Book Review - Going Wild (The Infamous Frankie Lorde) by Brittany Geragotelis + Giveaway

 

Frankie loved using her unique set of skills against a crooked real estate mogul with her friend, Ollie. However, she is getting restless especially when her dad is still stuck in prison. Frankie struggles to come to terms with her being stuck in Connecticut a lot longer than she expected.

While volunteering at a local animal shelter, Frankie and Ollie learn that there is an exotic animal farm supplying the wealthy with illegal animals such as lions, tigers, and snakes. Frankie wants to do something to protect the endangered animals that are being held captive in horrendous conditions. She decides she will find a way to free the animals while capturing the bad guys in a trap of their own.

I like reading books that are targeted towards young readers as they usually filled with interesting story lines sprinkled with humor. I didn't really care for this book as it boring and completely unrealistic. I know a middle school aged child who is an expert thief is a bit unrealistic and should be taken with a grain of salt but, other things was just completely unbelievable and this didn't strike me as a fantasy novel. I felt it hard that a middle school-er could dress up and fool a bunch of adults that they are adults. I also found Frankie's personality confusing, she was acting like an "adult" but, did seriously childish things. Personally, I like books with a bit of humor and found this book just boring and unappealing. I wouldn't be interested in reading other books in this series.

 **Disclosure - I relieved a free unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

 

About The Book:

Title: GOING WILD (The Infamous Frankie Lorde #2)

Author: Brittany Geragotelis

Pub. Date: August 3, 2021

Publisher: Pixel + Ink

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 304

Find it:  Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

In this upper middle grade series, a pre-teen international thief turns over a new leaf (sort of) to right societal wrongs in her snooty new town. For Frankie, using her less-than-legal set of skills to pull a heist against a crooked real estate mogul with the help of her new friend Ollie was super gratifying, but she's getting restless now. In the second book in the series, the potentially reformed thief dives into the dangerous and political world of trafficking exotic animals. Frankie and Ollie hear that there's a dangerous exotic animal farm supplying Greenwich's elite with lions and tigers and bears. Feeling an instant kinship with the endangered creatures locked away in their cages, Frankie makes it her mission to find the perpetrators, free the beautiful beasts, and ensnare the bad guys in a trap of her own.

Reviews:

"Fast and cinematic."—School Library Journal

"A thriller for fans of plot-driven stories."—Kirkus Reviews

 

Grab book 1 Stealing Greenwich now!

 

 

About Brittany Geragotelis: 

Brittany Geragotelis, a former Olympic-bound gymnast and magazine editor, is a self-professed pop culture junkie turned author. Her paranormal action book Life’s a Witch received 18 million reads on the writing site Wattpad.com. What the Spell is the first published book in the series, followed by Life’s a Witch and The Witch Is Back. The Infamous Frankie Lorde is her first series with Pixel+Ink. Brittany lives in Los Angeles with her awesome husband, two clever boys, one scaredy-cat, and a crazy dog.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will win a finished copy of GOING WILD, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/26/2021	Kait Plus Books	Guest Post
7/26/2021	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Guest Post
7/27/2021	BookHounds YA	Excerpt
7/27/2021	BookHounds	Instagram Post
7/28/2021	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
7/28/2021	Rajiv's Reviews	Instagram Post
7/29/2021	More Books Please blog	Review
7/29/2021	More Books Please blog	Instagram Post
7/30/2021	The Phantom Paragrapher	Review
7/30/2021	The Phantom Paragrapher	Instagram Post

Week Two:

8/2/2021	Living in a Bookworld	Excerpt
8/2/2021	Lifestyle of Me	Review
8/3/2021	Books and Zebras	Review
8/3/2021	Midnightbooklover	Instagram Post
8/4/2021	The Momma Spot	Review
8/4/2021	The Momma Spot	Instagram Post
8/5/2021	Two Chicks on Books	Guest Post
8/5/2021	Jaimerockstarbooktours	Instagram Post
8/6/2021	Fire and Ice	Review
8/6/2021	Two Points of Interest	Review

Book Review - The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala

Photo Credit - Amazon

Esha lost everything during a royal coup. She becomes the Viper in hopes to get her revenge and help the ones she loves. She receives her most important and complicated mission to date; she needs to kill the merciless General Hotha. 

Being a soldier is the only life Kunal knows. His uncle, General Hotha, keeps a close on Kunal to make sure he never strays from his path. Kunal respects his uncle's desires of him but, his heart craves to explore the outside world.

When Esha and Kunal cross path one night, their entire world crumbles and their fate becomes entwined. They both think that they are in control but, will they realize that there are bigger things at play?

The novel was a good introduction to the series. The characters were both interesting and fun to read. I felt like the story was a bit predictable but, still enjoyable. I wish the author included an appendix because there were several words and terminology used that I didn't understand. I did feel that the plot did advance a bit slow especially since the book was over 400 pages long. I read another YA fantasy series and the author also did something similar. I am wondering if this a new trend of drawing out the plot for YA/Adults fantasy series. I did like that there was some mythology but, I wish this was gone into more detail for those who are not familiar with it. Overall, the book was a good start of the series and I am excited to read the next book.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book of Review - A Circle of Elephants by Eric Dinerstein + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Nandu is a thirteenth-year-old elephant drive who lives in the Royal Elephant Breeding Center in the jungle. The King's elephants in the compound are protected in the stable. Nandu and his friends at the center are tested when an earthquake hits Nepal, which the locals deem to be a bad omen. Nandu and his elephant, Hira Prasad, have an unbreakable bond but, becomes strained when a series of event upturn their lives. Will Hira Prasad and Nandu be able to keep their bond? Is the earthquake a sign for more evil to come?

This novel was one of the best novels I have read this year (yes, the year did just start). The author wrote the novel so beautifully, that I felt transported to Nepal being surrounded by lush foliage and being there with Nandu. I love how the characters felt so real because they were flawed people trying to do the best with what they have. Overall, I love this book and I can't read more books by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**  

About The Book:

Title: A CIRCLE OF ELEPHANTS

Author: Eric Dinerstein

Pub. Date: January 22, 2019

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 288

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD

From the author of What Elephants Know, a 2017 ALA Notable Children's Book and winner of the 2017 South Asia Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, comes this stunning companion novel about the complex relationship between people and nature coexisting in the Borderlands of 1970s Nepal.

Thirteen-year-old Nandu lives in the newly established Royal Elephant Breeding Center on the edge of the jungle. Here, the King's elephants are to be raised under the protective watch of the stable. Nandu-along with his adoptive father Subba-sahib, his mentors, friends, and the rest of the elephant drivers-is tested by man and nature as earthquakes, drought, wild herds, and rumors of poachers threaten the Center.

When Nandu's world is thrown into turmoil, so, too, is the world of Hira Prasad, the Center's powerful bull elephant. An unbreakable bond of brotherhood drives Nandu and Hira Prasad together as they struggle to maintain the delicate natural order of life in the Borderlands.

Dinerstein's poetic prose and scientific expertise come together in this breathtaking tale that transports the reader to the center of dangerous conflicts and heartbreaking friendships.

About Eric: 

Eric Dinerstein is Director of Biodiversity and Wildlife Solutions at RESOLVE. Previously, he was Lead Scientist and Vice President for Conservation Science at the World Wildlife Fund. His areas of specialty include tropical mammals, large mammal biology, biogeography, bats, rhinos, seed dispersal and community ecology. With the World Wildlife Fund, he led many of the organization's most important scientific projects, including the Global 200 Ecoregions, examples of which form the basis of his book TIGERLAND AND OTHER UNINTENDED DESTINATIONS. Dinerstein is also the author of THE KINGDOM OF RARITIES, THE RETURN OF THE UNICORNS: The Natural History and Conservation of the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros and WHAT ELEPHANTS KNOW: A Novel, among other articles and publications.

He attended Northwestern University and Western Washington University, and did his post-graduate studies at the University of Washington (Organization of Tropical Studies) and the National Zoological Park's Conservation and Research Center.

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Giveaway Details:

3 winners will win a finished copy of A CIRCLE OF ELEPHANTS, US Only.

Giveaway Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2879/?

Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

1/21/2018- Lifestyle of Me- Review

1/22/2018- Loie Dunn- Review

1/23/2018- YA Books Central- Interview

1/24/2018- The Layaway Dragon- Excerpt

1/25/2018- Two Points of Interest- Review