Review: Sidekick Chronicles

Alli is a horrible book blogger. I said I'd post reviews on the books I've read and I have REALLY, REALLY been slacking. In fact, this review I've had written for at least a month or more and just haven't posted! Anyways, finally. Here it is! I enjoyed this one so I hope you guys check it out! And hopefully more posts from Alli soonish!

Image from Goodreads.com

Title: Sidekick Chronicles (A Gryphon Series Novella)

Author: Stacey Rourke

Genre: YA

Source: Review copy from author.

I enjoyed the Sidekick Chronicles novella. It gave insight to Keni, Grams, and Gabe that we haven't gotten from the first two books that were more focused on Celeste's side of the story.

It changed my perspective on Keni a little bit. She's still pretty air-headed but this story lent her a little more likability, vulnerability and relate-ablity to me. I hate that she had to experience some heartbreak but I think it will be good for her in the long run. You live and learn. Painful experiences as well has happy ones make us the people we are so I think this will be good for her character development.

I just love Grams. She's really the best character in my opinion! She's old and a little crazy but she has an eclectic fashion sense I can appreciate! She's set in her ways but she cars about her grand babies and their significant others so much. It makes me sad I didn't have a chance to get to know my own grandmothers better. :( I'd like to think they were a lot like Grams.

Gabe's story is wow. I'm not sure what to think. At first I thought I was going to have to hate him. He's a little creepy/stalkery/is he some kind of dark-sided murderer now? But his story "ended" kind of sweetish note, I guess... And had me wanting to race on to book 3.

I just feel like the author is still playing her cards close. I think there is A LOT more going on than we, the readers, are privy to. I find that infurating and irresistible at the same time. I get irritated I don't know more but it also keeps me reading. I give Sidekick 4 out of 5 stars. I'm really digging this series, I'd recommend it to any YA fantasy fans. Well, I'm off to read book 3. Here's to hoping for some answers!

Sacrifice Book Blast!!!

Don't miss the chance to Chat with Stacey Rourke!

author of Amazon Bestselling Children's Action & Adventure novel

#Sacrifice

April 10 at 10:30 am ET

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Celeste Garrett has finally found a happy balance in her life as the Chosen One, thanks in large part to a certain hunky Irishman. But if there’s any lesson she should heed since receiving her calling it’s that everything can change in the blink of an eye. Soon a terrible new threat, unlike anything she’s ever encountered, causes her to make a gut-wrenching choice that will strip her of someone she holds dear.

As much as she’d like to have a pity party for one, there’s no time for that now because wedding bells are ringing in Gainesboro! In between dress fittings and rehearsal dinners Celeste will have to fend off attacking demons and leering pirates. As if the Dark Army wasn’t scary enough our heroine is faced with the horrifying trauma of attending a bachelorette party with her mom and watching Grams do Jello shots. Is a walk down the aisle even possible for a member of the Garrett family when the Dark Army is out to destroy them? More importantly, will the Dark Army Glee Club sing at the reception?

Raise your glass to the happy couple, and get ready for a wedding…Conduit-style.

Buy the books for 99 cents each!

Amazon and Smashwords

Be sure to follow the full tour for reviews, interviews, excerpts, and the inside scoop on Stacey Rourke and the Gryphon series. To celebrate the third book in the Gryphon series, Stacey Rourke is offering one lucky fan an awesome prize pack. Enter below.

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A GWR Publicity promotional tour paid for by the author. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made via the above links. Rose Petals background is a public domain image courtesy of Виталий Смолыгин.

Teaser Tuesday: Sacrifice by Stacey Rourke

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 

Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"He turned and gaped. 'Blimey! They're like zombies!'"

~Teaser from Sacrifice~

(Gryphon Series Book 3)

By:  Stacey Rourke

The author was kind enough to send me review copies of the whole series so I've been trying to get caught up the past couple of weeks. (See my reviews of books one and two.) I just started book three, Sacrifice. I've really been enjoying the whole series!

Review: Embrace by Stacey Rourke

Title: Embrace

Series: Gryphon (#2)

Author: Stacey Rourke

Genre: YA Fantasy

Source: Review copy provided by author in exchange for honest review.

Find more Embrace info on Goodreads.

See my review of The Conduit, Book 1 in the Gryphon series here!

OMG--the end. What? It was totally left on a cliff hanger! I love/hate cliff hangers. I love that it left me wanting, no needing, more of the story. BUT...it just left me thinking what the what!? 

How...can...you...just...end...the...book...there??? 

Luckily I have the next book but if I didn't I'd be ticked! 

There is a lot going on in this short book. There are supernatural creatures of assorted varieties including shapeshifters, Titans, demons, and even a pirate! 

Embrace is a story about your average teen to 20 somethings trying to save the world and maintain a normal life at the same time and juggle their new super powers. Whatevs, right? Ha!

I like the main character, Celeste. She's strong and has taken over her new world savior role without much  complaint. But I swear this girl has got to have the WORST taste in guys. EVER. I mean literally, the guys she picks are DEMONS, for cripes sake!

I'm really digging author, Stacey Rourke's writing style. It's a little snarky, a little sexy and a lot suspenseful. Seriously, there were a few times I got frustrated that somebody would just TELL me what was really going on!! But I think that's a good thing that I want, no NEED, to know what's going on!

This is a good series. I care about the characters and the series and I REALLY want to know what is going to happen NOW. I give Embrace 4 out of 5 stars. It has me coming back for more!

Review: The Conduit by Stacey Rourke

Title: The Conduit

Series: Gryphon Series

Author: Stacey Rourke

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Source: Review copy from the author

Find The Conduit on Goodreads.

For some unknown reason, it took me forever to get around to reading The Conduit. This was a mistake. I should have got to reading it much sooner! I really enjoyed this book! 

The Conduit is a story with strong familial relationships, mythical creatures, hard hitting action and a dash of romantic interest. It's really a good mix that made for good reading. 

The main character, Celeste Garrett, finds out she is the "chosen one" to save the world and her siblings are her sentries. I really liked Celeste's family. She has a good relationship with her older brother and younger sister. And her Grams is fabulous! She just seems so awesome. I hope, if I ever get to the grandmother stage, that I am like Grams.

I think middle children everywhere will rejoice reading this book. How often is that the middle sibling gets to be the big hero? I loved the relationship between Gabe and Celeste. (Gabe is 21 and Celeste is 18.) It just seemed they were a great big bro/younger sis team. They razzed each other but you knew they really had each other's back too. The youngest sibling was Kendall or Keni for short (who, btw is 15). She kinda got on my nerves. She's the annoying little sister who is way too perfect to really be likable to me. 

Celeste's love interest is a young reporter type college boy named Alec. I don't trust Alec. Just something about him I that I just don't like, I can't put my finger on it yet. But I'm not sure he's all he seems to be. (So, I'm a cynical reader. Hopefully, I'm wrong about him...maybe.)

My only real qualm this read was I thought the kids, especially Celeste, really "accepted" there supernatural-ness much better than I ever would have. It was kinda like, "Really? REALLY? Well, okay. Let's train with this other random other worldly creature in the remote mountains." I just think there would be A LOT more freaking out if it was me learning I had to save the world for some Aslan type creature of some unknown Narnia type mythical place.

I gave the Conduit 4 out of 5 stars. I've already begun book 2 of the Gryphon series, Embrace. I think my qualm maybe getting addressed. I haven't read much into yet but I'm excited to continue the series and see what's in store for the Garrett family!

Teaser Tuesday: Embrace

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 

Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser comes from Embrace by Stacey Rourke. The author was kind enough to send me the book to review. So far, I'm digging this series!

"The girls that had nodded now sneered in my general direction, as if they too found my comments ridiculous. Traitors."

Embrace (The Gryphon Series, Book 2) 

By: Stacey Rourke