Thursday, June 20, 2013

Tour:Review: Giveaway:The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard


Title: The Forgotten Ones 
Author: Laura Howard
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Stars:3

Forgotten Ones is a really interesting story but I wouldn't put this book in a romance genre because the story just isn't really driven by the romance. It's driven by Allison and her relationship with her mother more then anything else. However, it makes a great fantasy story with a tiny bit contemporary romance in the first half of the book. 

In the beginning  it started out as a contemporary romance and I was waiting for the paranormal. Allison's mother is schizophrenic. All she wants to do is finish college and learn to take care of her mother. Her grandparents have been taking care of both of them since she was born. Allison blamed herself for her mom being schizophrenic because her mother was fine until Allison was born. There's lots of family and friends surrounding Allison and her family. They seem to always be there to help out and thats very sweet. You have a few sweet scenes with Ethan and Allison but for the most part the romance just ends there. There's a little toward the end but I can't talk about it without spoiling it. 

Fast forward into the middle of the book and it's all about her helping her mother mixed in an amazing fantasy world with the Fae and Laura's own mix of Irish myth. Laura's world was fantastic and just the escape I needed today! She dazzles me with her descriptions of her world with a perfect balance of words to describe it but not swallow you whole in a sea of descriptive words that some other fantasy books do. It was great and magical. I really like her character growth with Allison as well and hope there will be a second book to this series. But the romance portion almost completely disappears.

Rating a book like this was a challenge because it is a really cool story and I enjoyed it. If I looked at it solely as a romance book it would be a 2 star book. When the romance was there it was good, funny, and sweet. But then its unfulfilling as a romance goes or even for a fantasy romance because the romance just disappears. HOWEVER, looking at it as a fantasy book I really like it! I'd give it 4 stars. So I decided since the book IS both I can only rate it 3 stars. It is very interesting and I really enjoyed the story. If Laura writes another, which I hope she does, I'd love to read it.  




Book Synopsis: 
Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.


Author Bio: 
Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.

Social Media Links: 

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Excerpt: 

Sean jogged over with the bat and held it out for me, grinning. “Pick your pitcher, Allie-O.”

The smirk on Ethan's face was a challenge, and I couldn't resist. “Ethan has the ball, he can pitch to me.”

He made a big show of stretching and winding up before he finally tossed the ball at me.

I smacked the ball over the pool house, and Sean started shouting and cheering, making me smile. Ethan shook his head, but he was smiling. He clearly thought I would be an easy out.

I made it all the way to the final round, kicking Sean and Jeff out of the game. I'd played softball and run track all through school to pad my transcripts.

“You gonna let her win, E?” Jeff called, winking at me from the picnic table where he sat drinking a beer.

Ethan chuckled, showing off those damn dimples. He looked down at the ball in his hands and back up at me with a grin. “If I do, will you let me take you out?”

I snorted, trying to look braver than I felt. “Not a chance.”

“Wait a sec. I like this. Let's make a wager,” he said.

The guys were all hooting and hollering at me, my face was no doubt crimson.

“What do I get if I win?” I bit my lip, feeling all their eyes on me.

“I'm thinking, hang on,” He held up his finger, his brow furrowed in thought. His eyes widened with excitement, and I knew I would regret whatever he had to say.

“If I win, I get a kiss.” If it was possible, my cheeks grew even redder. They were all laughing and making cat calls now.

“And, if I win?” I looked up at his face.

He looked at me for a second, considering. “If you win, I won't ever ask you out again.”

This earned a chorus of “Yeah, right” and “No way” from the guys.

My mouth fell open, I had not been expecting that, but his face was sober. The laughing around us fell away for a second, and I could only stare at him feeling the color drain from my face. His expression remained solemn, and he met my gaze head on.

I nodded stiffly, and swallowed. “All right.”

His grin came back in full force. “Oh, and Al?”

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“I won't lose.”



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