The Offering by Kimberly Derting - Review and Giveaway

   

SYNOPSIS:

True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy. Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks. When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom. But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

REVIEW:

My rating:  4 of 5 stars

I was so excited to get a chance to read The Offering!  I have a tendency to start a book series and then forget to go back finish them -- sometimes it is the time between books, sometimes life gets in the way, sometimes I don't want to say goodbye to the characters.  It happens.  But without a doubt, I knew that this was a trilogy that I wanted to see through to the end. 

I was not disappointed.

The Pledge intrigued me.  The Essence held its own and left me in a place that had me needing to know more.  This book, though...the third book...The Offering...HOLY COW!  From the first page, I was blindsided by the emotion.

For real...I almost had to put it down and walk away because THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN!

Now, you know I don't do spoilers, so this is where I go vague.  Something happens and things get really real really fast for Charlie.

And this is where my love for the supporting characters comes in.  Max and Eden and Brooklynn and Claude and Xander and Nico and Elena and even Sabara.  They never feel like "just" supporting characters to me.  While this trilogy is Charlie's story to tell, her conflict to resolve, these other characters are woven into the story in a way that makes me want to know just as much about their thoughts and emotions (or lack thereof) as of the Queen's.  In fact, I do have to be a bit honest in saying that my connection to these characters may even lessen my allegiance to Charlie.  I started this trilogy expecting Charlie's story and finished feeling like it was THEIR story.

And the more I think about it, I don't think that is a bad thing.

Ms. Derting writes relationships.  Charlie and Max.  Charlie and Aron and Brooklyn.  Charlie, Eden, Brooklynn.  Max and Xander.  Charlie and Sabara.  Nico and Sabara.  Each one is an integral part to this trilogy and there are others that I left off.  I think they are what really drew me in to her words and world -- yes, this is a dystopian story about a queen learning her way, but the conflicts aren't limited to the obvious.  There is so so so much more.

Gah, I love depth. 

And I love growth.

And I love when I finish a book/series and it just feels right.  That is what happens with The Offering.  It was right.  And I'm happy. 


      

   

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kimberly Derting is the author of the BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE trilogy, and THE TAKING (coming April 2014 from HarperTeen). She lives in the Seattle area, with her husband and three children, who often find the outrageous things they say either in the pages of her books or posted on Twitter or Facebook for the entire world to see.  

 GIVEAWAY:

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Book Blast: The Offering by Kimberly Derting

SYNOPSIS:

 
 True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy. Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks. When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom. But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

Praise for The Offering:

"This was a truly epic ending to the series." --Crystal Perkins, Goodreads Review "The final book in Kimberly Derting’s Pledge trilogy is a thrilling conclusion. I was immediately swept up into it and powered right through. It was pretty much what I wanted with a few surprises along the way." --Krys at Bibliopunkk Reads

   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kimberly Derting is the author of the BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE trilogy, and THE TAKING (coming April 2014 from HarperTeen). She lives in the Seattle area, with her husband and three children, who often find the outrageous things they say either in the pages of her books or posted on Twitter or Facebook for the entire world to see.  
   

 

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BookBlast $50 Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/18/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Review: Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

From Goodreads:

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars

I'm just going to jump right on in and put it out there - Lynn is a badass. 

Raised by her mother after being abandoned by her father, Lynn takes care of what is hers.  And while she does wish things were different, the fact of the matter is that things are what they are and the world is not a kind and gentle place.  You do what you have to do to survive.

“Do you want to die like this?" Mother had asked, that night and every night since then.

Lynn's answer never changed. "No."

And Mother's response, their evening prayer. "Then you will have to kill.    

Water is precious and rationed.  And guarded.  To maintain their independence from "city life", Lynn and her mother guard the pond on their land from scavengers - both four-legged and otherwise.  Every day, every minute is a battle to survive...whether Lynn is gathering firewood, or worrying about the snow, or scanning the perimeter for threats.  There was little time for fun, for chit chat, for getting to know your neighbors, much less trust them.

