ALL OF US VILLAINS (All of Us Villains Series #1) by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman
Synopsis
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An Indie Bestseller! An Indie Next Pick!
The blockbuster co-writing debut of Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman, All of Us Villains begins a dark tale of ambition and magick…
You Fell in Love with the Victors of the Hunger Games.
Now Prepare to Meet the Villains of the Blood Veil.
The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.
Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.
The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world—one thought long depleted.
But this year a scandalous tell-all book has exposed the tournament and thrust the seven new champions into the worldwide spotlight. The book also granted them valuable information previous champions never had—insight into the other families’ strategies, secrets, and weaknesses. And most important, it gave them a choice: accept their fate or rewrite their legacy.
Either way, this is a story that must be penned in blood.
The All of Us Villains Duology:
#1) All of Us Villains
#2) All of Our Demise
—————————————————————————-
My Review Harry Potter meets The Hunger Games. That’s the best way to describe this amazing tale of a group of teens, fighting to the death, to see whose family will control high magick until the next generation of champions. Each family chooses one champion to represent them in the tournament. There is only one survivor and the family of that survivor will be the powerful for at least a generation. Which means they’ll stop at nothing to ensure their champion is the winner. Including cheating, bribery, coercion, and even sacrifice. The story is told from the point of view of four champion, all with their own concern, motives, and desires. There were so many unexpected twists that this became the page-turner I needed to keep me engrossed, reading late into the night.
The story starts with various teens vying to be selected as their family’s champion, but soon, the sinister nature of the tournament becomes apparent. But unlike The Hunger Games, these magical kids want to sacrifice themselves for the fame, the glory, and of course the power. Even though only one can win, each believes they will be the winner. But the further into the story we go, the more we learn about these champions and that not all are created equal. Not just in their abilities, but in their motivations and desires. And one champion in particular has an idea, crazy as it sounds, that could end the tournament once and for all, and maybe just maybe save all their lives in the process.
Plot The plot is complex with so many moving parts and balls in the air, it’s an intense read. With so much going on, there was action or drama of some kind on every page. So many secrets, lies, and power plays, the story moves at a clipped pace, without ever becoming exhausting. It also never got confusing, which can happen when there are a lot of levers in play. The authors did a masterful job of plotting an intriguing tale, giving us surprises and twists at just the right times, and foreshadowing everything.
Characters This might be my only complaint. I often confused to two female protagonists. Though they serve different purposes, their personalities were very similar, while the two male leads, were as different as night and day. The other minor issue I had with the characters is that most of the non-narrators tended to fade into the background, with only a few exceptions.
What I Loved About ALL OF US VILLAINS 1. World Building. Spell casting, and spell making, and spell rings, oh my! The level of world building was off-the-charts good.
2. Setting. The fictional town of Ilvernath was such a key factor in the story, it was almost a character itself.
3. Magic. I really love the take on magic the two authors weave into their story. It’s different from any other magic I’ve read in the genre.
4. Twists. There were so many twists and turn, that I came to expect the unexpected, but still managed to be surprised all over again.
5. Ending. While this is the first half of a duology, I liked the ending that left me breathless for more rather than a frustrating cliffhanger.
Bottom Line A fabulous dark tale of magic, friendship, and loyalty that left me ready for more. I’ve already preordered book 2!
About the Author Amanda Foody is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of All of Us Villains, the Wilderlore series, the Shadow Game series, and more. Her work has appeared in publications including Buzzfeed, Popsugar, Culturess, and Amazon selected All of Us Villains as the Best Young Adult Book of 2021. Originally from Pennsylvania, she lives in Boston, MA with her partner and their orange tabby, Jelly Bean. When not writing, she unironically loves to cook. You can find her on Instagram @amandafoody or on her website, www.amandafoody.com..
About the Author CHRISTINE LYNN HERMAN is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of novels about magic, monsters, and growing up, including All of Us Villains, The Devouring Gray duology, and The Drowning Summer.
Christine resides in Somerville, MA, with her partner and cat. To learn more, follow them on Instagram @christineexists, sign up for Christine’s newsletter, or visit christinelynnherman.com.
Synopsis A young witch tries to unravel the mystery of who is framing her for dark magic in Georgia Bowers’ creepy YA debut fantasy, Mark of the Wicked.
Magic always leaves its mark.
All her life, Matilda has been told one thing about her magic: You use only when necessary. But Matilda isn’t interested in being a good witch. She wants revenge and popularity, and to live her life free of consequences, free of the scars that dark magic leaves on her face as a reminder of her misdeeds.
When a spell goes awry and the new boy at school catches her in the act, Matilda thinks her secret might be out. But far from being afraid, Oliver already knows about her magic – and he wants to learn more. As Oliver and Matilda grow closer, bizarre things begin to happen: Animals show up with their throats slashed and odd markings carved into their bodies, a young girl dies mysteriously, and everyone blames Matilda. But she isn’t responsible — at least, not that she can remember. As her magic begins to spin out of control, Matilda must decide for herself what makes a good witch, and discover the truth…before anyone else turns up dead.
————————————————————————————–
My Review I had no idea what I was getting into with this book, but I’m so glad I requested a review copy! MARK OF THE WICKED is enthralling, impossible to put down, and filled with the types of characters that are so complex, you don’t know whether to love them or hate them. I started off not much liking Matilda. She uses her magic to harm those she considers her enemies. The only problem is, if she harms someone with magic, she is scarred for life; their name carved into her face. But Matilda has learned how to hide her scars from everyone, so at the outset, it seems like she suffers no consequences for her actions. She’s angry, spiteful, and nearly impossible to sympathize with. At first.
When she meets Oliver, though, we get to see a side to Matilda that was missing — the reasons for the things she does. She reveals her deeper fears and her darker pain that she resorts to magic to help her cope, the way an alcoholic turns to booze to numb the pain. But there is something more sinister than Matilda afoot, with grisly animal deaths that somehow keep pointing to Matilda. But with her mother acting suspicious, her grandmother not having spoken in three years, and Matilda’s blackouts, anything is possible.
Plot MARK OF THE WICKED is superbly plotted, with intertwining plots. Debut author, Georgia Bowers, creates intrigue with her storytelling. The pacing is perfection. Set in a small town in England, with a dark history, similar to that of Salem, Massachusetts in the states, her backdrop comes alive, becoming a part of the story as much as the characters.
The Characters Speaking of characters, for me anyway, the ability to create an antihero like Matilda, and make us root for her the way we rooted for Walter White in the first few season of Breaking Bad, is a rare talent and Bowers does it masterfully. Supporting characters, like Matilda’s classmates, Erin, Oliver, her mother, and grandmother, are more than just cardboard cutouts and stereotypes. It would have been easy for the author to make someone like Ashley a less than sympathetic character, but even she has more depth than just the class queen bee.
Top Five Things I Loved About MARK OF THE WICKED 1. Magic. The magical world building is amazing and really adds to the plot and character development.
2. Characters. Their depth and complexity made this a book I couldn’t put down.
3. Plot. The story is unforgettable, with a number of twists and turns that made this a book I couldn’t put down.
4. Redemption. Matilda’s character arc is the opposite of Breaking Bad as she learns some brutal, valuable lessons about life, love, and what it means to be a good citizen.
5. Storytelling. The author does an amazing job of weaving in threads that stick with you, gnawing in your brain, that keeps you reading to find out what they mean.
Bottom Line A stellar debut novel by an author I cannot wait to read more from.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author Georgia Bowers lives in Bedford, a small market town in England. When it was time to decide what to do with her life, she was obsessed with two things: books and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It seemed sensible to follow in the brogued footsteps of Rupert Giles, so she became a librarian, though sadly not the demon fighting kind. But there’s still time.
Ever since her mum told her that witches used to meet in the woods near their village, she’s been obsessed with witchcraft and the paranormal. When she was a teenager, a weekly habit of Point Horrors satisfied her thirst for chilling tales before she moved on to reading Stephen King. These days she likes to give her nerves a break every now and then with a good YA romance.
After completing a course in writing YA fiction she was a winner in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Undiscovered Voices. Since then she has dabbled with stories of chosen ones and ghostly best friends until she conjured up the magical ingredients for her debut novel, Mark Of The Wicked.
SEND ME THEIR SOULS (Bring Me Their Hearts Series #3) by Sara Wolf
Synopsis
The finale to the epic Bring Me Their Hearts series reaches its thrilling conclusion, full of intrigue, emotion, and of course romance.
Reunited with Lucien, Malachite, and Fione, Zera finally has the choice of whether or not to regain her humanity and give up her life as a Heartless. But with war raging and an army of valkerax on the loose, she’s never needed immortality more. Will they be able to stop Varia without sacrificing themselves in the process?
————————————————————————————–
My Review
WARNING: Spoilers for books 1 and 2! Sara Wolf wraps the series up with a bang. SEND ME THEIR SOULS is a rollercoaster ride of emotion, from tears and laughter to angst, heartbreak, and redemption. The third installment in the Bring Me Their Hearts series has everything I was hoping for and more. Picking up where book two ends, the author brings us right back into that world, reminding us of anything we might have forgotten over the past year since it was released. Zera, Fione, Malachite, and Lucien manage to escape with their lives after Varia brings the Bone Tree to life, unleashing a swarm of flying valkyrax. The easy thing to do would be to kill Varia to save the world, but Fione’s love of her as well as Lucien’s means the only solution is to destroy the Bone Tree. And as with any good story, that is always easier said than done.
