Review: Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  Thank you to Macmillan Audio & Macmillan Young Listeners for providing me the opportunity to listen to this book early.  This book will be out on April 4, 2023.

I was initially drawn to the beautiful cover!  This has a little bit of everything.  It touches on social issues like race, cultural appropriation, LGBT issues, mental health and so much more.  Not only does the author present important topics to the reader in a way that makes you think, but we get a mystery and story full of magic, emotion, and characters you won't soon forget.  

There is alot going on in this book.  The audiobook has multiple narrators, and mulitple POVs.  The story is mainly told from the perspective of the twins Clem and Cris, but every once in a while we get the occasional POV from another character.   Having so many characters made it a little hard to follow at times especially when you are trying to keep track of the plot as well.  That being said,  I had a hard time putting this down.  I kept opting to listen to this instead of picking up the other book I am reading at the moment.  I found the characters engaging, the plot moved at a good pace, and the magic was intriguing.  I really liked the magic system and the concept of the magical community.   The twins both go through some things in the book but like all teenagers they struggle to reach for help despite having a support system in each other and their family.  They both have to struggle through some things before they are ready to face their problems and ask for help from their loved ones.  Their is alot of good discussion about family in this book, and I suspect we will see more in the future as Clem and Cris still have more obstacles to face down in the future.  

There are some dark moments in this book, and while I do feel it is appropriate for a YA reader I would recommend it for the older more mature reader.  This does end on a cliffhanger but I believe this is book one of a trilogy, and I'm anxious to get my hands on the next book.  I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.  There are alot of loose ends that need to be tied up and I expect that there is going to be some backlash based on the events that took place in this installment.  This is my first book by Terry J. Benton-Walker but it certainly will not be my last.  

View all my reviews

Excerpt Reveal: Fluke by Adriana Locke

 

   

FLUKE BY ADRIANA LOCKE

Release Date: April 10th Genre/Tropes: Fake ex-husband / Small Town Romance / Friends to Lovers / One Bed / He Falls First

Fluke, an all-new small-town romance, by USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke is coming April 10th!

CHECK OUT AN EXCERPT BELOW!

Pre-order this fake ex-husband, small-town romance TODAY! https://amzn.to/3FCU3Uj

Add to Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61946841-fluke    

        

EXCERPT

   “Do you check your email?” she asks. “Yeah.” “Have you checked it today?” “Uh, no. I’ve been working all day.” She clears her throat, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “May I ask you to let me see your emails, please?” Excuse me? I press my lips together, curiosity getting the best of me, and pull my phone out of my pocket. “Jess?” “No, you may not see my emails.” Her hands go to her hips. “Please?” “What are you up to, Pip?” She reaches for my phone in a quick, bold move. Unfortunately for her, I’m quicker. I hold it up in the air and effectively out of her reach. “Please, don’t look at them. At least not with me standing here,” she says, hopping a whole foot off the ground to try to reach the device. I chuckle. “What did you do?” “Give it to me.” She hops again. “Now.” “Not a chance.” I swipe the screen and find my email app as she tries to tug my arm down. “Will you stop it?” “Jess,” she says, fake crying. She stops hopping. “Wait.” I laugh at her little pout. “You are so fucking cute.” “I hate you.” “You do not.” The app opens, and I scan my inbox. It’s the third message from the top that catches my attention. Plum, Pippa Re: SEEKING AN EX-HUSBAND   

   

  Blurb:   

  SEEKING AN EX-HUSBAND   I need a fake ex-husband. Let me explain … I may have let it slip to my new co-workers that I have an ex-husband. Now they’re fascinated with the details, specifically with him. Why wouldn’t they be? He’s gorgeous, has exceptional skills in the bedroom, and is determined to win me back. But there’s a problem. He doesn’t exist. The bigger problem? I have to produce him to save my job. This is where you come in. I’m seeking someone to play a smitten ex-husband for two weeks. You’ll need to remember our love story—details matter when it comes to romance! Please be prepared to travel in-state at a moment’s notice. We may be in close proximity and sharing a bed may be required. One more thing—kisses are required for optics as necessary. If this sounds interesting or, at the very least, entertaining, let me know. Signed, Your Future Ex-Wife   Buckle up for a steamy adventure between friends-turned-lovers in this new “fresh twist on a favorite trope!” take on fake dating, close proximity, and romance in the workplace from USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke.     

