manda-rae reads a lot

Bennett Witch Chronicles Release Day

2017-10-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA/NA Vampire

Description (taken from provided materials):

With her magic restored, her best friends living happily ever after together as humans, and the love of her life waiting patiently for her on the other side, Bonnie Bennett is not going to just sit around and let her life pass her by. She’s off to see the world! Join Bonnie as she journeys around the globe, encountering supernaturals in the most unexpected of places.

SIXTEEN STANDALONE BOOKS.

SIXTEEN BONNIE BENNETT STORIES.

ONE SERIES YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS.

This series definitely caught my eyes considering I'm still not over the Vampire Diaries ending... I'm currently reading one of the stories in this series, and I'm really enjoying it. Definitely check it out!

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

2017-02-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: Adult Detective

Stephenie Meyer's website

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Description (taken from Stephenie Meyer's website):

She used to work for the U.S. government, but very few people ever knew that. An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn’t even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning.

Now she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long. They’ve killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat. They want her dead, and soon.

When her former handler offers her a way out, she realizes it’s her only chance to erase the giant target on her back. But it means taking one last job for her ex-employers. To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous.

Resolving to meet the threat head-on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life but finds herself falling for a man who can only complicate her likelihood of survival. As she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.

I feel like I need to admit that I was a Twilight fan. Nevermind the fact that there may have been flaws. In my teenage mind, those books were golden. So of course when I found out there was another Stephenie Meyer book out there, I had to pick it up and see if I still held onto some pieces of my teenage mind.

Alex is on the run from a super-secret agency that helped get rid of terrorists and other threats. She was a specialist who helped break people in interrogations using chemical warfare instead of physical warfare. But the agency that employed her decided to permanently cut her loose and messed up. So she's spent years on the run trying to figure out what happened. Then a peace offering comes up: one more interrogation in exchange for her life. But when she meets the man to interrogate, not everything adds up correctly. Sometimes, things sound too good to be real.

Let me just point out one glaring flaw in this whole novel. I'm warning you now that I'm giving a spoiler. Change the page if you don't want this... Who on earth decides to fall in love with their torturer? It's worse than Stockholm syndrome... Now that I've got that off my chest, this book was easy to fall into. Sure, it was a really big book, but it flowed well. And the characters caught my attention. Minus the initial flaw, I was sold. But it did kind of feel like a cheap romance novel thrown into an intense detective situation. But I guess, who cares?

Meh... Some people are going to love it. And some people are going to hate it. Onto the next one.

A Million Worlds with You by Claudia Gray

2017-02-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: YA Sci-Fi Romance

Firebird Series, Book 3

Claudia Gray's website

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Note: This is the third book in a series. You have officially been warned.

Description (taken from Claudia Gray's website):

A million universes. A million dangers. One destiny.

The fate of the multiverse rests in Marguerite Caine’s hands. Marguerite has been at the center of a cross-dimensional feud since she first traveled to another universe using her parents’ invention, the Firebird. Only now has she learned the true plans of the evil Triad Corporation—and that those plans could spell doom for dozens or hundreds of universes, each facing total annihilation.

Paul Markov has always been at Marguerite’s side, but Triad’s last attack has left him a changed man—angry and shadowed by tragedy. He struggles to overcome the damage done to him, but despite Marguerite’s efforts to help, Paul may never be the same again.

So it’s up to Marguerite alone to stop the destruction of the multiverse. Billions of lives are at stake. The risks have never been higher. And Triad has unleashed its ultimate weapon: another dimension’s Marguerite—wicked, psychologically twisted, and always one step ahead.

In the epic conclusion to Claudia Gray’s Firebird trilogy, fate and family will be questioned, loves will be won and lost, and the multiverse will be forever changed. It’s a battle of the Marguerites . . . and only one can win.

I love the whole concept of having alternate realities with the same people but different circumstances. And it's how we react to these circumstances that ultimately shape who we are. Just as the main Marguerite in this book is good, there's also an evil Marguerite that is willing to destroy the multiverse. It kind of points out that there is good and bad in each of us.

Anyways, Marguerite is ready to stop the Triad's plan of destroying universes in order to save somone dear to their hearts. But what she doesn't realize is that their biggest weapon also happens to be an alternate copy of herself. So how does she fight herself or make her see reason? And manage to keep Paul by her side? The man that once made her believe in true love and destiny only to watch it all crumple up in her face in one of the different realities. Can she stop herself and this other world from annihilating all of the other worlds?

The concept is cool. And the whole premise of trying to determine true love across universes is awesome. Or well complicated... But this has turned out to be one of my favorite series. Seeing all of the different worlds and experiencing old ones. It's as if you could see your life from a different outcome. A series well-loved and worth it in my opinion.

If you're into the whole multi-universe thing, give this one a try. If it peaks your interest, then pick it up...

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

2017-02-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: YA Dystopian

The Maze Runner Series, Book 2

James Dashner's website

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Note: This is the second book in a series. You've been warned...

Description (taken from James Dashner's website):

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

This one was definitely not exactly like the movie, unlike the first book. I was kind of excited to see that movie led me down an entirely different direction than the book was starting out. The Gladers have gotten out of the Maze and found shelter. But in reality, they haven't. Instead, they will undergo another test where you either pass or you die. All bets are off in this high risk dystopian world. But WICKED is trying to save the world by putting these boys through hell.

Honestly, I was happy to start this story with a new setting to see what happened. And while the story did evolve more, it still felt exactly like the first book. We're in a maze completing a mission. Only it's a desert town instead of a maze. And there are psychos on the loose. I guess I have mixed feelings about this. Yes, the story was easy to follow. But no, I don't really like Thomas. I just don't. But I'm still going to finish the series.

Maybe with the next book, I'll be able to say I read it before the movie came out. Although I'm worried it's going to follow closer to the movie since the second book obviously didn't. Meh, it's a dystopian series...

Witch's Pyre by Josephine Angelini

2017-01-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Worldwalker Series, Book 3

Josephine Angelini's website

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Note: This is the third and final book in a series. You've been warned.

Description (taken from Josephine Angelini's website):

Two versions of the same world. Two versions of the same girl.
Lily Proctor has come a long way from the weak, sickly girl she used to be. She has gained power as a witch and a leader, found her way home, chosen to face battle again, and (after losing her first love and being betrayed by her new love) she has learned more about loss and grief than she ever wanted to know.
Thrust once again into a society different from anything they have ever seen, Lily and her coven are determined to find answers―to find a new path to victory, a way to defeat the monstrous Woven without resorting to nuclear weapons or becoming a tyrannical mass murderer like her alternate self, Lillian. But sometimes winning requires sacrifices . . . and when the only clear path to victory lies at Lillian's side, what price will Lily be willing to pay?

A series I fell in love with but over the years couldn't remember well enough. This third book picks up right where the second one left off. And if you can't remember exactly what happened in the last book, then you're kind of lost for the first half of the book.

Lily has left Rowan in his own miserable exile. And now she's teeming up with the evil Lilian to help get rid of the Woven. Wait a second, I can't exactly remember what happened in the last book. Woven definitely rings a bell, but I'm super lost with where they belong in the plot. Oh right, I'll catch up once I'm halfway in this story. But wait, this whole plotline of being angry at the new love and losing the old love, wow I forgot a lot. And it just didn't make sense to me. But for some reason, I was still hooked in the story... Must have been the good writing.

Yeah, this is a fun fantasy series to read. But I'm definitely going to recommend reading them one right after the other, so you don't have the same problems I had.

Deity by Jennifer L Armentrout

2017-01-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Covenant Series, Book 3

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

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Note: This is the third book in a series. You've been warned.

Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website):

History is on repeat, and things didn’t go so well the last time.
Alexandria isn’t sure she’s going to make it to her eighteenth birthday–to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she’s a goner… and so is Aiden.
If that’s not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time “training”–which really is just Seth’s code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time–she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.
But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she’s caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed… and destroyed.
Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate…

The third book in a series. One where the love triangle cements itself, and you begin to take a side. And we all get sick of one of the love interests. Just your typical paranormal love triangle here. But the story begins to evolve more. Remember how this paranormal series is based on mythology? Yeah, we get some more mythology happening here.

So I can't truly give the best review here. Number one, I love paranormal romance novels. So of course, I'm into this series. But number two, it's your typical paranormal romance. I haven't really found too many new things. But the ending had me hooked and dying to read the next one. So yes, same old, same old. But I really like this same old.

Honestly, you'll know after the first book in this series if you want to stick with it. But I definitely will tell die-hard young adult paranormal romance readers to pick this series up.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

2016-12-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: YA Fantasy

Six of Crows Series, Book 2

Leigh Bardugo's website

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Note: This is the second book in a series. Fair warning...

Description (taken from Leigh Bardugo's website):

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

Back in the Grisha world, one of my favorite fantasy worlds. The heist that Kaz and his crew pulled off in the last story went terribly wrong. And this story picks up immediately after that happens. It follows the six people who are determined to get payback and money for their troubles. Only thing is the whole world is watching this little city because everyone wants a piece of the drug: jurda parem. Will Kaz and his crew be able to protect themselves and their city or will they sell out?

This book has a lot of action and so many angles that you're dying for more. My only regret is not reading it closer to the first book and that whole other series. I feel like there were a lot of things I couldn't remember and was kind of missing the insider knowledge. Anywho, you pretty much fall in love with the characters. But you want to know the reason why this isn't a five-pointer for me? I was not a fan of the ending. It ticked me off. Like really ticked me off when I realized it was the last one in the series. But I can't give it away (those who have read the book could probably understand my anger).

If you're a fan of fantasy, start with the first Grisha series and then pick this one up. If you couldn't get into the first series, then just dive into this one. While there is romance in this story, it's not the main plotline like the other series.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

2016-12-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Stalking Jack the Ripper Series, Book 1

Kerri Maniscalco's website

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Description (taken from Kerri Maniscalco's website):

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

Audrey Rose lives in a historical England where she is growing up to be a society girl. She is doing everything that a wealthy and privileged English girl should do. Well, except for helping her uncle dissect cadavers. And helping him with solving deaths and crimes. So it's no surprise that when Jack the Ripper begins to appear, she becomes intrigued...

So I can't really go into too much detail to this story. Because most of us are very familiar with the unsolved mystery of Jack the Ripper. And this fictional story tells it from Audrey's point of view. And as much as I had it pegged from the very beginning, I was still disappointed with the ending. And one of the things that angered me greatly was how many times Audrey was told she shouldn't be doing something because of her female status. I just got tired of it a little.

This was a decent detective story to follow from start to finish. And it does give a nice twist at the end. I'd suggest checking it out if it peaks your interests still.

A World Without You by Beth Revis

2016-11-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: YA Contemporary

Beth Revis' website

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Description (taken from Beth Revis' website):

Can Bo live in a world without Sofia?

Bo cannot imagine a world without his girlfriend Sofia. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to. Even though he accidentally got her stuck in the past, he’s attending an elite school for kids with powers that should help him gain better control of his time traveling abilities and save her. Although the appearance of some nosy government officials at the secret school may cause some problems…

Phoebe can all too easily imagine a world without her brother Bo. Without him, her mother wouldn’t retreat into herself with worry. Her father wouldn’t lock himself away and pretend like Bo doesn’t have a problem. And she would have a chance to be a normal girl, not the sister to a boy whose paranoid delusions make him think that he has super powers and can travel through time.

As Phoebe learns to speak her heart in a family that uses silence to ignore its problems, Bo must face the fact that if his super powers aren’t real, neither are his chances to save Sofia.

Bo goes to a school for gifted kids. They all have super powers, and he's accidentally left Sofia hundreds of years in the past. But the story starts with her funeral, and Bo can't figure out why everyone's acting as if she's truly gone. Do they not have enough faith in his powers to go back in time and save her? Because he's going to save her.

Phoebe is Bo's younger sister who has had to live in his shadow. Where he gets the attention and the treatment for his needs, she's expected to be the perfect child. She's getting the grades, setting herself up for college, and living her parents' dreams. However just once, she wants to be able to let go and live a life of uncertainty like Bo can. She doesn't want the responsibility of being the perfect child living in silence anymore.

This book was very slow going for me, and I had a very hard time being in Bo's mind. It was hard and mind-boggling. I don't know how Beth Revis was able to write his character. It isn't hard for me to say I related to the sister. I was one of those 'perfect' kids trying to live the 'perfect' life. And no matter what kinds of issues you might be dealing with, you're always going to feel overshadowed by your siblings. I was the same way with my brother and then later on with my much younger siblings. But this story dealt more with mental issues and how everyone affected tried to deal. And it does point out things broken. And your heart slowly begins to melt as Bo tries to piece together what happened to Sofia. It's just a sad one for me that was hard for me to deal with.

These contemporary books are the reason I dislike contemporary but at the same time have to read one every once in a good while just because they're good. And they face those unpleasant issues that we have a tendency to bury as fast as possible.

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

2016-11-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: Adult Fantasy

The Nevernight Chronicles, Book 1

Jay Kristoff's website

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Description (taken from Jay Kristoff's website):

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

I can't do one of my normal reviews for this book. I've sat on writing this review for a couple of weeks now because I don't know how to start it. So maybe I start with this book took me quite a while to get into and finish however it was by far, my favorite book I've read this year.

It is set in a fantasy world with its own religion, its own gods, and its own mysticism. And the narrator will give you fun-filled facts throughout the story whenever he references something in this world. And Mia? She's your standard heroine who had a brutal childhood but is seeking revenge. Everything she does is to better position herself to kill the people who killed her father. But she has a heart. And in order to be an assassin, you must deaden the heart.

I loved this fantasy! And even though the plot was right in front of me, my mind was too busy enjoying the little tidbits and details along the way that I totally missed it. I need the next book in this series now. Just now.

Fan of fantasy? Read this one!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

2016-10-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Dystopian

The Maze Runner Series, Book 1

James Dashner's website

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Description (taken from James Dashner's website):

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

In the world Thomas enters, no one remembers the past and there's walls that protect them from monsters. But when the walls are open, he finds an endless maze surrounds them. If only he could remember his life before he entered the Glade because he somehow thinks he knows the answer. He's going to find his way out of the Maze.

I'm not going to do a typical book review here because I need to be honest. I saw the movie before reading the book. And while my husband stated the book was very different from the book, I kind of disagree. Sure, there's a major plot line that's missing in the movie, but the movie is about visual effects while the book is more about being inside the mind. It's explainable. But I don't really feel like I got anything different from the book. And Thomas' character kind of bothered me.

I'm a little ho-hum about this one. But I'm planning to pick up the second one soon. And hopefully I'll read the third before the third movie comes out. Then it might be an untainted review...

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

2016-10-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Historical Paranormal

Lady Helen Series, Book 1

Alison Goodman's website

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Description (taken from Alison Goodman's website):

London, April 1812. Lady Helen Wrexhall is set to make her curtsy to Queen Charlotte and step into polite Regency Society and the marriage mart. Little does Helen know, that step will take her from the glittering ballroom of Almacks and the bright lights of Vauxhall Gardens into a shadowy world of demonic creatures, missing housemaids and deadly power.

Standing between those two worlds is Lord Carlston, a man of dubious reputation and infuriating manners. He believes Helen is destined to protect humanity from an unearthly truth, but all he can offer is danger, savagery and the possibility of madness. Not the kind of destiny suitable for a young lady in her first London Season.

Against a backdrop of whispered secrets in St. James’s Palace, soirees with Lord Byron and morning calls from Beau Brummell, The Dark Days Club is a delightfully dangerous adventure of self- discovery and the dark choices of new found adulthood.

Lady Helen is barely debuting as a young and proper adult in old London society. She is going to do her duty of securing a good match in a man and stay away from the gossip of her mother's betrayal. However when powerful people point to her mother's past and a man takes an interest in her abilities, she finds nothing is as easy as being right and wrong or good and evil. And life becomes a little more complicated.

When Helen is introduced to the Dark Days Club, she must decide on whether or not she wants to join. Will she put herself and her potential betrothed in harm's way to keep the world safe from demons? Or will she turn her back from it all and be the proper young lady that her society demands? And why is Lord Carlston so vexing? So many choices at the start of her season...

It took a very long time for me to get settled into this story. And I find I was quite bored with Lady Helen and the strict life she lives. I will admit that once the paranormal was finally introduced, I became a little intrigued. But how the demons worked and the Dark Days Club combatted it was just way too confusing for me. And nothing of importance was explained! I wasn't happy with the setting, and I wasn't really invested in the paranormal. I felt like this big book should have given me more.

There are going to be those who enjoy this book. And then there's me who's onto another book.

The Killer in Me by Margot Harrison

2016-09-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Detective

Margot Harrison's website

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Description (taken from Margot Harrison's website):

Hasn’t he lived long enough? Why not? I could take him like a thief in the night.

This is how the Thief thinks. He serves death, the vacuum, the unknown. He’s always waiting. Always there.

Seventeen-year-old Nina Barrows knows all about the Thief. She’s intimately familiar with his hunting methods: how he stalks and kills at random, how he disposes of his victims’ bodies in an abandoned mine in the deepest, most desolate part of a desert.

Now, for the first time, Nina has the chance to do something about the serial killer that no one else knows exists. With the help of her former best friend, Warren, she tracks the Thief two thousand miles, to his home turf—the deserts of New Mexico.

But the man she meets there seems nothing like the brutal sociopath with whom she’s had a disturbing connection her whole life. To anyone else, Dylan Shadwell is exactly what he appears to be: a young veteran committed to his girlfriend and her young daughter. As Nina spends more time with him, she begins to doubt the truth she once held as certain: Dylan Shadwell is the Thief. She even starts to wonder . . . what if there is no Thief?

Nina has been plagued with the life of someone else in her dreams. A boy she learned to get used to until he began to do the unthinkable. He became the Thief and killed people. All Nina has to do is close her eyes and sleep in order to see the unthinkable happen. And she's determined to get the victims justice.

Nina travels with her friend, Warren, across the country in search of this killer. She's going to out him once and for all. But when she gets to New Mexico and comes face-to-face with him, suddenly she's not so sure anymore. Could this ordinary family-man really be that vicious killer at night? Before she outs him, she's determined to test him to figure out if he really is the reason for her night terrors. But what is finally revealed in this story is so much more than just a serial killer.

Starting out with this story, I was super creeped out. It didn't help that I read this at night. However, once the story developed and the paranormal aspects came out (with the serial killer-ness), I was so engrossed. And the closer I got to the end, the more worried I became. I mean how do you create a perfect ending for this story? I'm not sure you can.

Honestly, this one's a thriller. I think you should give it a try.

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

2016-09-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Fantasy Fairy Tale

Jessica Khoury's website

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Description (taken from Jessica Khoury's website):

When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years -- a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

Aladdin, the thief, has entered a city of diamonds in search of something. He doesn't know it until he sees it, but it calls to him. And Zahra, the jinni in the lamp, can hear his arrival. When he finds the lamp, he knows he has found something important. He doesn't realize what it is until he rubs the lamp.

Zahra has been tied to her lamp for thousands of years. But when she's offered the chance for freedom, all she must do is trick Aladdin into helping her. And Aladdin does exactly that all in the name of revenge. But the closer Zahra gets to getting what she wants, the further Aladdin is from what he wants. In the end, can Aladdin's wish be enough for happiness? And will Zahra's power be enough to satisfy the thief and herself?

This is a beautiful fairy tale retelling. And the romance starts very small until it releases at the right moment. So it's not as annoying to read. And the past that Zahra kept running away from? I was so curious to know what happened until I finally knew. But it still goes full circle to explain everything beautifully.

This is such a sweet standalone novel. If you're a fan of Aladdin or fantasy novels, give this a try.

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

2016-09-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: New Adult Historical Romance

His Fair Assassin Series, Book 3

Robin LaFevers' website

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Note: This is the third in the series, and while each book is from someone else's point of view, I'm warning you now that the plot builds from the previous books. Although I do think this is a series that you could read out of order and still follow easily.

Description (taken from Robin LaFevers' website):

Because Love is stronger than Death…

Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.

But across Brittany, the tides of war are drawing ever nearer, with France pressuring the beleaguered duchess from all sides. Annith’s search for answers threatens to rip open an intricate web of lies and deceit that sit at the heart of the convent she serves. Yet to expose them threatens the very fabric of her existence and risks an unforeseen chance at love, one that she can no longer deny. Annith must carefully pick a path and, gods willing, effect a miracle that will see her country—and her heart—to safety.

It's been quite a while since I've touched this series. But I've been wanting to dive back into this story. We are at the end of the 1400s where Brittany is struggling against an invasion by the French. And Annith is a follower of Mortain, the god of death. But she's never left the convent until one day she takes matters into her own hands. She's lost faith in the Abbess of the convent, but she refuses to lose faith in Mortain.

As Annith works her way across France to confront the Abbess, she runs into quite a few characters. We've got the minions of death who chase bad souls as well as lost souls in order to bring them to the Underworld. We've also got another group of girls who follow another god. And as Annith works her way to the Abbess, she finds the Duchess in quite a political battle that is threatening to become an all out war. Needless to say, a lot happens...

Although I find these stories a little long-worded and slow in the beginning, I quickly fall into them and am engrossed by the story. While I did find some bits and pieces quite predictable, I enjoyed learning the history of Brittany. A lot of historical characters are thrown around. I just wish I got to see more intertwined into the main story. But at least there's going to be more books to this series coming.

I like this series. It's like a breath of fresh air compared to what I normally read.

Pure by Jennifer L Armentrout

2016-08-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Covenant Series, Book 2

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

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Note: This is the second book in a series. You've been warned.

Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website):

Some rules are made to be broken, but breaking the ultimate rule can change everything.

Alex lives–and loves–recklessly, until a single decision leads to a heartbreaking revelation.

As a mysterious threat closes in and she confronts a Council that wants to see her in servitude, Alex faces a choice between love that is fated… and love that is forbidden.

Alex is back in school after killing daimons who were trying to turn her. And with the scars and constant attention from Seth, the Appolyon, there's going to be rumors spreading. But as Daimon halfs start to appear, no where is safe and it's hard to trust people. And Alex must face the Council to tell them what she knows.

The closer Alex gets to Aiden, the more danger they put themselves in. And it takes a brutal wake-up call from Seth to point out everything they are risking for each other. Seth, who is so full of himself, yet he wants to see Alex succeed and ascend into the next Appolyon (did I mention this also benefits him?). And as the mythology pieces are slowly explained during the Daimon and Council crises, we get a little more hooked to this series.

While the first book had a lot of action that pulled you straight into the story, I felt like the second gave a little more information on how this world works. My biggest complaint with the first one was I didn't understand the whole mythology concept. But this one began to explain and leak a little bit out. I just hope the next book gives even more. Because I definitely want to keep reading this series and am waiting to be wowed.

I think this series is fun. I'm enjoying it, but I can't say I'm head over heels in love yet.

Half Wild by Sally Green

2016-08-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Half Bad Trilogy, Book 2

Sally Green's website

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Note: This is the second book in a series. You have been warned.

Description (taken from Sally Green's website):

"You will have a powerful Gift, but it’s how you use it that will show you to be good or bad."

In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world’s most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he’s on the run–but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.

This story picks up right where the last one left: with Nathan on the run from White Hunters. He was separated from Gabriel in the last book and now he's waiting to meet up with him. While he did have his Giving ceremony, so many other things have gone wrong. And it's going to take a lot to make them right again.

This story is more about Nathan exploring his gifts and meeting his father, Marcus. It's also about a rebel group of Black and White Witches uniting against the Council. But it's going to take a lot of powerful witches to overcome the Council and Hunters. And with Nathan trying to figure out how to control his Gift, a lot of things can go wrong.

I love the grit that comes with the main character. This book is very different from what I'm used to reading. It's from the point of view of a teenage boy who isn't that sociable. Yet he's still very much in love with a girl and willing to do anything to be with her. But he's also got a power that comes from a history of witches who have done terrible things. So he doesn't want history to dictate his future. I enjoyed reading this. And I'm looking forward to the next one.

I think this is a fun and easy read. You're either going to love Nathan or you're not. But at least give the series a try.

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

2016-07-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Jennifer Donnelly's website

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Description (taken from Jennifer Donnelly's website):

It is 1906 and Mattie Gokey is trying to learn how to stand up like a man -- even though she’s a sixteen-year-old girl. At her summer job at a resort on Big Moose Lake in the Adirondack mountains, she will earn enough money to make something of her life.

That money could be a dowry to wed the handsome but dull Royal Loomis. It could save her father’s brokeback farm. Or it might buy her a train ticket to New York City and college and a life that she can barely allow herself to imagine.

But Mattie’s worries and plans are cast into a cold light when the drowned body of Grace Brown turns up – a young woman who gave Mattie a packet of love letters, letters that convince Mattie that the drowning was no accident.

Inspired by the sensational Chester Gillette murder case of 1906, which was also the basis for Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy and the film A Place in the Sun, this story evokes novels such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Women, and other classics that hark back to times of lost innocence.

Mattie lives in a small town in New York where eery girl's dream is to get married and help their husband on the farm while having a family of their own. But Mattie has a way with words and is one of the first to get a high school diploma in her town. Her teacher helps her dream of college and a degree. Her best friend wants her to go to New York City with him for school. But is this dream within reach? With her father's farm needing more help and a boy catching her eye, will she be able to leave it all?

Mattie is currently working at a resort where a lot of rich folk stop for a vacation. One of the guests gives her a pile of letters to destroy before disappearing one day. When they do find her, Mattie begins to read the letters and relate them to her own life. At the crossroads of youth and adulthood, Mattie must decide who she wants to be. And just maybe, Grace Brown's words will leave an impression and help Mattie choose the life she wants.

This was such a good coming-of-age novel set in the early 1900s. And hearing Mattie's story reminded me so much of my own life, and the choices I made as a young adult. Since I might be a little biased for having also moved away for college and career, I was definitely rooting for one path over the other. And while the small subtleties and plot lines were easy to see, it was still endearing to see the main character eventually catch on and see things in a different light.

This was definitely a refreshingly different read for me. While it has a slower pace than other novels, it still caught my attention pretty early. I had to know what Mattie decided to do with her future.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

2016-07-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Fantasy

The Star-Touched Queen series, book 1

Roshani Chokshi's website

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Description (taken from Rochani Chokshi's website):

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets — thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.

Maya has been doomed with a fate that no one wants near them. She grows up with her sisters and step-mothers, the first all betrothed and the second loathsome. They don't want her around because all she brings is death. But when her father makes a bargain no one expects, Maya finds herself in the middle of a plot to bring peace. But is peace easily won?

After following Amar to his kingdom, Maya finds out that nothing is at it seems. The stories she used to tell her sister are suddenly more than just stories. And while Amar wants her by his side as an equal, Maya finds secrets holding her trust back. Who can she trust when no one tells her the truth?

This story is so enticing. It's cleverly written and ties together so well. I was in love with it until I realized there were only twenty pages left. I didn't think this story could come up with a good conclusion in just twenty pages. Maybe I wanted more, or maybe I felt like my head was thrown back to reality too soon. But the ending was disappointing to me. I wanted a clever ending to fit the rest of the story, but I didn't get it. However it doesn't stop me from loving this little story.

I'm glad I picked this book up. And it's a series. I'll have to pick up the next one...

Half-Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout

2016-07-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Covenant Series, Book 1

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

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Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website):

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi–pure bloods–have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals–well, not so much.

Half-bloods only have two options: become trained sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem–staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden.

And that would kind of suck.

Alex has been on the run with her mother for three years now. They've been in hiding from their kind as well as from daimons. That is until a daimon finds them and kills her mother. As she tries to find her way home, Sentinels who are highly trained fighters, find her along the way.

Now that she's back at the Covenant, a school for Hematoi and half-bloods, her guardian and the school must decide what to do with her. She's behind and can be sent home to be a servant for Pures. Or, as a Senitnel recommends, she can train for the summer and try to catch up to her class. I think the choice is obvious here. But there's a few secrets that people are keeping from her.

Yes, I will say this book sounds similar to The Vampire Academy, but who cares? It's got the kick-ass fighting, the romance, the supenatural, and the mystery. However, I was really confused with how the supernatural worked: pures and halfs? There weren't a whole lot of powers going on. And I had to keep reminding myself that the daimons weren't vampires. But I still got into the story.

I'm glad I finally started this series. It's an easy read, and I plan on continuing on.

The Rose & The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

2016-07-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Fantasy

The Wrath & The Dawn Series, Book 2

Renee Ahdieh's website

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Description (taken from Renee Ahdieh's website):

I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family–who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid–and her childhood sweetheart Tariq, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid’s empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.

While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn’t yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.

This book picks up right where the last one left off: with Tariq rescuing Shahrzad from the Caliph. But Shahrzad didn't need any rescuing. And while she wants to go back to Khalid, she realizes her family needs her in the camp. Her father is very injured and won't wake up, yet he clings to an old, mystical book. And can Shahrzad really help Khalid by returning to him, or can she break the curse some other way?

This book starts off with Khalid's enemy encampment. The one Tariq is help leading. And even though he's rescued Shahrzad and convinced he can make her fall in love with him again, he's not getting what he bargained for. And Irza, Shahrzad's sister? She's barely growing up and trying so hard to keep her family together. But how can she when not even her sister will confide in her? So many choices to make that revolve around each other. In the end, will Shahrzad and Khalid get their happily ever after?

I'm going to start with this: I probably would have liked this book more if I had read it right after the first. It did not do a good job of refreshing what happened in the first, and I spent the first half of the book stumbling through the story. But once I got into it, I couldn't put the book down. But I felt like more questions came up than were answered. And I got so distracted by the side stories and the answers I was missing that I kind of missed the happy ending. I'm still stuck on the mystical book. And Artan. And the justification for people's loyalties. And now the series is over? Ugh, I missed it.

I'm definitely going to recommend people read the second book right after the first one. Then maybe you won't be as lost as me...

The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

2016-06-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Fantasy

The Glittering Court Series, Book 1

Richelle Mead's website

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Description (taken from Richelle Mead's website):

Big and sweeping, spanning the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies capable of arranging powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together, they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first, as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and later, when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands. . . .

Okay, okay, so I didn't delve right into the synopsis and put two and two together. I read Glittering Court; that's a title for fairies, right? Yeah, my bad... I didn't realize what I was going to get was a fantasy telling of a masculine people from a well-established society moving into a new world and searching for gold.

Adelaide is a sheltered countess on the brink of bankruptcy when her grandma announces a match to solve their problems. But Adelaide doesn't want this. Instead she escapes to a finishing school that eventually takes its women to the new world and sells them as wives to the highest bidder (irony, right?). But somehow Adelaide makes the most of it and finds an unlikely friend in Cedric, the business owner's son. And soon enough, Adelaide finds herself in the middle of controversy while trying to be her own person.

I really need to get something off my chest. Richelle Mead is one of my favorite (if not favorite) authors, and I have kind of fallen flat with the last two novels of hers I've read. But back to the story and my thoughts. To me, it wasn't executed well. The romance between the two characters was cute. But I couldn't really get over the whole premise of running away from an arranged marriage into the hands of another arranged marriage. That idea kind of bothered me. And the back stories surrounding the side characters: it was left in mystery and not well-explained which left me with plot holes. I don't like plot holes. I want a perfectly executed story that has thought of every little detail and how it makes the whole story make even more sense.

Gah, I just can't. And I found out it's a series. A series? Why? Maybe to tell us more about those side characters? I'm not sure I can continue though. (I would suggest reading other reviews for this one.)

Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

2016-06-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

Mercy Thompson Series, Book 9

Patricia Briggs' website

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Note: This is a well-established paranormal series. Read anything below at your own risk if you've never read these books.

Description (taken from Goodreads):

Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

This book starts out like any mature, normal paranormal romance series starts: with the main character poking fun of her love interest. That is until the supernatural gets in the way and demands attention. As the werewolves go to fight a troll on a bridge in order to protect their city, they find Mercy demanding more than she bargained for.

Mercy meets what appears to be a human child, but he was once stolen by the fae. In the process of offering him protection, she finds herself at a crossroads. The werewolves disagree with her decision and do not want to put themselves in danger for some human. But the fae have a lot of reasons to want this child back. And they also seem to be hiding a lot more up their sleeves. Will Mercy's cunning and Adam's strength be enough to protect the ones they love?

This book was easy to read and did not let me down. I had fun going back to Mercy's world and following the new paranormal disaster. I also felt like a lot was left unsaid in this story that might continue on in the next. And while there are new characters entering the spotlight, it all ties together nicely in the end.

A series I fell in love with years ago. I must continue it...

Giveaway: The Ceruleans by Megan Tayte

2016-06-11T16:25:00.000-05:00

Death Wish by Megan Tayte
Ceruleans Series, Book 1
Amazon | Goodreads

Description (taken from Megan Tayte's website):

IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE.

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense.

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to an isolated English cove with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need.

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power.

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death.

To believe the impossible.

About Megan Tayte

Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. ‘Write, Megan,’ her grandmother advised. So that’s what she did.

Thirty-odd years later, Megan is a professional writer and published author by day, and an indie novelist by night. Her fiction – young adult romance with soul – recently earned her the SPR’s Independent Woman Author of the Year award.

Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in the village of Standish, Greater Manchester. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a paleontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and- spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she's not writing, you'll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.

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Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

2016-06-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

The Dark Artifices, Book 1

Cassandra Clare's website

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Description (taken from Cassandra Clare's website):

In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word.

A parabatai is your partner in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other — but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, one in a long line of Shadowhunters tasked with protecting the world from demons. With her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of a secret Los Angeles where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries teeter on the edge of open war with Shadowhunters. When the bodies of humans and faeries start turning up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were murdered years ago, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge — and Julian’s chance to get back his half-faerie brother, Mark, who was kidnapped five years ago. All Emma, Mark and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks . . . before the murderer targets them.

Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. As she uncovers the past, she begins to peel away the secrets of the present: What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents — and can she bear to know the truth?

Emma is a wreckless shadowhunter who always protects her loved ones. She lives in the Los Angeles Institute with the Blackthorn family. The Balckthorn family consists of seven siblings: one stolen by the Fae to join the Wild Hunt, one in exile for being part Fae, and one left to raise the remaining four. Emma would move the world for her parabatai Julian who is raising his siblings. However there's only one passion of hers that is solely hers, and it is figuring out who killed her parents.

After discovering a random mundane killing that was caused by something supernatural, Emma has to investigate. There are too many similarities between this one and her parents' deaths. When confronting Julian about it, something else is thrown into the mix that suddenly makes everything very personal. And while they've been cautioned by multiple downworlders on how to handle this case, they focus solely on it and dive head-first into the investigation.

I tried very hard to write a convoluted review that gave away nothing. I really enjoyed this book. But honestly? It's Cassandra Clare. You already know if you love her books or not. I definitely fall under the first category. And while it took me a while to like a few of the characters, I still loved the book. Until the next one.