The group launches on a quest for answers, putting them in danger, testing loyalties, and breaking Zera’s unheart over and over as first she is reunited with loved ones, then Varia’s rage of terror wipes out one civilization after another. But this time Zera has the trust of Fione, Malachite and Lucien, making the treacherous trail they must all follow both easier and much more difficult, because when you love other people, you have so much more to lose.
Plot As with the other two books, the pacing is perfect, moving from one exciting moment to another, with enough room to catch our breath and witness romantic moments between Zera and Lucien. Finally, finally they are together, in love, the way they should be. But with a twist I won’t reveal. Fighting together as a team this time, the group works to defeat a nebulous enemy and save Lucien’s sister and Fione’s love. We get inside Varia’s head through a weird connection between Zera and Varia that only happens in Zera’s dreams. But it’s enough to show us that love is a two-way street and her passion to Fione is maybe the only thing keeping her sane as the Bone Tree gets a further hold on her mind.
Characters The characters continue to grow and develop throughout this finale, including Zera. Even though she’s frozen in time, she manages to mature along with her friends. The depth of character the author manages to capture on the page, brings these people and creatures to life in three-dimensional ways that have endeared them to me for long beyond finishing the series.
What I Loved About SEND ME THEIR SOULS 1. Zera. She’s as snarky as ever, but even without a heart, she’s grown warmer and more loving to those she cares for.
2. Young Love. The romance is on steady ground in this final installment and the sweet moments between Zera and Lucien zing.
3. Fione. She has much to be concerned about with the love of her life being the enemy now, but she uses that quiet determination of hers we’ve come to know in the first two books to keep on keeping on.
4. World Building. From a steampunk inspired zeppelin to a floating island in the sky, the author’s imagination knows no bounds as she creates stunning settings to drop her characters into.
5. Magic. With the prince now a witch, magic is on display in nearly every chapter and it’s as double-sided as everything else. Everything has a price, including using magic.
Bottom Line The perfect way to wrap up a trilogy — satisfying on every level, but leaving me sad to say goodbye to characters I’ve grown to love.
————————————————————————————–
About the Book Title: SEND ME THEIR SOULS Series: Bring Me Their Hearts Series #3 Author: Sar Wolf Publisher: Entangled Teen Release Date: November 3, 2020 Pages: 416 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound
—————————————————————————-
Author Sara Wolf
About the Author New York Times bestselling author, Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things. When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as the Lovely Vicious series. She lives in Portland, Oregon where the sun can’t get her anymore and not enough fruit tarts ever.
Synopsis A princess fleeing an arranged marriage teams up with a snarky commoner to foil a rebel plot in B. R. Myers’ Rogue Princess, a gender-swapped sci-fi YA retelling of Cinderella.
Princess Delia knows her duty: She must choose a prince to marry in order to secure an alliance and save her failing planet. Yet she secretly dreams of true love, and feels there must be a better way. Determined to chart her own course, she steals a spaceship to avoid the marriage, only to discover a handsome stowaway.
All Aidan wanted was to “borrow” a few palace trinkets to help him get off the planet. Okay, so maybe escaping on a royal ship wasn’t the smartest plan, but he never expected to be kidnapped by a runaway princess!
Sparks fly as this headstrong princess and clever thief battle wits, but everything changes when they inadvertently uncover a rebel conspiracy that could destroy their planet forever.
—————————————————————————-
My Review This futuristic, sci-fi, reverse Cinderella retelling is pure gold. B.R. Myers weaves a tale with fascinating characters, stunning world building, and a story that tugs at your heart and makes you care. Princess Delia is due to inherit the crown, but first she must a choose a prince to marry. And love plays no part in that decision. She must choose a mate from a neighboring planet with the resources her planet needs in order to survive. It’s purely a business transaction, and one she feels ill-prepared to make. Because although she’s been raised from the moment of birth to assume the throne and lead her people, no one has prepared her to be anyone’s wife. Aidan is a scavenger, taking what he can from the wealthy inhabitants of the palace to buy his way off the planet, a place that doesn’t hold much for a boy with no status. He lives with his stepfather and two stepbrothers who treat him as nothing more than their servant. When Aidan sees his chance to steal a ship and get off the planet for good, his plans are thwarted when the princess uses the same ship to attempt something similar. Sparks fly as these two, with their own secrets securely intact, must rely on one another to uncover a plot to bring down the monarchy.
Plot The plot centers on discovering who is out to kill the queen and usurp power so they can be stopped, but there are strong subplots that involve the undeniable attraction between Aidan and Delia all while Delia is supposed to be choosing a prince to marry so she can save her planet. Everything is woven expertly together. The secrets both are carrying provide page-turning moments and the right amount of interpersonal conflict while the external conflict drives the main pulse-pounding plot. A clandestine rebellion, pirates, and amazing tech create a world rife with both danger and excitement.
Characters Myers has created amazing, intense, likable characters. While Delia, as our main character and all of her conflicting goals and emotions, is intense and moody, her younger sister, Shania, steals the show. Shania is bubbly and effervescent, and finds the whole mating game romantic as she attempts to help her sister find the most swoon-worthy husband. Aidan is the yin to Delia’s yang as a jaded commoner with a sharp tongue and wit to offset her doom and gloom.
What I Loved About ROGUE PRINCESS 1. Shania. She’s so sweet, optimistic, and everything Delia needs.
2. Delia. Her sense of honor, despite everything she wants, makes her someone you can’t help rooting for.
3. Tech. Everything from wind-up homing birds to flying gliders makes this a world of both romance and futuristic elegance, with a healthy steampunk vibe.
4. World Building. The author creates vivid scenes, rich with sights, colors, sounds, and smells that bring them to life in even the most stubborn imagination.
5. Retelling with a Twist. I’m always a sucker for a good fairytale retelling, but this futuristic, role-swapping twist made this version a little different for me. The added intrigue meant that I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen, even though Cinderella’s ending is as familiar as almost anything.
Bottom Line A thrilling, romantic space opera retelling of Cinderella.
About the Author B.R. Myers spent most of her teen years behind the covers of Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, and Lois Duncan. When she’s not putting her characters in awkward situations she works as a registered nurse. A member of the Writer’s Federation of Nova Scotia, she lives in Halifax with her husband and their two children.
FIND ME THEIR BONES (Bring Me Their Hearts #2) by Sara Wolf
Synopsis No one can save her.
In order to protect Prince Lucien d’Malvane’s heart, Zera had to betray him. Now, he hates the sight of her. Trapped in Cavanos as a prisoner of the king, she awaits the inevitable moment her witch severs their magical connection and finally ends her life.
But fate isn’t ready to give her up just yet.
With freedom coming from the most unlikely of sources, Zera is given a second chance at life as a Heartless. But it comes with a terrible price. As the king mobilizes his army to march against the witches, Zera must tame an elusive and deadly valkerax trapped in the tunnels underneath the city if she wants to regain her humanity.
Winning over a bloodthirsty valkerax? Hard. Winning back her friends before war breaks out? A little harder.
But a Heartless winning back Prince Lucien’s heart?
The hardest thing she’s ever done.
—————————————————————————-
My Review
WARNING: Spoilers for book 1! I enjoyed this book more than the first one. The angsty romance tugged at my heart, but what really grabbed me was Zera’s growth. Sure, she continued to struggle with trust, and there were times I was frustrated with her backsliding, but she was still in a two steps forward one step back mode, making steady, albeit slow progress. Having accidentally said the name of her witch at the end of the first book, Princess Varia has become Zera’s new witch and has a new goal for her if Zera wants her heart back. A task that seems nearly impossible — she must teach the valkerax below the city to weep, the way she did. A beast so huge, dangerous, and angrily delusional, she can barely understand it, much less teach it anything. But she will do anything to get her heart back, even die over and over again.
Lucien hates her, Fione is terrified of her, and the only people she considers family are in the wind. Zera has no choice but to do Varia’s bidding. She’s singly-focused on her task, but as she so often laments, her unheart betrays her with feelings for Lucien. The thing is, as much as he wants her to believe otherwise, it’s so clear he still has feelings for her, too. There doesn’t seem to be any happy endings for this pair, but finding out what happens to them kept me turning the pages.
Plot Similar to book one, the plot revolves around Zera completing the necessary task to get her heart back. What’s different this time is who has her heart, the task she’s been ordered to complete, and the reasons behind it. Varia believes if she gets what she wants, she’ll be able to stop the impending war. While similar to her original goals, this one comes with a lot of caveats and new dangers. Numerous subplots are expertly woven throughout, and we learn more about the world that the characters inhabit. Just as vivid as the first book, FIND ME THEIR BONES builds upon what we already know, bringing new scenes to life and divulging new secrets that underpin the world Sara Wolf has crafted.
