I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I don't know what it is about summer, but I'm drawn to all things related to the ocean....even when I'm reading. So it's no surprise that I picked up [a:Tamara A Lowery|6830032|Tamara A Lowery|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s latest book in the Waves of Darkness series. If you enjoy a good historical fiction with a heavy dose of fantasy mixed in, then I highly suggest you check out this saga that involves not only pirates, but sirens, witches, and vampires as well.

Note: If you have not read the previous books in this series, there are minor unavoidable spoilers contained within this review. Read at your own risk.

Black Venom by [a:Tamara A Lowery|6830032|Tamara A Lowery|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is the fourth book in the series and picks up where [b:Silent Fathoms|21773581|Silent Fathoms|Tamara A Lowery|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1420510712s/21773581.jpg|26976679] left off. Captain Bloody Vik Brandee with his crew must deliver his son to one of the sisters of power to raise and then find the next sister on his quest to end the curse. Along the way he encounters the New Orleans vampires, a powerful warlock, and a betrayal that shocks him. Will Brandee make it through the task set before him?

It's no secret that I like Vik ;) He's tough, vicious and cutthroat. However in this addition to the series, Vik shows his vulnerable side and his need for Belle and Grimm a little more. It endears the pirate captain to me just a bit more.

The fourth sister Mere Venoma is the worst they've yet to face. She can control all things poisonous, this includes Belle, and she doesn't waste any opportunity to trick, ensnare, or kill Vik. She's ruthless, cunning, and a bit scary with her spider-like qualities. In fact, she's perhaps my favorite sister yet that Vik has faced just her villain quality.



Despite how well I like these characters (even the secondary, lesser known ones), the plot was all over the place and the whole book felt rushed, incomplete because of it. The book starts with Vik and his crew rushing back to New Orleans and then there's a side plot with the vampires there and Vik's son. Then off to find the fourth sister and the quest she sends them on. In addition to the main events that surround Vik and his crew, there's the side stories with the female vampire that is hunting Vik and the Brumbles' sister who is seeking the captain to barter for her brothers' lives. Like I said it felt rushed and there were places that I thought I had skipped pages because of plot holes.

Overall the book is just okay and I personally didn't think it was as good as the first three. However, the overreaching plot of the series still has me intrigued enough to keep reading. Plus the characters have me hooked ;) If you enjoy historical fiction set during the time that pirates roamed the Caribbean, then this is the series for you.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Leopold by Dr. Ruth Westheimer and illustrated by Suzanne Beaky is a cute story about a turtle afraid to join the other turtles in the lake. Full of beautiful illustrations and prose, it was an easy read for my little one and kept his attention from the first word (not an easy feat for a 4 year old little boy!).

The story starts with Ben, Ruth's grandson, who is afraid to join the soccer team. His first practice is that afternoon and he is thinking about just not going. Grandma Ruth then tells him Leopold's story.

All the young turtles were sunning on rocks.
There was Boxy, Snappy, Shelly, and Socks.
They were busy soaking up the sun's rays,
Something they always did on beautiful days.

Only Leopold remained on the shore;
It's not that he liked the shade so much more,
but he was too afraid to leave the safety of his home,
and so he stayed in one place, never to roam.

Leopold's story is perfect for little one's who may have a fear of something. For us (and probably more me than little man), it's starting preschool. This book uses easy to understand language to convey that it's okay to be scared, but keep moving forward! You'll never know what you'll like until you try it ;)

And Ben learns just that! Listening to his Grandma Ruth he goes to practice AND he had a good time. Leopold is a turtle we can all learn from as we learn to conquer our fears.

I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Note: If you haven't read episode one of this series, there are minor unavoidable spoilers in this review.

Gildemer: The Gift by [a:A.S. Oren|7417674|A.S. Oren|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1393750284p2/7417674.jpg] picks up minutes after the end of episode one. Gabby is hurrying back to her life as a servant after a chance encounter with one of the king's sons in the gardens outside where she was disguised as a student. Prince Koi is waiting for lunch with the other Branch ones, thinking of the mysterious student who dared question his father's laws and when he can see her again.

So far I'm loving this new serial series by [a:A.S. Oren|7417674|A.S. Oren|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1393750284p2/7417674.jpg]! It's wonderful in that each episode is a quick read, yet packed full of action, suspense, and even characters. Despite clocking in at under 50 pages, the characters are fully developed with unique personalities and they really standout, making it easy to remember who is who. This is something that I usually find lacking in other serial series, but not so with The Gates.

Gabby is an interesting character. She's a servant, working off her family's debt. Yet she wants so much more. She wants to learn which is forbidden accept on subjects related to her serving duties. She wants a life outside of the servants quarters (she's not even allowed outside!). Who can really blame her when she sneaks out under the guise of a student at the end of episode one? Gabby is a free spirit and trapped by society's laws.

Prince Koi is a character that I'm having a hard time liking. He's the heir to the throne, believes his father's laws are good (the Branch system and all). He's not cruel, in fact he's the opposite. When he learns that a servant is injured severely and may die, he sends the head physician to care for her. Now this may be a selfish act as to him she is just the servant who makes good bread and he doesn't want to go back to eating burnt bread, but he still sends the physician. Maybe I'm stretching for reasons to like him....

The world of Gates is so interesting and complex, yet [a:A.S. Oren|7417674|A.S. Oren|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1393750284p2/7417674.jpg] writes in such a way that it is both believable and the imagery is gorgeous. The characters are all a mixed breed of Humakats. Basically they look like walking talking cats with human characteristics....kinda cool if you ask me. And the Branch system closely resembles a cast system where you really can't rise out of the cast you are born into.

Overall if you are looking for a quick read, this is it. Gildemer is full of fantasy elements, a bit of drama and suspense, along with the promise of romance. I can't wait for more :D

I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

OMG!!!! That opener!!!!! Gildemer: The Buildup by A.S. Oren picks up right where it left off in episode 6. Note that if you haven't read the episodes to this point, there are minor unavoidable spoilers ahead!! Koi catches Etu kissing Gabby!



My ship is happening people and I'm excited :D I'll be honest for a sec. I really didn't think that this scene would happen or that maybe Koi was seeing something Etu wants him to see. I'm still skeptical BUT I really want to see another kiss please and SOON!

Gabby is beside herself this book. She gets all tangled up in this love triangle....or would it be a square....or maybe a better word for it would be a cluster? I don't know. Let's just say all those multiple, possible love interests cash in during this episode of my new favorite serial series. So needless to say this creates a very confused and flustered Gabby. And rightly so! I wouldn't know who to be with. So many gorgeous guys!



Poor Koi...he's more confused than ever. It's a struggle for him. He knows what the law says and what he should do with Gabby and now Etu, but his heart is saying something else. AND for once he's listening to it. Koi is just as flustered as Gabby and to make matters worse he now has to deal with Mirabelle and all her drama. He has to keep her happy OR she will terminate the engagement AND turn in Gabby for a supposed infarction.



Overall, despite the brief episode, I was hooked from beginning to end. I mean really what am I supposed to do until September?! I NEED to know more and I NEED it ASAP! There is so much going on in this world right now and I have so many questions. Can't wait for more :D

I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Gildemer: The Painting by A.S. Oren is the fourth episode in The Gates Series One and picks up right where episode three left off. Please note that if you have not read the previous episodes there are minor spoilers in this review. Gabby is now the servant of number Two, Etu aka Prince Koi's brother. Upon entering the dining hall, Gabby is immediately recognized by Koi, but instead of ratting her out, he wants answers. With her fate hanging in the balance, Gabby must be the perfect servant and not draw attention to herself while Koi must decide what he is to do with the pretty girl he met in the garden.

I don't think I can say this enough...I adore this series! It's such a treat with episodes being released every two weeks (roughly). In fact, it's very close to watching your favorite show. I can't wait for each episode to come out and I wonder about the characters.

