Embraced by Jus Accardo is the second book of The Eternal Balance series and I’m so glad I was able to get a copy of this one. Ever since I finished book one I was wondering what was in store for Jax and Sammy and I have to say, Accardo took me on quite a ride.

If you recall, Jax is descended from Cain and shares his body with a demon. This alone can make things challenging but when you add in the fact that his brother is a jerk and the one thing he really wants (Sammy) is off limits, things get even more difficult. Admittedly, it had been a while since I read book one so when I dove into this book, it took me a bit of time to get back into the story. If you have read the first book, I recommend a quick re-read of the last few chapters to get back up to speed.

As always, the characters are what get me invested in a story and I have to say, Accardo does a wonderful job of creating the people in her stories that are real. They aren’t perfect and I think that is what I like about Jax. He screws up but he does it for what he thinks are the right reasons. With that said, there is a lot more to like about Jax…he loves Sammy and is willing to do whatever he has to in order to keep her safe. Even if that means he suffers. The conflict he has within himself and with Azi is interesting to me.

Although Azi is linked to Jax, he definitely is his own character. He is a demon and he doesn’t truly understand human behavior. I have to say, I loved the interactions he had with Sammy as well as the internal dialogue with Jax. I can’t wait to see what happens with him.

Sammy is smart and tough and her story is going to get even more interesting…I can feel it. She isn’t willing to let Jax do something just for the sake of protecting her and I love how she stands up for herself.

As Jax and Sammy are put in a situation where they have very little choice in how to move forward, they realize that they have another challenge to face. They learn more about what is going on with Sammy and just how much danger they are in. I can’t say what the secret is because I don’t want to ruin anything but what you need to know is that this thing about Sammy means every demon and angel is looking for her and will do whatever they need to in order to get to Sammy.

Accardo does a fantastic job of moving this story forward. There is a lot of action and some sexy bits between Jax and Sammy…which I always support. If you are looking for a new series, definitely consider checking this one out (if you haven’t already) and if you have read book one, you should absolutely read this book as soon as you can - I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy!

Tarnished is the second book in the Perfected series by Kate Jarvik Birch and I have to say, I think I enjoyed this one a bit more than the first book. Where book one established the back story and the basis for the situations Ella faces in this book, this one felt a bit different. Tarnished has quite a bit of action, some swoony bits, and progress within the story. I loved that we got to learn a bit more about the kennels and the rebel group.

Ella has definitely changed since she moved in with the Congressman and his family. This book kicks off with her in Canada at a safe house since she successfully made it over the border but it isn’t like she expected…mostly because Penn isn’t with her. Because of that, she decides she needs to go back to him so they can get away together. When she sees Penn at a press conference with his father, she immediately puts her plan into action. What she didn’t count on was running into someone from her past. She also didn’t count on that person to help her get back to Penn.

As Ella makes her way back to Penn, she gets exposure to the black market and the seedy side of life as a pet. She definitely takes some risks here and I appreciated how she didn’t shy away from them. In addition to that, she began to stand up for herself and I think that pushed people to look at her differently.

The relationship between Ella and Penn is interesting. Having read book one a while ago I needed to go back to understand how it developed. While I liked both of these characters, I wasn’t sure why either would be willing to risk so much for each other. It could be just the time that elapsed from when I first read about their budding relationship but I needed a reminder as to why they would be open to risking everything just to be with each other.

We definitely find out more about everything with this installment. I loved the part where the girls were infiltrating the kennels to obtain more information. They definitely faced their worst nightmare and were rewarded with quite the haul of information which not only helped them expose what is really going on, but it created additional risks and concerns for Ella.

If you are looking for a new dystopian that has plenty of action and a great story, definitely consider this book. I admit, the idea of pets that look and act human intrigued me and as I learned more in this book about what was really happening, I was even more interested. I don’t know what that says about me but I do know that tells me Birch wrote a good book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Thirty Nights by Ani Keating is a book I randomly crossed paths with while I was scanning through NetGalley and I am glad I found it. Honestly the cover is what caught my attention and when I read the summary, I immediately requested it.

Elisa/Isa is the heroine and I liked her. When her parents died, she made her way to the US to go to school and now she is one week away from graduation and her visa has been denied. With only 30 days left, Elisa needs to figure out what she is going to do. Going back to England isn’t what she wants but she doesn’t really have a choice. With the move on the horizon, Elisa needs to figure out how to say goodbye to the friends and family she’s made during her time in the US.

Aiden Hale is the hero and boy, what a hero. He has scars and secrets and when he meets Elisa, he is drawn to her but he doesn’t necessarily figure out why until he meets her again. The scars that Aiden carries are deep but despite his struggles, he has become very successful and very rich.

Shortly after being given the bad news, Elisa meets Aiden and from that moment, she can’t seem to get him out of her head. When she comes face to face with him again, they are both clearly drawn to each other and they begin an affair that could cause more heartache than not. Admittedly, I was cheering for these two the entire time. Because neither of them disclose their “big secret” until after they are already invested in each other, they aren’t necessarily willing to just part ways which made me happy.

Now…eventually things take a turn and even though these two clearly love each other, they are forced to make decisions that don’t necessarily give these two an immediate HEA. Because of some decisions Aiden makes - this book ends with a pretty solid cliffhanger. Don’t get me wrong…things move forward and get resolved but my heart hurt at the end of this book and I absolutely need to know what happens next for these two characters.

I have been on an Adult Romance kick lately and I have to say, this book stood out from the pack for me. Yes, it is angsty but I am completely ok with that. If you are looking for something that has solidly built characters, a fantastic, page-turning story consider checking this one out. I am glad I came across this book and can’t wait to see where Keating takes these character’s stories.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

3.5 for this one.

Rogue is the second book of the Talon series by Julie Kagawa and its release was the catalyst to getting me to dive into these books. I have been hesitant lately on starting new series books just because I am so bad at finishing them. I am actually sitting on a number of last books in a series just because I don’t want them to end. With all of that said, I really enjoyed Talon and Rogue.

Talon of course sets up the story for Rogue and I won’t spend much time talking about that book here so if you haven’t yet read that book, stop reading this. I will do what I can to not spoil anything here but there will be some chance of a spoiler if you haven’t read Talon.

As I mentioned, Talon really sets the stage for Rogue and when that book wrapped up, Ember and Riley were on their way to see if they could save Garrett from St. George. I thought Kagawa did a great job of showing the conflict between these two sides of Ember (human and dragon) and this is really what moves the story forward. Ember continues to struggle with balancing her human side with her dragon side and Riley and Garrett embody that struggle.

I like Ember. She knows she doesn’t want the life that Talon has laid out for her and if she didn’t worry about Dante, she would probably drop off the grid. As Dante looks to make a name for himself within the Talon organization, he sets up a way to bring Ember back into the Talon fold. When Ember finds out that he is really responsible for the trap that was set, she finally realizes that Dante is lost to her and she needs to do what she can to survive away from Talon while helping Riley save other hatchlings any way she can.

The relationship between Dante and Ember is one that will continue to be a touchy subject as the story moves forward. I do believe Dante’s heart is in the right place but he is unwilling to open his eyes and due to the way things went down at the end of Rogue, I can’t imagine that he or Ember are going to be quick to forgive the other for their role.

Another aspect to the story are the relationships Ember has with both Riley and Garrett. There is a love triangle here but mostly because of the conflict Ember has between her dragon self and her human self. I am certain that if she was one or the other, the choice would be easy for her but her dragon side is clearly drawn to Riley/Cobalt and her human side is drawn to Garrett. As the story progresses, Ember has to figure out who she is and what that means to the people around her.

It felt like Rogue had more action than Talon so if that is something you are looking for, definitely buckle up. Ember, Riley, Garrett, and Wes are all on the run and seem to be constantly looking over their shoulder, either for Talon agents or St. George agents. Regardless, both sides are looking to get their claws on this group and in some cases, willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate the threat.
I found myself flying through this book and I thought Kagawa did a great job of moving the story along as well as providing a bit more background on Riley and his role within Talon. Admittedly, I want to know more about Garrett’s past and where he is headed, what Talon is really up to and how Dante fits into it, as well as what the burning need is for them to bring Ember back versus just eliminating the threat. I also hope we find out more about who is leaking information about the safe houses – I don’t have any clue who it might be. I am hopeful that we will get more information on all of these things in the next book.

If you know me, you know I love Kagawa’s other series so I had high expectations going into this series. Overall I think Kagawa wrote a solid second book in this series but I do hope we get more exposure to the dragons and the Talon organization. So far I feel like we have only had some glimpses of the whole thing and I want more of that. Consider checking this one out and if you haven’t read Talon yet, don’t be like me and wait so long. Also, make sure you pull off the dust jacket to see the actual cover…it is pretty cool!

Thank you to Harlequin Teen and Netgalley for the review copy.

I LOVE Historical Fiction and I loved Rae Carson’s first series so when I heard she was writing a book about the gold rush and it would have a main character who could sense the presence of gold around her I immediately added this to my to be read list.

First things first, that cover is amazing and I love everything about it. I can’t wait to see it in hardcover and I really want to see the map too!

Ok, now to the story. Lee has a gift, one that allows her to sense gold around her and although this could be a blessing to a family who doesn’t have much to begin with, her parents make sure that Lee doesn’t share this news with anyone, not even her best friend Jefferson. As Lee’s life is thrown upside down, she makes the decision to head west to escape the man who has threatened everything she knows and to find her best friend.

I thought Lee was an interesting character and I liked her. She absolutely cares about the people around her. It is because of this that she also ends up putting herself in danger more often than not. As she heads west, she ends up traveling as a boy and joining up with a wagon company so she doesn’t have to travel alone.

Carson did a wonderful job of tying history into this story. I have never really read much about the gold rush era, as I have never been drawn to what one might consider a “western”, but as I was reading this book I was able to imagine the wagon trains, the danger these people faced every day just traveling across the land, and the concerns they had about running into Indians. I have to admit something here - throughout this book I kept thinking of the computer game I played when I was younger (this will age me…I know it) called Oregon Trail – if you don’t know what it is, google it and you will see why. There was so much that could go wrong for these people and the group that Lee is with is no exception.

Outside of Lee, the characters introduced in this book added to the story and helped push things along. From the Joyner family to the Hoffman’s…they all make an impact on Lee. I liked Jefferson too and thought Carson did a great job showing how important he was to Lee but also how their relationship changed over the course of the journey.

If you are looking for a story that has a unique feel to it, you might just be interested in checking this one out. It has plenty of action, a paranormal twist, and a bit of romance so really…something for everyone. Definitely check this one out when you can – I am definitely looking forward to the next book of this series.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!

Generation by Heather Hildenbrand is the third book in the Clone Chronicles series and it was a solid conclusion to the series. If you haven’t checked this series out yet and you are looking for a story that ties together science fiction and some interesting characters into a YA Dystopian, consider checking it out. I will do my best to review this without giving away any spoilers but I can’t promise anything.

The story picks up with Ven waking up to find that things haven’t changed much for her since she was put under by Titus. When she wakes up in Twig City, she finds her situation to be a bit more dangerous as Titus is willing to do whatever he needs to in order to protect himself and his interests.

Ven and her friends are right at the center of the story and you will find that Hildenbrand continues to build out the story with the right mix of action and deception along with solid characters. There are some changes to the cast based on how book two ended but you will find that the secondary characters that Hildenbrand surrounds Ven with help to move the story along. Another thing that Hilendbrand does well is build out the world that Ven inhabits. The fact that Titus is able to get away with the things he gets away with and how those outside of this group don’t even realize the impact makes me shudder.

The way the story is tied together provided a great conclusion to the series and I’m glad I came across this series. Hildenbrand did a wonderful job with this and I look forward to seeing what she does next. If you are looking for a YA dystopian that shows great character development and has an interesting story, consider checking this series out. I know this review is short and doesn’t say too much but as this is the third book of the series, I don’t want to ruin anything.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!

Loved that this was from Gigi's perspective. She was a favorite from Plus One and this added to why I like her.

Check it out if you've read Plus One. You won't be disappointed.

The minute I knew that Susan Dennard was going to be writing another book it was on my to be read shelf. First, I loved her Something Strange and Deadly series. Second, she writes fantastic stories. Third, this book has elemental magic with a wide variety of characters. If I had to guess, this was the most wanted book at BEA and I happened to be one of the lucky ones who got my hands on a copy. I forced myself to hold off on reading it for a few months because I am an impatient reader by which I mean, the second I finished this, I knew I was going to want book two in my hands. I’m fairly positive my review will not do this book justice so if you take one thing from the details below, let it be the fact that you NEED to read it.

Truthwitch opens immediately with action and Dennard carries that throughout the entire book. From the very first page I was pulled into Safiya and Iseult’s story. I loved that both of these character’s points of views were covered and they are equally main characters to this book even though we do get more of one than the other, I thought they were set up to be equally important…if that makes sense.

It is easy to see why these two get along as they truly do balance each other out. Where Safiya tends to act rashly and figure things out when she realizes she’s in trouble, Iseult is the cool headed one that tries to think things through and ultimately helps Safiya get out of tight situations. The friendship between these two is fantastic and it was great to see how these two were willing to do whatever they needed to in order to keep each other safe.

I found the magic in this book interesting. You have a threadwitch, a truthwitch, a windwitch, a bloodwitch…and so many more I am sure. I loved learning about the structure of the world that Dennard has built out here and centered around the magic. The world itself is structured well and the segmentation that Dennard has built out between the types of magic and people made it interesting. Whether the characters were running through a city, floating on a boat, or trekking through unfamiliar territory, the descriptions and world building was fantastic.

There are a number of other characters in this series and I don’t want to say so much but I’m excited to learn more about how all of them will connect. Already in book one there are some paths crossing that I didn’t see coming and some characters that were introduced had limited page time and I can’t wait to learn more about them. It would be remiss of me to not mention the boys in this book…especially Prince Merik. I thought he was fantastic. His introduction to Safiya was perfect and then as the story continued to progress, I couldn’t wait for more of the interactions between them. He is also more than just a potential love interest as he has a motivation and story which I loved.

So I don’t want to say too much about the actual story because I don’t want to give anything away. I think from the first few chapters you will start to see what is going on. I am so excited that Dennard has created another amazing series and I can’t wait to read what she writes next. Take my word for it, this book has something for everyone. There is magic, action, fantastic characters, an intriguing story, and some romantic tension…and, and, and. I could probably go on and on here but I won’t. Instead I will encourage you to get a copy of this book when you can while I sit over here waiting for 2017 to roll around so I can get my hands on book two.



Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!