Characters I love everyone’s growth in this installment. Zera’s feels the most drastic, but Lucien, Malachite, and even Fione have significant growth as the come to terms with Zera’s heartlessness. Varia on the other hand seems to devolve through the book, becoming less stable and more maniacal as things come to a head at the end. But with all of Sara Wolf’s books, the characters are just as fascinating, developed, and enduring as ever.
What I Loved About FIND ME THEIR BONES 1. Zera. She really grew on me more throughout this book. I liked her in the first book, but by the middle of this one, I LOVED her. She’s determined, loyal, and strong, without ever losing her snarky streak.
2. Valkerax. The giant, white, feathery, scaly wyrm with six eyes won my heart with its overwhelming pain and longing to be free.
3. Lucien. The prince with a heart of gold is just as swoony as ever, but he’s a little extra so this time around.
4.Princess Varia. She’s both an antagonist and a protagonist, in a sense. While it’s Zera’s story, Varia has her own arc and the book wouldn’t be as amazing without her. But her wounds and desires and driving need to prevent war makes her someone to root for.
5. World Building. The author continues to unveil a fantastic fantasy world with rich details and stunning cinematography in written form.
Bottom Line Teenage angst, a gripping adventure, and phenomenal world building collide with epic results.
—————————————————————————-
About the Book Title: FIND ME THEIR BONES Series: Bring Me Their Hearts #2 Author: Sar Wolf Publisher: Entangled Teen Release Date: November 5, 2019 Pages: 400 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound | BAM!
—————————————————————————-
Author Sara Wolf
About the Author Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things.
When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as the Lovely Vicious series.
She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.
BRING ME THEIR HEARTS (Bring Me Their Hearts #1) by Sara Wolf
Synopsis Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.
Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.
So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser’s heart.
Literally.
—————————————————————————-
My Review I loved the heck out of this book. It’s so different from what I usually read, but Sara Wolf. So I gave it a try, and I was hooked from the opening chapter. We’re thrust deep into the action before being throw back a few days to get the backstory. Zera is a heartless. All I knew about heartless was what I learned watching Once Upon a Time, so I had to toss all my preconceived notions and dive into this very different world Wolf has created. As a heartless, Zera has no life of her own; she’s consumed by a hunger that can never be satisfied and is responsible for keeping her witch, Nightsinger, safe. Nightsinger is not a typical witch though, and she seems to have real affection for Zera. Still, she controls Zera by holding her heart. She offers to return her heart and give her her life back in exchange for Zera bringing her the crown prince’s heart. Zera has no love for royalty and quickly agrees, not only securing her freedom, but two younger children who are also Nightsinger’s heartless.
What should be easy is anything but. First, the rules of witches and heartless make it very difficult for Zera to even travel far beyond her witch. She has the insatiable hunger that requires human organs, even though animals will have to do, and eating human food does really awful things to her. And that’s not even getting into all the rules required for attending Court. A noble woman, Lady Y’shennria, agrees to take Zera under her wing and groom her for Court, to woo Prince Lucien, and to ultimately get his heart, stopping an impending war. Lady Y’shennria is an unlikely ally, but she’s teamed up with the witches for her own reasons. Things only go from bad to worse when Zera falls for the prince, who is nothing like she assumed he would be and everything like she wishes she was.
Plot The plot is riveting as it centers around Zera’s mission to get the prince’s heart. But strong subplots are woven throughout, including her feelings for Lucien, the mystery surrounding Lucien’s sister’s death, a developing closeness between Zera and her “aunt” Y’shennria, and a plot to rid the country of witches by the king’s most trusted advisor. All directly impact the main plot to perfection, resulting in a page-turning adventure with heart and soul.
Characters Zera is fantastic as the snarky heartless who charms everyone around her with her wit and humor. Lucien is dark and brooding with a warm hidden side that only Zera seems to be able to unmask. Nightsinger and the other heartless are well-developed for minor supporting characters, though they do have a significant impact on everything Zera does. And Lady Y’shennria blossomed into one of my favorite characters.
What I Loved About BRING ME THEIR HEARTS 1. The World Building. Wolf creates a complex world, that I had difficulty following at times, but it’s so intricate and detailed, it’s almost the star of the book.
2. Lucien. Who doesn’t love a brooding bad boy with a heart of gold?
3. Zera. She takes snark to a new level, but her emotional journey was heart-wrenching.
4. Lady Y’Shennria. Her transformation is almost as dramatic as Zera’s.
5. Plot. So much goes on in this story that it never slows down.
Bottom Line An angsty fantasy with stunning world building and emotionally deep characters.
—————————————————————————-
About the Book Title: BRING ME THEIR HEARTS Series: Bring Me Their Hearts #1 Author: Sar Wolf Publisher: Entangled Teen Release Date: June 5, 2018 Pages: 370 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound | BAM!
—————————————————————————-
Author Sara Wolf
About the Author Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things.
When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as the Lovely Vicious series.
She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.
ALIEN MINDS (Dimension Drift #1) by Christina Bauer
Synopsis DIVERGENT meets OCEAN’S EIGHT in this urban fantasy heist!
On my seventeenth birthday, I wake up in the hospital to find I just survived a sketchy but terrible accident. My parents stand by my bedside—both are beautiful, wealthy, and super-nice. They tell me that once I leave the hospital, I’ll attend the prestigious ECHO Academy, where I’ll churn out equations for the government along with my mega-smart peers.
So, I’m living the perfect life.
Then why does everything feel all wrong?
My parents, my house and even ECHO Academy…none of it fits. Plus, what’s up with Thorne, my brooding yet yummy classmate who keeps telling me I need to remember my true past, which seems to have included a lot of us kissing? That’s one thing I’d really like to remember, except for the fact that I’m pretty sure Thorne is hiding a ton of nasty secrets of his own, including the fact that he may not be from this world. But considering how my own past seems alien to me, it’s not like I can judge. Plus, Thorne has dimples. That’s a problem.
And worst of all, why does it feel so yucky to work on these calculations for the government? It’s all supposed to be part of ECHO, but my heart tells me that I’m helping something truly terrible come to pass. Thorne seems to think that kissing him again will release my real memories.
Maybe it’s time to pucker up.
“Appealing and engaging. Love the strong female character!” – Arlene’s Book Reviews
This new series is perfect for: fans of urban fantasy, action & adventure, cool science, evil corporations, forbidden romance and hot new classmates who may or may not be aliens.
—————————————————————————-
My Review I finally dove into Christina Bauer’s sci-fi/fantasy adventure series with ALIEN MINDS. While this is book 1 in the Dimension Drift series, the characters and worlds are well-established from other, connected, series. That is evident from the opening chapter. Though I’m new to this world, Bauer does a great job of balancing the plot with world building so that even a newbie like me can grasp the nuances of the setting without being bogged down by details that detract from the story. When 17-year-old Meimi awakes with no memories, she knows something is off about the story she’s been told. She may not remember who she is or anything about her past, but she’s sure the doctor standing in front of her is evil. Just as she’s sure the tall, brooding guard, Thorne, assigned to her means something to her. She just isn’t sure what. When the doctor slates millions of people for execution for being “undesirable” and demands Meimi help him accomplish his goals, she’s determined to thwart him while pretending to go along with his plan. This sets up a wicked game of deception that rivals some of the best heist movies I’ve seen.
Plot The story revolves around Memi’s plans to prevent the destruction of innocent human lives while remaining alive herself. Told in dual points of view from Memi’s and Thorne’s perspectives, we see flashes of Meimi’s life before her mind wipe through Thorne, and insights into how she thinks through hers. Despite her memory loss, she is who she is, and her spunk and intelligence shine through. Teaming up with people from Meimi’s past, they plan the ultimate act of defiance and bravery to save the world. Strong subplots include Meimi’s battle to regain who she is and Thorne’s battle to win back her feelings for him.
Characters Meimi is a strong protagonist who inherently knows right from wrong and will risk everything to do what is right. Thorne is a tortured soul with a secret – he’s an alien, and oh yeah, son of the ruler of the omniverse. These two shouldn’t work, yet they are linked in a way that is more than just mutual attraction. Meimi is witty, sarcastic, and driven. Thorne is dark and brooding. Both are well-developed and a joy to read. The evil Dr. Godwin is more of a cartoonish character, though. Evil for the sake of evil. While he makes for a good bad guy, he’s not as developed as he could have been. Supporting characters, twins Zoe and Chloe, Fritz, and the others are more complex and nicely round out the cast.
World Building This is where the story really shines. The alien world, dystopian Boston, alternate dimensions, and the technology are extraordinarily well constructed, and the writer’s ability to paint vibrant pictures with her words brings this amazing omniverse to life.
What I Enjoyed About ALIEN MINDS 1. World Building. Some of the best world building I’ve read in a long time.
2. Meimi. Her sarcastic wit is a blast to read.
3. Tech. The technology that populates this world is as engaging as the characters.
4. Sticking it to the Man. Their goal of beating Godwin at his own game is something we all can root for.
5. Thorne. His devotion to Meimi is both sweet and swoony.
Bottom Line A fun, action-packed adventure with amazing world-building and fun characters.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
—————————————————————————-
About the Book Title: ALIEN MINDS Series: Dimension Drift #1 Author: Christina Bauer Publisher: Monster House Books Release Date: April 23, 2019 Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fantasy/SciFi Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
—————————————————————————-
About the Author
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter
Synopsis Delaney Murphy has always known she’s the Devil’s daughter. And although the title itself is a burden, she never expects to inherit all her father’s infernal abilities. When her newfound magic begins to poison the people closest to her, Laney must make a choice. To protect the world from the worst she can do, she leaves everyone she loves behind and builds a new life for herself, alone, in a place where she can control the urge to give in to the magic living within her.
But when she recognizes a familiar pattern in a string of murders, Laney leaves her peaceful, isolated life behind and goes on the hunt, unleashing a threat she never dreamed possible. Confronting this menacing specter could mean giving in to temptation and becoming the one thing she fears most. Will she use her magic to do the right thing, even if it means hurting the ones she loves?
—————————————————————————-
My Review THE DEVIL’S own is a different take on the paranormal/urban fantasy genre, with the devil’s offspring as the protagonist. Delaney Murphy grew into her powers at the age of 16 and unleashed a terror so awful, she disappeared from the world for two years before returning. She has no better control of her powers now, so she lives in seclusion, something her father doesn’t approve of. Not only is he worried for her safety, but her emotional wellbeing, so he sends a couple of companions who help Delaney unravel the growing mysterious deaths of girls who seem to have some connection to her.
Plot
The plot sort of meanders a bit, but is primarily about uncovering who is murdering young women. Delaney feels responsible due to her connection to them as well as some deep-seated guilt over events in her past. The main plot is criss-crossed with a number of subplots, including the slowly unfolding details of what happened when she was 16, her relationship with her devilish father, and a detective she accidentally bonds with when he comes to warn her about the deaths. The story slows down in a few places, especially early on, but it really takes off at the end, ending on a high note.
Characters
The characters are interesting enough. Delaney’s dad is probably my favorite as the former rock star who faked his own death to ensure the safety of his loved ones. Hardly the works of an evil man. Delaney is a little hard to get to know, but that makes her intriguing as the narrator. Torren the detective, Callum and a Hell hound, and a few other minor characters round out the cast.
What I Enjoyed About THE DEVIL’S OWN 1. The Concept. It’s an interesting switch up on the genre.
2. Fast Cars. Delaney drives a wicked sportscar that she has way too much fun in. I loved the scenes where she was racing around on the twisty roads in her sexy, fast beast.
3. Callum. He’s a good guy with a tough job – protecting the devil’s daughter. No room for making mistakes and it was a job he could hardly say no to. He handles the situation with humor and heart, though.
4. Angus. As Delaney’s dad and Lucifer himself, Angus Murphy is one of the best characters in the story. I hope he gets more page-time in book 2.
5. The Mystery. Usually I’m not a fan of the whole “murdering girls” trope. It feels way too misogynistic. But with Delaney as the protagonist, I could stomach it more than normal. And the way the author divvied up the clues kept me invested.
Bottom Line A nice twist on the urban fantasy/paranormal genre.
——————————————————————
About the Book Title: The Devil’s Own Series: Murphy’s Law #1 Author: K.A. Fox Publisher: Acorn Publishing Release Date: April 20, 2019 Pages: 224 Genre: New Adult Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Kobo
——————————————————————
Author K.A. Fox
About the Author K.A. Fox is a proud military brat who has lived all over the world but now calls the Midwest home. She uses her psychological training to facilitate successful negotiations at work and to convince her husband and three sons that she’s always right. When not writing, she can usually be found hiding somewhere with a book and a bit of chocolate, or chasing after her own adorable Hell Hound.
MEDALLION OF MURDER (Nefertari Hughes Mysteries) by B.R. Myers
Synopsis Still struggling with nightmares from the past summer, Terry tries to bury her secret guilt and enjoy her family’s first Christmas in Devonshire. But when a murdered man is found with a postcard addressed to her, Terry fears the repercussions from that fateful night in Egypt are becoming a reality.
After she receives a coded message from Awad, Terry and her best friend Maude are thrown into the hunt for a lost medallion, an artifact that possesses a great power—and a gruesome destiny. As each clue leads to more disturbing truths (and bodies), Terry begins to suspect she’s the real target of the search. When Awad goes missing, she becomes certain the Illuminati are involved, and has no choice but to risk losing the thing she cherishes the most to get him back.
But Terry will soon discover the secrets of the tomb cannot be erased by distance or power, because the ghosts of her past are closing in quickly… and this time, they refuse to stay buried.
.
—————————————————————————-
My Review While I realized this was the third book in a series, its a mystery and in most cases, you can pick up any book in a mystery series and read it as a stand-alone. That is not the case with MEDALLION OF MURDER. This book builds on the events of the previous two books in the series. While it’s easy enough to follow the plot, a lot of the surprises and twists would no doubt have more impact if I’d read the other books first. With that said, I enjoyed this one enough that I will go back and read the other two books. I recommend reading them in order.
Nefertari (Terry) Hughes is the daughter of a noted archeologist who wants her to follow in his footsteps, but her recent adventures have her longing for a future in law enforcement. She’s haunted by past events and struggling with her role in them. On Christmas Eve, out with her best friend Maude, they run into a situation tied to what happened in Egypt, that launches Terry and her friends into their latest mystery. With a coded message from her friend Awad and a mystery gift, they spend their winter holidays attempting to solve another puzzle with dangerous consequences.
Plot The plot centers around the mystery, but with several subplots involving Terry’s life choices and her relationships with her friends. The events that unfold are masterfully crafted to keep the story moving at the perfect pace. The clues gave me just enough information to make me think I knew what was going on. With the history of the other two books, I may have figured things out sooner, but I love that I didn’t; it was more of a true mystery this way. There is some paranormal/urban fantasy elements, but otherwise feels more like a contemporary mystery. But those elements add interest and surprising ways for events to unfold. Lots of action and adventure, puzzles to solve, and a bit of romance round out a really nice young adult mystery.
The Characters Told in third-person, single-point-of-view, I felt at a distance from the characters. I got a better sense of who Terry was, but for the most part, the rest of them didn’t resonate deeply with me. They’re all likable enough, but this is a plot-driven story rather than character-driven so the characters aren’t crucial to me being able to enjoy the tale.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About MEDALLION OF MURDER 1. Imperfections. I loved the diversity of the cast. With Terry’s prosthesis and Jackson’s blindness, the characters’ imperfections made them easier to root for.
2. Mystery. I love a good mystery and this had all of the elements to keep me invested to the very end.
3. History. The way the author weaves in historical figures and events into the story brought a young Indiana Jones feel.
4. Action. Plenty of action and adventure kept the plot from stalling.
5. Zach. As the love interest, Zach was the perfect romantic partner for Terry, making me want to read the first two books in the series so I can see how their romance evolved.
Bottom Line A young adult whodunit with paranormal and historical elements making this not your average mystery.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
—————————————————————————-
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: MEDALLION OF MURDER Series: Nefertari Hughes Mysteries #3 Author:B.R. Myers Publisher: Blue Moon Publishers Release Date: September 18, 2018 Pages: 282 Genre: Young Adult Mystery/Paranormal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
—————————————————————————-
Author B.R. Myers
About the Author Always in the mood for a good scare, B.R. Myers spent most of her teen years behind the covers of Lois Duncan, Ray Bradbury, and Stephen King. Her YA contemporary coming of age novel, GIRL ON THE RUN, was chosen by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre as a BEST BOOK for TEENS for 2016.
When she’s not putting her characters in awkward situations, she works as a registered nurse. A member of the Writer’s Federation of Nova Scotia, she lives in Halifax with her husband and two children—and there is still a stack of books on her bedside table..
THE DEVIL’S REVOLVER (The Devil’s Revolver #1) by V. S. McGrath
Synopsis She is Hettie Alabama — unlikely, scarred, single-minded, and blood bound to a revolver forged by a demon.
The first book in an epic, magic-clad series featuring the Wild West reimagined as a crosscultural stereoscope of interdimensional magic and hardship, The Devil’s Revolver opens with a shooting competition and takes off across the landscape after a brutal double murder and kidnapping — to which revenge is the only answer. Hettie Alabama, only seventeen years old, leads her crew of underdogs with her father’s cursed revolver, magicked to take a year off her life each time she fires it. It’s no way for a ranch girl to grow up, but grow up she does, her scars and determination to rescue her vulnerable younger sister deepening with every year of life she loses.
A sweeping and high-stakes saga that gilds familiar Western adventure with powerful magic and panoramic fantasy, The Devil’s Revolver is the last word and the blackest hat in the Weird West.
.
.
—————————————————————————-
My Review I’m a huge fan of the SyFy show Wynonna Earp, so fresh off of a trip to Comic-Con this seemed like something right up my alley. I was not disappointed. This is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. Set more than a hundred years ago in the old west, it follows the story of seventeen-year-old Hettie Alabama as first tragedy befalls her family, then she begins to discover dark secrets about them and herself. With her young sister missing, Hettie is convinced she’s alive and will do anything to get her back. Anything includes imprinting on the Devil’s Revolver, known as Diablo, a gun with an endless supply of ammunition, never needs to be reloaded, and oh yeah, every time Hettie kills someone with it, she grows another year older. Surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, Hettie attempts to stay one step ahead of those who want Diablo and remain alive long enough to find her younger sister, Abby. Beyond that, she has no plan, so when everything starts to fall apart, Hettie lurches one from ill-conceived idea to the next. Filled with magic, history, and a mix of cultures, this is one of my all-time favorite reads.
Plot The plot centers around Hettie’s search for her missing sister, Abby. But there’s so much more going on. Dark family secrets, a band of ruthless gangsters hellbent on getting their hands on Diablo, Hettie’s recurrent sudden aging, the fight for survival, and more. The author does a masterful job of taking us into a can’t-win situation, only to find a way to just barely survive, then knock us back yet again. Every time I thought Hettie was finally close to getting what she wanted, V.S. McGrath would tear it away from her again.
The Characters The characters are nearly as fascinating as the plot. Each one is unique, with complex backstories, vivid characterization, and fully-developed goals and motivations. Hettie is by far the star of the story, and she’s so thoroughly developed, she could carry the story on her own. But the people who surround her bring more than just support to their roles. Even those who only show up in a handful of scenes are just as detailed and vivid as the characters who accompany Hettie throughout her journey.
Top Five Things I Loved About THE DEVIL’S REVOLVER 1. Expert plotting. One of only a handful of books I’ve read this year that I couldn’t put down.
2. Magical elements. I’m not usually one for fantasy or paranormal, but the way the author wove these aspects into the story felt natural. Although the magical elements are a big part of the story, I was still rooted in the natural world in a way a lot of fantasy doesn’t allow me to be.
3. Hettie. One of the all-time best fictional characters.
4. Diablo. The gun is nearly a character all its own and its powers drive some of the best plot points.
5. Scene setting. The author creates such vivid scenes, bringing the reader in with all five senses, I’ve no doubt this story will stick with me for a long time.
Bottom Line One of my favorite books of 2018 with amazing characters, an exhilarating plot, and unique aspects that make it unlike anything I’ve read.
—————————————————————————-
About the Book Title: THE DEVIL’S REVOLVER Series: The Devil’s Revolver #1 Author: V.S. McGrath Publisher: Brain Mill Press LLC Release Date: September 5, 2017 Pages: 323 Genre: Young Adult Historical Western Dark Fantasy/Paranormal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
—————————————————————————-
Author V. S. McGrath
About the Author Vicki So, writing as V. S. McGrath, is a published romance author (as Vicki Essex) and has six books with Harlequin Superromance: Her Son’s Hero (July 2011); Back to the Good Fortune Diner (January 2013), which was picked for the Smart Bitches Trashy Books Sizzling Book Club; In Her Corner (March 2014); A Recipe for Reunion (March 2015); Red Carpet Arrangement (January 2016); and Matinees with Miriam (November 2016). She lives in Toronto, Canada.
Fates Entwined (Halven Rising #3) by Jules Barnard
Synopsis They can never be together. The notion is laughable. Humans are inferior, a scourge on the Fae and on the magic passed down to them by angels millennia ago. And if Keen finds himself drawn to the tiny human female, he keeps it to himself. He won’t add to the half-breed problem that threatens his people’s existence.
Reese can’t stand Keen. He criticizes her clothing, won’t answer a straight question, and is too handsome for her peace of mind.
Her entire life, people have pegged Reese for a shallow, ditzy blond. She won’t accept the stereotype from the large, arrogant Fae too. But after Keen saves her life, she begins to question what truly lies beneath his stoic demeanor.
Forced together, Keen and Reese fight to survive among enemies, and Keen makes choices Reese couldn’t have predicted. She glimpses a side of him that is protective and dangerously seductive.
But Keen refuses to acknowledge their connection.
Until he’s faced with the decision to betray his people, or lose Reese forever.
*This mature YA series is intended for readers 17 years and older.
**Each Halven Rising novel features a different couple and may be read as a standalone, but an overreaching story arc connects the series, so it’s fun to read them in order.**
—————————————————————————–
My Review Fates Entwined picks up where Fates Divided left off, only this time we get Elena’s roommate, Reese’s, point of view along with Keen’s, Elena’s fae body guard. There is more angst this time around, which is my not so secret passion. The whole forbidden love thing is a favorite of mine and it works really well here. When Reese is kidnapped at a frat party and taken into the fae realm, Keen lives up to his promise to Elena to find her and bring her back. The problem is, the evil fae queen is using her as a bargaining chip. With the war of the fae worlds about to erupt, there’s more action this time around, and Reese is a little spitfire caught in the midst of it all.
Plot
The main plot is really the battle between the old and new world faes with the romance as a strong subplot rather than the main plot. However the romance drives Keen’s and Reese’s actions for much of the story. The pacing is well-done, and I never got bored. I loved the way the author teased us throughout with the whole “will they or won’t they” trope.
Characters
We get both Reese’s and Keen’s points of view, but Reese is the narrator for well more than half. She’s spunky, smart, and brave, but she also experiences growth throughout the story. It was fun watching her evolve from the opening pages through the nail-biting ending. Keen has his own character arc and his is more full than Reese’s as he’s forced to acknowledge his Halven bigotry in order to get what he wants — Reese.
World Building
Once again, Jules Barnard delivers an imaginative world in vivid detail. Everything from the landscape and castle to the clothing is richly detailed. The rules of the fae world are as intricate as many of Reese’s formal gowns.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Fates Entwined
1. Reese. She’s so awesome. I love her attitude, her strength and courage. Really everything about her! She was my favorite character in Fates Divided, so I was thrilled to read her point of view.
2. Keen. Still love him just as much as I did in the first book, and maybe more now that I’ve been inside his head.
3. Fae politics. Come on, what’s not to love about that?
4. The action. I loved all the battles in this installment.
5. The angst. The best kind of romance.
Bottom Line
My favorite book in the series so far. I can’t wait to read the next one!
Disclaimer I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
—————————————————————————–
About the Book
Title: Fates Entwined Series: Halvan Rising #3 Author: Jules Barnard Release Date: November 14, 2016 Pages: 270 Genre: New Adult Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
Author Jules Barnard
About the Author
Before turning to storytelling, Jules earned a master’s degree in public health and spent many an hour running statistical analysis–until she realized her favorite part of the job was writing reports.
She decided to cut out the math and add in some hot guys, and so began her career as a novelist.
Jules is a Northern California native living on the coast with her husband and two children. She has no impulse control around cupcakes and credits herself with the ability to read while running on the treadmill or burning dinner. .
Synopsis Elena Rosales has busted her ass to get into a good college. She’s the only one in her family ever to attend, and expectations are high. No pressure. But Elena’s got this one in the bag, because she’s as dependable as the molecules she studies, as reliable as the chemical reactions that comfort her in their predictability. Until they don’t.
Elena has always wondered why her mother abandoned her on her first birthday. It’s not until she turns eighteen and her chemistry experiments go berserk that she learns the truth: Her mother wasn’t human, and the Fae are willing to harm those Elena loves if she doesn’t use her power over the elements to cure them of a deadly disease.
Derek, Elena’s brooding neighbor, isn’t the friendliest guy, but he has access to an off-hours lab and is willing to help Elena create the antivirus. He has his own secrets to keep, and this business Elena is mixed up in could blow his cover. But when Elena and Derek get together, more than chemicals spark fire-and they soon discover just how complicated attraction can get when they find themselves on the other side of the portal, fighting for survival. Lives collide, and allegiance and love are tested, in Fates Divided.
——————————————————–
My Review I loved the Blue series by Jules Barnard, so I was excited to dig into her latest urban fantasy series, Halvan Rising. I’m happy to say it met my expectations! It has all the new adult romance I’ve come to expect from Barnard as well as a healthy dose of danger, adventure, and a brilliantly-created fantasy world situated within a modern-day college campus.
As Elena learns to navigate her new normal, Derek keeps an eye on her, both out of a sense of responsibility as well as attraction, and these two are a combustible combination! Elena and Derek each learn about their own pasts, families, and their newly acquired Fae powers, all while trying to stop a deadly virus poised to wipe out the entire Fae population. But not everyone wants them to succeed, and soon they’re fighting for their own lives as well as the Faes’.
Plot
The plot revolves around finding a cure for the virus, but there is plenty of subplotting, including who’s behind the virus, Elena’s missing roommate, Resse, a reluctant attraction between Reese and Elena’s Fae bodyguard, Keen, and of course the romance between Derek and Elena. About the only thing I felt lacking was the romance between Derek and Elena. I thought it developed too quickly and took a backseat to the main plot. But that is really my only complaint.
Characters
Told from alternating points of view, Derek and Elena are both well-rounded with decent character arcs. The secondary characters, including Keen and Reese are as fascinating as they are likeable.
World Building
The realm within modern life world-building is really well done. The descriptions are rich and they transported me to another place with vivid detail. The rules surrounding the status and discrimination of Fae versus the half-blooded Halven was believable and drove some of the best conflict in the book. I can’t wait to see how that resolves over the series.
