Bitty Book Nook

Introduction When author John-Clement Gallo emailed me and asked me to review The Shadowverse , he mentioned that he'd found me by reading my review of Control Freakz by Michael Evans  and offered a free .mobi file in exchange for an honest review. I was excited to dive into this alternate reality superhero fiction, as it's one of the first books of its kind that I've been able to review, but there were several issues that I feel need to be addressed in order for my review to be accurate. My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ Synopsis: "Regarded as 'captivating' and 'one-of-a-kind', The Shadowverse is a Science Fiction Superhero thriller with hints of the Young Adult genre. It is a story of destiny--that no matter who you are, where you are, or what your past is like, you can always achieve greatness. Johnny Sparks longs for a greater purpose. After an encounter with a mysterious stranger, he and his friends are imbued with incredible powers--at last gi...

Introduction I've always loved a good suspenseful mystery novel, and Darkness on the Horizon by debut author Christopher Renna absolutely qualified as making the list! Although the "mystery" is solved about half of the way into the novel, it by no means takes away the thrilling suspense that Darkness on the Horizon has to offer. This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review, and I can honestly say that it is a beautifully set, well-executed tale of dark secrets, small towns, and horrific murder--and I couldn't get enough of it! My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Synopsis: "All Morgan Fischer wants is to graduate high school and escape small-town Colby, Pennsylvania. Since the death of his mother, childhood friends have become his tormentors, and his father has become an absent and neglectful alcoholic. When a lack of food forces Morgan to earn money, he develops a friendship with the new residents in town, Ava and Jonathan. They give Morgan the lov...

Introduction This is completely unlike any book I've reviewed before on Bitty Book Nook! Ashes by author Sharon Gloger Friedman is abundant in culture, hardship, and beauty--an inspiring tale of perseverance for a Jewish family in the early 20th century. The author was kind enough to give me a .mobi file of the novel for free in exchange for an honest review, so, without further ado, let's get to that rating! My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Synopsis:   "Easter Sunday, 1903 ushered in three days of government-sanctioned brutality on the Jews of Kishinev, Russia. In the aftermath of slaughter, rape, and destruction, Meyer and Sadie Raisky escape to New York City with their thirteen-year-old daughter, Miriam. Their home and business gone, reeling from devastating personal tragedy, the Raiskys cling to the promise of a better life in America. But upon arriving in New York City, Miriam and her parents quickly learn that promises are easily broken in the tenements of the L...

Introduction Unfortunately, readers, this is the first book that I've reviewed that I simply couldn't end up finishing. While Anchor Leg by Jack Croxall had an interesting plot, the rest of the novel wasn't enough to keep my attention. The synopsis sounded exciting, and the first few chapters were inviting, but the story slowed as it went on, and I only ended up reading to 48%. My Rating:  ★ ★ Synopsis: " Humanity has spilled out into the Solar System, into a succession of giant space stations known as the Relay. Seren Temples is a security apprentice running the Relay’s remote Anchor Leg. When sabotage strands her vessel near another damaged ship, Seren and her team are sent across to investigate. The second ship is a zero-G graveyard. Inside its vast hold, nothing but a single vial of frozen blood.  " (via Goodreads) Thoughts and Comments Pros There were many creative ideas about space exploration and gathering resources--for instance, b...

Introduction Wow, wow, wow. I am absolutely shocked. Readers, I can't tell you how much I loved this book! Usually, I'm not so much a fan of the fantasy genre unless it's urban fantasy or magical realism, but I'll be darned if The Jack of Souls by author Stephen C. Merlino didn't blow me away! My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Synopsis: "Harric is an outcast rogue that must break a curse put on his fate, or die on his nineteenth birthday. As the day approaches, nightmares from the spirit world stalk him and tear at his sanity; sorcery eats at his soul. To survive, he'll need more than his usual tricks. He'll need help--and a lot of it--but on the kingdom's lawless frontier, his only allies are other outcasts. One of these outcasts is Caris, a mysterious, horse-whispering runaway, intent upon becoming the Queen's first female knight. The other is Sir Willard--ex-immortal, ex-champion, now addicted to pain-killing herbs and banished from th...

Introduction I was actually pretty excited to start reading Paparazzi Project by author Kristina Springer when I first decided on it. I hadn't read a chick-flick YA romance in some time, and I was ready for an easy read to connect to my younger days. Unfortunately, though, I found Paparazzi Project to be incredibly disappointing. My Rating:  ★ ★ Synopsis: "Livvie Peterson thought taking Interpersonal Communications her junior year would be an easy A. But when the first assignment is given, her world flips upside down. Here's the deal: the class is assigned a six-week project and is split into three groups--Paparazzi, Tabloid, and Celebrities. The Paparazzi follow around the Celebrities taking pictures and grabbing any kind of quotes they can. The Celebrities try to navigate being tailed on a daily basis. And the Tabloid receives all the information collected by the Paparazzi and decides what makes the weekly summary report. Sounds harmless...and it's all...

Introduction Let me begin by saying that part of the beauty of books is that they are completely subjective. Just because a novel is not particularly my cup of tea doesn't mean that somebody else is obligated to dislike it. With that being said, I have to say that I was extremely disappointed with Control Freakz . The concept of teens on the run from the government is tired and played out, and a novel would have to be extremely well-written with a heart-racing plot in order for me to even consider being interested in reading it. Unfortunately, this novel didn't do it for me. My Rating:   ★★ Synopsis: "Alone. Abandoned. Threatened. Natalie has lost all hope for a better future. Everything she's known and everything she's ever loved is gone, and it's up to her to get her old life back. In Michael Evans's first novel, Control Freakz, Natalie's journey toward a better life begins. When Protocol 00 is enacted, Natalie's family is taken ...