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**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5
Perfect Couple is the second book in the young adult contemporary romance series, Superlatives by Jennifer Echols. The idea behind the series is super cute-each of the books focuses on a different coupling of kids from the same high school. The first book was about the two students that were named Biggest Flirts and this book is about an unlikely pair that was named "The Perfect Couple that Never was". This is a new superlative to me, but I really like it! I wounder who my high school would have paired me up with if I was chosen for this superlative. In fact, this is how the summary describes the books, and I think it is pretty spot on:
Just like the first book, Perfect Couple was a really fun read. The kind of light hearted book that is sure to make you feel good and put a smile on your face. Perfect Couple follows Harper, who is a very by-the-rules kind of girl. She was voted to be the perfect couple that never was with the schools quarterback, easy going Brody. She thinks the school got it so wrong, but I really liked the two of them. I think Jennifer Echols made it a little too easy sometimes though. Yes, both Brody and Harper were each dating someone else, but Harper's boyfriend was way too easy to hate. He was such a jerk! And he treated Harper awful. I couldn't figure out why she was even with him in the first place. So it was so easy to root for her and Brody.
3.5/5
Perfect Couple is the second book in the young adult contemporary romance series, Superlatives by Jennifer Echols. The idea behind the series is super cute-each of the books focuses on a different coupling of kids from the same high school. The first book was about the two students that were named Biggest Flirts and this book is about an unlikely pair that was named "The Perfect Couple that Never was". This is a new superlative to me, but I really like it! I wounder who my high school would have paired me up with if I was chosen for this superlative. In fact, this is how the summary describes the books, and I think it is pretty spot on:
Perfect Couple is #2 in the Superlatives series about seniors at a Florida high school who are selected for their class's superlative categories in the yearbook, and how the labels change the way they view themselves and alter the course of their lives.
Just like the first book, Perfect Couple was a really fun read. The kind of light hearted book that is sure to make you feel good and put a smile on your face. Perfect Couple follows Harper, who is a very by-the-rules kind of girl. She was voted to be the perfect couple that never was with the schools quarterback, easy going Brody. She thinks the school got it so wrong, but I really liked the two of them. I think Jennifer Echols made it a little too easy sometimes though. Yes, both Brody and Harper were each dating someone else, but Harper's boyfriend was way too easy to hate. He was such a jerk! And he treated Harper awful. I couldn't figure out why she was even with him in the first place. So it was so easy to root for her and Brody.
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Darksoul is the first book in the young adult paranormal series, Silver Shadows. There are so many things that I absolutely loved about this book. I thought for a long time while reading that it was going to get an easy 5 stars from me. But there was one detractor- the guys in this story are so confusing! I mean really confusing. But even so, I loved Darksoul. I got swept up in the world of angels and half demons. This is not like any angel book I have ever read before. It is not religious at all, and not even really spiritual. It is just paranormal, and well, cool.
I do have to point something out kind of quick. I know everyone is saying that there is no love triangle in this story....but....I kind of beg to differ. Hunter and and Ash and their dynamic and with Hazel is basically what this whole story is about. And it is oh so clear that they each care about her. And trust me, even if she doesn't declare her love for both of them, there is enough back and forth to make it love triangle-esque. At least in my opinion. That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it. I loved the story and Hunter and Ash are a big part of why I loved it so much. Speaking of the two of them, they are each great guys. I am in lurvvee with Hunter and I am a full shipper of Hunter/Hazel. Ash is great too and there isn't even really any reason why I don't want him with Hazel, its' just that he is not Hunter. We don't get any answers on this love front in the first book so don't worry I am not ruining anything. But prepare to be confused by each of the guys. They are brooding and confusing as heck and very closed off a lot of the time. One of them is a an angel and the other is a demon and for most of the book, I had them confused as to who was who. Because of them. Because they are that confusing.