The Ending
The main story was wrapped up well, but left open enough for the series to continue. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Top Five Things I Love About Fates Divided
1. The world building. Rich, vivid details brought the story to life in an exciting way.
2. Reese. Elena’s roommate is a hilarious spitfire, and I loved watching her get under Keen’s skin.
3. Keen. The big Fae bodyguard with a superiority complex is a riot. I really hope we get some scenes from his point of view in the future.
4. Magic. Because, come on, who doesn’t love magic?
5. Derek and Elena. They’re good together!
Bottom Line
I don’t read much fantasy, but if Jules Barnard is writing it, I’ll take more, please!
Disclaimer I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
——————————————————–
About the Book
Title: Fates Divided Series: Halvan Rising #1 Author: Jules Barnard Release Date: August 31, 2015 Pages: 430 Genre: New Adult Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
Author Jules Barnard
About the Author
Before turning to storytelling, Jules earned a master’s degree in public health and spent many an hour running statistical analysis–until she realized her favorite part of the job was writing reports.
She decided to cut out the math and add in some hot guys, and so began her career as a novelist.
Jules is a Northern California native living on the coast with her husband and two children. She has no impulse control around cupcakes and credits herself with the ability to read while running on the treadmill or burning dinner.
Synopsis Meena has a secret guarded closely by her family—a secret as dangerous as the sea and buried just as deep. When court-appointed community-service workers are assigned to Flukes, the family-owned animal sanctuary, everyone is on high alert.
It doesn’t help that Meena finds herself attracted to sexy-as-sin Blake Weathering, one of the new workers. If he wasn’t so distracting, she might be able to land Flukes a much-needed cruise-line contract.
Blake Weathering, the first in his family to attend public school, has developed a tough image. Unfortunately, it lands him in trouble. Now banned from his high school graduation ceremony, getting his diploma is dependent upon a community-service gig cleaning up fish crap.
No diploma, no trust fund fortune—and no way to escape his overbearing father. The last thing he needs is the distraction of a mysterious girl with teal eyes who pulls at his heartstrings.
When Blake discovers Meena’s secret, they are both thrown into a desperate search for information about her past. Two worlds pull them in opposite directions, and they will have to fight to hold on to all that really matters.
*** This novel is not intended for young readers. ***
——————————————————–
My Review This is a fun, new adult paranormal/fantasy romance with plenty of heat and several good plot twists. Set in the Caribbean, it feels equal parts Splash the movie and the Australian teen mermaid adventure, H2O. Meena is a mermaid, adopted by two humans after her mother is killed by a fisherman’s net. Her parents own and operate a marine animal sanctuary that’s barely in the black. To help maintain the facility, they use the services of ne’re do wells fulfilling their court-ordered community service.
One of those just happens to be Blake Weathering, son of one of the wealthiest inhabitants of the island. Blake has his own secrets, like why he’s stuck doing community service the summer after his senior year instead of escaping the island and the stifling life under his father’s thumb.
Sparks fly when Meena and Blake meet, but the two bicker more than anything else. At least in the beginning. That bickering turns to playful banter, before turning into full-on flirting. But secrets, a pair of mysterious strangers, an angry guy named Devin with a chip in his shoulder, and Blake’s impending departure from the island Meena feels she can never leave, keep Meena and Blake at arm’s length.
Plot
Primarily an older teen romance, there is a fair amount of angst, which is what I love most about this genre. Add a couple of mysteries, hidden secrets, and the plot unfolds with a lot of obstacles that make it an engaging read.
Characters
Meena and Blake are interesting and well-developed. I didn’t get that same sense with Meena’s parents, although Blake’s dad has some interesting layers. There is some subtle character development, but this is definitely a plot-driven story.
Writing While written about older teens, it’s definitely more new adult than young adult. The characters are older teens, out of high school and there are some scenes that are inappropriate for younger readers. That said, the author does a good job of creating the kind of tension and angsty drama that makes a teen romance work.
Ending I liked the ending. It wasn’t necessarily thought-provoking or overly emotional, but it works for this story.
Top Five Things I enjoyed about Flukes: 1. Dolphins. I love Meena’s relationship with Mitch, Jallia and the gang.
2. Blake. He comes off as just another cocky, arrogant good-looking douche, but he’s got a heart of gold and the way he protects his brother makes him a hero in my book.
3. Meena. She wears her snarkiness like a protective armor and that makes her a more interesting character.
4. Mermaids. Nichole Chase’s mermaids are so different from anything else I’ve read or seen with these mythological characters and it’s a fun twist on fantasy.
5. The Caribbean. Beautiful, relaxing, exotic. It sounds like a fabulous place to visit, if only in my mind.
Bottom Line Flukes is a new twist on the mermaid genre with fresh characters and an intriguing plot.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
——————————————————–
About the Book Title: Flukes Series: Flukes #1 Author: Nichole Chase Release Date: October 7, 2012 Pages: 162 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
——————————————————–
Author Nicole Chase
About the Author Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories.
She is also the instructor of Say What? a dialogue class at the Romance Academy.
Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats.
When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.
Forever Found (Neverland Lost #2) by Nazarea Andrews
Synopsis Losing Gwen was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to survive. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love her.
But finding her was never about that. And now that I have found her–now that she knows the truth about me and the Island, I have to trust her to believe. Because her leaving me didn’t just destroy me–its killing Neverland.
I need her to love me. But we all need her to believe again.
Peter Pan has grown up and found the girl who left–but the stakes are higher than ever in this romantic conclusion to the story begun in Girl Lost.
——————————————————–
My Review I didn’t read Girl Lost, so I didn’t know what to expect other than it’s a modern retelling of Peter Pan and that was good enough for me. Told from Peter’s point of view, it definitely picks up where Girl Lost left off, but Nazarea Andrews does an excellent job of providing just enough backstory at just the right moment to make sure I didn’t get lost.
This grown up character is tough and broken. He’s trying to save Tinkerbelle (aka Tiny) who is threatened along with Pan’s island because Gwendy no longer believes. He needs Gwendy to believe again to save both, but she thinks her time on the island was all a figment of her messed up mind.
Plot The plot is pretty straightforward. Peter needs to save Belle and the island, but he needs to convince Gwen to believe again. The fact that he’s lost her and doesn’t know how to live without her is the subplot that drives a fair amount of angst in the short 43 pages. It’s a darker tale than the Disney version, but has far more depth and raw emotion.
World Building
There was probably extensive world building done in Girl Lost that spills over into Forever Found. This is the one area where I felt like I had to play catch up and never quite got there. But assuming the world building was done in Girl Lost, I’d say the extension is into the sequel is complete. There are definitely rules and a world order that come into play that I’ll have to learn about when I read Book 1.
Characters
Peter is complex, damaged and sympathetic. I had less of a feel for Gwen, but I think that’s because Girl Lost is told from her point of view and therefore it’s assumed the reader understands her. The rest of the characters weren’t particularly deep in this novella, but again, this is Peter’s story and he’s really well done.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Girl Lost
1. Peter’s loyalty to Belle/Tiny. That kind of friendship is rare and beautiful.
2. Peter’s love of Gwen. The fact that he’d do anything for her is sweet and tells us a lot about his character.
3. The conflict. There’s a lot of it. Peter seems to be at odds with everyone, but it keeps the story moving at a clipped pace.
4. The ending. Won’t spoil it, but I didn’t see this bittersweet twist coming at all.
5. Gwen. She’s a free spirit, damage and all. I can’t wait to get to know her in Girl Lost.
Bottom Line
I was never a fan of the story of Peter Pan until now. The author drew me in and made me care.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
——————————————————–
About the Book Title: Forever Found Series: Neverland Lost #2 Author: Nazarea Andrews Pages: Release Date: December 30, 2014 Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
——————————————————–
About the Author Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids.
She is the author of the University of Branton series, Neverland Found series and Edge of the Falls.
She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.
Dark forces, magical creatures, and the world Lil thought she knew collide when a dream transports her to the strange world of Orenda. Stunned and terrified, Lil comes face to face with her doppelganger, Willow, who possesses the ability to travel between the two worlds.
Everything Lil knows logically says that Orenda can’t exist, but a small clue may be proof that it was more than an ordinary dream. With the threat of her sister in danger, Lil crosses dimensions but it may cost her even more than she bargained for.
A sword wielding girl, the eternal suit, and a parallel universe come together in this action- packed Young Adult fantasy adventure that will keep readers of all ages turning the pages. Orenda is the first novel in the Orenda series.
——————————————————–
My Review Lil discovers an alternate world similar to her own, including Willow, Lil’s very own doppelganger. In Orenda, Willow has a younger brother, Jamie, the same age as Lil’s younger sister, Jamey. But that’s not where the weirdness ends. When Lil accidentally ends up in Orenda, and her best friend, Bray, comes looking for her, her life becomes a nightmare. She’s forced to rescue Willow and Bray from an evil sorceress who brought about the Scourge to Orenda and plans on doing the same in Lil’s world.
She meets Willow’s boyfriend, Rawlie and his good looking cousin, Hudson, who may or may not have a thing for Lil. They go to the Fae for help, and everything culminates in a pretty intense climax, with the door wide open for a sequel and a return visit to Orenda.
Plot The story opens with a bang, but then takes its time getting back there. The plot moves, but also sort of meanders in that movement. All Lil initially wants is to go home, but she can’t do that without Willow’s help, nor can she leave her best friend, Bray, behind. There were several really good plot twists I never saw coming.
The book is pretty short, particularly for the fantasy genre. Many events are told to us rather than being shown. I think this could have been a really engaging read, where I was completely immersed in the world of Orenda, with a little deeper point of view and drawing out some of the pivotal moments a little more. But the story is definitely interesting and I will definitely read Elfinland, book 2 in the series, when it comes out.
World Building
The world building is good. Orenda is fascinating place, and I would have loved for the author to have spent more time drawing me into it, showing me more of this world. Most fantasy is really heavy on world building, and I felt Orenda could have used a bit more. It’s an intriguing place, but I feel like we’ve only really scratched the surface instead of being immersed in it.
Characters
Because Ruth Silver uses third-person point of view, it’s difficult to get very deep into any one character and the random head-hopping can be distracting. But the characters are interesting and not stereotypical. It would have been nice to get a little deeper inside their heads, though.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Orenda
1. The Lil/Willow dynamic. These two doppelgangers are not the same and their love/hate relationship with each other is snappy.
2. The Lil/Jamey and Willow/Jamie relationships. I love the sibling love between these kids.
3. Hudson. He’s probably the most interesting character in the story. I can’t wait to see more of him in the next book.
4. Orenda. Although I feel like I need to know more about it, the pink skies alone have me itching to go back.
5. The infinity suit. Because who doesn’t want clothes that can save your life?
Bottom Line Orenda is a decent first book in a fantasy series that lacks some depth, but is a fun, fast read.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
——————————————————–
About the Book
Title: Orenda Series: Orenda #1 Author: Ruth Silver Publisher: Patchwork Press Pages: 143 Release Date: April 13, 2014 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
——————————————————–
Author Ruth Silver
About the Author
Ruth Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She has written under three unique pseudo names and penned well over a hundred stories.
She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, “Deuces are Wild”, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories.
Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She runs her own book blog and also enjoys photography and traveling.
Her favorite YA genre is a mix of Dystopian & Fantasy which is evident in the upcoming release of her latest book, Aberrant. Slated for release April 2013 by Lazy Day Publishing, it is the first in a trilogy.
As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.
And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.
In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.
——————————————————–
My Review I want to give this book more than five stars. Because I gave Apollyon five stars and this is even better. Because this is how you end a young adult series. Not a happily ever after, but it’s satisfying and leaves us with hope instead of despair. Because it didn’t ruin the entire series for me for a change.
This final book in the series is almost non-stop action, but not to the point that it becomes exhausting. The author slows it down enough to allow us to catch our breath before ramping it back up again. I’m not someone who is easily moved to tears. Just ask my husband. He cries during movies before I do. But a few really moving, bittersweet, and heartwarming moments managed to wet my Sahara-dry eyes.
Plot Sentinel is almost entire plot-driven, although there are still a few moments of character development that are like the most delicious cherry on top of the perfect sundae. With everything in the previous books leading to war, war has finally come and Alex and her friends must fight for everything they know, love, and believe in.
And because it’s war, people get hurt and people die, but there are no senseless deaths. Each death serves a purpose, to move the plot, to further the story. And as painful as it is to lose characters we love, when well-done, they make the story richer.
World Building
If possible, the world building is even more complete this time around. It was already incredibly well developed, but the more the world unfolds, the more there seems to be to still learn. Like the TARDIS, it’s bigger on the inside.
Characters
The characters in Sentinel are still fascinating, still fully developed, but they had room to grow, and that’s exactly what they do. Seth is the boy I always knew he would be and that was beautiful to see. Watching Alex accept her fate with grace and dignity was worth the wait. And Aiden…what can I say, he is the ultimate book boyfriend to the very end.
Top Five Things I Love About Sentinel
1. The action. There’s a lot of it and it’s all really well done.
2. Alex and Aiden. Still the cutest young adult couple in all of Greek mythology.
3. Seth. Seth is back and better than ever.
4. Apollo and Alex. There is a really bittersweet scene between the two of them that just really works.
5. The end. A completely satisfying conclusion to a fun series.
Bottom Line
The perfect example of how to wrap up a young adult series in a satisfying way.
——————————————————–
Title: Sentinel Series: Covenant Series #5 Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Publisher: Spencer Hill Press Pages: 316 Category: Young Adult Paranormal Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Synopsis “Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing ‘I smite thee!’ as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life.”
For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals–pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she’d been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she’s pretty much accepted that she’s a freak by mortal standards… and that she’ll never be prepared for that duty.
According to her mother, that’s a good thing.
But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return-the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she’s being hunted by the very creatures she’d once trained to kill.
The daimons have found her.
——————————————————–
My Review This prequel to the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, introduces us to headstrong Alex, swoony Aiden, Alex’s mom, and the world of Greek Mythology that these characters inhabit. In flashbacks, we see a young Alex stand up to her elders and her mom abandoning their world to protect her daughter. As a half blood (half demigod, half human) Alex is stronger than mere mortals, and that strength and her strong will, keep getting her into trouble in the mortal world.
They live a life on the run, never staying in one place too long. Until the daimons, evil creatures driven to drink the blood of demigods, find them, then all bets are off.
This short prequel does a really good job of establishing the world and Alex’s character, but it fell short of really engaging me. If I wasn’t already a devoted JLA fan, I’m not sure I would have bothered reading the first book in the series. It isn’t necessary to read this prequel to enjoy the series, but after you’ve read the first book, it might be good to go back and read the prequel to help understand how things got to be the way they are. In fact, I think if you read in that order, Book 1, Prequel, Book 2, then Daimon is actually a pretty good story.
Plot The plot is somewhat lacking since the purpose of the prequel is to set up the series, which is why this isn’t necessarily a compelling read. Even so, there were some surprises that set everything in motion for book 1, Half-Blood.
World Building
This is where Daimon really shines. Introducing us to modern-day Greek Gods, their hidden world, and the mortal world they sometimes interact with, sets the stage for the series really well.
Characters
We mostly get a look at Alex and her character, as well as the evil of the daimons. It’s obvious from the first chapter that Alex is complex, unconventional, and completely unpredictable. We also get to see how much Alex’s mom loves her and what she was willing to sacrifice for her daughter.
Bottom Line
As a prequel, it’s not really necessary and not all that compelling. But if you read Half-Blood first, it fills in some blanks.
——————————————————–
Title: Daimon Series: Covenant Series #0.5 Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Publisher: Spencer Hill Press Pages: 62 Category: Young Adult Paranormal Romance Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Letters to Nowhere (Letters to Nowhere #1) by Julie Cross
Synopsis From the International Bestselling Author of the Tempest Series…
Set in the tough world of Elite Gymnastics…
I’ve gotten used to the dead parents face. I’ve gotten used to living with my gymnastics coach. I’ve even adjusted to sharing a bathroom with his way-too-hot son. Dealing with boys is not something that’s made it onto my list of experiences as of yet. But here I am, doing it. And something about Jordan–being around him, talking to him, thinking about him–makes me feel like I can finally breathe again. That’s something I haven’t been able to do lately. He knows what it feels like to be me right now. He knows what it’s like to wonder–what now?
I think about it constantly. I need answers. I need to know how to get through this. In the gym, if you’re struggling, you train harder, you do drills and conditioning. How do I work hard at moving on? At being on my own? And what happens if I might be…maybe…probably falling for Jordan? I mean we live together now. That can’t happen, can it?
But kissing him…well, let’s just say it’s not an easy activity to forget.
My Review I discovered Julie Cross when I reviewed Whatever Life Throws At You. I was so taken by her voice, by the story, by the characters, that I rushed out and picked up Letters to Nowhere. Sometimes it’s a gamble to go back and read an older book by an author I love. This isn’t one of those cases. I loved everything about Letters to Nowhere. Seventeen-year-old Karen Campbell is a spitfire at under five feet and a gymnastic dynamo. When her parents are killed in a car accident, she’s left an orphan, struggling to understand how she’s supposed to go on. Forced to choose between a promising gymnastics career and family, her coach steps in and offers to be her guardian in place of her grandmother, allowing her to continue her training. Gymnastics is the only thing Karen understands and takes him up on the offer.
Things get interesting when she meets her coach’s seventeen-year-old son, Jordan. He gets her in a way no one ever has and soon she discovers why. With shared pain, they bond on a deeper level than either of them has ever known. When friendship becomes something more, things get complicated considering they live in the same house. And oh yeah, his dad is her coach. Karen struggles with how to cope with unimaginable loss, plans for her future, and how to help Jordan cope with his own pain.
Plot
The plot is complex, layered, and deep. The main plot is likely the relationship between Karen and Jordan, but there are strong subplots, including Karen’s gymnastics career, her ability to cope with the loss of her parents, the mystery surrounding their accident, the secret Jordan’s best friend Tony is hiding, and Jordan’s relationship with is father. Julie Cross manages to weave all of these together seamlessly so its impossible to differentiate the plot points as the create a beautiful tapestry of emotion. Letters to Nowhere is definitely a page turner with increasing tension and heartfelt moments that are worth the wait.
