Recently Read...Sleep No More and The Taking

First up, The Taking by Kimberly Derting.

The Taking was a little different of a read for me. I understand that it is a story about a girl that was abducted by aliens and returned to earth five years later. But besides that, I did not really get a sense of an actual plot.

Mostly we get a day by day account of Kyra's life and how she is coping with changes that took place while she was away. I kept waiting for something to happen, but nothing major did till act three.

But to tell you the truth, I still really liked this story. Even though the plot was not super engaging, the character development is fantastic. We really get to know Kyra and we feel everything she does. So by the time all of the excitement begins I really cared about everyone and was worried about what was happening to them.

I will definitely be reading book two.

Next up, Sleep No More by Aprilyne Pike.

Since I don't write negative reviews I do not have much to say. But I will say this. The writing itself was good, I loved the plot and I really like the characters. But the ending...it ruined the whole story for me.

It's weird, because both The Taking and Sleep No More had very abrupt endings. Where The Taking  left me wanting more, Sleep No More left me irritated. It made me feel like everything was a waste. I am assuming the ending we got was to entice us to read book two, but I did not get any satisfaction from the way it closed.

Cover Reveal...Beyond Time by Laura N. Anile

Time Shifters by Laura N. Anile
(Beyond Time #1)
Publication date: June 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Synopsis:

‘My blood runs cold, and I see the horror etched in the boy’s reflection. Anxiety seeps into my chest, making my heart hammer. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know how I got here. But what worries me most is: I don't know who the hell is looking back at me in the mirror."

When you wake up in the wrong body within a futuristic world, being yourself can get you killed.
17-year-old Ryder is on his way to school when he experiences a pain like he has never felt before. He awakes in a mysterious lab to discover that, as a victim of an unauthorized transfer, he has been pulled into the year 2127.
Now Ryder’s life depends on him succeeding in making everyone believe that he is Ziron, the boy that swapped places with him in 2015. If he fails, he will be captured, imprisoned, or worse. Ryder only has to survive two weeks in this futuristic world he doesn’t understand. But two weeks is a long time when you don’t know who to trust, and when you have to keep away from a girl you have sworn to protect.
Kira refuses to stay away, so how can he prevent her from discovering his secret? And how can he be with her when she thinks he’s someone else?
Time is running out for Ryder to unravel the conspiracy and uncover the answer to the biggest question of all: Just why did Ziron risk everything to change places with him? And what exactly has Ryder been pulled into?
In a desperate quest to find his way home, Ryder will stop at nothing to protect the girl of his dreams, and the secret that could destroy everything.

The expected release date is June 16 (Amazon), with iTunes, Kobo and B&N to follow. For further information, please go to www.LauraAnile.com
View the book trailer: www.LauraAnile.com/trailer.html
Read the first chapter: www.LauraAnile.com/sneakpeek.html

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22238675-time-shifters

AUTHOR BIO:

Laura has had a lifelong love of writing, which she explored in a successful marketing career before penning her first novel. She is fascinated by the ideas of fate and interconnectedness, central themes in her story. She loves all things humorous, laughs too loudly and finds her own jokes amusing. She has a passion for traveling and exploring the world but has a phobia of suspect hotel rooms with questionable hygiene. And, oh yeah, she isn't clairvoyant and doesn't own any crystal balls.

In addition to 'Visions', she has also written a collection of short stories, entitled 'Unmasked Secrets'.
For more information, please go to www.lauraanile.com.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.lauraanile.com/index.html

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LauraAnile

Facebook: Laura N. Anile, Author

Cover Reveal...The Scandinavian Santa

The Scandinavian Santa, written by Victoria Lindstrom, paintings by Michael Lindstrom

    Journey to the enchanted land of Scandinavia, where, nestled in the Nordic Forest, lives Santa Swanson. Each winter, this nephew of St. Nicholas has his own Christmas Eve delivery to make - but what that is, and to whom, has long been hidden. With the help of two mischievous flying polar bears, Gunnar and Ludvig; a rescued golden eagle, Lars; and a host of other whimsical creatures; Santa Swanson prepares for his annual sleigh ride down Viking Valley!
     Delight in this yuletide adventure, complete with a fanciful ice skating party, a rustic holiday feast, and an unexpected reunion with Santa Swanson's famous uncle. In the midst of all this wonder, the forest friends learn a heartwarming secret from a Christmas angel revealing the magic of generosity.

I love this cover and I am extremely excited to get my hands on this book! 

You can learn more about the author here http://writofwhimsy.blogspot.com/ 
You can learn more about the artist here http://michaellindstromartist.com/

The Scandinavian Santa will be available in September 2014 in hardcover and ebook (Amazon, B&N, Apple) from Deeds Publishing.