As the title suggests, this post is to reveal the winner of the giveaway for A World Apart. Before I announce it, I would like to thank each and everyone of you that participated in the giveaway and coming to my blog to read about the post. You guys are amazing readers!
So yes, the lucky winner this time is... Sara Kovach!!! Thanks for taking part everyone else! Though you may not have won this time, there are many other giveaways to be won! And besides, you could just buy the book! It's a great book to be sure. I loved it and I sure hope you guys will too! Here's the link to the post :
http://alwaysabooklover.blogspot.com/2012/02/blog-tour-giveaway-and-review-of-world.html and here are some buy links for you too!
Yep, so that's it for today, stick around for more things to come! A lot more upcoming blog tours, which reminds me, I have to update my sidebar! It's very outdated! Yep, so that's all and thanks so much everyone!
Introducing... A World Apart by Camelia Miron Skiba! Welcome to my tour stop of A World Apart. This tour is hosted by CBLS Promotions and you can check out their website here!
What I want to say:
"A World Apart was something very different from my usual read. When I first picked it up, I was certainly not expecting what I saw in it. I especially liked the emotions demonstrated throughout the book. It doesn't just show love between a couple but also family love. The emotions that are displayed throughout the book aren't shallow and it certainly doesn't brush across pain. And that was something I really loved."
In a war that’s not hers, she loses everything.
Everything she loses is because of him.
Forgiveness is not an option.
Or maybe...
Lieutenant Cassandra Toma, trauma surgeon in the Romanian National Army starts her deployment at a joint-unit air base on a wrong foot, clashing on her first day with her new commander, Major David Hunt. Her rebellious nature and sassiness rival her excellent performance in the operating room—the only reason why she's not reprimanded, or maybe not the only reason.
They meet. They clash. A forbidden passion consumes them with the intensity of an erupting volcano, leaving her heartbroken and him with tarnished honor and pride as an officer. The only way out for David is disappearing into the dangerous warzone in Iraq. Their flame was supposed to be over when destiny brings them back under the same roof, this time with a common goal—to find Cassandra's brother, Maj. Robert Toma, kidnapped by insurgents while on patrol.
To rescue Robert, Cassandra and David put aside their resentments, uniting forces against a common enemy. Trying to forget the painful past, Cassandra opens up to give David—and their love—another chance. What she doesn’t realize is that her anguish is the result of David’s impetuous action—one reckless choice he made for which she may never forgive him.
His mistake, his secret, could cost them both the love they've finally found.
Camelia Miron Skiba
I WRITE. I LOVE. I DREAM. I WRITE.
I’m Chris’ wife, Patrick’s mom and Bella’s owner. During the day, I’m the assistant to the Director at SESE at Arizona State University, and romance’s slave at night.
I moved to the U.S eight years ago, following my heart and the man who stole it. I love comedies, historical dramas and happily-ever-after stories. English is not my native, not my second, but my third language.
Some fun facts about me:
Each year I participate in one big event that requires me to physically train. My biggest sportive accomplishment was the 3-day 60-mile Susan G. Komen Walk.
Annually I pick a color I decree my favorite (this year it’s salmon).
I refused to text until 2010, always preferring to hear voices rather than sending emotionless messages. Politic bores me to death and I have no tolerance for arrogance.
“A World Apart” is my second book. My debut novel “Hidden Heart” came out March 2011.
“You need to calm down,” David inched closer to Cassandra, fixing her with such intensity her face caught fire.
“Calm down? You want me to calm down?” she snorted, jutting her chin up, hands on her hips.
“Yes. You need to calm down. What was that all about? Why are you so furious?”
“You want to know why I am so furious?” Cassandra grounded her feet apart and pushed her chin forward. “You really want to know? I’ll tell you why. I’m so sick of your bigheaded attitude, of your ‘I’m an American—I do whatever I want’ arrogance!” She shoved a finger at David’s chest, poking it and leaning forward. Her gaze locked on his, their faces close. “You act like some god on our grounds, like you’re doing us a big favor, honoring us with your royal presence as if we are a bunch of idiots you cannot stand. Anything that comes your way that is Romanian, you dismiss with such vehemence one might think it’s poisonous. Nothing we do or have is good enough for your nose.