World Building
As a former gymnast, Julie Cross creates an authentic and detailed world of international gymnastics. I don’t know enough (anything) about this world, but she so fully immersed me in the language of juniors, worlds, elites, olympics that I feel like I understood Karen’s drive, her fears, doubts, and goals, as well as the drama and politics that are a part of any elite sport.
Characters
All the characters are strong. Karen is deep, troubled, sympathetic and exceedingly believable. Watching her process grief and anger over her parents’ deaths was intense. I love that Julie Cross doesn’t give her an easy transition. I never got the sense that the tragedy, her parents’ deaths, was just a plot vehicle for the romance. It’s more like the romance is there to help drive the grief plot. Everything Karen does is laced with thoughts of her parents. I love that she writes letters, sometimes only in her head, that she never intends to send. These letters help her process her thoughts and emotions. She writes letters to Jordan, to her parents, and to her coach, giving us glimpses inside her head and allowing us connect with her on a very deep level.
Jordan is equally fascinating, yet we only see him through Karen’s eyes. He’s sweet, loyal, a total daredevil, and he’s deeply wounded himself. I love that Karen recognizes his pain for what it is and tries to help him through it.
The rest of the cast from Coach Bentley to the other gymnasts, and even Jordan’s best friend Tony, are well-rounded and support deeper plotting and characterization with their presence.
Bottom Line Letters to Nowhere is an intensely beautiful young adult story that is as uplifting as it is tragic. Karen deals with loss, triumph, and first love, with equal parts grit and humor.
About the Book
Title: Letters to Nowhere Series: Letters to Nowhere #1 Author: Julie Cross Publisher: Long Walk Press Release Date: August 1, 2013 Pages: 356 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes
——————————————————–
Author Julie Cross
About the Author Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast and longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA.
She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credentials, Julie is a committed—but not talented—long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar-weather survivor, and expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym-shoe addict.
Iron Pendulum (The Periodic Series #2) by Megan Curd
Synopsis A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.
But a month can change everything.
After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn’t even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she’s uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.
Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.
And they’re blaming Avery.
A month can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.
My Review Although I keep hearing dystopia is dead, I’m very that Megan Curd doesn’t agree. Iron Pendulum is the second book in her Periodic Series. I haven’t read the first one yet and was concerned that would be an issue, but it wasn’t. The author does a fabulous job of providing just as much of the backstory as necessary to keep up with what happens in Iron Pendulum. And a lot happens. The book is full of action with a lot of unexpected twists.
There are a few relationships that would probably be more meaningful if I’d read Book 1 first, but it didn’t prevent me from enjoying this fast-paced young adult novel that is part fantasy, part steampunk, and a whole lot of pulse-pounding adventure.
Avery Pike is an elementalist, someone who can control the elements. Her specialty is creating steam which is used to provide oxygen to the inhabitants of Dome Four. Even though she generates enough steam in a matter of minutes to power the dome for a month, it disappears almost overnight. Add to that a deathly illness plaguing the Traditionals (non Elites), creepy zombie-like guards, and the erection of the iron pendulum that’s supposed to keep everyone safe, and things aren’t adding up. Avery and her friends try to find out what’s going on, save the lives of the Traditionals, and bring about a revolution. Like I said, action packed.
Plot
The plot is gripping and only slowed long enough to let me catch your breath, but just barely. There were a couple of areas that I thought didn’t seem plausible, but this is a fantasy, so I chose to ignore those and just enjoy the ride. Iron Pendulum is pure entertainment. It’s on the longish side at 335 pages, but it never drags. The author has created a fascinating world that is both dark and hopeful. And because of that, anything is possible, which means nothing is predictable.
Characters The story is full of deep, complex, colorful, and nuanced characters that are easy to root for, to love, and even to loathe. Everyone from Jaxon, the sexy dreadlocked love interest and fellow rebel, to smart-mouthed, Christian house mother, Dana. I would love to get a peek a Vincent’s character bio. He’s the son of the Dome’s Governor Lindroth and is neither completely good nor bad, but is perfectly flawed to the point that he is believably human and infinitely fascinating.
I had a hard time getting a sense of who Avery is, though. This might be where reading Book 1 first would have paid off. If I had, perhaps I would have had a better sense of who she is. Because she’s the narrator, I can’t tell if she’s deliberately holding herself back, or if the author spent so much time creating such an amazing cast of supporting characters that she forgot about Avery. Regardless, it works really well because it’s easy to step into her shoes and experience the novel as Avery.
Bottom Line A unique story in the young adult dystopian genre with its elements of fantasy and a fun steampunk vibe. The characters are fresh and a setting so brilliantly crafted, it’s almost a character itself. Now I’m off to read Steel Lily, the first book in the series available now for just $0.99.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Iron Pendulum Series: The Periodic Series #2 Author: Megan Curd Release Date: August 28, 2014 Pages: 355 Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Steampunk Fantasy Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Author Megan Curd
About the Author Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college.
When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Photography, traveling and snowboarding are hobbies she loves, and she doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself.
Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans.
Synopsis She has a destiny so great that even the gods fear her.
Constant hallucinations and the frequent conversations with the voices in her head, have earned eighteen-year-old Chloe Clever the not-so-coveted title of “Whack Job” in her home town of Adel, Georgia. Fed up with prescription meds and therapists, she wishes for a life where she is destined to be more than the butt of everyone’s jokes and mockery.
Be careful what you wish for has never rung more true.
After a vicious attack and learning that her favorite rockstar is an Olympian god, she is thrust into her new life as the Oracle of Delphi, the prophesier of the future. Setting out to fulfill the prophecy she has been given, Chloe learns of how great she is to become, all the while fighting mythical monsters and trying to outwit the ever-cunning Greek gods who harbor secrets of their own. While on a mission to discover the Most Beautiful, she strives to uncover the mysteries of the demigod Prince who has sworn to protect her with his life…and threatens to win her heart in the process.
My Review I love Greek mythology so I jumped at the chance to read this young adult book by Diantha Jones. It started off slower than I would have liked, but once it got moving, it took off. Initially, I wasn’t sure what to make of Chloe Clever. Her use of the word “retard” repeatedly early on, turned me off to her immediately. For one, that word is loathsome, for another, her fear of being lumped in with kids in special education classes showed her ignorance. But her character growth was more profound as a result. She becomes someone completely different after learning her destiny. I had to let go of the girl who held such disdain for children with learning difficulties, which is easier said than done. But she is a teen, so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
The two aspects in this book that worked the best for me were the action and the romance. The sexual tension between Chloe and Strafford was palpable, and the action scenes were dramatic, intense, and never rushed. What didn’t work as well were the long winding descriptions, and the sheer number of characters introduced, making it nearly impossible for me to keep them all straight.
Plot
Overall, the plot worked well. It was an interesting take on the gods and mythology and it moved along for the most part, although there were a few places where I found it dragging. The author does a good job of doling out just the information we need when we need it, so that we understand what’s happening without burning her hook. Despite a good flow, there are places where it gets very busy and it becomes difficult to follow the plot.
The main plot is really well done — discovering what the Prophecy of the Most Beautiful means. The romantic subplot also works really well, teasing us, making us wait, and then delivering a strong, emotional reward, like a carefully wrapped gift. I also particularly enjoyed the creative license Diantha Jones took with Greek mythology to fit her story. It was fun to see the worlds blending, bending, and diverging from what’s real, what’s myth, and what is pure author imagination.
Characters As I said above, Chloe is initially unsympathetic. She was surly, rude, selfish, and damn hard to like. But it was more satisfying to watch her grow because of that s she began to put the needs of others above her own. Strafford Law was divinely delicious as the hot demigod love interest and his younger brother, Ace, is perfect in his role as cohort and foil. The dialogue is mostly well done, but there are far too many pages without any. I tend to like dialogue-heavy stories.
Some of the characters felt flat to me, which made it difficult for me to form an opinion about them. There are a lot of characters so it’s hard to really delve into so many. Maybe it would have read better with fewer, but more fully-developed characters.
Bottom Line I enjoyed Prophecy of the Most Beautiful and recommend it to anyone who likes a well-researched modern Greek mythology story lots of romance and action.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Prophecy of the Most Beautiful (Oracle of Delphi #1) Author: Diantha Jones Pages: 331 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Release Date: February 28, 2012 Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
About the Author Diantha Jones was born the day thousands of turkeys sacrificed their lives to fill millions of American bellies on November 22 which also happened to be Thanksgiving Day (Her mother says she owes her a turkey). She is a Journalism graduate who wants to be a career novelist (of books, not Facebook posts). When not writing or working, she is reading on her Nook, being hypnotized by Netflix or on a mission to procure french fries.
The Oracle of Delphi fantasy series is her first series. She is also the author of Mythos: Stories from Olympus, a companion series, and there is another fantasy series in the works. She also writes (new) adult fantasy/paranormal romance under the name A. Star.
