John Irvin, Author

Published by Penguin Group

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY A MILLION SUNS!!!

“Amy, you’re going to have to make a choice. The ship is dying, Godspeed won’t last much longer. And you—you must decide for everyone. Because you’re running out of time.” –from the back cover of the book.

            Elder has assumed rule of Godspeed. Phydus is no longer controlling everybody’s mind. The romance between he and Amy are struggling against is winning.

            Three months have passed since Elder unplugged Amy. Three months inside a crammed, dying spaceship and Amy is starting to feel like she’s losing her mind—if she hasn’t already gone crazy.

            There’s also another mystery unraveling. Where are they? Is the ship actually still cruising outer space? Or has something happened to it along the way? Are they lost?

            Taking on the same suspenseful intrigue as Book 1, this work yanks you by the collar and drags you along with our two heroes. What exactly is happening? I had to keep flipping those pages, feeling as if life depended on my figuring out the mystery.

            Beth Revis hypnotises you in her stories. It’s no wonder she’s a bestseller. Bringing up deep philosophical questions along the way of this action tale set in the young adult science fiction genre, she does not disappoint.

            And the tension just keeps building until Elder and Amy come to the ultimate conclusion: they have to leave the ship or else.

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: A MILLION SUNS.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Published by Penguin Group

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY ACROSS THE UNIVERSE!!!

“The President called it the ‘epitome of the American dream.’ Daddy called it the ‘unholy alliance of business and government.’” –Amy.

            Amy and her parents thought they would sleep for three hundred years in cryo-chambers and awaken on the new planet, Centauri-Earth. But, fifty years prior to the scheduled awakening, Amy is violently yanked from oblivion to find out someone tried to murder her.

            Now stuck on a ship that—the largest one ever constructed two-hundred-and-fifty years ago—feels so constricting and suffocating because of the 2,300 plus passengers aboard it, Amy finds one confusing question after another.

            In order to survive, the passengers have given up all rights and power to a ruler called the Eldest. Each Eldest has raised an heir, naming him Elder.

            There is something wrong beneath all the mystery and revelations. Will Amy and Elder be able to figure it out?

            This story will always have a special place in my heart. Besides the thought-provoking, spine-chilling points and suspenseful plots, I fell in love with the two main characters. Elder and Amy became two of my good friends. I was always rooting for them, even when I wasn’t sure I trusted them.

            Just like any person, they had their trials, their mistakes, their misdeeds, but they learned and grew as heroes should always do.

            This is the first book of the trilogy, so expect a thrilling cliff-hanger at the end. But that’s okay, I’ll write the next review about the sequel.

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Published by Square Fish, imprint of Macmillan

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY OF POSEIDON!!!

“Either way, he knows what happened. He knows why my cheek is plastered to his bare chest.” –Emma

            She’s a Syrena, she doesn’t know it. The day she meets Galen, her life changes forever. He’s the prince of the Syrena, on a mission to find a girl he’s found can communicate with fish.

            Their connection is instant and like nothing either of them have ever felt before. After meeting a few times, Galen is sure she’s his destiny—or at least, the destiny of his people.

            Through the discovery of merpeople, Emma stumbles upon a revelation. She’s not who she thought she was. Can she face the facts and accept her true self? Is she the key to the kingdom everyone keeps claiming her to be? Do these feelings she develops for Galen mean anything?

            The opening chapter hooked me from the start. I’ve always had a thing for mermaids—just thought I’d mention that. This is a unique take on the lore. It is a Teen book, but I found it still intriguing, captivating, and a page-turner.

            There’s an ancient mystery too. Who are the Syrena? Who are these humanoids—or rather, Half-Breeds? And who thought there’d still be arranged marriages in today’s society. Yes, I’m hinting at several reasons why you should buy this book!

            The genre would be young adult fantasy, romance (I’m going to be personal right here and say, when I read the kissing scene, the writer inside me wept with joy and I said, I want to write like that!)

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: OF POSEIDON.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Speak, an imprint of the Penguin Group

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY THE NIGHTSHADE!!!

“I’d always welcomed war, but in battle my passion rose unbidden.” –Calla

            This is the first book in an international bestseller series. It takes place in an underworld of magic orders who use wolf guardians to levy out their biddings.

            These are not your average werewolves thought—they’re actually cursed with spirits of wolves, or rather wolves cursed with human forms. You’ll have to read the book to figure out what that means.

            Book 1 introduces Calla, the alpha female of a shape-shifting pack. She’s matched with another alpha, Ren Laroche, by the order over them—also called, the “Keepers.” They would govern the pack and protect sacred sites.

            Then one day, Calla rescues a human boy and, of course, he captures her heart. Thanks to this twist, she questions her fate and existence. From these questions arise more questions until rebellion joins into the mix. Is it worth the risk though? To go against everything she is or was raised to be, is it worth it?

            I’m all about werewolves—though more in the traditional sense. But I found this book’s different origins line quite fascinating. Of course, this is a Young Adults fantasy so it is required—as it seems to be today—to have the Love triangle. But I didn’t mind it, in fact, it worked out well with the plot.

            Some things happen that are meant to cause us to question our beliefs, our origins, anything. And if Calla never fell into a love triangle she would never question her own being which wouldn’t have brought on the rebellion against the actually evil Keepers.

            It did take awhile for me to decide which guy to root for though. I won’t say which. I guess, I’ll leave that up to you. And hey, maybe we could get a discussion going picking teams hahaha.

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: NIGHTSHADE.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Thomas Nelson

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY THE SKIN MAP!!!

“Had he but known that before the day was over he would discover the hidden dimensions of the universe, Kit might have been better prepared. At least, he would have brought an umbrella.” –The Skin Map

            Kit Livingstone is one of those naive heroes it seems. The story begins with his stumbling through a ley line—something thought only to be stuff of legend—to find his great-grandfather waiting for him. An unforgettable story of intrigue and fantasy unravel before his and the reader’s eyes.

            Come to find out there is an entire multi-verse, with various versions of the same individuals but also time travel is thrown into the midst.

            There is the discovery of one secret hero who took a voyage through time and space, beating or averting every danger. Throughout his hidden trek across the many dimensions, he manages to map out the directions and places—etching the strange markings in his own skin.

            Kit is one of the finders of this skin map. But will he be able to decipher the meaning?

            I’ll tell y’all one thing, this book kept me up late every night until I finished it. I was so immersed into the mysteries and adventures it was the hardest struggle to put it down. I’m not just saying this.

            From the very first sentence, you get this overshadowing sense that there is so much more to this universe than we realise and you are about to find out what it is.

            Stephen Lawhead is one of my top favourite authors because of this series. Yes, it is a series—five books in fact. As soon as I finished one, I’d order the next.

            There is also a tiny bit of clean romance too. Honestly, the way it unfolded felt like a breath of fresh air. But the emphasis was more on the adventure. I’d say the genre this book fits in would be alternate reality, epic treasure hunt, and ancient historical fantasy.

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: THE SKIN MAP.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Ace Books

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY MAGIC BURNS!!!

“The phone rang in the middle of the night. The magic wave was in full swing, and the phone shouldn’t have worked, but it rang anyway, again and again, outraged over being ignored…” –Kate Daniels

            Second installation in the Kate Daniels series—Magic Burns brings a new definition to the word intense. Because she is a member of the Mercenary’s Guild, Kate is sent to clean up after magic gone awry.

            This adventure is after some maps, stolen from the Pack, but there is more to it than just a bunch of paperwork. There’s a magic flare coming and when flares hit, gods can be reborn and take on human form.

            Kate also has new enemies to battle—the Fomorians, sea demons. With the aide of the Witch Oracle, can she win? Will the Oracle even help? Those coven folk seem to have plans of their own.

            Not only was this book another page-turner like the first one, the dry humor had me nearly rolling on the laughter. The emotional conflict as well is a titular experience—between Curran and Kate especially. You just know their relationship is building up to something amazing.

            Honestly, it’s such an awesome book, I find myself at a loss for words. I’ve considered sharing a little bit, maybe a page’s worth, of a taste but then, I feel, that would just take away from it.

            If you’ve already bought the first book, then, of course, you’re going to have to buy this second work! Even Patricia Briggs commented on how amazing it is—calling it an “edgy dark fantasy” and said there was just “the right amount of humor.”

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: Magic Burns.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!