  About the Author:

USA Today Bestselling author, Adriana Locke, writes contemporary romances about the two things she knows best—big families and small towns. Her stories are about ordinary people finding extraordinary love with the perfect combination of heart, heat, and humor.   She loves connecting with readers, fall weather, football, reading alpha heroes, everything pumpkin, and pretending to garden.   Hailing from a tiny town in the Midwest, Adriana spends her free time with her high school sweetheart (who she married over twenty-five years ago) and their four sons (who truly are her best work). Her kitchen may be a perpetual disaster, and if all else fails, there is always pizza.   Learn more at adrianalocke.com.

 

Connect w/Adriana: 

  Website: https://adrianalocke.com 

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoradrianalocke 

  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/booksbyadrianalocke 

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/authoralocke 

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoradrianalocke 

  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8379774.Adriana_Locke 

  Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ivy7xd 

  Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/adriana-locke 

  Newsletter Signup: http://bit.ly/NewsletterAddy

Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley.  Thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Young Listeners for the opportunity to read and review this early.  As always all opinions are my own.

The audio narrators were wonderful.  The did an amazing job brining Kitt and Iris to life.   I really enjoyed that we get alternating male and female dialogue where appropriate so if feels like they are having a conversation.   I mainly opted to listen to the audiobook and couldn't put it down once I started.  

I loved this!  I've been a fan of Ross' work for sometime so when I saw that she had a new YA Fantasy out I jumped on the chance to read it.  This follows Iris, and aspiring journalist who is struggling to keep things together after her brother leaves for the war front.  Iris is competing for a columnist position at a reputable newspaper with Roman Kitt.  Roman is handsome, rich, and put together; basically everything Iris is not.  They are opposites in everyway, but their opposition drives them to be better at their craft.  While Iris can't stand Kitt, what she doesn't know is that they are tied together in the most unusual way.  When Kitt wins the spot at the paper, Iris decides to become a war correspondent in an attempt to escaper her life that has fallen apart and to find her missing brother on the front.  Iris not only becomes a published writer, but she also finds so much more on the front than she was expecting.

I really love what Ross did with the mythology aspect in this.  I'm not sure if the myth is based on an actual myth or if she completely made it up.  Either way I really enjoyed that there was something otherworldly driving the war and a small magical and fantastical element to the plot.   I really liked the concept of the magical typewriters and I'd love to know where the 3rd one is.  I wonder if we'll ever find out.  This does heavily focus on the rivals to lovers trope, and while we do get the background myth that started the war I hope to get a bit more background or interaction with the gods in book 2.  I love mythology whether made up or based in ancient cultural myth and legend so I really appreciate when an author weaves that into their storyline.  

This is classified as YA, but it does have some more serious and mature themes.  This does end on a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait for the next book!  I'm so anxious to find out what happens next!  I loved the development of the relationship between Iris and Kitt and Iris and Carver.  I really loved Iris' character development throughout the book.  In the beginning I was wondering if she was going to throw in the towel, but she really snapped out of it and stepped up.  She was appropriately scared in the situations she was in, but she was also courageous, kind, and selfless.  As a correspondent she is supposed to write what she sees, but she was also respectful of the soldiers and wasn't just in it for a story.  While this was tense and serious at times, it also has light hearted moments as well.  The banter between Iris and Kitt is witty and their romance is fun.  

Content warnings: loss of a parent, addition specifically alcohol, PTSD, violence and injury due to war, non graphic intimacy

View all my reviews

Review: You Wouldn't Dare by Samantha Markum

You Wouldn't Dare by Samantha Markum
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I'm not sure I was the right audience for this book.  Does that mean I'm getting old?  Maybe it does.  I think this is going to be perfect for teens and young readers.  

I was irritated with Junie the main character for the entire book.  She is really selfish, immature, irresponsible and dramatic making her unlikable.  She has a wonderful group of friends, and they put up with her antics instead of calling her on her BS.  Nothing is ever her fault and all of her bad decisions are turned into a joke.  She doesn't realize she is hurting people around her and in turn hurting herself.  I'm glad finally someone addressed her emotional issues with her dad, which was causing most of her ridiculous behavior.  While her character development arc did take a step in the right direction, for me it came too late in the game.  

While Junie took a long time to grow on me, I loved her group of friends.  She has a wonderful support system in her friends and family that no matter what will love her unconditionally.  While this was too dramatic for me, I do think there will be an audience out there who will love Junie and her antics.  

View all my reviews

Review: All the White Spaces: A Novel by Ally Wilkes

All the White Spaces: A Novel by Ally Wilkes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Edelweiss+, however I ended up listening to the final version of the audiobook.  All opinions are my own.

From the description, this sounded like it would align with my reading tastes.  A little bit historical fiction with an interesting horror aspect.  Unfortunately, I wasn't drawn in by the slow pacing.  This follows Jonathan, who stows away on an expedition to Antarctica after the death of both of his brothers.  Jonathan's brothers both had dreams of going on Antarctic adventures, and Jonathan has decided to take up the mantel.  When the crew arrives in the dangerous Weddell Sea, disaster strikes and the expedition seems to be cursed.  

I did think that the use of the aurora as a device to prey on the fears of men was a good one.  You couldn't tell if there really was something supernatural out there or if the men on the crew were slowly descending into madness from the Antarctic temperatures and lack of provisions.  I thought that Wilkes did a good job developing the fear and fragility of the characters as they try to survive their situation.  

While I thought this was a well written book, this is a case of this style of slow build up isn't the type of book I prefer.  I never truly felt the tension and terror that the characters were feeling, I think that is because there were long periods of time between the events.  This is also very character driven, which is also no my preferred style.  I prefer faster paced plot driven books with a bit more action.  This is a great story of self discovery and survival.  

View all my reviews

Review: God Themselves by Jae Nichelle

God Themselves by Jae Nichelle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio arc of this book via Netgalley, all options are my own. I kept seeing the cover of this and was immediately drawn to the book. I kept coming back to it and knew I needed to read it. I’m so glad that I did.

I really enjoyed this poetry collection. I really enjoyed that it was narrated by the author. I feel poetry is often more impactful when spoken and who better to speak it than the author. Her voice was a pleasure to listen to. As the author mentions in intro some of the poems are meant to be viewed as they have a visual impact. The audio is supposed to have a pdf for these poems, but I was able to grab a print copy from my library and follow along with the audiobook. There are some really cool visual poems in the print version but I really enjoyed listening to Nichelle speak her words.

This covers a lot of different topics and the length of the poems varies from a few words to a few pages. I found myself reflecting on many of the poems and you can really feel the author’s emotions and experiences in each of the poems. As you can tell my the title that there is a focus on God and religion throughout, so I would stay away from this collection if that is not your cup of tea. I didn’t feel it was preaching anything or disrespectful, only a reflection on the author’s own experience and feelings. This is geared toward a more audience based on some of the content and language.

Overall this was a solid collection and I’m so glad I followed my instincts to grab a copy of the audiobook. I was not disappointed with this beautiful collection of poems.

View all my reviews

Review: The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided print and an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  

This is a queer retelling of Rapunzel, which I don't think I knew when I requested this.  You don't often see Rapunzel retellings, though I have seen a few pop up recently.  All I knew going in that this was a queer fantasy with witches and vampires, I didn't really need any more to entice me.  I do love a good retelling though.  It has been a while since I've read the original Rapunzel, but I get the correlation.  The action and adventure parts more closely resemble the movie Tangled, which to be fair is probably the version of Rapunzel that people are most familiar with.

This follows former best friends Ava and Kaye who are both witches, except Ava is a vampire and Kaye is a vampire hunter in training.  Kaye's mother was killed on the same night Ava disappeared (the night she was turned), and they haven't spoken in years.  Ava has been held prisoner by her mother and her creepy husband, but she's had enough.  She is determined to escape and seek refuge with the Vampire Queen.  Meanwhile Kaye is doing everything she can to prove herself worthy of being a Flame Witch and hunter.  On the night Ava escapes, Kaye catches up to her and the two of them embark on a journey of self-discovery they didn't intend on.  Kaye has been taught to believe that vampires are only mindless killers, but Ava proves her wrong at every turn.  Together they must work together to fight against more dangerous beings and face devastating betrayals if they want to survive.

I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers, slow burn romance.  The romance is really clean so it is perfect for young adult readers.  There are vampires so there is blood.   While there aren't particularly graphic or gory scenes, there are vampires doing their thing and several fight scenes between the vampires and the witches so if that isn't your thing I'd steer clear.   The world building could have been a bit more detailed.  I find that the fast pace and the action packed scenes made up for that.  The story was entertaining and the romance wasn't over the top.  It is fairly slow burn as the friends reestablish trust in one another 

I really enjoyed the audiobook version of this.  I flipped between the ebook and the audiobook, but I  put in the most time on the audiobook.  I enjoyed both of the narrators and felt they did a good job brining Ava and Kaye, as well as the rest of the characters to life.  They brought emotion into the story where it belonged and I could feel the tension between the girls as the story progressed.  

I felt the ending was a rushed.  Things came together really quickly at the end and I felt like it really needed a few more chapters for it to be flushed out. While the ending was conclusive, it was a bit open ended.  I did get the feeling of closure, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see more of Ava and Kaye in the future.  

Overall, I loved this.  I didn't want to put this down once I picked it up.  

View all my reviews

Review: Intruders by Ashley Saunders & Leslie Saunders

Intruders by Ashley Saunders & Leslie Saunders
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the Exiles series, I don't feel you can read it as a standalone.  There is alot of set up and introduction of the characters in the first book that you really need for this book to make sense.

This picks up shortly after book 1 ends with the twins trying to put their lives and the lives of their siblings back together.  All of the siblings have been impacted in some way by the nanobot technology that their foster father developed.  A sinister group call the Conservators has begun using that technology to target the homeless population in Los Angeles.  As the twins and the core group of siblings work to stop the Conservators, they realize that the homeless aren't the only target.  They plan to control the entire world with.

Much like with book 1 I felt that the pacing was a bit slow until the final few chapters at the end.  I felt the ending felt rushed and things wrapped up a bit too conveniently.   I really thought the premise of the nanobot technology was interesting, but there isn't a ton of time spent exploring the development and science aspect of the nanobots in a lab setting.  You just kind of have to accept that it works and that the bots that make them inactive also works.  The writing in this was still a felt a bit confusing as things jump around from one thing to another.  I was always left feeling as if I missed something as the characters moved from one place to another or one topic to another.  I had the same issue with the first book. 

Overall I enjoyed seeing how this duology came to a close.  The premise was interesting.  This is a great series for readers who want to read sci-fi but don't want to get bogged down by the heavy details of all of the science (I love that stuff, but not every reader does).  I think this will particularly appeal to young adult readers as there isn't a ton of graphic anything, there is a bit of violence but not much and the language is pretty clean.

View all my reviews

Review: Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Edelweiss+, all opinions are my own.  This book was published back in August 2022, so in an attempt to get the review up I opted to listen to the audiobook now that it has been out for a while.  The audio narration was OK, the narrator tried to give each of the women a different voice, but they mostly sounded the same in my opinion.

This thriller was fairly straightforward.  The end felt a bit rushed and while it was interesting, there wasn't alot of suspense.  This isn't the type of thriller that has a ton of suspense though, and it fit with the type of story the author was trying to tell.  That being said, this isn't the type of thriller I gravitate toward.  I like the higher stakes, heart pounding, more suspenseful thrillers with lots of action.  This was more calculated as the story unfolds to reveal the plot.

This follows Nicole, a successful attorney who has found herself at a crossroads in her career.  Her position at her firm is on thin ice despite her being one of the best lawyers in the business.  She finds herself dealing with the antics of the "good old boys club" mentality of corporate America, while also dealing with an ailing family member and other family issues.  It seems like perfect timing when she gets invited to a networking retreat for an exclusive, women's only group that promises to help Nicole get her career back on track.  It seems almost too good to be true, and her husband jokes that it seems like a cult.  Nicole finds herself making friendships with powerful, successful women who quickly help get her career back on track with a high visibility case.  Being the good lawyer that she is, Nicole quickly realizes that there are too many coincidences and there is something bigger at play with the group.  

I thought this had an interesting premise.  Having worked in a male dominant setting for much of my career, I can relate to some of what Nicole experienced.   I liked the aspect of female empowerment and having a group to lean on.  I've attended women's only leadership training and having a core group of women to support you is an amazing thing to have.   I thought Nicole felt like a realistic character, she was a bit down on her luck and herself and this awesome opportunity came into her life when she needed it.  All of a sudden things started to look up and she was happy again.  Then things started to feel out of place and she stuck to her guns to figure out what was really going on.  I so appreciate that Nicole had a moral code and she stuck to it.  While the whole concept of the sinister plot felt a bit far fetched for me because it had so many moving parts that had to be executed for it to work, I still thought it provided for an entertaining read.

Overall I thought this was a good thriller.  While this type of thriller isn't my favorite in the genre, if you like less suspenseful thrillers that have minimal violence that feel more like figuring out a puzzle this will really appeal to you.  I enjoyed the writing style and will be checking out more of the author's work in the future.

View all my reviews

Review: Last Night by Karen Ellis

Last Night by Karen Ellis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  I've had this book on my TBR for much longer than I would care to admit, and did opt to listen to the audiobook.  

While this is marked as the second book in the Searchers Series, it can be read as a complete standalone.  It features Elsa, the main character from [book:A Map of the Dark|35605410], but there is no overlap  in the storylines.  Elsa does have a cameo in this book, but she is not the main character and her role is small. 

This follows a group of teenagers, who find themselves in a  world of trouble after making a slew of bad decisions.  Their parents report them missing when they don't come home and they are assigned Lex, a detective with the NYPD. The author tries to weave social commentary into the storyline, however I don't believe it is an own voices perspective.  There is nothing really done about the social issues and no solutions brought forth to try to solve them or change the situation, only that they exist and they are bad for those who have to experience them.  Each of the characters fits a stereotype, and they aren't developed much beyond that.  The main characters make alot of dumb teenager decision that they should have been able to avoid given the level of intelligence they were supposed to have.  They read alot younger 18/19.  There are a few side plots that don't really add to the main plotline, and I don't feel that they added to the story, but they do help you get to know Lex.

This is more of a police procedural type of thriller/mystery.  It doesn't contain the suspense and violence that you might expect from some other books in the mystery/thriller genre.  There isn't much violence or suspense.  I thought the police work was done well, and if you are into procedural type crime fiction, this might appeal to you.  It is not my favorite type of mystery. 

View all my reviews

Review: The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, thank you to Dutton for providing me a copy of this book.  I've had this ARC on my backlog for longer than I'd like to admit, but am slowly  making my way through the titles in my backlog.  I'm so sad that it has taken me so long to read this.  I ended up listening to the audiobook as this has been out since March of 2020.  As always all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved this!  I found it hard to put down.  This is a gritty mystery, and while I'm not typically a fan of books involving kids I was spellbound by this.  It isn't particular gory or graphic, but it has alot of content warnings.  This follows Eve in the wake of the murder of her 12 year old daughter.  Eve has lived a hard life, but she loved her daughter and tried to be the best mother she could be.  When her daughter and best friend are murdered, Eve promises to avenge the girls with the brand of cruelty she was raised with.  She launches her own investigation, and she isn't ready for what she finds.

While this is filled with twists and turns, it has been a long time since I wasn't able to figure out what was going on and predict the ending.  This had several surprises that I didn't see coming.  This book isn't very long, the audiobook was just under 7 hours, but the author did a great job keeping the plot straight forward and doesn't over complicate things.  I really liked the underlying story about Eve's family dynamics and the interaction she had with her mother.  While her mother isn't exactly a likeable character, she shaped Eve into the woman she needed to be to seek justice for Junie and  Izzy's deaths.  This is a powerful story about grief, motherhood, poverty, and so much more.  Engel did an amazing job writing a great mystery that really pulls on your emotions.

View all my reviews

Review: Exiles by Ashley Saunders & Leslie Saunders

Exiles by Ashley Saunders & Leslie Saunders
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked this up when it was a monthly selection for Amazon First Reads.  I almost always grab the sci-fi/dystopian selection if there is one.  This is a YA dystopian set in Los Angeles in 2052 after a massive earthquake devestated much of the city.  The population is divided into Fortunate and Unfortunates, which by the name you can deduce are those who have means and those who are barely surviving.

Twins Jade and Crys were plucked from their Unfortunate lives at 12 by billionaire genius Damon Yates who wanted to give kids a better chance at life.   He created an academy to foster Unfortunate children and turn them into Fortunate members of society through his elite academy by becoming their guardian and creating a safe space for them to learn and grow.  Fast forward a few years, when the twins are 18, Jade has left the safety of the academy and become a sort of leader of the Exiles, while Crys is the beloved adopted daughter of Yates.  When Crys best friend turns up dead, she immediately points a finger at her sister, but she uncovers something much more sinister that pionts to her beloved father figure.  To find the truth, Crys has to team up with the Exiles that she loathes and rethink everything she knows.  Jade has always suspected something was wrong at the academy, its why she left, she's just hoping it isn't too late to save her friends and get her sister back.

I enjoyed this.  It was a bit slow in the beginning as the story sets up, but the action really picks up toward the end.  There is a good discussion about class dynamics when it comes to wealth vs poverty and an even better discussion about technology and how it can be used for good and then quickly be weaponized.  I thought the science was well presented and you can tell the authors did their homework on the technology.  I would have liked to see a bit more character development.  There are alot of characters to keep track of, and I often find when the cast is so large character development tends to suffer especially in a shorter book such as this one.  The writing style was a bit choppy.  I often felt like I missed something, but it wasn't there which can lead to the reader being confused about what is going on which impacts the pacing when you have to go back and reread pages to figure out if you skipped something.  

Overall I enjoyed this, and I've already started on book two.  I'm looking forward to finding out where the story goes and how everything plays out.

View all my reviews

Review: The Genius of Women: From Overlooked to Changing the World by Janice Kaplan

The Genius of Women: From Overlooked to Changing the World by Janice Kaplan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however it has been on my shelf for so long I opted to listen to the audiobook.  Thank you to Dutton for providing me with an ARC, I'm sorry it took me so long read it.

The audiobook is narrated by the author and she does a wonderful job.  This was well written and well researched.  Given that Kaplan has experience as a reporter, producer, journalist, and writer it is no wonder that this was so well crafted and performed.  While I don't agree with all of the points that she  argues as to how we can make more women into geniuses, there is evidence to support that the women she interviewed became geniuses by doing those things she advocates for.  They in fact followed those steps to get where they are today, and in talking with my own mentors and industry leaders they followed similar steps.  It is unfortunate, but we shouldn't have to just work harder and put our heads down to get identified as smart and capable and advocate for change once we "make it".  We don't ask our male counterparts to do anything different.  I do agree that women who are supported and encouraged have better success in STEM fields or whatever they are interested in.  There is vast evidence to show that stereotypes and bigotry are learned behaviors, and this book shows several examples of places where women were held back and where they were allowed to flourish.  I don't think we need to tell kids of any gender that they can't be good at any subject.  They should all be encouraged to pursue whatever subjects they are interested and encouraged to pursue their passions and talents.

I enjoyed learning about the women who have contributed to their fields of expertise, but I hadn't heard of many of them.  That was kind of the point of the book though. Kaplan points out that throughout history, even through more recent times, women's accomplishments are overshadowed by their male counterparts and they are often unknown.  Men take credit for their work or leave their names off of documents that they contributed to or wrote completely.  Without the celebrity, the women weren't considered geniuses because no one knew who they were.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  I learned a lot.  Much of what the author pointed out in this book really resonated with me.  I've experienced many of the scenarios in my life.  I think this is a great addition to your non-fiction reads when it comes to learning about women in history, bias, and some awesome women that are doing great things to break down barriers now.  

View all my reviews

Review: Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I am really behind on reviews and opted to borrow the audiobook from the library instead.  I really enjoyed the narrator for this, he did a good job bringing Remy and the rest of the cast to life.  As always all opinions are my own.  This book was released back in September 2022 and is available in multiple formats via multiple retailers.

I really enjoyed this adult paranormal romance.  It is a tad on the long side, but the pace and action are there the entire time to keep you engaged the entire time.  I've read several of the author's YA books and this is definitely m ore on the adult side when it comes to the intimate scenes and the violence and horror aspects.  This book has a bit of everything going on there is court intrigue, a little bit of a mystery aspect, some science, and of course vampires and vampire hunters.  It thing Chupeco did a good job telling the tale and brining it all together in the end.  I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

This follows Remy, son of a duke and vampire hunter.  Due to the suspicious circumstances of his birth and his father's status amongst the Reapers (the vampire hunters) Remy is an outcast among the Reapers.   He is sent to do the jobs no one wants to do, and he is good at it.  He longs for his father's approval, so when the opportunity comes along to serve the Queen and make an alliance with a vampire lord and lady who are brokering peace between humans and vampires Remy is tasked to accompany them.  The land is plagued with a new strain of vampire that is impossible to kill and the unlikely trio is determined to uncover the source of this new strain and stop the spread.  As Remy gets to know his companions Zidan and Xiaodan, they all begin to develop feelings for each other which only complicates their mission as they uncover the truth behind the plague and who is pulling the strings.

I thought this had good world building and good character development.  Remy started out a bit unsure of himself.  As the story progresses he becomes a bit more comfortable with himself and his desires, especially as he learns of all of the deceit and betrayal that has surrounded his life.  I thought the paranormal/fantasy elements were well done.  I haven't read a good vampire book in a long time and I really enjoyed this one.  I liked the concept of the covens/courts and look forward to seeing how that plays out as the rest of the story unfolds.  I also appreciated the scientific aspect of the book.  I always like when there is a flushed out reason, realistic or not, for what is happening and the author gives us that with respect to the Rot.

While I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Remy, Zidan, and Xiaodan, I could have done without the sex scenes between them.  I don't feel that they really added to the plot other than to add a level of smut to the book and make it more adult.  They aren't super graphic so the level of spice is pretty low, so I feel like those scenes could have almost been closed door or fade to black. The relationship that develops between the three of them didn't really need the lust filled intimate scenes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I'm very much looking forward to Court of Wanderers.  I'm only disappointed that it took me so long to read this.

View all my reviews

Review: Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a digital ARC of this book via Netgalley, and a print ARC via Bookish First.  Thank you to the publisher Sourcebooks for allowing me to read this wonderful retelling ahead of publication.  The original release date was set for today March 7, 2023, but I believe the US release has been moved to May 2.  As always all opinions expressed are my own.

As the title indicates this follows Clytemnestra, princess of Sparta and eventual queen of Mycenae.  She was raised to be a warrior and valuable member of her father's council.  In a world where women were not respected as leaders, Clytemnestra demanded the respect of the men around  and bides her time to enact vengeance on those who have wronged her.  This is filled with alot of content warnings and potentially triggering material, but if you are a fan of Green mythology you are likely familiar with the horrible things that were done in the original myths.  This particular story is filled with brutality, vengeance, and violence.  Some of the acts are done in the name of the gods while others are done purely for the sake of taking power and showing dominance.  

As with each of these new retellings we get a different take on what these characters were like and what they experienced.   This follows Clytemnestra from childhood through adulthood and we get to see how the events of her life shape her.  This focuses on the many tragedies  and betrayals she must endure, and the simmering hatred that she harbors until she is able to enact her plans for revenge for those acts of betrayal.  We see how this hardens her into a somewhat unlikable queen, but as she questions her counselors, had she been a mad she would have been worshipped as a hero and no one would have questioned her actions.  

This is a little slow paced and there are alot of characters to keep track of, that being said I found this captivating and hard to put down.  I appreciated that there was a glossary of characters at the beginning of the book and a glossary of Greek terms at the end of the book for easy reference.  This was really helpful and I used both often when I couldn't remember who a particular person was or if I couldn't figure out a particular term from context clues.  The author did a really good job spelling out the Greek terminology but if you forget what a term means, the glossary is nice to have.

I thought the author did a great job with the world building.  It isn't often that you are transported through the seasons in a book, but here we get descriptions of cold and mud which I really felt enhanced the storytelling.  It made the story come alive for me and made the characters and the setting feel real.  You could also feel Clytemnestra's hatred and anger throughout the book.  She has to endure so much, yet because of her gender and station she has to wait until the time is right to enact the justice she has been seeking for so many years.  I also thought the author did a great job making you really hate the villains of the book, and there are several of them.   

Overall, I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

View all my reviews

Review: The Revenge by Tijan

The Revenge by Tijan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley, however I opted to listen to the final version of the audiobook.  As always all opinions are my own.

