Just wanted to stop by real quick and let you know about a giveaway happening over at The Midnight Garden. They are giving away an ARC of Mila 2.0 and it ends in a few hours, so hurry over and catch it before it goes away!!
the midnight garden: Mila 2.0: review & giveaway
Friday, March 29, 2013
The Photo Traveler by Arthur J. Gonzalez
I had the great honor of having Arthur J. Gonzalez start following me on Twitter a few months back, and I decided to see who this mysterious person was so I did a quick little search and found this gem. Aside from the amazing storyline, the fact that he is:
I won one copy from Izz "Pingle" Bookish Place and another from Literary, Etc.
Gavin’s only escape is in taking and creating images. His camera is his refuge from the unending torture and isolation of daily life in his “family.”
Until he learns by accident that he isn’t alone in the world after all. His father’s parents are still alive and living in Washington DC.
When he takes the plunge and travels 3,000 miles to find his grandparents, he learns that they—and he—are part of something much bigger, and more dangerous, than he could ever have imagined. Something that has always put his family at risk and that will now threaten his own life, while forever changing it.
He learns that he is one of the last descendants of a small group of Photo Travelers—people who can travel through time and space through images. But his initial excitement turns to fear, when he soon discovers that he and his grandparents are being pursued by the fierce remnants of a radical European Photo Traveler cult, the Peace Hunters. What Gavin has, they want!
His adventure will take him to past eras, like The Great Depression and the Salem Witch Trials. Gavin will have to discover who he really is and must make choices that spell the difference between life and death for himself, for the relatives he now knows and loves, and for the girl he will come to love.
For Gavin Hillstone, life will never be the same.
- Cuban - I tell everyone including my husband that if I were to ever marry again it would be to a Cuban ;)
- From Miami - My family lived there for years and I still have one crazy old aunt there that I go back to visit every summer. I have already been promised to get a good restaurant hook-up next time I am in town...
I won one copy from Izz "Pingle" Bookish Place and another from Literary, Etc.
The Photo Traveler by Arthur J. Gonzalez
Synopsis by Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Gavin Hillstone is resigned to being miserable for the rest of his life. Left alone in the world after his parents died in a fire when he was four, he was placed in foster care, which for him meant ending up in an abusive home with an alcoholic adoptive father.
Gavin’s only escape is in taking and creating images. His camera is his refuge from the unending torture and isolation of daily life in his “family.”
Until he learns by accident that he isn’t alone in the world after all. His father’s parents are still alive and living in Washington DC.
When he takes the plunge and travels 3,000 miles to find his grandparents, he learns that they—and he—are part of something much bigger, and more dangerous, than he could ever have imagined. Something that has always put his family at risk and that will now threaten his own life, while forever changing it.
He learns that he is one of the last descendants of a small group of Photo Travelers—people who can travel through time and space through images. But his initial excitement turns to fear, when he soon discovers that he and his grandparents are being pursued by the fierce remnants of a radical European Photo Traveler cult, the Peace Hunters. What Gavin has, they want!
His adventure will take him to past eras, like The Great Depression and the Salem Witch Trials. Gavin will have to discover who he really is and must make choices that spell the difference between life and death for himself, for the relatives he now knows and loves, and for the girl he will come to love.
For Gavin Hillstone, life will never be the same.
My Thoughts: I was drawn into this story from the first paragraph. You could tell the torment behind Gavin's actions even in the opening scene where his "sister" ignores him and subsequently causes him the torture that follows. Right after that episode gavin discovers that he still has grandparents living across the country and he hightails it to the bus station and "gets the heck out of Dodge". I think that those actions are fairly believable and I appreciate the fact that Gonzalez gives us backstory about Gavin's adoptive parents and his living situation. We find out that life hasn't always been like this for him, and the further you read, the more you understand why things are the way they are.
There are several things that stood out to me throughout the book; the initial meeting with Yogi being one (Hello, that camera was a major tip off!!!),Gavin's visits with his parents (that is just cool and confusing at the same time), and Gavin's reaction to Alanna's picture being another. I knew from the moment I read that scene that it would become a major player in the book. I am very interested to see how Gonzalez unfolds that development throughout the next book.
Overall, this was a very well written book, with good character development and backstory. There are many unanswered questions, but I knew going into this book that it was the first in a series, so I expect some of those questions to be answered in The Peace Hunters. I think this fully deserves the 5 stars I gave it :)
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Feature & Follow #1
This is my first ever Feature & Follow!
I happened to be over at Read, Rinse, and Repeat's blog and noticed a new post and knew that I had to jump on board!
Before I go any further, let me give credit where it is due and clarify that:
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.
Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.
Before I go any further, let me give credit where it is due and clarify that:
Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. The purpose is to meet new people and gain more followers in the book blogging community.
Q. Tell us about the most emotional scene you’ve ever read in a book – and how did you react?
A. Agh!!! This brought one book to my immediate attention. Room by Emma Donoghue.
From Goodreads: To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.
Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.
The scene that popped into my head was one of the ones where Jack is locked into the wardrobe at night because of Old Nick's visits. I will be honest, the whole book was emotional, and extremely hard to read. I am still not sure exactly how I feel about the book...
Now, it is your turn. What was your most emotional scene to date?
Long Time, No Post
It has been over 2 years in fact. A lot has happened in those two years. I'm not going to be way overwhelming and dive head first into all of that, but let's just say that my life is much happier now :)
I am reading like crazy again!!! Which means I am following blogs again, and am tweeting. I figured why not give writing a few reviews a shot since I have gotten my hands on some good books lately. I even managed to win a couple of contests! Yay, me :) So, sometime in the next few days I will have reviews for Arthur Gonzalez's book The Photo Traveler
David Macinnis Gill's Black Hole Sun
and maybe another one. I will get them posted here as well as to Goodreads and Amazon.
I am also happy to tell you about some awesome giveaways going on at a couple of my favorite blogs. The Midnight Garden has an awesome one going on that includes your choice of amongst 10 different books :) the midnight garden: March Giveaway: Winner's Choice!
and then there is sweet Lindsay Cummings' giveaway that is 4 ARCs
It has been a long day, and I need to catch some zzz's before these three
have me up at the crack of dawn
I am reading like crazy again!!! Which means I am following blogs again, and am tweeting. I figured why not give writing a few reviews a shot since I have gotten my hands on some good books lately. I even managed to win a couple of contests! Yay, me :) So, sometime in the next few days I will have reviews for Arthur Gonzalez's book The Photo Traveler
I am also happy to tell you about some awesome giveaways going on at a couple of my favorite blogs. The Midnight Garden has an awesome one going on that includes your choice of amongst 10 different books :) the midnight garden: March Giveaway: Winner's Choice!
and then there is sweet Lindsay Cummings' giveaway that is 4 ARCs
It has been a long day, and I need to catch some zzz's before these three
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)