This book had a lot of promise but I hit a wall with this one...for a number of reasons.

First, an editor is needed. I'm not one who usually focuses so much on this if there is a good story. In this case, there were too many issues - spelling, tense consistency, word choice. Bottom line, if you can say something in 10 words, do it in 10....not 20.

Second, I found myself skimming over all of the descriptions of everyone's clothes, how the gardens look and really just everything. It is no wonder why this book is listed as 600 pages long....

Finally, the characters. I found Cordelia to be just annoying and although there seemed to be promise in Nikolas and Evan, I found the everything else annoying just seemed to distract me.

As I mentioned, at first I thought this would be a good one. A story about the gods and their descendants. Throw in some vampires and werewolves...sold. Alas, this did not pan out and I am calling it quits.

3.5 stars

Angela Peterson was the quiet, shy kid growing up and spent hours learning football. She grew up learning and loving football and an encounter with the high school quarterback Cade Reynolds when she was a freshman changed his future. Now its 16 years later and Angela happens to have grown into a beautiful woman. She also teaches math and is an assistant coach of the football team at the Harper Falls high school.

Cade now plays in the NFL but is back in town after a shoulder injury as a favor to his old football coach. He has asked Cade to step in and lead the team in his absence. While relaxing at the local coffee shop, Cade sees Angie and immediately asks her out not realizing who she is. Angie, of course, knows who he is (but not why he is in town) and having had a crush on him for most of her life, agrees. This leads to a fantastic night between them and Angie makes the decision to leave before he gets up the next morning – not realizing she was going to be seeing him again very soon.

Angie doesn't take the news that Cade is there to lead the team very well as her ultimate goal is to take on the head coaching position when Lund retires and this move makes her feel like she needs to prove herself. There are some other things that happen through the story but the focus is the building relationship between Angie and Cade.

This was a very quick read and despite the short length, I thought it was very well done. There is great chemistry between Cade and Angie. Angie is smart and Cade is more than just an NFL jock and I think that is what made the story believable. If you are looking for a quick, sexy read this one would be for you. It has a solid story, some great characters and some definite steam.

Based on this and the last Brazen story I read, I will definitely be continuing to get these books an recommend people check them out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled for an advance copy!

4 stars - Another great story by Ruthie Knox!

Flirting with Disaster is the third book in the Camelot series and follows the story of Katie and Sean. If you have read any of the other books in this series, you may recall that Katie is the younger sister of Caleb and Amber. She also is just getting back into her life in Camelot after her divorce and working for Caleb at his security company when Sean comes back into her life.

Sean Owens is something else...seriously. He isn't perfect and that is what I loved about him. Yes, he is good looking, sexy, and has a successful computer security company in California but he also struggles with a stutter and is still dealing with some issues he had with his mother growing up. All of these things make him into the man he is today and the second he comes back to Camelot to pack up his dead mother’s house, everything comes rushing back. He can’t seem to pack up the house his mother lived in and what should have been a fairly quick trip turns into an event that he can’t seem to wrap up. He decides to take a leave of absence from his work/life in California but finds sitting around in Camelot isn't something he wants to do.

An encounter with Caleb at a bar turns into a job and ultimately, the chance for him to work with Katie. Sean and Katie knew each other in high school only in that they sat near each other in math and would sometimes smile at each other in the hallway. The thing is, Sean always had a thing for Katie Carter and he knows that if he opens his mouth in front of her, he will stutter like crazy so he refuses to talk to her until they begin to work on a case together. Katie takes this as a sign of him not liking her and she can’t figure it out.

Underneath all the character stuff, the story that Knox creates revolves around Judah Pratt. He is a popular, sexy musician that is doing some random tours but has requested Katie to help him figure out a security issue he is having. Someone is threatening him via email and social media and he needs to find out if it is who he thinks it is. See, Judah has a big secret – despite his womanizing, he is gay and after years of pretending to be someone he really isn't, he is ready to reveal the truth. The problem is that the emails are leading him to the one person he hopes isn't responsible and he has a feeling that Katie will be the one to help him resolve his problem.

This becomes the job that brings Sean and Katie together. Katie is fairly open about being attracted to Sean but he knows he is leaving and doesn't want to hurt Katie so he tries to fight it. Thankfully he changes his mind and eventually (really – in a car on the way back to Ohio during a blizzard) fulfills two of his fantasies.



I love the characters that Knox creates – they always have so many different layers. Katie is trying to figure out who she is and she has hit a point in her life where she is finally deciding to do what is right for her and what she wants. Sean is also trying to figure out who he is but also what he wants. For so long, he did what he did because of his mother and it was perfect to see him finally figure things out.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend the series. We get to see bits of the other characters from the series (Ellen, Henry, Caleb, Jamie, and Carly) and I love that even though their books are wrapped up, we still get to see how things are progressing with all of them. These are always quick reads (not due to the length but because I can’t put them down) and Knox writes some of the best stories and characters. Knox continues to be one of my favorite romance authors and I will be waiting patiently for the next one.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars

Phoenix was good and frustrating all at the same time for me. Hopefully I don't ramble in this one but overall I enjoyed this second book. I was able to dive right back into not only Ash's and Natalie’s stories but also the rebellion which they both play a major role in.

Ash has just survived being crucified and is now being called Phoenix as he rose from the ashes. In the midst of all of this, the vote for Rose’s law is set to take place and Ash has become the poster boy for standing up to Purian Rose. Unfortunately, Rose knows Ash will do anything for Natalie and that is what he threatens him with. Rose and Sebastian grab Ash just before the vote and let him know that if he doesn't vote for Rose’s law, he will take “Miss Buchanan” and “slice bits off her, piece by piece.”

Now Ash is faced with another decision – save Natalie or betray his people by voting for the segregation laws. Ash decides not to tell anyone what happened and when voting begins in Black City the Sentry Guards are present and intimidating everyone. After seeing other regions cave to Rose’s threats, Ash takes a stand and decides to vote no. And when she finds out about it, Natalie completely understands his decision and tells him she would have done the same.

Once the voting is complete, Purian Rose makes his play by invading the city and he does something that will impact Natalie and haunt her for a while. Whilst all of this is going on, Humans for Unity have also found out just what Rose is up to which happens to be creating another concentration camp for anyone he considers a dissenter called the Tenth.

The rest of the book follows Ash and Natalie on their way to finding what they hope is the weapon that will beat Rose. Elijah happens to be present for most of the journey as he was partnered with them on their way out of Black City. His presence and some other things that happen throughout the book place Ash and Natalie on rocky ground relationship wise. Honestly, for about 10 chapters I just kept wishing they would have it out with each other and talk. They were both so worried about what might happen that neither of them was willing to open up and actually talk about what was really happening with either of them. I get it, Natalie didn't want to Ash to worry but her actions were the catalyst to Ash doubting their relationship. Add to that the way she was when she was around Elijah and I don’t blame him at all for having those doubts.

With all of that said, the book is about more than just their relationship. Richards does a great job of diving more into the description of the world as it is today. She also gives us more background on the different races. The Lupines add a layer to the story that was critical in Phoenix but I think will be important in book three. We didn't really get to spend a lot of time with the secondary characters from book one only because for most of the book, we are with Ash, Natalie and Elijah. There are some new characters introduced though and not all of them good in my opinion.

I still like both Ash and Natalie. Though they both do some stupid things here, they have good hearts and truly care about each other. Just know that I really disliked the scene by the fire in the Dacian camp. I have no words for Elijah…at least none that I want published anywhere. We get very little of the Humans for Unity crew in this book (Sigur, Day, Roach, Beetle, etc.) but what we do get was great. I loved seeing them all rally and continue to fight for their beliefs. The bad guys are still really bad – Sebastian doesn't have a redeeming quality in him and I have to believe he will get what is coming to him…right along with Purian Rose. And although Rose obviously is the main bad guy, I felt like Sebastian was almost presented as the “face” of evil and set up to be the focus for everyone’s anger as we only get little glimpses of Rose throughout the book.

