Seasons Within (Seasons Within #1) by Lele Iturrioz | Blog Tour and Giveaway | Book Review

Seasons Within
Lele Iturrioz

(Acorn Publishing)
Publication date: December 15th, 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Most teenage girls know their name, where they came from, who they are. Not G, a beautiful redhead with unusual markings on her wrist. She gets her name from a silver locket she keeps around her neck, unaware the engraved letter “G” on its front holds the secret to her past.

G’s life before the age of six has been a mystery to her. Each night for the last twelve years she’s been haunted by the same nightmare—a war. Horrendous beasts, warriors able to wield the four elements, and a boy who saves her by means of blue fire taunt her memory. But on her eighteenth birthday, G’s life begins to unravel. When she meets her new Chemistry professor, a man with an uncanny resemblance to the boy who saves her, she knows there must be more to her dreams.

It’s dangerous not knowing who you are, what you’re capable of, and what future awaits you. Especially when the darkness that slaughtered your entire world, just found you.

Goodreads / Amazon

My One Cent

Amazing cover! The story is as beautiful as the cover. I read this in December last year. That explains the Christmas balls in the picture. 

Anyway, this is a story of a redhead girl who has no idea of her past until her 18th birthday. An orphan who found out that she is not that alone in the world. Aside from being clumsy, she actually possessed powers that are beyond her imagination and beyond this world.

G. She reminds me of Agent G. Callen of NCIS Los Angeles. Like Callen, G doesn't even know her full first name. Just G and she is also an orphan. Callen and G both have amazing abilities but G only found out about them when she was about to turn 18. G will have to master her powers in order to save her world, the place where she came from. 

This book has a mix of fantasy, fairytale, and mythology which made the book very interesting. The characters are also a mix of races which appeal to a universal audience. This is one of the aspects that I like about the book. The mix of personalities made a very good combination and added more curiosity to the story. Not to mention, the two main characters in the story G and Edan whose hot and cold relationship is very cute and irritating at the same time. These two definitely have a connection, whether in the past or in the present, but they kept denying and shoving it out of the way. I can't wait to finally have them together and own up to their feelings.

Another interesting character in the story is G's best friend, Priyam. Her bubbly and spicy character added more color to the story. When everything gets too serious, count on Priyam to make light of it or even turn it into a funny situation by her sarcasm. Her hacking skills are also very handy.

G has doubtlessly had a lot of learning to do in order to fulfill her destiny. Along with that, she has to come to terms with her sad past and accept the heavy burden that is entrusted upon her clumsy shoulders. Will she and her new friends succeed? Guess, we will find out in the next book. I am pretty sure this series will be a hit. G has a long way to go. She hasn't even completed her training yet. I am definitely looking forward to the next story. 

I give the book 5/5 necklaces with a letter G pendant. I think this is one of the new series to watch out for. I can't wait for the next book. Oh yes, I said that already. I really enjoyed reading this book. My favorite parts were the conversations of Edan and G which always turn into arguments but at the back of their minds, they wanted it to be the opposite. Priyam's lines were also very hilarious. Her responses were always witty and alluded to movies, tv series, and other things of pop-culture. This is a very good start for an engrossing series. 

Greed is the most dangerous thing. It confuses people into claiming things that weren't theirs to own in the first place.

- Lele Iturrioz, Seasons Within - 

Author Bio:

Major geek by day, hermit writer by night! Love books, sugar gliders and everything that comes in a delicious taco.

I’m the author of the YA fantasy series, Seasons Within

I spend my time writing, planning on writing, reading, drinking coffee like there was no tomorrow, MMA and chilling with my friends and loved ones.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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The Falling of the Moon (Moonfall Mayhem #1) by A. E. Decker

I got an eARC from A. E. Decker of The Meddlers of Moonshine, which is book two. I told myself I need to read book one first. Here it goes.

This is a story of Ascot Abberdorf, daugther of the late Count of Shadowvale. She is expected to marry a dreary Count but she'd rather leave home and meet his one true love. Armed with a book of fairy tales, some stolen silverware and his winged-cat named Moony, she set out to the Daylands to experience the same things like the ladies in the book had and to find her Happy Ever After.

This is a fairy tale adventure or misadventure like no other. This is like a combination of all fairy tale stories you can think of and put it into one story where the center of everything is a vampire who only eats rats. Ascot is willing to go to whatever lengths to be able to find his prince charming and get her happy ever after. It's amazing that she survived all the challenges she  has to go through just to be with her supposed-to-be one true love. Oh, the crazy things we do for love. But for Ascot, it was everything to her. It was all or nothing. Go big or go home. While in search of her one true love, Ascot helps a lot of interesting and quirky characters along the way. The fairy tale book is like her bible and she was able to meet the prince because she wanted it so much. She would literally go to the ends of the earth if need be. I also commend her for being smart enough to realize that she could never live her life according to a book and she set out to travel and discover more adventures.

I appreciate that the author made this as real as it could get like in real life. That though this story is based on fairy tales, the main character is given a life of its own. Ascot is allowed to realize that if she wanted to have a great life, she can't live the same way as the characters she knew from the book. She has to have her own story. Not an imitation of some princess in a book. I really dig that part. This aspect of the story makes it wonderful because it is being honest. I reveled in the tasks that Ascot has to accomplish. And that she succeeded because of her strength of character and not with the help of magical fairies. With this, I see Ascot as any other normal girl, which makes her even more adorable and believable.

I give The Falling of the Moon 4/5 moons. I can't wait to read the next book - The Meddlers of Moonshine. I wanted Ascot to become my best friend. I think there will never be a dull moment with her because she can always come up with any thing. Her misadventures are just outrageous. I think this should have been appropriately titled The Misadventures of Ascot Abberdorf. And by gah, they are hilariously entertaining and incredible. I wouldn't mind going with her on all of them. I know she has my back. I believe A. E. Decker will soon be part of my favorite authors list. 

This is Ascot's mantra. I love her but I am not sure if I want to follow this one.

The worse you have it in the beginning, the happier you'll be in the end.

- A. E Decker, The Falling of the Moon - 

Other books in the series:

The Meddlers of Moonshine (Moonfall Mayhem #2)

Into the Moonless Night (Moonfall Mayhem #3)