Blog Tour: Project Five Fifteen by Samantha Summers - Review

Hey guys! Welcome to today's blog tour! Project Five Fifteen is a series by Samantha Summers. The first book is First Light, and it sequel is As You Were. Both books are YA Romantic Thrillers. First Light was published on 12 May 2012, and As You Were published on 14 December 2013.

First Light

A government experiment. Sixteen teenage boys on the run. An innocent young girl caught in the middle. When Ronnie Rose meets the handsome and alluring Kalen Smith, she can tell there's something he's hiding - something dangerous. But in trying to uncover his secret, Ronnie is plunged into a terrifying world she isn't prepared for... and the consequences could be deadly. Can we choose who we fall in love with?

Check it out at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

As You Were

For every choice, there is a consequence.

Ronnie and Kalen are finally together, living their life in secret under the radar of the people who want Kalen dead. But when a visit from an old friend sends Kalen away on a rescue mission, Ronnie finds herself plunged back into the world of Project Five Fifteen quicker than she ever thought possible.

It’s fast becoming clear The Agency will never give up their hunt for the boys, and a betrayal closer to home starts a chain reaction that will change everything. Now, caught in a deadly web of lies and deceit, Ronnie is forced to question who she can trust; even the person she once trusted most.

As enemies close in, Kalen’s past threatens to destroy the happiness they sacrificed so much for, and it’s only a matter of time before the ultimate choice must be made.

Check it out at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Samantha Summers

Born in London, an only child with an overactive imagination, Sam spent much of her childhood telling ghost stories to her younger cousins and dreaming about far away places. She graduated university with a BA in marketing, but it wasn't long before her passion for storytelling and travel got the better of her. She currently lives in Sydney, Australia, where you'll probably find her hidden away in the corner of a park somewhere - writing, reading, dreaming or watching movies on her iPad. She loves everything spy and assassin and has a slightly unhealthy obsession with Star Wars, mainly Darth Vader.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

And now, check out my review of First Light.

My Rating

My Review

I rather enjoyed First Light. It was a relatively sweet YA romance with just a little bit of action packed in. The characters were rather interesting and real, and the pace of the book of the good. While I didn’t feel that the storyline was to die for, it was a pretty good introduction to this series.

Veronica, or Ronnie, as she likes to be called, is an independent girl. Yet, there’s just something about her that is vulnerable. From the start, I liked Ronnie. She was a rather witty character, and while not the most interesting of characters, she was real and I could relate to her. While there are parts of her I didn’t really like, generally she was a good female protagonist. Her character development was rather good and I could see her maturing as the book progressed.

Kalen on the other hand, was amazing. Mysterious, hot, dangerous. How could a girl not be instantly drawn to him? But I think what’s best was how he loved Ronnie. From everything he did, it just showed he cared. And that just made me smile. Because it showed even someone so strong can fall prey to the mighty power of love.

The side characters were also rather nice to read about. I liked that there weren’t too many characters to keep up with and that they weren’t neglected as the story progressed. We did see some bits of their character development and I look forward to reading much more about the boys. And for some reason, Laith. I just want to know more about him, there’s just something interesting about him.

One thing I would have liked was to see more of Kalen's past. Those teasers simply aren't enough! He is such an interesting character to read about, someone so mysterious that I simply want to learn more about him. You know, just try and figure him out.

I did enjoy the ending. I am curious as to how Ronnie and Kalen’s relationship will progress, especially now that she has realized how much she loves him. And her decision at the end is just going to make for a more interesting story in the second book, As You Were. This is a relatively easy read and a rather enjoyable one too.

Enter the giveaway here! There will be 2 winners, with each winner getting a signed copy of both books and a T-Shirt.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D

Zzz...

Whew, I've finally reached the Z post! Never thought I would see this day! I mean, I wanted to give up halfway through when everything was just so hectic! Glad I didn't though! And while I wasn't the most punctual of posters, at least I wrote a post for every letter! Hope that makes up for something haha.

And finally, at the end of this challenge, it is time to sleep. Sleep is something that every student in Singapore craves but few get enough of it. Trust me, when you're 16 and above in Singapore, sleep is going to get sacrificed. To hear the words, sleep is so relaxing. To realise you can actually sleep is one of the best things you can think of.

But even other than that, sleep is just so important, is it not? There's just something about sleeping that just puts everyone on the same level. Because in our sleep, we're all vulnerable, are we not? I love books with dangerous characters, but somehow, when they sleep they just suddenly look so much more innocent, less world-weary and more human.

Sleep is amazing. Honestly. I love sleeping. Call me lazy, but yeah. Sleeping does miracles. It soothes hurt, it gives you beautiful dreams, makes you face your worst fears, and it heals your body. I love sleeping.

And with that, its off to bed for me. I have completed this challenge. Somehow. Zzz... It's time to sleep:)

You

This is something I wrote recently. This is for you.

