Review: Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was more of a thriller/mystery than it was a paranormal. I was hoping there was going to be more to the paranormal element as the plot progressed but the paranormal does not take center stage. As the story progresses it turns into a suspenseful thriller type novel. I might add that it is full of steamy romance between the two main characters Lucian and Julia. True to Jennifer L. Armentrout fashion, the book is filled with good banter between the characters and alot of steam.

Julia is a nurse, and has taken an in-home care job near New Orleans. She doesn't know much about her new charge, and the family is very secretive. She has an amazing one night stand with the gorgeous man she meets at her going away party the night before she leaves. She quickly finds out why there was so much secrecy surrounding her new job, she is to care for one of the de Vincent children. The de Vincent family are one of the wealthiest families to ever exist, and their house is apparently haunted and their family cursed. Madeline, Julia's charge, has been missing for 10 years and has recently reappeared. While she is physically fine, she is mentally unable to perform basic tasks like eating, speaking, and walking. Her brothers hired Julia to assist with Madeline's care. Julia shows up at the de Vincent estate and is overwhelmed by the opulence of the grounds and house. She is also quite taken aback when she meets her new employers, one of which is the man she thought she'd never see again, her stranger from the evening before none other than Lucian de Vincent.

The de Vincent brothers are known for their escapades and for getting into trouble. Devlin is the oldest and most business focused, Gabe is the nice one, and Lucian is the youngest and Madeline's twin. Lucian says what he thinks and pretty much everything he thinks is inappropriate. He is also known for being a playboy. After their evening together, which Lucian used to scope out Julia as the caretaker for his sister, Julia feels uncomfortable taking the job. He convinces her to stay, but the sparks continue to fly between them. Gabe also makes his attraction to Julia known, but he backs off once he realizes that Lucian might actually have feelings for her.

While Julia is taking care of Madeline and trying to get her to break out of her own mind, the brothers have other things to worry about. Before Julia arrived, they found their father had committed suicide which was totally out of character. The local police find that that suicide what more like homicide and open an investigation. There is alot of suspicious stuff that happens at the de Vincent house. You are never sure what's going on, is it the curse, the ghosts, one of the brothers, or something else entirely. I really liked how the plot was handled.

I've already preordered the 2nd book in the series which is about Gabe. We got to know him a little in book 1, but I'm looking forward to getting to know him in book 2. I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read the rest of the series.

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Review: Winter Glass by Lexa Hillyer

Winter Glass by Lexa Hillyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  This book will be released on April 10, 2018.

This picks up almost exactly where Spindle Fire leaves off. Much like with Spindle Fire there is alot going on in Winter Glass. There is almost too much to keep track of. This isn't just a Sleeping Beauty reimagining, there are bits of Cinderella and other fairy tale inspiration thrown in. I also needed a family tree to keep track of all of the characters. There were way to many perspectives in this book. Any time there are more than two perspectives in a book, I tend to lost track of what is going on and that definitely happened here. We get the perspective of the two main characters, sisters Aurora and Isabelle, several of the fae, and a few side characters. I felt like the side characters and fae didn't give us enough to be significant, but the material was relevant. I'm not sure how the information could have been delivered in a different way, but I didn't like the execution.

This book has a slower pace considering the decent amount of action going on. The war is underway, Isabelle and William are fighting from different angles and Malfluer is determined to take over. Aurora is fighting her own war to save the people she found in the alternate world of Sommeil, who are now in her world after Malfluer has taken down Belcour. (see what I mean about alot going on) Aurora teams up with Wren and the other survivors to fight Malfluer, but she gets captured and makes a bargain with the fae queen. Meanwhile, Isabelle is gathering soldiers to their cause and trying to find a way to protect her kingdom. She happens upon a glass slipper that might be the answers to all of their problem, but what she finds isn't what she was expecting. It turns out the slipper is made of Winter Glass, which isn't what it appears. I hesitate to say more without spoiling the book.

Overall, the book is entertaining. There is character growth, action, magic, and some romance. If you like fantasy and retellings I'd give this series a go.

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Review: Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was cute overall, I loved some of the stories and some were just OK. Some were really sweet, while some felt incomplete. There were a broad range of types of short stories in this bind up and I was exposed to some new authors.  I've put really brief descriptions below with my rating of each short story below.

• Siege Etiquette by Katie Cotugno - 2 Stars
• This didn't feel complete to me.  It was really about the meeting of the couple, but I didn't like the characters.  It has that hate to love feel while the characters are at a party.  I didn't really enjoy this one.
• Print Shop by Nina Lacour - 3 Stars
• This one was cute.  It centers around an intern at an old school print shop.  She attempts to bring them into the current century by creating social media accounts for them.  She has to deal with an upset customer, which leads to their meet cute.  This is a female female romance.
• Hourglass by Ibi Zoboi - 3 Stars
• The meet cute is basically the last thing that happens in this story, but the story itself is fine.  The main character has to deal with self-acceptance, racism, high school drama, and family drama.  
• Click by Katherine McGee - 4 stars
• This felt like a complete story, which was impressive give it was only about 20 pages.  The two main characters are on what they think is their perfect "click" date set up by a dating app.  They end up spending the evening chasing after her phone and have a great time.
• The Intern by Sara Shepard - 2 stars
• The intern has to show the celebrity around the city.  They hit it off.  It wasn't anything extraordinary.  She is sad, he is lonely.  They have a nice time on their date.
• Somewhere That's Green by Meredith Russo - 3 stars
• This one was pretty good.  It has a transgender main character who is dealing with some very relevant high school issues like which bathroom and locker room to use.  The other main character who is also very religious and a closet lesbian is part of the petition to keep gender norms as they are.  I like how the reveals and conversations were handled.
• The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton - 3 stars
• This was one of my favorites.  It has a sci-fi feel to it.  The people on the island have love bands on their ring fingers to signify that they've found their soulmate.  The main characters randomly find each other and end up trying to see the future.
• Oomph by Emery Lord - 4 Stars
• This was another possible female female meet cute.  Two girls meet at an airport and strike up a conversation in the security line.  They find each other at the gate and continue to talk.  The conversation is completely natural and I really liked their story.
• The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifery L. Armentrout - 3 Stars
• I love JLA, and I really liked the premise of this book.  A young librarian is dillegently tring to get a patron to return a long overdue dictionary by calling and talking to the patron.  Instead of a quick reminder, they have conversations and have gotten to know each other.  She eventually figures out who the patron and the story progresses from there.  
• The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies - 3 Stars
• THis was another good one, it really appealed to my inner math nerd.  The main character is working on a statistics project and she is trying to figure out the likelyhood of seeing a handsome boy on the passing train on her way to school.  It was witty and funny, and I liked that they actually got to meet at the end.
• 259 Million Miles by Kass Morgan - 2 stars
•  I didn't really care for this one.  The main character thinks he is being interviewed for a chance to go to Mars, but he is mislead.  He's only helping the girl in the story get there.  Atleast she helps him get over his insecurities.  The couple was actually decent, they complemented each other nicely, but in the end it was kind of sad.
• Something Real by Julie Murphy - 3 stars
• This unexpectedly turned out to be a female female meet cute.  This is about a reality TV show where the two competitors are trying to win a date with a celebrity.  The two girls end up getting to know each other while getting ready for the show and 
• Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick- 2 Stars
• This one was kind of strange.  The characters don't really play off one another nicely.  She is a waitress and he's popular.  He asks her out, but we find out he has an ulterior motive and he's trying to make up for something.  The reveal is awkward as are their interactions.  
• The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon - 3 Stars
• This was a unique story, probably the most unique of the bunch.  Each type of love has its own office, and the main character goes to the Department of Dead Love for a do-over.  He wants to find out why his love failed and wants a chance to repeat it and get it right, what he finds isn't what he was expecting.  This one was pretty good.

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Review: Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History by Ben Mezrich

Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History by Ben Mezrich
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I picked this up for a reading challenge for a book involving a heist, though it could also fill the true crime heist. This is a non-fiction book, thought it is as the title suggests so audacious that it reads like fiction. It is hard to tell how much of the story is true and how much is poetic license. It has the feel that it is inspired by true events, but it definitely feels more like fiction than truth.

Thad Roberts, the main character, has a very conservative Mormon background. However, he has big dreams and those dreams lead to NASA. Thad rebels against his upbringing, and finds himself cast out of his family home, married at a young age, but with big dreams he won’t be stopped. He is determined to make it to NASA and hopefully someday to space. He is a persistent person, and portrayed with child-like tendencies as if he had no real understanding of consequences. Even after he was arrested for stealing the safe containing millions of dollars of moon rocks he never expected to be punished. His actions throughout the book were all selfish and self-serving. He was always angling to get to the top of the food-chain and make a name for himself. His motivations are success and love. It is hard to tell if the real Thad is truly like this or if the story just makes him out to be this way. He is doing everything for his lady love Rebecca (not her real name), whom he apparently wrote letters to during his time in jail. The letters are sprinkled throughout the book. They met, had a whirlwind relationship, and claimed he stole the rocks for her. He also took all the blame for her and his other accomplice. If you read the book, you will know that he had already put the plan in motion before he met her. The whole heist is ridiculous, but you just kind of have to keep reading/listening to know what happens in the end.

I listened to the audio book, which is fairly short and read by Casey Affleck. The narration is good and it has the feeling of listening to a movie. This book isn’t great, but it isn’t terrible either. It just just OK as my rating suggests. The characters are pretty unlikable, and the whole plot/true story if you can call it that just feels so unrealistic even if it is based in fact.


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Review: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a surprise favorite for me. I had heard good things, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did.  I borrowed the audio from the library on a whim and absolutely loved it.  I'll be purchasing a copy soon so I can reread this.  The story itself was a beautiful fantasy and Steve West as usual did an amazing job bringing the audio book to life. I couldn't stop listening to it and I am patiently waiting for the next installment. This is what books are supposed to be like, this book transports you to the world and you feel like you are there with Lazlo and Sarai (you have to read the book to find out who she is). I hesitate to tell you too much because you just have to experience it for yourself. Just know that this book is well written, the world building is excellent, and the characters are well developed. I don't have one negative thing to say about it, I want to read it again as I write this.

The story follows Lazlo Strange, an orphan who by chance or by accident finds himself lost in the library one day and ends up staying. He has a thirst for knowledge and a talent for dreaming, which is how he has earned his name Strange the Dreamer. Lazlo is a bit obsessed with the lost city called "Weep". Lazlo is sure he once knew Weep's true name, and he clearly remembers the moment he forgot the city's name, but he can't remember it. He's devoted his life to studying the strange city, and he longs to go there one day and actually see the magical place in his books.

Lazlo finds himself on a great adventure surrounding the mysteries of Weep as he has become the foremost expert of the place. There is saction, adventure, mythology, and there's a good romance. The romance is so well written that you are actually invested in what happens to the characters. I care about these characters, I even care about the side characters because they are so well done.

I highly recommend this book, though I do recommend it for more mature YA readers as there is more mature content mentioned. Then again anytime there is mythology involving gods and their involvement with humans you'll have that type of content, if you get my drift. It isn't terribly graphic so most YA readers will be fine in my opinion. 


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BLOG TOUR: Marriage of Inconvenience by Penny Reid

Marriage of Inconvenience, an all new romantic comedy standalone in the USA Today bestselling, Knitting in the City Series by Penny Reid, is available NOW!

There are three things you need to know about Kat Tanner (aka Kathleen Tyson. . . and yes, she is *that* Kathleen Tyson): 1) She’s determined to make good decisions, 2) She must get married ASAP, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Being a billionaire heiress isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, it sucks. Determined to live a quiet life, Kat Tanner changed her identity years ago and eschewed her family’s legacy. But now, Kat’s silver spoon past has finally caught up with her, and so have her youthful mistakes. To avoid imminent disaster, she must marry immediately; it is essential that the person she chooses have no romantic feelings for her whatsoever and be completely trustworthy.

Fortunately, she knows exactly who to ask. Dan O’Malley checks all the boxes: single, romantically indifferent to her, completely trustworthy. Sure, she might have a wee little crush on Dan the Security Man, but with clear rules, expectations, and a legally binding contract, Kat is certain she can make it through this debacle with her sanity—and heart—all in one piece.

Except, what happens when Dan O’Malley isn’t as indifferent—or as trustworthy—as she thought?

Excerpt: 

Staring at his chin, because I couldn’t quite lift my eyes any higher, I cleared my throat. “Should we get ready for bed?”

“Sure,” he said, his voice a rumble. Dan’s eyes were on me, I felt the weight of them.

My hands came to the hem of my skirt and I hesitated, feeling winded for some reason. Sneaking a glance at him, I immediately wished I hadn’t. His gaze was watchful, but it was also unmistakably hot in a way that seemed at once both avaricious and accusatory. The vice tightened around my lungs.

Kiss him! Just freaking kiss him! You want numbered steps? Fine. You kiss him- check. He kisses you back- check. Then you make out- check. Check the boxes.

I licked my lips, balling my hands into fists at my sides again, preparing to follow my hasty list.

But then he said, “Undress me.”

My breath caught. On instinct, my eyes lifted and collided with his in much the same way our bodies had collided at the top of the stairs just moments ago. Jarring. Startling. Thrilling. This time I couldn’t look away because this time I was falling. He made no move to catch me.

“What? What did you say?”

His eyes narrowed, which served only to increase the intensity of his gaze from smolder to inferno. “Take my clothes off.”

I stared at him, licking my lips again, and shaking my head. That wasn’t one of my steps.

Lifting my chin, I moved to kiss him. He leaned to the side, evading me even as his eyes dropped to my mouth.

“Take off my shirt and I’ll give you a kiss.” He’d used his naughty-secret voice.

An explosion of heat erupted in my belly, and now I was hot all over. I couldn’t figure out if the heat was embarrassment or arousal or both.

He didn’t give me a chance to figure it out. His hands lifted and he undid his cuffs; then they moved to the top button of his shirt.

“You better take over,” he said darkly, “or else you’re not getting that kiss.”

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Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. When she’s not immersed in penning smart romances, Penny works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

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Review: The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco

The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  This book will be released on March 20th, but I've seen people post that its already out in some stores. 

This sequel picks up where The Bone Witch left off. However, I struggled with past material. There isn't much mention of past events. A sentence or two about what the daeva look like or what they are, who some of the characters are would have been helpful. Most readers including myself read The Bone Witch over a year ago, so unless you just read it and continued onto The Heart Forger with the information fresh in your mind you'd be asking yourself who and what they are talking about. The author does not give many context clues and I found myself going back to my copy of the first book to look up information. I also struggled with the dialog, some of that was the formatting of the ARC, I can't hold that against the book because that will get fixed in editing. While the final ebook and the print copies won't have this issue, I often lost track of which character was speaking. There are alot of characters involved and the author often leaves out mention of who is talking. Overall, those complaints are very minor and I really enjoyed this. I actually liked it more than the first book. I found the first book's pace to be very slow, you can check out my review here.  The first book set up alot of the world, the magic system, and the characters, while this one gets more to the plot.  Chupeco's pacing is slower in this book as well, but that is not a bad thing.  I enjoyed the writing and the magic. 

The Heart Forger has much more action than The Bone Witch. We get most of the back story on why Tea was exiled, but we don't get all of it.  Some of the story is left for the next installment. We get enough to understand her motivations. The story is told like it was in the first book, alternating chapters between Tea's perspective in the past and the current perspective of the Bard who she's brought along to chronicle the truth of what she's doing to right the wrongs of the past. In the present, Tea along with her deava, or demon like creatures, she intends to take revenge on those who betrayed her and sent her into exile. We learn that all is not what it seems through the telling of the story. Tea is portrayed as an anti-hero through most of the Bard's scenes, and you truly believe she has given over to the dark side of her magic until the end. In the past, we see Tea as a young asha, a kind of Geisha and witch, who is impulsive and strong willed. She acts before she thinks and pays the consequences later. She is also possesses dark powers and her mentor has taken ill, which is a plot point in the story, and hasn't had much training on her powers. She is powerful and the lure of the dark calls to her and threatens to change her and turn her into something sinister.

As the story unfolds both in the past and the present, Tea is accompanied by familiar faces. She has many friends who are trying to keep her from going dark, and many enemies who would love her to join the dark. The group of asha that accompany Tea on her mission save her mentor and the mystery of the sleeping sickness that has infected the beloved Prince each have their own parts to play in Tea's story. As the group travel they uncover many political plots and fight some pretty good battles. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing. There are even some pretty good romances that develop among the group.

Overall, I think this was a great fantasy. I can't wait to see where it goes in the next book. Based on where it leaves off it is shaping up to be a fairly epic conclusion. I really think this is a great sequel and I highly recommend the series.

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Review: Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer

Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a very unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty. It has alot more action than the tale that most of us know and the fae have a much larger albeit darker part in the story. Aurora is the princess, who as expected falls asleep by a prick of a spinning wheel when she turns 16, this is all part of the story we know. Much of the rest of the story diverges from the beginning, Aurora cannot speak or feel, as the fae took her speech and ability to feel when she was a baby. The fae all have tithes that they take from humans to maintain and increase their magic. Aurora has a half-sister Isabelle who is blind, but her blindness doesn't keep her from being adventurous. The sisters are best of friends, yet Isabelle or Isbe for short, has always been made to feel inadequate and unworthy. When it comes time for Aurora's 16th birthday and impending wedding, Isbe is to be sent away to a convent. Ever the rebel, Isbe runs away and finds her own adventure. Aurora tries to go after her sister to make amends but finds the spinning wheel instead, and upon pricker her finger she finds herself in another world created by a faerie that everyone has long thought to be dead. Trapt in this dream world, Aurora must decipher the puzzle to not only find her way out but help the other people trapped in the Night Faerie's dream world. Back in the real world, Isbe finds that her sister and everyone in their kingdom has fallen ill with a sleeping sickness. She turns to a neighboring nation to find an ally and hopefully Aurora's true love to break the spell and wake her sister. Of course both sisters find a handsome boy to accompany them on their adventures.

The pacing of the story was a bit slow for my liking. I attribute part of that to the fact that the story jumps around through multiple perspectives. We get several different faerie perspectives and both Aurora and Isabelle's perspectives. The timeline doesn't feel cohesive either, sometimes we are in the past and we are in the present. I wish the backstory of the faerie sisters Malfluer and Belcour was a bit more cohesive. We get some of the information, but I felt like there was so much left out and I'm left wanting more of an explanation of their magic, their broken bond, and a hint at what needs to happen next. I'm just left kind of confused.

Overall, I think this was a decent first installment, and definitely a unique take on Sleeping Beauty. There is alot going on, and there is alot of unfinished business at the end. I'm anxious to see where the next installment takes us.  I have an ARC of Winter Glass which comes out in April, so look for that review to be posted soon.

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Tag Tuesday: Bad Habits Book Tag

I've recently seen this tag going around on youtube, and I really liked the questions. I'll leave goodreads links or links or links to my reviews if I have one posted. Check out HardbackHoarder, Pages and Pens, and the tag creator The Book Pusher's video's for more ideas.

1. Binge drinking - An alcoholic book character

Luke from the Probability of Violet and Luke by Jessica Sorensen. Violet and Luke's story are part of the much larger The Coincidence series. Their story begins with book 4 and goes on to atleast book 6. I've only read 4 and 5 in the series. I've kind of lost interest in the series at this point, but it was OK. Luke has a problem with alcohol and gambling. Violet is a foster kid with problems of her own. They realize they might be good for each other after a while, but they both have a ton of baggage.

2. Biting your nails - A book that made you nervous

Ryan's Bed by Tijan - this book deals with grief and suicide. I wasn't sure how I was going to take it, and like most of Tijan's fans I was afraid of ugly crying as I read it. I didn't cry, but it was a great read.

3. Unhealthy eating - a book that mentions (or for which the theme is) eating disorders

This is a tough category for me, I feel like I've probably come across a book that has mentioned an eating disorder but I can't for the life of me come up with one. So here is a list of YA Eating Disorder Fiction books from GoodReads, I can't speak to whether they are good or not or whether they have good rep. Wintergirls came up several times in my google searches and its number 1 on almost every list, so I may add that to my TBR.

4. Staying up late - A book you read into the night

Don't Look Back by Jennifer Armentrout - I started this book one night after my boys went to bed and just couldn't put it down. It was a case of I'll just read until the end of the chapter, then one more page, then I'll just finish this chapter, several hours later I was done. I loved it and didn't see the end coming. I'm really looking forward to the

5. Procrastination - A book you want to read, but you keep putting it off
So many to pick from, my bookshelf is overflowing, my TBR is so long I don't think I'll ever read everything on it, and my holds list at the library is maxed out. If I have to choose a book I'm going to go with Dragonsworn by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I was so upset with the last book in the series, that I wasn't sure if I was going to continue with the series. This is book 28 in the series I think, and I have pretty much all of her books in physical copy so, I bought it but I haven't read it yet. The review for Dragonmark is one of the first ones I posted on my blog and being so irritated with that book is what inspired me to start leaving book reviews and start blogging. I love this series and I hope this one makes up for the last one so I can keep reading in this world.

6. Swearing - A book in which an author or a character uses colourful language
Marriage of Inconvenience by Penny Reid Dan the Security Man pretty much can't say a sentence without swearing, but he is sweet, loyal, and kind. He's the best kind of guy, he just has a creative way of expressing himself. Dan reminds me of my husband, he's tough, swears alot, but he's awesome. I loved the conclusion to this series, and the series as a whole. I highly recommend the entire Knitting in the City series and I've enjoyed all of Penny's books.

7. Smoking - A book you can't get enough of (bc nicotine, get it?) OR a book that is literally cancer (u can answer both if you're an overachiever)

This question is strange, but a series I've read Samantha Young's On Dublin Street more than once and this is another series I've loved and think the whole series is awesome. Samantha has been one of my favorite author's for a long time and I'm so happy she's had such success with this series and her other contemporary works. I do recommend her self-published YA paranormal books as well, that's how I found her.

I'm also going to mention Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon because this book is beautiful and terrifying. One of the characters suffers and succumbs to cancer.

8. Overspending - An expensive book you bought

Every hardback ever, but I'm going to go with my latest purchase of Norse Mythology but Neil Gaiman. I even got it on sale for 40% off and it was still expensive.

9. Lying - A book you lied about having read

I don't think I technically lied about having read this because I read most of it but I'm pretty sure I never finished Lord of the Flies. This was assigned reading in middle school, and I'm 99% sure I didn't finish it and I remember not liking it. I also remember nothing about it. Maybe I'll see if I can get it on audio book so I can officially finish it or atleast remember finishing it.

10. Speeding - A book you read really fast

Down among the sticks and bones by Seanan McGuire. I know this is a novella so it isn't that long, but I think I read this in about 2 hours on a flight. I was so engrossed in the world. I also read it right before Halloween and I have a soft spot for books with vampires and creepy stuff. I really enjoyed book 2 and book 3 of this series.

Review: The Struggle

The Struggle by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is by far the best of the series in my opinion. I credit part of that to listening to it on audio, the narration brings so much to the book. The narrators did such an amazing job bringing the characters to life. The other part is the book itself, this had the perfect balance of action and development. The next book comes out soon and I can't wait to see where things go next.

This picks up pretty much where the last book ended, after Seth takes out Atlas and is running away from Josie. Seth thinks he's protecting her by leaving her, but man is he wrong. Seth heads home and finds that his childhood home has been transformed into a sort of shrine to him. There is a temple with priests and priestesses there in his honor. Seth also learns that he is more than just the Apollyon. Seth learns quite a bit about his addiction to ether, and in time learns to control his hunger and his new powers. Meanwhile back and the ranch, well Gable's house, Josie is defending Seth to the Army of Awesome and she is determined to go after him. It turns out killing a Titan is a bad idea and it has consequences that no one thought to disclose prior to the AOA going to find the other demi-gods. Josie is still determined to find Seth and prove that he's not the bad guy everyone thinks he is, because with her he's a different person than the one they all know and remember. Alex and Josie come to a friendly agreement regarding Seth when Josie is snapped up by the Titans. Seth has no idea Josie has been taken, and when he finally comes to his senses to go back to her it is way to late. Josie has been with the Titans for days. Eventually they get her back, and Josie isn't healing from her time with them. Seth is of course irate and eventually calls to Apollo for help. There is a ton more action in this book that I was missing in the previous book, that action has consequences though. Seth being Seth, is willing to face those consequences if it means Josie is safe from the Titans.

There is a ton of interaction between Seth and Aiden. They aren't best buddies, but I think they've come to a mutual respect of one another. Seth doesn't really like anyone but himself and Josie. Josie and Alex finally begin to develop a friendship. Alex really steps up and is there for Josie as she is recovering from her ordeal with the Titans. Seth really grows up quite a bit, but he's still got a long way to go. He doesn't lose his arrogant charm, and he has some pretty funny lines in the book. Josie and Seth's relationship is fairly sweet, but there are still some things they need to work out. I won't post any spoilers, go read the book.

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Review: Brave by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Brave by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great wrap up to the Wicked Trilogy, but it doesn't really end the story. That kind of bugs me, but I understand that there is a novella coming out that is a continuation to the story that hopefully will tie up the remaining loose ends. While the storyline does have an ending (which I'm happy with), its kind of an ending for now with the promise of more to come...later. It just kind of felt incomplete to me, and that bugs me a little. Other than that this was a great story, and I really enjoyed the series overall. Ivy grows alot, she has to deal with the trauma she faced in book 2 at the hands of Prince Drake. She has to deal with some heavy stuff, but she being stubborn and kind of embarrassed by what she's had to do and tries to deal with it all on her own. She shuts out Tink and Ren, and makes some pretty bad decisions. This as you can imagine hurts everyone and causes a pretty epic fight between her and Ren, which leads to an even more epic make up. There is alot more steam between Ren and Ivy in book 3, not that there wasn't in the previous books it is just more frequent. I think part of that is they are finally together and committed to each other, plus they've been through some stuff.

There are some great plot twists in Brave. Some I never saw coming. We also learn what Tink has been doing with all of those Troll dolls. Tink as always is hilarious, and much more present in this book. There is alot of action as Ivy and the gang track down the prince and try to prevent the apocalypse.

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Review: Sightwitch by Susan Dennard

Sightwitch by Susan Dennard
Narrated by Bahni Turpin (Narrator), Saskia Maarleveld (Narrator), Cassandra Campbell (Narrator), Lauren Fortgang(Goodreads Author) (Narrator), MacLeod Andrews (Narrator)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved learning Ryber's backstory. From the previous two books, you don't know that she has any witch abilities. This tell you the story of the Sightwitches and Ryber's journey as a sightless sister. It also tells the story of how she and Kullen meet. If you haven't read the first two books, you won't know who Kullen is and why their relationship is important. Ryber has been a Sightwitch Sister since she was 4 years old when she began serving the goddess Sirmaya. Ryber has yet to be blessed with the sight, and she is frustrated because she has always followed all of the rules of the temple and worked very hard to be chosen. It isn't until she finds that all of the sisters have been called into the mountain for service by the goddess and Ryber is left alone that she begins to uncover her unique gift sight. Her gift isn't the same as the other sisters, and she is the only one who can save them from the fate they have been called to. I won't spoil it. On her mission to save her sisters, Ryber runs into Kullen, a Nubrevnan Navy Captain, he has amnesia and they must work together to face the challenges inside the mountain to find the sisters and the way out. A connection forms between the two of them, which you learn more about in Truthwitch.

This gives so much information on the Witchlands, the history of what is going on in the lands, what has happened in the past, and what is yet to come in the story. While this is only a novella and it the main focus is on Ryber and her journey to save her threadsister we learn so much about so many other things in this short little book. I expect we will see more of Ryber in the next installment, especially given what we've learned in this little gem. I have so many conspiracy theories as I wait for Bloodwitch. Unfortunately that won't be out until early next year so I'll just have to be patient.

I listened to the audio and there are multiple narrators. Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin are always amazing. There is a full cast which adds so much to the audio experience. I highly recommend it. This is told in the form of journal entries and other documents so the timeline isn't linear, and it does jump back and forth between a few different perspectives. Using different voices for the various characters helped keep track of who and what time you were listening to.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and can't recommend it enough. Dennard's writing and character development just keeps getting better. This novella is much more focused on one character and plot line and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to see where the cast of characters takes us in the future.

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Review: Windwitch by Susan Dennard

Windwitch by Susan Dennard
Narrated by Cassandra Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is long overdue.  I recently listened to Sightwitch,which prompted me to finally get this posted.  That review will be up soon.  Cassandra Campbell is quickly becoming one of my go to audio narrators.  I really enjoy her voice acting in this series, and highly recommend anything she narrates. 

This picks up shortly after Truthwitch leaves off. Safi has gone off with the Empress of Marstock to try to use her powers to make a difference. Iseult is alone and determined to find Safi no matter what. The bloodwitch Aeduan is very present and makes an unlikely ally to Iseult.And then there is Merik, everyone is led to believe that the prince is dead leaving his sister Vivia to tend to the people of Nubrevna. There are so many twists and turns that you aren't sure who to trust and who is really on the side of good and evil in this tale. It was quite a ride. I very much enjoyed it.

We follow each of the main characters on their very different journeys as they are all on different adventures. Merik must heal after a devestating accident that leads to his supposed death. He is trying to uncover the darkness that is invading his city and save his people. He knows that there has been a great betrayal, but it may not be at the hands of those he initially suspected. He takes on the persona of the Fury, a merciless god in their culture who rights wrongs. He is aided by Cam, one of the few of his crew to survive the accident at sea. In the meantime, Vivia is on the same path to save the people of Nubrevna, though she struggles to find purchase in a world dominated by men. She is fierce and powerful, but she lacks the respect in the political arena.

Isuelt and Aeduan find themselves partnering through many action packed situations. They are both dealing with internal struggles. Isuelt is learning more about her threadwitch powers and learns that she is not a traditional threadwitch like her mother. She must find herself without Safi, and really comes into her own. Safi is always on her mind, and she never forgets that her goal is to find her threadsister and help her. Aeduan meanwhile is remembering things from his past as he must continue on his mission while also aiding Isuelt who happens to be part of his mission. There are hints at a possible romantic relationship in the future between them, but nothing happens in this book. There is pretty much no romance in this book. If you remember in Truthwitch there is a pretty explosive romance between Safi and Merik toward the end of the book. They spend the entire book pining for each other but driven by duty in Windwitch. They want to get back to each other, but romance will have to take a backseat.

Safi is on her own adventure with the Empress of Marstock. Their ship is attacked they are captured by the Hellbards. Hellbards are kind of like witch police, they can bind a witch's powers and are typically employed by royalty to do their dirty work. Safi is still full of attitude and spunk. She never gives up, but she also grows up quite a bit in this book.

Overall, there is a lot going on here with several different plot lines going on at the same time. I really enjoyed the different plot lines and I felt like they came together really well in the end. Clearly there is more story to tell, and I'm excited to see where Susan Dennard takes us on this adventure. The writing was excellent in my opinion and I've grown to love the characters.  I'm bummed that Bloodwitch won't be out until January 2019.

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Release Blitz: Marriage of Inconvenience by Penny Reid

Marriage of Inconvenience, an all new romantic comedy standalone in the USA Today bestselling, Knitting in the City Series by Penny Reid, is LIVE!

There are three things you need to know about Kat Tanner (aka Kathleen Tyson. . . and yes, she is *that* Kathleen Tyson): 1) She’s determined to make good decisions, 2) She must get married ASAP, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Being a billionaire heiress isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, it sucks. Determined to live a quiet life, Kat Tanner changed her identity years ago and eschewed her family’s legacy. But now, Kat’s silver spoon past has finally caught up with her, and so have her youthful mistakes. To avoid imminent disaster, she must marry immediately; it is essential that the person she chooses have no romantic feelings for her whatsoever and be completely trustworthy.

Fortunately, she knows exactly who to ask. Dan O’Malley checks all the boxes: single, romantically indifferent to her, completely trustworthy. Sure, she might have a wee little crush on Dan the Security Man, but with clear rules, expectations, and a legally binding contract, Kat is certain she can make it through this debacle with her sanity—and heart—all in one piece.

Except, what happens when Dan O’Malley isn’t as indifferent—or as trustworthy—as she thought?

Read Today!

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Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. When she’s not immersed in penning smart romances, Penny works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

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