4.5 stars.

Uninvited is one of those books where the summary made me shake my head and think…huh? The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report…sounds weird right? Well I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with this one and if you enjoy a book that includes a great story and quite a bit of action all the while giving you the opportunity to determine whether you believe in nature vs. nurture, you might like this one.

Davy Hamilton is living in a world where people believe that deviants are born with something in them that makes them the way they are. The government has decided the only way they can control the population of those that carry the kill gene is to test everyone and make sure they know where they are and what they are doing at all times. They do this by registering them and then tracking just about everything they do. If they break any rules, they run the risk of being imprinted which visually marks them as an HTS.

When Davy’s test comes back positive her whole world is turned upside down. This wasn’t part of her plans and everyone she knows and cares about is afraid of her and convinced that she will kill someone someday. As her life changes, Davy meets others who have tested positive for HTS and eventually comes to rely on them not only as friends but for survival.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Davy is clearly struggling with just how much her life changes over such a short period of time and she definitely changes throughout the book. She goes from leading this sheltered life of privilege to one where she is ostracized for something she might do someday because of a supposed gene.

I can honestly say Tori and Zac pissed me off so kudos to you Sophie Jordan for making me hate them so much. It is so hard to imagine that they could be Davy’s best friend and boyfriend one minute and then treat her the way they did the next. It made my heart hurt for Davy that she had to deal with their prejudice and then ultimately, she was punished for what happened.

I also thought her parents were kind of sucky. It was almost like once they heard about Davy, they completely checked out of her life. Yeah, her dad pretty much vanished and her mom, despite being around, doubted who Davy was and who she was going to be.

Gil is perfect and I love that he becomes the friend that Davy needs when everything goes down. Also knowing he will be around makes me happy.

Sean makes an impact from the first time he shows up on the page and calls Davy Princess. He’s strong physically but he’s been through quite a bit in his life and that has made him strong emotionally as well. He has built up walls to protect himself and when he meets Davy, things change for him. He tries to keep his distance and warns her to stay away but eventually she gets under his skin and Sean can’t seem to make himself not care about her.

Shortly after Davy is identified as a carrier, something happens that causes the government to take action against the carriers. They decide that the best place for all of them is in Detention Camps and Davy realizes she is going to be shipped off. What happens next is where the action begins. Davy, because she is so talented and smart, is one of a few carriers chosen to go to Mount Haven and train. No one is very clear about what she is training for but eventually it becomes clear. The only thing the government wants from them is obedience.

The last half of the book is where most of the action happens and we really see what Davy and the others at Mount Haven are being forced into. It is hard to believe just how much Davy’s life has changed an she clearly struggles with it. When something happens that makes her doubt who she really is, she also struggles with the idea that she deserves to be happy and have a life. I get it but I just wanted her to recognize that she didn’t really have a choice in what happened.
I do wish we had gotten a bit more information on Mitchell. It was implied that he had issues but there wasn’t really any backstory given and all I saw was how much he cared about Davy. I hope we see more of him in the next book.

I will absolutely be waiting anxiously for the next book in the series and am looking to see what Jordan has in store for this group. Hopefully someone will take pity on me and send me an early copy (hint, hint).

Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for the review copy.

If you recall, book two of this series almost killed me (ok, not literally). As a matter of fact, the words I used were “I feel like my heart has been ripped out, stomped on and handed back to me after finishing this book.” And they were true…I even did a re-read of the last few chapters to refresh how things went and it did it again. With that in mind, I jumped at the opportunity to read book three as I needed to know what happened to McKenzie, Aren, and Kyol. Trust me when I say, if you have started this series and enjoyed the first two books, you will definitely want to read this one when you can.

Warning: There may be spoilers here so I will tag it but be warned if you decide to continue.

Spoiler

It has been three weeks since Kyol created the life-bond with McKenzie and she left the Realm. She is slowly adjusting to sensing Kyol’s feelings and trying to live a normal life. She has an apartment and a job…both of which aren't anything special but they are things she has done on her own without anything related to the Fae.

It has also been three weeks since she has seen Aren and despite him making the decision that he will stay away, she hasn't given up hope on their relationship yet. Even though McKenzie is determined to not give up on him, she does begin to doubt whether Aren loves her as much as she does him considering (as she sees it) he gives her up so easily. Just when McKenzie thinks she may be on her way to a normal life, something happens and she is pulled back to the Realm where she comes face to face not only with Kyol but also Aren.

As McKenzie goes back to the Realm, she is pulled into the fight for the throne again. Lena has not been confirmed as queen and there are a number of threats to her reign. The first being the high nobles as Lena doesn't have enough support from them to ensure she can keep the throne. Additionally, there is a group called the elari that are supporting a false blood who is making a play for the throne.

The majority of the story follows the group of normal characters through trying to secure Lena’s place as Queen and includes a lot of action. McKenzie finally learns how to use a sword and fight and it comes at a good time as she really doesn't get an opportunity to rest. At the same time, McKenzie has to think long and hard about whether she really does want what she considers a normal life outside of the Realm. She also needs to figure out her love life.

I’m not going to give any of the story away as I think you will want to read it yourself. I will say there were some moments where I wasn't really sure what was going to happen and I will warn you, Williams is not afraid to kill people off (Sorry – I had to do it)….so make sure that if you have enjoyed this series so far, you pick this one up as soon as you possibly can.

Bottom line - I’m glad I stumbled upon this series and although I am sad that this story is wrapped up and I won’t get to read about these characters anymore, it was well done. If you haven’t started this series yet and enjoy Urban Fantasy with some pretty hot fae guys, I think you will enjoy this one.

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

I loved this one.

Robin York writes a story that draws the reader in from the very first page. Caroline, the main character, experiences something that could happen to anyone. In the world of New Adult books, this one is well done and stands out as an example of why I always come back to the genre.

Caroline is in her sophomore year of college and has just recently broke up with her boyfriend, Nate, of three years. He was her first everything and during their relationship, she allowed him to take some pictures that she knew were a bad idea but because she trusted him, she let it slide. At this point, here is where I say, “Mistaaaaake.”



Nate’s an ass and he does a really assholish thing by taking the pictures and loading them onto some pornography sites after their break up. Caroline knows that this can hurt everything she has worked for and impact her chances to getting a great internship as well as into law school. At first she is very much a victim and reacts like one. She avoids going out and tries to avoid Nate but luck would have it that as she is leaving class one day she runs into (literally) West and Nate having an argument. Afterward, she hunts West down to find out what he was thinking and this becomes the beginning of their relationship.

West has grown up in a family where he has had to take care of everything. His father isn’t much of a father and his mother can’t be trusted to take care of his little sister Frankie consistently. He has done some things that he isn’t necessarily proud of but would most likely do them again if it meant he would be able to provide a better life for his sister. In his attempt to ensure that Frankie is cared for, he has decided he will do whatever he can to make a better life for them and that includes going away to college. The day he makes it to college is the day he meets Caroline and he definitely makes an impression on her. For a year they try to avoid each other but every time they meet, they seem to be drawn to each other. The day that West fights Nate is the day things start to change.

I loved that West made Caroline face everything. If he hadn’t pushed her to realize that things happen and life isn’t always perfect, she probably would have just gone along saying everything was fine and probably never would have gotten to a point where she takes charge of everything going on in her life. By doing so, she faces her father and forces West to figure out what he wants. The build of their relationship was perfectly done. There was definitely sexual tension and when they finally did something about it…wow! That is all I will say.

I am excited to see where York takes West’s and Caroline’s stories so to say I want the next book would probably be understated. She killed me with the way things were left and the airport scene….GAH! I need more of these two and I really hope Caroline gives Nate a kick in the balls at some point. Definitely check this one out when you can, you won’t regret it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bantam for the review copy.

I loved this...great ending to the series. Review to post closer to release.

Review to come.

Sea of Shadows is the first book in the Age of Legends series for Kelley Armstrong and the story starts out strong. There is a lot of action, some fantastic creatures, and some great characters. I am excited to see where the rest of the story goes.

