I flailed a little when my sister got a copy of Three…I can’t lie. I kind of wanted to wait to read it only because I didn't want the story to end. Eventually I got over it and dove right in. Now, I am going to do my best to review this without giving anything away – but don’t hate me for not revealing anything specific.

First, let me say, I don’t envy authors trying to wrap up a series. They must know going into it that they will never make every reader happy. I myself have been one of the grumblers when a series doesn't end the way I wanted it to. Please keep in mind…I would never say anything because you know what; it isn't my story to tell. With all of that said, I thought Kristen did a wonderful job of closing out this story. She stayed true to the characters and kept the story moving. As a reader, I was brought back into the dangerous world that Ember and Chase are living in and ultimately trying to survive in. It is fast paced and full of action while at the same time, Simmons takes the time to move the relationship between Ember and Chase forward.

The story picks up with Ember, Chase and the rest of the group trying to find those that survived the destruction of the safe house. As they struggle to find a safe place, they also find themselves looking for evidence of Three, the secret organization that has created the resistance groups. Along the way, they run into someone from Chase’s past who ultimately plays a huge role in the rest of the book. There are some things that happen along the way that made me wonder how this was all going to come together. Would we finally get to see the Chief of the Reformation (Reinhardt) and how would they stop the plans he had for wiping out the article violators? (I can’t tell you anything without giving away critical parts of the story – just trust me, I had these questions and they are all answered.)

If you recall, I had a hard time with Ember in book one. I needed her to move beyond what had happened to her and recognize what others were trying to do for her. With that said, she definitely grew in book two and in this book she is focused on everyone else. She absolutely changes over the course of the series and I loved seeing it happen. She still struggles with what she went through and how her mother was taken from her but she also now understands that the struggles that everyone is going through are bigger than just her.

Chase…I still love him. I don’t even know what to say as I don’t want to give any of his swoonyness away so everyone can enjoy it in context of the story. With that said, he is struggling still with who he wants to be. He knows what that is but he also knows that he has done some things in his past that he is not proud of and he struggles with coming to terms with them. On top of that, he has moments where he feels like he isn't worthy of being with Ember. The moments where she makes him see he is more than just his past and not someone she could just walk away from were some of my favorites. He does have some great lines and I will only include a few.

“Is it too redneck to say you look sexy operating a radio?”

“You’re the prettiest thing I've ever seen.”



Seeing Chase and Ember together and the evolution of their relationship is just one aspect of the story. Rebecca captured it perfectly in this section,

“I knew it when I saw you two together. You’re different, you know; the way you look at each other.”

“Different how?”

“I don’t know. Like you have a secret no one else knows.”

In addition to Rebecca, Sean is back as are a number of other new secondary characters. Tucker is still around and I continue to have no words for him. Just when I think one thing about him, he goes the complete opposite direction. They all add different layers to the main story and allow us to see different sides to the main characters.

If you enjoy the dystopian genre and have not yet picked up this series, definitely check it out. It has a great story that has a believable plot and some characters that draw you in. Three comes out February of 2014 so you have a few months to complete books one and two if you haven’t started. Either way, get ready for more action, a bit of swoon, and a great end to Ember and Chase’s story. Kristen Simmons I leave you with this:



All quotes are taken from an Advance Reader Copy of the book.

Kaitlyn is a cyborg and currently living at a top secret facility owned by IFICS which happens to be run by a wealthy guy (Harrington) who decided that he wanted to create a tool that could be used for whatever purpose necessary.

Lucas is the scientist who does all the work on her…testing, computer upgrades, etc. While interacting with her, he has always wished a piece of her humanity existed within. Little does he know, Kaitlyn has been hiding the fact that she has feelings and emotions and when he finds out, he helps her to become more than a weapon to be sold to the highest bidder.

I honestly thought I was going to get more action and science fiction in this book so I was a bit disappointed when most of the focus was on Kaitlyn and Lucas trying to figure out their feelings and relationship. I also would have liked to read more about what really happened to her. She donated her body to science but then what? I also didn't get the memory thing. How did they have them stored on a chip if she died before she was given over to Harrington. That didn't really click for me and it wasn’t really explained.

I thought Crane did a great job of taking the reader into the mind of someone who doesn't necessarily “get” all the things that I myself take for granted in knowing like slang and facial expressions. Kaitlyn was truly not equipped to understand some of the things that happened around her until her friend Quess mentioned it as a possible upgrade.

Overall I thought this one was ok. Perhaps it was the length that limited the content and it appears we may see more of these characters as Kaitlyn begins her new role. This was a quick read and there is some action and going forward into the next phase of the story, I expect there will be even more.

His Convict Wife tells the story of Colleen Malone and Samuel Biggs. Both are characters that have been placed into circumstances somewhat out of their control. It covers the hardships of life for a convict and the relationship that develops between the two.

Colleen was convicted of a crime she did not commit and as punishment, was sent to Australia with her cousin to serve her sentence. Almost immediately they are taken to O’Shanes which although the owner markets the place to newcomers as a “respectable boarding house” it really is a bawdy house and the girls are put to work. After 7 years, Colleen finds herself pregnant and because he feels like he can’t use her, Danny O’Shane decides to send her back to The Factory (the gaol for convict women). Despite her initial thoughts and concerns around being separated from her cousin, this happens to be a good thing for Colleen.

Samuel Biggs has recently lost his wife and made the decision to go to Australia. James Hunter, someone he used to work for, currently lives there and when he lands, he immediately finds him to reconnect. By doing so, he is offered a job as overseer on the Hunter farm. By accepting the position, he also agrees to go with Lady Hunter to The Factory to find more help for her in the house as she has been overwhelmed.

While breaking stones at The Factory, Colleen sees Lady Hunter and Samuel and after Samuel shows Colleen how to properly break the stones, she takes a chance and begs him to ask for her on a Ticket of Leave which would allow her to work at the Hunter farm. To avoid anything that could lead to more than an arrangement (as he sees what Thea Hunter is trying to do), Samuel does ask for her. He is told that based on her background, the only way Colleen would be able to leave with him is if he marries her. To avoid any future entanglements being pushed on him, Samuel agrees to this and a few days later finds himself wed to Colleen.

Initially the arrangement is just that. Colleen takes care of the household and he takes care of the farm. They get to know each other and find they enjoy each other’s company but Samuel has convinced himself that he doesn't want or need anything more. Unfortunately for Colleen she needs to act fast and get him into bed so that he will think her baby is his.

Eventually their relationship becomes more than just an arrangement but there are a lot of secrets that as a reader, you know will come back to haunt them. In this case, it not only impacts the relationship between these two characters but also with the Hunters. Things might have been a bit different had everyone been up front from the beginning but it is understandable why Colleen didn't reveal everything. Keep in mind – I’m not saying it is ok….I am saying it is understandable. She had serious fears that if she gave away her secrets, she would be sent back to gaol and potentially lose her baby when it was born.

Samuel has to come to terms with what he has committed to and what is important to him. The question is whether he can get past what he now knows about his wife or whether this will keep them living separate lives.

Overall I thought this story was well done. We get just enough backstory to understand where both of these characters are coming from and ultimately, how important this future is to them. This is a fairly quick read and after digging I realized it is a companion novel to the Hunter’s story. If you enjoy a book with solid characters, an interesting story and a developing romance that definitely has a bumpy ride, you will might also enjoy this one. Additionally, I loved the cover and that is really what prompted me to request this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Escape Publishing for the review copy.

Another great story by @trishdoller. Full review come.

Claire is stranded in Chicago due to a snowstorm on Christmas….on her birthday. Ever since she got to town, she has wanted to leave. Not because she has anything against the city but because it holds a lot of memories. Things she really doesn't want to remember. Claire is pretty sure things couldn't get any worse and as she is trying to figure out what to do, her past walks right up to her and says hi.

Logan is having a rough day. After getting a call that requires him to head out to a project and then having his flight get cancelled, all he wants is to make it home. To his surprise, he notices Claire and knows he should leave her alone but finds himself walking right up to her.

Logan ends up inviting Claire to stay with him until she can get home and this begins the rest of the story. These two characters still clearly love each other and regret the way things ended but they have been apart for two years. Things start out awkward and eventually they begin to see in each other just how much they still care and why they loved each other to begin with. They are also able to see just why they haven’t been able to get past it.

Claire wants to take a chance but remembers how much it hurt every time Logan would choose his work over her and that is something she isn't really sure she could handle again. She definitely sees some changes in him, especially around his daughter, Sophia. Logan lets her paint his nails and she has put her stamp on the condo. All things that never would have happened two years ago when she left.

Through the rest of the story, both Claire and Logan come to realize what they want and what is really important to them. They also have to determine what they will and won’t do to be happy. Walsh does something in this story that isn't always easy. She is able to bring the reader into the lives of these characters and over a fairly short period of time, gets you to care about what happens to them. I loved reading from both perspectives as it allowed me to see just how much the break up impacted them both as they came back together.

If you are looking for a quick holiday read, definitely check this one out. Logan definitely falls into the “hot, single dad” category and you don’t want to miss out! Another great story by Brighton Walsh!

Vengeance is the companion novel to Megan Miranda’s Fracture. If you enjoyed that book I definitely encourage you to read this one too. Heck, if you haven’t read Fracture yet, you should get on that so that when you finish, you can read this one too.

People still believe that something is following Delaney Maxwell around…some sort of curse. Ever since she was pulled out of Falcon Lake, after being submerged for 11 minutes and then being in a coma for 6 days - yet she survived, the belief is that there is a curse involving the lake and she is central to it. Delaney was pulled out and lives but Carson, the boy who pulled her out, is dead. What people don’t know is that ever since Delaney woke up, she has had a special sense, one that allows her to sense when people are dying.

Decker and Delaney are now boyfriend and girlfriend and the story picks up just before they start their senior year of high school. When Decker’s father unexpectedly dies, Decker is angry. He is mad at Delaney because she knew what was going to happen to his dad and he is mad at his parents for hiding things from him. A lot of the first half of the story is Decker dealing with this anger and trying to figure out whether he can forgive Delaney for hiding something so important from him. He does hold it against her and although it isn’t necessarily as black and white as he thinks, he feels like Delaney chose his father over him and ultimately let him die.

In addition to this, there is a bit of a mystery to unravel. Odd things keep happening to Decker and Delaney and through the book; they work to figure out why strange things are going on. First, Decker’s house is destroyed by water, and then windows are busted out in Delaney’s house while Decker and his mom are staying with her family. Oddly enough, Kevin’s car is messed up because of water in the engine. Not wanting to believe that the Curse of Falcon Lake is at work, Decker begins digging into what is going on and he keeps coming back to the people around them.

While Delaney and Decker’s relationship takes a hit, I did like how the characters grew through this book. It was an interesting transition (according to Decker) going from friends to more and now that they aren't either and Decker is living in Delaney’s house, things are definitely awkward. What I liked was that Delaney gets where Decker’s anger is coming from and she doesn't hold it against him. She actually allows him to be angry but she also stands up for herself and doesn't let him get away with treating her horribly. One of my favorite parts was after one of their run-ins while Decker was working on his math homework.

“How long are we gonna keep doing this, Decker?” And I said, “Doing what?” like an asshole. “You’re being an asshole,“ she said. And then I laughed because I knew it.

And that night, I found a note under my door. It said, “To clarify, I didn’t mean you ARE an asshole. Just that you’re acting like one. Also, #2 is wrong. Good night.”

The secondary characters help move the story along. From Kevin and Tara to Maya and Janna. All play a critical part in the story and because I don’t want to give anything away, I won’t say a lot here. Just know that all of these characters are important to both the mystery of what is going on with all of the strange things as well as getting Decker to figure out what he wants in his relationship with Delaney. Just when I thought all Kevin cared about was having a good time, he comes through and tells Decker to get his crap figured out.

“Decker,” Kevin said. “Whatever’s going on with Delaney, fix it already. You look like shit. It’s messing with my mood.”

“Enough,” I said

“No,” he said. “Enough from you. Break up, fine. But the moping and gloom and angry eyes, it stops. It’s awkward. Every lunch I get, like, a tension headache or something,” he said. He rolled his shoulders back. “I think it’s giving me neck pain.”

I really liked being back in Decker and Delaney’s stories. I know this is listed as a companion novel but I really think it would be tough to read this book without reading Fracture as there are a number of things mentioned but not necessarily explained. I think it might be tough to just dive into this story if you don’t have the full story from Fracture. If you like a good mystery and interesting story I definitely recommend you read this series. I found myself unable to put this one down and applaud Megan Miranda on a great follow up story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the review copy.

I loved this one. For obvious reasons Brooke has never been one of my favorite characters but reading this novella I actually don't dislike her. She does the right thing and seeing her come to the realization about what her relationship with Perry was headed, whether Aria had shown or not, was important and it says a lot about her character.

Another great piece to this story.

2.5 stars. The idea and premise of the story was interesting.

I really like the idea of retelling fairytales and typically find it to be a pretty refreshing read. I jumped at the opportunity to read My Name is Rapunzel as I haven’t read a lot of tales about her story. I read the synopsis of this one and was intrigued. Unfortunately, after about the first 4-5 chapters, I wasn’t really sure what my review was going to look like so I’m going to write this review a bit differently.

The story starts out well but it honestly lost me a bit of the way in. Rapunzel is eighteen in 1763 and has finally found the love of her life, Henry. The lead in is that he has proposed and they are going to run away together as his parents are not happy that they are together. With their plans in place, they head back to Rapunzel’s home and are confronted by Gretta, the village witch, and that’s where things take a turn for the worse for both of these characters. Gretta has convinced herself that Rapunzel committed her life to her and because of that, she refuses to let her run off with Henry. When they still plan to run, Gretta puts a curse on them. Rapunzel is going to live forever and Henry ends up dying trying to get Rapunzel to run.

Spoiler

…or so we are led to believe.

Some of my notes:

I thought the way the author showed Rapunzel’s transition from the 1700’s to now living in 2013 was done well. Despite being cut off from society and being pretty remote, she has adapted.

The dialogue between the characters seemed awkward most of the time. I found myself getting whiplash with some of the responses Rapunzel had to the characters around her. One minute it was a normal tone then she would be angry. Also, with John, he believes her story, then doesn't, then does...

For 250 years Rapunzel is living with Gretta and unable to get past her love for Henry. Then all of a sudden she meets John through a newspaper article he wrote and all of a sudden she finds herself feeling things for another person. …it seemed abrupt.

I liked the way the author used Luke to help Rapunzel build a relationship with someone and also have someone important in her life.

I didn’t understand why Gretta wanted to live forever…outside of living forever, what was her motivation?

Overall I thought this one was ok. I wasn’t able to get invested in any of the characters with the exception of one and he wasn’t even in most of the book. There were some twists and turns that kept me turning the pages to see how it would end so that was a plus. Perhaps this is a case of it’s not you, it’s me. If you enjoy a quick read and fairytale retellings, you might enjoy this one.

Controlling the Dead is book two in The Famished Trilogy by Annie Walls and if you haven’t yet checked out this series and enjoy a good horror/zombie book, you should go get this and book one now. Annie takes us back into Kansas’ world where zombies are all over and just living day to day is sometimes tough to do.

If you read book one, you know Kan went through some pretty tough things and they definitely have an impact on her when she gets back to her group. She is doing her best to hide and those closest to her know that despite her strength, things have been tough and they are trying to get her to slow down and take care of herself. She is still tough and a badass but she is also now dealing with the emotional and physical trauma of what happened and I love that this could have changed her completely but it didn’t.

As Kan gets back to the camp, she is back with her friends – Rudy, Mac, Glenda, and Reese. Quite a bit happens in this book and I’m not going to really say anything as I don’t want to give it away but progress is made and things happen that change the dynamics of the group as well as who they can trust. I was glad to see that the relationship between Rudy and Kan shifted and they finally realized what was important to them. I also like the relationship between Glenda and Kan. Glenda is definitely the mother figure for her and she is someone Kan needs in her life.

I am interested in seeing where Walls goes not only with Kan’s new ability but also with the way the group reacts and responds to the next challenge they are facing. I am hoping we also get to see more of Kan’s ability…perhaps in response to how book two ended.

If you like a good zombie story that has strong characters as well as a solid plot, you will enjoy this series. Walls did a great job in creating a story that kept me invested in what happened as well as wondering where things were going to go. There were some parts of the story that dragged a bit for me but overall I thought this was a solid book two in the series. I look forward to book three and seeing what happens to everyone as well as how the world ends up. Definitely check this one out and if you haven’t read book one yet, get on it.

3.5 stars

The League of Delphi is a trilogy by Chris Everheart and takes the reader into a world of conspiracy, secret societies and danger. If you enjoy a good story with some solid characters, you just might enjoy this trilogy.

Book one begins with Zach White. His mom has recently died and Zach has made the decision to go back to the town he lived in until he was 7 years old. He wants to know more about his past as well as what happened to his mom to make her so paranoid that she moved him to France and changed his name. When he gets to town, Zach gets a job at the local coffee shop as that seems to be the best way to interact with just about everyone in town.

As Zach gets back into life in Arcanville and begins to observe what is going on, he realizes things are a bit odder than he originally thought. Recently, a boy he knew when he was younger died (Sutton), supposedly of suicide, and no one seems to be acknowledging it. That is, no one but Ashley Sloan.

Ashley catches Zach’s eye and he begins to notice her. Ashley hasn’t had it easy. She is following in her sister Katie’s footsteps and seems to be lacking…according to those around her. Her sister is on the “Inside Track” and she has been spending time in psych wards because her parents and others in town think there is something wrong with her. Little do Ashley and Zach know that there is something else going on.

The story follows Zach and Ashley on their way to figuring out just what Arcanville is all about. There is a link to Ancient Greece as well as this League of Delphi which appears to have chapters across the world. Everheart takes the reader on an action filled ride in this book. I found myself turning the pages in order to find out what was going to happen next and what the big mystery was.

Everheart also creates some great characters in this story. From Zach and Ashley to Larry and Katie – it is hard to know with all the twists and turns the story takes just who is good or bad and when I hit the end of book one, I was absolutely hooked and glad I had a copy of book two as there is a definite cliffhanger.

There is a bit of a case of insta-love between Zach and Ashley but overall I don’t feel like it took away from the rest of the story. Outside of that, I thought the story was well done and I am interested to see where the author takes it.

Definitely check this one out if you enjoy a good mystery and a bit of that conspiracy theory stuff in your books. The fact that this was a pretty quick read didn't hurt either. Everheart did a great job of drawing me into the story and I am looking forward to starting book two to see what happens with Zach and Ashley next.