Tuesday, July 23, 2013

**REVIEW & GIVEAWAY** INK by Amanda Sun



  On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

  Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

  Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.


Release Date:  June 25, 2013
Published By:  Harlequin Teen
Review Copy:  Paperback, 377 pages
**Purchased


Review

  Amanda Sun has seriously captured my attention.  I had heard that it may be initially a little hard to get the swing of because of the Japanese phrases throughout I found myself rather intrigued with them and further pulled in.  The writing was just as stunning as the cover was.  I would have to say that the fact I even had some of the Japanese sayings down as I finished reading speaks wonders on how well it was incorporated into the book.

  The setting was absolutely spectacular and written with breath taking details at times.  It wasn't constantly over done which becomes tiresome in a read but when something needed to stand out it did with perfect ease and no dramatic change to the writing.  I freely admit that I don't know much about Japan and its culture but in reading this I can tell you now what I do know is dying to be expanded upon and even looking some things up brought beautiful pictures and new respect for the author that dove into this world/setting.   When the cherry blossoms bloomed I could honestly see their beauty clear as day and I swear I never wanted to leave.

  When it came to Katie the main character you could tell there was a lot put into her.  This is a girl that has lost the world she knew and has been thrust forward into a very unfamiliar setting.  She didn't just automatically adjust but she tried to make the best of it at times.  I loved her attitude, though I was mildly worried with he stalking for awhile.  However Katie is persistent and just wasn't willing to give up on finding the answers she so badly sought.  Though she got herself into some really bad situations because she just wouldn't let go or listen, the book would have been a boring read without the excitement.

  Guys you will love this...  There is NO love triangle!  The plot does focus quite heavily on the romance between Yuu and Katie but there is a reason the are so tied up in each other.  I really wasn't sure about Yuu to start either, there was always so much to hide with him but Katie thought there was more.  Turns out she was right and although he could be cold and calculating he did it out of necessity not want.  I think I may have swooned a little over him a couple of times but there is definitely worry when it comes to him too.   Being a Kami seems to have some dangerous disadvantages that seem to want to grab ahold of  him and well it's definitely not rainbows and butterflies.  I guess I should mention that there is another guy that appears from time to time that does try to catch Katie's attention: Juu.  But he is never really any competition or a love interest.

  There is so much to love about this read and I soaked up every moment of it.  The Japanese culture, setting and information on the Kami is so very addictive that I can honestly say I will be headed right to the store the second the next book releases...in a year...  Such a long wait but there is no doubt in my mind that Amanda's spectacular writing will be worth every moment of the wait.  In the mean time I may have to look into the Kami a little myself because I am so damn interested in finding out more.  Do not hesitate to pick this one up, especially if you are looking for something fresh and intriguing.  Amanda has outdone herself with outstanding writing, a beautifully setting and characters that pull you in.


Quotes
I felt heat rise up my neck.  Yuki had not warned me he was so, well pretty.  Okay, gorgeous.  I almost expected sparkles and rainbows to burst out of the walls anime-style, except his lips were turned in a smirk, and the way he crumpled against the wall exuded a smug superiority.

God he was beautiful.  Dangerous things usually are.  What the heck was I playing around with?

He sighed.  "The ink wants something from you.  I don't know what it is, believe me.  You're some kind of ink magnet or something.  It's getting really hard to control my drawings, to--to control myself."

"Warui," he whispered in apology, and I knew then that I couldn't live without him, even when he was infuriating.  Which was pretty much all the time.
Giveaway
So I posted this over on my weekly Report and will be putting it up with my 
#YEAHYA post at the end of this week but hey I am just trying to make it easier
for you guys to enter!! GOOD LUCK & if you want to see the copies that are up 
for grabs (like the picture) look on the Weekly Report and you will see it and a few
extra details!! 

6 comments:

  1. Ok, I was beyond nervous when I bought this book, mainly because my preferred genre is dystopian/post-apocalyptic/vampires rule the world type stories. So this was a new concept for me. I was hooked from the first page because Amanda Sun made Katie and Tomo real--Katie has a hard time adjusting to a new culture and Tomo pushes everyone away to keep them safe. It was a pretty fresh take on an entirely new concept and I love that I haven't been the only one to notice the adjustments Katie went through to fit into this new world. Also, I loved how Katie and Tomo interact with each other through the whole book, how even though they don't like each other at first, something is pulling them closer. One of my favorite things is that you included a few quotes in your blog...that's always been a selling point for me. I get a better sense of the characters that way.

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  2. Ink was one of my most anticipated books of summer 2013, and thankfully it did not disappoint.

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  3. I loved that there wasn't a love triangle in this one! And that cover! Be still my heart! I'm glad you enjoyed this so much! :D

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  4. I've heard about this book before, but I've been afraid to give it a try. It sounds like I need to now though. :)

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  5. I am so torn on this book! I just don't know if I want to read it or not. I've heard such great things about it, but I still just feel... eh about it. Maybe I'll just check it out from the library and give it a shot.

    Though you and I are pretty close on taste, so maybe I should just suck it up and try it!

    ~​Andrea @ Beauty but a Funny Girl

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  6. I thought that this book was really unique. It's not my typical YA book. But i loved how different it was.

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