BLOG TOUR REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: Out of Reach (Wanderer Series#1) by Jocelyn Stover (@wandererseries)

You can’t escape who you are, but no one ever stops to explain to you the cost of discovering such knowledge. By the time Gwen learns that her fiery red hair marks her as more than just a bad temper on two legs it’s too late to make a choice. Catapulted into a realm she doesn’t understand thanks to the actions of those around her, Gwen is forced to embrace an unknown legacy and rely on the word of an old friend who is more than he seems. Will the price of self-discovery prove too much for Gwen to bear? And how do you save the world when everything feels just out of reach?

Out of Reach
by Jocelyn Stover

Series:
Wanderer #1

Genre:
Paranormal Romance
Urban Fantasy

Publisher:
Independent

JENA’S REVIEW

Oh, where to start.

Since I am the one that organized this review for Pure Textuality Virtual Book Tours, I read the synopsis of this book long before agreeing to the review. I originally was going to just do a giveaway and then decided I wanted to read it badly.

The first thing I noticed is that the beginning of this book feels NOTHING like the synopsis. I didn’t feel it was in a bad way at all but at first you’re all like “Wait…..what??”. Then the pieces start to fall into place. The main character Gwen is a lot of fun. She’s hot tempered, yes, but also sports a GREAT sense of humor and confidence. She’s a scientist in a pharmaceuticals lab and you know right from the beginning that she’s one smart cookie. And that she’s a little OCD about “working the problem”. Failure bothers her on a deep level and remember that hot temper we mentioned?? Yeah, failure triggers that in a BIG way.

Then we have her bestie, Melanie. Melanie is a bit of a spitfire. And she’s a touch boy crazy. Ok, maybe more than a touch. Her interaction with Gwen very much reminds me of a good friend of mine. The way her and I interact is a lot like Gwen and Melanie and that kind of drew me to the character.

Knowing that there is a supernatural element to this book, the beginning feels a little slow as you’re waiting for the supe to show its head. However, I found that it was all very necessary to get to know the character and why she handles things the way she does later on in the book.

I am going to admit that I have two very favorite characters in this – Kade and Z (Zafir). Kade is man candy with all the good stuff added in – honor, devotion, humor, sweetness and a sexy voice.

Z is like an over grown man child stuffed inside a whole lot of muscle. He’s HILARIOUS. One of the best “side” characters I have ever read. Enough so that I have my crossables crossed that we get to see more of Z in the coming books in the series.

Oh! And the ending seriously had me all teared up! In a sort of good, sort of bad kind of way.

Out of Reach scores 5 stars from me! I was so thoroughly impressed with this book that before I was even finished, I started ragging at all of my closest bookworm friends about how they NEED to read this book (as is displayed in Ginny’s review down below). The characters are well rounded with a cast of hellions that all offer their own little something to the story. The plot line is intricate and holds you firmly in the story, yet it’s not overwhelming causing you to get lost in story details.

I can’t wait to see where this series goes! I already started bugging the author about an advanced copy of book #2 and I don’t intend to let up until that shit is in my inbox. Wink wink!

GINNY’S REVIEW

So I get this e-mail from Jena yesterday asking if I could possibly read this book for a review today. Now I love Jena, but I’d just gotten this ARC for a book I’ve been dying to read. So after looking back and forth between the two files I let out a little sigh and said “I’ll see what I can do.”

I want you to know this so you know how to handle the tone of my review.

At first, I was not a fan. There are certain styles of writing that are totally fine and people love, but just don’t do it for me. Sentences that feel clipped for one. Which this book starts with. Add in a couple of points where I was making funny faces and asking Jena if she was sure I was going to like this and you could say I was skeptical at best.

…

I might have actually threatened her.

…

I probably owe her a gift basket or something…

Because fact of the matter is, book did get good. Book got good fast. Book got… okay, I can’t keep talking like that. It’s just that one second I was dismantling it, the next I was frantically flipping pages wondering how the fuck things were going to resolve themselves.

Answer:

While this book wraps up its plot in a neat little bow, it leaves the larger story arc open for follow-ups without that painful cliffhanger moment.

Unless you’re talking about the…err… personal angle. That… well I just watched the new episode of River Monsters and the host had to dig a barbed hook out of his thumb. Or I’m assuming they got it out since I ran from the room the second I saw there was SOMETHING IN HIS THUMB. The resolution for that personal angle is probably going to hurt just as badly. There is no easy answer. And sick fuck that I am, I can’t wait to read more about it.

But it’s also not one of those “are you fucking kidding me” cliffhanger moments.

No clue how the author did it.

She must be a genius.

4 stars

Oh, and Jena… this is for you:

GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is closed.

AUTHOR BIO

I’m a thoughtful, sarcastic, work-o-holic, mother of four. I must thrive on chaos because I’ve certainly built enough of it into my life already! I write during the stolen mintures of the day when the children are in bed or at school. When I’m not writing you can find me up to no good with my kiddos, or outside soaking up the sunshine.

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