What I love about the series is that even though we have the two main characters, Gabby and Koi, and the POV alternates between them, the author does a wonderful job of having fully-developed supporting characters. Etu, Koi's brother, plays a slightly bigger role in this episode than in previous as he is now Gabby's owner (in a sense) and he is taken with her. Who wouldn't be?! She's beautiful, kind, and apparently is the only one who makes decent bread. Then there is Karmistic, Amon, and the other servants. Their unique personalities shine through despite the little interactions that Gabby and Koi have with them.

The world-building is subtle. The author immerses the reader into the world of the Gates so well you don't realize that Prince Koi (if met on the street today) would terrify you! I mean he is a humakat, human-cat hybrid, with full fur and pointy teeth!!! No instead it's described as the norm on his world and you see him as another person, complete with feelings. I'm fascinated with this world and the author keeps dropping more information about how they became humakats, if they originated from Earth, etc as you read about Koi in history class or Gabby glancing out a window. It's subtle and blends into the story while giving the reader much needed background information. I love it :D

This particular episode deals with Gabby and her burn scars that she received in episode two. Her uniform as a servant is altered to hide her scars, a necessity according to the head mistress. The episode also deals with Koi's feelings towards Gabby. He's confused, to say the least, but he is also curious. Why would she risk her life to be in the garden dressed as a higher Branch? He begins questioning in earnest his father's laws. It's an intense plot for only 30 pages! Not to mention a surprise that leaves Gabby reeling!!!!
Overall if you haven't guessed already I love the book! I love the series! I love this author :D I would recommend this serial series to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy, dystopian.

I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Initial Reaction:



NO!!! YOU DID NOT JUST LEAVE ME HANGING....AGAIN?!?!?!

Gildemer: The Beginning, episode 6 of the new series The Gates by author A.S. Oren, picks up where the other left off. Please note that if you are new to the series there are minor unavoidable spoilers in this review. The Present left me in open-mouthed shock as Etu and Koi butt heads over Gabriella. Gabby wisely keeps her mouth shut through the ordeal and follows Number Two (aka Etu) back to his room. It's here that he makes her a promise: he will teach her whatever she wishes to learn. Koi is seeing red as Gabriella follows Etu and he is no longer thinking with as a crowned prince but a jealous teenager. Gabby's head is reeling as she now has to decide who she can trust and still keep her head (figuratively and literally).

Gildemer has become one of my favorite treats that I look forward to every couple of weeks! It's like watching your favorite TV show play out on the pages as Oren introduces you to new characters, new scenarios, yet still stays true to the characters that have been introduced. Having read her other series Spearwood Academy I'm a little on the leery side no trusting anyone as any of the characters have the potential to turn on Gabby. And we can't have that!!!!

Gabby has quickly become one of my all-time favorite characters. She's honest, loyal, and devoted to those she cares for, those she feels that she owes, and those she works for. She can keep a secret and she's not afraid to fight for what she believes is right....at least as long as it will not hurt anyone. She's willing to sacrifice herself, but not others. And I LOVE this about her!

Koi....bless him! He's all up in arms this episode. First Etu has challenged him out right in front of the rest of Branch one and their servants, then Mirabelle is challenging him, and now....now he has to deal with his ever evolving feelings for the servant girl who tricked him (aka Gabby). I respect Koi's devotion to the crown and his kingdom, even if he is a bit blind to the pitfalls and laws. I love his naivete, it's endearing and brings the human out in him. But I adore his wildness which he doesn't show on the outside. The guy is a humakat (part-human, part-cat) and those beastial qualities come out in his thinking, his protectiveness, and even in his confused feelings for Gabby.

This episode like the others has a lot jam packed into just 40 pages. There's a concert put on by Gabby and Karmistic, a run in with a banshee, painting, and even a kiss!!!!



Honestly I can say that while there are grammatical and formatting errors, these are easily overlooked. I'm in love with this series and fully invested in the characters. I cannot wait to see just where they will go next!