Until something happens that makes it necessary.  

If you've been following my blog, or even my Goodreads account from my pre-blogging days, I make no secret of my disdain for spineless heroines.  I have a 9 year old daughter and the very last thing I want her to read is a book that makes her think that she can't take care of herself. 

Makes. Me. Rage.

And this book had none of that.  

But being tough as nails comes at a price.


Lynn isn't an easy character to get to know.  Emotions are a luxury that she rarely allows and even as a reader, this made me struggle with how I felt about her.  She is sterile and abrasive and cold...and then I realized that Ms. McGinnis is a genius.  I wasn't just a reader at that moment, I was experiencing the story.  That I had to claw and cling to any little bit of information I could get was just a little glimpse into how life in this society works.  Nothing is easily given.

Because things can be easily taken away as one particular moment made sure to remind me.  I may or may not have had to read it a few times and then ask somebody if that really happened. 

And that's all I'm going to say about that because well...because.  
  
You'll know what I'm talking about when you get read it.  Believe me. 

I am completely enthralled by the way Mindy McGinnis tells this story and creates a world that both terrifies me and fascinates me at the same time.  And the characters -- gah.  Not just Lynn, but her mom, and Stebbs, and Eli, and Lucy.  I pulled for the good guys - absorbing the pain of their struggles and their joy during the few precious moments when they allowed themselves to celebrate.  I hated the bad guys.  Hated them hard.  While the descriptions and emotions in this book are relatively bare bones, that doesn't take away from the intensity.  Flowy and frilly and pretty has no place in this book. 

I read this book back in mid-August and I'm still completely wow'd by it.  If forced to describe it in 15 words or less, I say think of a mash-up of Little House in the Prairie and The Hunger Games but it really is more than that.  It is dystopian, but different.  Romantic, but not pushy.   Action packed, most definitely.  Gritty and raw, certainly.   

Worth the read, absolutely.

Review: Coda (Coda #1) by Emma Trevayne

From Goodreads:

Ever since he was a young boy, music has coursed through the veins of eighteen-year-old Anthem—the Corp has certainly seen to that. By encoding music with addictive and mind-altering elements, the Corp holds control over all citizens, particularly conduits like Anthem, whose life energy feeds the main power in the Grid.

Anthem finds hope and comfort in the twin siblings he cares for, even as he watches the life drain slowly and painfully from his father. Escape is found in his underground rock band, where music sounds free, clear, and unencoded deep in an abandoned basement. But when a band member dies suspiciously from a tracking overdose, Anthem knows that his time has suddenly become limited. Revolution all but sings in the air, and Anthem cannot help but answer the call with the chords of choice and free will. But will the girl he loves help or hinder him?

So, I remember when Ms. Trevayne first announced that Coda was going to be published.  I was so completely excited for her as I am when any of my "book friends" make that announcement.  That's what we're all here for right?  New stories filled with amazing words?

But now I'm going to let you in on a teeny tiny little secret -- I get very nervous reading books by people that I know, be it online or in real life.  I mean think about it -- it can be a little scary when you know the author and the author knows you're reading their book and omg, what if I just don't like it?  Then things are awkward even though they shouldn't be and maybe probably it is just me that feels like that...but there it is.  I was scared to read this book.

Even though I love all things dystopian.  

And even knowing there was a musical element to the story when music plays such an important role in my own life. 

So yeah, I'm kinda kicking myself for having had this book since it's release date and just now getting around to reading it.  


This book sang to me.  And I don't mean that in a punny way or in a cutsey way trying to tie it back to the title.  But yeah, the musical element sold me from page one.  Music is such a personal thing to me.  The emotions that can be evoked by the perfect combination of sound and lyrics...indescribable.  Think about it -- we have playlists for working out, for kitchen dancing, for evoking a good cry on those days where crying is the only thing that will make you feel better -- and the audacity of a government to decide how and what music should make you feel?  Repulsive.  And terrifying.  

Cue my connection with Anthem.  I get him.  I can't even imagine being so dependent on something that you want to love and hate all at the same time.  Or having to live in fear of the day when people you love are given their first hit of what should be something so intensely personal.  And in the same breath, I think of the fact that the twins have lived their whole life without experiencing music and it makes me so sad.  Not that the music that the Corp provides is real music.

But what if there WAS real music out there.

What if Anthem could make it happen?  

I can do this.  The others are up there, waiting for me, bathed in lights that are the only thing making this place familiar.  Soon the kaleidoscope will be whirling to my rhythms, painting a crowd moving to my songs.

Mage stands behind his newly enhanced drum kit, Phoenix is at my old xylophone, Scope is surrounded by an array of things only the creative would call instruments.  Glass catches beams of blue, green, and purple and sends strange rainbows across the unconvinced expressions.  

My guitar leans against a speaker.  It has a voice of its own, and it's calling me.  Play me.  
 
I felt so much of this book.  There was everything within the pages.  Anger, elation, sadness, frustration, a little bit of romance and an "I know I did NOT just read that" moment that had me hunting down the author on twitter and letting her know that I was not amused.  Unfortunately, she zipped her lips and refused to tell me anything. **coughs** MEAN  **coughs**  (Though I did eventually forgive her.)

So, yeah.  When I started writing this post, I was worried that it was going to be a tough one to write.  Not because I didn't like the book, but because there was so much that I DID like about it -- and you know me and my No Spoiler policy.  Maybe it rambles a bit and maybe I only make sense to myself, but if you only take one thing away from this review, let it be that you need to read this book.  

 

Cover Reveal: Sunrise by Mike Mullin

Many months ago, I made a comment on FB about how I was looking for something to read and a long lost friend suggested Ashfall and Ashen Winter -- I loved them both.  Mike Mullin introduced me to a whole new world and gave me back my friend.  So to say that I have a soft spot for him is an understatement.

Anywhoo, a few weeks I saw there was a sign up to take part in the cover reveal for the third and final book in the series, Sunrise.  For real, I was on that like white on rice.  Promoting his books through my blog is the least I can do for him considering all that he has unknowingly done for me.

So yeah.  Read his books.  And when this one comes out, read it too.  You never know who might come back into your life because of his words.

  

Synopsis:

The Yellowstone supervolcano nearly wiped out the human race. Now, almost a year after the eruption, the survivors seem determined to finish the job. Communities wage war on each other, gangs of cannibals roam the countryside, and what little government survived the eruption has collapsed completely. The ham radio has gone silent. Sickness, cold, and starvation are the survivors' constant companions.

When it becomes apparent that their home is no longer safe and adults are not facing the stark realities, Alex and Darla must create a community that can survive the ongoing disaster, an almost impossible task requiring even more guts and more smarts than ever — and unthinkable sacrifice. If they fail . . . they, their loved ones, and the few remaining survivors will perish.

This epic finale has the heart of Ashfall, the action of Ashen Winter, and a depth all its own, examining questions of responsibility and bravery, civilization and society, illuminated by the story of an unshakable love that transcends a post-apocalyptic world and even life itself.

About the Author:

Mike holds a black belt in Songahm Taekwondo. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife and her three cats. Ashen Winter is his second novel. His debut, Ashfall, was named one of the top five young adult novels of 2011 by National Public Radio, a Best Teen Book of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews, and a New Voices selection by the American Booksellers Association.

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Fun Links About Sunrise:

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Waiting On Wednesday - Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken

From Goodreads:

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Sounds amazing, right?  I can't wait! 

What are you waiting on?  Leave a comment and let me know!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by the lovely bloggers at Breaking the Spine - head on over and see what other readers can't wait to read.

Ashfall - Mike Mullin

From Goodreads:

Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don’t realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying supervolcano, so large that the caldera can only be seen by plane or satellite. And by some scientific measurements, it could be overdue for an eruption.

For Alex, being left alone for the weekend means having the freedom to play computer games and hang out with his friends without hassle from his mother. Then the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, plunging his hometown into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence. Alex begins a harrowing trek to seach for his family and finds help in Darla, a travel partner he meets along the way. Together they must find the strength and skills to survive and outlast an epic disaster.

Even as a self-proclaimed dystopian junkie, this book fascinated me. I'd seen it on my TL a few times and had even marked it as to-read, but it wasn't until it was rec'd to me by a friend last Fall (Thank you Shannon  xoxo) that I took the time to look at it seriously. 

Dude.

Something like this...it could happen. So many books talk about government takeovers and the collapse of civilizations - both completely frightening and plausible events - but this is something completely beyond our control. And that terrifies me.

I feel like I need to start canning vegetables and raising chickens.

But back to the book :) Darla - I love her and while I've never been a 16 year old boy, I found Alex to be pretty much what I expected. He isn't written as the perfect male superhero boy -- because really, THEY DON'T EXIST.  She is smart and level-headed with enough snark to hold her own. He is awkward and unsure and has a few "I WILL PROTECT YOU" moments where maybe his testosterone get the better of him. But the relationship between Alex and Darla is totally realistic and perfectly simple.

The hardships they face in this book are terrifying, and they don't always get it right the first time -- and that was another thing I really appreciated about this book.  The characters aren't Chuck Norris -- though again, Darla IS pretty spectacular. 

Mike Mullin has written a series that has completely sucked me in -- my review of Ashen Winter will be up after you've had a chance to read this one.  

"Waiting On" Wednesday

What book are you anxiously waiting for?  My to-read list is over 300 books long, but the one I can't seem to get out of my head is the 3rd and final book in the Divergent trilogy - Allegiant

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

Is it October yet???

Leave me a comment and let me know what book you can't wait to get your hands on!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by the lovely bloggers at Breaking the Spine - head on over and see what other readers can't wait to read.

The Testing - Joelle Charbonneau

4.5 Stars.   

Expected publication:  June 2013

It is no small secret that I am a bit of a dystopian junkie, so when I had the chance to read a galley of The Testing from Netgalley, I jumped all over it.  The first book in a new trilogy, a strong female main character, did I mention it was dystopian?  GIMME.

I was not disappointed.

Cia Vale has spent her entire life dreaming about being selected to attend University after graduation.  The world is rebuilding after the Seven Stages War and the University is where the brightest and best go to become leaders.  Growing up in the Five Lakes, Cia is more than aware of the fact that there hadn't been a candidate chosen from her sector in many many years, and when the graduation ceremony finishes just as it has in previous years, it looks as though nothing had changed.

Until it does.  

Cia and three other new Five Lakes graduates are selected and they are given 24 hours to pack and say goodbye to their families.

I know, I know...this sounds sooooo much like The Hunger Games.  In fact, for the first little bit, that was all I could think of.  Cia = Katniss.  I kept waiting for her to bust out the bow and arrow...and while there IS a crossbow involved, it doesn't belong to Cia.  

As I continued to read, I found myself focusing more on the story itself rather than the similarities.  I was completely drawn in and The Testing began to stand solidly on its own.  It is no surprise that Cia is a smart smart girl, yet she is not perfect.  The Testing is difficult physically, mentally, emotionally - and what I particularly liked about this story is that the author doesn't make Cia immune to the challenge.  She struggles.  She doubts.  She questions everything - both what she encounters with each new day and what she thought she already knew.  Her character is believable. 

Especially knowing that she has a weakness for dimples and a crooked smile.  Hello, Tomas!

Being the first book in a trilogy, The Testing ends in a bit of a cliffie - yet it wasn't so dramatic that I wanted to throw things and scream about the wait.  It was in the right place...there was enough closure to make me feel like the book was over yet enough left out there that I am anxiously awaiting the next installment.  

Well done, Ms. Charbonneau.  You passed the test.  (I know, I know...I couldn't resist!)   




You can learn more about The Testing here.