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I received an eARC of this book via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Those We Fear by Victoria Griffith is an intense, psychological mystery centered around the Harley estate in Scotland. After witnessing her mother’s death, Maria enters witness protection and takes a job out of the country as the au pair to two children home for the summer. When she arrives at the estate though, odd things begin happening and Maria thinking she would be safe finds herself in danger once again.
Maria is one of those characters that is easily forgettable. She was the core of the story but I honestly can’t tell you much about her. She’s an artist, her mother was murdered in front of her, and now she’s living in a new country with a new name and no friends. She’s jumpy, has nightmares, and is seeing things that do not make sense at the Harley estate.
Her only consolation is Jonathan, the older brother to the two children she is au pair for. Like her, he is still grieving their mother and they can relate to one another. The problem though with Jonathan is that he is unpredictable. His emotions are all over the place. I didn’t care for the insta-love between the two either. It was a little too much too quick in my opinion.
What really makes this book great though is the mystery. Maria arrives at Harley thinking she will be safe, but quickly learns that something is happening on the estate. Something wants her gone, something is haunting the children and she is determined to figure it out! This is one of those books that will keep you up thinking all night. There are tons of twists, surprises, and all the good things that come with psychological thrillers. Add in a ghost or two and it is truly terrifying.
Overall I liked the book. I was hooked on the story, not wanting to sit it down for anything. I wanted to figure out the mystery. It reminded me of [b:Rebecca|17899948|Rebecca|Daphne du Maurier|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386605169s/17899948.jpg|46663] by Daphne du Maurier. If you’re like that classic mystery, than you will love this one!
Those We Fear by Victoria Griffith is an intense, psychological mystery centered around the Harley estate in Scotland. After witnessing her mother’s death, Maria enters witness protection and takes a job out of the country as the au pair to two children home for the summer. When she arrives at the estate though, odd things begin happening and Maria thinking she would be safe finds herself in danger once again.
Maria is one of those characters that is easily forgettable. She was the core of the story but I honestly can’t tell you much about her. She’s an artist, her mother was murdered in front of her, and now she’s living in a new country with a new name and no friends. She’s jumpy, has nightmares, and is seeing things that do not make sense at the Harley estate.
Her only consolation is Jonathan, the older brother to the two children she is au pair for. Like her, he is still grieving their mother and they can relate to one another. The problem though with Jonathan is that he is unpredictable. His emotions are all over the place. I didn’t care for the insta-love between the two either. It was a little too much too quick in my opinion.
What really makes this book great though is the mystery. Maria arrives at Harley thinking she will be safe, but quickly learns that something is happening on the estate. Something wants her gone, something is haunting the children and she is determined to figure it out! This is one of those books that will keep you up thinking all night. There are tons of twists, surprises, and all the good things that come with psychological thrillers. Add in a ghost or two and it is truly terrifying.
Overall I liked the book. I was hooked on the story, not wanting to sit it down for anything. I wanted to figure out the mystery. It reminded me of [b:Rebecca|17899948|Rebecca|Daphne du Maurier|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386605169s/17899948.jpg|46663] by Daphne du Maurier. If you’re like that classic mystery, than you will love this one!
I received an ARC 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.
I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick is a fun story about a boy who wants a pet but his parents say no that is until he thinks he won a goldfish at the carnival. Instead he won Nuncio the whale. The boy learns how to care for his whale and make him an integral part of the family. As I said…cute and fun!
I personally have always loved picture books because images bring the story to life. Neubecker has done that with this book! I was astounded at the little details, like parents’ frustrations or the whale eating and there being leftovers in the pool. It’s these small details that my son picks out, asks questions about and while he is still learning to recognize words and read on his own, the pictures help him tell the story. I loved this because at five my son picks up this book and “reads” it to me….it’s possible he may already have it memorized. It’s become a quick favorite of ours!
I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick is a fun story about a boy who wants a pet but his parents say no that is until he thinks he won a goldfish at the carnival. Instead he won Nuncio the whale. The boy learns how to care for his whale and make him an integral part of the family. As I said…cute and fun!
