Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.07k reviews by:
erinarkin20
The audio for this book was done well. I enjoyed the story and thought the narrator did a wonderful job. If you liked the book, definitely consider listening to this one on audio.
I’ve been waiting to get my hands on The Defiant since the moment I finished The Valiant. Not only does Lesley Livingston write a fantastic story but she had me totally invested in these characters and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next for them. Don’t hate me for being slightly vague with this review – I don’t want to ruin this book for anyone and that means there are some things I can’t say…trust me, you will thank me for it.
The Defiant picks up shortly after The Valiant ended and life at the Ludus Achillea is business as usual but they are currently hosting the Ludus Amazona gladiatrixes and Fallon hasn’t heard from Cai for over a month which means her mood isn’t all that great. When Cai finally shows up, he has the papers that will transfer ownership of the ludus to Sorcha which is great news but what happens next throws Fallon, Cai, and the Achillea gladiatrixes into the middle of a political move, led by Pontius Aquila, that they weren’t expecting.
I’m not going to say a lot about the details of what went down because I don’t want to ruin this for anyone, but Livingston surprised me! The set up was done well and as they fight their way out of the ludus, Fallon is faced with some tough decisions and a tactical retreat is necessary to come up with a plan to save Sorcha and figure out a way to get the ludus back. The group spends a good portion of their time as fugitives since they are being hunted by Pontius Aquila and the Sons of Dis.
There is so much I enjoyed about this book. First, there is a lot of action - It starts on page one and doesn’t really stop until the end of the book. Second, I love the relationships and friendships. Cai and Fallon find moments to connect despite all the challenges they face. Don’t get me wrong – things aren’t perfect for them as they are still learning how to trust each other and they of course, they are on the run, but I loved the moments they had one on one together. Also, the friendship between Elka and Fallon is great – they trust and respect each other and are willing to do what they need to in order to protect each other and their ludus. I liked how Livingston integrated in the new characters into the story too. Quint was definitely my favorite and his interactions with Elka were fantastic.
I thought the secondary characters had a bigger role to play in this book and they all added to the story. Of course, there are those I already mentioned but we also get to see how things come to a head between Fallon and Nyx, Aeddan becomes a critical character, and the Amazon warriors become a part of the story in a way I didn’t expect them to.
This book revolves around the senator’s determination to rebel against Caesar and because Fallon and the Ludus Achillea are tied to him, they are thrown right into the middle of their political ambitions. I can’t say a lot about this but Aquila and the Sons of Dis are determined to use both against Caesar. With that said, Fallon isn’t willing to be used and will do whatever she can to protect her friends and family.
In the end, I thought this was a great book two in the series and I look forward to seeing what Livingston does next. The story and the action kept me turning the pages and the characters had me engaged in the story throughout. If you are looking for a book that has all of these things and takes you into a world of gladiators and political deception, consider checking this one out.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Defiant picks up shortly after The Valiant ended and life at the Ludus Achillea is business as usual but they are currently hosting the Ludus Amazona gladiatrixes and Fallon hasn’t heard from Cai for over a month which means her mood isn’t all that great. When Cai finally shows up, he has the papers that will transfer ownership of the ludus to Sorcha which is great news but what happens next throws Fallon, Cai, and the Achillea gladiatrixes into the middle of a political move, led by Pontius Aquila, that they weren’t expecting.
I’m not going to say a lot about the details of what went down because I don’t want to ruin this for anyone, but Livingston surprised me! The set up was done well and as they fight their way out of the ludus, Fallon is faced with some tough decisions and a tactical retreat is necessary to come up with a plan to save Sorcha and figure out a way to get the ludus back. The group spends a good portion of their time as fugitives since they are being hunted by Pontius Aquila and the Sons of Dis.
There is so much I enjoyed about this book. First, there is a lot of action - It starts on page one and doesn’t really stop until the end of the book. Second, I love the relationships and friendships. Cai and Fallon find moments to connect despite all the challenges they face. Don’t get me wrong – things aren’t perfect for them as they are still learning how to trust each other and they of course, they are on the run, but I loved the moments they had one on one together. Also, the friendship between Elka and Fallon is great – they trust and respect each other and are willing to do what they need to in order to protect each other and their ludus. I liked how Livingston integrated in the new characters into the story too. Quint was definitely my favorite and his interactions with Elka were fantastic.
I thought the secondary characters had a bigger role to play in this book and they all added to the story. Of course, there are those I already mentioned but we also get to see how things come to a head between Fallon and Nyx, Aeddan becomes a critical character, and the Amazon warriors become a part of the story in a way I didn’t expect them to.
This book revolves around the senator’s determination to rebel against Caesar and because Fallon and the Ludus Achillea are tied to him, they are thrown right into the middle of their political ambitions. I can’t say a lot about this but Aquila and the Sons of Dis are determined to use both against Caesar. With that said, Fallon isn’t willing to be used and will do whatever she can to protect her friends and family.
In the end, I thought this was a great book two in the series and I look forward to seeing what Livingston does next. The story and the action kept me turning the pages and the characters had me engaged in the story throughout. If you are looking for a book that has all of these things and takes you into a world of gladiators and political deception, consider checking this one out.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
.jpg)
Great story, fantastic narrators. Loved this and while I generally don't listen to romance on audio this one was perfect because Shane East's voice is amazing.
I happened across The Tremblers by Raquel Byrnes as I was scanning through NetGalley and was drawn in by the cover. When I read the summary, I immediately requested it and it turns out, it was an interesting story and I can’t wait to find out what happens next in this series.
Charlotte Blackburn is the main character and she has grown up in a world of privilege where she has been shielded from the dangers that were a result of The Great Calamity. When she is forced on the run with a man she doesn’t know to try and find her father, she has to figure out what is more important, saving her father or getting the information behind what is changing people into monsters, into the hands of those who can do something about it. Charlotte was a well-developed character and I liked her from the moment she was introduced.
Ashton Wells is the man Charlotte escapes with and he has a mission, but it isn’t supposed to include a beautiful young woman. As an agent of The Order of the Sword and Scroll, he is supposed to find Colonel Blackburn and get his research to The Order. As he and Charlotte do their best to avoid those that are after them, they face many dangers and must work together to survive.
I liked both Charlotte and Ashton. Charlotte has been raised by a man who allowed her to be more than just a pretty face in a time when that wasn’t really the norm. Because of that, Charlotte has some knowledge around creating mechanical tools which comes in handy when she’s on the run and trying to survive. Ashton has some strong beliefs but eventually he is pushed to face the truth about them and the feelings he has developed for Charlotte. As they work together to figure out what exactly is causing the sickness and how their actions are impacting the rebellion that is brewing, things unexpectedly take a turn for these two.
Byrnes did a great job building out the world these characters inhabit. Steampunk is one of those genres that I don’t see a lot of, but I love it when it is done well, and I thought Byrne had a great balance of the mechanics embedded into the actual story. It wasn’t distracting or unbelievable and that aspect helped keep the story moving forward.
There are a few things going on in this book and while Charlotte and Ashton are the main characters, we also get chapters from the perspective of the “bad guy” which gives the reader a peek into what is going on that is causing the danger as well as what Charlotte’s father found out. I thought this added an aspect to the story that we would have missed had we only gotten the story from Charlotte and Ashton. Sometimes I struggle with stories that have varying perspectives because I don’t want to stop reading about what is going on with the main characters, but these inserted chapters didn’t take away from the story at all for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I absolutely will pick up the next book in the series when I can get my hands on it. If you are looking for a story that has a lot of action, a great story, and well-developed characters, consider checking out The Tremblers. I thought this was a solid book one of this series and will look for more from Byrnes.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Charlotte Blackburn is the main character and she has grown up in a world of privilege where she has been shielded from the dangers that were a result of The Great Calamity. When she is forced on the run with a man she doesn’t know to try and find her father, she has to figure out what is more important, saving her father or getting the information behind what is changing people into monsters, into the hands of those who can do something about it. Charlotte was a well-developed character and I liked her from the moment she was introduced.
Ashton Wells is the man Charlotte escapes with and he has a mission, but it isn’t supposed to include a beautiful young woman. As an agent of The Order of the Sword and Scroll, he is supposed to find Colonel Blackburn and get his research to The Order. As he and Charlotte do their best to avoid those that are after them, they face many dangers and must work together to survive.
I liked both Charlotte and Ashton. Charlotte has been raised by a man who allowed her to be more than just a pretty face in a time when that wasn’t really the norm. Because of that, Charlotte has some knowledge around creating mechanical tools which comes in handy when she’s on the run and trying to survive. Ashton has some strong beliefs but eventually he is pushed to face the truth about them and the feelings he has developed for Charlotte. As they work together to figure out what exactly is causing the sickness and how their actions are impacting the rebellion that is brewing, things unexpectedly take a turn for these two.
Byrnes did a great job building out the world these characters inhabit. Steampunk is one of those genres that I don’t see a lot of, but I love it when it is done well, and I thought Byrne had a great balance of the mechanics embedded into the actual story. It wasn’t distracting or unbelievable and that aspect helped keep the story moving forward.
There are a few things going on in this book and while Charlotte and Ashton are the main characters, we also get chapters from the perspective of the “bad guy” which gives the reader a peek into what is going on that is causing the danger as well as what Charlotte’s father found out. I thought this added an aspect to the story that we would have missed had we only gotten the story from Charlotte and Ashton. Sometimes I struggle with stories that have varying perspectives because I don’t want to stop reading about what is going on with the main characters, but these inserted chapters didn’t take away from the story at all for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I absolutely will pick up the next book in the series when I can get my hands on it. If you are looking for a story that has a lot of action, a great story, and well-developed characters, consider checking out The Tremblers. I thought this was a solid book one of this series and will look for more from Byrnes.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 - 3 stars
Web of Frost is the first book in the Saints of Russalka series by Lindsay Smith and as soon as I read the summary, I knew I wanted to get my hands on this book. I ended up having mixed feelings about this one and it may be because the books I love typically include characters that have me fully invested in them, but I wasn’t really a fan of anyone in this story. With that said, the story itself was interesting and kept me turning the pages.
This story is centered on a young princess who becomes a queen who is fully unprepared to lead her country. Having grown up as the younger daughter, Katza was never expected to lead and because of a vision she continues to have, she is afraid to use her magic to help. When she meets a young prophet named Ravin who has a questionable reputation, she begins to trust in her powers and question the rules.
Katza was so wishy washy from the start that I just didn’t know what to think about her. And then once she started spending time with Ravin and embracing her power in conjunction with leading the empire, she was someone completely different. While I suppose it was growth, it just felt like she was trying to be someone she wasn’t really comfortable with and it was really only because Ravin was nudging her to do it, not because she thought she could.
I found Ravin to be interesting. While he definitely had ulterior motives, he was the only one who encouraged Katza to embrace her role and he power that comes along with her bloodline. I can’t say I liked him or what he was trying to get her to do, but it was his storyline that kept me turning the pages as I wanted to know what he was up to and why.
I thought the story itself had a lot of promise and I loved that it had a Russian feel to it. As the empire faces a rebellion from the very people it is there to protect, Katza has to figure out how to quell the anger as well as keep her strength and power through her reign. She definitely has to make some concessions and it will be interesting to see where Smith takes the rest of the story.
As I mentioned, I am on the fence with this book due to the characters, but I am thinking it was because I couldn’t connect with any of them. I might check out the next book to see what happens next but I’m not sure yet…we’ll have to see.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Web of Frost is the first book in the Saints of Russalka series by Lindsay Smith and as soon as I read the summary, I knew I wanted to get my hands on this book. I ended up having mixed feelings about this one and it may be because the books I love typically include characters that have me fully invested in them, but I wasn’t really a fan of anyone in this story. With that said, the story itself was interesting and kept me turning the pages.
