Monday 24 September 2012

Uncontrollable by S R Johannes is out today!

Hi Everyone!
In a bit of a change from the normal pace, I'm doing a shout out to one of our longtime followers and favourite authors, S R Johannes.  Her new book, Uncontrollable launches today, and while I'll guiltily admit I haven't got to read it yet, as my reading pile is out of control these days, I've tried to make up for it with a review of one of her other books that I read while on holidays recently.
Happy Reading!
Andrea.


A bit about the book:

Uncontrollable is the second book in "The Nature of Grace" series by 
S.R. Johannes. Untraceable, the first book in the series, has won and been nominated for several awards including Winner of the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Award (YA), 2012 Georgia Author of the Year (YA Nominee), and a finalist in The Kindle Book Review's "Best Indie Book of 2012 (YA)".


Book Summary
As 16-year-old Grace recovers from tragedy, her science class is chosen by Agent Sweeney at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help with research on the new "Red Wolf Reintroduction Program". 

While she’s excited about helping with the conservation of the endangered wolves, Grace knows this means being outdoors in the worst winter recorded, in a place she no longer feels comfortable. It also means working closely with Wyn (her ex) and his annoying girlfriend (Skyler), a girl whose idea of getting close to nature is picking silk plants and growing fake plants. 


After a couple of wolves show up dead, Grace almost quits. However, when a fellow project team member goes missing, Grace continues the assignment under a renewed suspicion that someone might be sabotaging the conservation program. She quietly begins to hunt for clues. 


Little does she know, she is being hunted too. 


Uncontrollable  To get a copy:Uncontrollable is on sale in paperback and ebook at all major
booksellers including Amazon, Apple and SmashwordsIf you haven't read Untraceable, you can get it in paperback and ebook
at all major booksellers.

Author Bio

S.R. Johannes is the author of award-winning and Amazon bestselling Untraceable (a teen wilderness thriller) and new tween paranormal, On The Bright Side. She has also published short novelettes as well as a teen romance anthology with 16 other authors titled, In His Eyes.  

S.R. Johannes is a winner of the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Awards (Young Adult) and was also recently nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year (Young Adult). Untraceable was also recently named a Finalist in The Kindle Book Review's Indie Book of the Year (YA)

After earning an MBA and working in corporate America, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world. 

 

Suffocate - A Breathless Novelette

Suffocate - A Breathless novelette

Author - S R Johannes

Reviewed by: Andrea

Suffocate takes us on a trip to a future where the air we so often take for granted is poisonous, and the earth is hot and barren. People have been living in a Biome so long whey have almost forgotten what life was like before. But for Eria, and indeed the entire population of her Biome, today is a momentous occasion. Today Eria's father will take the first steps outside in years, and try to ascertain if they can leave.

But before that happens, there are some secrets that must be uncovered. Secrets that could prove deadly to Eria and her family. Secrets that strike deeper than she had ever imagined.

Suffocate had a relentless pace that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole novelette. There is a well constructed society, and a scary sounding future laid out within minutes, and I enjoyed discovering secrets with Eria about her society and herself. I can't give more plot details without some major spoilers, however I will say that there was enough twists and turns for a full length novel jammed in the thoroughly enjoyable pages!

I sometimes felt (as i do with most novellas/novellettes/short stories) that I would have liked more time to explore aspects of the characters and the story, however what was there had me begging for more. I can't wait to see what will be forthcoming in installment #2

4.5/5


 

Thursday 6 September 2012

Review by Tracey of The Down-under 12 Days of Christmas by Michael Salmon


The Down-under 12 Days of Christmas by Michael Salmon

 

Publisher: Ford Street
Publication Date: 1 September  2012

Pages: 32

 Format: trade hardcover and paperback

Price: AUD $19.95 HC $12.95 PB

Category: Xmas story, poetry

Age Guide: 3+

 

Blurb:

 

Santa Claus has landed outback and is busily checking his list. The kangaroos are in charge of all the presents and his koala helpers are not being much help at all!

And are those crocodiles really “a-snoozing?”

With surfing sharks, skiing snakes, dancing dingoes, leaping lizards and lots more, Michael Salmon’s Aussie characters come to life in pictures and verse.

Welcome to Christmas ‘down-under’!

 

Review:

 

This is one really groovy version of the 12 Days of Christmas.

 

The pictures are amazing and the words are very quirky.

 

I loved reading this and I am sure that my future kids will really enjoy this book.

 

5/5

Review by Tracey of Riggs Crossing by Michelle Heeter


Riggs Crossing by Michelle Heeter

 

Publisher: Ford Street
Publication Date: September  2012

Pages: 360

 Format: paperback

Price: AUD $19.95

Category: YA

 

Blurb:

 

A girl is found in the wreckage of a car crash. Severely injured and psychologically damaged, the girl cannot or will not tell the authorities who she is or where she comes from. Her carers call her ‘Len’, after the name embroidered on the jumper she was wearing when she was found.

Secretive, intelligent and abrasive, Len is moved to a children’s shelter. Slowly, Len’s repressed memories fight their way to the surface of her troubled mind. and an evil figure from her shadowy past comes looking for her.

 

Review:

 

This book is amazing!!

 

 It gets right into the mind of Len. Riggs Crossing digs deep into the world of the criminal underworld. I found it to be a huge eye opener as it really puts things in a whole different perspective. I have done Certificate 3 &4 in Community Services and Heeter’s work really put youth work in a new light for me. She has written something that really pushes the idea that not every young person is brought up with a loving and caring family.

 

Len is a character who doesn’t trust easy and when she starts remembering her past you can really understand why she is the way she is. The way we are raised has an impact on how we live our lives and how we treat people in our society.

 

5/5