Out of Eden by Peter Johnson: Book Review

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Book received at no charge to facilitate my review.


Since the divorce of his parents, seventeen-year-old Stony pulls away from his father and rarely talks to him. When his father and live in girlfriend, Sally, plan a vacation in New Hampshire for him and his sister Molly, Stony must counteract his father's hasty temper with his quiet strength in the face of evil as chilling as his grandmother's murder.

At the first rest stop on the way to their destination, Stony's dad gets into an argument with two frightening characters, Abraham and Leopold. Abraham's brutality does not compare to the religious fanaticism of Leopold who mark Stony and his family for extermination and hunt them down.

The hunt becomes more terrifying with brief glimpses into the mind of the psychotic killer, Leopold. Out of Eden offers a gripping look into the world of a psychopath with realistic violence too disturbing for a younger reader, but will keep the teen reader engrossed throughout the entire story.

Rating:  Recommended ****

Publishing Information:

Publisher: Namelos (February 1, 2014)
Ages: 14-18
ISBN: 9781608981618


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**FTC Disclosure:  I received the book at no charge to facilitate my review. No monetary compensation was received.

Life In Outer Space by Melissa Keil Book Review & Giveaway

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So few people notice Sam Kennison that he may as well live life in outer space. Not that it really matters since he feels comfortable in his "nerd" skin. It helps that he has loyal friends, even if their position on the social ladder hovers near the lowest rung. It also helps to have hobbies like horror movies to watch and screenplays to write.

When the new English transfer, Camilla Carter, starts at Bowen Lakes Secondary, Sam barely notices until she starts to work her way into his group. He seems genuinely confused as to why she would want to hang out with him and his friends when other cool kids are jockeying to include her. He tries to ignore her, but she uses their common interests of World of Warcraft and Star Wars to build a friendship.

Sam's quirky humor shines its best through his inner monologues, especially in trying to deal with the breakdown of his parent's marriage. Though the secondary story line about his best friend fizzles, the surprising budding relationship between Sam and Camille make Life in Outer Space a must read young adult novel. A romance with a rare strong male protagonist that is sure to cross gender lines. Though Camilla seems to good to be true at first, her own struggles make her a character worth rooting for. In the end, its hard not to fall in love with Sam and his own minions.

Rating: Recommended ****

Publishing Information:

Publisher: Peachtree Publishing (Aug. 2013)

ISBN: 978-1-56145-742-7

Pages: 332

Ages 12-16

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Giveaway Details:

Use the Rafflecopter form to enter. By entering, you acknowledge you have read the terms on the form and agree to them. Contest ends 10/29/2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Prize fulfillment is by the publisher. Blog owner is not responsible for prize fulfillment. 

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