This book was published in September 2022 and is available in multiple formats via multiple retailers.  This is the third and final book in The Insiders series.  Unfortunately this didn't work for me.  The Insiders was intense and suspenseful, The Damaged had some suspense towards the end, so I was hoping that this would end with a bang.  This was lacking in the suspense and intensity I was looking for. This book was kind of all over the place, there is dialogue that is hard to follow and doesn't really make sense or add to the plot.  Some of the actions of the characters after big traumatic events don't make sense, and in general I'm not a fan of how the author has the characters deal with emotions, grief, and trauma in this series.  Despite all of the maneuvering and dangerous players, this was kind of slow paced and the big show down between Kash and Calhoun was not very action packed.

This book cannot be read as a standalone.  This picks up where book 2 leaves off with Bailey completely shut down after events in book 2.  She slowly comes out of her stupor and begins to reintegrate into her family and life.  While she is grieving and basically suffering from PTSD, Kash is making moves against his grandfather.  There are alot of other players involved to throw Kash and Bailey's plans off track, but it really just made the storyline messy in my opinion.  I don't want to spoil anything, but I was hoping for more action and suspense.  I was kind of bored despite the author throwing in some unexpected twists.

Overall, I'm glad to have finished the series..

View all my reviews

Review: More Than I Could by Adriana Locke

More Than I Could by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

I loved this grumpy, sunshine romance!  Chase and Megan didn't hit it off initially, but they were instantly attracted to each other.  This does have kind of an insta-love feel to it, which I will admit is not my favorite but there is more than enough substance to the book to make up for it.   

This follows Megan, who is filling in as a nanny as she is trying to figure out what to do with her life in the wake of being let go from her job in California.  Megan is used to travelling being creative but she has never really found somewhere that feels like home.  Chase is a grumpy single dad with a rebellious teenager on his hands.  When Megan shows up to help him out for the next month while his mom is out of town, he knows he's in for trouble.  Megan and Chase had good chemistry and there are some steamy scenes between them.  Megan is also great with Kennedy as she is able to offer the teen a woman's perspective and she grew up with a single parent.  She is also able to give her advice Chase isn't and see her as a 14 year old person versus the parent who is trying to keep it all together.  I loved the scenes between Kennedy and Megan, they were so relevant to raising a teenager.  

This was a really fun read.  I believe this is a standalone, but Adriana left it open to have more books about the Marshall siblings.  I really loved Chase's family and it has a similar feel to her other family series.  If you like those you will probably like this one as well.  Adriana said that she wrote this to be a break from the real world for a little while and it accomplished just that, it has good banter between characters and let me escape reality for a few hours.  

View all my reviews

Review: Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young

Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I opted to listen to the final production version of the audiobook.  I've also purchased a copy of the e-book since publication.  As always all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this.  This is mainly told from the perspectives of the two main characters Emery and August, but there are additional perspectives of a few of the other characters that play a large part in the plot.  The audiobook has a full cast narration, which I really enjoyed.  It was nice having a unique voice for each of the player.

This follows Emery and really the town of Saiorse in the wake of a devastating fire and murder that occurred 14 years ago.  The orchard that the town is famous for has recovered, but the people have never forgotten what happened that night.  Emery's boyfriend at the time, August was accused of murdering her best friend but they were never able to prove it.  August left the island town after being branded a murderer, but he has returned to bury is mother's ashes.  August doesn't want any trouble, but his appearance in town uncovers secrets, lies, and betrayals that hold the truth about what really happened that night.

I really enjoyed the mix of magic and mystery held within the pages of this book.  The magical aspect played well into the character development and the plotline.  It is atmospheric and you really feel the island almost come to life with the little things that occur throughout the book and the rituals that the people of the island practice.  I really enjoyed trying to piece together what happened to Lily and who murdered her.  I'll admit I had it figured out before the reveal but I think the author did a good job tangling up all of the storylines to keep you turned around until it was time for the truth to come out.  I love a mystery book that gives you just enough information to ask "Was it this person", "What about this scenario" and that keeps you guessing.  This delivered.  

If you are looking for an entertaining mystery that has a bit of magic, give this a listen.  I hardly put it down once I started.

View all my reviews