I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Yet another intense read in the world of Gates! Gildemer: The Present, episode 5 of the new series by A.S. Oren, picks up right where the last left off. Please note that if you have not read the previous episodes of this series, there are minor unavoidable spoilers in this review. Koi has come to blows with Mirabelle and Etu about Gabriella more than once during the last episode, but at the end Koi begins questioning why he is attracted/drawn to Gabby so much. He shouldn't want her, "she's nothing but a servant." Gabby is just thankful to still be alive, that Number One (aka Koi) hasn't punished her for dressing about her Branch. Now she's confused. He says one thing to her, but his actions say another. And Etu....he's nothing like what she expected he be. Gabby must learn how to navigate the world she's been thrown into as it may cost more than just her life.

If I've said it once, I'll say it again....I'm in LOVE with this series! It's like watching your favorite TV show to see what's going to happen next. What will become of the characters, their relationships, and what crazy things will befall them?!

Gabby is one of my all-time favorite characters, even if she's a bit confused and naive at times. She's strong, passionate, and devoted to those that she loves. Even after she learns something shocking about her former master, Gabby still has a hard time believing the truth, her devotion runs so deep. Not only that but she's out to prove herself. She CAN be the perfect servant, Koi doesn't have to punish her. That is what she is out to prove.

Koi struggles this episode as he has the past few. He has a lot on his young shoulders. He will one day be king, yet his father promises that one mistake and he will remove that title and give it to his yet to be born siblings. He has feelings for Gabby that he doesn't quite understand, she's a servant why should he care for her?! Then there's the engagement to a girl he cannot stand. My heart breaks just a little for him.

And Etu :::happy sigh::: I'm more than a little smitten with Koi's younger half-sibling. He's kind to Gabby, he offers her so much and asks very little in return. He shows her through actions that he believes the kingdom needs a change and I have a feeling he means it!

This plot revolves around events that occur during the first chapter on a trip to the market place. I don't want to spoil anything for those that haven't read the series so I'll place it in spoiler tags.

Spoiler

On the way to the market place with Number Two, Number One and Karmistic, Gabby and the rest are attacked by these android defectives who want their living flesh. They kinda reminded me of mindless zombies but they're mechanical! Gabby uses magic!!! This is forbidden to use but she does it unknowingly. And this is the catalyst for the rest of the episode!

Personally I was shocked and thrilled with this development and cannot wait to read more about how it will affect Gabby in the near future.

Overall this may be my favorite episode to date! There is an element of suspense mixed with a touch of romance that made the episode hard to sit down...hence the reason I read it in one sitting ;) I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys dystopian, fantasy, and science fiction! New episodes are out twice a month so there's not a long wait between either ;)

Spearwood Boys Vol. 1 by [a:A.S. Oren|7417674|A.S. Oren|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1393750284p2/7417674.jpg] is a companion novel to the serial series Spearwood Academy and tells the events through the eyes of Avalon's boys. In this volume, we get points of view from Triton, Horace, Bullock, and Dante (in that order). The story begins before Avalon arrives at Spearwood and goes through Paden's unusual proposal.

First off, I want to say I love this series. It's fun, there's lots of pop culture references, and the serials are just long enough to really hook you into Avalon's story but short enough you can finish in one sitting. Oren has created a world that gets more detailed with each addition.



Okay enough fangirling ;) What I love about this particular volume is that it gives new insight into Avalon's boys and really changed my opinion about them. They are well thought out and the different points of view really give depth to the story that I didn't know it was lacking!

Triton is a mess (that's all I'll say), Horace is adorable and finds Avalon fascinating, Dante is just....OMG!!! I want to squeeze him :D Then there was the biggest surprise I thought the whole series thus far and that is Bullock. From the previous encounters with him I've thought him cold, indifferent, and just a pain in the rear. Then Oren gives us a taste of his point of view.



Yeah....I have no words. I'm stuck on a favorite boy now o_O I can't wait for volume two! If volume one can leave me conflicted and as emotional as it has, what will volume two bring?! If you are a fan of the series and haven't read this book yet, go do it now! I'll wait for you to tell me I'm right ;) If you enjoy urban fantasy, pop culture (specifically Doctor Who and Harry Potter), a little romance, and serials go check this series out. However I recommend you start with Spearwood Academy Vol 1 and read this book as a companion to it otherwise I fear you will be lost.