Review, Excerpt & Giveaway (INT): Iron Pendulum (Periodic series #2), by Megan Curd

Hey guys and welcome to the blog tour hosted by InkSlinger PR for Megan Curd's Iron Pendulum, the second book in the Periodic series! I really enjoyed the first book, Steel Lily, and was part of that tour last year (read my review here). I'm very happy for the opportunity to be part of the tour once more!
Below, you can find more info on the book and author, my review, an excerpt, annnnnd a giveaway :)


ABOUT THE BOOK

Release date: August 28, 2014
Format: ebook, 285 pages

Synopsis
A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But a month can change everything.

After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn't even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she's uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

A month can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking. 

Buy it on Amazon 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college.

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Photography, traveling and snowboarding are hobbies she loves, and she doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself.

Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans.

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The following review is based on an eARC of the novel provided to me by the tour organizer in exchange for my honest opinion.

Also - spoilers for Steel Lily ahead!! Read that one first, okay? I also apologize for the length. I've never been great at keeping the reviews short and I'm out of practice...

REVIEW
The ending of Steel Lily left Avery at the alliance headquarters reunited with her father but grieving the death of her mother. The beginning of Iron Pendulum picks up soon after that, so there is no gap between the two installments of the series. Avery and her friends are scouting out some tunnels between headquarters and Dome four, her former home, when they are attacked by a bunch of Zeros. In case you don’t remember, the Zeros are victims of radiation set off in the war and have also been experimented on my Xander, who fashioned them into his personal army. They are irrational, aggressive, and basically like zombies without the undead part.

There are also not supposed to be any new ones. Problem is, Avery recognized one of the Zeros as a former member of her class in Dome four. What’s more, Xander sent a message – he knows they’re down in the tunnels. Something is clearly afoot in Dome four, so Avery, Jax, and Alice are going back in (bugged, of course) to figure out in how far it is under Xander’s influence and what governor Lindroth is planning.

Avery had been gone for six months, and it quickly becomes obvious that the situation for people in the dome has gone from bad to worse during that time. Every day, people get sick, cough up blood, and die. Without Avery to provide most of the dome’s steam, the air filtration system had to be shut off more and more often, since the other Elementalists (among them her old nemesis Erin) cannot live up to her steam quota. Everyone, commoners and the governor alike, wants to know where she’s been, why she abandoned them to their fate. They are blaming her for their misery. The Polatzi forces violently break up mobs of protesters. And Avery definitely feels the pressure. The pressure to provide, to answer questions, to evade, to survive, to keep the secrets of the alliance safe despite threats to hurt her loved ones – and above all, the pressure to give people hope. That she’s smart-mouthed as ever and prone to cause riots does not always work to her advantage.

I really have to commend Avery for her bravery and her spine of steel, even though she’s a bit impulsive at times and can’t stay out of trouble. She has to deal with so much injustice and loss (I’m thinking of one death in particular, plus the ending – how could you do this to me, Megan Curd??)in this novel and she still gets up again and keeps going. I also enjoyed how despite some tensions that arise because Jax has to get close to evil Erin and Avery is supposed to weasel information out of Vince, the governor’s son, the relationship between Avery and Jax remains solid. They’re a team, they trust each other, they have each other’s back. So much unnecessary jealousy-drama could have been created from this situation, and I’m very glad that wasn’t the case! Also, the awesome snarky banter between Jax and Avery that I loved so much in Steel Lily is still there and sharp as ever!

As for Jax himself, I really liked that we get to see another side to him in this novel. He’s not just all smartassery and mechanic genius. Because they’re staying with a friend of Avery’s who is taking care of a bunch of orphaned little children, he has to learn to be kind and take care of those weaker than him. I will never forget the image of ‘Prince Jax’ having an imaginary tea party with the little girls. And a tiara on his dreadlocks.