Eveline Hunt did a fantastic job of drawing the reader into her world. I am so invested in these characters, I can't wait to see what is going to happen in the next book. I WANT THE NEXT BOOK NOW! The world that Eveline Hunt created is rich and very complex. I loved visiting the demon realm and the in-between realm and I loved, loved, loved all of Hunter's little creatures. Watching their emotions were some of my favorite scenes in the book. Like I said before, this is not your average YA angels book. Not even close. If you have never found an angel story to be your cup of tea, try Darksoul. I think you will really like it. I know I did.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Darksoul is the first book in the young adult paranormal series, Silver Shadows. There are so many things that I absolutely loved about this book. I thought for a long time while reading that it was going to get an easy 5 stars from me. But there was one detractor- the guys in this story are so confusing! I mean really confusing. But even so, I loved Darksoul. I got swept up in the world of angels and half demons. This is not like any angel book I have ever read before. It is not religious at all, and not even really spiritual. It is just paranormal, and well, cool.
I do have to point something out kind of quick. I know everyone is saying that there is no love triangle in this story....but....I kind of beg to differ. Hunter and and Ash and their dynamic and with Hazel is basically what this whole story is about. And it is oh so clear that they each care about her. And trust me, even if she doesn't declare her love for both of them, there is enough back and forth to make it love triangle-esque. At least in my opinion. That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it. I loved the story and Hunter and Ash are a big part of why I loved it so much. Speaking of the two of them, they are each great guys. I am in lurvvee with Hunter and I am a full shipper of Hunter/Hazel. Ash is great too and there isn't even really any reason why I don't want him with Hazel, its' just that he is not Hunter. We don't get any answers on this love front in the first book so don't worry I am not ruining anything. But prepare to be confused by each of the guys. They are brooding and confusing as heck and very closed off a lot of the time. One of them is a an angel and the other is a demon and for most of the book, I had them confused as to who was who. Because of them. Because they are that confusing.
Eveline Hunt did a fantastic job of drawing the reader into her world. I am so invested in these characters, I can't wait to see what is going to happen in the next book. I WANT THE NEXT BOOK NOW! The world that Eveline Hunt created is rich and very complex. I loved visiting the demon realm and the in-between realm and I loved, loved, loved all of Hunter's little creatures. Watching their emotions were some of my favorite scenes in the book. Like I said before, this is not your average YA angels book. Not even close. If you have never found an angel story to be your cup of tea, try Darksoul. I think you will really like it. I know I did.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
The Rules According to Gracie is a quick feel good adult contemporary romance book. Just like all the books in Entangled's lovestruck line, these stories are satisfying "feel good" reads. I normally like to turn to a book like this right after I read a darker or heavier story. It just helps to balance me out and put a smile back on my face. Or heck, sometimes I will grab one of these after a long work day. When you work 12 or 13 hours, sometimes you just want a book that you can knock out in under 2 hours and you know you will get your HEA at the end and everyone will walk away happy. The Rules According to Gracie is just that- a cute read that will get you smiling.
Gracie is a successful and independent young woman. She is on track in her professional life, but her dating life if kind of a mess. On the surface she seems to be very in control and type-A personality, and she carries that over to her dating life. Or she tries to. She has a pretty intense checklist for finding her "Mr. Right". The funny thing is she always takes her guys to this same restaurant/bar, called First. Because she thinks it will be cute to say that she had her first date with her husband at First. So she keeps taking guy after guy there, and she doesn't like any of them. Because they are all the same guy. Great for her on paper, but not what she wants in real life at all.
The story progresses through her friendship with the bartender and owner of first. He is always rescuing her from her bad dates, and trying to get her to break out of her shell a little bit. I really liked their easy friendship, and I thought it was really cute that they would email back and forth every day on her lunch break. Their banter was really cute. Though, the Rules According to Gracie was a quick and easy fun read, we did get a surprising amount of back story and insight into Gracie's family and particularly her relationship with her mother. This helped to really flesh out why Gracie was the way she was.
Gracie and Des had great chemistry, even if they did go to some silly lengths to avoid and deny what they had. I thought Gracie was pretty awful to Des a couple of times, but the flaws in her were a big part of what made the book interesting. The Rules According to Gracie is a gret read for people that are looking for an instant gratification read, and for people that like the length of novellas, but also enjoy a little more "meat" to the details of the story.
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Where Dead Bodies Lie is the first in the young adult paranormal/thriller series, called the Body Dowser series. And don't worry, just what exactly is a body dowser will be explained because I didn't know when I started reading either. Basically it is what her abilities are called. What I liked about Where Dead Bodies Lie is that the story and Kat Cazanav's writing draws you in right away. Some stories take a little while to really heat up in excitement, but I never felt that way with Where Dead Bodies Lie. The book starts off right in the middle of the action and within the first couple of pages we get a taste of what some of the Dowser abilities are.
Another thing I loved about the paranormal element of Where Dead Bodies Lie is that this ability is passed down through the women in Stella's, the main character, family. But not only does the ability get passed down, but a talisman of sorts also gets passed down. And it was really cool to get to see the talisman work as a conduit for her ability. I don't recall any other young adult books that used this spin on paranormal abilities. I really liked it. Not to mention the fact that I am a sucker for a boarding school setting. Especially when said boarding school is for kids with special abilities and talents.
You will become Stella's biggest fan while reading Where Dead Bodies Lie. The story is told entirely from her point of view and the author slips inside her head often, which was great. I loved seeing her world and abilities through Stella's eyes. It also made the book feel more suspenseful. There are plenty of twists and turns and new and unknown things happening to Stella and I found myself right on the edge of my seat along with her.
I can't wait to continue this series. It has so much going for it. A great main character, plenty of interesting abilties and paranormal flair, and of course you have to stay tuned to find out just what the heck is going on with the guy, Kaff. (there is no insta love, don't worry!) If you like young adult paranormal, but are looking for a book that isn't like the hundreds of others out there, check out Where Dead Bodies Lie and the Body Dowser series. I think you will be happy you did.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Where Dead Bodies Lie is the first in the young adult paranormal/thriller series, called the Body Dowser series. And don't worry, just what exactly is a body dowser will be explained because I didn't know when I started reading either. Basically it is what her abilities are called. What I liked about Where Dead Bodies Lie is that the story and Kat Cazanav's writing draws you in right away. Some stories take a little while to really heat up in excitement, but I never felt that way with Where Dead Bodies Lie. The book starts off right in the middle of the action and within the first couple of pages we get a taste of what some of the Dowser abilities are.
Another thing I loved about the paranormal element of Where Dead Bodies Lie is that this ability is passed down through the women in Stella's, the main character, family. But not only does the ability get passed down, but a talisman of sorts also gets passed down. And it was really cool to get to see the talisman work as a conduit for her ability. I don't recall any other young adult books that used this spin on paranormal abilities. I really liked it. Not to mention the fact that I am a sucker for a boarding school setting. Especially when said boarding school is for kids with special abilities and talents.
You will become Stella's biggest fan while reading Where Dead Bodies Lie. The story is told entirely from her point of view and the author slips inside her head often, which was great. I loved seeing her world and abilities through Stella's eyes. It also made the book feel more suspenseful. There are plenty of twists and turns and new and unknown things happening to Stella and I found myself right on the edge of my seat along with her.
I can't wait to continue this series. It has so much going for it. A great main character, plenty of interesting abilties and paranormal flair, and of course you have to stay tuned to find out just what the heck is going on with the guy, Kaff. (there is no insta love, don't worry!) If you like young adult paranormal, but are looking for a book that isn't like the hundreds of others out there, check out Where Dead Bodies Lie and the Body Dowser series. I think you will be happy you did.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Bridges Burned is the second book in the young adult paranormal series, Going Down in Flames. This book dives right in after the events of the first book, so if you haven't read the first book in a while, you may be lost. I was. I had to go back and read my first review to try and spark my memory of just how everything left off. I think Bridges Burned was a good second installment in the Going Down in Flames series, although I have to say one character in particular threw me for a loop. He did a complete 180 personality wise.
There is more romance, or should I say romance drama in this book than there was in the first book. And I was kind of bummed by that. It mostly has to do with what a huge jerk Zavien is. I liked him in the first book and I was undecided about Jaxon, but in this book it totally gets reversed. I can't stand Zavien, and I really like Jaxon. Don't get me wrong though, this is not a love story between Bryn and Jaxon; he just turned out to be a much better guy than I thought in the first book. And for that, I respected him more.
Bryn is still just a spunky and fiesty as she was in the first book, and her mouth and rash attitude still get her into tons of trouble, but I wouldn't have her any other way. She is a lot of fun, and I love her two friends. Ivy and Clint, and her knight Valmont redeem the jerkiness that is Zavien. I still have no idea what is to come in the romance department for Bryn, but I can't wait to see what is next in store for the dragons. They are on the brink of war throughout Bridges Burned and things left off kind of dicey. The ending felt a little abrupt again, like it did in the first book. This one was more cliff-hanger-y, but I think it will be a good set up for what is sure to be an action packed book.
The Going Down in Flames series is a great representation of a young adult paranormal that is more focused on the action and dragon lore than it is on the romance. Sure, the romance and all the teenage drama that comes with it is there, but for me the focus of the book continued to be on the government, the directorate. (if you will recall, from my first review, I called it a government full of Umbridges.) But I will say one thing for the romance present in the books, it is unexpected. I still have no idea just what direction it is going to go in. This book was a complete surprise for me in that regard. If you want to know more on my thoughts on each of the guys in this series, click the toggle box below. But be warned, it does contain spoilers.
Bottom Line: Bridges Burned is a great second installment in an action packed young adult paranormal featuring a controlling government and clans of dragons with super cool abilities.
Click to See My Thoughts on the Guys*SPOILERS*
Zavien- UGH. he drove me crazy in this book. I liked him in the last book, and I actually believed him when he said he was just friends with his "intended". What a joke. In this book he was so rude to Bryn. Just dragging her around and leading her on. When that dance scene happened, I wanted to punch him out. I felt betrayed. I don't think I have ever gone from liking a character to hating a character this much.I don't think I will be able to like him again. He is dead to me. (he is still very much alive in the book)
Valmont- Oh how I love Valmont. Her knight is so awesome. My opinion of him Changed in this book too. In the last book I liked him, but I never thought of him as a romantic interest. At all. And I still didn't take his flirting seriously until the last 1/4th of the book. I love Valmont to death, and I think I would be happy about him and Bryn together. He is ALWAYS looking out for her, and he is just a great guy. He would always treat her right, of that I have no doubt. I have no idea if it is going to happen or not, but the thought of Jaxon is holding me back from jumping on the Bryn and Valmont train. And trust me, no one is more surprised to hear me say that than I am.
Jaxon- Yet another opinion changer. Him and Bryn were still at each other's throats for most of this book, but the vibe between the two of them changed dramatically. It was more banter than outright hostility.And I can't deny that he was always there for Bryn when she needed someone. I am starting to really like the idea of them developing feelings for each other. Le Gasp! I know, I never would have believed any of the things I am saying after just reading the first book. There is just something about him, and after I saw the way he was so wonderful with Rhianna, I can't help but like him even more. I want him to like Bryn!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Bridges Burned is the second book in the young adult paranormal series, Going Down in Flames. This book dives right in after the events of the first book, so if you haven't read the first book in a while, you may be lost. I was. I had to go back and read my first review to try and spark my memory of just how everything left off. I think Bridges Burned was a good second installment in the Going Down in Flames series, although I have to say one character in particular threw me for a loop. He did a complete 180 personality wise.
There is more romance, or should I say romance drama in this book than there was in the first book. And I was kind of bummed by that. It mostly has to do with what a huge jerk Zavien is. I liked him in the first book and I was undecided about Jaxon, but in this book it totally gets reversed. I can't stand Zavien, and I really like Jaxon. Don't get me wrong though, this is not a love story between Bryn and Jaxon; he just turned out to be a much better guy than I thought in the first book. And for that, I respected him more.
Bryn is still just a spunky and fiesty as she was in the first book, and her mouth and rash attitude still get her into tons of trouble, but I wouldn't have her any other way. She is a lot of fun, and I love her two friends. Ivy and Clint, and her knight Valmont redeem the jerkiness that is Zavien. I still have no idea what is to come in the romance department for Bryn, but I can't wait to see what is next in store for the dragons. They are on the brink of war throughout Bridges Burned and things left off kind of dicey. The ending felt a little abrupt again, like it did in the first book. This one was more cliff-hanger-y, but I think it will be a good set up for what is sure to be an action packed book.
The Going Down in Flames series is a great representation of a young adult paranormal that is more focused on the action and dragon lore than it is on the romance. Sure, the romance and all the teenage drama that comes with it is there, but for me the focus of the book continued to be on the government, the directorate. (if you will recall, from my first review, I called it a government full of Umbridges.) But I will say one thing for the romance present in the books, it is unexpected. I still have no idea just what direction it is going to go in. This book was a complete surprise for me in that regard. If you want to know more on my thoughts on each of the guys in this series, click the toggle box below. But be warned, it does contain spoilers.
Bottom Line: Bridges Burned is a great second installment in an action packed young adult paranormal featuring a controlling government and clans of dragons with super cool abilities.
Click to See My Thoughts on the Guys*SPOILERS*
Zavien- UGH. he drove me crazy in this book. I liked him in the last book, and I actually believed him when he said he was just friends with his "intended". What a joke. In this book he was so rude to Bryn. Just dragging her around and leading her on. When that dance scene happened, I wanted to punch him out. I felt betrayed. I don't think I have ever gone from liking a character to hating a character this much.I don't think I will be able to like him again. He is dead to me. (he is still very much alive in the book)
Valmont- Oh how I love Valmont. Her knight is so awesome. My opinion of him Changed in this book too. In the last book I liked him, but I never thought of him as a romantic interest. At all. And I still didn't take his flirting seriously until the last 1/4th of the book. I love Valmont to death, and I think I would be happy about him and Bryn together. He is ALWAYS looking out for her, and he is just a great guy. He would always treat her right, of that I have no doubt. I have no idea if it is going to happen or not, but the thought of Jaxon is holding me back from jumping on the Bryn and Valmont train. And trust me, no one is more surprised to hear me say that than I am.
Jaxon- Yet another opinion changer. Him and Bryn were still at each other's throats for most of this book, but the vibe between the two of them changed dramatically. It was more banter than outright hostility.And I can't deny that he was always there for Bryn when she needed someone. I am starting to really like the idea of them developing feelings for each other. Le Gasp! I know, I never would have believed any of the things I am saying after just reading the first book. There is just something about him, and after I saw the way he was so wonderful with Rhianna, I can't help but like him even more. I want him to like Bryn!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
If you are new to the Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer series, check out my 5 star review of the first book, Ward Against Death HERE
Ward Against Disaster is the third book in the Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer series. I'm not sure how many books are going to be in this series, but it is definitely not done yet. There is at least one more book to come, and I for one, hope there are about 3 more or so. I really like how detailed this series is. It seems like we get to know each and every character even better in each subsequent book, which is no small feat.
This is a series that you must read in order. I read the second book, Ward Against Darkness in September of 2013, and I had a hard time remembering all the little details of things that had happened. Celia and Ward are forever in the middle of their long journey so it is really easy to forget some of the people they ran into and a couple of the more minor events along the way. While this book never dragged, and I think all of the character, places and things they did were necessary for story advancement, I couldn't help but feel like this quest of theirs was never going to end. They hit so many hurdles and roadblocks that a couple of times at the start of this book, I couldn't quiet remember what their initial end goal even was. But after about 45 pages or so, I fell into the pace of the book, and I remembered everything that I loved about the first two. The action and pacing of the story will keep you on the edge of your seat. This book literally had my pulse racing multiple times. I dare say it was the most thrilling installment yet.
I love how strong and resilient Celia is. And how sweet and a little unsure Ward still is. The romance in this series is the very definition of a slow burn romance. I mean, really slow. It seems like Ward just dances around Celia for almost the first 80% of the book in each of the books, and then something happens, or gets resolved right at the very end. But I can't help but love these two. The dynamic between the two of them is still so unexpected and works surprisingly well. They are not your typical book couple at all.
Contrary to what it may sound like in this review, I really heart the heck out of this series. The Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer is such a well done series. Celia is so kick ass. And the bad guys are seriously bad. They even creeped me out. And they test the whole gang of characters. Melanie doesn't hold any punches with anyone, that is for sure. Melanie Card does such a fantastic job with scene setting and description, you can't help but get pulled into her dark world of necromancy and dangerous adventure.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
If you are new to the Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer series, check out my 5 star review of the first book, Ward Against Death HERE
Ward Against Disaster is the third book in the Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer series. I'm not sure how many books are going to be in this series, but it is definitely not done yet. There is at least one more book to come, and I for one, hope there are about 3 more or so. I really like how detailed this series is. It seems like we get to know each and every character even better in each subsequent book, which is no small feat.
This is a series that you must read in order. I read the second book, Ward Against Darkness in September of 2013, and I had a hard time remembering all the little details of things that had happened. Celia and Ward are forever in the middle of their long journey so it is really easy to forget some of the people they ran into and a couple of the more minor events along the way. While this book never dragged, and I think all of the character, places and things they did were necessary for story advancement, I couldn't help but feel like this quest of theirs was never going to end. They hit so many hurdles and roadblocks that a couple of times at the start of this book, I couldn't quiet remember what their initial end goal even was. But after about 45 pages or so, I fell into the pace of the book, and I remembered everything that I loved about the first two. The action and pacing of the story will keep you on the edge of your seat. This book literally had my pulse racing multiple times. I dare say it was the most thrilling installment yet.
I love how strong and resilient Celia is. And how sweet and a little unsure Ward still is. The romance in this series is the very definition of a slow burn romance. I mean, really slow. It seems like Ward just dances around Celia for almost the first 80% of the book in each of the books, and then something happens, or gets resolved right at the very end. But I can't help but love these two. The dynamic between the two of them is still so unexpected and works surprisingly well. They are not your typical book couple at all.
Contrary to what it may sound like in this review, I really heart the heck out of this series. The Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer is such a well done series. Celia is so kick ass. And the bad guys are seriously bad. They even creeped me out. And they test the whole gang of characters. Melanie doesn't hold any punches with anyone, that is for sure. Melanie Card does such a fantastic job with scene setting and description, you can't help but get pulled into her dark world of necromancy and dangerous adventure.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Her Backup Boyfriend is the first in a new contemporary romance/romantic comedy series from author Ashlee Mallory and the Entangled Bliss imprint. It is my personal opinion that this is less a romantic comedy and more just a sweet contemporary. I was really excited to find out that this was the first book in a series about Dominic's family, The Sorensen Family, because we got to meet many of the other members and I love their family dynamic. It is so nice to see a happy and functioning large family depicted in a book. Too often I feel like they focus on the dysfunctional, which don't get me wrong, has its' place as well, but with a HEA romance, it is pleasant to see a great family group as support.
Her Backup Boyfriend follows a lawyer in a large corporate defense firm- which in case you didn't know, gets the rep. of being the "bad guys". I am not here to talk about whether they are or aren't, but in this case she was working ona large case that might land her the junior partner spot that she so desperately wanted. She was representing a friend of the firm, who was accused of sexual harassment of some of his former female employees. I think you know how this is going to play out. I enjoy reading books about lawyers and the world of law, because it always interests me to see what take the author is going to have on it all. I think Ashlee Mallory got it pretty dead on. But that is besides the point, the real point of this book is the romance...
And the romance was great. Even if it started out as a fake romance to fool everyone. I thought Dominic and Kate were great together. The book is a really quick read, one that is meant warm your heart a bit and make you swoony. It accomplishes those goals and then some. Even though the book is on the shorter end, intentionally, you really touch on a lot of issues- Kate and her work, Dominic and his family, their fake relationship and even their exes. It all culminates into a really fun read. One that I would recommend to others. I can't wait to continue the series.
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Three Brothers is the first Nicole Williams book that I have had the pleasure of reading, and I think I need a day or two to recover from it. Holy cow, this book touched me deep down to my core, it was so emotional. I need to scour my kindle and see if I have any of her other books, because I don't know why it has taken me this long to discover hew haunting and powerful writing style. I know it says it right in the summary, but this book is much more on the sweet romance side of new adult, and because of the other books in genre, it will seem much more tame and even a little slower paced than other New Adult books. But trust me, that works with the story perfectly.
The story follows Scout, who left home to attend Vet school, and has to come back because the man who raised her, and his own three sons, is dying. Right then and there, you know a couple of things. 1) this book is going to tug on your heartstrings, and it is going to be sad, and 2) with all of those sons, there is going to be a love triangle at some level. (possibly even a love rectangle. You will have to read to find out ;) ) You have been warned.
The brothers- Conn, Chance, and Chase. The summary is purposefully vague as to which brother is which, and no names are used so I am not going to spoil any more of the story than the summary did for you. So in regards to the brothers, one is the biggest sweetheart you will ever see. I just wanted to hug him the whole time I was reading the story. Another brother was Scout's best friend. He held a special place in my heart too, and the last brother was such a tortured soul. Even when he rubbed me the wrong way, I couldn't help but feel for him.
Three Brothers is a book that will stand out to you as something fresh, emotional and very moving in the new adult genre. Family, friendship, letting go of the past and moving forward are all themes that Nicole Williams explores beautifully in this standalone novel.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Three Brothers is the first Nicole Williams book that I have had the pleasure of reading, and I think I need a day or two to recover from it. Holy cow, this book touched me deep down to my core, it was so emotional. I need to scour my kindle and see if I have any of her other books, because I don't know why it has taken me this long to discover hew haunting and powerful writing style. I know it says it right in the summary, but this book is much more on the sweet romance side of new adult, and because of the other books in genre, it will seem much more tame and even a little slower paced than other New Adult books. But trust me, that works with the story perfectly.
The story follows Scout, who left home to attend Vet school, and has to come back because the man who raised her, and his own three sons, is dying. Right then and there, you know a couple of things. 1) this book is going to tug on your heartstrings, and it is going to be sad, and 2) with all of those sons, there is going to be a love triangle at some level. (possibly even a love rectangle. You will have to read to find out ;) ) You have been warned.
The brothers- Conn, Chance, and Chase. The summary is purposefully vague as to which brother is which, and no names are used so I am not going to spoil any more of the story than the summary did for you. So in regards to the brothers, one is the biggest sweetheart you will ever see. I just wanted to hug him the whole time I was reading the story. Another brother was Scout's best friend. He held a special place in my heart too, and the last brother was such a tortured soul. Even when he rubbed me the wrong way, I couldn't help but feel for him.
Three Brothers is a book that will stand out to you as something fresh, emotional and very moving in the new adult genre. Family, friendship, letting go of the past and moving forward are all themes that Nicole Williams explores beautifully in this standalone novel.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5 gavels
The Darkest Part of the Forest is a book that I have been dying to read for a long time. And a lot of that had to do with the cover. I still sometimes get lost just looking at it. I love it that much. Plus, I was really loving the fact that this book is a standalone. And I did end up liking the book...just...not as much as I thought I would. Now, I haven't read too many reviews for the Darkest Part of the Forest so I have no idea whether I will be in the minority or majority, but I will attempt to convey my kind of confused relationship with this book.
I absolutely LOVED the way the book started and the way the book ended. In kind of an anonymous third person narrative that felt like the start of a fairy tale narration. "deep in the middle of the forest, there was a boy..." That kind of thing. But it was very well done at grabbing your attention right off the bat. I really wanted to know what the deal was with the sleeping boy. I was pumped, this was going to be such a cool story. But then it got a little bumpy from there. And don't get me wrong, it still was a cool story. But within the first few chapters, a lot is thrown at the reader. Names, and things, and concepts that you just have no idea what they mean or what they are. It is a lot to get at once. And I get that this was a special kind of town, where things were never really normal. I liked the concept of the town. Humans mixed with fairies and creatures in the forest. It reminded me of the Hansel and Gretel : witch hunters movie or Grimm Brothers movie.
Holly Black did a great job with the setting and scenery descriptions in the story. I felt like I could really picture the town of Fairfold and the forest creatures, but I had a bit of trouble connecting with the characters. The pacing seemed off in that regard. Sometimes I felt like the story was going by too fast with not enough detail and sometimes I was just plain bored while reading. I could never fall into my reading stride, where time ceased to exist and I could read for hours and have it feel like minutes. I felt all of the minutes and hours it took me to read The Darkest Park of the Forest.
The underlying story plot, with the monster within the forest was the most interesting part of the story. That and Hazel's "hunting". Both of those things were the reasons why I wanted to keep reading The Darkest Part of the Forest. I loved the background information on the monster and I loved the way all of the secondary characters and villains connected and came together. The story reveals itself all in due time and for that I was grateful. I thought the tale that Holly Black told was a creative one, but the pacing was a miss for me and made it hard for me to completely fall in love with this book. But I can see a ton of people loving the world that Holly Black has created here, and loving the twisted creatures of Fairfold. So, if you like the Fairfolk and you like dark, but not really so dark undertones to the story, then The Darkest Part of the Forest is the book for you!
3.5/5 gavels
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5 gavels
The Darkest Part of the Forest is a book that I have been dying to read for a long time. And a lot of that had to do with the cover. I still sometimes get lost just looking at it. I love it that much. Plus, I was really loving the fact that this book is a standalone. And I did end up liking the book...just...not as much as I thought I would. Now, I haven't read too many reviews for the Darkest Part of the Forest so I have no idea whether I will be in the minority or majority, but I will attempt to convey my kind of confused relationship with this book.
I absolutely LOVED the way the book started and the way the book ended. In kind of an anonymous third person narrative that felt like the start of a fairy tale narration. "deep in the middle of the forest, there was a boy..." That kind of thing. But it was very well done at grabbing your attention right off the bat. I really wanted to know what the deal was with the sleeping boy. I was pumped, this was going to be such a cool story. But then it got a little bumpy from there. And don't get me wrong, it still was a cool story. But within the first few chapters, a lot is thrown at the reader. Names, and things, and concepts that you just have no idea what they mean or what they are. It is a lot to get at once. And I get that this was a special kind of town, where things were never really normal. I liked the concept of the town. Humans mixed with fairies and creatures in the forest. It reminded me of the Hansel and Gretel : witch hunters movie or Grimm Brothers movie.
Holly Black did a great job with the setting and scenery descriptions in the story. I felt like I could really picture the town of Fairfold and the forest creatures, but I had a bit of trouble connecting with the characters. The pacing seemed off in that regard. Sometimes I felt like the story was going by too fast with not enough detail and sometimes I was just plain bored while reading. I could never fall into my reading stride, where time ceased to exist and I could read for hours and have it feel like minutes. I felt all of the minutes and hours it took me to read The Darkest Park of the Forest.
The underlying story plot, with the monster within the forest was the most interesting part of the story. That and Hazel's "hunting". Both of those things were the reasons why I wanted to keep reading The Darkest Part of the Forest. I loved the background information on the monster and I loved the way all of the secondary characters and villains connected and came together. The story reveals itself all in due time and for that I was grateful. I thought the tale that Holly Black told was a creative one, but the pacing was a miss for me and made it hard for me to completely fall in love with this book. But I can see a ton of people loving the world that Holly Black has created here, and loving the twisted creatures of Fairfold. So, if you like the Fairfolk and you like dark, but not really so dark undertones to the story, then The Darkest Part of the Forest is the book for you!
3.5/5 gavels
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs