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erinarkin20
I enjoyed the audio on this one. The narrator does a great job and it made me want to get my hands on the next book to see where Beaty goes with the rest of the story.
Loved being back with Kate and Jesse. I'm excited to dive into Retribution Rails now too!!
Merged review:
Welcome to the Wild West ala Erin Bowman! I admit it – I was a bit hesitant on this one only because Westerns typically aren’t for me but I wanted to give this one a try and boy, am I glad I did. I loved every minute of this one and as usual, I will try to do this spoiler free.
The book starts out with a bang and I was immediately pulled into Kate’s story. When her father is murdered, she goes on a hunt to find the men who killed him as well as the gold mine that seems to be the reason behind his death. To do this, Kate disguises herself as a boy and heads to the only place her father told her to go if something happened to him…Abe Wickenberg.
When Kate gets to Abe’s farm, she finds out Abe won’t be able to help her and instead of sitting around and doing nothing, she makes the decision to head out and find the gang who destroyed her life on her own. On her way, Kate is chased down by two of Abe’s boys, Jesse and Will. They have their own story and even though Kate really wants to be on her own, she sees the logic of traveling as far as necessary/possible with Jesse and Will. Kate tries to keep her distance from them because she is still trying to pass herself off as a boy (they know her as Nate) and she doesn’t want them to know anything different.
I liked Kate. She isn’t someone who will sit around waiting for things to happen to her and she is definitely willing to walk into danger if she thinks it will help her accomplish her goals. It also makes her a little reckless but don’t think that this in any way means she isn’t smart. She uses her head and even though she doesn’t always choose correctly, she is always willing to take action. And even though she can shoot and puts on a front like things don’t bother her and she doesn’t want anyone around her, it is clear that isn’t truly the case and that is just another of those things that make this character likable.
Jesse is the one that Kate is drawn to and he has a backstory that will make you want to hug him. As the oldest son, Jesse feels a lot of the pressure of making sure everyone is taken care of and he takes it personally when he fails. As the story progresses, this becomes very clear and some of the things that happen weigh heavily on him. This doesn’t mean he is perfect but he is someone who tries to do the right thing.
The secondary characters are well done too. Will is Jesse’s brother. He is the talker and adds a bit of levity to the story. He cares about his family but he wants what he wants and he also isn’t afraid to tell Kate things that will help her understand why Jesse is the way he is. Liluye (Lil) is the Apache that ends up traveling with the group – definitely not without a bit of anger from Jesse but in the end, she is a great (and important) addition to the group.
As they head out, they hit a number of snags and ultimately they all make a deal that will hopefully get everyone what they want – a bit of gold and some good, old-fashioned revenge. Things are definitely not easy and believe me when I say, this book is gritty and there is plenty of death along the way…as I imagine it would have been.
As usual, I don’t want to give anything away with this story so I’m not going to – hopefully this isn’t too vague for you. I will say that Bowman creates this world of danger and isolation and I felt it all. Even though Kate is with these boys, she is still very much on her own and as she begins to find out more about her family, it isn’t exactly what she expected.
If you are looking for a story has a lot of action, a bit of deception, and definitely some characters that will keep you turning the pages to see what is going to happen next for them, consider checking this one out. I couldn’t put it down and it has made me rethink saying I don’t like westerns because that isn’t really true now.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
Welcome to the Wild West ala Erin Bowman! I admit it – I was a bit hesitant on this one only because Westerns typically aren’t for me but I wanted to give this one a try and boy, am I glad I did. I loved every minute of this one and as usual, I will try to do this spoiler free.
The book starts out with a bang and I was immediately pulled into Kate’s story. When her father is murdered, she goes on a hunt to find the men who killed him as well as the gold mine that seems to be the reason behind his death. To do this, Kate disguises herself as a boy and heads to the only place her father told her to go if something happened to him…Abe Wickenberg.
When Kate gets to Abe’s farm, she finds out Abe won’t be able to help her and instead of sitting around and doing nothing, she makes the decision to head out and find the gang who destroyed her life on her own. On her way, Kate is chased down by two of Abe’s boys, Jesse and Will. They have their own story and even though Kate really wants to be on her own, she sees the logic of traveling as far as necessary/possible with Jesse and Will. Kate tries to keep her distance from them because she is still trying to pass herself off as a boy (they know her as Nate) and she doesn’t want them to know anything different.
I liked Kate. She isn’t someone who will sit around waiting for things to happen to her and she is definitely willing to walk into danger if she thinks it will help her accomplish her goals. It also makes her a little reckless but don’t think that this in any way means she isn’t smart. She uses her head and even though she doesn’t always choose correctly, she is always willing to take action. And even though she can shoot and puts on a front like things don’t bother her and she doesn’t want anyone around her, it is clear that isn’t truly the case and that is just another of those things that make this character likable.
Jesse is the one that Kate is drawn to and he has a backstory that will make you want to hug him. As the oldest son, Jesse feels a lot of the pressure of making sure everyone is taken care of and he takes it personally when he fails. As the story progresses, this becomes very clear and some of the things that happen weigh heavily on him. This doesn’t mean he is perfect but he is someone who tries to do the right thing.
The secondary characters are well done too. Will is Jesse’s brother. He is the talker and adds a bit of levity to the story. He cares about his family but he wants what he wants and he also isn’t afraid to tell Kate things that will help her understand why Jesse is the way he is. Liluye (Lil) is the Apache that ends up traveling with the group – definitely not without a bit of anger from Jesse but in the end, she is a great (and important) addition to the group.
As they head out, they hit a number of snags and ultimately they all make a deal that will hopefully get everyone what they want – a bit of gold and some good, old-fashioned revenge. Things are definitely not easy and believe me when I say, this book is gritty and there is plenty of death along the way…as I imagine it would have been.
As usual, I don’t want to give anything away with this story so I’m not going to – hopefully this isn’t too vague for you. I will say that Bowman creates this world of danger and isolation and I felt it all. Even though Kate is with these boys, she is still very much on her own and as she begins to find out more about her family, it isn’t exactly what she expected.
If you are looking for a story has a lot of action, a bit of deception, and definitely some characters that will keep you turning the pages to see what is going to happen next for them, consider checking this one out. I couldn’t put it down and it has made me rethink saying I don’t like westerns because that isn’t really true now.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoy Megan Miranda’s books and when I read the summary on Fragments of the Lost I immediately wanted to read.
This book focuses on Jessa Whitworth. Her ex-boyfriend recently died in a car accident and his mother (who I IMMEDIATELY didn’t like) basically tells Jessa that since she is all over that room she is the one who should pack it up. I thought Jessa should have responded a different way to his mom but in the end, Jessa wants to know what happened and she thinks she might find something in Caleb’s room.
This book shifts from current time to flashbacks and I liked how Miranda did it. If this is done well it helps to tell the story and since we can’t get Caleb’s part, we at least get to experience everything from how they met to how they broke up through these flashbacks. They also help Jessa realize that something was off. She might not have noticed everything real time but as she reflects on certain things, she starts to see that there were things she missed.
Considering this story revolves around the mystery of what happened to Caleb, there isn’t a lot I can say about the specifics but I thought Miranda did a great job of pulling the story together and keeping me interested not only in what really happened with Caleb but what happened to these two characters from start to finish.
The secondary characters in this book really helped move things along as well. The relationship that Jessa has with her brother and her parents was refreshing and I loved how they tried to support her through such a difficult time. Max was a nice addition to the story as well and I liked how he fit in to the overall story.
In the end, I think if you like Miranda’s other books you will enjoy this one too. I found myself plowing through it, so I could find out what exactly happened to Caleb. Miranda pulled me into all the feelings of this book from sadness to fear to anger and I loved every minute of it. If you are looking for a YA contemporary with a bit of a mystery, definitely check this out. I will be keeping an eye out for more from Megan Miranda, that’s for sure!
This book focuses on Jessa Whitworth. Her ex-boyfriend recently died in a car accident and his mother (who I IMMEDIATELY didn’t like) basically tells Jessa that since she is all over that room she is the one who should pack it up. I thought Jessa should have responded a different way to his mom but in the end, Jessa wants to know what happened and she thinks she might find something in Caleb’s room.
This book shifts from current time to flashbacks and I liked how Miranda did it. If this is done well it helps to tell the story and since we can’t get Caleb’s part, we at least get to experience everything from how they met to how they broke up through these flashbacks. They also help Jessa realize that something was off. She might not have noticed everything real time but as she reflects on certain things, she starts to see that there were things she missed.
Considering this story revolves around the mystery of what happened to Caleb, there isn’t a lot I can say about the specifics but I thought Miranda did a great job of pulling the story together and keeping me interested not only in what really happened with Caleb but what happened to these two characters from start to finish.
The secondary characters in this book really helped move things along as well. The relationship that Jessa has with her brother and her parents was refreshing and I loved how they tried to support her through such a difficult time. Max was a nice addition to the story as well and I liked how he fit in to the overall story.
In the end, I think if you like Miranda’s other books you will enjoy this one too. I found myself plowing through it, so I could find out what exactly happened to Caleb. Miranda pulled me into all the feelings of this book from sadness to fear to anger and I loved every minute of it. If you are looking for a YA contemporary with a bit of a mystery, definitely check this out. I will be keeping an eye out for more from Megan Miranda, that’s for sure!
The Dark Days Club is the first book I have read by Alison Goodman but I can tell you it won’t be my last. I have been on a historical fiction kick lately and the second I cracked the cover on this book, I was pulled into the story and couldn’t put it down.
Lady Helen Wrexhall is eighteen and has been raised since she was eight by her aunt and uncle due to the death of her parents. To add another layer to her story, we find out that Helen’s mother was seen as a loose cannon and Helen’s guardian’s biggest fears are that her mother’s reputation will create problems for Helen. Since Helen is now of age, her presentation to the queen and her season is what will determine whether she finds a match amongst the gentlemen of society.
The thing I love about historical fiction (if they are done well) is that they bring me into the story and Goodman does a fantastic job of setting up the story here by showing the restrictions women had placed upon them during the 1800’s. To be a lady in Regency London meant you had to follow the rules or become an outcast or even put into an asylum. Admittedly the first quarter of the book is really setting up the story and while it built slowly, it didn’t bother me.
Lady Helen is an interesting character. She starts out as someone who is focused on making her family proud and that means she can’t embarrass them. She also still very much loves her mother and father and when she hears disparaging comments about her mother, she has to fight her reaction to defend her because she knows it will cause a stir. In addition to that, she doesn’t really know her mother’s history and that is something she wants to remedy. As she is introduced to new people throughout the novel, Helen begins to learn more about her mother and it only reinforces her love for her mother.
I don’t want to say too much about the Reclaimers and the Dark Days Club but as Helen becomes more involved with Lord Carlston and the Club, she learns more about herself and what is important to her. The paranormal aspect is what adds a twist to this story and separates it from other historical fiction novels I have recently read. I loved the idea of this small group of people that possess the strength and ability to protect the world from these demons who wreak havoc on society (at all levels). The fact that the main character is someone who has restrictions placed upon her by society and she has to figure out how to make it all come together while still maintaining her reputation was just another fantastic layer to this story that I loved.
Lord Carlston is another main character and he definitely has a history…and it isn’t good. His wife was murdered a few years back and everyone within Helen’s circle believes he killed her. Because of that, he left but now that he is back as Helen’t mentor, his reputation makes it even more difficult for them to connect. Thankfully Lord Carlston has some really well placed friends in society which helps them do what they need to. I actually enjoyed seeing what he would do next to get where he needed to or have Helen where he needed her to be. In the beginning he is definitely closed off but as the story progresses I loved seeing him open himself up to sharing his fate with someone who really understands what it means (or will mean) to be a Reclaimer. And despite decisions that Helen made, he was always willing to support her and protect her…which I loved.
The secondary characters are also well done and they help move the story along. From Lady Margaret and her brother to Helen’s friends and family, all are well developed and add to the story. One thing I have to say is I wanted Helen’s brother to support her more. I get it…he was also restricted by society and it had been driven into his head what is/is not acceptable behavior but I wanted him to be more accepting of who Helen is whether he agreed with her or not. I was glad that in the end he came through and look forward to seeing how their relationship adjusts as the series moves forward.
Goodman definitely did her research for this book. Between the clothes, the society nuances, and the overall atmosphere, I felt like I was navigating society right alongside Helen and I loved every minute of it. After I finished the book, I found her pinterest page just so I could see all the images that she describes and uses throughout the book. Consider checking it out if you are curious – I love those sorts of things and this only helped me to picture everything that was being described.
If you are looking for a book that has a page turning story, a historical bend, and some great characters, definitely check this one out. I loved the twists and turns Goodman has put into this story and I can’t wait to see what the next book in this series brings. The Dark Days Club has made my list of favorites and I will be looking forward to more from Goodman.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Lady Helen Wrexhall is eighteen and has been raised since she was eight by her aunt and uncle due to the death of her parents. To add another layer to her story, we find out that Helen’s mother was seen as a loose cannon and Helen’s guardian’s biggest fears are that her mother’s reputation will create problems for Helen. Since Helen is now of age, her presentation to the queen and her season is what will determine whether she finds a match amongst the gentlemen of society.
The thing I love about historical fiction (if they are done well) is that they bring me into the story and Goodman does a fantastic job of setting up the story here by showing the restrictions women had placed upon them during the 1800’s. To be a lady in Regency London meant you had to follow the rules or become an outcast or even put into an asylum. Admittedly the first quarter of the book is really setting up the story and while it built slowly, it didn’t bother me.
Lady Helen is an interesting character. She starts out as someone who is focused on making her family proud and that means she can’t embarrass them. She also still very much loves her mother and father and when she hears disparaging comments about her mother, she has to fight her reaction to defend her because she knows it will cause a stir. In addition to that, she doesn’t really know her mother’s history and that is something she wants to remedy. As she is introduced to new people throughout the novel, Helen begins to learn more about her mother and it only reinforces her love for her mother.
I don’t want to say too much about the Reclaimers and the Dark Days Club but as Helen becomes more involved with Lord Carlston and the Club, she learns more about herself and what is important to her. The paranormal aspect is what adds a twist to this story and separates it from other historical fiction novels I have recently read. I loved the idea of this small group of people that possess the strength and ability to protect the world from these demons who wreak havoc on society (at all levels). The fact that the main character is someone who has restrictions placed upon her by society and she has to figure out how to make it all come together while still maintaining her reputation was just another fantastic layer to this story that I loved.
Lord Carlston is another main character and he definitely has a history…and it isn’t good. His wife was murdered a few years back and everyone within Helen’s circle believes he killed her. Because of that, he left but now that he is back as Helen’t mentor, his reputation makes it even more difficult for them to connect. Thankfully Lord Carlston has some really well placed friends in society which helps them do what they need to. I actually enjoyed seeing what he would do next to get where he needed to or have Helen where he needed her to be. In the beginning he is definitely closed off but as the story progresses I loved seeing him open himself up to sharing his fate with someone who really understands what it means (or will mean) to be a Reclaimer. And despite decisions that Helen made, he was always willing to support her and protect her…which I loved.
The secondary characters are also well done and they help move the story along. From Lady Margaret and her brother to Helen’s friends and family, all are well developed and add to the story. One thing I have to say is I wanted Helen’s brother to support her more. I get it…he was also restricted by society and it had been driven into his head what is/is not acceptable behavior but I wanted him to be more accepting of who Helen is whether he agreed with her or not. I was glad that in the end he came through and look forward to seeing how their relationship adjusts as the series moves forward.
Goodman definitely did her research for this book. Between the clothes, the society nuances, and the overall atmosphere, I felt like I was navigating society right alongside Helen and I loved every minute of it. After I finished the book, I found her pinterest page just so I could see all the images that she describes and uses throughout the book. Consider checking it out if you are curious – I love those sorts of things and this only helped me to picture everything that was being described.
If you are looking for a book that has a page turning story, a historical bend, and some great characters, definitely check this one out. I loved the twists and turns Goodman has put into this story and I can’t wait to see what the next book in this series brings. The Dark Days Club has made my list of favorites and I will be looking forward to more from Goodman.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