This story is centered on a young princess who becomes a queen who is fully unprepared to lead her country. Having grown up as the younger daughter, Katza was never expected to lead and because of a vision she continues to have, she is afraid to use her magic to help. When she meets a young prophet named Ravin who has a questionable reputation, she begins to trust in her powers and question the rules.
Katza was so wishy washy from the start that I just didn’t know what to think about her. And then once she started spending time with Ravin and embracing her power in conjunction with leading the empire, she was someone completely different. While I suppose it was growth, it just felt like she was trying to be someone she wasn’t really comfortable with and it was really only because Ravin was nudging her to do it, not because she thought she could.
I found Ravin to be interesting. While he definitely had ulterior motives, he was the only one who encouraged Katza to embrace her role and he power that comes along with her bloodline. I can’t say I liked him or what he was trying to get her to do, but it was his storyline that kept me turning the pages as I wanted to know what he was up to and why.
I thought the story itself had a lot of promise and I loved that it had a Russian feel to it. As the empire faces a rebellion from the very people it is there to protect, Katza has to figure out how to quell the anger as well as keep her strength and power through her reign. She definitely has to make some concessions and it will be interesting to see where Smith takes the rest of the story.
As I mentioned, I am on the fence with this book due to the characters, but I am thinking it was because I couldn’t connect with any of them. I might check out the next book to see what happens next but I’m not sure yet…we’ll have to see.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
I love a great Sci-Fi so when I read the summary of Road to Eugenica I was immediately intrigued. I found myself unable to put this book down and when I was done, I wished I had the next book in my hand. And I have to say, this isn’t listed as a series on Goodreads but there better be a second book…
Drea has always been accident prone and thankfully she has had her best friend, Dylan, to help her. When suddenly Drea can speak multiple languages and is now super coordinated and able to fight, she starts to wonder what the heck is going on. As her best friend, Dylan is always there to support her but when a new boy, Maddox, comes to school, she starts to connect with him and questions whether she wants something more with Dylan or with Maddox.
When something happens early on in the book that completely changes Drea’s world, things change drastically for her. Not only is she dealing with these weird things, but she finds out her everyday life isn’t really what she thought it was and she needs to figure out what she is going to do and who she can trust.
I thought Rose did a fantastic job of creating this unknown world for Drea and seeing her navigate her way through and then ultimately realize what was going on and what she needed to do to survive. Drea showed some growth from start to finish in this book and although she was faced with a decision around the Dylan/Maddox thing, that wasn’t the main focus of the book.
There really isn’t much more I can say as I don’t want to give anything away but consider putting this one on your to be read list. It has plenty of action, a lot of twists and one heck of a cliffhanger that has me needing a follow up book in my hands right now. If you are looking for a story that will have you wondering what will happen next and keep you turning the pages to find out, definitely consider checking this one out. I will be watching for more from A.M. Rose and will waiting impatiently for the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Drea has always been accident prone and thankfully she has had her best friend, Dylan, to help her. When suddenly Drea can speak multiple languages and is now super coordinated and able to fight, she starts to wonder what the heck is going on. As her best friend, Dylan is always there to support her but when a new boy, Maddox, comes to school, she starts to connect with him and questions whether she wants something more with Dylan or with Maddox.
When something happens early on in the book that completely changes Drea’s world, things change drastically for her. Not only is she dealing with these weird things, but she finds out her everyday life isn’t really what she thought it was and she needs to figure out what she is going to do and who she can trust.
I thought Rose did a fantastic job of creating this unknown world for Drea and seeing her navigate her way through and then ultimately realize what was going on and what she needed to do to survive. Drea showed some growth from start to finish in this book and although she was faced with a decision around the Dylan/Maddox thing, that wasn’t the main focus of the book.
There really isn’t much more I can say as I don’t want to give anything away but consider putting this one on your to be read list. It has plenty of action, a lot of twists and one heck of a cliffhanger that has me needing a follow up book in my hands right now. If you are looking for a story that will have you wondering what will happen next and keep you turning the pages to find out, definitely consider checking this one out. I will be watching for more from A.M. Rose and will waiting impatiently for the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.