Rose Under Fire (Book Review)

Rose Under Fire
Elizabeth Wein



While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that’s in store for her?

Elizabeth Wein, author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Code Name Verity, delivers another stunning WWII thriller. The unforgettable story of Rose Justice is forged from heart-wrenching courage, resolve, and the slim, bright chance of survival.



If you have been following my reviews, you will know that I love Historical Fiction. But I am also EXTREMELY picky about the particular genre. I read Code Name Verity a little bit after its publication. I don't remember much about it, except that it confused me. Because of this fact I was hesitant to pick up Rose Under Fire.
But thankfully, I finally decided to read it. I am going to use the word heartbreaking in this review quite a bit.

From the very start, Rose Under Fire draws you in. It captivates you until you can't think about anything else but Rose fighting to survive in Ravensbrück.
Rose is one of the best characters I have read in a while. Her complexity and struggles are completely real and heartbreaking. Reading about her writing her poetry in the midst of Ravensbrück were some of the best pages I have read. Throwing in all of the other prisoners in Ravensbrück, these characters became some of the most (again) heartbreaking to read about.

*Warning* The plot of this book is not fun. It is a terrible thing to read about all of the things that the prisoners went through in Ravensbrück. But the way that all of the prisoners can still find joy in Ravensbrück is beautiful. Rose always try's to have hope. And all through the book there is the underlining layer of it.
The only problem I had with this book was in some parts it got really slow. And then the ending wrapped up pretty fast.
But that is all. Everything else was done so well!

I really liked this one. The characters were amazing to read about it. The plot was brilliant and heartbreaking. And I wish it hadn't ended so soon.
If you are hesitating on reading this at all. Definitely do so right away. Especially if you are a fan of Historical Fiction.
(4.5/5)

Monday YA Author Interview With S. Alex Martin

Website - Goodreads - Twitter

 

Where are you from?

I go to college and do most of my writing in the beautiful city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My hometown is in New Freedom, Pennsylvania.

When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing on June 12, 2004, right after I finished sixth grade. I had just read Eragon, by Christopher Paolini, and he inspired me to begin writing. Ten years and four novels later, I'm on the verge of breaking into traditional publishing.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Harry Potter was absolutely my childhood. I hated it the first time I ever read it (in 1999), but thankfully I gave it a second chance. I wasn't big on reading before then. Other books that influenced me are Eragon, by Christopher Paolini -- for the reason stated above -- His Dark Materials Trilogy, by Philip Pullman, and the Chronicles of Narnia are big to me.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Even though I write soft science-fiction, I think I'd love to have John Green as a mentor. I feel like my latest novel was influenced by his style, and reading all of his books last summer (along with other contemporary YA novels) showed me how to convey a message without being too blatant.

Here's a fun fact: when John Green was in Pittsburgh to watch the Pirates playoff game (at the same time TFioS was being filmed), I went on a search for him after the game. I checked Twitter as I searched (he was posting live pictures and videos), and he was 100 feet away from me -- but I never found him in the crowd. I'll meet you one day, Mr. Green.

What book are you reading now?

At the moment -- nothing. The most recent book I read is The Perks of being a Wallflower, which was excellent. People have told me to read it for years.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

*Hangs head in shame* I'm still trying to get back to reading how I usually do. I make time to read, but it's always someone who's popular now. Once the excitement from publishing my latest books subsides, I'd like to branch out and discover new authors to read.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

J.K. Rowling will always be my #1. But after her, I'd say John Green or Jay Asher. I like John Green because I think he knows how to discreetly plant a message while telling an engaging story. Jay Asher makes you think -- a lot. His work has a lot of power behind it, and I like that.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Coming up with foods/drinks in a science-fiction world. I'm not even kidding. It's not something you think about until you have to do it yourself. Us muggles take Butterbeer and Liquorice Snaps and Bertie Botts Every-Flavor Beans for granted, but imagine how difficult it must have been for Rowling to create those. When I was writing Embassy, I'd change the name of a drink five...six...seven times, and still not like it. Creating fictional food is hard work.

Have you been an avid reader your entire life? (since you could read)

For most of my life, yes. Books are awesome, and I love writing them. It's a double-dose of awesome, because after you write it, you get to read it over and over and over and over and over and over.... (editing and revisions). Basically, you have to adore your book if you're going to edit it. That's where most writers finish their careers.
Thankfully, I adore Embassy.

 

What character in your books do you relate to most?