“But let me tell you something, my friend. My people might not have everything so technical and so advanced, but they are good and hard-working people. They have good hearts and above all, they have dignity. When you live for generations under communism and are treated the way we were, maybe only then you can understand what it means to be so ‘primitive’. To be given nothing and be expected to work wonders. Your standards and ours obviously don’t match, but who are you to judge us? What do you know about us that gives you the right to treat us this way? Huh?
“And for your information, in case nobody had the courage to tell you, this is not our war.” She made a large circle with her arms. “We haven’t asked for it and we are doing you a favor allowing all of you to be on our soil. And not vice versa.” Cassandra straightened her back, pushed away a curl that fell on her face and held her arms up. “Here you have it, I said it.”
She walked around David, opened the door and before leaving, said without looking back, “And don’t forget to write me up.”
EXCERPT #2:
David shook his head, scrunching his eyebrows. “Have you looked around, Cassandra? Do you have the smallest idea where we are?”
“Yes,” she jutted her chin up, her voice a rasp, “in a rat’s hole I don’t give a damn about. I could care less about the people here, nor want anything to do with them. This is not my war. I said it before, I’ll say it again. The only reason I’m here is for Robert, and Robert only.” She inhaled deeply, squeezing dreadful tears between her eyelids. “If you don’t want to help, that’s fine. But don’t try to stop me.” She turned to walk away, but David caught her wrist. “What—”
“Look around you. I get it you don't care about being here, or about the people, but you have a choice—the choice of staying alive and safe, here on the base. They,” he pointed at the beds, “didn't.”
Three soldiers occupied the room, one without an arm, another without a leg. The third one had bandages around his head, half of his face disfigured with burns.
Her stomach twisted, a strong taste of bile rising in her throat.
“And what am I supposed to do, David? Just sit around and wait?” She glanced at Laura who, standing in the doorway, waved a nurse not to enter. Grateful that Laura spared her the embarrassment of being heard by others, she turned to David and said, “I have to at least try to find him, I have to.” Her eyes burned with tears, her voice choked up. “He is somewhere out there, and must be found, alive...” Her stomach turned to a fire pit, pain forcing her to bend forward.
David grabbed her by the shoulders and for a moment, Cassandra thought he’d embrace her. Instead, he blinked quickly, pushed her slightly away and rubbed her upper arms, shaking his head, his voice heavy. “Cass ... You won’t be allowed to go anywhere. If your assignment is here on the base, in the hospital, then you'll follow orders. This is not Romania.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but David raised a hand. “There's no point in arguing, trust me.” He limped around the first bed, put gloves and a mask on and added, “Come, let's finish the rounds.”
First Published: 18 December 2011
Publisher: Self-published
Length: 122,000 words
Format: Ebook
Finished Date: 29 January 2012
Blurb from Goodreads
In a war that’s not hers, she loses everything.
Everything she loses is because of him.
Forgiveness is not an option.
Or maybe...
Lieutenant Cassandra Toma, trauma surgeon in the Romanian National Army starts her deployment at a joint-unit air base on a wrong foot, clashing on her first day with her new commander, Major David Hunt. Her rebellious nature and sassiness rival her excellent performance in the operating room—the only reason why she's not reprimanded, or maybe not the only reason.
They meet. They clash. A forbidden passion consumes them with the intensity of an erupting volcano, leaving her heartbroken and him with tarnished honor and pride as an officer. The only way out for David is disappearing into the dangerous warzone in Iraq. Their flame was supposed to be over when destiny brings them back under the same roof, this time with a common goal—to find Cassandra's brother, Maj. Robert Toma, kidnapped by insurgents while on patrol.
To rescue Robert, Cassandra and David put aside their resentments, uniting forces against a common enemy. Trying to forget the painful past, Cassandra opens up to give David—and their love—another chance. What she doesn’t realize is that her anguish is the result of David’s impetuous action—one reckless choice he made for which she may never forgive him.
