4.5 stars

Endure by Sara Larson is the final book in the Defy series and if you haven’t started reading these books yet, you should definitely work to change that. Sara has written a wonderful fantasy series that has great characters, action and magic, and of course…swoony romance. All the things I love! Warning: If you haven’t read the other stories, there may be some spoilers below so continue at your own risk.

Endure picks up where Ignite left off and Alexa is back in Antion with Damian but things aren’t okay. Alexa knows that if/when she comes face to face with Rafe again, she won’t be able to control her reactions due to the control he has over her. Because of this, she worries how much danger she is putting Damian in. Along with that, Antion is under attack and she still needs to figure out how she is going to save Rylan.

I love Alexa. She is still the strong character she was in books one and two but she has grown along the way. She has always been familiar with heartache but now she has Damian’s love and with it, she has come to realize she is more than just a daughter, a sister, or a soldier. I also loved seeing her relationship with Rylan change and that is all I will say about that.

Larson concludes this series with a whole lot of action and there are a number of twists I didn’t see coming. I will also warn you, alongside the action is quite a bit of danger and Larson doesn’t hold anything back. Not everyone makes it out of this story alive…prepare yourselves.

Damian is still super swoony and I loved seeing him grow into his role as King. While he is adjusting to his responsibilities, he also realizes he can’t lock Alexa away from danger. She takes her role as a soldier seriously and just because he loves her, won’t stand back and let others step into danger for her. It is clear he really wishes he could hide her away but he also recognizes that her fierceness is one of the things he loves about her and wouldn’t want to change her.

A good portion of this book takes place with Damian and Alexa separated. I won’t give away any of the details but I have to admit, the goodbye these two had made my heart clench a bit. Through Alexa’s journey, we learn more about the sorcery involved in this book and I loved how Larson tied this into the story. I also thought she did a wonderful job of explaining how the black sorcerers came to be and ultimately how they were being used by King Armando. I can’t say too much more because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone.

So really…that’s about all I can say. Overall I thought Larson did a wonderful job of wrapping up this series. If you are looking for a good fantasy series with strong characters, a wonderful story and some definitely swoony parts, you should have the Defy series on your list. I am so happy about the way this story was concluded and I definitely can’t wait to see what is next for Sara Larson. Whatever it is, I will be adding it to my to read list immediately. In the meantime, grab this book when you can!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!

3.5 stars.

I love time travel books and when I saw the summary of Loop by Karen Akins I admit, I got a bit excited to read it. I mean, there is time travel, a girl in school just trying to pass her midterm, and of course a boy. Don’t get me wrong, there is also a larger story that I have to admit, I may not do it justice but trust me…I really enjoyed this book!

We are introduced to Bree when she is completing her midterm…it just happens to be 200 (or so) years in the past and she has to figure out what to do. On top of that, due to some personal issues, she has decided to take on a side job for someone that might just be a bit questionable….ok, it really is.

Bree is great. I thought she was a solid character and Akins did a great job developing her story and revealing bits and pieces along the way. Things haven’t been easy for her and they definitely are not getting better. What she has going for her is that she is smart…clearly. As the story is rolled out, it is clear that although she doesn’t always have a plan, she can usually figure things out fairly quickly and I appreciate the fact that she can think on her feet.

The world that Akins has developed here has only added to the story. The characters live in a place where people are born with genes that allow them to time travel. Because of the politics of this, the government has implanted chips in those individuals to ensure they aren’t doing anything people think they shouldn’t. The chip allows the jumpers to be tracked and pulled back if necessary. We find out that Bree’s mother is fairly well known…mostly because people believe she messed with her chip and now she is in a coma. This is what really fuels Bree to do most of the things she does as she works to find out what really happened to her mom and then ultimately, how can she fix her.

The government has also created rules to time travel and one of them happens to be that travelers can’t bring anything back with them…imagine the trouble that Bree will be in if/when anyone finds out she ends up bringing another person back with her. This, of course, leads me to Finn. He is introduced to us twice and I thought this part was well done. Finn knows things about Bree but only what she has told him. Where things get confusing is what he knows from future Bree vs. what current Bree tells him. We get a brief glimpse of him initially but don’t really get to know him until the second time around and after he better understands the whole time travel thing. See, Finn also comes from a family of time travelers and is only told about it after Bree’s initial visit.

This story is full of action and is definitely fast paced. There are a number of secondary characters that help drive the story forward and I really did like all of them. The twists and turns that Akins creates as well of the mystery of who is really the bad guy here is what kept me turning the pages of this book. If you are looking for an interesting time travel story, definitely check this one out. I myself can’t wait to see where Akins takes these characters in the rest of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the review copy.

Review to come.

Definitely consider checking out the audio of this series. The narrator does a wonderful job and of course, the story is as fantastic in audio as it is in book form.

3-3.5 stars

Burning Midnight is the first book I have read by Will McIntosh and I will definitely be checking out his books in the future. There were some things I liked and some things that didn’t necessarily click for me. With that said, I thought this was a solid story and I absolutely love the cover for this book.

One of the pieces of this story that I enjoyed was the fact that it was a male narrator. David Sullivan is a sphere dealer and things aren’t easy for him and his mom. In this world that McIntosh has created, spheres are what make people more than what they were born as. Spheres mysteriously appeared on Earth and people realized they gave them certain abilities. Different colors meant different abilities and the rarer the sphere, the greater the value…and cost.

David has been selling spheres at the local flea market but because he is competing with the big box stores…namely Alex Holiday’s stores, business and money isn’t steady. When he meets Hunter, a girl who makes a living searching for spheres, they make a deal to hunt together and that is when things begin to get interesting.

Let’s talk characters for a minute. I really liked Sully (David) and thought he was developed well. He is a great mix of caring, driven, and smart…when he actually does what he thinks they should do instead of listening to Hunter. I found Hunter frustrating. She was so distrustful and refused to listen to reason which really annoyed me. I think this is why I didn’t believe the romance between Sully and Hunter…at all.

The secondary characters in this story are well done and I wish we would have had more of them with Sully. I loved the friendship between Sully and Dom and the brief glimpses we had were well done. Alex Holiday is the bad guy. He burned Sully in the past and now that Sully and Hunter have found something he wants, he is willing to do anything to get it. He clearly doesn’t care about anyone but himself and what he wants. I was glad that Sully didn’t fall for his tricks and stood up to him. Eventually he got what was coming to him and I wasn’t sorry about how things ended up for him.

Going back to the spheres…things come to a head and we finally find out where the spheres came from and why. I found it interesting although slightly rushed at the end and what happened with Hunter was a bit odd but overall what I liked most about this story was that it is different. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of action, an interesting premise, and a solid male point of view. If you are looking for a YA in the science fiction genre that gives you a story that is different than other books out there, consider checking this one out.

Thank you to the Publisher for the review copy!

He Will be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker was a book I thought sounded interesting so I decided to request it. I am glad I did because I enjoyed it!

The story focuses on two major characters. Celine and Maggie. Maggie is in New York because her best friend Celine was found dead and the police have determined it to be a suicide. Maggie doesn’t believe it and decides to move into Celine’s apartment not only to clean up her stuff, but to also do some digging to find out the truth behind her death.

There were quite a few twists and turns with this story and I admit it, I didn’t really know who the bad guy was until the end. As Maggie digs, she meets a number of questionable characters and also some trustworthy ones. I thought Tucker did a wonderful job of building out each of the characters in this story as well as layering in pieces of Celine’s journal to provide background to what Celine was really up to.

I can’t say a lot about the details of the story as I don’t want to ruin the mystery for anyone who reads this book. There were one or two parts where I kind of questioned where the story was going and what the characters were doing but overall I enjoyed this one. If you are looking for an Adult Thriller that will keep you guessing, definitely consider checking this one out. I am looking forward to more from Tucker in the future.

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

3.5 stars.

Banished by Kimberley Griffiths Little is the second book of the Forbidden series and it dives right back into the story. I admit, it had been a little while since I read Forbidden so I was a bit lost when I started but it quickly came back to me and I found myself pulled right back into Jayden’s story.

I loved seeing more than just the desert and Jayden’s family. We get to learn more about Kadesh and the secrets he has been holding on to. As Jayden and Kadesh flee for the safety of his kingdom, they find out who they can trust and who they can’t. There is quite a bit of action in this story as not only are they running across the desert but they face off with those who follow Horeb.

Neither of these characters is the same person they were in the first book. Jayden has faced challenge after challenge and she continues to grow both in strength and determination. She is willing to do anything she can to protect and save the people she loves. Kadesh has been through a lot as well and when these two finally come face to face with each other after being separated, it is clear he isn’t the same man. Regardless, he still loves Jayden and will protect her with everything he has at his disposal.

If you’re looking for a story about love, loss and perseverance definitely check this one out. Like the first book has a unique setting and some well-developed characters. As the story moved forward and I learned more about each one, I found myself wanting to know more. Check this one out when you can!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!

Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto is definitely a unique story that has a little bit of everything. I admit, the first few chapters made me wonder what I was diving into but as I kept going I found myself fully intrigued by this story. The characters and the story are unique and everything else just falls into place.

Westie is an orphan and lost her family, and her arm, to cannibals. She’s somewhat of a loose cannon and living with Nigel, the man who saved her, is making things tough. See, magic plays a big role in this book and it appears that it is fading. Nigel is an inventor and he is building a machine that can harvest magic out of gold. The problem is that he is running out of money and needs investors fast. When a wealthy family comes to town to investigate Nigel’s research, Westie immediately reacts because she knows they are the cannibals who destroyed her family.

As I mentioned, Westie is a loose cannon. She reacts immediately without putting much real thought into what the consequences of her actions will be. I’m still on the fence about her as a main character as I didn’t really love her. Yes, I felt horrible about her situation and what happened to her but she continues to put herself and those she cares for, into the path of danger and it bothered me.

The secondary characters were interesting. I wish we would have learned more about them, especially Costin - outside of Westie’s interactions with them. Also, I will say, the characters in this book run the spectrum here. You have cannibals, vampires, ogres, dwarfs, and elves. I could probably go on here but the whole world felt like a mash-up of all the types of characters that could be stuffed into one story. It felt like too much but with that said, it speaks to just how diverse Modesto was going with this story.

Overall I enjoyed the story and although it focused hugely on Westie’s past and her desire for revenge, it also gave me a glimpse of a larger story tied to magic. I admit I didn’t see the twist coming so kudos to Modesto on that and I look forward to reading more from her.

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

Magnate by Celia Aaron is a book I happened across while scrolling through NetGalley and I was immediately intrigued by what I read in the summary. Since this was a book two, I immediately went to purchase book one so I could get fully caught up in this story. If you haven’t read book one, you might want to hold off on reading this review as I don’t want to ruin anything. With that said, this book is probably not for everyone so be warned.

This book picks up shortly after book one ends. Stella has chosen Lucius after being pushed too far by Sinclair and even though Lucius tries to pretend he will make things better for Stella, he isn’t going to pull her from the trials. The way he looks at it, he can do what is required within the competition and save Sinclair from having to make the hard decisions. In the end, that doesn’t change anything for Stella. The only difference is that now she can pretend she doesn’t care what happens to her father…even though deep down she still does.

This book does explore the feelings that Stella and Sinclair have for each other a bit more and it delves deeper into some of the pieces of The Acquisition but we still don’t know all the details. I did like that we learned more about the Vinemont family and how they ended up within the upper end of society as well as what the boys’ mother went through the year she participated…as well as where it has now left her.

I thought Aaron did a great job of tying Dylan into this story and it was interesting to see how he changed by being absorbed in this environment and how much of a shift his character took when everything came to a head. I am curious to see what happens with him (if anything) in the next installment.

I am glad I came across this book (and series). There is more to this one than the erotica pieces which I appreciate. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of it is twisted and not for everyone but I still found myself turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next for Stella.

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

3.5 stars

Atlantis Quest is book two of the Atlantis Rising series by Gloria Craw and I’m glad I came across these books. This book picks up shortly after book one wrapped up and quickly pulled me back into Alison’s story again. I admit, I had to go back to book one to refresh my memory of what had happened in the first book but once I did that and then dove into this book, everything started coming back to me.

Now that Alison knows a bit about who she is and where she comes from, she is more open to those around her; including the clan. Now that Sebastian is taken care of and no longer after her, Alison is in a bit of a rhythm but all of that changes when she is asked to join Spencer and Katherine (Ian’s parents) for dinner where she finds out Nikki Dawning, the girl who almost got her killed, is missing. Not only that, they think Alison is the one who can help find her.

The story really picks up when Alison heads to Colorado to spy on the Truss clan. The plan is that she will stay with a guy names Theron whose family has a place near where the Truss will be and since Alison doesn’t give off a vibration, she is the most logical person to go see what is going on.

I have to say, I really like Theron. I was worried about a potential love triangle here and while that doesn’t normally bother me, I was concerned here because I really like Ian. Thankfully it wasn’t something that I worried about for long. Alison definitely has feelings for Ian and I see where her thoughts are coming from but her relationship with Theron definitely feels more brotherly. One of my favorite parts of their relationship was that back and forth banter. In addition to that, Theron knows things about Alison. As they begin to get comfortable with each other and open up, they both find they are able to talk to one another about things they haven’t felt comfortable talking to others about. These two have formed a great friendship and I love how Theron has helped Alison face one of her biggest fears, opening herself up to Ian even though it might now all work out in the end.

Alison definitely grows in this book. She is on her own with the Truss most of the time…with the exception of the time she spent with Phoebe and she definitely holds her own. While she is definitely in danger when she is at the resort on her own, she uses her brain. When she is in danger, she thinks about what to do versus just reacting. I appreciate that she wasn’t just reacting all the time. I also like that she finally called Spencer and Katherine out on all the secrets they have been keeping from her.

I also liked how Craw tied Sebastian into the current story and the fact that we finally got to find out about Maxwell and what the overall plan was. As the story wraps up, we find out what happens with the Truss clan and ultimately, Nikki. I don’t know if another book is in the works for this series but I think this book definitely leaves things open for another since I still have questions about Alison’s place within the clans as well as what happens amongst them all.

If you are looking for something a bit different definitely consider this series. It was something I just happened across and I’m glad for it. It has solid characters and an interesting story and while I wasn’t really sure what to expect at first, I found myself pulled into this story and unable to put it down.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!