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Lotto trouble is the second book in this duology. I really enjoyed the first one but this one fell kind of flat for me. I didn’t love the dual point of view and the vibe was a lot more tense and not nearly as fun. Overall, this was a decent duology, but it didn’t knock my socks off.
I’m interested in reading another series from ann Denton, Bc the writing and the characters were great, but the plot of this series started out promising but took a turn I didn’t love in the second book. I liked the way things ended up for the characters but the journey was one I wasn’t expecting.
I’m interested in reading another series from ann Denton, Bc the writing and the characters were great, but the plot of this series started out promising but took a turn I didn’t love in the second book. I liked the way things ended up for the characters but the journey was one I wasn’t expecting.
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Stroked Long is the second book in the a new adult contemporary romance series, Stroked, by Meghan Quinn. I loved the first book, Stroked, a LOT, so I went into Stroked Long expecting to enjoy it, but I got so much more than that. This book LEVELED ME. I love this book, and Bodi so hard. It is without a doubt, the best book I have read in 2016. Hands down. I don't even know how to adequately express my love for this book. This is not just a book for romance lovers, or a book for sports romance lovers. This is a book that everyone needs to read!
I loved Reese from book one, but Bodi made me say Reese who? I can't even decsribe how deep my love for Bodi and Stroked Long goes. This book affected me on a very deep level. The care and liove that Meghan Quinn took describing Bodi's struggles were evidence on every single page. I have seen so many books with OCD characters, and character that have seen terrible tragedies in their lifetime, but none have touched me like Bodi did. I just felt for him so much. And that is all due to how masterful and tender Meghan was in her portrayal of him. Bodi is on my short list of top book boyfriends of 2016. And it will be hard to top him. He deserves so much more attention. (even though he would hate that.) And then there is Ruby.
I remember when I first met Ruby, I was only about 5 sentences into her dialgoe and the only thought running through my head was, "man, she is ANNOYING!" I didn't think there was any way that she would win me over. She has the wrost case of nervous word vomit that I have ever seen, she is distruptive, and loud and totally out there. But darn it, if she didn't make me fall for her just like Bodi did. I think the turning point was when she first went over Bodi's house to work on the foundation project. She is so perceptivve when it comes to reading people, and I loved how she quietly gave Bodi what he needed without making a big deal out of it. I loved this loud over the top person, could reign it in and quietly be there for someone without bringing attention to their eccentricities. Ruby is a good person.
Bottom line: Stroked Long is the best book I have read this year. It was even better than Stroked. It has everything that I look for in my romantic comedy books. It made me laugh out loud so many times, but it also made me cry. It made me feel. It made me fall in love. Bodi and Ruby are pure magic. I don't think you could have found a more mios matched pair if you tried. but they work so beautifully together. And Meghan Quinn's writing is really a work of art. I have not been this moved by a book in a longggg time. I really loved this one! There are really great characters, who have out of this world chemistry and I love the Olympic theme. I think Meghan Quinn has a gold medal series here! (sorry, I couldn't resist.)
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
I loved Reese from book one, but Bodi made me say Reese who? I can't even decsribe how deep my love for Bodi and Stroked Long goes. This book affected me on a very deep level. The care and liove that Meghan Quinn took describing Bodi's struggles were evidence on every single page. I have seen so many books with OCD characters, and character that have seen terrible tragedies in their lifetime, but none have touched me like Bodi did. I just felt for him so much. And that is all due to how masterful and tender Meghan was in her portrayal of him. Bodi is on my short list of top book boyfriends of 2016. And it will be hard to top him. He deserves so much more attention. (even though he would hate that.) And then there is Ruby.
I remember when I first met Ruby, I was only about 5 sentences into her dialgoe and the only thought running through my head was, "man, she is ANNOYING!" I didn't think there was any way that she would win me over. She has the wrost case of nervous word vomit that I have ever seen, she is distruptive, and loud and totally out there. But darn it, if she didn't make me fall for her just like Bodi did. I think the turning point was when she first went over Bodi's house to work on the foundation project. She is so perceptivve when it comes to reading people, and I loved how she quietly gave Bodi what he needed without making a big deal out of it. I loved this loud over the top person, could reign it in and quietly be there for someone without bringing attention to their eccentricities. Ruby is a good person.
Bottom line: Stroked Long is the best book I have read this year. It was even better than Stroked. It has everything that I look for in my romantic comedy books. It made me laugh out loud so many times, but it also made me cry. It made me feel. It made me fall in love. Bodi and Ruby are pure magic. I don't think you could have found a more mios matched pair if you tried. but they work so beautifully together. And Meghan Quinn's writing is really a work of art. I have not been this moved by a book in a longggg time. I really loved this one! There are really great characters, who have out of this world chemistry and I love the Olympic theme. I think Meghan Quinn has a gold medal series here! (sorry, I couldn't resist.)
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
This book was good. Full review to come.
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Mind Games is a dystopian sci-fi thriller by author Shana Silver. I don't read a ton of science fiction and I haven't read a good dystopian in a long while, so I was pretty excited to dive into Mind Games. While I did figure out some aspects of the mystery, I still really enjoyed this novel. It is the first time I have seen swoon reads go in this direction, and I have to say I am really excited to see them branch out from contemporary romances. (though you know I do love a good contemporary romance. But sometimes it is fun to mix things up). Mind Games is a fun ride of a story that fans of sci-fi, dystopians and mysteries and thrillers will all enjoy.
In Mind Games we meet our main character, Arden. Arden and her friends attend a school geared towards science and technology (STEM school) and with the skills that Arden learned at school she becomes a pretty great hacker. But she is no ordinary hacker. Oh no, Arden hacks people's memories and she sells them, so other people can live out their experiences. This can be anything from someone wanting to experience a cool trip someone else went on, or someone wanting to gain knowledge that another person has. Pretty interesting, right? I have never heard of something quite like this, and I was really intrigued that this concept was going to be the basis of the mystery in the story.
Arden soon learns that someone has hacked her memories, and she sets out to find out who and why. I enjoyed Arden and her friends. Yes, at times the group could be annoying or immature, but I do think the characters (for the most part) were age appropriate. There is a romance in Mind Games, which is what I wanted, because when I read a book from Swoon reads, I do expect a romance of some sort. This romance was interesting because the love interest, Sebastian, were a large part of Arden's missing memories. So we get to see their romance through memories and real time, and the mixture was very interesting. I liked watching it play out.
I am not going to spoil any more of the story line of Mind Games. It is a book that you just have to pick up and hang on for the ride because it is a fast paced world of hacking, memories and secrets galore. I can't say I was the biggest fan of the ending, but overall it worked for the story. However; I did love the dystopian/science fiction setting. It was perfect for the world that Shana Silver created. I really enjoyed Mind Games and if you are looking for a young adult science fiction thriller, I think you will enjoy it as well.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
In Mind Games we meet our main character, Arden. Arden and her friends attend a school geared towards science and technology (STEM school) and with the skills that Arden learned at school she becomes a pretty great hacker. But she is no ordinary hacker. Oh no, Arden hacks people's memories and she sells them, so other people can live out their experiences. This can be anything from someone wanting to experience a cool trip someone else went on, or someone wanting to gain knowledge that another person has. Pretty interesting, right? I have never heard of something quite like this, and I was really intrigued that this concept was going to be the basis of the mystery in the story.
Arden soon learns that someone has hacked her memories, and she sets out to find out who and why. I enjoyed Arden and her friends. Yes, at times the group could be annoying or immature, but I do think the characters (for the most part) were age appropriate. There is a romance in Mind Games, which is what I wanted, because when I read a book from Swoon reads, I do expect a romance of some sort. This romance was interesting because the love interest, Sebastian, were a large part of Arden's missing memories. So we get to see their romance through memories and real time, and the mixture was very interesting. I liked watching it play out.
I am not going to spoil any more of the story line of Mind Games. It is a book that you just have to pick up and hang on for the ride because it is a fast paced world of hacking, memories and secrets galore. I can't say I was the biggest fan of the ending, but overall it worked for the story. However; I did love the dystopian/science fiction setting. It was perfect for the world that Shana Silver created. I really enjoyed Mind Games and if you are looking for a young adult science fiction thriller, I think you will enjoy it as well.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Shadow Frost is a young adult fantasy by Coco Ma. I am so excited that this is the first book in the Shadow Frost series because I loved Shadow Frost and I can't wait for more. This is a pretty hefty book, with the advanced readers copy clocking in at over 400 pages. I have to say, I loved every page of this book and I kept hoping it was even longer. I can't even believe that the author wrote this novel when she was only 15! There were so many things that I loved about this book, so let's jump right in.
In Shadow Frost we meet Princess Asterin, who is spunky as all get out and a total riot. I loved her and her feisty spirit. Asterin decides that she needs to go off demon hunting to help her land and people. Which means, we as readers are off on a quest, and you all know that is my favorite type of plotline in a fantasy book. It was an extra bonus that I ended up loving the whole cast of characters as I did. I don't think I have enjoyed a group of friends quiet this much since I read Invictus. Both of these books are total #SquadGoals. Asterin's squad/secondary characters consists of Luna, Rose, Orion, Quinlan, Eadric, and Harry. I really loved Quinlan, Luna and Harry but they are some of my favs, but I won't get too much into the specifics of the characters, because Coco Ma does a fantastic job weaving side story lines for each of the characters that include secrets, romance and plenty of snark all around. It was pretty much perfect in my opinion. I had such a blast reading this story, and I was totally bummed when I got to the end.
Another aspect of the story I loved is that there are demons. I don't get to see too many demons pop up in epic fantasies. Most of the time they are categories as creatures/beasts or evil characters. So I liked the demon hunting twist. If you are a fan of epic fantasies, look no further than Shadow Frost. It is one of my favorite readers of 2019. Hands down. I need the next book in my life right now, because I just have this feeling that the Shadow Frost world and series is destined to be a favorite of mine. I got caught up in the adventure that Coco Ma wove, and I want more!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
In Shadow Frost we meet Princess Asterin, who is spunky as all get out and a total riot. I loved her and her feisty spirit. Asterin decides that she needs to go off demon hunting to help her land and people. Which means, we as readers are off on a quest, and you all know that is my favorite type of plotline in a fantasy book. It was an extra bonus that I ended up loving the whole cast of characters as I did. I don't think I have enjoyed a group of friends quiet this much since I read Invictus. Both of these books are total #SquadGoals. Asterin's squad/secondary characters consists of Luna, Rose, Orion, Quinlan, Eadric, and Harry. I really loved Quinlan, Luna and Harry but they are some of my favs, but I won't get too much into the specifics of the characters, because Coco Ma does a fantastic job weaving side story lines for each of the characters that include secrets, romance and plenty of snark all around. It was pretty much perfect in my opinion. I had such a blast reading this story, and I was totally bummed when I got to the end.
Another aspect of the story I loved is that there are demons. I don't get to see too many demons pop up in epic fantasies. Most of the time they are categories as creatures/beasts or evil characters. So I liked the demon hunting twist. If you are a fan of epic fantasies, look no further than Shadow Frost. It is one of my favorite readers of 2019. Hands down. I need the next book in my life right now, because I just have this feeling that the Shadow Frost world and series is destined to be a favorite of mine. I got caught up in the adventure that Coco Ma wove, and I want more!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**The Orchid Throne is the first book in the Forgotten Empires series by Jeffe Kennedy. The Forgotten Empire series is a fantasy series and the first book, The Orchid Throne totally knocked my socks off. I loved this book so much! And the romance...oh the romance. The Orchid Throne was everything that I look for in great fantasy romances. This marks the second 5 star read of mine on the blog this week, which is huge for me! I don't give out 5 stars too often, and hardly ever to two books in a row. But both The Orchid Throne and Shadow Frost have topped my best of the best in 2019. If you are a fan of fantasy reads, The Orchid Throne needs to be on your TBR list.
In the Orchid Throne we meet our main character, Queen Euthalia, or Lia for short. I love reading a story from the perspective of a Queen, and Lia is a fantastic character. She is witty and fiercely protective of her people and her land. This is the first book I have read by Jeffe Kennedy but it will not be the last by a long shot. Her writing is so lush and descriptive. She transported me to the land of Calanthe, where Lia rules. I felt everything that the characters were feeling. I was right there beside them, and it was easy to get swept up in their story and in their romance. The plot is excellent as well. There is plenty of court intrigue, politics and adventure to be had. The pacing of the story was fantastic. I never fell into a slow lull or found myself hoping to flip pages faster to get to the next part. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this novel.
And speaking of romance, that brings me to our other main character- Prince Conrí. Conrí is Lia's opposite in many ways, which made their pair all the more interesting. I loved the wittiness of their banter. They are so clearly intellectual equals of each other, and that was a big draw for each of them, which is exactly the kind of slow burn romance I love watching unfold. I want to read the Orchid Throne over and over again. One time way simply no enough for me. I cannot wait to continue on with the Forgotten Empires series. If this book was not on your radar, it should be. It is one of my favorite fantasy reads of the year.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
In the Orchid Throne we meet our main character, Queen Euthalia, or Lia for short. I love reading a story from the perspective of a Queen, and Lia is a fantastic character. She is witty and fiercely protective of her people and her land. This is the first book I have read by Jeffe Kennedy but it will not be the last by a long shot. Her writing is so lush and descriptive. She transported me to the land of Calanthe, where Lia rules. I felt everything that the characters were feeling. I was right there beside them, and it was easy to get swept up in their story and in their romance. The plot is excellent as well. There is plenty of court intrigue, politics and adventure to be had. The pacing of the story was fantastic. I never fell into a slow lull or found myself hoping to flip pages faster to get to the next part. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this novel.
And speaking of romance, that brings me to our other main character- Prince Conrí. Conrí is Lia's opposite in many ways, which made their pair all the more interesting. I loved the wittiness of their banter. They are so clearly intellectual equals of each other, and that was a big draw for each of them, which is exactly the kind of slow burn romance I love watching unfold. I want to read the Orchid Throne over and over again. One time way simply no enough for me. I cannot wait to continue on with the Forgotten Empires series. If this book was not on your radar, it should be. It is one of my favorite fantasy reads of the year.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Glow of the Fireflies is a young adult standalone magic fantasy by Lindsey Duga. Lindsey Duga wrote one of my favorite books of last year- Kiss of the Royal, so to say I was excited about her next book was an understatement. And I am happy to report that I really loved Glow of the Fireflies. I still think Kiss of the Royal is my favorite book of hers, but her writing is so magical that it is hard not to completely fall in love with her characters and her stories. She is one of my newest favorite authors. Next, I think I would love for her to write an epic fantasy romance series.
In Glow of the Fireflies wee meet our main character Briony. Briony sets out on a magical adventure to rescue her mother. I think Glow of the Fireflies is a mixture of magical realism and fantasy, which is a genre I have not read too much of. The magical realism aspect comes in from the books setting. Glow of the Fireflies takes place in Firefly valley, deep within the Smokey Mountains. But then we also have some parallel universe action happening. It was really well done.
I also loved the cast of characters Lindsey created. Briony is fantastic, but her best friend Izzie also stole the show in my opinion. They have a wonderful friendship, which you know I am always a fan of in books. I like seeing healthy friendships depicted because I think far too often we see toxic relationships and awful friends in books. But Izzie is loyal and her personality is infectious. I loved her. Briony, Izzie And Alder set off to figure out what happened to her mom, and along the way they learn about magic energies, astral planes, and there are plenty of twists, turns and surprises to keep the reader engaged until the very last page. I thoroughly enjoyed Briony's journey and I was really happy with the way everything wrapped up. If you are looking for a delightful story that is well written with great characters, you have to try a book by Lindsey Duga. She is an excellent author, and Glow of the Fireflies is a great standalone fantasy. I loved it.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Glow of the Fireflies is a young adult standalone magic fantasy by Lindsey Duga. Lindsey Duga wrote one of my favorite books of last year- Kiss of the Royal, so to say I was excited about her next book was an understatement. And I am happy to report that I really loved Glow of the Fireflies. I still think Kiss of the Royal is my favorite book of hers, but her writing is so magical that it is hard not to completely fall in love with her characters and her stories. She is one of my newest favorite authors. Next, I think I would love for her to write an epic fantasy romance series.
In Glow of the Fireflies wee meet our main character Briony. Briony sets out on a magical adventure to rescue her mother. I think Glow of the Fireflies is a mixture of magical realism and fantasy, which is a genre I have not read too much of. The magical realism aspect comes in from the books setting. Glow of the Fireflies takes place in Firefly valley, deep within the Smokey Mountains. But then we also have some parallel universe action happening. It was really well done.
I also loved the cast of characters Lindsey created. Briony is fantastic, but her best friend Izzie also stole the show in my opinion. They have a wonderful friendship, which you know I am always a fan of in books. I like seeing healthy friendships depicted because I think far too often we see toxic relationships and awful friends in books. But Izzie is loyal and her personality is infectious. I loved her. Briony, Izzie And Alder set off to figure out what happened to her mom, and along the way they learn about magic energies, astral planes, and there are plenty of twists, turns and surprises to keep the reader engaged until the very last page. I thoroughly enjoyed Briony's journey and I was really happy with the way everything wrapped up. If you are looking for a delightful story that is well written with great characters, you have to try a book by Lindsey Duga. She is an excellent author, and Glow of the Fireflies is a great standalone fantasy. I loved it.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