His mistake, his secret, could cost them both the love they've finally found.
My Rating
My Review
A World Apart was something so unexpected; I can’t help but say I love it. When I first began the book, I found it rather slow and a little dry. But as the book carried on, I found how amazing it was. It may not always have been very interesting, but it was certainly very touching. When I first picked up the book, I wasn’t expecting what I read at all. The level of emotions depicted in the book is just so amazing and so so real.
The thing I really liked about this book was that it truly showed the real horrors of wars and the sufferings that is faced by family and friends. It didn’t brush across all these emotions lightly, and that is something I really liked about it. I especially liked seeing how just one small baby could bring so much joy to them, could represent so much hope for them. The people in the book were really noble. Without regard for themselves, they would work hard to save others.
The main characters of this book is David and Cassandra. Both of them are doctors and super good ones at that. Right from the start, they have conflicts with each other and David makes a super wrong assumption about Cassandra that almost ruined their entire relationship. He thought she was married. It caused a lot of problems later on, trust me.
David is a very kind man. I like him a lot. It’s very obvious how much he loves her, I can see it in his every action. But as for Cass, I didn’t really feel it. She had an epiphany towards the end then I felt was a little weak, given that she just kept running away then blaming him for pushing her away. However, I really felt that David was a very realistic character. His actions were rather justified most of the time and I could empathize with him. I also liked his attitude towards treating others. And what he did for the woman he thought was wounded was truly noble. Perhaps not the best thing to do, but it was really really noble. Want to know what I’m talking about? Go read the book! It’s great, and I really recommend it!
Somehow though, as the story went on, I found myself not liking Cassandra. I think it’s because she only thinks for herself when it comes to feelings. Sure, I get that she’s protecting herself but a lot of the problems between them came about because she was hurt and refused to give him a chance. Then she blamed him when he left. Seriously? You didn’t want to talk to him, he thought he was in the wrong and thus decided to leave so that he wouldn’t cause any more harm and you blame him? But then again, she never actually put herself in other people’s shoes. Maybe its just me, but I found her to be quite self-centred and thus, I couldn’t like her. But I have to say though, the way she acted was very real, it wasn’t like some fairytale character who does everything right. I guess I just couldn’t connect with her. She’s nice to her patients and all, but when it comes to feelings, and grudges, I cannot stand her. But I really admired the love between her and her brother, Robert.
The plot was good. Though the characters didn’t really spend a lot of time together, when they were together, you could just sense that mutual attraction and David’s love for her. I liked the character development for David, not so much for Cass. I liked Cass in the beginning, I kinda hated her towards the end. Total opposite for David.
Anyway, the book was really touching. I vividly recall a certain scene where I was in tears. The pain felt by the characters were so real, I grieved alongside them. But at the same time, when the characters were feeling joy, I felt that urge to jump up and scream because everything was great! I was rather emotionally involved in the book. Most of the time, I did feel how the characters were feeling and I loved that about the book.
But I do have to say one thing though. The book was rather dry. Overall, the plot is good, but I found the dialogues and conversations to be rather flat. It wasn’t really witty or particularly memorable. The pace wasn’t to my liking too. Some parts were too dragged out and then all of a sudden a few weeks or months pass and I’m thrown for a loop. Descriptions were fine as a whole, I could kinda see it in my head.
All in all, I really feel that this book is something different. Perhaps not to everyone’s taste, it certainly isn’t a light read. But it is a good book to be sure, one that can leave you almost crying in sadness and suddenly crying out in disbelief. Because that’s what I did. A good book through and through. The emotions it brought me through was really something different and of course, as I’ve mentioned earlier, the best part is that the author didn’t try to cover up the pain, sadness, atrocities and ugliness of war. It was just laid out bare for us to see. It showed me how pointless war is, if I didn’t already know that. And yes, I can empathize more with the soldiers now and how every life saved means so much. 4.5 stars to be sure.
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