I personally have always loved picture books because images bring the story to life. Neubecker has done that with this book! I was astounded at the little details, like parents’ frustrations or the whale eating and there being leftovers in the pool. It’s these small details that my son picks out, asks questions about and while he is still learning to recognize words and read on his own, the pictures help him tell the story. I loved this because at five my son picks up this book and “reads” it to me….it’s possible he may already have it memorized. It’s become a quick favorite of ours!
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Taste by Juliet Madison is the 4th installment of The Delta Girls series which gets better with each book! This time the focus is on Tamara, the sister with the psychic sense of taste (hence the title). Tamara is introverted, has a huge crush on Riley’s older brother Leo, and aspires to be a chef. In the previous books she’s been the one always in the kitchen, always eating, but never really had much of a role so I was excited to read her story in the series.
Tamara is the younger of the twins. At 17 she knows what she wants in her life. She wants to be a chef, possibly have her own cooking show. However as she watches her younger sisters, the triplets, she finds herself longing to have a relationship too and more than just the one sided relationship she currently has of looking out the window at her hunky neighbor. I really related to Tamara. She struggles with her psychic sense, which I get. I mean who wants to taste the future?! Yuck!!!
When Savannah videos Tamara in the kitchen and posts it to Facebook, Leo notices and invites Tamara to apply for a position as a kitchen hand at the same restaurant he’s a chef in. Of course she jumps on the opportunity….who wouldn’t?! Getting to work with your crush AND in a kitchen….yes please!!! Leo is introverted like Tamara. He and his brother have experienced loss and grief. Tamara finds a like soul in Leo. And Leo finally has a way to spend time with the lovely Delcarta sister.
The plot revolves around a string of thefts in their small seaside town. While the girls do not sense anything about the thefts, they are plagued with people dying and the news gives them the clues about a string of poisonings at restaurants. In addition to this there is still the mystery about their father’s death which has spanned the entire series. The girls are no closer to an answer than they were in the last book, which for them is frustrating. Tamara hides her feelings from her sisters well but not Leo. I love their relationship! It’s sweet and albeit predictable, but totally swoon-worthy.
Overall I really enjoyed this installment to The Delta Girls. In fact I read it in one sitting, staying up till 3am to do so. If you enjoy mystery and crime stories with a twist of the paranormal and a touch of romance, I highly recommend the series!
Taste by Juliet Madison is the 4th installment of The Delta Girls series which gets better with each book! This time the focus is on Tamara, the sister with the psychic sense of taste (hence the title). Tamara is introverted, has a huge crush on Riley’s older brother Leo, and aspires to be a chef. In the previous books she’s been the one always in the kitchen, always eating, but never really had much of a role so I was excited to read her story in the series.
Tamara is the younger of the twins. At 17 she knows what she wants in her life. She wants to be a chef, possibly have her own cooking show. However as she watches her younger sisters, the triplets, she finds herself longing to have a relationship too and more than just the one sided relationship she currently has of looking out the window at her hunky neighbor. I really related to Tamara. She struggles with her psychic sense, which I get. I mean who wants to taste the future?! Yuck!!!
When Savannah videos Tamara in the kitchen and posts it to Facebook, Leo notices and invites Tamara to apply for a position as a kitchen hand at the same restaurant he’s a chef in. Of course she jumps on the opportunity….who wouldn’t?! Getting to work with your crush AND in a kitchen….yes please!!! Leo is introverted like Tamara. He and his brother have experienced loss and grief. Tamara finds a like soul in Leo. And Leo finally has a way to spend time with the lovely Delcarta sister.
The plot revolves around a string of thefts in their small seaside town. While the girls do not sense anything about the thefts, they are plagued with people dying and the news gives them the clues about a string of poisonings at restaurants. In addition to this there is still the mystery about their father’s death which has spanned the entire series. The girls are no closer to an answer than they were in the last book, which for them is frustrating. Tamara hides her feelings from her sisters well but not Leo. I love their relationship! It’s sweet and albeit predictable, but totally swoon-worthy.
Overall I really enjoyed this installment to The Delta Girls. In fact I read it in one sitting, staying up till 3am to do so. If you enjoy mystery and crime stories with a twist of the paranormal and a touch of romance, I highly recommend the series!
