Review: Where Dreams Descend Janella Angeles

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  

This is a solid debut novel and I very much enjoyed it.  Angeles' writing is beautiful, and the premise is really intriguing.  Our main character Kallia is a magician who is fairly powerful, and she performs with the grace and mystery of a Moulin Rouge dancer.  She lives and trains with Jack, another powerful magician, who is secretive and mysterious, and happens to be the proprietor of the Hellfire House where Kallia performs.   Anytime Kallia questions what lies beyond Hellfire House in the nearby city of Glorian, Jack quickly shuts her down which only makes her more curious.  Kallia hears of a magical competition in Glorian, and she is determined to win and see more of the world for herself.  When she gets to Glorian, she is not met with the welcome she expects for a magician such as herself.  There is in fact a magicians competition, but suspicious things keeps happening and as the only female magician fingers are always pointing at Kallia.  The longer the competition goes on, more strange and sinister things happen.  Unfortunately we don't get much of an explanation as to what was happening in an around the strange town of Glorian.

I would have liked a better explanation of the magic system.  Some magician are born with magic and some have obtained magic, but that never really is explained.  Mirrors play a significant role in the magic of the world, but how they work and why is not explained.  I really would have liked a clear explanation of how the magic system works and why certain characters and events were important.  I believe the ending has set us up to explain more in the next book, but I really don't like it when you are left with more questions than answers in a single book in a series.  This book is fairly long, but leaves us with far too many questions unanswered.  

I'm looking forward to finding out what happens in the next book and more about the characters, the magic, and hopefully more will be revealed.

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Review: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an copy of the audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love mythology and fairy tales especially when they come from a culture I don't know much about.  I'm glad I listened to the author's note at the very end of the audiobook because I learned quite a bit about where she took her inspiration from and the origin of the stories she was retelling.  At one point I thought this had a Rumplestiltskin feel to it and that was confirmed during her notes that one of the stories is similar to that fairy tale.  I really love that she took aspects of her culture and background and wove them into this story.  

I liked the premise of the book but the pacing felt a bit slow.  There isn't a ton of action to move the plot along, it is mostly character interaction or Soraya's internal monologue.  The plot itself is fairly convenient and predictable, but I've come to expect that in YA fantasy.  This has some really interesting characters that are drawn from the mythology, but I would have liked to see them developed a little more.  The main character Soraya is really the only character that show's much development.

To give a quick recap, this book is about Soraya who was cursed with a poisonous touch a birth.  She is the twin of the Shah (aka the king), but she has to stay hidden away and her family basically ignores her.  As her brother's wedding grows near, she seeks out the knowledge to rid herself of her curse only to upend her entire life in a way she never imagined.  Soraya must determine if she wants to embrace the side of good or evil.  She has to decide between betraying the family and kingdom that never really showed her love and kindness and join the demons or save them all and be the decent human being she has always been despite everything she's been through.  

Overall this was an entertaining listen, but it didn't live up to my expectations.

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Sneak Peek: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer Armentrout

 

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, an all-new sexy fantasy novel in the A Blood and Ash Series by New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout is coming September 1st and we have an exciting sneak peek!

“We go home to marry, my Princess.” As in get married? To him? Suddenly, I thought of all those girlish fantasies I’d had before I learned who I was and what was expected of me—daydreams given life because of the love my parents had for one another. Never once did those little-girl dreams include a proposal that wasn’t remotely an actual proposal. Nor did they incorporate it being announced at a table full of strangers, half of which wanted me dead. And those dreams surely hadn’t involved what had to be the kingdom’s worst—and possibly most insane—non-proposal of marriage to a man currently holding me captive. Perhaps I had some sort of ailment of the brain. Maybe I was experiencing hallucinations brought on by stress. After all, there had been so much painful death to process. His betrayal to deal with. And I’d just learned I was descended from Atlantia, a kingdom I’d been raised to believe was the source of all the evil and tragedy in the land. Stress-induced hallucinations seemed a far more believable reason than what was actually happening. All I could do was stare at the larger hand holding my much smaller one. His skin was slightly darker than mine as if kissed by the sun. Years of wielding a sword with deadly, graceful precision had left his palms callused. He lifted my hand to an indecently well-formed and full mouth. To lips that were somehow soft yet unrelentingly firm. Lips that had spun beautiful words into the air and whispered heated, wicked promises against my bare skin. Lips that had paid homage to the many scars that riddled my body and face. Lips that had also spoken blood-soaked lies. Now, that mouth was pressed against the top of my hand in a gesture that I would’ve cherished for an eternity and thought exquisitely tender just days or weeks ago. Simple things like hand-holding or chaste kisses had been forbidden to me. As were being wanted or feeling desire. I had long since accepted that I would never experience those things. Until him. I lifted my gaze from our joined hands, from that mouth that was already curving up on one side, hinting at a dimple in the right cheek, and from the slowly parting lips that revealed just a hint of fatally sharp fangs. His hair brushed the nape of his neck and toppled over his forehead, and the thick strands were such a deep shade of black, it often shone blue in the sunlight. With high and angular cheekbones, a straight nose, and a proud, carved jaw, he often reminded me of the large, graceful cave cat I had seen once in Queen Ileana’s palace as a child. Beautiful, but in the way all wild, dangerous predators were. My heart stammered as my eyes locked onto his, orbs a shade of stunning, cool amber. I knew I was staring at Hawke— WANT MORE: Download the entire chapter here>> https://BookHip.com/RNZCCJ

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Synopsis

Is Love Stronger Than Vengeance?

A Betrayal…

Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice….

Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret…

But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.

About Jennifer L. Armentrout #1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Border Jack Apollo. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was an Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins. She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

Connect with Jennifer L. Armentrout Facebook: http://bit.ly/2xSL7u5 Instagram: @jennifer_l_armentrout http://bit.ly/33GWn8R Twitter: @JLArmentroutnews http://bit.ly/2QvDYpT Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dnOSIi Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2U5Jemy BookBub: http://bit.ly/2U2Fe63 Stay up to date with Jennifer by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/2qBce5m Website: https://jenniferlarmentrout.com

Blog Tour: Always Crew by Tijan

 

Everything was going well… Until it wasn’t. Again.

Always Crew, the beautiful and epic conclusion of the Crew series by New York Times bestselling author Tijan is available now!

For the longest time, I was Bren Monroe. I lived in Roussou, California. I had no parents, no brother, but I had a crew.

Then things started to change. I never planned for any of it. I didn’t think I’d fall in love. I didn’t think I’d have a relationship with my brother again. I didn’t think that he’d come back.

Now I’m in Cain. My crew is in college. They’re growing, going through their own things. And here I am, figuring out my life.

There’s always hurdles and obstacles to overcome. That was never my hardship. That was my regular. But living? Being content? Being happy? Those were my challenges now.

Everything was going well… Until it wasn’t. Again.

A/N: Always Crew is the conclusion of the Crew Series, and a 106k novel.

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Excerpt

“Please, Bren,” Jordan whispered.

I sagged, hearing his plea. If I didn’t stop, he’d start. I had to stop. I had to stop for him. “We have to go. It’s done.” That was Cross, but he was the leader speaking now. “Get her in the truck.” Jordan carried me over. Zellman hopped up and Jordan lifted me to him. I could’ve climbed up myself, but there was something about my crew doing this for me. Handling me. They needed to do this, and a part of me needed to let them. I glanced back as Jordan was climbing up, coming behind us. Cross was bent over the guy. He was talking to him. A second later, he pulled his phone out, punching some numbers. Then the phone was back in his pocket, and he was coming for the truck. His eyes held mine for a brief moment before he got behind the wheel. Cross drove us back as Zellman and Jordan huddled on both sides of me. My hands were still bleeding, but no one moved to cover them. That felt fitting, for some reason. Just let me bleed.

About Tijan Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new YA series along with so many more from north Minnesota where she lives with a man she couldn’t be without and an English Cocker she adores.

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Review: Black Wings Beating by Alex London

Black Wings Beating by Alex London
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked this up on a whim from Netgalley when it was offered as a Read Now book. I did opt to listen to the audiobook because I was really intrigued by the synopsis and wanted to get to it faster. This is told in dual perspectives and I appreciated that the alternating chapters were narrated by different people. I find it easier to distinguish between the characters in an audiobook if there is a male and female narrator for the two main characters. This was narrated very well, I thought both narrators did a great job with the main and side characters as well as with telling the story and expressing emotion.

I really liked this. It had a unique story, and I appreciated that the focus was on the brother sister dynamic, not a love triangle or focused heavily on romance. There is some romance but it is not the focus of the story as we so often see in YA Fantasy. Kylee and Brysen are twins and the product of an emotion and physically abusive father and a devoutly religious mother. Brysen takes the brunt of the abuse as he can never seem to please his father. Kylee has shown promise as a falconer but has no desire to follow in her father's footsteps. After their father's death, Kylee and Brysen try to make ends meet carrying on the family business and raising and training birds of prey. Unfortunately, Brysen makes a deal to save the boy he loves and the twins head off on a dangerous quest to capture a dangerous bird. Brysen hopes that he will finally earn some respect as a falconer, and Kylee hopes they can pay off their debts and she can escape the falconer life. Things don't go exactly as planned, Kylee has always had a way with the birds and upon meeting the Owl Mothers she learns more about her connection to the birds and why she can so easily control them. The twins and their companions learn that there is a war brewing and a much bigger plot that they are to play a role in. Hearts are broken, betrayal is uncovered, potential new relationships are forged, and most importantly the bond between a brother and sister is strengthened.

I would have liked a little more world building. I hope to see the Sky Castle and the locations described a little more in the next two books. I'm also still not totally clear on the political climate between the 3 factions and the war that is coming and why. THe way this book ended I think we'll get more of that in the next book as Kylee learns more about her "powers" and continue on their adventures. The character development was a little tropey, we've seen characters like Brysen and Kylee before. She is the female savior who takes care of everything while he's the annoying brother who keeps making bad decisions. They don't ever talk to each other about their resentment of one another, but they love each other and won't be separated. Despite the fact that I've seen characters like this before, I liked them anyway! Book two is already out and book three comes out soon, and these have just moved to the top of my TBR. I can't wait to find out what happens next.

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Blog Tour: Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills

 

Is Jack my real Romeo…or will this gorgeous football player only break my heart?

Not My Romeo, the all-new swoon-worthy contemporary sports romance with heart and heat from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is available now!

My review is posted here

We start off with a lie on Valentine’s Day.

My blind date isn’t the studious guy I expected: he’s a drop-dead gorgeous player with sinful amber eyes. Somehow we end up at his penthouse. I blame the gin and tonic.

The next day I learn he’s Jack Hawke—bad-boy professional quarterback with a murky past. The NDA he has me sign should be a warning that he isn’t a regular person. Please. I sign it Juliet Capulet, so goodbye, famous football player with abs of steel, and good luck tracking down this small-town librarian.

But Jack keeps showing up in places I least expect him. Just when I’m sure he’s gone, he waltzes into my community theater and wins the part of Romeo to my Juliet. How’s a plain, mostly innocent girl like me supposed to resist a man like him?

Is Jack my real Romeo…or will this gorgeous football player only break my heart?

Download your copy today or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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Excerpt:

I pull my white cat-eye glasses out of my purse and slide them on for a better look. My heart flip-flops as butterflies take flight in my stomach. Oh heck no. That can’t be him. He’s . . . he’s . . . freaking gorgeous, and I don’t mean regular handsome but like a movie star: dark hair swept off his face, the strands wavy and unruly with copper highlights, soft and silky brushing against his cheeks, and too long for a newscaster, in my opinion—but what do I know? I don’t own a television.

He lifts his arm to shove his hair back, and my eyes pop at the tightly roped muscles of his forearm and biceps straining through the fabric, the impossibly broad shoulders.

Well, would you look at that.

And this has to be him, right?

I’m in the right restaurant. He’s alone. He’s wearing a blue shirt. He has dark hair. Odds point to yes. Usually the most simple explanation is exactly what it appears. Therefore, he must be my date.

The man in question turns to look out the window, tapping his fingers on the table impatiently, and I take in his profile. Long straight nose, full dark arching eyebrows, and a sharp, bladed jawline. Sensuous lips, the lower one decadently full. Almost wicked. He’s the kind of hot that draws your eyes over and over just to make sure it’s not a mirage. I knew guys like him at NYU—sexy, athletic gym types who played a sport. And those types never gave me a second look. I’d watch them work out while I fumbled my way around one of those god-awful butterfly machines, while beautiful, tall, svelte girls who weren’t sweating fawned over them, bringing them towels, water bottles, and sexy promises.

He takes a sip of an amber liquid, long tanned fingers grasping the fragile container as his eyes rove across the room. They prowl around the restaurant, as if he’s assessing every person in sight, and I feel the sizzle of him even from twenty feet away. Prickles of awareness skate down my spine. I’m the alpha, his body language yells. Come and challenge me.

His gaze drifts right over me without stopping.

Not surprised.

I duck back into the shadows.

Dang it. My hands clench. I wanted nice and nerdy, not this . . . sexy beast!

And judging by the scowl on his face, he’s grumpy. Life’s too short to be dour, Mister. And what is he annoyed about? I am here!

And he did see a picture of me. Topher said so.

Yeah, maybe he doesn’t really want to meet you.

Maybe he’s hoping you won’t show up.

I tap my foot. I should leave. Really.

The smells of Milano’s waft around me, spicy and tantalizing, and my stomach lets out an angry howl. I move from one foot to the next. Every place to eat between here and Daisy is going to be packed. I could always hit a drive-through on the way back home—but how pathetic is a Big Mac and fries on Valentine’s Day? Plus, I’ll have my entire nosy family to answer to tomorrow. They’ve built up this blind date so much: Oooooh, Elena has a date with a weatherman. Ask him if that’s a barometer in his pocket or if he’s just glad to see you.

I give myself a mental pep talk.

Grow some balls, Elena.

Sometimes you have to go out and take what you want.

So what if he’s hot enough to suck the dew off a rose.

You are hungry. Do it for the pasta.

He is your date. Go get ’em, girl.

I gather my resolve, point my little black pumps in his direction, and start marching.

About Ilsa Madden-Mills

Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.

Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

Connect with Ilsa

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nY2pxT Instagram: http://bit.ly/35xfNfo Stay up to day with Ilsa by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2ZWaTYh Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EESfM9 Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2GaR6cn Book+Main: http://bit.ly/2s4j9ci Website: https://www.ilsamaddenmills.com Join her Unicorn Girls Group on FB, the best way to keep up: http://bit.ly/37B6Nay Sign up for phone alert for book releases (max of 4) Text ROMANCE to 21000

RELEASE BLITZ: Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills

“Rife with uproarious moments and banter that sings, this scorching contemporary will captivate Madden-Mills’s fans.” —Publishers Weekly

Not My Romeo, the all-new sexy and unforgettable contemporary sports romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is available now!

We start off with a lie on Valentine’s Day.

My blind date isn’t the studious guy I expected: he’s a drop-dead gorgeous player with sinful amber eyes. Somehow we end up at his penthouse. I blame the gin and tonic.

The next day I learn he’s Jack Hawke—bad-boy professional quarterback with a murky past. The NDA he has me sign should be a warning that he isn’t a regular person. Please. I sign it Juliet Capulet, so goodbye, famous football player with abs of steel, and good luck tracking down this small-town librarian.

But Jack keeps showing up in places I least expect him. Just when I’m sure he’s gone, he waltzes into my community theater and wins the part of Romeo to my Juliet. How’s a plain, mostly innocent girl like me supposed to resist a man like him?

Is Jack my real Romeo…or will this gorgeous football player only break my heart?

Download your copy today or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ztiNzh Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/notmyromeo

Add NOT MY ROMEO to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2zmDX1O

About Ilsa Madden-Mills

Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.

Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

Connect with Ilsa

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nY2pxT Instagram: http://bit.ly/35xfNfo Stay up to day with Ilsa by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2ZWaTYh Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EESfM9 Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2GaR6cn Book+Main: http://bit.ly/2s4j9ci Website: https://www.ilsamaddenmills.com Join her Unicorn Girls Group on FB, the best way to keep up: http://bit.ly/37B6Nay Sign up for phone alert for book releases (max of 4) Text ROMANCE to 21000

RELEASE BLITZ: The Truest Thing by Samantha Young

 

She made him believe in the legend…

The Truest Thing, Book Four in the USA Today bestselling Hart's Boardwalk Series by Samantha Young, is live!

Nine years ago, Emery Saunders moved to Hartwell to start her life over as a bookstore owner. Her inability to trust people made it hard for her to find a place in the small community until Jessica Lawson moved to town and befriended the shy beauty.

But there was one person in Hartwell who tried to befriend Emery long before Jessica arrived…

Jack Devlin has his secrets. One of them is that he fell hard for Emery the moment she appeared in Hartwell. Another is that his father blackmailed him into covering up a dark family tragedy. It forced Jack to sever his relationships to protect the people he cared about. Yet, staying away from Emery has not been easy throughout the years and he hasn’t always succeeded. When Jack’s mixed signals hurt Emery once again, she puts him out of her heart for good. 

Until the Devlin family secret is finally revealed, freeing Jack from his father’s machinations. What Jack wants more than anything is to repair his relationships, starting with Emery. 

However, Emery isn’t ready to forgive and Jack’s not ready to give up.

And when the town’s latest scandal ties Jack and Emery together, Jack is not above using their new reality to prove to Emery once and for all that their love is worthy of the legend of Hart’s Boardwalk.

Download Today!

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Meet Samantha

Samantha Young is a New York Times and #1 International bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. On Dublin Street was Samantha's first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries. She has since published over thirteen romance titles including the New York Times Bestsellers Into the Deep, Hero, and her most recent contemporary romance Fight or Flight. When writing Adult Paranormal romance she writes under the pen name S. Young. 

Connect with Samantha

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSamanthaYoung/

Website – http://authorsamanthayoung.com

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Review: Unearthed by Marc Mulero

Unearthed by Marc Mulero
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the premise of this book. The plot was enough to keep me interested until the end, but I had a really hard time with this book from the beginning.

The book starts in the middle of a conflict with little to no backstory to what is happening and why. It wasn't until about the 15% mark that I had a clue what was going on, but I don't think I had a good grasp on what was going on or why for most of the book. The author reveals tiny snippets of information and leaves you with more questions than answers, then there will be some crazy twist. The fight scenes are very detailed, which left me wondering why the details of the plot, world, and characters weren't flushed out? There are far too many characters in this, which is something I personally don't like in books and while this isn't told in alternating perspectives, it switches frequently from character to character. I would have liked to see shorter chapters for those transitions versus paragraph to paragraph switching to tell the story. It really slows down the pace and made it hard for me to stay engaged in the story. I would have also liked more backstory on each of the characters and factions they came from. It made it really hard to connect with them because after reading a 300+ page book I still feel like I know nothing about any of the main characters and know nothing about the factions that keep being mentioned. The factions are fairly important as the Sins and the Heizers are two of the main factions but other than a vague caste system being in place there wasn't much more mentioned. I also want to know more about the Ayelan. It's a substance mined from the earth but the science fiction aspect isn't very well described on the page. I like my sci-fi to be well explained even if the science is made up. The premise of using this substance for scientific experiments is really cool, I just wanted better explanations and descriptions.

This book/series has tons of potential. The action scenes are pretty well done, albeit sometimes gruesome. I think the idea of this book is really interesting, but it lacked in execution. The characters are all really interesting, but I think had this book focused on one or two instead of the 10 I can name off the top of my head (there might be more) that we focus on throughout, I would have enjoyed this alot more.

The next book is out soon, and hopefully more information about the things I'm looking for are revealed. It felt like more was to be revealed in the next book.

View all my reviews

Review: The Truest Thing by Samantha Young

The Truest Thing by Samantha Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review.   This will be out on August 18, 2020.

This is the books fans of the series have been waiting on for years! I think anyone who has read any of the previous book in the series are going to be 100% satisfied with this love story. It has everything you want from a romance novel and you won't want to put it down.

Emery and Jack have been Hart's Boardwalk's long time enigma of a couple. Everyone knows they are attracted to each other, but everything in life keeps them apart. This book starts well before the timeline of the other books, to when Emery and Jack first meet, before Jack betrays Coop, before Jack starts working for his father. As the story unfolds we really get to know Emery, about her past, why she is so painfully shy, and watch her develop into someone who can stand up for herself. She has secrets, Jack knows some of them, but as she slowly starts to acclimate she finds her own place in the world and builds her own life and family that she can trust. Jack on the other hand has been led down a path he was trying to avoid. When we meet him, he's not a bad guy, but as the book progresses we come to learn that he's been made to work for his father who has questionable morals and tactics when it comes to business and getting what he wants. Eventually Jack is in the position to be out from under his father's control, and he has to make amends with all of the people he has hurt over the years, especially Emery.

The Truest Thing answers a lot of questions that we've had about Jack and his family, why he did the things he did in the previous books, and what the heck is going on with him and Emery. Their relationship is extremely slow burn as something always happens to keep them apart. There is so much heartbreak and emotion in this book. If you want passion, angst, and heartache this book is for you. I could not put it down, and it is a decent length. I read it in about 12 hours because it was that good.

If you are a fan of the previous books in the series, this is a must read. I'm having a hard time putting into words what I feel about this book because the emotions were so raw and intense. I don't know how Samantha Young does it but she has this magical ability to suck you in and you don't want to let go of her characters. I'm so invested in the people she writes and what happens to them. I'm so happy that Emery and Jack have finally gotten their story and it is amazing!


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Review: The Shadows by Alex North

The Shadows by Alex North
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided a copy of the audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  

I enjoyed both of the narrators.  It helped to keep track of which perspective and plot line we were following.  They both did a good job building the suspense and adding emotion when necessary and distinguishing between the characters.

The premise of this is really cool, Paul and the group of boys he is hanging out with start dabbling with lucid dreaming.  Charlie, the leader of the dream investigations, truly believes he can manifest things while dreaming and convinces the other boys of the same.  Paul leaves the group to their own devices, but eventually their town is rocked to its core when two of the boys commit murder and Charlie disappears never to be heard from again.  The case becomes somewhat of an urban legend until we fast forward 25 years and an eerily similar murder occurs.  Paul happens to be back in town visiting his ailing mother and during a few moments of clarity she makes some strange remarks that lead him to start digging around his childhood home.

This is told from alternating timelines of past and present from main character Paul's perspective and we also get the perspective of Detective Amanda Beck who you may remember from [book:The Whisper Man|41940236].  Both books are 100% standalone, but there she returns as a detective and some place names are mentioned.  You do not need to read either book to read the other, but I do recommend The Whisper Man, it was one of my favorite thrillers of 2019.  This has the same creepy feel as North's previous work, which only builds as the mystery unfolds.  I did feel that the ending felt a bit rushed as everything came together in a hurry.  Everything is sort of revealed all at once and it is alot to absorb.  I will say this is the rare case where I had no idea what was happening until I was told.

Overall, I enjoyed this and flew through the audiobook in about 3 days.  I'm looking forward to whatever creepy ominous thriller Alex North comes up with next!

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Review: Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I received a surprise ARC of this in the mail back in January, so I opted to listen to the audiobook so I could finally read and review it.  This was published in January 2020, and should be available everywhere.

I really enjoyed this. The audio narration is well done and I felt the narrator did a great job expressing Jane's feelings and adding emotion to various situations that may or may not have jumped off the page. I highly recommend the audio.

This is the story of Jane Then and Jane Now as she tries to recover and cope with being held in captivity for 7 months and escaping. She is having a hard time re-establishing herself in her old life, so she starts writing about her experience "then" and what happened to her from the day she was taken and all that she experienced while she was held by the man she calls "the monster". You are reading her journal entries, so this is told in a somewhat epistolary format as she writes entries about her experiences in the present with her friends and family as they try to reconnect with Jane in the here and now, and in the past or what she calls then as she tries to remember everything that happened to her in an attempt to heal from her experience and find herself.

I found this captivating and I didn't want to put it down. I kept opting to put my headphones back in to listen to the story instead of read my other book or do other things because I wanted to know what was going on with Jane. As the story unfolds and we learn more about Jane and her captivity and struggles to cope after she's returned home, I found parts of the plot to be predictable I won't spoil anything, but people who read lots of thrillers like I do will know what I mean. However, I found myself so invested in Jane's story that I wanted to know if I was right or if I was completely off base and there was going to be some other twist. I appreciate that the cast of characters was small and that the pacing of the story was really well done. There is a focus on mental health issues here, which may be triggering for some, and while I thought parts of it were handled unrealistically, who knows what is realistic for a situation like Jane's until it happens to you (which I hope it never does), other parts were handled really well. I particularly liked the parts with Jack and how he supported her without pushing an agenda or trying to figure out how she felt.

I highly recommend this psychological thriller for anyone looking for a fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I very much enjoyed it and look forward to reading more by this author!


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