In the end, there is a lot of deception and, dare I say, betrayal. I will definitely be reading book three as this one left off with sort of a cliffhanger which everyone knows isn't my favorite. With that in mind I have a feeling that the next book will get to the bottom of what really is going on in this world and I am keeping my fingers crossed that someone at Penguin will take pity and send me an early copy so I don’t have to wonder what the heck is going to happen for too long.

Another great book from McGarry - 4 stars.

When I first saw there was going to be another book my first reaction was great..this is awesome news. Then I read it was going to be about Beth. I have to say - she wasn't one of my favorite characters in the first book but Dare You To changed my mind.

McGarry creates real characters that really make the story. I have said it before - I need to be invested and care about the characters otherwise the story doesn't necessarily do anything for me.

Beth is closed off and angry and to be perfectly honest, she has every right to be based on her life so far. There were times in this book where I felt so sad for the things she has had to live with but Noah and Isaiah are her family.

Ryan...he is definitely not perfect but appears to be pretty darn close. He is definitely cocky ("I don't lose") but it isn't in a way that makes you hate him. His family life is interesting - although his parents put up a good front for the public, they have their issues and Beth coming to Groveton is making Ryan reconsider everything he ever thought he wanted.

The adults in this book were frustrating...I really just wanted to shake Ryan's parents and Beth's mom was ridiculous. Scott was great - I get where he was coming from and his reasons for going away. Little did he know what was going to happen and it is clear that as he learns more, he is sorry but also recognizes that he never would have been able to help Beth had stayed. Most likely, he would have turned out like his father and brother and that was the thing he was trying to avoid.

Another great read and I'm looking forward to reading Isaiah's story. He deserves something good and I will absolutely pick up book 3 when it comes out.

Ridiculously good and is it too soon to wish for the next book?

Another great one- 5 stars…I am still reeling from the ending of this book. Kagawa sure knows how to wrap up a story and have the reader continue to want more. I had to hurry to get up this morning to have a discussion with my sister about what happened just to talk it over with someone.

I won't mention anything here regarding the end but I am going to spoiler tag this whole thing as I don’t want to inadvertently ruin this for anyone.

Spoiler

The book picks up almost where The Immortal Rules left off. Allison is trying to find Kanin to rescue him from Sarren. She has definitely gotten stronger and thankfully her blood bond with Kanin allows her to track him. She is also able to sense what is going on with him as she has dreams that are allowing her to see everything that is happening to him through his eyes. Eventually Allison has a problem as that feeling she has been tracking breaks into 2 different directions. Turns out, not only can Allison feel her sire, she can also feel anyone who shares the same blood….Yep folks, that is correct- Jackal is back and Allison has agreed to work with him to find Kanin and help find Sarren/the cure.

The Red Lung takes center stage here as Sarren has done the unthinkable and released the virus into New Covington. People are infected and guess what….vampires can die from it now too. A lot of this book is relationship driven. The end goal is Sarren and the cure but most of what happens is based on the character relationships/conflicts and I was completely ok with that.

I will say, I was happy to see Jackal return. His character has major flaws and to be honest, I don’t know if he is truly bad or just misunderstood. Regardless, he brings some added levity, truth and tough love that the story needs. His relationship with Kanin is one that we actually don’t find out a lot about until the end all we know is that Kanin told him he would kill him if he ever saw him again. Because of that, you know Jackal has definite ulterior motives to help Allison in her search.

As is always the case for me, characters (on top of a good story) make or break a book. I was not disappointed here. Allison is a great main character because of the normal things – yes, she is tough and can hold her own up against (in a physical and verbal fight) Jackal, but she also struggles with who she is now. It was the internal struggle that she had that made me really enjoy her character. Throughout the story, it is apparent she still fights against what she calls “the monster” and every time she is near Zeke she has to fight against the urges the monster calls out. I thought Kagawa did an excellent job of showing Allison as 2 different people – her human self and her vampire self.

You may have noticed I said Zeke….he is definitely back and I won’t mention how that comes to happen as I really liked how he was reintroduced. Just know this, he is still swoony and I had to highlight a bunch of his conversations with Allison. I loved that he didn’t give up on her…he gave her the opportunity to decide what she wants but didn’t let the fact that she had this other half that could destroy him, scare him off. Throughout the book, he asks Allison to do some pretty tough things (if necessary) and I also loved that she called him out on it. It didn’t change anything…he still expected her to respect his wishes but at least they understood each other.

Another character that returns is Stick. Again, I won’t say where or how but know this….he is a complete douche…that’s right, I used douche in a review.

If you can’t tell, I really enjoyed this book. I don’t know how I will hold out for book 3…I mean, that ending…..GAH! Julie Kagawa…to steal the words from my sister’s update – you are an “evil genius” and I love you for it.

Trust me when I say that if you have not started reading this series, you will want to. If you can’t handle series books that leave you hanging put it on your “to read” list and definitely pick it up when it is finished. I myself will be waiting anxiously for the next book…as I normally do when I find a series to love.

All the stars for The 5th Wave. It is the first book I have read by Rick Yancey and based on how this went, I will definitely be checking out more. Here is my warning – I may end up writing a lot but I’m going to try not to give anything away because I want everyone who reads this to get to experience the story without me giving away the whole thing.

The 5th Wave is a story about alien invasion and the impact on people’s survival and humanity. 1st Wave: lights out. 2nd Wave: surf’s up. 3rd Wave: pestilence. 4th Wave: Silencer. The big question now is what is the 5th Wave? Cassie’s story opens with her thinking she may be one of the last humans left on Earth. She’s not very optimistic about her chances surviving the next Wave much less whatever happens next in the 4th Wave. She has been through so much and she has been living in a tent in the woods off the interstate. She knows better than to trust anyone and her bestie is her M16.

I loved Cassie – she is tough, sarcastic, loyal, and smart. Example: “In case you’re an alien and you’re reading this: BITE ME.” There were so many lines that I highlighted just because I loved her voice.



Keep in mind, Cassie is a teenager and she acts like a teenager but she is also someone who has been through a lot….and survived. She is on a mission to find her little brother; Sam after they were separated and it turns out a Silencer has been following her. The Silencer has decided to take a shot at her while she is on the interstate on her way to Fort Wright-Patterson and hits her in the knee. Eventually she passes out in a snow bank and ends up waking up in a strange house where Evan enters the story.

Evan is the character I was second guessing myself on. I loved him and then something would be revealed that would make me say to myself “wait a minute…does that mean what I think it does?” The answer to that question is yes.

Spoiler

It turns out, Evan is the Silencer that has been following Cassie. He has been drawn to her and eventually comes to the conclusion that he can’t fulfill his mission because he cares about her.

Some of my favorite parts of the book were when Evan and Cassie were together mostly because it is clear that Cassie is drawn to him, just like he is drawn to her but she knows better than to trust anyone. She just can’t seem to help herself. I don’t blame her, especially when he tells her:

“I didn't save you,” he whispers, lips tickling my eyelashes. “You saved me.”

Or…

“To hold on, you have to find something you’re willing to die for.”



It takes some time for Cassie to heal and over that time she and Evan become closer – she still doesn't fully trust that he is just a boy who has survived. She knows he has a secret and she has an idea of what it is. Regardless, she figures if he wanted to hurt her, he never would have saved her in the first place. Despite the trust issues, they make a plan to go together to find Sam. On the way, Evan reveals a lot about who he is and what is coming. It in no way relieves Cassie and she has a bit of a freak out but he just can’t let her go and knowing that, they come up with a plan.

This book isn't only from Cassie’s point of view. Another major character is Zombie

Spoiler

who we find out is Ben Parish…the guy that Cassie has had a crush on since grade school.

He has a fairly complex background as he is carrying around some guilt. When we are introduced to him, he is dying and he knows it. He has the plague that has killed millions of others and knows that things probably won’t end well for him. Just as he is having these thoughts, soldiers come to the tent city where he is and what saves him is the order that they are to bring in all uninfected (by the aliens, not sickness) civilians. After being taken to the base, Zombie goes through an intake process that includes eliminating the virus, embedding a tracker, and mapping which is called Wonderland.

After Zombie’s indoctrination, he is put into a boot camp where he and his squad are trained to find and destroy the aliens who have infested the humans on Earth. We find out a lot during Zombie’s point of view. Not only about what is going on at the base but also what the plans are for the next wave.

Here is where my review will end. If you couldn't tell from my updates (or from this slightly rambling review), I really enjoyed this book. It was full of action, a bit of romance, an alien invasion and Yancey does such a great job of keeping the reader guessing. It is written in such a way that I thought I knew what was going to happen and then there would be a twist that would have me guessing if I was even on the right track. Don’t be intimidated by the size of this novel. It goes quickly and honestly, I didn't want to put it down so it doesn't even seem that long. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book and picking back up with these characters.

A Wounded Name is based on the story of Hamlet but told in the voice of Ophelia. Of course we all know the tragic ending to the story but Dot Hutchison gives us a new perspective and writes it so beautifully I was immediately drawn into this book. As I sit here wondering what I could possibly write that will do this book any sort of justice, I keep thinking that anything I write will pale in comparison to actually reading it.

The story itself should be familiar and even if you have not read/seen Hamlet, you should be able to understand what is going on here. Told in modern time but with a private school, Elsinore Academy, as the backdrop, the story progresses as you would expect.

The characters here are so well done and Hutchison made me feel all of the pain and emotions each of these characters were going through. From Ophelia’s sadness, pain and feelings of abandonment to Dane’s guilt, anger, and madness; I felt every one of these through the pages.

Ophelia is the central character here and due to her being “her mother’s daughter”, her father and brother don’t trust her to care for herself and believe her to be insane. Ophelia is smart, observant, and loyal…sometimes to her own detriment but I really loved her. I also just wanted to give her a great big hug. Her father (Polonius) didn't really pay attention to her unless he wanted something and her brother (Laertes) was a big hypocrite who annoyed me throughout the entire story. When Dane leans on her after his father’s death, she feels needed and she enjoys that feeling regardless of what happens whenever she is around him.

Dane…even I was caught up in his madness. It was hard to see at times where he was being real versus where he was putting on a show. I have a love hate relationship with Dane. He was such a damaged character and had so much anger. There were times where he was so protective and caring toward Ophelia but then he would turn into someone (or thing) else. He was abusive and put her in danger and she forgave him for it every single time. The line that says it all – “Yes,” he says simply. “you need someone to protect you from me.”

Horatio is the steady character of the book and I thought he was very well done. He loves Ophelia and tries to care/protect her from herself as well as others. Horatio also loves Dane and knows that Dane will never love him in the same way.

As I mentioned, nothing changes with the outcome of the story here and you probably know what happens. Despite the tragic ending, I loved this. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good book that has a perfect happily ever after ending but if that is what you are looking for, put this one down and back away. If you are drawn to books (like me) that have flawed and complex characters, a wonderful story and beautiful writing, this is something I would encourage you to pick up when you can.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for the ARC.

This review can be found on my blog Fic Fare:

2.5 stars

The Wrong Girl is an interesting read. This is the first in the Freak House Series and there is definitely some promise. I found myself turning the pages hoping to get some answers but unfortunately nothing was really resolved. I think that the length may have hurt. At only 139 pages, it is definitely a quick read but I didn't get a lot of the information I was hoping to have by the end.

Hannah Smith is the companion to Violet Jamieson and due to their afflictions; they have both spent almost their entire lives (15 years) in the attic of Violet’s father’s house. The reasoning is that Hannah has narcoleptic episodes and when they happen, Violet’s fear makes her start fires. One day, while out on one of their walks, Violet and Hannah get caught in the rain and make their way to the groundskeeper’s cabin in the woods. When Hannah steps outside to get wood for the fire, she is grabbed from behind and drugged.

