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3.5/5

Love Latte and Mutants is the first book in the young adult science fiction Mutant Series. Piper's mother was experimented on before she was born and injected with Dolphin DNA. After some time (we don't really know too much of her mother's backstory yet) she escaped and had Piper. Piper is interesting because while she is completely human she had dolphin characteristics, like a blowhole which allows her to stay under water for 30 minutes. Piper does a good job keeping a low profile until a boy comes along and screws it all up. Just kidding...kind of. But Tyler did force her into the spotlight a lot more.

What I liked most about Piper was that she seemed to take on some siren-like qualities as well. Her voice was enchanting to males, so she had to hide that about her as well. Love Lattes and Mutants is a quick little read that I think sets up the series very nicely. I liked the book, but I feel like I have to read the second book before I really make up my mind about the Mutant series. This one almost felt like a precursor.

There were many things I loved in the story though. I loved Piper's connection with the dolphins and I loved her connection with her grandfather. I thought he was just the sweetest. Tyler is the one of the guys that grabbed my heart a little tighter. I don't know my feelings on Joel yet, but there is just something about Tyler that can't be ignored.

It takes a while for the action to get going in Love Lattes and Mutants, but once it does it pretty fast paced. Piper finds out a lot about the mysterious divers she kept evading in the ocean, and she finds out a little bit about the man heading up that organization. We will be learning more about him and his ultimate goals in the next book I am sure. The next book is slated to come out in 2016 and is titled Love Lattes and Angels. I will be interested to see where the book is going to take us next.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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Blackheath is a young adult fantasy & magic novel by Gabriella Lepore. It is the first book in a new series. I found Blackheath to be an interesting and quick read. I think it will appeal to a younger, young adult audience as the writing and characters were a bit more superficial. Don't however; take that to be a bad thing. I enjoyed Blackheath and I think many readers will as well.

I find stories about witches to be really engaging reads, and if you throw a big kind of creepy old house in the mix, that automatically makes things even better, so I was excited. What excited me more was the fact that all of the witches in the Tomlins family were men. I think there are a very severe shortage of young adult witch stories feature male witches.

Maggie and Joel both started out a little whinny for my tastes, but both of them grew on me. There is certainly not insta love in this story, because Maggie and Joel seem to hate each other. but once they started talking the gap from bickering to crush was jumped rather quickly. It is one of the reasons that I think this story will appeal more to a younger crowd rather than an older one. The story is a quick read that moves at a very brisk pace. It kept me engaged to the very end, and I cannot wait to see what the author is going to do next with it. I want to know more about the golden light around Maggie, so I hope that comes up again.

In the next book, I want to see more of the back story of Maggie and Joel. It was briefly mentioned that they used to hang out during the summers, but we didn't really get to dive into why that stopped. I would like to see that explored a bit more. And there are lots more magic to come as well. I am very interested to see the interaction between the two covens, and I think Joel has some more secrets up his sleeve.

Bottom line: I thought this was a cute, quick read that kept me interested. I think it will appeal more to a younger audience looking for a magical witch read. The romance was cute and you can finish this one in just a couple of hours. I will be continuing this story for sure when I am looking for my next quick fix.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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YA ReviewMy ThoughtsHolding Court is a young adult mystery romance by K.C. Held. How could I not read Holding Court? I mean, come on, there are castles, history, oh and "Psychic Tourette's Syndrome". Described as "spontaneous and uncontrollable outbursts of seemingly absurd prophecies." That just screams good time to me. And I was so right. Holding Court was such a fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. In fact, it is one of the best books I have read in the past few months.

I believe that Holding Court is a standalone, but I am really hoping. No scratch that, I am begging K.C. Held to write another book with Jules and Grayson.

(I feel like their story deserves to be continued, since we didn't get to see them together at all)

Jules and her "Psychic Tourette's Syndrome" are my favorite. I just loved her. I want to be best friends with this girl. Plus, her and Grayson had full conversations quoting The Princess Bride. How can you not love them??

