It's fine. Some stories are more enjoyable than others. I read this a couple summers ago and somehow it didn't get marked properly on GR. I like the idea of short story collections and discovering new-to-me authors, but I feel like it usually ends up underwhelming. Oh well.

When I first started reading this book, I thought I'd made a terrible mistake. The beginning was really rough for me, for a few reasons I'll get to. The mistake was that I'd bought the entire series (this is the first in a trilogy of companion novels) off book outlet on the cheap without knowing if I was actually going to enjoy them. To be fair, they were cheap, they had good reviews, and I was hankering for romance and had very little on my shelves.

I read about 30 pages and set the book aside. I found the writing incredibly cheesy. Both the dialogue and the characters' inner monologues. Reading these characters' thoughts about one another was like reading really bad poetry.
There were also words and phrases used that seemed very out of place. One example is when Jessa, our lady protagonist, says something and then worries that Kit (the male protagonist) will think she's 'square'. Now, I don't know about any of you, but I have never heard that word used unless I'm watching a movie from the 50s/60s. It's pretty much obsolete. The author also used the words 'affair' and 'fling' to describe hook ups. Now, I could maybe see fling, but I feel like most people who use the word affair use it to refer to adultery, not simply a sexual relationship between two single consenting adults. When I finished the book I read the author's bio and saw that she grew up in the UK, so it's definitely possible that she was using terminology that is more prevalent over there, but I feel like if you are going to set your book in a specific place, you should try to make sure the language makes sense.

Anyway, I went back to the book mostly because I figured I should give it another try since I bought all three of the books in the series. I told myself that if I got to page 100 and still wasn't enjoying it I would DNF it and just go on with my life.

And as I read, something happened. Did the dialogue and inner monologues get better? Not really. This book embraces the cheese. Did the author stop telling and start showing? Nope. I'm not sure I can actually pinpoint what kept me reading, but at a certain point in the book, I became invested in these characters. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, and I wanted to see how the end of the book would pay off the beginning scene.

This book is very readable. The chapters are short and it's easy to start reading and look up to discover you've been reading for an hour.

I enjoyed the relationship between Jessa and Kit, despite all its eye-rolling cheesiness (I know I keep using the word cheesy. But it's apt.). There was a sense at the beginning of insta-love for me, not because the characters had just met, but because *I* didn't feel like I knew them. I wish the author had developed them a little more on their own before having them jump into this intense relationship, but once they were in it I liked them. I liked the fact that they took it (somewhat) slow as far as their physical relationship, and didn't jump right into sex, like so many other New Adult romances tend to do. There are moments of consent all through their relationship and it made me very happy.

I feel like the other characters could have been fleshed out a bit more. Jessa's father, in particular, was a real piece of work. He's abusive in the way he controls his family and intimidates them, and it's all blamed on PTSD. Then near the end of the book,

he sees the error of his ways and changes. Just like that. But we don't actually see any of that. We're told about it through a series of letters and emails. There is a scene with Kit at the cemetery where we see his altered personality, but I would've liked to see some of the steps he took to get there.

There are other things that are just kind of glossed over as well. This book could've been a four-star read if it had really tackled the PTSD/addiction/survivor's guilt that makes an appearance in the last quarter of the book. I actually wish the first part of the book had been cut down to accommodate a more in depth look at those things.

There is one more thing I wanted to note. This book does have several sex scenes written throughout it's pages. This is NOT YA. The characters are 18/19 and 21/22. However, I will say that the sex scenes are far tamer than some of the other NA I've read in the past. It doesn't get super graphic, for the most part. I appreciated that, because as much as I like the steamy scenes, I also like a little to be left to the imagination. This would probably be a good crossover book for someone who loves YA romance and wants to transition into more adult stories.

At the end of the day, while I can look critically at this book and see all it's flaws, I still enjoyed my reading experience and would have no problem recommending it to someone looking for an adult romance with younger characters.

2.5 stars

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR JANE EYRE AHEAD.***

Full Discloure: I wasn't planning on reading this book. I love Jane Eyre, and I love re-tellings, but something about this book just didn't intrigue me. Then it came in an OwlCrate. That is probably the only reason I ended up picking it up. At the end of the day, there were some enjoyable moments and characters, but I don't think it reached its potential.

Premise: 3/5 stars
This had promise. The idea is that people who have had near-death experiences can see and communicate with ghosts in this world. Jane Eyre is one such person. There is also a Society to get rid of ghosts made up of more people who have the ability to communicate with them. They are trying to recruit Jane, but she doesn't want to take the chance that they will take away her best friend Helen, who happens to be a ghost. So she takes a job as a governess at Thornfield Hall and runs off. I thought it was clever at the beginning of the book how this Society was actually what motivated her to leave her teaching position and go to Thornfield. It was a unique take on a Jane Eyre re-telling, but also made complete sense based on the gothic nature of the original novel.

Characters: 2/5 stars
Both stars are for Helen. I'm only half-joking. So, one of the ways this book breaks the fourth wall (which they do A LOT.) is to have Charlotte Bronte herself as one of the main characters. I didn't feel like it was wholly necessary. Granted, it was because of her that the plot was allowed to move on, since she told the Society men where Jane was, but I don't know that that actually makes her a good character. Actually, telling a couple of veritable strangers where your supposed best friend is when it was obvious that she didn't want them to know where she'd gone just for her own personal gain doesn't exactly strike me as the pinnacle of friendship.
Also, the fact that Charlotte spends so much time during this book fangirling Jane Austen is just...no. Charlotte Bronte was not a fan of Jane Austen. She was specifically not a fan of Pride and Prejudice. So her obsession with Mr. Darcy in this book just makes no sense. I get that this is supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek kind of novel, but it kept taking me out of the novel every time Charlotte would compare a man to Mr. Darcy or extol the literary virtues of Jane Austen.

"Jane Austen was a complete and most sensible lady, but a very incomplete and rather insensible (not senseless) woman.” --Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre is the other main female protagonist, and I wasn't impressed. My biggest problem with her is that she doesn't embody the spirit of the source material. Jane Eyre (as written by Charlotte Bronte) had a quiet strength of character brought on from the awful things that happened to her in her childhood. She was solemn, but sturdy. She stood up for herself, and navigated Thornfield Hall and Mr. Rochester all on her own. The Jane Eyre is this book feels very passive to me. The book is happening around her and she may as well be a piece of furniture in the scene for how much she impacts it.
Both of these characters just fall very flat to me, as does the character of Blackwell (? Is that his name? I think so. The book is upstairs and I don't have the inclination to check). None of them jump off the page for me in any way. Bran Bronte almost works for me. At least he has a personality.
The only saving grace for me is Helen, Jane Eyre's ghostly companion. She is amazing. In my mind, she represents any reader who has ever criticized Jane Eyre. She calls out all of the weird behavior by Mr. Rochester. She tries to talk sense into Jane, who fancies herself in love with Rochester despite the fact that she barely knows him and the times they have been together he hasn't exactly been sweet and kind. I truly loved her character and how she was crafted.

That brings us to the next subject.

Humor: 2/5 stars
Again, this is mostly due to Helen, who had me literally laughing out loud in some parts. The thing I keep hearing about this companion series is how hilarious the books are. I haven't read My Lady Jane, so I have no basis for comparison, but I found the humor in this book very hit and miss. Helen? HIT. Everything else? Eh, not so much.
I found that the authors really like their pop culture references. There were many. It's been a couple of weeks since I read this, but off the top of my head I recall several Princess Bride references, as well as several others.
My main problem with this is that there were times it felt like the narrative was being designed around being able to insert certain references, and that just feels lazy and clunky to me. It didn't feel organic. When a huge chunk of the 'humor' is relying on these references, it doesn't actually strike me as funny. They're trying to get laughs for other people's jokes.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of the breaking of the fourth wall. Now, when this is done right, it can be really funny. In this book, it felt very self-serving to me, although I'm not sure I can adequately explain that feeling.

Plot: 2/5 stars
During the first 2/3 of the novel, when we were still loosely following the Jane Eyre story, I wasn't loving it, but I was engaged to a certain extent. I was interested in how the authors were going to twist the source material. However, after Jane leaves Thornfield, I felt like the story just got messier and messier. I did not care at all about the

corruption-within-the-Society

subplot. I completely lost interest. The flat characters were not enough to keep me invested in a paper-thin plot full of conveniences and contrivances.

I didn't have very high expectations for this book, but I did go in with an open mind. For awhile, I was able to convince myself that I was enjoying it, but after completing the book I can't say I would read this book again.

TW: Rape, graphic violence

3/4 of the way through this book I thought the rating was going to be a strong 4 stars. This is the first book I've read by Karin Slaughter and I was really enjoying it, as much as a person can enjoy a book about such dark and twisted topics.

Unfortunately, the end of this book let me down.

First, the things I liked:

1. The writing (Part One).
The author's ability to create tension and atmosphere was evident. I didn't want to stop listening. I had to know what was going on.

2. Interesting characters. I say interesting, not likable, because I don't think that anyone in this book was particularly likable. That being said, I found myself rooting for Charlie and Sam and wanted them to find a way to repair their relationship. I can't imagine not speaking to my sister for over a decade. These characters were interesting and flawed, which made this a very compelling narrative. There is a slight 'unreliable narrator' aspect to this story, but it doesn't feel cliche. The unreliability makes total sense in the context of the story.

3. The narrator for the audiobook.
A voice actor can make or ruin an audiobook experience for me. This narrator, Kathleen Early, did a fantastic job. She did a great job with the voice of the young girl Kelly, as well as Sam and Charlie's father Rusty. Some voice actors just read the book. She injected emotion. She actually ACTED the book, and I really appreciate that. It's probably what kept my interest going through to the end.

What I didn't like:

1. Predictability. I don't read many thrillers/suspense/mystery books. I am trying to get more into them, and I have heard wonderful things about Karin Slaughter. Now I'm not going to throw out any spoilers, but all of the twists were things I had suspected for a good chunk of the book. I told myself that it couldn't be what I suspected because it seemed so obvious. But in the end, my suspicions ended up being correct. I wanted to be shocked or at least surprised by the ending, but in reality it felt a little anti-climactic because I'd pieced it together over a hundred pages earlier.

2. The writing (Part Two)
While it seemed evident that the author did a lot of research creating these characters and tried to make them 3-dimensional and interesting, it ended up unnecessarily wordy in my opinion. It felt like the author wanted to fill the novel with all of the random trivia she'd come across. After awhile it stopped adding to the story and the idiosyncrasies of the characters and just turned into a pacing issue. This book did not need to be over 500 pages. It just didn't.

3.The ending felt rushed. There were a few times where the pacing was a little slow. Like I said, we would go off on some sort of tangent about some random thing that didn't actually have any bearing on the story, but then at the end everything was just wrapped up a little too quickly.

Other odds and ends:
1. There is a transgender character in this book. We learn about half way through the story that this character is transgender, through one of the characters also learning it. It was written in a clunky, awkward way. I felt like I'd missed a sentence or something because there isn't anything on the page that would suggest that the character is transgender except the other character randomly having a realization. We aren't told what the realization was in response to. I was listening to this on audio book and I had to go back three different times and listen to that passage to see if I'd missed something. I read one review that said it felt like this character was made transgender after the fact and I kind of agree.

2.

How in the heck does Kelly, a girl who is obviously of below-average intelligence, get several years in jail for her part in what happened? And the characters in the book act like that's great news. She was raped (it was rape. This man was in a position of power and knew that she was not mentally fit to consent) by someone who she should've been able to trust, then manipulated by another person in a position of power who was actually planning on killing her...and she has to make a plea deal?! Even after the 'deathbed confession' by the real killer? WHAT?!

I will read another Karin Slaughter book in the future, because I have one more on my shelf. I'm hoping the next one delivers more as a thriller than a straight up mystery.

"She was a blade disguised as a girl."

I read Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody last year and enjoyed it. I didn't LOVE it, but I thought it was a solid debut that ended up getting 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. In particular, I remember really enjoying the creepily quirky atmosphere that she created, even if there were aspects of the world I found confusing and not fully developed.

When this book came in my OwlCrate earlier this year, I was skeptical. For whatever reason, the synopsis just didn't compel me. It sat on my shelf for months before I finally picked it up, and even then it was only because I am currently trying to read all of my unread subscription box books before the end of the year.

I am so happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised about this book. All of the things I loved about DOTBC -- the atmosphere, the world, the characters -- I also loved about this book. In fact, I would say that it is definitely one of my favorite books I've read this year.

What I liked:

1. World building/atmosphere. I've seen some reviews criticizing New Reynes as just a Las Vegas rip off. I see where they're coming from, but this book definitely has a more dangerous and sinister feel. I almost got western vibes off of this as a result of the relative lawlessness in this book.

2. The characters. I was nervous when we met Levi and learned that he is Lord (basically a gang leader) that we were going to get a plethora of under-developed characters. Fortunately, this is not the case. I really liked the fact that this story is told in dual-perspective with both Levi and Enne being represented. I love Enne. Even at the very start of this book, before she's put in a place where she has to exert physical strength, she shows a quiet strength borne of the love she has for her adopted mother. Her mental fortitude is probably my favorite thing about her. Levi is one of my new favorite characters. His street smarts are a great counterbalance to Enne's book smarts. I love that his ambitious nature, even when those ambitions end up biting him in the ass. The side characters are also really interesting, especially Lola. I really loved the way her friendship with Enne formed over the course of the book.

3. The magic system. In this world, people inherit talents from their parents. One is the dominant talent, and the other, less-powerful talent is referred to as a split talent. I liked this idea, and thought it was interesting to think about how certain talents would work together.

4. Romantic tension. So, I know there will probably be a bunch of people who will complain that the romance in this book is a case of insta-love. And that's fine. The book does take place over the course of a week and a half, so I can't exactly disagree that their attraction and willingness to put themselves into danger for the other person happens a little quick. But I just don't care. I loved the way their relationship evolved. Plus, they aren't a couple in this book. The attraction is there, and they definitely have a couple of moments that could lead to more, but instead we get this angsty tension that just made me want more. I am really excited to see their relationship progress in the next book.


What I didn't like:

1. Just like DOTBC, I wish I knew more about the world/politics outside of New Reynes. We do get a little more insight into this world, but at the end of the book I wasn't exactly sure what genre this was supposed to be in. I think it's some sort of a dystopian kind of world with the oppressive and corrupt government. But like I said before, there is definitely a western sort of vibe to it. Then there is also modern technology like cars and phones but it's also definitely fantasy with the talents and split talents. Actually, I kind of like the fact that this book is a sort of fusion of genres, but I still wish I understood the world a little better.

I love this book and cannot wait for book number two. It's definitely going on the pre-order list.

I loved this book. Renée Ahdieh has such a lyrical writing style. But what I love is that it's not just flowery language for the sake of sounding pretty. Her words have meaning, and the prose fits with the tone and themes of the story.

Mariko is the daughter of nobility. One day, she is attacked and left for dead, but manages to get away. From that point on, she disguises herself as a boy in order to get revenge on people who attacked her and find out the purpose for the attack.

This story is told from several different points of view, which really works for a story on the scale. I enjoyed each of the different POVs.

Mariko was a great character. She is smart, curious, and determined. She is also impetuous, impulsive, and reactionary, which tends to get her into trouble and create chaotic situations. I like that she is flawed.

Ōkami is a great match for her. I do wish we'd had a bit more from his perspective. I also wish that their relationship had evolved a little more slowly after he figures out her secret. It went from him thinking she is a boy to them rolling around on the ground...that is where the rating goes down just a bit for me.

I felt like the plot was really good once it got going. I will admit that it took me about 50-75 pages to really get hooked. Part of that may be because I was incredibly tired when I picked this book up. But it did feel a little slow in the beginning, action-wise. However, I felt like Ahdieh did a really great job within those first few chapters in establishing the world. I love the use of Japanese mythology and culture to construct the narrative here. There are so many euro-centric fantasy stories and re-tellings. It was awesome to read a book that focused on a different culture.

I've heard this book compared to Mulan, which I kind of understand, although I don't necessarily agree with the comparison. Mariko disguises herself as a boy to join up with a group of guys...that's about where the similarities end. First of all, the book is set in Japan, whereas Mulan is a Chinese tale. The story is full of customs and mythology from Japanese culture. And the reason she dresses as a man is completely different.

The ending was great, and I can't wait for the second in the series. I have loved everything I've read from Renée Ahdieh, and The Flame in the Mist was no exception.

2.5 stars.

I read both Roomies and Love and Other Words earlier this year and enjoyed them both (LAOW over Roomies). I've also heard people praising this book, so I was really excited to read it. Unfortunately, I didn't find this nearly as charming as I thought it was going to be. To be honest, I nearly DNF'd this book about 40% of the way through.

What I liked:

1. Josh and Hazel's friendship. At the end of the day, this is a book about friendship and accepting people for who they are, and I really liked Hazel and Josh's friendship.

2. A couple of the steamy scenes. They were pretty well written.

What I didn't like:
1. Hazel for about 95% of the book.
Hey everyone, have you guys met Hazel? She's so quirky, so eccentric! You never know what kind of wacky, zany, crazy, goofy, off-the-wall thing she's going to do! She's so quirky and eccentric that there isn't a page in the first 40% of this book that doesn't attempt to reinforce the assertion that she's what? If you guessed 'quirky and eccentric', you win!!

I love quirky characters. Love them. And when this characters was compared to Jessica Day in New Girl I was excited. Granted, I've only seen a few episodes of that show, but I love Zooey Deschanel and had in my mind what this girl was going to be like. I have my own comparison. Hazel is what you would get if Lorelai Gilmore (Who I LOVE) and a chihuahua had a baby, and then that baby downed an entire gallon of caffeine.

The way she acts is cringy. I legit got second-hand embarrassment as I was reading this book. Now, again, I feel like I have to throw it out there that I love quirky people, whether real or fictional. I, myself, can be goofy as hell. But even the quirkiest people I know understand that there is a time and a place for certain behaviors. Meeting your friend's parents for the first time calls for a different sort of behavior than hanging out with your friends at the bar. But not if you're Hazel Bradford!

Her blurting out that she and Josh had sex as soon as she walked into his sister's house for dinner was probably the ultimate WTF example.

And seriously, her quirkiness was shoved down our throats. Every time she would start talking she would tell some story of a time she did something wild. It got old. Like...I GET IT. She's a kook. Moving on.

The only reason I didn't DNF this book was because as the story went on they calmed down on her character quite a bit.

And let's be real. Someone who has literally no self-control should not be in charge of 25 third-graders. Why should I trust that she would understand what is and isn't appropriate to blurt out to a bunch of eight-year olds when she hasn't shown any common sense when it comes to any other social situation?

Then there's the whole drinking thing. She talks about how when she drinks a lot she ends up taking off her clothes. It's said repeatedly as if it's some funny little anecdote. There's a part later in the book where she sends Josh a look that tells him to make sure she doesn't start trying to take her clothes off in the bar. Seriously? How about a little bit of personal responsibility? If you know that excessive drinking makes you stupid...maybe you don't drink excessively? Just a thought.

Also, she stays in his apartment while he is out of town and completely trashes it. I just find that so disrespectful. But we're supposed to think it's cute because...reasons?

I get that this is fictional, and that Hazel is as well, but I just couldn't stand her through the first half of this book.

2. The epilogue. I didn't actually hate this, but it felt like it wasn't necessary. I'm not sure how many years ahead they jump, but going from the end of the last chapter to this epilogue felt a little jarring because of what was going on at the end of the last chapter. It felt like the authors raised the stakes for no reason because everything was solved in two pages.

I will continue to read Christina Lauren, and I understand that I am definitely in the minority where this book is concerned, but I think I had it so hyped in my mind that I was really let down when I actually read it.