The Little Paris Bookshop Review

Little Paris Bookshop

By Nina George

Synopsis: Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can't seem to heal through literature is himself; he's still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.

After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country’s rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself.

Internationally bestselling and filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people's lives.(Goodreads Summary)

My Review: 

            I was sent a copy of The Little Paris Bookshop by Blogging for Books for review, and for that I am thankful, but for this book I am not. The Little Paris Bookshop pulls you in with a compelling summary and a beautiful cover, but those are just ploys to get you to purchase the book. The writing itself is amazing, and I think the author is truly gifted, but I could not find anything to love about the story, and I truly, truly tried to.

            The beginning was so boring and dull, and I kept waiting and expecting for something interesting to happen, but nothing did. Even once you get into the 'action' of the story it's still dull. The characters themselves weren't terrible, but there wasn't anything spectacular or special about them either. I believe that if this book wasn't sent to me for review then I might not have even finished it. It truly saddens me as a booklover when I have to bash a book, but The Little Paris Bookshop just did not cut it for me.

           In conclusion, I give The Little Paris Bookshop three out of five stars for the good writing and decent characters as well as the less than adequate story line. I think that the idea behind the plot was so interesting and so much more could have been done with it, and that it just fell flat for me.

                 

If you would like to purchase The Little Paris Book Shop

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

-CG

Lorien Legacies Series Review

The Lorien Legacies

By: Pitticus Lore

Synopsis: 

            The series follow the story of nine human-looking aliens brought to Earth when they were six years old. Their purpose is to grow into their powers and return to their planet, Lorien, and get it back from the evil Mogadorians. The teenagers have been protected by a charm, which only allows them to be killed in a set order, and by non-gifted guardians called Cêpan. 

            Up to the beginning of the first book, six have survived and reached 15 years. As their powers, their Legacies, start to develop they can't stay hidden anymore. (Goodreads Summary)

My Review:

            I first started reading this series when I Am Number Four came out in 2010; as a young little fifth grader, nothing exited me more than aliens, and somehow this series managed to keep me interested for an entire six, almost seven, years. I recently picked up the final book in the series, and I must say I am sad to see it end. 

            Even though the Lorien Legacies is probably one of my favorite series of all time, I definitely  did not read them in a very orderly fashion. I read the first one when it came out because my librarian told me that I would enjoy it, and I counted down the days until the releases of the second and third books, but I honestly would forget about the series completely until I would see the newest installment in my local Barnes and Noble. Luckily, the story lie would be so rememberable that it would not be a problem that I momentarily forgot about its existence because as soon as I opened up the newest book, it would come right back to me.

            The story of John Smith is one full of many up and many, many, MANY downs, but it is overall very enjoyable to read. The author does a fantastic job in building up the character so the reader feels like they know them, but that really only makes it so much more heartbreaking when they are killed (which is an incredibly common theme in this series). Some of my favorite characters from the entire series are Nine (because he is a somewhat psychotic, sarcastic, smart-ass), Sarah, Six (she is the badass girl of my dreams), Eight, Marina, Sam, and Bernie Kosar.

          The action scenes are incredibly well written and described in a way that makes it easy to picture what is going on in my head, especially the scenes in Mexico. I only found myself lost a few times over the course of six books. SIX BOOKS! That is truly amazing. The story was fun, full of twists and turns (especially towards the end), but overall very easy to follow and very enjoyable.

           I truly am sad to see this series end because it feels like part of my childhood is ending with it. 

           In conclusion, I give this series four out of five stars for the incredible characters, well thought out story line, and fantastic writing. I highly suggest that anyone who is looking for a new series to love should go pick the first book, I Am Number Four, up and start reading it as soon as possible because as soon as you start, you won't be able to stop until the very end.

                 

If you would like to purchase I am Number Four

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles 

Amazon

       -CG       

Most Anticipated YA Releases of September 2016

Most Anticipated YA Releases of September 2016!

           Today is September first, the somewhat official start of my favorite season, Fall! Even though it's still 100 degrees here in Texas, I'm ready to snuggle up with my most anticipated releases of the month and get reading.

EMPIRE OF STORMS

If you've been living under a rock for the past few months then maybe you don't know that Empire of Storms, the fifth book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Mass, is coming out on September 6th. If you've read this series or you are just a part of the ToG/SJM fandom, then you know that shit's about to go down in this book, and that it's going to be another epic installment of an epic series. I preordered my signed, personalized copy from Books of Wonder months ago, and I can't wait to read it!

If you would like to purchase Empire of Storms:

Amazon, Book Depository,Barnes and Noble

CROOKED KINGDOM

Another big release coming out on September 27th is Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. If you've seen my instagram, read my Six of Crows Review, or just know me in general, then you probably know I am a huge fan of Leigh Bardugo and all of her works. I was left for dead at the end of Six of Crows, and I am dying, DYING I TELL YOU, to know what happens next! I also preordered a signed, personalized copy of Crooked Kingdom from Good Choice Reading during the pre-order campaign.

If you would like to purchase Crooked Kingdom:

Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble

THREE DARK CROWNS

 

Last, but not least, my final most anticipated new release of the month is Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. I've never read a book by this author before, and I probably wouldn't have heard of it if not for Katytastic's BEA Book Haul Video. She described it as three triplets fighting to the death to be queen, and that had me intrigued enough to look it up on Goodreads. Three Dark Crowns sounds like an interesting and fun read, and I can't wait till it comes out on September 20th.

If you would like to purchase Three Dark Crowns:

Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble

           And that's it for my most anticipated YA releases of September 2016! I want to know down in the comments: what books are you most looking forward to in the month of September? 

- CG

Switching Over to Wordpress

            Hey guys! I've been pondering over the idea of switching over to Wordpress for some time now, and I have finally gone and created a blog on there: https://vibrantreadsblog.wordpress.com/. I'm not completely sure yet if I want to completely make the switch seeing as I have all of my accounts connected to this blog in some way, as well as all of my readers on this blog, but I think I'm going to start posting my new posts on both blogs for some time and see where I go from there. If I find myself loving Wordpress I might switch over completely, and if I find myself hating it I will come back to Blogger completely. For now, it would be amazing if you would go to my Wordpress blog and follow me on there as well so I can see how many people will make the switch with me.

Thanks! -CG

LINK TO WORDPRESS BLOG: https://vibrantreadsblog.wordpress.com/

Children of Icarus - Book Review

Children of Icarus

By: Caighlan Smith

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!

Synopsis:It is Clara who is desperate to enter the labyrinth and it is Clara who is bright, strong, and fearless enough to take on any challenge. It is no surprise when she is chosen. But so is the girl who has always lived in her shadow. Together they enter. Within minutes, they are torn apart forever. Now the girl who has never left the city walls must fight to survive in a living nightmare, where one false turn with who to trust means a certain dead end."(Goodreads summary)
            I personally had an issue understanding the goodreads summary so here is an additional one: Children of Icarus takes place in a society that worships Icarus. In this world, an angel named Icarus was tricked by the gods to fly the sun where he was burned and fell to earth. A mortal built him a tomb underground so he could heal and one day return to the surface, and she put the tomb in the middle of a labyrinth which the city the main character lives in is build upon.
            The actual story takes place many, many years in the future. Every year up until they turn 16, children are chosen to go into the labyrinth, and they are told that if they make it to the center, they will be blessed by Icarus to become angels. The main character and her best friend are chosen and get put into the labyrinth, and all hell breaks loose.

My Review: (I received a copy of this book off of Netgalley in exchanged for my honest opinion)

            I put off reading Children of Icarus for so long because there wasn't a kindle version to download, and it was going to be uncomfortable to read on my laptop, but I really wish I read this sooner. It's like a combination of two of my favorite books-The Maze Runner and The Hunger Games-and Greek Mythology. I'm obviously obsessed with two of the greatest YA series of all time, and I also adore Greek Mythology so the story over all was quite enjoyable.

            The beginning of the book could've done with a little bit more explaining of the character, where they come from, and what they're like so it's easier to understand and connect to them more. Once they're in the labyrinth the pace really picks up and it gets to be very interesting, but after a while it gets boring and I endured the mid-book slump. Needless to say I was thrown out of that slump with the ending--it really caught me off guard and is probably one of my favorite endings to a book in a while!

            The main character, Clara, was quite frustrating for me to read. She was scared and useless for the majority of the book, and that got quite annoying quite fast. All the other characters I found quite enjoyable to read because they were all completely nuts, and after spending two years in the maze, they just got crazier, and that was really realistic seeming to me as well as fun to read.

            This was a fantastic debut novel for Caighlan Smith. The plot was intriguing, the characters interesting, and the writing was fantastic. The only complaint I had was that I wish she spent a little more time on the characters and their backgrounds so I could better understand and connect with them like I stated before. I tip my hat off to Caighlan Smith for both having an amazing name and an amazing debut novel--that's not something many people can say.

          
            In conclusion I give Children of Icarus by Caighlan Smith 4 out of 5 stars for the interesting plot and characters, along with the mid-book slump and annoying main character. I suggest that you pick this book up in you enjoy The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, or Greek Mythology because it is a really interesting take on all three.

                 

If you would like to purchase Children of Icarus

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles 

Amazon

Author and publisher information:

Caighlan Smith Website

Switch Press Publishing

       -CG       

     

P.S. I Like You - Book Review

P.S. I Like You

By Kasie West

Disclaimer: There might be some spoilers in this review. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Synopsis: While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out… (Goodreads Summary)

My Review:  P.S. I like this book. A lot. P.S. I Like You is so adorably cute! I don't normally find myself reading actual YA contemporary Romance novels, but I do love going through Wattpad and reading cute contemporary love stories and there, and P.S. I Like You was just like that....but better written (you can't always trust those Wattpad writers to spell check and fully finish plot lines [myself included]).
             From the minute I read the summary I knew I would enjoy this book. A girl writes down some of her favorite lyrics to find that someone finished them for her the next day? HOW INCREDIBLY AMAZING DOES THAT SOUND?!! I really enjoyed a majority of the plot, but found myself slightly annoyed that I was easily able to figure out who Lily's pen pal was much before the big reveal, even with all the red herrings. I also liked that West had other smaller plots going on with the main plot that were minor but somehow also very important to how the story was going to end (does that make sense??? It does to me). One example of this is the song writing competition that Lily wanted to enter. It wasn't as important as the whole pen pal plot, but they still went hand in hand with Lily's pen pal helping her to eventually write the song she is going to enter the competition with. Sidenote: I really liked how West ended the novel with Lily just figuring out what song she's going to enter instead of her actually entering and winning/losing. It really makes it feel likes there's so much more to the story, and allows the reader to imagine their own ending for the characters. Last, but not least, THE LAST LINE IN THIS BOOK MADE ME SOB HAPPY TEARS. "And then I mouthed 'I think I love you too.'" It's the perfect quirky ending line, for the perfect quirky character, in this perfectly quirky love story.
            Once we got past the whole sending letters back in forth bit (the first half of the book), and Lily knows who her pen pal is, I personally thought that the book got a whole lot better. Not that the beginning was bad-it was actually really reaaaallly good-but with Lily knowing Cade was her pen pal during the second half of the book made things a lot more interesting. There were so many amazing  moments in P.S. I Like You (I especially enjoyed every scene that included Bugs Rabbit), but I think that the entire Thanksgiving scene and the man bracelet scene tie as my favorites. The Thanksgiving scene was a perfect blend of humor and drama and the beginning of a romance, and the man bracelet scene is when I marked the beginning of their personal relationship (excluding letters). [Sidenote: I'm curious as to what your favorite scene in the book was, leave it down in the comments and let's chat]
            One thing West did particularly well was developing the characters. By only about halfway though the book I felt like I really knew Lily through the descriptions of her clothes, habits, and the way she acted around both herself and other people. I really felt like I connected with her, and one minor thing that really helped me personally connect with her was the way she talked to herself, which is something I do quite often. Lily is probably one of the funniest protagonists I've read in a while-if not all time. Cade Jennings is one hell of a love interest if I've ever read one. He's got the sad past, good looks, and enough charisma for more than one man. One really cliche thing this book did, but that I enjoyed because I'm trash, was make the bully and the victim fall in love. Even though Cade wasn't that big of a bully, and Lily seemed to take everything a step too far, it's just really cliche. 
            Aside from the main characters, I found myself liking many of the minor characters as well. I thought the way West described and developed Lily's family, especially her parents and Jonah, was fantastic, Isobel is the amazing best friend everyone wishes they had, and Sasha is the bitchy kind of girl everyone hates. The only character I found myself disliking and disconnected from was Lucas. I understand why he was there in the beginning, him being the guy that the Lily knows she'll never have but she'll pine over anyway, but once Lily got the courage to ask him out and they hung out once or twice, it was like he lost his purpose. He also just disappeared way too easily from the story, and I just found myself wishing he had a bigger purpose (like possibly stirring up some drama.....ohhhohohohohhh). Aside from my minor complaint about Lucas, I still believe that Kasie West did more than an amazing job in creating loveable and relatable characters.


           In conclusion, I give P.S. I Like You four and a half out of five stars for the humor, entertaining plot and amazingly written characters. I highly suggest you pick this up if you're in the mood for a cute, light read, or if you want to get out of a reading slump, because that's what this did for me.

                 

If you would like to purchase P.S. I Like You

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

-CG

August Owlcrate 2016 Unboxing - Fast Times at YA High

August Owlcrate Unboxing

"Fast Times at YA High"

This month's box was filled with amazing goodies, and an equally amazing book which I'll have a review up for soon.



This month's theme was "Fast Times at YA High," and I always love the artwork that Owlcrate does for the spoiler sheets.

This Month Owlcrate designed it's very own necklace inspired by Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell specifically for Owlcrate, and it's gorgeous. The pendant features the cover image, and there's also a cute little cassette tape attached to the chain.

These awesomely adorable buttons were designed by Taryn Draws for Owlcrate, and I cannot wait to add them to my pin collection on my ACOMAF tote bag. One button says Hogwarts is home....which it is, and the other one says chapter raptor on it (adorable!!!).

One of my personal favorite items from this month's box is the print of the Golden Trio designed by Susanne Draws. It perfectly captures all three of their personalities (Hermione with her hand up ready to answer the teacher's question, Harry off in his own world, and Ron sleeping [lol]). I can't wait to hang this up on my wall.

Another one of my favorite items from this box has to be the adult coloring book by Blue Star Coloring. I personally love coloring books (I have the Harry Potter coloring book, the Outlander coloring book, the Game of Thrones coloring book, I pre-ordered the Throne of Glass coloring book, and have many other random ones given to me as gifts). I can't wait till I get to color in all of the 'stress relieving patterns.'



Another awesome goodie I received in this month's Owlcrate is a Decomposition Notebook. I actually love this brand and use their notebooks for school, so I'm glad I have another one to add to my collection.

And last, but certainly not least, is this month's book, P.S. I Like You by Kasie West. Normally I'm not one for contemporary romance novels, but this one really caught my attention when I read the synopsis: (INSERT SYNOPSIS). I won't spoil my review incase you want to go check it out, but I really enjoyed it overall, and it's also an added bonus that it came with a signed bookplate and these adorable mini colored pencils to color in the coloring book with.

And that's it for this month's box! Per usual I find myself once again in love with everything included, and waiting on the edge of my seat for next month's box to arrive.

The theme for next month's box is "Darkness," and it will feature an item based on Ms. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

If you would like to purchase your own Owlcrate subscription:

https://www.owlcrate.com/

-CG

Crown of Midnight - Book Review

Crown of Midnight

By: Sarah J. Mass

DISCLAIMER: There are spoilers in here so YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Synopsis: From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.(Goodreads summary)

My Review:  Throne of Glass was and is one of my favorite books, and I was very excited to see when Mass was going to take the story with Crown of Midnight, and, once again, Sarah did not disappoint.
            The action took off right from the very beginning. Celaena is the newly dubbed King's Champion, and she's already been out on several jobs. Mass doesn't take any time to get into the action, and actually starts out the book with her on a job and returning severed heads and hands to the king. The true plot really begins when the King gives her the job to kill and old friend of hers, Archer, who the King believes to be a rebel against his rule. 
            Throughout Crown of Midnight you are able to see the characters develop more thoroughly and see how their relationships with each other develop as well. Chaol and Celaena's relationship is explored much more in this, and Mass does a fantastic job in portraying how much they truly care for eachother. Celaena by going after Chaol when he is kidnapped, and Chaol by sending Caelana off to Wendlyn to be with the fae. Another thing I thought Mass did particularly well was show how Dorian felt about the whole Chaol and Celaena situation. She showed his jealousy and anger and finally content with their relationship fabulously, and the readers are able to truly feel how he feels. Lastly, Nehemia and Celaena. Their friendship was truly tested in this book, and I cried at the way it ended. After Celaena arrived at the castle to find Nehemia dead and defiled, she went off into a storm of rage and attacked Chaol, showing that she cared more for her friend. It was truly a beautifully, heartbreaking moment.
            One thing I just have to add in is about Fleetfoot. During the final battle scene against the creature Celaena summoned, fleetfoot tries attacking in to defend Celaena over and over again, and for some reason I'm much more effected when a dog gets injured or killed, so I actually cried when Fleetfoot fought for Celaena. It was so touching and sweet, and something Mass put in to make up suffer.
            The way this book ends is absolutely amazing. Mass has set it up perfectly for the next book with the reveal of Celaena actually being the lost queen Aelin, and Chaol unknowingly sending the biggest threat to his country off to meet with potential allies. I just can't wait to read the next one and find out what's going to happen, and how Chaol and Celaena or Aelin's relationship will continue, IF it will continue. The one major thing I just didn't like about Crown of Midnight was the feeling that it was a filler book for the most part. It reminded me of how I felt about Avengers: Age of Ultron, that it was just created to fill some time and set up for the rest of the series. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic read, and I look forward to what is going to happen next.

           In conclusion, I give Crown of Midnight four out of five stars for it's incredible plot and it's amazing set up for the rest of the series, but also for the feeling of this book being a little bit of a filler to get into the next part of the series. Once again, I highly, highly suggest you pick up any of Sarah J. Mass's books because they are all incredible, and you will not regret it.

                 

If you would like to purchase Crown of Midnight

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

-CG

The Perfect Tear - Blog Tour

The Perfect Tear

By Connie Lansberg

Published: December 15th 2015 by Shooting for Success LLC DBA Rockit Press
Pages: 326
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Links:
      Goodreads
      Amazon

Summary:

            Eleanor is a singer. Her songs keep nature in balance, but when they are stolen from her, a grey mist descends and her world fails to thrive. This timid orphan is thrust into a course of action she never asked for, not envisioned. Set against a backdrop of abandonment, loss and betrayal, she must find her way through strange and dangerous landscapes in her desperate search for the Perfect Tear, a dark crystal which holds the future of her world. But, Eleanor is no savior. She is a simple girl with strong instincts and she must learn to trust them. Just like the notes of song must connect to create a melody, Eleanor must discover the connections needed to create the harmony required to truly save her world.

(This is the poster for the upcoming film based upon The Perfect Tear by Connie Lansberg)

My thoughts:

Note: For being a part of this blog tour I was provided with a free e-book copy of The Perfect Tear in exchange for my honest review.

            After reading the synopsis is Jen's email, I wasn't quite sure what to think. The Perfect Tear seemed interesting enough, but more like something I would've been enjoyed more when I was younger. I guess I was correct in my assumptions because after finishing the novel it was just...ok. I know younger me would've loved the idea of saving the world with a crystal, the balancing of nature and harmony, and especially a prince going for a peasant girl, but older me has read one too many books that are much too similar. I'll give The Perfect Tear credit for having some of the same olf cliche bits in it, but still being different enough with the interesting plot points and story. The Perfect Tear was still interesting, and incredibly well written (I adore Connie Lansberg's style), but, for me, the story just wasn't that interesting. I know younger me would've given The Perfect Tear five out of five stars, but current me gives it three and a half stars for content and four and a half stars for the writing, and I average that to be four out of five stars. I wish that it was younger me who'd picked this book up and enjoyed it thoroughly, but, nevertheless, I'm so exited for the movie that's coming out next year, and I will definitely be seeing it. If you wish to learn more about the upcoming movie, click here.

            Lerion forced his lips into a smile and nodded politely in an effort to feign interest in the creations of his fellow novices. Their excited chatter and heightened energy pulsed the length of the room. They seemed foolish to him, but he managed to conceal his disdain. Social transparency in his society was the norm, but hiding his feelings from the collective was something he excelled at. It was his secret talent. Today however, he struggled to maintain a pleasant countenance.

           The novices were allowed to see their competition for only a few moments and Lerion extended his glance the length of the narrow corridor again. He had to be certain he would win. Only the best young designers were invited to enter the Creation Contest, and then, only once. Lerion knew this was his only chance to achieve his dream, and he forced himself to scan the room once more. He was searching for any design that might pose a threat, but after another quick reconnaissance, nothing he saw gave him cause for concern. He took a quick, shuddering breath and lifted his chin. Why had he been so nervous?

            He felt his energy uncoil and his step became light. He’d worked for this opportunity almost from the day his two co-creators sung him into being – he deserved to win.

            Lerion clenched his jaw. The arrogance of his desire was not lost on him. The Creation Contest was much more than a matter of whose design was the most innovative or which novice showed the most initiative. The winning design had to uphold and even surpass the standards of creation set by the Ancient Ones. It had to enhance the evolution of their society as a whole. Had he achieved that?

            He stopped in front of a nine-dimensional hologram and pretended to be intrigued with the design, while he slyly studied its creator, a feminine-biased novice named Lalycri. The energy emanating from her shimmered against his outer layer and he involuntarily vibrated in response. Her eyes lit up and he swallowed hard. Her animated smile caused her nose to crinkle and her energy swelled in gentle waves. It undulated softly through him. He felt himself surrender to the pleasure of it and immediately blocked its flow. He would not allow himself to respond. This was not the time to reveal his attraction to her, and he nodded curtly. He had to admit, he found Lalycri appealing and she peaked his curiosity. On any other day, he might have encouraged her, but this kind of personal chemistry often led to a desire to co-create and he was not about to break the rules. Not today, anyway.

           Novices were forbidden to form creative partnerships of any kind. Only those having twelve activated strands of DNA were allowed the privilege of co-creation. Lerion sighed. He had activated only seven strands of the twelve that lay within each of his cells. More than all the other novices, but still, not enough.

            Determined to ignore her vibrant energy, Lerion gave Lalycri a small nod. He leaned in and studied the extremely unusual construct while she beamed at him. He couldn’t work out what its purpose must be, and he stiffened. It had never occurred to him Lalcyri might be competition. How had she managed such a complicated design?

            He made sure to keep his voice polite rather than accusatory. “I had no idea you’d been selected.”

            Lalycri tilted her head and her smiled faltered. “Well, I was.”

            Her tone had a sharp edge and he realized he had insulted her. “Certainly. I’m not surprised.”

            “You sound surprised.” Lalycri’s voice was stern but the twinkle returned to her eyes. “I’m grateful for the honor. It’s definitely the most daring design I’ve produced so far.” She lowered her lashes an her mouth grew firm. “I would give anything to win. I long to pit myself against Tsera.”

             Her words came fast and her voice had a ferocious quality that startled him. Lerion blinked and looked sharply at her. They all wanted the honor of winning. However, it had not occurred to him there might be others who desired to win as much as he did. Nobody could want this as much as he did. His every cell informed him being Main Creator was his destiny, and the idea she could snatch it from him was ludicrous.

            He felt his vibration quicker, but Lalycri did not seem to notice the change in his demeanor. She smiled brightly, as if she had not just made a startling admission, and began to prattle without taking a breath.

About the author:

Connie Lansberg is a singer/songwriter and now author based in Melbourne Australia. She’s had her original songs placed in some of Australia’s best loved TV shows that play around the world and The Connie Lansberg Quartet is a fixture in the Melbourne jazz scene. Her most recent original musical project, Alone with Bees, performs her songs written especially for The Perfect Tear. This is Connie’s first novel and the movie is coming.

She also received several grants from the Victoria Council of the Arts for the development of mobile phone games that she created.

Connie joined the Melbourne Writers Group in 2010 to work on ideas and scripts and during this time the idea for The Perfect Tear began to develop and take shape. She continued her education by taking scriptwriting classes at the Australian Film and Television School in Melbourne and later, worked extensively with Marcy Kennedy on the book. She has two more stories to complete The Perfect Tear Trilogy and is hoping to have the second book finished by 2016.

Blog tour schedule:

You can check out the rest of the blog posts written as part of this tour here:

July 25th: Jen http://www.happylilbooknook.com

July 27th: Rae http://covertocoverreviews.blogspot.com

July 28th: CG https://www.instagram.com/vibrantreads

July 29th: Jen E http://papgerandpageblog.wordpress.com

July 30th: Jordan https://www.readbyroe.com

July 31st: Maia http://silver-dagger-scriptorium.weebly.com/

and Charlotte http://taleasoldastime31.wordpress.com/

August 1st: Laura http://www.lifeisabookblog.com

August 2nd: Hannah http://www.instagram.com/toallthebooks1)

August 3rd: Kathy https://www.instagram.com/bookfoxes/

August 4th: Lisa http://www.instagram.com/_the.bibliophile

August 6th: Sarah http://www.transientdrifter.blogspot.com

If you would like to purchase The Perfect Tear
Amazon
Book Depository
Barnes and Nobles
Thanks! - CG