I received an eARC of this book via Lady Amber's Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Trouble in Mind by Donna Frelick was an interesting read….to the say the least! It combined all my favorite elements into one book: epic science fiction, multiple character points of view, steamy romance, and amazing world-building. FBI Agent Alana Matheson is at a loss when trying to find the missing/kidnapped Asia and Jack Robertson. Her only lead is the husband who was beaten and left for dead and a private investigator Gabriel Cruz who is more than he seems. Racing to find the missing wife and son, Alana finds everything she’s ever known tested against the truths she uncovers.

I really liked Alana, or Lana as she prefers. She’s snarky, hardcore, and driven. She will find the missing Robertsons, it’s a matter of when not if. That is the way she thinks and I got to love her for it. She follows her gut intuition which gets her in trouble time and time again. And this time she follows her gut by listening to the PI the husband brought in, Gabriel Cruz. He’s in an enigma to her and she can’t decide whether to trust him or ditch him, but he’s her best lead on the case.

Gabriel Cruz *swoon* Gabriel is definitely more than he appears. The first time he appears in the book he is on another planet, extracting a guy from a bad situation. He is part-human, part-Thrane, and he is one of the sons of the deceased and feared Kylan Dar. He fights his killer instinct at every turn, instead choosing to uses his psi powers for good, helping the Interstellar Rescue, an uprising protecting and freeing the slaves in the Consortium.

The plot of this story is focused on finding Asia and Jack, who were taken by men in ski masks while enjoying a day at the park as a family. There are no leads, nothing to go on, except for what is hidden in Ethan Robertson’s mind. With Gabriel’s psi talents he is able to uncover what happened and now he’s on the hunt, but he has to play nice with local law enforcer Alana Matheson. The plot centers on them, their battle of wits and the attraction that is growing between them. Between that and the other plot threads, it makes for a fast-paced read!

Overall I enjoyed the book. I want to note though that I have not read the first book in the series [b:Unchained Memory|24383922|Unchained Memory (Interstellar Rescue #1)|Donna S. Frelick|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1420775967s/24383922.jpg|43967388] and while it isn’t required I do think it would clarify some of the questions that I had as I was reading. There were plot holes, I thought, but in reality these were probably explained in the first book so I won’t note them here. If you enjoy epic science fiction with a lot of romance, I highly suggest you grab a copy of this book!

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

Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis is interesting twist on an old classic. Taking [b:The Wild Swans|382818|The Wild Swans|Hans Christian Andersen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1254409741s/382818.jpg|12556] by Hans Christian Anderson and creating a wholly unique sci-fi adventure, R.C. Lewis has a must read book! Liddi Jantzen is in danger, her brothers are missing, and her only help is on another planet she thought was a myth. With her ability to speak ripped from her, Liddi must find a new way to communicate and get the help she needs. Her brothers’ lives depend on it.

I liked Liddi. Here she is, a sixteen-year-old thrust into the limelight at birth, and yet she retains her own sense of self. She doesn’t let the stardom go to her head. She’s fiercely loyal to her brothers (her only living family) and has no use for those that seek to use her for her fame. As I said I like her! When someone close to her betrays her, taking her voice and trapping her brothers, Liddi doesn’t let it stop her. She fights, she adapts, and she will stop at nothing until her brothers are saved.

Tiav *swoon* is one of those book boyfriends that everyone wishes they had in real life. He is the son of a high official on his planet. He’s kind, sweet, extremely intelligent, and has no clue who Liddi is or where she came from. He’s kind of perfect in Liddi’s eyes as he sees her as no one ever has. He sees her without the fame. To him, she’s just Liddi.

Ok….so the plot. It’s complicated to say the least. Liddi is from the Seven Points — seven planets connected by conduits/portals. Each planet serves a purpose to society. Liddi’s planet is based in technology. When someone close to her discovers that the conduits are failing, this person traps Liddi’s brothers in the conduits in order to “save” them and implants a small device in Liddi’s neck. If Liddi speaks, her brothers die. It’s that simple. Liddi escapes through a portal to another planet, one thought to not exist. Here she meets Tiav and discovers the origins of the portals, the Seven Points’ conduits and what this all really means for her brothers who are trapped.