I received an eARC of this book via Prism Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
I’m not really sure how I feel about Brynn Chapman's The Requiem Red. It’s not at all like I expected and I’d dare say that the synopsis is misleading. I was expecting a historical fiction with a paranormal twist. Well I got that, but the paranormal was on the light side and after reading one chapter I already knew the ending. Disappointing!
Patient 29, also known as Jane, has been a patient at Soothing Hills Sanatorium for as long as she can remember. She sees colors in music and with the color red she hears words. Everyone thinks she is crazy, but really Jane is a virtuoso of music. She composes through her drawings and can look at a piece of music once and be able to play it perfectly. Jane is haunted and tortured by her time at Soothing Hills. Now her roommates are disappearing one by one to the monster that roams the halls and a new orderly is taking a shine to Jane bringing her light in the darkness.
I like how the author explored two characters with synesthesia and showed that despite their disorders they could still be considered “normal.” The girls just saw the world differently and it was interesting to read from their POVs as they experienced their environment.
I had a hard time though with 2 things in particular: the romance and the head hopping. Because I don’t want to spoil anything, I’ll only say one small thing about the romance….it didn’t make sense to me. One of the characters had previously had a crush on another and then all of a sudden declares love for the other. The other romantic interest was too insta-love for me. Then there was the head-hopping. The POV changed SO many times that I had a hard time figuring out whose head I was in. With the head-hopping there were time issues, like a character seemed to be in two places at once when in reality the scenes were happening at different times. So confusing! Because of this I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters and the story itself dragged out.
Overall I wasn’t that impressed with the book. I had high hopes going in but the constant head hopping and the non-paranormal paranormal theme really dashed them. HOWEVER I did enjoy the historical period and the setting of Soothing Hills. If I was to put the book in a genre it would be historical, gothic romance with no mention of paranormal. That’s just me though.
I’m not really sure how I feel about Brynn Chapman's The Requiem Red. It’s not at all like I expected and I’d dare say that the synopsis is misleading. I was expecting a historical fiction with a paranormal twist. Well I got that, but the paranormal was on the light side and after reading one chapter I already knew the ending. Disappointing!
Patient 29, also known as Jane, has been a patient at Soothing Hills Sanatorium for as long as she can remember. She sees colors in music and with the color red she hears words. Everyone thinks she is crazy, but really Jane is a virtuoso of music. She composes through her drawings and can look at a piece of music once and be able to play it perfectly. Jane is haunted and tortured by her time at Soothing Hills. Now her roommates are disappearing one by one to the monster that roams the halls and a new orderly is taking a shine to Jane bringing her light in the darkness.
I like how the author explored two characters with synesthesia and showed that despite their disorders they could still be considered “normal.” The girls just saw the world differently and it was interesting to read from their POVs as they experienced their environment.
I had a hard time though with 2 things in particular: the romance and the head hopping. Because I don’t want to spoil anything, I’ll only say one small thing about the romance….it didn’t make sense to me. One of the characters had previously had a crush on another and then all of a sudden declares love for the other. The other romantic interest was too insta-love for me. Then there was the head-hopping. The POV changed SO many times that I had a hard time figuring out whose head I was in. With the head-hopping there were time issues, like a character seemed to be in two places at once when in reality the scenes were happening at different times. So confusing! Because of this I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters and the story itself dragged out.
Overall I wasn’t that impressed with the book. I had high hopes going in but the constant head hopping and the non-paranormal paranormal theme really dashed them. HOWEVER I did enjoy the historical period and the setting of Soothing Hills. If I was to put the book in a genre it would be historical, gothic romance with no mention of paranormal. That’s just me though.
So I finally jumped on The Mortal Instruments bandwagon and started reading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare last week. I devoured the book in under 2 days. It was an amazing read and everything I had hoped for from the series! I’ve heard so many things about it and knew it was something I wanted to read and I’m SO glad I wasn’t disappointed.
