COVER REVEAL: Steam (The Legends Saga #3) by Stacey Rourke

Steam by Stacey Rourke 

(The Legends Saga, #3) 

Publication date: September 14th 2015

Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis: 

A journey through time.

A scarlet letter.

A soul crushing betrayal.

The thrilling Legends Saga concludes in a mash-up of literary all-stars. The works of Washington Irving, Edgar Allen Poe, HG Wells, and Nathaniel Hawthorne come to life in an intricately weaved backstory of love, lies, and deception. The driving force of all involved? Passion. But when that passion is cloaked in darkness, madness reigns.

About the Author

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012

Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013

Stacey Rourke lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant, dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction  and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. Mark your calendars! Her latest literary adventure, Crane, will release May 26, 2014. She is currently hard at work on the continuations of this thrilling Legends Saga, as well as other literary projects.

Author links: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Teen Titans Go! Volume 1: Party, Party! by Sholly Fisch, Lea Hernandez, Jorge Corona, & Ben Bates - Ashley's Review

*I received this comic as an eARC from DC Entertainment/DC Comics on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Teen Titans Go! Volume 1: Party, Party! 
Contributors: Sholly Fisch, Lea Hernandez (Illustrator), Jorge Corona (Illustrator), and Ben Bates (Illustrator)
Publication Date: March 10, 2015

Synopsis: JUSTICE HAS NEVER BEEN THIS MUCH FUN!

Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy are the Teen Titans the coolest teenage superhero team in the universe! Watch as they battle a pizza monster, a video game console that becomes alive, and a legion of incompetent super villains. The Teen Titans are always getting into crazy hijinks like destroying a superhero themed mini golf course, becoming CEOs of a Silicon Valley startup company, playing a deadly game of go fish, making intergalactic prank phone calls, or throwing a girls only superhero slumber party. Thru all the mayhem and zanynest these friends always come out victorious (most of the time.) 

TEEN TITANS GO! VOLUME 1: PARTY, PARTY! collects issues #1-6 of the fun filled series based on the hit cartoon show on Cartoon Network featuring work from an array of comic creators including Sholly Fisch, Lea Hernandez, Amy Wolfram, Jorge Corona, Ben Bates and many more!

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Review: I'm kind of familiar with the Teen Titans from the TV show that used to be on Cartoon Network before Teen Titans Go! I think that one was a little darker, and the animation was a little more harsh. But Teen Titans Go! is a lot of fun and I love that the illustrations in this comic match the new show so well! 

As far as the artwork goes, the colors are bright and fun and made me happy every time I sat down to read it. The illustrators capture the facial expressions of all of the characters perfectly. I could tell when Best Boy and Cyborg were about to do something that would get them in trouble, or when Starfire was confused, or when Raven was trying not to destroy the rest of the Teen Titans for being dumb and annoying. It added so much to this comic, since it allowed for fewer words. Just like a comic should be! 

All six stories are exactly what I hoped they would be, and even tough they could all stand alone, they go pretty well together as a whole too. They don't build off of each other or anything, except that you learn a little bit more about the personalities and the characteristics of each Teen Titan, and I thought it was neat to see them in different situations. Like who would have thought Raven would ever agree to an all-girls sleepover? I do think the prank calling one was my favorite though, mostly because I loved seeing how terrified Robin was of Batman and how they all managed to get themselves out of this predicament... this time. 

I would definitely recommend this volume to any fans of the Teen Titans! Even if you aren't really familiar with them, this would be a fun place to start. I think it's especially good for kids who like super heroes, and would be a great way to introduce them to comic books and graphic novels. It's not gory or scary or anything, and there are no big words that would be hard for kids to understand. It's still fun for grownups too, so it could be a great comic to read together! A 3/5. 


--Ashley

Raven (Delirium #2.5) by Lauren Oliver - Paul's Review

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Title: Raven
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2012

Ashley's Review

Synopsis: This captivating 50-page digital-original story set in the world of Lauren Oliver’s New York Times bestselling Delirium series focuses on Raven, the fiery leader of a rebel group in the Wilds.

As a teenager, Raven made the split-second decision to flee across the border to the Wilds, compelled to save an abandoned newborn—a baby girl left for dead and already blue from the cold. When she and the baby are taken in by a band of rebels, Raven finds herself an outsider within a tight-knit group. The only other newcomer is an untrustworthy boy known as the Thief until he finally earns himself a new name: Tack.

Now she and Tack are inseparable, committed to each other, the fledgling rebellion, and a future together. But as they both take center stage in the fight, Raven must decide whether the dangers of the revolution are worth risking her dreams of a peaceful life with Tack.

As her story hurtles back and forth between past and present, Raven transforms from a scared girl newly arrived in the Wilds to the tough leader who helps Lena save former Deliria-Free poster boy Julian Fineman from a death sentence. Whatever the original mission may have been, Raven abides by a conviction that she believes to her core: You always return for the people you love.

By turns surprising, revelatory, and poignant, Raven’s story enriches the Delirium world and resonates with a voice that is as vulnerable as it is strong.

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Review: Lauren Oliver did an excellent job with these novellas. They are just glimpses into minor characters' heads. I love the way she writes in a different voice for each character. This novella felt very Raven.

Raven isn't that deep of a character in the regular trilogy. You don't know a lot about her other than that she's an awesome survivor and leader. This novella adds depth to her character. It really explains the character of Raven

This novella is so well written. I like the way we get to see a less guarded side of Raven. I really liked the ending. It was so bitter sweet. I give this novella a 5/5.


--PAUL

Raven (Delirium #2.5) by Lauren Oliver - Ashley's Review

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Raven
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2012

Synopsis: This captivating 50-page digital-original story set in the world of Lauren Oliver’s New York Times bestselling Delirium series focuses on Raven, the fiery leader of a rebel group in the Wilds.

As a teenager, Raven made the split-second decision to flee across the border to the Wilds, compelled to save an abandoned newborn—a baby girl left for dead and already blue from the cold. When she and the baby are taken in by a band of rebels, Raven finds herself an outsider within a tight-knit group. The only other newcomer is an untrustworthy boy known as the Thief until he finally earns himself a new name: Tack.

Now she and Tack are inseparable, committed to each other, the fledgling rebellion, and a future together. But as they both take center stage in the fight, Raven must decide whether the dangers of the revolution are worth risking her dreams of a peaceful life with Tack.

As her story hurtles back and forth between past and present, Raven transforms from a scared girl newly arrived in the Wilds to the tough leader who helps Lena save former Deliria-Free poster boy Julian Fineman from a death sentence. Whatever the original mission may have been, Raven abides by a conviction that she believes to her core: You always return for the people you love.

By turns surprising, revelatory, and poignant, Raven’s story enriches the Delirium world and resonates with a voice that is as vulnerable as it is strong.

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I think that of all the stories about the girls (Hana, Annabel, and Raven), this one is my favorite. Raven is so guarded in Pandemonium and Requiem that it's hard to really get to know her and see how she feels. We know she and Tack are in love, but we don't know how intensely or what their dreams are or even how they met. This glimpse into Raven's mind really gives so much more depth to her, and even to Tack. And it makes everything she does in the novels make so much more sense.

We also get to see the cure from a different perspective. Although Raven is against it, she came from a home where maybe the cure wasn't so bad. It helped to calm her drunk, abusive father, although it still wasn't enough to keep her away from the Wilds. But if she hadn't, she never would have saved Blue. And I love Blue, although not as much as Raven. 

And then, the ending! It makes Requiem so much sadder, because I don't think anyone knew Raven's secret except for maybe Tack. I was so sad about Raven's fate without knowing, and now it's just heartbreaking. Curse you, Lauren Oliver, for making a terrible situation even worse. All Raven wants is to run away with Tack and have lots of children and just love each other, and it seems like she'll never have that dream, even when it's within sight.

I think everyone who has read any of the Delirium series, especially the last two books, should definitely read this. I would give this story at least a 4/5.

--Ashley