Review: One More Day (Anthology - Various Authors)

One More Day by L. S. Murphy and Various Authors

Published: 2 December 2013 (J. Taylor Publishing)
Format: Kindle e-book (ARC)
Buy the paperback: AmazonUK|Amazon.com

Source: Received free advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks J. Taylor Publishing!

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
What if today never ends?

What if everything about life—everything anyone hoped to be, to do, to experience—never happens?

Whether sitting in a chair, driving down the road, in surgery, jumping off a cliff or flying ... that's where you’d be ... forever.

Unless ...

In One More Day, Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay, J. Keller Ford, Danielle E. Shipley and Anna Simpson join L.S. Murphy to give us their twists, surprising us with answers to two big questions, all from the perspective of characters under the age of eighteen.

How do we restart time?

How do we make everything go back to normal?

The answers, in whatever the world—human, alien, medieval, fantasy or fairytale—could,maybe, happen today.

Right now.

What would you do if this happened ... to you?

My Review:
The reason I decided to accept a review copy of this book was down to the fact I don't read many short stories. The whole concept and idea of the collection sounded really interesting, and I liked the idea of a group of stories with a common theme running throughout. One More Day features several shorts all based around the idea of time standing still. For this review I thought I'd recap each story and give my thoughts on it.

First up was Time Piece by Anna Simpson which follows Sadie as she is joined by her future self to try and destroy a time machine causing time to loop itself over and over again. This was probably one of my favourite stories because it was so action packed. The writing was really beautiful and the idea behind the story reminded me a lot of All Out Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, so if you loved that book then I think you'll appreciate the ideas in Time Piece. I struggled a bit with some of the transitions when time jumped back on itself, but overall this was still a highlight of the book for me.

Next came Dark Rose by Marissa Malvorson which tells the story of Scarlett who is sitting in an exam when time seems to freeze around her. Whilst she freaks out and goes outside to find out what the hell is happening, she comes across Letta, a version of herself from a parallel universe, in the midst of a battle to stop the Dark Rose from destroying the world. I loved the idea of parallel universes colliding and addressing characters who exist alongside each other. There was plenty of action and I loved the build up and the climax of the story which felt very complete.

Dragon Flight by J. Keller Ford was another highlight of the anthology. Amber finds herself stuck on a roller coaster, the only person still concious and moving as time stands still. When she finally escapes the roller coaster car, she discovers the real reason she's there in the first place. It's hard to go into this one too much without spoiling but I thought it was a really cool idea and this story will really appeal to fans of technology and sci-fi. Don't be put off by the title - it's not fantasy!

The 13th Month by L. S. Murphy takes on the idea of the apocalypse being imminent. Nixon's brother Jackie is obsessed with the end of the world and ends up on weird websites with crackpot theories. Only one night, one particular theory comes true and Nixon finds himself fighting for his life. I really liked the survivial element to this story as Nixon struggles to stay alive during the apocalypse. I also loved the relationship between Nixon and brother Jackie and the gritty, intense feel of the story.

But it's not all sci-fi! Sleepless Beauty by Kimberly Kay gives a fairy tale twist to the anthology. Princess Clarissa has pricked her finger causing her to fall into a cursed sleep. Aerisa is a servent who is left to try and break the curse by tracking down Clarissa's ex-boyfriend Edwin to deliver the kiss that could wake her. But Aerisa has her own feelings to deal with when it comes to Ben. This was a really sweet love story with that really made my heart swell and provided a refreshing contrast to some of the other stories.

Stage Fright by Erika Beebe follows Hannah who is performing in a play when time freezes and she finds herself encountering boys she's only dreamt about. I found some moments in Stage Fright a little confusing and it took a while to get to the point, but towards the end when the ideas started to come together I really enjoyed it. I loved how it portrayed the power of imagination and dreams coming true and it felt really uplifting.

A Morrow More by Danielle Shipley took high fantasy twist as we enter the world of the Inkborn and meet Raeve, servent of and hopelessly in love with Inkborn Lorrel. When times stops, Raeve discovers there is more to this world than meets the eye. Again, this is one that is hard to explain without spoiling, but it's a very clever idea and plays on the idea of imagination and writing stories. Once I knew what was happening I really enjoyed the concept, but the beginning of the story made it a bit hard for me to understand at first with all the language and terminology. Still, it was an idea that really worked.

Overall I really enjoyed this collection of stories. I liked the sci-fi feel to a lot of them and how they all played with the idea of imagination, something I think a lot of readers will really appreciate. I'd definitely be keen to read more by each of these authors as the writing was of a high standard throughout. For anyone looking for a great anthology or maybe someone who doesn't read short stories very often but would like to, this is a great place to start.

Rating: 4*
Books like this: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer, Prom Nights From Hell by Various Authors

Review: Gemini Falling by Eleanor Wood

Gemini Falling by Eleanor Wood

Author: Eleanor Wood Website|Twitter
Published: 29 October 2013 (Carina)
Format: Kindle e-book (ARC)
Pages: 43
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Received free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Carina!

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
‘First of all, let’s get something straight. This is not going to be one of those stories where the school bitch turns out to have a heart of gold,’

Amie’s the most popular – and the meanest –girl at her exclusive private school, with her trusty second in command Lexy by her side. And she likes it that way. Lexy knows that she deserves Amie’s prized position just as much but dethroning the Queen Bee just isn’t done.

Until mysterious twins Elyse and Melanie arrive mid-term, with a magnetic power that’s impossible to deny, and shake up the school’s social rules. As the twins leave darkness and devastation in their wake, Lexy’s suddenly discovering her own powers of manipulation.

Whilst Amie’s about to learn that it’s not just lonely at the top – it’s terrifying.

My Review:
I really loved Gemini Rising, so when I saw this companion novella was available to review, I just couldn't resist putting in a request! Gemini Falling gives you scenes from the perspective of Amie and Lexy as their worlds are rocked by the arrival of twins Elyse and Melanie.

This novella could either be read before or after Gemini Rising as it doesn't really spoil anything, just gives you some scenes from the POV of different characters. The first half of the novella is told from Amie's point of view, whilst the second jumps to Lexy's perspective. I think it would be a great taster of the first book for someone who hasn't read it, but as someone who has I really appreciated the insight into different characters. It was really interesting to see Sorana (who's POV we get in Gemini Rising) viewed from a different angle to show just how others see her.

What the author has done so well in Gemini Falling is get into the heads of these completely bitchy characters. Both Amie and Lexy are part of the popular gang at school, known as "the A group", and I loved seeing the story from their side, even if they do have a bit of an attitude problem! It didn't put me off reading about them, far from it! I think it's totally refreshing to have characters who are brutally honest and don't sugar coat their opinions. You really get the chance to see their way of thinking, however flawed it is. I loved the scheming and plotting and that undercurrent of jealousy running through both girls' thoughts.

I think the situations the girls find themselves in in regards to friendship drama and school are ones a lot of people can relate to. There's a lot of focus on Amie and Lexy's jealousy over Sorana's relationship with cute guy Josh which was interesting to see. Plus there's one scene where Amie makes comments about Sorana's weight, stating how Sorana can get away with eating loads and being super skinny. I thought that was a really brilliant observation and I was pleased a character could acknowledge that some people are just naturally thin, plus it highlighted some of Amie's own insecurities.

I really enjoyed seeing the relationship between Amie and the twins, who totally creep Amie out. It gives you a hint at their unnerving nature and really helped develop the story from Gemini Rising. This novella also gave you a good look at the relationship between Amie and Sorana from the other side of the coin. I already loved the incredible range of characters and getting to know them even better and get stuck into their thoughts and motivations made for a gripping read.

For a short story there was a lot of substance and some great scenes to sink your teeth into. It reminded me just how much I love these characters and the slick writing. For fans of Gemini Rising it is well worth checking out, and if you want a taster of the world then I'd highly recommend it as it'll suck you in and leave you wanting more!

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Gemini Rising by Eleanor Wood

Review: Crossing the Line (Pushing the Limits, #1.5) by Katie McGarry

Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry

 

Author: Katie McGarry Website|Twitter
Published: 1 April 2013 (MiraINK)
Format: Kindle e-book
Pages: 67
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Kindle freebie

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Lila McCormick first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters-or that she'd fall for the boy she's only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.

My Review:
I really loved Pushing the Limits so I was intrigued by this novella. I've been putting off reading it because I don't usually bother with these little extras because they cost a lot of money for what you get, but when it was made available for free how could I possibly resist?!

Crossing the Line follows Lila and Lincoln, as they deal with the aftermath of the death of Lincoln's brother. When they meet at the funeral they decide to stay in touch via writing letters, and soon strike up a close friendship.

The first thing to win me over with this story was the letter writing thing. I am an absolute sucker for books that include letters and emails or anything like that, more so the letter because I love letter writing and it's something that seems to be dying out. The book opens with a letter and then little excerpts from Lila and Lincoln's letters are used at the beginning of chapters. I thought it was really sweet to see glimpses at what they wrote to each other.

Crossing the Line alternates between Lila and Lincoln so we get to learn a lot about them both. For a short story I definitely felt I knew the characters and even in that short time they were incredibly well developed. They both had their vulnerabilities and it was good to see how they helped each other overcome them.

The chemistry in Crossing the Line was the absolute winning thing about it. Lila and Lincoln have this amazing connection and obviously care about each other so much. They had a few obstacles to overcome which added a bit of tension. When I was writing my notes whilst reading this there were a lot of exclamation marks! They were just so cute together, I absolutely loved them. And the kissing! Oh there's lots of kissing. Yay.

This is a novella set between Pushing the Limits and the next book in the series Dare You To. You could probably read this on its own but it does give away some of what happens in Pushing the Limits. The story stands on its own but there are lots of references to Pushing the Limits, such as Lincoln's brother Josh having a connection with Echo's brother and references to Beth, the character who takes the central role in Dare You To. Echo and Noah make an appearance in the shape of a phone call. I was really excited to see them and learn what they were up to.

I'm so glad I got a chance to read this one. It reminded me what I love about Katie McGarry's writing and got me really excited to read more from this series. I think looking back I would have been quite happy to pay for this novella. It felt substantial enough and I came away feeling like I'd been immersed in the story and gotten to know some amazing characters. If you loved Pushing the Limits then definitely get your hands on this!

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Dare You To by Katie McGarry
Books like this: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry, Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty

Opinion: Prequels, Extras and Novellas

It suddenly occurred to me that something I have quite strong opinions on had yet to make it into one of my opinion posts. I'm a bit slow like that! In this post I'll be discussing those e-book extras that authors release to accompany YA series. Do I read them? Are they worth it?

It's hard to find a series that hasn't had some kind of e-book extra released along side it, either as a prequel to the first book or a story sandwiched somewhere in the middle. Sometimes they give you a look at another character's point of view, or else focus on a separate generation of characters. Maybe they fill a gap in the story or provide a lead up to the first book. Basically there are plenty of places to go with an e-book extra and there seems to be a lot of demand for then from readers.

Let's start by looking at a few recent examples. Lauren Oliver has released a number of accompanying stories to her Delirium trilogy. Those short stories are now being compiled into a paperback volume by the American publisher. Veronica Roth released Free Four, Veronica Rossi released Roar and Liv. Cassandra Clare has teamed up with fellow authors Maureen Johnson and Sarah Rees-Brennan to publish The Bane Chronicles, a series of e-book shorts surrounding Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series.

Of the extras listed above (those that have been released, anyway!) I am yet to read any. The main reason behind this is because all of the above shorts require payment. Now it may not be the most bank breaking amount of money (I think they're all available for under £2) but the fact is, I cannot justify spending that money for what is sometimes just 20 pages of content. At the end of the day, these e-books aren't essential to the plot and so I'm not going to miss out on any plot points by not having read them. They're really just a bonus for those people hungry for even more, and whilst I can see how great it is to get some extra background on a certain character or a world you love, when like me your fund for book buying so ridiculously small, I know I'd much rather put that money towards a 300 page book that matters over something that will keep me busy for maybe twenty minutes.

Saying that, I have read a few prequels. I really enjoyed The New World by Patrick Ness, which is a prequel to his Chaos Walking trilgoy. I recently downloaded the Fierce Reads Anthology to my Kindle which included a prequel to Cinder by Marissa Meyer and I liked that too. Of course you can see where this is going - those extras were free. I sometimes feel like I'm not a proper fan of a series if I haven't read all of the little extras because I'm not in on those extra bits of back story, so when I get the chance to be involved without having to worry about money then I'm there!

Of course I'm not saying that authors should always be giving away free stuff to readers, because how would they make a living if they did? But when you're on such a tight budget and you have the choice of buying a full lenth novel or a forty page e-book extra, I know what I'm going to choose. For me I don't think I'll ever be able to justify spending money on these little extras but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate what they're there for. Because authors don't have to go back and give us extra stories about those characters, and the fact they do shows just how much they respect their readers and want to please us by giving us as much as possible which is so lovely of them.

Does that have you be done via this medium, though? I think there's a growing market for e-books and of course it makes sense to take advantage of that. But I look at authors like J. K. Rowling who provide enough background knowledge through interviews, and Pottermore which is free and wonder if making an e-book is really necessary. But would be people be as satisfied with a blog post about a character rather than a story from their POV? I don't know. I don't think I'd mind which. It's also worth mentioning - whilst I'm on the topic of J. K. Rowling - that her "extras" in the forms of Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and The Tales of Beedle the Bard were sold to raise money for charity. Now that is something I can get on board with!

Now I'd love to know what you think! Do you buy these e-book extras? And if you have in the past then do you think they're worth the money? Or are you like me and put off by the cost compared to how much content you actually receive? I'd love to know your thoughts so please do share them with me in the comments!