I think I could get over you if I wanted. Or at least, if things didn’t work out. Maybe in a few years I would be able to let you go. Yet, I don’t know if I could ever trust again. Sure, I could probably get attracted to someone else, maybe even start falling for someone. But I don’t think I would be able to let the person get so close the way I’ve let you get so close to me. I don’t even want to imagine someone holding me, telling me they love me. I think sometimes I ask myself how strong are my feelings are for you if I can still think other guys are good-looking. No, I’m not attracted to them. But I have to admit that they have good looks. Of course, it doesn’t do the same thing to my heart the way your looks does to mine. And no other guy could ever make me smile as much as you make me do. Of course, maybe they can make me laugh. But that doesn’t mean I’m happy. You make me happy, in ways I never thought could be happy in. I didn’t even know it was possible to be that happy until you.

And that’s why I don’t want to lose you. Because I equate losing you with losing happiness. Because honestly, how would I smile, knowing that you aren’t there? How could I laugh, knowing that I can’t tell you about it when I saw you next? And how could I cheer up after I screwed something up, knowing you aren’t there to comfort me? Because I think if I lose you, those walls around my heart are going to be so strong that I doubt anyone will want to try and break in. And you didn’t even have to try. From the start, my heart trusted you enough. I thought you were the one who took down my walls. But I think from the start, my heart knew. My heart didn’t even try to build up the walls and make myself strong. Instead, it helped you to take them down, and even speeding up the process. 

I’ve never been so vulnerable to another person before. You could crush me I think. It wouldn’t take much. My heart knows that. But yet, my heart and my brain know enough to trust you to never do that. That even if you’re angry, your first thought is still going to be me. Somehow, I don’t doubt your feelings at all, and that amazes me every time I think of it. Maybe part of the reason why I don’t doubt yours, is because I’m having equally strong feelings for you. I wouldn’t want you to ever get hurt. I want to be there to protect you, to keep you safe, happy and satisfied. If I could take your sadness, I would, if only for the sake to make you happy. 

I think I’m finally beginning to stop doubting my own feelings and the intensity of it. Because what else could describe what I feel about you? Its not just one thing that I love about you. Its everything that makes who you are, that is the reason for me loving you. I wouldn’t want you to be different in any way. Because I’ve seen your bad side, even though it doesn’t really seem bad to me. And to be honest, I don’t think its bad at all. I mean, its you. But in any case, in spite of your flaws, I still love you. And I think that’s what love is about. Its not about loving the good, because who couldn’t? Its about seeing the flaws, and loving them because they make up who he is. Its about loving the little things, the things done unconsciously, the things that just make him him. That’s what I think love is about. I questioned whether what I felt was just infatuation. Until I realise, it wasn’t just loving you and being loved that was what made me say I love you. It truly is about loving you. I love you for you. Not for what you do, not for what you are around other people, not for your position, not for anything. I just love you. The person. It truly is indescribable. Wow. That was a revelation while writing. I truly do love you. I always say it, but its now that I truly understand how much I mean it. It’s everything about you. It doesn’t matter what you are doing, I still love you. You could be the poorest beggar on this world, the most unwanted person, or the worst as the world determines you to be, and I would still love you. Corny, cheesy and mushy to be sure. But its true. Because I believe that even if you became all those things, who you are isn’t going to change. You’re still going to be that adorable, cute, charming boy that I love. You’re still going to make the same hand gestures, speak the same way, walk the same way, question things the same way. You’re still going to be you. And as long as you’re you, I will love you. That’s it, isn’t it? Pure and simple. Loving you for who you are. That is love. 

And yes, this is very late. The challenge is more or less over, but I wanted to finish this at least! :)

X marks the spot

X is a crazy difficult letter to write about. Honestly, the only word that comes into my mind when I see the letter X is xylophone. I don't even know why.

When I see the phrase, X marks the spot, I think of treasure. When I was a kid, I used to think of treasure as a chest that was spilling with gold necklaces and gold and just shiny things like that. But now, if I were to ever open a treasure chest, I would love to see it filled with old books. Old papers, old parchments, things that just tell a story.

Treasure is different for everyone. What is your treasure?

And I'm sorry for the late and sucky post. I just can't really think. Kinda sick right now:(

Water

This is very long overdue. But I really want to write this!

I love water. The sound of the waves breaking on the shore, the sound of the rain pattering against my windows. That is what comforts me. For as long as I can remember, I have loved water. Water is something I truly love. I can sit at the beach in the sea for a very long time alone, but yet not feel lonely. Its my favorite place to be honestly. Just so nice to sit down there and just listen and feel.

I remember last year, I was overseas with my family and friends. I got separated from the group because I was reading. On my way to look for them, I came across this beautiful fountain. I think I spent a good 15 minutes there just enjoying the presence of water and being in something so majestic. I would have stayed longer, but I figured I shouldn't worry the group I was with!

Do you like water? :)

Visualizing

I realised I'm a whole day behind with all my posts, oh no. This post is for V! I'll be writing my W post next!

So, visualizing. Do you find it difficult to visualize? If you ask me to think of a specific thing and just picture how it should look like, I couldn't do it. The image would never take form in my head, or at least, not the image that should be in there. I know, I'm horrible in it.

But yet, when it comes to books for some reason I can visualize the whole scene in my head. Which is weird because I normally can't visualize. Which is why I love it when an author gives me a good description of a scene but not overly done, showing instead of telling. That's the kind of scenes I like the most.

Haha fell asleep before I could post this. I still have a W post to write! Then I have to prepare for the X post!

Understanding

I know this post is late. But, I feel like being sad today. Don't ask, typical teenager hormones that get so annoying. But yeah, I wanted to write a bit. A little bit of what I would typically write about when I'm sad. Hmm. First time ever posting something like that for so many to see.

But could you understand? Could you know this pain inside of me? Feel the way I do? When all I want is to just break down and cry, to just give up or give in. How do I choose, how? You say you understand, but you don't, not really. Because how could anyone really understand? No one experiences pain the same way. But thank you for at least trying.

The one thing I do know though, is that only God truly understands. And that in itself, is the best thing I could ask for right now. Because even when I turn away, He understands. He understands the pain. The question is, why don't I trust? 

I know this is a very typical cry of teenagers. But sometimes, I wish people did understand and left me alone. Because some things, I have to go through alone. And of course, it sucks that the person who understands the most, just cannot be there in the way that I truly need.

I am so sorry, I just needed to write. Not addressed to anyone in particular though! 

Time Travel

I used to love time travel books. I loved the whole idea of going back and forth in time and doing something that would change the future. But slowly, as I grew up, as I read more, I started to stop loving it. While I still found the whole idea behind it cool, I just stopped loving it.

In real life, we always say, if only I could turn back time. Or we want to go forward in time. Yet, we can't do that. We have to live and just experience it all. So perhaps it is time to live life in the here and now and not focus on other things. What's most important to me though, is to live life without regrets!

I have no idea why I wrote the second paragraph haha. But in any case, as I was saying, I used to enjoy books with time travel, but maybe it's just me, but I don't really read time travel books that I enjoy that much. Any recommendations?

Science Fiction

I love science fiction books. Yeah, call me a nerd haha but truly, they're amazing. Science can be so amazing and it just makes the book seem so much better with all that technology.

Out of science fiction, one of my favorites will always be space travel. Since young, I've been fascinated by it. There's just something about discovering new worlds that I simply adore.

And recently, I've discovered a new part of science fiction I love. Eugenics. Which is essentially the creation of super humans by manipulating their DNA. What's funny is, I'm learning it in school now, but it's just so much better when it put into books. I think I first loved it when I read the Double Helix series by Jade Kerrion. There were mutants and things like that in there too! It's like, one of the coolest parts of bio! It's just so interesting to think about I feel:)

So yep, that's it for now. Sorry for the late post, fell asleep last night before I could post!

Romance

Romance. Why do I love romance so much? How did I even get started on it? All I know is that one day I decided to pick up a romance novel, a couple of stories by Iris Johansen. I was immediately addicted. I realised that was what I was looking for in a book. It had angst, a good hero and heroine, and just about what I really wanted to read! That was how it all started.

Along the way, I discovered historical romances. The first I ever read was The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey I believe. It was simply put, amazing. It was what got me started on historical romances. It was just so, so beautiful that I could not put it down.

But as to why I love romance so much. I was thinking about it last time and I came up with a few reasons. Firstly, romance novels help me to believe that true love really does exist. I know these books are just fiction. But they made me start to realise that there had to be something that was true love if people could actually write about it.

It also gave me hope. In a world that is becoming increasingly corrupt, where more and more crimes are committed that just baffles us, romance novels just make me believe that love can still exist. And because of this love, we aren't all goners yet. That there is just that little bit of hope, that bit of brightness left in this world.

Romance novels made me believe that love could conquer all. Seeing the characters going through so much, but yet staying together, made me feel that if one truly loved your significant other, anything could happen. It may just be fiction, but I think they truly gave me hope.

At first, I was always shy of admitting I love romance novels. People automatically associate these kind of readers as empty-headed, idealistic people. Well, maybe. But now, I'm not afraid to say I love romance. Sure, romance isn't a genre for everyone. But to me, its still the best genre created.

After picking up romance, I simply cannot read a book without any form of romance in it at all. I find it difficult to read. Yes, some books can pull it off. But these books are far and few in between.

Do you like romance novels? Whoa this was a pretty long post.