuating relationship and I'm honestly so tired of them. Luna kept jumping back and forth between some of the male characters even though it was obvious all along she loved Ian. 

I think that the overall premise of the book was interesting, but for me the plot was a bit dull. Save for a couple of grammar errors, the book was well written. I'm really hoping the next books in the series picks up and becomes a little more exciting, but I'm still excited to read it! 

I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a light and fairly fluffy read. There are some darker themes to it, but it's not too emotionally draining. It's a pretty quick read. I finished it in a couple of hours. If this book sounds interesting to you, you should definitely pick it up! 

*This book was provided by the author to read and review. This is a 100% honest review.*

Attachments | Rainbow Rowell

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The One | Kiera Cass

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A Tragic Heart | S. Elle Cameron

A heart-wrenching story about a young girl trying to find meaning in life, A Tragic Heart finds Taylor looking for reason while struggling to conquer her inner demons. Deftly juggling weighty themes that can be prominent in a teenager's life, while delving into the troubles of love triangles and growing up, this fantastic novel brings a surprising depth to the genre while ensuring readers are captivated from the beginning. Skillfully navigating the complex psychology of a troubled youth, this introspective story explores the tragic depths of a young woman in near constant suffering. 

What seems like an average tale of a troubled teenager coming of age will quickly shatter readers’ preconceptions with a number of gripping twists and developments. Flourishing into a more complete and introspective story, A Tragic Heart quickly proves to readers that it can be so much more than a stereotypical tale. 

Non-Spoiler Review

This book was nothing like I expected which is a fantastic thing. There's not too much I can say about this book without giving away most of the plot, but it's mostly an emotional drama. Although there was a relatively slow start to the book, once it got going, it just didn't stop. For some reason (regardless of the title), I went into this book thinking it was going to be a light, cute read. Man, was I wrong! This book makes you feel every emotion possible, from anger to annoyance to extreme sadness. Although the writing wasn't the best, it did its job of conveying the stories of each of the characters. There are so many dark topics that are touched on within this book, so I recommend it to older teens who are looking for intense emotional books. 

Rebel | Amy Tintera

The sequel to the action-packed Reboot is a can't-miss thrill ride, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Veronica Roth, and Marie Lu.

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on the humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake . . . he's underestimated Wren and Callum.

The explosive finale to the Reboot duology is full of riveting action and steamy love scenes as Wren and Callum become rebels against their own kind.

Non-Spoiler Review

This book is the second and final book in the Reboot duology. The first book, Reboot, is in a dystopian world where the human population has mostly been wiped out by KDH virus. But where people die, they can "reboot" and come back to life except their better fighters, can heal faster, and have less emotion. The longer time between the rebooting, the less human the new reboot is. Reboot follows the story of Wren Connolly, who has practically the highest number, one hundred seventy eight. She's supposed to be emotionless, but when Callum, a twenty-two, comes in, she realizes that maybe she's not as heartless as everyone says she is. The second book continues their journey and develops their relationship, which is the most I can give away without ruining both books. It's action-packed and cute and a fairly short and fun read. Go read both of them, come back and we'll discuss! 

The Elite | Kiera Cass

                                            

Words with an Author: Rajdeep Paulus

Good day folks!
Guess what it's time for?
That's right, another author interview! Today I'm going to be interviewing the lovely Rajdeep Paulus, author of Swimming Through Clouds and Seeing Through Stones. I had the privilege of meeting her at the YA Fest, and she's super nice and such a great writer!

Rajdeep Paulus Rajdeep Paulus is the author of Swimming Through Clouds and Seeing Through Stones. She  is mommy to four princesses, wife of Sunshine, a coffee-addict and a chocoholic.  As of this June 2013, she’s a Tough Mudder. To find out more, visit her website  or connect with her via Facebook  , Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram . 

Now into the questions!

1. How did you get into writing? When did you first start writing?

I'd like to think I've been writing all my life, but I can say my oldest memory of feeling like a writer was in fourth grade with my first spiral bound 'published' book called, "Fortunately, Unfortunately." I'm sure my mom still has it. I hope. :) 

2. Where did you come up with the idea for Swimming Through the Clouds? Who's your inspiration? 

I wrote a totally separate book about a guy (Lagan) who left a box of letters for his cousin (Rani) in which he described a girl (Talia) that he was madly in heart with, but had to keep her   a secret. I then had to figure out what could be so crazy and extreme that it would warrant living in hiding. That was the birthplace of Talia and Jesse's story.  

3. Are any of your characters based on people you actually know, if so, which ones? 

I'm sure there are tiny tidbits of my real life, friends and family in the books I write. For example, my real life BFF's favorite color is green. Or my hubby has a goatee and when we first met, he kinda sorta, okay, he did resemble Lagan. But the story in its most intimate details is entirely fiction. But the feelings of hopelessness or fear or love or joy were definitely drawn from moments in my own life. 

4. Have you written anything before STC? Published? Unpublished? 

Yes. I've blogged some 200ish crazy stories over at rajdeeppaulus.com and I've also written articles and short stories that have been published on and off-line.  

5. If you had to pick only five books from your bookshelf you could keep, what would they be? 

The Book Thief, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Beloved, Hunger Games, and I am the Cheese 

6. If you could go back and change anything in STC, what would you change and why? 

I don't know, to be honest. If anything, I might add more details about the grandparents. That's a lingering question mark I never fully explored. 

7. Who is your favorite character from any book and why? 

This is going to sound so cheesy, but I've always loved when the underdog gets a really sweet love story. So one of my favorite characters is Charlie from The Perks of being a Wallflower.  

8. How long did the writing process take for STC? From conception of the story to final publication. 

Approximately two years.  

9. Who are some of your favorite authors? 

The authors of the books listed in #5. Plus, I'm a nerdy Shakespeare and Faulkner fan.  

10. What actors/ actresses could you see playing the characters of your book? 

Ooooh. I am so glad you asked, because I feel like I finally found my perfect Lagan: Avan Jogia (of Twisted Fame) with a goat, of course. I think, someone who looks like Dia Mirza would be perfect for Talia. And I have a nephew who I think could play Jesse. :)  

11. How did you come up with the title and cover of STC? Did you have any say in the final cover? 

The title literally came up when I wrote the chapter that features the title and I love the woman who designed my cover. Angela Llamas is a graphic designer in Spain and she was very open to making small changes that I wanted in the cover. 

12. Are you planning to write any more books besides STC? What are some ideas you have?

Of course! I have about three projects that are in the works, all YA Contemps in nature. 

13. What would your advice be to someone who's aspiring to be a writer? 

Write. Read. And then write some more. And let others read your writing and give you honest feedback before you publish. It makes a huge difference.  

14. Finally, just to wrap things up, what's your favorite color and why? 

I have so many! I used to claim RED all day long as a teen. Then one day, purple took over my life. Maybe something to do with my obsession with lilacs. Then one day, I fell into brown and I've never gone back. So now, as you might have guessed, I'm a bit biases toward Blue. Blue for Talia. Love blue.