It's funny. I'm going to say Arman Lance (the main character) because I think the journey he goes on most resembles my own personal journey of the last few years.
However, recently I've noticed that nearly every character is one piece of me. Glacia Haverns keeps an optimistic attitude, but suppresses her problems. Ellin Mistin is quirky and enjoys what she does. Officer Larson Remmit can be a bit conceited. Lieutenant Victoria Hofhen likes what she does and is afraid of heavier responsibilities.
There are more, but those are just some examples.

What is your favorite sport to watch and or play?

Baseball, hands down. There's nothing like going to Camden Yards and cheering on the Baltimore Orioles on a warm summer's night. I'm also a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and despise the Baltimore Ravens.

Favorite Movie?

Gravity, with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. It's my favorite movie of all time. The reason why is because there hasn't been a good realistic space movie. I'm a huge fan of realism in science-fiction, and Gravity was breath-taking.
Fast fact: I have seen The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King more than 200 times. Not even kidding. Several years ago, my sister and I would watch it in the car everywhere we went. To this day, both of us can quote every single line in the movie.

Beach or Mountains?

It depends. I love the mountains and used to go hiking at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, about three weeks at a time. However, I love going to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. It's beautiful there.
Fast fact: I'm the only member of my family who has never been overseas.

If you could be a color, what color would you be?

Blue. Blue stimulates creativity, and I'm a very creative person, so I'd be blue.

Favorite Dessert?

You can't beat a good old Hot Fudge Sundae.

If you could be a book character, what character would you be?

A side character in Harry Potter. I'd also love to experience the world in my book, because I love the thought of human exploration farther into the galaxy.

 

The Embassy

S. Alex Martin

 

When Arman Lance fell in love with Ladia Purnell, he made it his life's goal to find her after she left his planet. But amid tragedy and his obsession for Ladia, Arman struggles to fight the mental isolation he has built around him. He sees joining the galaxy's Embassy Program only as one step on his journey to Ladia, nothing more.

Now Arman explores the Embassy, flies a Molter, and competes in the fast-action Hologis tournament. At last, Arman embarks on the expedition that will take him across the stars to Ladia, but the journey might change him ways he would have never dared to imagine

Entangled Publishing Is Turning 3!

 

Entangled is turning 3!

Entangled launched in 2011 and we’re celebrating! Two years ago this February, we launched our first category imprint with Indulgence. The Marriage Bargain, one of our first releases in Indulgence, went on to be one of the top selling books of 2012 and catapulted Jennifer Probst to the USA Today and NY Times bestseller lists.  Since then, we’ve grown to have six category romance imprints, as well as single title books for teens and adults in our Select, Edge, and Teen imprints, and have had multiple USA Today and NY Times bestsellers.  We’re in our third year and it’s been a wild ride, and it’s just the beginning.

 

What better month to begin celebrating our third year than February?

 

We’re celebrating! All month long, our February new releases, as

well as select titles on our Steals and Deals page (hyperlink to: http://

www.entangledpublishing.com/category/steals-and-deals/ ), are just 99

Yes, you read that right. Every new release will be offered

at an introductory price of just 99 cents!

 

Be sure to join our big Facebook celebration from February 24th

scavenger hunts, authors, games, gossip, and lots of fun! (hyperlink to:

https://www.facebook.com/events/758022494216668/)

 

Explore our new website and prepare to find romance,

because we have something for everyone (hyperlink to: http://

entangledpublishing.com ) and join our “Steals and Deals” newsletter

(http://www.entangledpublishing.com/category/steals-and-deals/).

 

***

 

We’re kicking off the month-long celebration with three new Brazens,

each with a smoking hot military man front and center and each for just 99 cents.

 

Marine for Hire, by Tawna Fenske

She thought she’d sworn off military men for good…

Sam Kercher is every inch a wickedly hot Marine. Tall. Sexy. Lethal.

When his best friends call in a favor, Sam is forced to face an entirely

new line of duty—playing nanny for their newly divorced sister and her

squirming seven-month-old twin boys. If Sam can dissemble an M16 in

his sleep, diaper duty should be a cakewalk…right?

Unfortunately, Operation Nanny isn’t quite that simple. Sheridan has

sworn off overbearing military men, so Sam must protect her from

her dirtbag ex without revealing just how much he has in common

with her brothers. Or that he’s been ordered not to touch her. Ever.

Problem is, Sheri’s one hell of a gorgeous woman, capable of making

this hard-bodied Marine even harder. And Sam wants her bad.