City of Bones introduces us to the world of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders. When Clary and her best friend Simon head out for a night on the town, Clary didn’t realize that her life would be changed forever. She witnesses a trio kill a demon right in front of her. The problem, she’s the only one who can see them. She thinks she’s going crazy and I’d be inclined to agree with her, until Jace (one of the trio) shows back up to see her. Then her mom disappears, leaving behind a wrecked apartment and another demon. What has happened to Clary’s seemingly normal life?
I LOVED Clary. Rather than breaking down and blubbering like all the other girls her age would do, she sucks it up and asks Jace what she needs to do, what will get her mom back that is what she wants to know. She can breakdown later, she doesn’t have time now. I love that attitude in a main, leading character! Clary accepts everything she learns and just keeps going. Now does that mean she doesn’t have a few moments of doubt or blubbering, no because any sane person would. She just doesn’t let it control her.
Then there’s the inevitable love triangle between Simon and Jace and Clary. Simon is Clary’s best friend, he’s normal and always been there for her. It’s obvious from page one that he likes her. In fact it is obvious to everyone but Clary. Isn’t that always the case though? Everyone else can see it but you don’t? Jace is a Shadowhunter, an orphan, and there is something about Clary that intrigues him. I must say I shipped him hard! Their chemistry is off the charts! BUT *shudders*
The plot for this book centers around Clary and her mom. Who are they, how does Clary have Shadowhunter abilities. And then there’s Valentine. The name that seems to be haunting Clary’s steps and all her encounters with Downworlders. Valentine is the ultimate baddie but when he actually shows up in the book I was a little disappointed. He wasn’t all that scary. Manipulative, yes. Scary, not so much!
Overall I loved this book. I cannot wait to continue reading the series. I went out and bought the prequels (Infernal Devices) after I finished it. Now I’m trying to decide when to read those. Any suggestions are welcome. If you enjoy urban fantasy, amazing world building that leads to its own mythology, and a touch (just a touch) of romance, I highly recommend you grab a copy of the book and start this bestselling series. You’ll regret it if you don’t!
City of Bones introduces us to the world of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders. When Clary and her best friend Simon head out for a night on the town, Clary didn’t realize that her life would be changed forever. She witnesses a trio kill a demon right in front of her. The problem, she’s the only one who can see them. She thinks she’s going crazy and I’d be inclined to agree with her, until Jace (one of the trio) shows back up to see her. Then her mom disappears, leaving behind a wrecked apartment and another demon. What has happened to Clary’s seemingly normal life?
I LOVED Clary. Rather than breaking down and blubbering like all the other girls her age would do, she sucks it up and asks Jace what she needs to do, what will get her mom back that is what she wants to know. She can breakdown later, she doesn’t have time now. I love that attitude in a main, leading character! Clary accepts everything she learns and just keeps going. Now does that mean she doesn’t have a few moments of doubt or blubbering, no because any sane person would. She just doesn’t let it control her.
Then there’s the inevitable love triangle between Simon and Jace and Clary. Simon is Clary’s best friend, he’s normal and always been there for her. It’s obvious from page one that he likes her. In fact it is obvious to everyone but Clary. Isn’t that always the case though? Everyone else can see it but you don’t? Jace is a Shadowhunter, an orphan, and there is something about Clary that intrigues him. I must say I shipped him hard! Their chemistry is off the charts! BUT
Spoiler
What the HECK?! They’re brother and sister?! *shudder* I feel SO dirty shipping these two. I hope and pray that this was misinformation and they aren’t siblings. Their chemistry is just too good for that!!!The plot for this book centers around Clary and her mom. Who are they, how does Clary have Shadowhunter abilities. And then there’s Valentine. The name that seems to be haunting Clary’s steps and all her encounters with Downworlders. Valentine is the ultimate baddie but when he actually shows up in the book I was a little disappointed. He wasn’t all that scary. Manipulative, yes. Scary, not so much!
Overall I loved this book. I cannot wait to continue reading the series. I went out and bought the prequels (Infernal Devices) after I finished it. Now I’m trying to decide when to read those. Any suggestions are welcome. If you enjoy urban fantasy, amazing world building that leads to its own mythology, and a touch (just a touch) of romance, I highly recommend you grab a copy of the book and start this bestselling series. You’ll regret it if you don’t!