As the days wear on and more people get sick despite Avery filling the steam canisters every day, questions arise. Why are the canisters empty every night when the steam should have lasted for a whole month? Where is that energy going? What’s the massive iron clock with its tick-tocking pendulum that now stands in the marketplace for? Is the governor just a power-hungry elitist, or is he in league with Xander? What’s up with all the Zeros in the Polatzi forces? Can Avery really count on the loyalty of all of her friends?

The pace of this book is fast and doesn’t leave space for lulls in action or a moment of boredom. Despite that, character development is not overlooked and there are short moments of ‘normalcy’ for Avery and her friends before the dome goes to hell in a handbasket again. I also really liked the addition of Vince as a character and that we get to see a bit more of Sadie. That girl’s a hacker genius and they’d be screwed without her.

One small complaint that I have is that I would have liked some more conversations and bonding between Avery and her father. They’ve been apart for so long, and I’d have liked to see them reconnect a bit more before Avery runs off to the dome again. Also, I’d have liked some more info about how the world came to be as it is, but I guess that will have to wait until the next book.

Apart from that though, this book is an awesome, action-packed ride! The ending was unexpected, and there are a couple twists I really didn’t see coming, as well as characters not turning out to be who you thought they were. Iron Pendulum continues the blend between post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, and fantasy with a heavy dose of snark that won me over in Steel Lily. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next!


EXCERPT

Hint to you guys: every day, a different excerpt is posted - so it makes sense to follow the tour and check out some of the other blogs if you want to get more of a peek ;)

“I love the smell of crusty military men in a sewage tunnel,” Jaxon said as he crouched, ready to take on the first one that arrived. Fire began to form in the palms of his hands—the element he’d been able to control since taking a vial of my blood—and it crackled ominously, sending sparks everywhere. His element was as unpredictable as he was, and he was learning to control it quickly.

But he’d forgotten one little tidbit. We were standing in water, and I was a water Elementalist.

Oh, he was going to be so mad when his minstrels sang songs about me.

I focused all my energy on the rippling water around my ankles and felt a familiar zing of electricity in my limbs. The water bubbled, and there was a rumble behind us.

Jaxon caught on and dropped to his knees to cover his head, the fire disappearing into a turret of smoke. “You cheater!”


So, what do you guys think? Have you read Steel Lily and are eager for the sequel? Is this your first time hearing about the series? Any thoughts on the excerpt, or the premise of the books in general? Let me know in the comments :)

Giveaway

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Follow the Tour

August 26^th

Book Lovin' Mamas – Excerpt

Fabulous and Fun - Excerpt & Review

Once Upon a Twilight - Excerpt & Review

Coffee Books & Art – Excerpt

August 27^th

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club – Excerpt & Playlist

A Book Vacation – Excerpt & Review

Becky on Books – Excerpt

Born To Read – Excerpt & Review

August 28^th

Adventures in Writing – Guest Post & Review

In between The Pages – Excerpt & Review

Let Me Be Fictional – Excerpt & Review

Bibliophilia, Please – Excerpt

August 29^th

Roxy's Reviews – Excerpt & Review

A Dream Within A Dream – Excerpt & Review

Paperback Cowgirl Reviews – Excerpt & Review

SassyCat's Books Review – Excerpt & Character Playlist

August 30^th

Book Sense – Excerpt & Review

Loves All Things Books – Excerpt & Dream Cast

Girl in the Woods Reviews – Excerpt & Review

The Small Nerd – Excerpt & Review

August 31^st

Ashley's Paranormal Book Blog – Excerpt & Review

One Guy's Guide to Good Reads – Excerpt & Review

deal sharing aunt – Excerpt & Interview

Chibi Reader – Excerpt & Review

September 1^st

GenGen's Book Blog – Excerpt & Review

Resch Reads and Reviews – Excerpt & Review

Shelfspace Needed – Excerpt & Review

This Redhead LOVES Books – Excerpt

September 2^nd

The Revolving Bookcase for Young Readers – Excerpt

Dowie's Place – Excerpt & Review

Istyria book blog – Excerpt & Review

The Bearded Scribe – Excerpt & Review

September 3^rd

Addicted Readers – Excerpt

Shayna Varadeaux Books & Reviews – Excerpt & Guest Post

K.R. Grace – Excerpt & Review

Mercurial Musings – Excerpt & Review

September 4^th

Avid Reader Musings – Excerpt & Review

Bookinfatuation – Excerpt & Review

Out of Time – Excerpt & Review

Morgan Wylie~Author – Excerpt

September 5^th

Fabulous and Fun – Excerpt & Interview

A Cup of Coffee and a Book – Excerpt & Review

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

September 6^th

The Rest Is Still Unwritten – Excerpt & Review

Write Away Bliss – Excerpt & Review

Racing To Read – Excerpt & Review

September 7^th

Such a Novel Idea – Excerpt & Guest Post

The La La Land of Books – Excerpt & Review

paranormal book club ( PBC) – Excerpt & Review

The Book Beacon – Excerpt & Review

September 8^th

Much Loved Books – Excerpt & Review

Life Between the Pages – Excerpt & Review

Reading on the Farm – Excerpt & Review

Shelves of Books/ Reading For Fun – Excerpt & Review

September 9^th

Books for a Delicate Eternity – Excerpt & Review

The Bookie Monster – Guest Post & Review

Dizneeee's World of Books – Excerpt & Review

Blog Tour Review and Giveaway (INT): Of Breakable Things, by A. Lynden Rolland

Hey guys... after a long quiet, I'm back with a review as part of the Of Breakable Things tour organized by Chapter by Chapter. Below you can also find more info on the book and author as well as a link to the tour schedule with the other stops. You should check those out because there also interview and guest post stops, and who doesn't like a glance behind the scenes ;) There's also a giveaway you can enter below.


THE BOOK

Release date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books
Format: Paperback, 300 pages

Goodreads description:
A captivating debut about the fragility of life, love, and perspective.

Alex Ash was born broken. Living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is like living on death row, but she is willing to fight for her frail life as long as it includes the boy next door. Chase has always held the pieces of her together, but when he dies tragically, Alex’s unfavorable fate becomes a blessing in disguise.

Faced with a choice, she finds herself in a peculiar world where rooms can absorb emotions and secrets are buried six feet under. Among limitless minds, envious spirits, and soulless banshees, Alex hardly rests in peace

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THE AUTHOR

A. Lynden Rolland was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland, a picturesque town obsessed with boats and blue crabs. She has always been intrigued by the dramatic and the broken, compiling her eccentric tales of tragic characters in a weathered notebook she began to carry in grade school. She is a sports fanatic, a coffee addict, and a lover of Sauvignon Blanc and thunderstorms. When she isn’t hunched behind a laptop at her local bookstore, she can be found chasing her two vivacious children. She now resides just outside Annapolis with her husband and young sons.

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REVIEW
Of Breakable Things is a novel that begings with its heroine’s death. Then again, Alex, said protagonist, has been dying all her life of a rare illness that rendered her fragile and unable to do all the things she wanted to do. But through all of that, there were always the Lasalle brothers, first among them Chase. Chase and Alex shared a connection that was plain for anyone to see, though neither of them ever dared to really act on it. When the Lasalles all died in a tragic accident, Alex died inside as well. With her mother dead and her father placing the blame on her, there was nothing and no one else to live for.

Yet death doesn’t have to be the end. Souls with enough energy can choose to stay behind as spirits, and this is what Alex chooses with the hope that Chase made the same decision, that they could meet again. On the other side, Alex enters the spirit town of Eidolon, where new spirits are taught about the rules of their afterlife and how to use their powers. It’s basically like boarding school for the gifted dead, and Alex turns out to be plenty gifted. I really liked that since her body was always weak, her mind had to grow all the stronger and she now profits from that.

However, all is not dandy in the city of the dead. People stare at Alex because of how much she resembles the mother she never met… yet no one wants to answer her questions about her. Also, the other Lasalle brothers are there to take Alex into their midst again, but Chase is detained for breaking the rules. There is something more brewing in the town of Eidolon. Banshees have been sighted, which is highly unusual for the region. Things have gone missing. And Alex finds a box of old letters she feels compelled to read…

Something I really liked about the structure of Of Breakable Things is that it alternates between the present and between memories of Alex and Chase’s past. I found the beginning a bit cumbersome because there’s quite a lot of info dropped on Alex (and thus the reader) in a rather didactic way. I can see why that’s necessary because the world Rolland created is very complex and imaginative, but I was also glad for the change in pace that the memories brought with them. They made me understand the connection between Chase and Alex and I began rooting for them.

That whole ‘soul mates’ and ‘destined for each other’ stuff is not usually for me, but I could get behind it here because it’s not insta-love where the characters basically know nothing about each other. Alex and Chase grew up together from the time they were babies. They understand each other better than anyone else. However, the way their meeting again is dragged out for quite a while became a little annoying. On the positive side of it though, that gives the reader more time to get to know the other Lasalle brothers and the dynamics between them and how Alex fits into that. I really like sibling bonds in novels and that definitely came through here – the love as well as the rivalry. All four brothers have distinct personalities, and they all care about Alex in their own way.

As I’ve said, there’s a lot of world building in here. The rules for spirits are strict and there’s a schedule, but there’s also time for fun. Some of the teachers and school lessons reminded me a bit of Hogwarts, but not in a rip-off kinda way. I think it’s just hard to get around that comparison these days. Anyway, I really like how the novel plays with things we believe about ghosts, and how Alex and Chase’s hometown with its history of haunting figures into it. Also, spirit ‘brains’ work a lot faster than regular human ones, and who doesn’t wish they could devour a whole library in a few days and remember every word they’ve read?

The plot takes a while to really get going. I think in part that’s because a lot of things have to be built up and set in motion, but there were also times when I think some scenes could have been shortened to make it a bit tighter. There’s more action and twists as things go along though, especially after Alex finds the box of letters I mentioned above. I really liked reading those and trying to piece together what was going on, and how that figures into what is happening now, more than a hundred years after they were written. Eidolon is a city of secrets, alliances, and legacies. Some families have had spirits showing up there for years and form an elite. Others are shunned and taunted. All of them have plans… and spirits can still die a final death.

Of Breakable Things is a compelling story about love, death, and family. It took me a moment to find my footing in the story, but then the writing flowed easily and I found myself in tune with the characters, their hopes and fears, and their world. The world of spirits was created with a lot of care for those little details that make an imagined world real to the reader, and I found myself wishing I could spend a few hours exploring the town and the school. While the first part of the book focuses more on the relations between characters, the pacing and action pick up later on, so there’s something for everyone. Despite death being a topic, the quirky characters and banter make sure there’s enough fun among the darker and creepier side of things. The ending round the novel off nicely and without a cliffhanger, but I’m also very curious to see where Alex and Chase’s story is going in the next book!


As I've already mentioned above, there are stops with interviews and guest posts! If you're intrigued after reading my review, you can find the tour schedule here.

GIVEAWAY

This tour-wide giveaway is international and winners will be picked on May 3, 2014. Good luck!

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Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway: Adrenaline Rush, by Cindy M. Hogan

Hey guys and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Adrenaline Rush by Cindy M. Hogan! Below you can find more info about the book and author as well as an excerpt and an international giveaway.


THE BOOK

Publication date: October 2013
Genres: Suspense, Young Adult

Synopsis:
A madman with a mission is kidnapping groups of thrill-seeking high school seniors across the country, and it’s up to Christy to stop him.

To do so, she must take on a fearless alter ego and infiltrate a group of adrenaline junkies bent on pushing life to the limit. Death-defying stunts are only the beginning: two groups fit the profile, and Christy must discover the real target before it’s too late.

If she chooses the wrong group, more people will disappear. But choosing right puts her as the prime target—with no guarantee that she’ll get out alive. 

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THE AUTHOR

Cindy M. Hogan graduated with a secondary education teaching degree and enjoys spending time with unpredictable teenagers. More than anything she loves the time she has with her own teenage daughters and wishes she could freeze them at this fun age. If she's not reading or writing, you'll find her snuggled up with the love of her life watching a great movie or planning their next party. She loves to bake, garden and be outdoors doing a myriad of activities.

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EXCERPT
As I hurtled toward my destination at 500 miles an hour, I pulled out a notebook, placed it on the shiny mahogany table in front of me, and scribbled a quick to-do list. Pick out an outfit. Get folders and notebooks. Switch into fourth period drama. I chewed on the end of my pen. Oh yeah—just one more thing. Get kidnapped.

According to my pre-mission briefing, kidnappings were up in the States by five percent over the last five years. The significance of which didn’t hit me until I found that the statistics for kidnappings had remained static for a good thirty years. The spike caught the attention of the FBI, and they put their best men on it. The problem? Right when they thought they’d discovered the pattern of the kidnappers, it seemed to change.

We hit some turbulence, and the force of it pulled me out of my reverie. I sucked in a deep breath, my hands resting on the soft leather side arms of my big comfortable seat as the Gulfstream jet jumped. I let the rollercoaster feeling wash over me like a wave, forcing myself to enjoy every last tingle. I only had this flight and a few hours tonight to assume my new thrill-seeking alias—the one that would lure the kidnappers and save the day before the pattern changed again. I might as well make the most of it.

There were four of us on board. I sat in a cluster of seats with Jeremy, my Division 57 handler. The two other agents I’d be working with, Agent Penrod and Agent Wood, sat in two similar chairs on the other side of the plane near the back. The smell of raspberries and cream still hung in the air from lunch.
I twisted the stud in my ear before brushing my hand through my long, inky-black hair. I couldn’t wait to go back to being a blonde. Too bad my black hair was integral to the upcoming mission. I bit my lip and reminded myself that at least I’d been able to get rid of the lip ring and other piercings I’d had to wear for so long.

My eyes fell on Jeremy, the best protector ever, and I thought back to the first day we’d met. As a civilian, I’d just accidentally witnessed a horrific murder committed by terrorists, and he swooped in to protect me. He was serious about his job, too. He even took a bullet for me and then didn’t hesitate to kill the terrorists who wanted me dead. I trusted him completely. He set a file folder stamped Division 57 on the table sitting between us. He would be the one to protect me as I became the person the kidnappers would choose. I would be safe in the end. He smiled, and I tried to ignore the strong line of his jaw, his perfect nose, and his rumpled, light brown hair.

I grabbed for the file folder, reminding myself that he was my handler. The movement made me notice the faint tan line around my right ring finger. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping it would help keep the stab of pain from my recent breakup with Rick from overcoming me. The hurt was still too raw to contemplate, but I couldn’t help it. Sure, I hadn’t met his stipulation of video chatting without fail every thirty days, but I was a spy in training, and while I’d missed one chat by a week, the last one had only been two days late. I had tried to comply, but if video chatting wasn’t available wherever I was in the world, it wasn’t available. End of story.
His words still cut me, though. I can’t handle it, Christy. If you can’t keep a little promise like contacting me every thirty days, then this will never work. If, after I’m done with my training and you’re still available, we’ll talk then. The look of hopelessness on his face on the screen was forever etched in my mind.

I rubbed the area on my finger where the promise ring he’d given me used to sit, and then quickly glanced at the papers in the file to distract myself. My photographic memory immediately filed their words, statistics, diagrams, maps, and the mission details away into a file in my brain named Adrenaline Rush.

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