Protect the girl. Care for the babies. Hide his identity. And keep his

hands off. But even the most disciplined Marine has weaknesses...and

Sheridan is one Sam might not be able to resist.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/Mp9NNa

B&N: http://bit.ly/1bi1Tvx

 

 

Staking His Claim, by Tessa Bailey

He wants her. All of her.

NYPD sniper Matt Donovan is in Hell. Instead of driving his best

friend’s little sister home from college, he’s stuck with her roommate—

a fresh-faced ray-of-sunshine with a body that makes grown men

weep. There’s no way he’ll allow himself to taint the little vixen, no

matter how hard she tries to tempt him, so he resigns himself to the

longest—and hardest—drive of his life.

Matt’s obvious attraction suits grad student Lucy Mason just fine. She

had no idea her brother’s best friend was so deliciously hot. Knowing

he’d never have his wicked way with his buddy’s sister, she lies about

her identity and seduces him. But Matt’s no fumbling college boy.

His desires run deep—and dark—and he wants to teach Lucy what

wicked really means.

Matt’s demanding appetites only make Lucy want more. But when

her cover's blown, he’s furious—even as his hunger for her becomes

insatiable. Matt can’t trust anyone, least of all himself. And he knows

all too well that darkness always destroys the light…

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ilfF5o

B&N: http://bit.ly/1fmHl7a

 

 

Temporarily Yours, by Jen McLaughlin, writing as Diane

This soldier’s the perfect hoax…if she doesn’t fall for him first.

Stats whiz Kayla Moriarity knows her way around numbers and

algorithms. Men, on the other hand, are unsolvable equations. Now

Kayla’s en route to her sister’s wedding—without the fictional boyfriend

she invented for her family. Fortunately, her plane comes complete

with complimentary cocktails and a ridiculously hot ex-marine in the

seat beside her. And that’s all it takes for Kayla’s inhibitions to go

sailing out the airlock...

Cooper Shillings has soft spot for people in trouble, but he certainly

wasn’t expecting to land in it himself—and definitely not while getting

naughty mid-air with a sexy southern belle. When he hears Kayla’s

predicament, however, he offers his services as a stand-in boyfriend.

After all, he’s heading overseas soon...and how could he refuse a little

no-strings wickedness?

It’s the perfect plan. And all Kayla has to do is ensure her family

falls for the ultimate bluff, without falling for it—and Cooper—in the

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1bkIFsg

B&N: http://bit.ly/1fBOmCV

 

 

We appreciate you and want readers to be able to fill up their eReaders

all month long with great books at introductory prices. Thank you for an

amazing first three years. This is just the beginning.

~The Entangled ‘Love’ Team

The Goddess Test (Book Review)

The Goddess Test
Aimee Carter


Every girl who had taken the test has died.
Now it's Kate's turn.
It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.
If she fails...  




Review:

This book has gotten a lot of heat. Almost all of the top reviews on Goodreads are negative 1 star reviews.
The greek myths are just that. Myths. They can be interpreted in any way that you want. If Aimee Carter actually followed the traditional myths exactly, it would have been a little boring. But she changed it to make a very interesting and entertaining story.

I can't say that this is one of the best debuts I have read. But it is also definitely not the worst. The writing is decent, the story line is entertaining, and the characters are unique and fun to read about.
About the writing, I am planning on continuing that series because I have read Pawn. And the writing in Pawn was really good. With the story line being entertaining and fun.....I enjoyed reading about the different things and tests. The characters were interesting. I wasn't crazy about Kate, but she was still a pretty good main character.

One of the problems I had with this one is I never connected with the love interest Henry. He was a big part of the story, but you don't learn much about him. As disappointing as this was......I am hoping that I can learn more about him in the next installment.
Kate is an alright main character. I really liked some parts of her, but I found in her the same problem as I found in Henry. I just didn't get to know her enough to say that I loved or hated her character. What I did find out about her was impressive. Her love for her Mom and her selflessness is really nice. Usually I wouldn't believe that the selflessness was realistic, but seeing as Kate had been taking care of her Mom for such a long time, it was easy to believe.

Overall, the plot was great, the characters were alright, and the writing was decent. Reading Aimee Carters later work, I can believe that all of these things will improve. And I was surprisingly pleased with this one.
(3.5/5)

Posted This Month + Challenges Wrap Up

Posted this Month:

 

Wild Awake (Book Review) (3.5/5)

Books I Haven't Read

Vitro Contest & Giveaway
School Spirits (Book Review) (3.5/5)
YA Contemporary Challenge Goals
Monday YA Author Interview With Kasie West
Introduction to My New Meme Characterize It
WOW: Dearest by Alethea Kontis
Characterize It (1)
Stir Me Up (Book Review) (4/5) (Book Tour)
Six Months Later (Book Review) (4.5/5)
Solving For Ex (Book Review) (4.5/5)
Monday YA Author Interview With Natalie D Richards
Top Ten Debuts I Am Excited For
WOW: Endless by Kate Brians
Characterize It (2)
Nobody's Secret (Book Review) (2/5)
No One Else Can Have You (Book Review) (1/5)
Monday YA Author Interview With Anne Blankman
Top Six Things On My Reading Wishlist
What do your friends/acquaintances say about what YOU are reading?

Characterize It (3)
Obsidian (Book Review) (4/5)
The Summer I Became a Nerd (Book Review) (4.5/5)
Monday YA Author Interview With Katie Cotugno + GIVEAWAY
WOW: The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes
Characterize It (4)
Cress (Book Review) (4.5/5)



 

 

Real Book Challenge January Wrap Up Post:

I did a pretty good job reading "real books" this month....About two thirds of the books I read were "real".

 

The "Real Books" I read in January (with links to reviews if applicable):

 

1. The Summer I Became a Nerd (review posted)
2. Nantucket Blue
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. Nobody's Secret (review posted)
5. Rose Under Fire
6. The Goddess Test (review posted)
7. Thousand Words
8. Motocross Me
9. Goddess Interrupted
10. How My Summer Went Up In Flames
11. Deja Dead
12. Paper Towns
13. 52 Reasons To Hate My Father
14. The Goddess Inheritance
15. Of Poseidon
16. Of Neptune

 

And the YA Contemporary Challenge.

January books read and reviewed are:

 

1. Solving for Ex (review posted)

2. No One Else Can Have You (review posted)

 

Cress (Book Review)

:-0 :-O :-0 Me the entire time reading this. Most series get worse as you continue, you fall out of love with the characters, you don't like where the series takes you, you don't like how authors kill off characters......etc. This series is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! Each and every book of this series has continued to get better......Cinder was really, really good......Scarlet was SOOOO GOOD! And Cress.......was even better. I didn't count, but Cress switches around the POV quite a bit, you go from Cinde...more Cress Marissa Meyer Characters: 5/5 Plot: 4.5/5 Cover: 4.5/5 Writing: 4.5/5 Overall: 4.5/5 Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard. In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can. Review: :-0 :-O :-0 Me the entire time reading this. Most series get worse as you continue, you fall out of love with the characters, you don't like where the series takes you, you don't like how authors kill off characters......etc. This series is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! Each and every book of this series has continued to get better......Cinder was really, really good......Scarlet was SOOOO GOOD! And Cress.......was even better. I didn't count, but Cress switches around the POV quite a bit, you go from Cinder to Scarlet to Cress to Kai, and a whole lot more characters. I loved everything about the switching, it gives you a good feel for what the different characters were going through. And the switching POVs was done in a way to make things not at all confusing. Cress is long.....really long. So much happens in the plot that I won't go through everything, but I can say that everything that happened was beautiful and wonderful and completely amazing. Some other good things are, you get your first look at Winter, you get a little better feel of why Kai is doing some things that he is doing, and a better look at Cinder. Scarlet unfortunately didn't get much page time in Cress, but hopefully we will get to see more of her in Winter. Levana continues to be the evil witch of the west (or the evil witch of the moon)...... Really loving where Marissa is taking this series, can't wait to see the series end in Winter......only bad thing is the expected publication date of Winter is in 2015..... :-( 4.5/5 stars to a hugely great third book! I was in no way compensated for this review.

Characterize It (4)

Welcome to Characterize It, a meme held every Thursday and hosted by http://theyabookbutterfly.blogspot.com/

As usual for memes, link the meme back to the host page so that other can join in!

 

If you want to know more about Characterize It, go to this page.

 

Todays theme is:

Wild Card - Any character! From any book! Just come up with a favorite!

 

 

 
Meghan Chase from the Iron Fey series.

The Iron Fey series was one of my very first YA series that I read, and I hold a special place in my heart for Meghan (plus her name is spelled really cool)

Meghan has a lot to deal with in this series, and through it all she managed to stay completely realistic, but not annoying in the least.