Moria and Ashlyn are twin sisters who live in the village of Edgewood. They also happen to be the Seeker and the Keeper of the village which means a number of things. Edgewood borders the Forest of the Dead and it is their responsibility to protect the village from the dangers that exist in the forest. Once a year the the Seeker (Ashlyn) is to go out to the forest and find the bodies of the damned and put their spirits to rest. While the Seeker performs this ritual, it is up to the Keeper (Moria) to keep the village safe. This year, having just turned sixteen, both will do their parts alone for the first time.

Because of their roles within the village, both Moria and Ashlyn are protected. They are viewed as protected by the spirits so there is a sort of reverence around them. In addition to the spirits, they both travel with their designated animal companion. For Ashlyn, it is a hound by the name of Tova and for Moria, it is a wildcat name Daigo. Both protect the twins with their lives as well as accompany them wherever they go.

When heading out to the forest to conduct the ritual this year, Ashlyn can sense something feels off. Tova feels it too and almost immediately things start to go wrong. Tova is injured, members of the search party are disappearing, and there is a definite sense of something not quite right. Regardless, the search party continues on their mission and come to realize that it was a mistake. While out in the woods, Ashlyn comes across not only the scary stuff but also Ronan who was an exile that survived the dangers of the forest and is looking for a way out. By helping Ashlyn get back to Edgewood, he has the perfect opportunity.

As you know, characters are what really draw me into a story and I thought Armstrong did a great job creating and developing the story around the main characters. First, although they are twins, Moria and Ashlyn couldn’t be more different. Moria is the tough, fighter who says what is on her mind. Ashlyn is the more reserved twin who while capable with a blade, it isn’t her strength. She also prefers to let Moria take the lead in just about everything. There were definitely times where I was frustrated with her for that but it was just her nature.

Alongside the twins, there is a warrior guard named Gavril and the exile named Ronan. Both have interesting stories and ultimately have been betrayed by the Emperor of the Imperial City. In Gavril’s case, his father was the Marshal of the city which is a pretty high up role in the government. He also comes from a line of sorcerer’s and that is eventually what was his downfall. He was accused of sorcery and exiled. As a boy growing up a court, this has been held against Gavril and he came to Edgewood to escape the court and focus on being a warrior.

Ronan was a thief and comes from a family of thieves. When his father came up with a plan that eventually went completely wrong, Ronan, his father, and his uncle were all exiled and sent to the forest. The expected outcome was that all exiles would die and then their spirits would be released by Ashlyn. When Ronan survives and then ultimately helps Ashlyn get back to Edgewood, his story becomes intertwined with hers. I am especially interested in seeing where his story goes as I feel like there is some other reason other than his sister and brother that he decides to break away from the group. I hope he comes back fairly quickly in book two as he did bring a bit of levity to the story.

There is some romance and the Ronan/Ashlyn relationship definitely had more teeth. Although I get why Moria and Gavril gravitate to each other, they both seem a bit closed off for anything to really go anywhere. Based on how this book wrapped up, I look forward to seeing how these characters move forward, not just on their own but with each other.

There is danger, death, and betrayal and as the story moves forward, all four of these characters will have some choices to make. If you enjoy the fantasy genre you will definitely appreciate the different types of animals they run into along the way and the world they live in was definitely interesting. I will absolutely be picking up book two once it comes out and definitely recommend you check this one out when you can.

There is magic, dragons, romance, politics and quite a bit of action in this story and it all begins when Corin and his father, King Aram realize how dangerous things are for their kingdom, Caithen and the royal family. Caithen is facing a potential war with Emperor Hadon and Corin and Aram need to figure out how to navigate the politics involved as he currently controls the dragons and the dragonriders. You do have to pay attention early on to all of the different names and information being shared as it all comes up throughout the rest of the novel. Additionally, take a look at the map at the beginning as it will provide some clarity around the location of all of the countries mentioned.

Early on in the story, Corin is approached by the dragonriders and informed that he has been chosen to free the Firekeepers from their slavery to Hadon. When the time is right, he is told that he will remember the conversation and then begin his labors to free them. At the same time, although she doesn’t realize it, Tam’s powers as a Seer are starting to reveal themselves.

Now Prince Corin is back at court after being on the road with his soldiers and Tam, a commoner, is at court for the summer with her sister-in-law. Via a chance run in at the library, they are immediately drawn to each other. Yes, there is a case of insta-love here, I mean, they are basically telling each other how much they love each other after about 3 days (this might be a slight exaggeration) but it didn’t bother me much. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop, quick as it was, and the overall impact that it had on the story. In addition, to the romance, because Tam is a commoner, she isn’t as close to court life and definitely has to make adjustments the moment she gets there. She begins to see all of the politics and back-stabbing going on and is definitely not a fan. As these two characters begin to learn more about each other, they also begin to learn more about their roles in the war. They both will have critical parts to play and they are just beginning to understand what they are.

As characters go, I did like both Tam and Prince Corin. Tam is independent and smart. She stands up for herself and is fairly confident despite being in a very new situation. Tam also understands the implications of starting up a relationship with Corin and despite that, she follows her heart. Corin is happier being away from court and on the road with his soldiers. He is definitely a strong strategist and understands just what Hadon is trying to do. He also values and trusts the women in his life – he knows they are smart and like his father, begins to value sharing information with Tam to get her thoughts.

I also liked the secondary characters who played a significant role in the story. From King Aram to Kelvan to Joce – all were solid additions and I honestly would have welcomed more about each. Additionally, I really liked Mattan of Harin who Tam met at the ball and although I don’t see how it would fit, I would have liked to see more of him.

At the heart of this story is the fight for power. Emperor Hadon wants to control everything and is taking advantage of Tyrekh taking control of countries surrounding Caithen and eventually attempting to take Caithen itself. Hadon is also aware of the fact that Corin has been chosen to free the dragons from his control and is willing to do anything he can to make sure that doesn’t happen. As war breaks out, Corin and Aram both know anyone connected to the royal family will face danger and with that, they all flee to ensure they aren’t captured. In a quick moment before they are separated, the king performs a marriage ceremony for Corin and Tam and then they all part ways.

As Tam is traveling with Joce, a basilisk who understands magic and power, she begins to learn more about her power and what she can do. At the same time, Corin has escaped with Kelvan to the valley with the wizards and he begins to learn more about his relationship with the dragons and what he is expected to do. There were times that I was a bit confused about Tam’s power – how she was able to “speak” to the dragons and how her power was supposed to help Corin. I also am still a bit unclear of the significance of the moths. I mean, I get they were a sign related to Tam's power but it was all a bit confusing.

Overall I enjoyed this story. It is different from any of the other fantasy novels I have read recently and that is a definite plus. There was a major focus on the relationship between Corin and Tam and although I understand why, I think true fantasy lovers may have an issue at just how much time is spent focusing on this piece. I myself love a good romance so it only added to the overall story for me. With that said, I thought the story surrounding the war and the dragons was great. If you like fantasy mixed with a bit of romance, I recommend you check this one out when you can.

Thank you to Penguin Group Viking and Netgalley for the review copy.

Love.

3.5 stars

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy is about a girl, Alice, who was diagnosed with leukemia. As you get into the story, you quickly realize she is terminal and has made the decision to get some revenge for some wrongs she feels she has been dealt. Alice knows that Harvey, her friend who happens to have some pretty strong feelings for her, will do what she wants so she decides to lean on him to help her get things done. Once Alice has finally gotten to the point where she is ready to be done with everything, she finds out some news – her leukemia is in remission and now she has to face the consequences of the actions she took.

I have to say, Alice was not one of my favorite people. Don’t get me wrong, I felt for her from the point she found out she was sick all throughout but she made it very difficult to really like her due to the way she treated everyone. Yeah, she was dealt a crappy hand but she could have handled things a lot differently. With that said, she stood up for herself and I can’t fault her for that.

I loved Harvey. He was always there for Alice regardless of what she wanted. He supported her through everything and when she finally admitted her feelings and then turned around and treated him like crap I wanted to climb into the book and smack her. I think I understood where she was coming from but she really could have handled things better. Harvey is sweet and truly cares about Alice. He knows she isn’t perfect but he doesn’t care about that.

Murphy does a good job of not only telling the story from both Alice’s and Harvey’s points of view, but she also transitions from current time (now) and the past (then). I found both added to the story as not only was I able to see how things were between both characters after Alice is in remission but I also got to see things from both sides. The same goes for the time when she was sick as we find out they weren’t really as close as they used to be until she did get sick and that made things even more impactful when we get into the now sections and see how things are between these characters.

Julie Murphy pulled me into this by weaving together a story that included some solid characters that have to figure out what to do when dealing with not only sickness and death but also, what happens when things completely change and you have to face up to the things you did. Definitely check this one out when you can.

Thank you to HarperCollins for the review copy.

All the stars everywhere for this book. I need to read more of this story!!

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons is one of those books that I was putting off. I admit it – it was because of the size/length. At 800+ pages I kept thinking it would take me forever to get through it despite the fact that I had a number of people tell me I would love it. Don’t let this scare you off and I hate that it took me so long to get into this book because I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!

The story revolves around Tatiana Metanova and Alexander Belov who meet the day the Germans attack the Soviet Union during World War II. It not only follows their relationship and the hardships they face on that front but also includes the impact war has on them and the people they know. Some of the most painful parts of the book were just reading about the way Leningrad and its people were cut off from everything. Reading about the starvation and how difficult it was just to find ways to stay alive made me wonder if I would even have the strength to survive.

There is so much that happens in this story. In the first chapter, we find out that Tatiana lives in a communal apartment building and shares two rooms with her mother, father, sister, brother, and grandparents. It isn't ideal but they get along. Having been sent out by her father to get food for the day, Tatiana finds that she can’t get what she needs and that is when she decides to get an ice cream and sit on a bench to figure out what she is going to do. As she is sitting on that bench she notices a soldier across the street – Alexander – and the rest of their story begins here. They absolutely face some tough times, not only because of the war, but because of the situation they find themselves in. I know that sounds vague but I don’t want to give anything away and shortly after they meet, you will find out exactly what I am talking about.

I really like Tatiana as a character and she goes through such a change from the first page of the book all the way to the last page. She is smart and she cares about everyone. She is also so selfless …sometimes to a fault. She would absolutely give up her last bit of food if it meant that someone else was suffering less than her. Being the youngest child/daughter, she believes that everyone else should come first even if it means she would go without. This includes her sister, Dasha.

Tatiana would give up everything she wanted or needed just to make her older sister happy and I think that is one of the reasons I didn't really care for Dasha so much. There were times that Dasha would reach out and try to connect with Tatiana but I found myself thinking that the only reason was so that she could talk about herself or what she wanted. There was a scene when they were all really hungry and Alexander brought them some of his rations that made me angry for Tatiana and I was glad Alexander was willing to jump in.

Alexander….he isn't perfect but he is still one of my favorite characters ever. He loves Tatiana and defers to her on what she wants to do about it. Unfortunately that means he has to hide his feelings and he truly does his best. I can’t say I agree with how it happens but I understand the reasoning behind it…again, don’t agree but when you read why, you will know what I mean. Despite this, he does everything in his power to help Tatiana survive and support her family. Whether it is walking her to the market to get her families rations or standing up to her family when they hit her, he doesn't want anything to happen to her.

Alexander has some secrets of his own and through his relationship with Tatiana, we find out what they are fairly quickly. Outside of Tatiana, there is one other person who knows who he truly is and he continually threatens to expose Alexander. As the story progresses, both Tatiana and Alexander try to figure a way out of the situation.

Dimitri is the “friend” that knows Alexander’s secrets. He is essentially blackmailing Alexander to get him away from the dangers of war. Just know that I hope Dimitri burns in the fiery pits of hell someday – he is that creepy and evil. He is selfish and only worried about surviving and was never a true friend to Alexander and I hope by the end of the book, you completely agree with me.

I feel like I rambled on and on and on with this one but then I also think that I didn't really tell you anything. While reading this I had to text Kelly over at Belle of the Literati over and over and over because of all the feels and if possible, I recommend you have someone you can talk to about this because you will want to share all the things about it as you read.

If you know me, you know I love historical anything and this book not only includes the historical pieces but also what I imagine to be a true picture of what it had to be like in Leningrad after the Germans began their attacks. On top of that aspect, the book includes some action and definitely some romance. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and find out what happens next. Trust me when I say you need to read this if any of those things sound interesting to you.