Overall I enjoyed the book. I’ll admit that I did have a hard time following it at first. It’s told from Liddi’s perspective and there are a LOT of characters. I had a hard time keeping them straight. Also the world-building was a little shaky at first. About 25% in to the book, I finally started to understand and was able to follow the plot but there were times in the beginning that I thought I’d skipped pages because of plot holes. This is why it lost a star for me. If you enjoy young adult, science fiction, or your looking for a fast-paced read, I highly suggest you pick up a copy of this book!

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

The Tree in the Courtyard by Jeff Gottesfeld is a unique way to teach children about the Holocaust. Told from the perspective of the tree that sat outside Anne Frank’s window, the tree recounts its life and the smiling girl who lived in the attic with her family, the scary bombs, and how the little girl never came back. Beautifully illustrated this book kept my five year old’s attention (not an easy feat) and he even remembered the story the next day asking questions about the girl and the tree.

Personally, Anne Frank’s diary was one of my first nonfiction books and will always be a favorite. I read it as a part of history/literature class in the 8th grade. And yes I cried my eyes out thinking of a girl my own age facing the fate she did. This recreation focuses on the tree just outside her window, which she mentions a few times in her book. The most notable quote Jeff Gottesfeld includes as the opening:

“The two of us looked out at the blue sky, the bare chestnut tree glistening in the dew, the seagulls and other birds glinting with silver as they swooped through the air, and we were so move and entranced that we couldn’t speak.” ~Anne Frank

The voice of the story is kind, innocent and easily relatable for children. It tells the chestnut tree’s life a little at a time and reveals the horrors of World War II through the eyes of the tree. I thought it was a good way of describing such horrors to children as the tree didn’t understand and “was never the same” after the war. The ending itself was bittersweet because the tree lives on in the many saplings that have been planted around the world (true story!) and my son asked when we would go see the tree’s children. So of course I’m now looking up where they are so we can make a trip some day.

Spearwood Book One by A.S. Oren is a newly revamped Spearwood Academy. The book begins when Avalon is a child and spans the time from training with Edgar to when she first arrives at the academy. Old fans of the series will like it and for those that didn’t read the old series, you’ll fall in love with the characters and world.

Avalon is essentially the same girl we met in the original. She’s tough, can keep up with the boys, and doesn’t complain about her curse, she just meets it head on. The differences in the Avalon I know and this one is that she comes to Spearwood knowing who she is and all about the curse. She isn’t innocent and naive which is a good thing. Avalon also knows her heritage. She is part dragon-shifter and part angel. Though the angel part is something she is still learning when Avalon starts Spearwood, the dragon part she has under control.

The boys....Can I just say I was dying to get back to them?! I’ve missed them! Because this book focuses more on her life before Spearwood, her training, and her family, the boys don’t play as big a role. Maverick, Paden, and a new boy Jericho are raised with Avalon at Edgar’s. They are a part of the Vox, a secret society of dragon-shifters who are to protect the female dragon-shifter that will break the curse. Maverick and Paden are brothers and come to live with Edgar at the same time as Avalon. Maverick is laid back, will do anything to make Avalon smile, and is your typical boy. Paden is the serious one, his smiles are hard to come by but they are so worth it. And then there’s Jericho, a new character to the series who arrives under suspicious circumstances. I haven’t decided how I feel about him.

The plot of this one is really the lead up to Avalon and the boys heading to the Academy. It focuses on their training and what chases Avalon and her family out of their home. There is a ton of world-building and as a fan of the original series I was super-excited. It was nostalgic and I loved returning to the Spearwood world. There’s dragon-shifters, angels, witches, an academy that is reminiscent of Hogwarts, and full of pop culture references.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and cannot wait for more. Avalon is a fun character and the boys…I can’t decide which one I like better. Right now, Paden is my favorite but I’m sure it will change. A warning for those that are new to the series (or even old fans), the new version is new adult and will feature a reverse harem. While this first book is fairly PG, as Avalon and the boys get above 18, it will not be. So if you like clean reads, then I might skip this one. If you enjoy urban fantasy, this is one book you shouldn’t miss!

Initial Reaction



Really?! Stephanie, it’s time to move on. Find a new guy or two or three and FORGET MORELLI AND RANGER!!!! Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich was not only painful but predictable to read. It’s the same ole story, same ole guys, same ole everything. Nothing new, no changes, no mystery. Why do I keep reading these?



Oh yeah, they’re funny, quick reads that don’t make me think. They are meant to be enjoyed, not analyzed. With that in mind, I really enjoyed this book! Stephanie is on the hunt for a college boy who skipped bail. He has no priors and the charges will likely be dropped, but now he’s missing and there are bodies piling up. Can Stephanie solve the case with her less than stellar investigative skills? Of course….we wouldn’t read it otherwise.

Stephanie — Morelli — Ranger
It’s no secret that after 22 books I (and everyone else that still reads the books) are getting tired of this little love triangle. Stephanie is a fun character and one of my favorites. She’s snarky, relatable, and an all-around normal girl. She has the absolute worst luck with cars, jobs, and men AND her family makes me laugh. However Stephanie needs to pick a guy or move on. It’s time….it was time 8 books ago!!!!



The book begins with a Morelli quickie, the hot Italian cop that she’s known her whole life, and then he promptly dumps her. “We should see other people.” REALLY?! They’re still naked and he dumps her?! Talk about giving a girl a complex!!! I have always LOVED Morelli, not so much anymore. That was a big turn off for me. He was the reliable one, the one who loved her and wanted to marry her. Now there are some extenuating circumstances in the book that I don’t want to spoil that can excuse Joe’s actions, but honestly….NO, just no!

After some steamy scenes and an almost proposal from Ranger in the last book, he is decidedly absent in 22. Now that’s not to say he isn’t there because he is AND he provides at least one steamy kiss and rescue. BUT other than that he’s the cold, unattainable character from the early books. Ranger’s always been my secret ship, but he’s sinking fast. He seems to only call Stephanie when he needs a girl on the team. He has a protective side, putting trackers on all her cars (I’m not sure if this is stalker or smart) and he always shows up when she needs him, like a sixth sense of his or something, BUT he will never be permanent because he doesn’t want a relationship…see where I’m going with this?

Time to move on Stephanie!

The Predictable Plot


Hmmm….let’s see does any of this sound familiar? A skip who is innocent, a destroyed car(s), Lula’s multiple hair colors, a crazy encounter with Grandma Mazur at the funeral home, and a dinner at home….yep I think that covers the plot plan for the last several books and it doesn’t vary in this one. There are new characters but with the same plot, just different crime. It was funny, like I was laughing out loud kind of funny, but this book wasn’t my favorite by a long shot. In fact I was really disappointed. In 21, I thought Janet Evanovich found Stephanie’s groove again. 21 reminded me of all the reasons I fell in love with the series, but 22 reminds me why I stopped reading them for a while.

My Conclusion
So if I’m being brutally honest, this book wouldn’t even garner 2★'s but it’s Stephanie Plum and it’s supposed to be a fun read not one I analyze to death. So with that in mind, I actually really enjoyed the book. Did the characters annoy me? Yeah like a best friend who is being stupid. Did I predict the ending? With 99.9% accuracy. Did I laugh til tears rolled? Oh yeah! Tricky Twenty-Two may not be the best book for the series, but it was still a fun break from my normal read and is a must read for fans of the series. My final comment: Bring on [b:Turbo Twenty-Three|28686749|Turbo Twenty-Three (Stephanie Plum, #23)|Janet Evanovich|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1457555562s/28686749.jpg|48881943] Babe!

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

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop is the third book in The Others and reveals the building tension between humans and the terra indigene. At the end of the last book, the cassandra sangue are saved from their captors and are now living among the Others and Intuits. Like Meg, many are addicted to the euphoria they feel from cutting and Simon has charged Meg and her “female pack” with defining limits and ways to help the young girls that were saved. With their focus on the blood prophets, the terra indigene miss the growing poison of the Humans First and Last movement that is sweeping through Thaisia.

Oh my goodness SO much is happening in this book! Meg is really struggling with her addiction to cutting. When she feels the pins and needles start she NEEDS to cut. However when cutting causes harm to one of her friends, Meg reevaluates and takes Simon’s advice enlisting the “female pack” (Theral, Ruthie, and Merri Lee) to help her figure out when she’s overwhelmed, to define when she should cut and when it’s better to walk away.

Simon is under a lot of pressure. There is a delicate balance between the humans and Others and his Courtyard is at the center of it. It is his relationship with Meg that started the tenuous relationship with the police of Lakeside and the other humans working inside the Courtyard. Afraid of becoming too human yet wanting to keep the peace between them, Simon needs Meg’s visions as much as her own need to cut.

The plot focuses on the cassandra sangue that are living with the Intuits. Meg and Simon want to help them and so Meg begins pushing herself to the limits so that she can figure out what is too much, when to walk away and when to cut. In the background though is the Humans First and Last movement. It started cropping up towards the end of the first book, made a big scene in the second and now in this book they are becoming a more pressing matter, turning on “Wolf Lovers” running them out of their homes. Simon and the Courtyard step up for their “human pack” but it may cost them more than they imagined.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I did feel like it was a bit of a bridge though to the next one. There is a ton of build-up that culminates in an explosive ending, BUT I believe the real action and answers to the questions about the HFL will be answered in the next book. If you enjoy paranormal, urban fantasy, I highly recommend you start the series!

That was one intense read!!! Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop is the fourth book in The Others and picks up almost right where the last book ended. The Elders have declared a breach of trust between the humans and Others, but have asked a question of Simon before they carry out their punish. The question “how much human do we want to keep?” has kept Simon up several nights. Not wanting to worry Meg, he keeps this question to himself. Losing one of the Crowgard and one of the police officers in their “human pack” has left a bad taste in Simon’s mouth. But with the initial anger gone, he fears the wrath of the Elders and the possible extinction of the human race.

Let me be honest for a second. I struggled with this book and I can’t even pinpoint a good reason why. There was a lot going on across the entire continent and the Wolfgard was the key. Meg, Hope (the prophet pup of Jackson’s), and Jean were all seeing the same thing from a different angle. They were all seeing the Humans First and Last movement making stupid decisions that brought the Elder’s wrath. “This is what it means to be human, it said. This is what humans do.”



Yeah the HFL have screwed up big time in this book and the entire human race is going to pay for it. How much human do you want to keep Simon? How about none?! Seriously reading this book I was on the edge of my seat and sick at my stomach. I had to take emotional breaks because it was too much at times. It was dark and gloomy and foreboding, knowing that something big was coming but not what it was. Then Meg’s prophecies *shudders* TOO MUCH!!!

I struggled though. There was a lot of head hopping as the story was told from several different parts of Thaisia. Oh yes and killing….LOTS AND LOTS of killing. Not really necessary Ms. Bishop. Nope!! Not at all!

Overall I liked the book. I was right when I said that book three was a bridge book in that many of the things that went unanswered are answered fully now. If you enjoy a night of no sleep, than I highly suggest you read this book asap. Otherwise be prepared to take lots of breaks and ponder what it is to be human....

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

My brain hurts, my heart hurts, and I’m sick to my stomach after reading Eerie by C.M. McCoy. It was a fantastic read, BUT an emotional rollercoaster for me. Hailey’s life is turned upside down after her older sister Holly is taken from their uncle’s pub leaving behind only her foot (still in its shoe). Obviously this is the catalyst for a series of events in Hailey’s life that lands her at Bear Towne University in The Middle of Nowhere, Alaska studying ParaScience under a man who has haunted her dreams since she was a girl. Too much for you?! Oh it gets better *insert sarcasm here*

I really liked Hailey. She’s a young girl who has lost everyone she’s ever cared about. Her parents died when she was a kid and now her sister is missing, likely dead. Despite all this she has been through, she isn’t wallowing in a pit of self-pity….you know like the rest of us would. Instead she heads to college in a town called The Middle of Nowhere to study ParaScience. Hailey believes that someone killed her parents, she sees monsters in her dreams and one of those monsters just stepped into her waking life.

Asher is an Envoy AND the monster from Hailey’s dreams. I’m not really sure how I feel about him. He was possessive, clingy, and emotionless. Now he was SUPPOSED to be emotionless, it’s part of his nature, but it was just weird for me. He was scary and I just didn’t see him truly loving Hailey as he claims (not a spoiler, this is evident from the Prologue). Asher, to me, sees Hailey as a possession, a conquest to win….not cool!

Fin however *dreamy-eyed swooning in progress* I could get on board with. Fin is a college student, working at Hailey’s uncle’s pub when Holly disappears. He quickly becomes her best friend, someone she can commiserate with and her person. He holds her together, is her rock, and confidante. Fin also has some big secrets and I’ll be honest I wasn’t too sure about him in the beginning, but he grew on me.

My favorite character though is Tomas, an 11-ish ghost who appears after Holly disappears and becomes Hailey’s hairdresser. He doesn’t speak other than to write words on mirrors, but he does great hair!

If you’ve read the blurb for the book, you know you’re in for a fun, paranormal read and it is that! BUT I don’t think the blurb does the book justice. It is so much more than just a paranormal romance. The book is truly urban fantasy and reminds me of one of my favorite series [b:The Unearthly|18153436|The Unearthly (The Unearthly, #1)|Laura Thalassa|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372778799s/18153436.jpg|25507980] by [a:Laura Thalassa|7152490|Laura Thalassa|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1372456585p2/7152490.jpg]. Hailey leaves home not really understanding anything beyond what Asher has told her (and allowed her to remember) in her dreams, which isn’t much. She arrives at Bear Towne like any new freshman at college, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready to learn it all. What she doesn’t expect is carnivorous trees, Yetis, spiteful poltergeists, or Fin. She also doesn’t expect an Envoy wishing to kill her, but that’s for you to read about…

Overall I really enjoyed the book and would have given it 5★'s, but I had a really hard time following the book in the beginning. There were times that I thought I’d skipped a chapter, but it was the head-hopping between characters that made it hard to follow. Also the beginning really dragged. In my opinion, the first 12-15 chapters could have been combined and condensed, getting Hailey to Bear Towne quicker and keeping the pace steady throughout the book.

If you enjoy coming of age, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy, I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book. It is a MUST read and I cannot wait for more….just be warned there is a cliffhanger that left me reeling. I really hope we don’t have to wait too long!!!

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinions of the book or the content of this review.

Initial Reaction
So I had really high expectations for Arena, Holly Jennings‘s debut novel, and I was sorely disappointed. The first half of the book I just didn’t get it….



And then there was a turning point that caught my attention and the second half I couldn’t read fast enough. I was so pumped!



Arena follows the story of Kali Ling as she rises to fame in the Virtual Gaming League (think NFL of her time). With fame comes prestige, money, and of course the rock’n’roll life style of the Hollywood A-Listers….aka booze, drugs, and sex. So was not expecting that!!! Isn’t this a young adult book? Anyways I digress, let’s break down what I liked and didn’t like.

Amazing Character Growth
I say it all the time, “I loved seeing the growth in [insert character name here]” BUT it’s rare that you see the character growth to the extent that Holly Jennings pulls off in Kali Ling. The book opens with Kali Ling, a cocky VGL gamer who never loses. She’s the warrior both in virtual and the real. But when her teammate dies of a drug overdose (in her bed I might add) it does a number on her. The author takes us through what Kali is dealing with, from hitting rock bottom to figuring out her life. It is truly amazing to read, and a little inspiring!

But it’s not just Kali that the author takes through this transformation. It’s Kali’s entire team. They all deal with their teammate’s death in different ways. And Kali, the newly appointed captain, has to find a way to make her team a TEAM all the while adding a new player to the mix to replace the one they lost. I loved reading how they became a team, working together through the tournament and having fun as friends to relax from training.

The New Adult Plot for a Young Adult Audience
Okay so maybe it’s because I’m a mom now but there were several scenes in this book that I felt were not appropriate (AT ALL) for the young adult crowd. In the opening chapters alone, there is use of illegal drugs, lots of drinking, partying, oh and a sex scene. AND don’t get me started on the language!



The plot has an odd pace as well. The book is centered around Kali and her team entering the RAGE tournament which is like the Super Bowl for gamer every where. The book starts with them losing their Death Match, meaning they enter the tournament on the losing bracket. Then their teammate overdoses (because apparently in 2054 it is super easy to get street drugs) and they have a couple of weeks to replace him AND become a team again. Sounds fast paced right….WRONG! The first half of the book is everything I just stated and it moved SO slow, there were gaping holes in the plot and there were times I was sure I missed something. And then something happens in the second half, I don’t even know what, but there is a clear dividing point from the inane to the interesting and the pace picks up speed.

My Conclusion: Pass
So this is a book about virtual reality and ultimately addiction. Kali struggles throughout the book and the gaping plot holes become clearer because they were supposed to be there as a projection of Kali losing it. For me the book was just okay. During the first few chapters I very nearly DNFed it simply because Kali has a friends with benefits relationship with the teammate that OD’s and then the new guy comes in and she’s all like “he’s hot.” Big no-no in my book. At least mourn the teammate a little first please before moving to the next guy. What I did like though is that the Kali isn’t your typical young adult heroine. She has problems, big problems that she overcomes and it focuses on that instead of the romance. Overall if you enjoy science fiction, you like video games, than give the book a shot. Maybe you’ll like it better than me!

Imagine, if you will, a world that is at war and has ultimately been conquered by one man. THAT is the opening of The Queen of All that Dies. It’s no secret that Laura Thalassa is one of my favorite authors and this book is just one of the many reasons why. She has created a world where there is no peace, there is no rest, those you love are dying constantly and one girl could stop it all.

Of all the series by Laura Thalassa, I think Serenity Freeman is my favorite character. She’s a strong female lead that truly kicks butt. She doesn’t wallow in self-pity despite the world dying around her. No! She takes it head on, fighting every step of the way. Serenity is trained to be a soldier and she’s lethal, killing without remorse. When the Western United Nations enters peace talks (aka surrenders), Serenity goes with her father to the Eastern Empire and comes face to face with the man of her nightmares King Lazuli.

King Lazuli *swoon* is one scary man. He truthfully has no conscience. He conquers to conquer and he sees Serenity as his next conquest. Yet there is something irresistible about him. For one he’s smoking hot, even Serenity has a hard time seeing past that to get back to her hatred of the man. And then there’s how kind he is to her. He’s gentle and different from the man she grew up fearing. I don’t know how to explain it other than she brings out the good in him.

This book focuses mainly on the relationship between Serenity and King Lazuli, their attraction to one another, and the war between their countries. Serenity resists him over and over again which in turn makes Lazuli fight harder for her.

What makes this book so great though is the world-building the author has done. You have the Western United Nations that are still reeling from radiation and the poison it brings. Then there’s the Resistance that spans the globe. You have characters aside from Serenity and Lazuli that twist the story with their actions, their betrayals, and their truths.

Overall I LOVED this book. I devoured it in one sitting, barely taking any time for food and sleep. If you enjoy a book fraught with betrayal, lies and romance, you love dystopians, than THIS BOOK needs to be next on your reading list! Just so you know though there is a terrible, awful cliffhanger at the end.