I'm glad I picked up the second book in the series because it is far better than The Program!

The Treatment is a page turner and a relatively quick read. I felt like I read it in no time (3 days) while also reading several other books. This is the story of Sloane and James on the run, supported by the cast we met in The Program. There are twists and turns and you'll find yourself unsure of who to trust. I mean, who can you trust when you have people messing with memories and perhaps whole personalities?

The book toys with the idea of who a person is without the memories of their experiences. There's a bit of fate versus free will and I am still unsure of exactly where we landed as neither of the main characters really lost their memories.

I will continue on with the prequels, as they sound even more interesting. I'm excited that there's a third book coming out in the series so we can see where everyone is now that they've been free for a bit!

What happens when your mom sends you off to a finishing school with a bit of a twist? Etiquette and espionage, that's what. Sophronia's mother thinks she's off to become a lady, which she is, but she's also off to retrieve a mysterious prototype. Hmm.

I found the characters in the book to be enjoyable. While there's not a lot of "action" there is a lot of thrill. How could there not be with a vampire professor, a floating school, and a bunch of steampunk items!

The Finishing School has appeal for young adults and older adults equally. I'm excited to see what Sophronia is up to in the next book!

Come discuss with us over at Tales of the Ravenous Reader!

Cure for the Common Universe is Ready Player One meets Recovery Road. There's just enough contemporary in there to help non-gamers feel welcome and plenty of gaming references that only the most L33T will get it.

Poor Jaxon. He's forced into Video Game Rehab just as he sets up his first date. Jaxon isn't likable - Give him a fedora and Mt. Dew and he's totally a Reddit meme. He's in it to win it and doesn't care who he has to trample on his way to victory. And trample he does.

Video Game Rehab has been set up as an IRL version of a video game, where you complete quests to get points; once you get a million points, you're free to go back to your regularly scheduled Destiny matches. Jaxon joins the Fury Burds team, made up of other misfits like him. He quickly makes enemies of everyone except Soup, who will do anything for attention, including tasks on Jaxon's behalf.

Seventy-five percent of the book is Jaxon acting like a fool. We get it, you're not in a place to make the changes you need to stop being the jerk you are. To stop treating the women around you terribly. To stop using games as an escape from reality and DEAL.

The last 25% of the book is fast paced and will keep your attention. That's not to say the other 75% isn't worth reading, because it is. There's a lot of humor in this book. There just were times I wish I had a Portal gun to move past some of "quest" section of the book and get to the "heart" parts. As a gamer, I appreciated all the nods to classic gaming and the gaming culture.

Excuse me while I go play some Yoshi's Island now.

***While the publisher provided me an ARC of Cure for the Common Universe, no golden keys or unopened NES' came with so all the opinions here are without bribery!

This book will completely take you by surprise. You'll read the reviews and know that most people think it's absolutely crazy and amazing. You'll hear whispers about cannibals. You'll see the confused shelving as "western" "fantasy" "steampunk" and wonder how one book could be all of those things. And yet you'll be unprepared for the ride you're about to go on. Buckle up, kids, because this is one insane adventure and you are not going to get off it the same!

This book absolutely is a paranormal steampunk fantasy novel, with elements of creatures, magic, airships, and a pretty great love story. That sounds like a hot mess, and in most books, it absolutely would be. There SHOULD be too much going on here and yet there never was. None of the paranormal, steampunk, or fantasy elements ever felt forced or rushed, and neither did the character development. To top it off, this novel is a standalone and you absolutely get a full arc without any compromise.

Michelle is a freaking master. I've been interested in this book since I saw her talk about it in November 2015. I waited till it became a book club pick, which I now regret. I wanted to consume this book in one sitting and it is definitely in my top 5 for 2016. Maybe even my top 3.

This isn't the Frost book we wanted but it is the Frost book we got. Unfortunately, labeling this book as the sixth in the series is inaccurate. At best, it's a novella that could be placed as 5.5.

Steam and Glass is a set of chapters set within each previous book. There's nothing added to the story and for those of us who read the series when it originally released, the references and nuances will likely be lost because it's been many years.

I loved the Frost Chronicles and was elated to see a new story. Finding myself disappointed now is unfortunate. I would love some prequels, instead!

I have mixed feelings about giving this book 3 stars. It wasn't bad but felt long for what could have been much shorter. It was basically a season of Supernatural in book form.

Catch our discussion over at Tales of the Ravenous Reader!

"Do you even know what you're capable of?"

Girl on a Wire is a familiar set of story elements set in a less familiar setting: the circus. The book is full engaging elements such as forbidden romance, generation-spanning family drama, mystery, superstition, and a girl's journey of figuring out who she is in the context of this unique world.

I can't imagine what Gwenda's research process was like for this. Did she watch a lot of American Horror Story: Freakshow? Maybe she visited Barnum and Bailey or perhaps a Cirque du Soleil show. Either way, I was hooked throughout the story not only because of the mystery surrounding the circus culture but because of the depth of the characters. Jules, our main character, is on a journey to rebuild her family's image while also trying to figure out how the heck they ended up being second rate even though they're top notch performers.

We meet Jules as she's trying to make a name for herself while also redeeming her family name. As the book opens, she's run away to show off what she can do and successfully secures her family a place in the top circus, despite that she'll be paired with longstanding rivals, the Flying Garcias. Jules is steady and I enjoyed getting to know her. I also really loved her wardrobe and decided to put together a look inspired by her!

Jules is a skeptic, despite the superstition held by those around her. I mean, really...How could her Nan be the cause of all the bad things that have happened in the past and are there really such things as magic good luck charms? I'll leave that to you to figure out but Jules personal, romantic, and mystery journeys are definitely shaped by everyone's ideas about magic and what has taken place. You'll find yourself nervous as she waltzes across the wire. You'll bite your nails as the mystery unfolds. You'll find yourself with feels as Jules and Remy develop together. I consider myself a Valentine (a fan of Jules) and can't wait to see if she's in Girl in the Shadows!

The Kiss of Deception is one of those books that reaches across genres to engage readers of all types of books. The book opens with Lia affirmatively denying her impending wedding to a man she does not know. Being First Daughter means her duty is to ensure her lands are safe, even if her heart is not. Not willing to accept this, she first sends a note to her betrothed only to go unanswered, and flees her homeland with her best friend in tow.

Fast forward to the simple life where Lia is now working as a server at a local tavern. Insert two mysterious travelers, Rafe and Kaden, who are not all they seem to be. As the book progresses, we get to know the three main characters well, but not where their intentions lie, which are left to unfold through the story.

The Kiss of Deception will keep you entertained and guessing throughout the book and leave you wanting more with every chapter, which was incredibly hard to manage in a buddy read! It's one of those books I was so tempted to google the answers, because I was constantly on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, hoping my guesses were wrong.

I blog on behalf of a bookstore and reviewed The Kiss of Deception, as we are hosting Mary E. Pearson for the third book in the triology. Feel free to check it out here!

It's time for the Lumberjanes to learn some practical camp skills, just in time for a blizzard (it's the middle of summer) and a monster hunt!

Counselor Jen take the Janes out for survival skill training and is left behind when chaos ensues. No worries, she's later rescued by Abigail, a mysterious monster hunter in the forest who seems to have beef with the bear-woman and Rosie, the camp director. Not to worry, Rosie's coming to he rescue.

All the while, the Lumberjanes team up with their friend from the boy's camp nearby and set out to rescue Jen, because these ladies just aren't going to sit around and wait while there's action out there.

This arc ends with Abigail facing down her arch nemesis, the Grootslang. Wonder what trouble the Janes are going to get into in the next volume!

Review to come Thursday over at Tales of the Ravenous Reader as part of our #PrideMonth #ReadLoudListenLoud coverage so be sure to check out our reviews, event recaps, interviews, and resources we love during the week of June 20th.