Hannah wakes up in a carriage with a young woman and finds out she is on her way to Frakingham House (Freak House) with the Langley’s who believe her to be Violet. They tell her they don't have anything sinister in mind, they (really Jack) intend to train her to control the fire that sparks from her. Hannah believes that there is something more going on and because she doesn't want to put Violet in danger, she decides not to tell them they have the wrong girl.

I found the story interesting and the characters engaging. Hannah is smart and despite her situation finds herself becoming friends with the people around her. At times I wanted her to fight back more. It seemed like she was awfully accepting of the fact that she wasn't really given any answers but she was supposed to trust these people (who she didn't know). Jack was a solid character and I hope we learn more about him in the next book. Clearly he was drawn to Hannah and wanted to help her but he was pretty closed off. Based on his personality, I would think he would have pushed August to give him more answers.

It’s hard to tell whether August Langley is the bad guy here or not. He definitely knows things and isn't telling and I have a feeling there are definite ulterior motives to him taking in Jack and now Hannah. I’m not sure about Sylvia yet either – I feel like she has a story but we didn't really get much in this book from her except that she likes to shop and is very aware of class and society rules.

I think the most frustrating thing for me with this book is that no questions were ever answered. Hannah still doesn't know how she came to be how she is, who her parents were and how August Langley knew her. Also, who is Violet – is she really Lord Wade’s daughter or just another child from the Society? Why is Jack different from Hannah? Also, who the heck is Tate to Hannah and why is he such a nutjob? See….too many questions left.

Knowing this is a series I will definitely check out the second book because I want to know what happens and I am curious to see where Archer goes with the rest of this story. If you are interested in historical with a bit of paranormal you might enjoy this one.

Absolutely loved this one.

Maddie Summers is hiding something big…or so she thinks. After an embarrassing costume contest in middle school, Maddie has made an effort to hide who she really is and be popular. Maddie’s big secret…*GASP* she loves comic books. Her favorite one is ending and because of a backorder situation, Maddie puts on her disguise and heads out to The Phoenix, the local comic shop, to pick up a copy.

Enter Logan. He is a nerd and not afraid to show it. He LARP’s, loves comics, and yes, he wears glasses when he wants. He’s also had a crush on Maddie since 9th grade and her walking into The Phoenix, which just happens to be his parent’s shop, when she did, was fate. Since the store didn't have any additional copies of the book Maddie was looking for, Logan takes a chance and lends her his copy with the caveat that she will return it that night. When Maddie looks at his number her biggest fear comes to life – he knows who she is and she is definitely worried who he is going to tell about her love of comics. We find out he isn't even remotely concerned about what other people at school think and really just wants Maddie to call him…which thankfully she does.

I found myself wanting to shake Maddie through most of the story – mostly because she was lying to everyone and it was over something as simple as the love of comic books. This doesn't mean I didn't like her, I just wanted her to make better decisions. I’m glad she finally got the fact that not everything is about her and that the way she was acting had a larger impact on those around her. She treated her best friend and Logan pretty badly…she is lucky they were both pretty forgiving.

I liked the secondary characters in this book as well. Dan is a great friend to Logan – he’s funny and always has his back. I found myself laughing the most at the parts of the story where he was involved. I didn't get the bitchy cheerleader (Rayanne) only because I don’t know that she was necessary.

In the end, Logan helps Maddie evaluate what is really important and the great thing is he doesn't come out and say “figure your crap out.” Instead, he shows her how great it can be to just do what you like and not worry about what others think. Maddie fights it pretty hard and tries to distance herself but it is clear she and Logan are connected in a way that she and her football playing boyfriend (Eric) are not.

I picked this one up at the perfect time and found myself unable to put this down. If you are looking for a light and fun summer read, this is a great one to start with as there is the perfect mix of humor, romance and yes, nerdiness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC.