Book Exerpt: Cin by Christina Leigh Pritchard

Title: Cin
Series: C I N
Author: Christina Leigh Pritchard
Release Date: April 2010

Aunt Millie stood a few feet away. “Alex, honey, could you fetch me one of the chickens, please? I want to fix a nice dinner for Lisa.” Alex nodded his head and snatched a passing chicken by her neck. She clucked and scared all the other hens. They scurried around and hid inside their coop. Alex looked up at me. His eyes were blank.

“I better go get the eggs,” I mumbled, frozen.

Alex took out an axe, stretched the hen’s neck across a tree stump and dropped his weapon. The headless body ran around. That poor chicken. She didn’t even see it coming. Alex didn’t even flinch. Could I call PETA on him?

I doubled over and vomited. Probably not a case for PETA.

I think vegetarian is the way to go. A chicken free diet never hurt anyone; especially not the chickens.

Pig inched closer. He sniffed the air and snorted. “I know, I know, get the eggs.” I took a deep breath. Pink’s song, ‘Funhouse’ played inside my head. This used to be a funhouse. But now it’s filled with evil clowns. Yeah, that’s how I felt. It’s time to start the count down. I’m gonna burn it down.  I think someone already burned this family. They were cranky and angry. Even the animals seemed troubled.

Alex stood inches away with the dead, twitching body of the hen in his hand. “Breakfast is ready.” I turned and narrowed my eyes at the chicken killer.

   

CIN by Christina Leigh Pritchard

CIN by Christina Leigh Pritchard


Published by Createspace in 2010

256 Pages

Themes: Overcoming Difficulties, Family Troubles, Learning to Love

First Sentence: " 'Lisa if you don't finish packing your things, I swear you'll go with nothing," my mother, Amber, threatened."

“Lynn, Lynn, city of sin; you never come out the way you went in.”

Lisa Brown is just about to be shipped off to Lynn, Massachusetts to go to the CIN Boarding school , while her mother checks herself into a psychiatric hospital. As she waits for her Aunt Millie to pick her up, a boy named Michael does instead and after their first conversation together Lisa learns that there are quite a few strange things about who she'll be living with and even the town she's living in. When she arrives at the house she meets Alex, who definitely minds her staying there. Along with meeting a dog named Pig, who constantly follows her around but never lets her touch him, and a cat named Rat, who everyone says to not touch, she doesn't feel very welcomed. But that's not all. In the early hours of the morning shes awakened by Allie, Alex's sister who is no more welcoming than the rest. Morning comes and Millie sends Lisa to feed the chickens, and while attempting to do so, more like Alex doing all of the work, she bumps into Alex and feels a sudden shock. It hurts but she feels addicted to it. This is the first of the many strange happenings she experiences in Lynn. As the book goes on we learn that there is a secret behind Lynn and the other teens there.
                    I really enjoyed this book. While not being the most descriptive book it sure hooks you and is really fast paced. I enjoyed the back-stories of all of the characters and the whole aspect of lightening in this book was really interesting. The characters, especially Alex and Ally, are very interesting and peculiar. This is a great book, especially for readers who enjoy fantasy.

           A little input on what how I pictured Alex throughout the book. I kept picturing him as Jack Frost from the new movie rise of the guardians.
           Anyway, you can purchase this book on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback. Go check it out!


4/5 Stars

Cover Reveal of Pledged by Gwynneth White

Title: Pledged
 Series: The Soul Wars Saga
 Author: Gwynneth White
Release Date: September 2012

Synopsis via Goodreads

Everyone has a soul mate. But what do you do when your soul mate would rather give his soul to the demons than be with you?

Seventeen-year-old Erin has a problem. Seth has been hers forever, but now an ancient promise is tearing him away. And Reuel, the demon to whom the promise was made, will stop at nothing to force Seth to forsake Erin and to worship him.

How can Erin win against a pledge so binding that it has damned countless others to the same fate she and Seth will face if Reuel wins – an eternity alone?

The answer lies in the past. To find it, Erin and Seth must risk all, travelling back in time to a dangerous world where love is forbidden, and life – and death – hang on a promise.

Follow Erin and Seth as they travel to ancient Shenaya to break the pledge that has plagued their families for millennia. Caught in a war between the Angelic Guardians and the Gefallen, the disembodied dead, they must fight to keep their souls in tact and their love untainted.

Another Bad Dog Book by Joni B, Cole

Another Bad Dog Book by Joni B. Cole

Published by Publishing Works in 2011

224 Pages

Themes: Memoir, Anthology, Slice of Life.

First Sentence: "Not another one."

This being the first book I was offered to review, I was very excited to read it. Thought it took me almost a year to finish it, I have to say I'm glad I didn't take anymore time slacking off. A lot of these stories have some quirks to them that I really liked and I'm glad I finally finished it.
               It starts off with Joni telling the time of how she was in a bookstore with her daughter and saw that a new book came out. And it was, hence the title, a "Bad-Dog book". This starts off the twenty-eight stories that Joni shares from her past that stood out to her. While reading these I noticed I could find some similarities between her stories and things that have happened in my life. Like in the story "Grieving My Left Foot", I found out that I was not the only one with this strange foot problem. Or having to go to an event where you don't know anyone else there and have no idea what to do.          
One of the stories called "Tween a Rock and a Hard Place" made me realize the troubles our mothers go through when were annoying, moody tweens (and teens). Though some of these stories I can't compare to now I might in the nearby future. Overall this was as very good put together Anthology/ Memoir and I loved reaing it.

4/5 Stars

A Demon Made Me Do It by Penelope King

A Demon Made Me Do It by Penelope King

Published by Ascendence Press in 2011

315 Pages

Themes: Demons, Love, Friends, Loss, and Revenge.

First Sentence: "Whoever says Hell is the worst place imaginable obviously never spent a day at Dove Creek
High School."

When I first heard of this book, I was a little skeptic about it. But when I heard it was about a girl who has a demon possessing her, I thought I could give it a chance. As soon as I started it I was drawn in.

It starts off with Liora, one of our main characters, at school getting yelled at by her  English teacher. This is where Lucky, Lioras demon side steps in. After Lucky gets a few words in about his teaching she is sent to the Principals office, but very quickly leaving after freaking him and his secretary out. While Liora is ditching school she runs into the very attractive Kieron, the new boy who just came from the big cities. For some reason he shows interest in Liora, which confuses her greatly. After hanging out in the woods for a few hours, she heads comes home to Tatiana her caretaker who is also a very powerful witch. This is where the confusing part comes in.
                It turns out Liora is only in control of her body for the morning and in the evening Lucky steps in. This is result from a very tragic attack by a pair of very creepy demons, which causes them to follow this routine everyday. While Liora goes to school everyday, Lucky goes into the demon world to hunt down some other demons, collect debt, or go drinking in a bar. But when humans and demons begin to go missing and end up dead, Lucky and her friend Bones, an Incubus, plus someone else, go searching down the ones who have committed these murders. All in all it's a very well put together story line and I have to say Lucky does act badass at some points.
               Another thing I have to add is this, if they switch on and off like that, how is their body not extremely tired!? It has been confusing me for awhile. Other than that, I suggest this to people who love a good fantasy novel.

4/5 Stars

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Published by Dutton in 2011
338 Pages
Themes: Love, Friends, Costumes, Accepting Who You Are
First Sentence,"I have three simple wishes."

This book is the companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, and I have to say it definitely lives up to its predecessor! Yet another good YA novel. And I have to say this cover is really cute!
The story is based around Dolores (a.k.a Lola) Nolan. She lives with her two dads in San Francisco. She has a really interesting (and awesome!) hobby of hers where she dresses up in something other than herself, (wigs, crazy outfits, etc.) Next door "new" neighbors move in. It just so happens to be the Bell twins, who she had previous history with. Also having to deal with the struggles of having a 22-year-old boyfriend and having to deal with Cricket Bell, her past love interest.

On top of that Lola is making a Marie Antoinette dress like this ->and her hanging out with her friends Lindsey, Anna and St. Clair. Yeah that Anna and St. Clair! Going through many conflicts involving these characters and some very fashionable outfits, Lola learns many things about herself and her friends.

Rating 4.5/5 Stars

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Published by Dutton in 2010
372 Pages
Themes: Love Interests, France, Drama, Foreign Exchange Schools
First Sentence," Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amalie and Moulin Rouge."
The first thing I have to say about this book is: It is amazing! This is one of those cases where you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. I completely dived into this book.
The main scenario of this book is Anna Oliphant, or as her friends Bridget calls her, Banana Elephant, is being sent to SOAP (School of America in Paris) by her father. Her father, who has a strangely close description to Nicholas Sparks, thinks she needs to get out. So Anna is left in her dorm in the middle of Paris with no clue of what to do. Then, she meet her new friends, Meredith, the soccer (Football) player, Rashmi, the very intelligent and mysterious girl, with her boyfriend Josh, an aspiring artist with a tendency to ditch class. And finally, the magnificent St. Clair. He catches every girls attention in their school. Unluckily he has a girlfriend, Ellie, a previous student there and best friends with Rashmi. After getting to know him, Anna begins to have feelings for him. Just those feelings cause many ups and downs of the story. It's a wonderful roller coaster of love and true friendship. I suggest this to anyone who loves a good book.
5/5 Stars