ARC Review of "No Parking At The End Times"

No Parking At The End Times By Bryan Bliss

Stars: 3 

Source: Edelweiss 

Release Date: February 24th 2015 

Abigail's family is falling apart, they've lost everything, their money, their possessions, their home. One minute they're living in South Carolina, the next they find themselves in San Francisco living out of their van, giving any extra cash they might stumble upon to Brother John. 

Brother John, he said the world was ending, he said he knew how to prepare people from the end, for the ultimate unknown. But so far all Brother John has done is take everything from Abigail and her family. 

When Abigail's twin brother Aaron tells her he's planning on leaving San Francisco and heading back to home she's hesitant to follow, but it doesn't take long for Aaron to change her mind. Their father isn't going to change, Brother John isn't going to change and their situation isn't getting any better. 

Torn between family loyalty and self preservation Abigail must choose to have faith in herself and whatever higher power she believes in in order to survive. 

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This was a very interesting read, it was really short so I flew through it in one sitting but it did leave me thinking afterwards. 

Mostly about how angry it makes me that their are people in this world who use religion as a way to con people out of their life savings. 

I couldn't help but shake my head at Abigail's father and think to myself "Who would believe this man? How stupid do you have to be?" But you see it on the news all the time, con artists are smart and conniving and most of the time they get away with it. 

I was hoping for a slightly more fast paced book when I started this and although I finished it rather quickly there were some parts that dragged on for me. 

I feel like it could have been a little more suspenseful, especially towards the end, and I wouldn't have minded a couple more chapters. 

But all in all it was a lovely debut and I look forward to seeing what comes next from this author. 

Until next time, 

Ginger 

In compliance with FTC guidelines I am disclosing that this book was given to me for free to review. 

My review is my honest opinion.

ARC Review of "Red Queen"

Red Queen By Victoria Aveyard 

Stars: 5 blood red stars! 

Source: Edelweiss 

Release Date: February 10th 2015 

Mare Barrow is your average 'Red' with her 18th birthday looming just around the corner she has accepted that her fate is to join her brothers on the front lines along with all the other hundreds of thousands of 'Reds' who have been conscripted. After all pick pocketing isn't a real job and without one there's no use in trying to fight being sent off to your death. 

However Mare's world is turned upside down when she has the misfortune of pick pocketing someone faster than she is. Much to her surprise the stranger treats her with kindness and not only offers her more of what she has stolen but the next day she suddenly finds herself with a job. And not just any job. A job at the palace. 

Serving Silvers isn't Mare's lifelong dream but if it keeps her and her family safe and fed she really can't complain.

The Silvers run Mare's world, with they special abilities and endless supply of Red soldiers no one dares to cross them. 

But when Mare discovers she has abilities of her own- abilities that up until now have only been gifted to Silvers she finds herself in the middle of a political coverup story. After all, if anyone knew Mare's true identity, that she is in fact a 'Red', well then the Royal family would have an uprising on their hands. 

Mare's cover story is simple, she is the lost daughter of a dead Silver, raised by Reds and only just now learning her true identity. To make it even more believable Mare is now betrothed to marry the Kings second son. 

Under the watchful eye of the Queen and her ever loyal staff Mare must learn how to control her new powers, cut ties with her 'Red' past and smile for the camera's, all while trying to find a way out of the suffocating world of Silvers and Royals and perhaps even a way to free her people from the Silvers, once and for all. 

You know in Mean Girls when Tina Fey say's "I'm a pusher!"? Well now so am I! 

Go. Read. This. Book!

I can't even describe to you how amazing "Red Queen" is, every description that I come up with feels inadequate. 

It's amazing, wonderful, terrifying, beautiful, spectacular, thrilling and addictive! 

And even all those words strung together like that do NOT do this book justice! 

I loved every second of Mare's story. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, it was like a never ending roller coaster, one where you're never quite sure if you're upside down or right side up. 

Every single character, from the Royals to the maids all radiated with life. It seemed like if I could only get closer to the pages, breathe them in a little, that I would tumble right in and find myself surrounded by Victoria's characters. And what an amazing journey that would've been. 

You've all been asked the same question countless times, if you could live in any fictional world which would you choose? Well even though Hogwarts is still in first place, at least for me, Mare Barrow's world is now a very close second. 

My only warning to you is that once you finish the book you will immediately want to get your hands on the second one. I can tell you right now that the absolute second they announce the release date for the sequel I will have a countdown going, and not just a daily one, oh no, it will be down to the minute!

Until next time, 

Ginger 

In compliance with FTC guidelines I am disclosing that this book was given to me for free to review. 

My review is my honest opinion.

ARC Review of "The Prey"

The Prey By Tom Isbell 

Stars: 4 

Source: Edelweiss 

Release Date: January 20th 2015 

Twenty years ago everything changed. Dozens of nations declared nuclear war on one another and the aftermath was catastrophic. 

Fast forward twenty years and the United States of America, along with it's constitution and pledge of allegiance are but a distant memory.  

Now The Republic is in charge and with their new charge comes new rules. New ways to live and for the LT's, new ways to die. 

LT- Less than. 

At Camp Liberty the LT's think that their nicknames stand for lieutenant, but in reality they aren't being trained to serve their country, they are being raised in a Hatchery, only to be hunted and killed for nothing other than entertainment, all because they are different, disfigured, handicapped. 

When they discover the truth about Camp Liberty they gather what they can and run, but things get complicated when they encounter another camp, this one full of girls, all who have now or have once had a twin sister. 

Killing for sport wasn't enough for the government, they are also using twins as experimental test subjects to find new ways to improve the health and longevity of their soldiers. 

Working together they all set out for an unknown territory, one that, hopefully, sees them as equals and not lab rats or animals to be hunted. 

I've seen so many negative reviews about this book, so many that I got to the point where I didn't want to waste my time reading it because there was no way I was going to like it. 

But I did indeed like it. I read it in one day and although it does have it's faults they don't overshadow the good parts in any way. 

I used to love dystopian/survival books and have recently been in a rut of reading nothing but contemporaries. This was such a refreshing break. I can see how some people would be turned off to this book due to the fact that the back story is lacking somewhat, but for me I think the history of the Omega and the camps were self explanatory. I'm sure we'll learn more about them in the coming books and I look forward to reading them. 

My only major fault I have does include a spoiler so if you're planning on picking this book up I suggest you stop reading this now. 

*Spoilers* 

The one thing I loathed about this book was the ending. They made it so far only to turn right back around, no gathering supplies, no resting, they didn't even look around the new territory to see if it was worth bringing all the others back to it. 

For all they know it could have made their previous arrangements look like a 5 star hotel. But no, they turned right back around and started all over again. 

As much as I loved the book that last chapter left me so frustrated I couldn't make myself give it 5 stars. 

So 4 it is and hopefully the next book isn't this one told in reverse. 

Until next time, 

Ginger 

In compliance with FTC guidelines I am disclosing that this book was given to me for free to review. 

My review is my honest opinion.