Holding Court is unlike anything I have read in a while. Jules takes a summer job at a medieval times type castle, playing the part of the Mad Maid, who spouts prophesies all day. Pretty, perfect right? Well, she soon finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. Except no one believes her because she admittedly seems a little batty with her blurting problem. Her "Psychic Tourette's Syndrome" added tons of humor to the story. Holding Court is part comedy, part teenage love story, plus a cool mystery with historical fun facts interspersed. I really, really loved it. There needs to be another one! Whether it is a mystery or not, I don't care so much. I just want to see more Jules and Grayson. And Gran. (it should be noted, that I also want to see Jules best friend Cami, but I want the story to still be about Jules, so I am hesitant to mention her. Because what I think is going to happen is Cami is going to get her own story and Jules will be in the back ground. And i just love Jules so freakin' much. Ok side note over.)

Bottom line: read Holding Court. Just read it. You will laugh your butt off, and you will thank me.

4.5/5

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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Destroy me is the first book in the Crystal Gulf series. Destroy me is a new adult contemporary romance by Shana Vanterpool. The Crystal Gulf series is published by swoon romance, and I know this might sound silly, but that fact right there made me want to read the book. I have had such great luck with all of the Swoon Romance imprint books that I have read. (and I have read a lot of them.) Some of them are light and fluffy, some of them are suspenseful and full of drama, and some of them take on darker undertones, but regardless of the atmosphere of the book, they all have one thing in common- a kick ass romance. And Destroy Me is no different. Don't get me wrong, this is not a fluffy light have no care romance. Destroy Me, as the name implies, is deliciously twisted and messed up. The characters all have their demons, none of them act perfectly, but their genuine chemistry seeps off the page. I could not tear myself away.

Destroy Me is told in dual narrative between Harley (p.s. I love her name!) and Bach. Harley is dating Dylan, who blindsides her by telling her he is going to the army for two years. Dylan asks Bach to watch out for Harley because they didn't leave on good terms and he wants her to wait for him. Plus, Dyan knows Harley would never go for a guy like Bach. Famous last words, right?

I so easily became addicted to Harley and Bach. I loved their bantering and bickering, and I really just loved who they were when they were together. I know there was no shortage of messed up things that went on in Destory Me, but I just could not tear myself away. If you like your new adult romances with some grit and some darker tones, this is a great book for you to check out. I can't wait to see who is going to be featured in the next story. I kind of want it to be Harley's crazy roommate and not Dylan.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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Chase the Dark is the first book in the young adult urban fantasy series, called the Steel & Stone Series by Annette Marie. What is really great about this event, is that the 5th (and final) book in the series has just released, so you can Binge read the entire series if you are new to it like I am. When I first saw the invite to read and review the Steel & Stone series, I was a little surprised that I had never heard of it before. Young adult Urban Fantasy is right up my alley! And then when I saw what a crazy following this series had, I was even more intrigued. I mean, people fangirl over these books like no tomorrow. And after having read Chase the Dark, I can totally tell why. I loved this book. And I cannot wait to read the next book..and the next..and you get it.

The Steel and Stone series follows Piper, who is a Consul, which means she is a keeper of the peace between humans and daemons. Piper is so freakin' awesome. I can't tell you the amount of times I wanted to high five her! This is a very action packed story (and series) so there is always a lot going on. I loved it that way. I was constantly meeting new characters and learning something new about their world and about the sword. It always kept me interested and turning the pages as fast as I could.

Like I said, the action and world building take the forefront in this installment, but there is a bit of romance as well. And I am sure there is lots more romance to come. There is a love triangle in this story between Lyre, an incubus and Ash, a Draconian. I really really love both Lyre and Ash. And for most of the book it felt more like the three of them were banded together on a common quest, so I have not made up my mind in terms of love interest. But suffice it to say for right now, I am not picking sides or revealing too much on this front. More to come in future books. I will say that I am instantly drawn to any story featuring an incubus. I think they are fascinating creatures so I am anxious to see more of Lyre for that fact.

Bottom line: there is a reason that the Steel & Stone series has so many fans. It is such a well done young adult Urban Fantasy, with great characters, solid writing and world building and a kick ass plot. If you have not read this series yet, you need to change that ASAP. And now is the perfect time for a binge read.

P.S. If you are like me and love a good deal on ebooks, you can grab a bundle pack of books 1-3.5 in the series. (link here) It saves you $3 that way.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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Demon Princess is a young adult fantasy/ paranormal mash up and is the first in the Demon Kingdom Fairy Tales series by Kassandra Lynn. I am such a sucker for fantasy and paranormal story that deal with royalty in some way. I just love a royal family (they normally have some awesome drama.) and I also can't resist some good ole magic in a castle. So when I saw Demon Princess had not only paranormal royalty, but also the magic of a promising fantasy element, and a gorgeous cover, I knew I couldn't pass this one up. And while I found it to be a little on the short side, I thought this was a promising start to what seems to be a cool series. I can't wait for the next book.

Demon Princess has a really great cast of characters. In fact, they were my favorite part of the story. I thought Adrianna (the main character), Keldrin, Xander and Razen all added something unique to the story and I appreciated that they each had a very distinct personality. Demon Princess will appeal to character driven readers. I found the world building and plot to be good as well, but because the story is rather short, there are still things I want answers, and still areas of the story that I am hoping are more fully developed and explored in the installments of the series to come.

This was a story that built for me. I had a bit of a hard time becoming invested and I had to put this book down a few times, but once I got about 20% into the story, I found myself becoming more and more intrigued by the book. It is one that gets better as it goes on, in my opinion. And the romance is one of those star crossed/forbidden love tropes, which I always enjoy. I can't wait to see more on the romance front in the next book.

Bottom line: if you are a fan of fantasy and paranormal stories featuring demons, magic and a forbidden love, Demon Princess is a quick read that I think you will enjoy. The series is one that I am going to keep my eye on.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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Winter Queen is the first book in the young adult fantasy series, call the Fairy Queens, by Amber Argyle. (and as a side note, you can get the first book for free by signing up for Amber's newsletter, HERE) The book is very fast paced and very action heavy. There were things that I really, really enjoyed about Winter Queen, and things that didn't work out so well for me. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but it was a bit meh for me. I can see this series really picking up in the second book though because all of the groundwork has been laid. I may very well enjoy the second book much more.

Let's start with something I loved about Winter Queen. I loved the main character, Ilyenna. I thought she was great. Compassionate, strong, flexible when she needed to be, and unyielding and stubborn when the situation called for strength. I admired the heck out her. In fact, if it wasn't for her, I would have put the book down multiple times. She is the reason that I kept reading. I also liked Rone, and I liked the connection that Ilyenna and Rone shared, but I really wanted to see it explored more. I don't feel like we got enough of the back story on the two of them. I didn't feel their romantic feelings. And I think I would have if we had gotten a better chance to see them when they were growing up or something more from their past. I also liked the Summer and Winter queen interaction in this story. I have read a few books about the fae and each of them deal with the seelie and unseelie courts a bit differently. I really like the depiction of the two fairy queens in this series, and I can't wait to see more of them in the next book.

But now for some of the things that didn't work for me. I am not a huge fan of big battle scenes. I will take them, but I prefer them to be somewhere in the middle of the story, so I have already had a chance to get the lay of the land, figure out who the characters and players are and decide where my alleigence lies. Winter Queen started out in a big battle that lasted about the first 20% of the story, and I had no idea really what was going on. There was a lot of fighting, but also there were a ton of new names, characters, tribes, and places that I didn't have any knowledge of. And as a result, I didn't really have much of a connection with them. That made it hard for me to start out on the best foot. Then I felt like the middle part, where Ilyenna was kidnapped and held by Darien, took up too much of the book. It felt kind of stagnant. I hated Darien, and I knew him and Ilyenna were going nowhere, so I just wanted her to get out of there so something new could happen. I wanted more about the fairy queens to unfold.

Overall, there were aspects of the Winter Queen that made me want to continue on with the series, but it was not a perfect book for me. It was just an ok read, but one that I think I would like to see where it could go. Now that we know the lay of the land and the characters a little better, I think this series has the potential to get a lot better.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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YA ReviewMy Thoughts

A Fierce and Subtle Poison was a beautiful, melancholy story that really moved me. It is a young adult magical tale that deals with Spanish folklore. I should also note that it is a standalone story (with a rather opened ended ending) Right from the start, I knew this book was going to be an elegant and vibrant read. The words drew me into their small town, and I too was looking right at the cursed house on end of the street.

A Fierce and Subtle Poison is unlike anything else I have read all year. (Who am I kidding- it is unlike anything I have read in several years.) I loved so many things about this book. I love how rich and steeped in culture and folklore the story is, I beyond loved the lyrical and stunning writing. This book was heavy with emotion. It is a sad read, but it was exquisitely beautiful in its' tragedy. I have no other way to describe it. This is a book that moved me and impacted me. I also loved that the main character of this book, the character driving the story forward was a male protagonist. Lucas is drawn to the cursed house, and the girl that lives there. The book was just as much about her as it was about solving the mystery of the disappeared girls for Lucas. And I enjoyed that immensely.

A Fierce and Subtle Poison is a quick read that will leave a lasting impact on you. This is not a feel good book, or a light and fluffy book. I feel like this is a tragically beautiful book. (and yes, I know I have said the word beautiful 4 times in this review, but it really seems like the perfect word to describe the story.) If you are looking for a book that is different and one that will move you, check out A Fierce and Subtle Poison. I don't think you will read anything else like it this year.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a young adult contemporary standalone by E.K. Johnston. This is a book impressed me. It takes some hard to handle subject matter, and does a really good job with it. As you can see from the summary, Exit, Pursued by a Bear deals with rape and a resulting pregnancy. This is a topic that is so hit or miss for me. I think it is an important topic, and one that should be talked about but so many times I feel that the book becomes the rape, and the rape is all that anyone can see. It overshadows everything else in favor of the author's message. And regardless of whether it is well done or not, and regardless of whether I agree with the author's message or not, it just doesn't resonate with me. That's not how I connect with books.

But something about Exit, Pursued by a Bear told me that I should read it. And I am so freakin' glad that I did. Not only is Exit, Pursued by a Bear superbly written, but this is a book about a girl. And that resonates with me. It was so easy for me to like and connect with Hermione. (not to mention I love her name and I always love the Shakespeare line as the title. I thought it was fitting.) I think Hermione is such a great main character. She is mature beyond her years, she is likable, strong (and not just strong because of what she has had to deal with. She is just a strong person. I think that is an important distinction, and part of why I enjoyed this book so much). The secondary characters in the book are all great as well. I loved the guys on the cheer team (except for Leo, who is a major butthead). I loved Polly too.

The real star of Exit, Pursued by a Bear is author E.K. Johnston's writing. I was immediately enveloped in Hermione's world. I need to read more books by her because not only is she really, really talented, but if she was able to take such a serious topic, like rape, and make it feel like something different than all of the other rape books out there was very impressive. My review does not do the book justice. It is something that you need to read and experience for yourself. I will just say this..I am a fan of this author and this book.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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My ThoughtsMust Love Cowboys is the second book in the adult contemporary series, called Cowboy heaven by Cheryl Brooks. Each of the books can be read as standalone, and this is the first title from the series that I have read. It takes pace at a ranch that really does seem like cowboy heaven. There are tons of single cowboys all living under one roof. While I loved the cowboys, obviously, I really liked the mystery plotline that ran throughout the story.

Tina shows up at the Circle Bar K ranch on a mission to deliver some letters to her grandfather's best friend, and when that friend almost dies, Tina stays on for a little while to take his place as the ranch cook. Cooking for a big group of cowboys with seemingly never ending stomachs, sounds like an awful job to me, but it is Tina's dream job. I loved seeing how excited she was over coming up with meal ideas and how excited the guys were to eat her meals. It was pretty cute.

I enjoyed the romance, though I would have loved to have gotten a few glimpses into Wyatt's mind, the story was told entirely from Tina's point of view. I loved her connection with Wyatt, but I do wish the book was spread out over a longer time period. It was my only gripe with the story. I thought the book was a good length and the story was great, but I would have enjoyed the romance a little more, and it would have been a bit more believable to see it take place over more than a week. I thought put in that context, they moved incredibly fast. But in terms of the mystery, the pacing was great.

Bottom line: if you are a fan of cowboys, this is a series you will love. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, because there are lots of awesome guys to choose from next. I know Dean is the obvious choice for the next book, but I kind of want to see Bull's story next. Who is it going to be Mrs. Brooks?

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs