Armchair BEA 2014

Fiction Overdose will be participating again in the annual Book Expo America virtual convention!

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Best Book Covers of 2012

Best Book Covers of 2012


Top 10 of 2012 is a daily event hosted by the following blogs:


Soooo, here my top 10 fave book covers:


10. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan


9. The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse


8. Crewel by Gennifer Albin


7. Auracle by Gina Rosati


6. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth


5. A Million Suns by Beth Revis


4. The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann


3. Through to You by Emily Hainsworth


2. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

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1. Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick


Please leave a comment/link to your own Top 10 of 2012 post, or share what's in your Top 10 in the comment box.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

REVIEW: Dream Team by Lisa Ard


Title: Dream Team (Dream Seekers, #2)
Author: Lisa Ard
Genre: Young Adult, Childnren's
Format: Paperback, 82 pages
Published: Published August 2012 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 
ISBN: 1479185876 (ISBN13: 9781479185870)


About the Author:

Lisa is a children's book author, avid reader, stay-at-home mom, part-time business consultant, school volunteer, library board president, Sunday school teacher, book club member, chauffeur, volleyball coach, wife and mom, not necessarily in that order.


Synopsis: 

For Patrick, being twelve years old can be challenging. Add to that the unusual ability to experience dreams as reality and you begin to understand, why Patrick never knows what will happen when he falls asleep. When Patrick's voice begins to change, he declares disaster! But one magnificent dream will introduce Patrick to some real-life heroes, who faced far greater adversity. Patrick discovers that his troubles are minor league in comparison. Will Patrick find the courage to face his fears?

My Thoughts:

Lisa Ard has done it again as she delivers another delightful, charming, and thrilling adventure in the Dream Seekers Series. This one is filled with baseball knowledge and life lessons for young people to learn as they grow up. Lisa Ard has obviously done impeccable research about the life of Jackie Robinson, the first American-African to play major league baseball. The illustrations are beautifully rendered, it was well-written, exciting, fun, and a fast read and it kept my attention from the very beginning to the very end. 

Most adults can get through this in a couple of hours or so and kids in a couple of days. I think it is a wonderful addition to your library, or if you are new to the series, an excellent introduction. There are very few books that absolutely everyone should read. This is one of them.


My Rating:

 4 out of 5 stars
Fantastic!
An excellent read.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

REVIEW: Gift by Andrea J. Buchanan


Title: Gift
Author: Andrea J. Buchanan
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery
Format: Paperback, 326 pages
Published:  Published July 10th 2012 by Open Road E-riginal (first published March 27th 2012) 
ISBN: 1453220232 (ISBN13: 9781453220238)


About the Author:

Andrea J. Buchanan is a New York Times bestselling writer whose newest book is the young adult novel GIFT. Her work includes The Daring Book For Girls, Mother Shock, and six other books. Before becoming a writer, Andi was a classical pianist; she studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music, where she earned her bachelor of music degree, and continued her graduate studies at the San Francisco Conservatory, earning a master’s degree in piano performance. Her last recital was at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. She lives in Philadelphia with her family.

Official Website ~ http://andibuchanan.com/

Synopsis: 

Daisy has an electrifying secret that could save her life—or kill her.

High school sophomore Daisy Jones is just trying to get by unnoticed. It doesn’t help that she’s the new girl at school, lives in a trailer park, and doesn’t even own a cell phone. But there’s a good reason for all that: Daisy has a secret, unpredictable power—one only her best friend, Danielle, knows about. 

Despite her “gift” (or is it a curse?), Daisy’s doing a good job of fitting in, and a gorgeous senior named Kevin even seems interested in her! But when Daisy tries to help Vivi, a mysterious classmate in a crisis, she soon discovers that her new friend has a secret of her own. Now Daisy and her friends must deal with chilling dreams and messages from the beyond. Can Daisy channel the power she’s always tried to hide, before it’s too late?

My Thoughts: 

Gift is a supernatural fiction for children to young adult age groups, but really, anyone can read it. I found this one really enjoyable, and the plot kept me hooked. I must say, that this book is very well written. The author has chosen every word carefully and has some powerful insights. The author's writing was very smooth and I loved how she narrated one chapter to another in a very fluid manner. Daisy, our female protagonist in this book, has a very unique and extraordinary ability to control electricity. When she is sent to find a girl from her class named Vivi, she discovers that a ghost named Patrick claims to be her soul mate. I really loved Danielle's (Daisy's best friend) personality. She was a very odd, sarcastic, and unpredictable girl. But despite all those negative things, I found myself liking her, which I found really surprising. The book ended nicely and left me satisfied. I had pretty high hopes for this book, because of the beautiful cover and the amazing synopsis. But I must say that it let me down a little. Just a little though. First, the story started out really slow. And also, I would have given it a higher rating if Andi explained more about the secrets behind Daisy's power. This may not be one of the best books I've read this year, but I must say that this is probably the best young adult supernatural book I've read so far.

My Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic!
An excellent read.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

REVIEW: Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw




Title: Winter in Wartime
Author: Jan Terlouw
Genre: Young Adult, War
Format: Paperback, 220 pages
Published:  Published June 1st 2011 by Lemniscaat USA (first published 1972) 
ISBN: 
1935954024 (ISBN13: 9781935954026)

About the Author:

Jan Terlouw was born in Kamperveen, Oversijssel. He was the eldest son in his family, he has two brothers and two sisters and grew up in the Veluwe. After high school, Terlouw studied at Utrecht University were he obtained an MSc degree in mathematics and physics and a PhD degree in nuclear physics. After graduating, he worked as a physics researcher in the Netherlands, the United States, and Sweden. After working for thirteen years, he became a politician, joining the Dutch House of Representatives(the lower house of the Dutch legislature) as a member of the Democraten 66 political party in 1967. Terlouw acted as party leader from 1973-1982. He was minister of Economic Affairs from 1981 to 1982 and Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland from 1991 to 1996, the year in which he retired. He joined the Dutch Senate in 1999.

Terlouw also wrote 24 children's books, most notably Winter in Wartime (Oorlogswinter, 1972) and How to Become King(Koning van Katoren, 1971), both of which won the Goudon Griffel and have been made into motion pictures directed by Martin Koolhoven.

Terlouw is married to Alexandra van Hulst and has four children.


Synopsis:

This autobiographical novel provides a counterpoint to The Diary of Anne Frank, as another Dutch teen becomes an unwilling hero in the twilight of World War II.

Michiel feels resentment towards his father, a mayor, seemingly only interested in maintaining the status quo between the town and the German Army. He worships his uncle Ben, an adventurer in contact with the local resistance. During the winter, Michiel's loyalties are tested. When he discovers an injured pilot in the woods, Michiel must find a way to keep the wounded man alive, hidden from the increasingly desperate occupying force.

As Michiel mounts his own small resistance, he becomes aware of the currents of Resistance that are swirling through the town. A German soldier is killed and his death must be revenged so they take six townspeople, threatening to shoot them if the murderer does not surrender. They compromise and shoot only one--Michiel's father.

Winter in Wartime has been a Dutch classic since it was first published in 1972. Author Jan Terlouw's wartime experience provided the inspiration for the novel and the gritty reality of living under an occupying army is realistic without being graphic. The small insurrections are shown for the monumental acts of bravery they truly are and the defiance of a people who refuse to give up their humanity makes this story as timely today as it was then.

My Thoughts:

Winter in Wartime is a great book about the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Set during the days of World War II, Winter in Wartime (previously published in Dutch as Oorlogswinter in 1972) tells the story of 15-year-old Michiel van Beusekom.  After he discovers and helps an injured British soldier named Jack, Michiel found himself accidentally involved in the underground Dutch resistance. Winter in Wartime is a really fast and engaging read with hard to forget characters. The way Terlouw made the readers feel what it was like living in a Nazi occupied area was amazing. Terlouw has created a very well-detailed, well-plotted, and well-written book that makes it very hard for the children as well as adult to put this book down. This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year! Winter in Wartime deserves its status as a Dutch classic. 

My Rating:

5 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal!
This book was so good I would buy it without looking at the price tag.

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme made by The Story Siren. 

For Review:


1. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (Glitch, #1)

Bought:



2. The Old Country by Mordicai Gerstein


3. Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor


4. Shiloh Season by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor


5. Saving Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (I just adore this series!)
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Please leave a comment/link to your own In My Mailbox post, or share what's in your mailbox in the comment box.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

REVIEW: The Weepers by Susanne Winnacker




Title: The Weepers (The Other Life, #1)
Author: Susanne Winnacker
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Horror, Dystopian
Format: Hardcover, 261 pages
Published:  Published May 15th 2012 by Marshall Cavendish (first published February 1st 2012) 
ISBN: 0761462759 (ISBN13: 9780761462750)

About the Author:


Susanne Winnacker studied law and lives with her husband, a dog and three bunnies in the Ruhrgebiet, Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals.


Synopsis:

3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life.

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

My Thoughts:

Sherry and her family have lived in a bunker for exactly 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days. And just two minutes ago, they have eaten their last can of food. With their family starving, Sherry and her father have no other choice but to leave the bunker to find food.

Winnacker has delivered an electrifying fresh new series that will surely capture the hearts of everyone who loves dystopian books. The Weepers has me begging for the next installment! This book is a quick read that is impossible to put down.  Well drawn main characters, brilliant writing style, vivid imagery, breathtaking suspense, unforgettable love scenes, extraordinary plot - what more could you ask?


My Rating:

4.5 stars
Fantastic!
An excellent read.

REVIEW: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer



Title: The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, #6)
Author: Eoin Colfer
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Paperback, 391 pages
Published: Published July 15th 2008 by Hyperion
ISBN: 1423108361 (ISBN13: 9781423108368)


About the Author:

Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.

He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.

Official Site: http://eoincolfer.com/

Synopsis:

After disappearing for three years, Artemis Fowl has returned to a life different from the one he left. Now he's a big brother, and spends his days teaching his twin siblings the important things in life, such as how to properly summon a waiter at a French restaurant. 

But when Artemis Fowl's mother contracts a life-threatening illness, his world is turned upside down. The only hope for a cure lies in the brain fluid of the silky sifaka lemur. Unfortunately, the animal is extinct due to a heartless bargain Artemis himself made as a younger boy.  

Though the odds are stacked against him, Artemis is not willing to give up. With the help of his fairy friends, the young genius travels back in time to save the lemur and bring it back to the present. But to do so, Artemis will have to defeat a maniacal poacher, who has set his sights on new prey: Holly Short. 

The rules of time travel are far from simple, but to save his mother, Artemis will have to break them all.and outsmart his most cunning adversary yet: Artemis Fowl, age ten.

My Thoughts:

This is the 6th book in the Artemis Fowl Series. The Time Paradox was simply incredible. This book starts off at a heart-thumping pace and never slows down. It literally grabbed my attention from the very first page up to the last. So exciting, it is definitely worth losing sleep over. If you have read the previous Artemis books and thought that they were full of fun and mind wrenching excitement, just wait until you read this one! Get ready for a wild roller coaster ride that is filled with humor, action, excitement, and romance.

My Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic!
An excellent read.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

REVIEW: The Loners by Lex Thomas

Title: The Loners (Quaranteen, #1)
Author: Lex Thomas
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Romance
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Published: EgmontUSA (July 10th 2012)
ISBN: 160684329X (ISBN13: 9781606843291)

About the Author:

Lex Thomas is the pen name for the writing team of Lex Hrabe and Thomas Voorhies. Lex received a BA in Drama and English from the University of Virginia and has worked as an actor, director and writer. Thomas graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design, and now writes, and exhibits his realist oil paintings in Los Angeles. Lex and Thomas met in a writers' group in Los Angeles. Their friendship developed as they tried to blow each other's minds with clips from bizarre movies. In 2005, they became a screenwriting team, and found that writing with a friend is much more fun than doing it alone. QUARANTINE: THE LONERS is their first novel.



Synopsis:

It was just another ordinary day at McKinley High—until a massive explosion devastated the school. When loner David Thorpe tried to help his English teacher to safety, the teacher convulsed and died right in front of him. And that was just the beginning.

A year later, McKinley has descended into chaos. All the students are infected with a virus that makes them deadly to adults. The school is under military quarantine. The teachers are gone. Violent gangs have formed based on high school social cliques. Without a gang, you’re as good as dead. And David has no gang. It’s just him and his little brother, Will, against the whole school. 

In this frighteningly dark and captivating novel, Lex Thomas locks readers inside a school where kids don’t fight to be popular, they fight to stay alive.

My Thoughts:

This book surprised me, I rarely read Dystopian YA books, but I found this one amazing.

I got hooked the first time I saw the description (and the cover), I instantly fell in love with it. I was captivated by the first part and couldn't stop myself until it was finished.

There were a lot of fun elements in this one. The fast pace keeps it entertaining and the twists holds your attention. It was very intriguing, I just wanted to know what was going on and that kept me reading. Another thing that I enjoyed was reading about strong young adult characters that could take care of themselves.

I just really liked the story, the story literally sucked me in, and although I did put the book down a few times I just kept thinking about it and wanted to know how it would end. Though the ending wasn't as powerful as I would have preferred, I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good book.

Another YA Novel that has me waiting anxiously for book number two! 

My Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic!
An excellent read.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme made by The Story Siren.

For Review:

1. Courtney Crumrin, Volume 1 by Ted Naifeh


2. The Loners by Lex Thomas


3. Tap Out by Eric Divine


4. Angel & Faith Volume 1 by Christos Gage


5. Beautiful Music for Ugly Children


6. Gift by Andrea J. Buchanan
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Please leave a comment/link to your own In My Mailbox post, or share what's in your mailbox in the comment box.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

REVIEW: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer



Title: The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, #5)
Author: Eoin Colfer
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Paperback, 385 pages
Published: Published September 15th 2006 by Miramax/Hyperion
ISBN: 0786849568 (ISBN13: 9780786849567)
 http://affiliates.bookdepository.com/scripts/imp.php?a_aid=ForeverYA&a_bid=21478c1a
About the Author:
 
Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.
 
He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.
 
Official Site: http://eoincolfer.com/
 
Synopsis:
 
Ten thousand years ago, humans and fairies fought a great battle for the magical island of Ireland. When it became clear that they could not win, all of the faeries moved below ground—all except for the 8th family, the demons. Rather than surrender, they used a magical time spell to take their colony out of time and into Limbo. There they have lived for decades, planning their violent revenge on humans.
 
Now the time spell is unraveling, and demons are beginning to materialize without warning on Earth. If humans were to find out about them, all faeries would be exposed. To protect themselves, the faeries must predict when the next demon will materialize. But in order to do so, they will have to decipher temporal equations so complicated, even a great brain like Foaly can't understand them. But he knows someone who can: Artemis Fowl.
 
So when a confused and frightened demon imp pops appears in a Sicilian theater, Artemis is there to meet him. But he is not alone. Someone else has unlocked the secrets of the fairy world and managed to solve complex mathematical problems that only a genius could. And she is only twelve years old...
 
My Thoughts:
 
The Lost Colony is the fifth book in the renowned Artemis Fowl Series. 
 
In this book, Artemis figures out where the demons are likely to pop out and finds out that the Demon Realm is in huge trouble and needs help. He plots a plan to save the world of demons, but when his arch-nemesis Minerva manages to capture the demon first, things began to get interesting. 
 
It introduces a new character Minerva Paradizo, a pretty 12-year-old French girl who happens to be as smart as Artemis and also Artemis' crush! Yes - his crush! I really liked loved the idea of having an Artemis-Fowl-Female-Counterpart (and a possible love interest!). It seems that Artemis Fowl is definitely growing up and finally hit puberty! Yay!
 
Full of action, adventure, and fun. To all solid Artemis Fowl fans, I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed with this book! If you are on the lookout for some smart and adventurous story, this would be good for you.



My Rating:


4.5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

An excellent read.

Monday, May 21, 2012

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme made by The Story Siren.

For Review:

1. The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
thanks to Disney-Hyperion



2. The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
thanks to Disney-Hyperion


3. Scars by Cheryl Rainfield
thanks to WestSide Books


4. Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw
thanks to Lemniscaat USA


5. The Weepers by Susanne Winnacker
thanks to Marshall Cavendish
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Please leave a comment/link to your own In My Mailbox post, or share what's in your mailbox in the comment box.