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
Lies, romance and more lies make up the second book in Saven! Siobhan Davis's Saven: Disclosure hooked me from the beginning and didn’t let go even after I finished the book. It was full of action, suspense, romance, and intrigue. This book picks up a few weeks after the events of [b:Saven Deception|27201785|Saven Deception (Saven #1)|Siobhan Davis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1444829555s/27201785.jpg|45677880], so if you haven’t read that book do so first! Sadie and Logan are separated. Logan is with his father, trying to show the people of Earth that they are not a threat while at the same time talking to the enemy alien ships that are in the sky. Sadie is working in the government building for the vice president. Her entanglements with the rebels and the Saven though will cost her. The question is just how much.
Sadie, Sadie, Sadie
I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t care for Sadie in the first book. She was immature, over-emotional and kind of grated my nerves. That’s changed in this installment. Sadie is still over-emotional if you ask me. I caught myself rolling my eyes at her quite a few times, BUT she’s matured. She’s accepting her mistakes and owning up to them. Rather than blaming her family for the way they treat her (which is awful by the way), she is making a life for herself in the confines that Logan has laid out for her that is.
In addition to seeing Sadie’s growth, Jared and Haydn are a big part of the first half of the book. I absolutely loved seeing these two characters fleshed out more. Jared is Sadie’s friend, you could even make the argument that he is her best friend. He gets her involved deeper with the Rebels and always has her back. Haydn is Logan’s sworn bodyguard, but Logan has him protecting Sadie while he is gone. Haydn *sigh* has my heart after this book. I’m not sure how he managed it but he did.
And Logan….I didn’t care much for him either in the first book, again that’s changed. He is still overprotective and controlling in my opinion, but his reasoning is better explained. His duties to his people and his love for Sadie conflict and he has to make some hard decisions. I’m not sure how I feel about the direction he went. I hate the lying part (on his and Sadie’s side of things). But without the lying, we wouldn’t have an intriguing book now would we?
Deception can get you killed
As I already mentioned, lying is a big theme in this book. Lying to protect the ones you love, lying because you think you can fix things by yourself, lying by omission, lying because of duty. LYING! I hate lying. It ruins relationships, it becomes a crux and you don’t know where the lies end and the truth begins. It breaks trust and hearts, leaving the pieces of relationships in its wake. This is all true for Sadie in this book.
Sadie is working with the Rebels. This is no secret, she started doing this while in Thalassic City. Now her position in the Vice President’s office AND her relationship with Logan make her the Rebels most valuable agent. Sadie finds herself in over her head when the Rebels task her with something she never dreamed of. But it is some else’s betrayal that she didn’t see coming.
Must Read Sequel
Saven: Disclosure does not suffer second-book syndrome that is for sure! It’s fast-paced and addictive. I couldn’t set it down, finishing it in one day. Then re-reading it to be sure I got it all! I was impressed with the character growth in not just Sadie but the secondary characters as well. And then the plot with the foreshadowing!!! As a reader, the foreshadowing that Siobhan Davis throws in clues you in to what’s going on and what may happen in the future. In addition, it had me screaming at Sadie for the decisions she was making because I knew they’d come back to haunt her. If you like science fiction and a little young adult romance (though because of the language I would say 16+ for the YA), then grab a copy of this series and start reading!
Initial Reaction
Lies, romance and more lies make up the second book in Saven! Siobhan Davis's Saven: Disclosure hooked me from the beginning and didn’t let go even after I finished the book. It was full of action, suspense, romance, and intrigue. This book picks up a few weeks after the events of [b:Saven Deception|27201785|Saven Deception (Saven #1)|Siobhan Davis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1444829555s/27201785.jpg|45677880], so if you haven’t read that book do so first! Sadie and Logan are separated. Logan is with his father, trying to show the people of Earth that they are not a threat while at the same time talking to the enemy alien ships that are in the sky. Sadie is working in the government building for the vice president. Her entanglements with the rebels and the Saven though will cost her. The question is just how much.
Sadie, Sadie, Sadie
I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t care for Sadie in the first book. She was immature, over-emotional and kind of grated my nerves. That’s changed in this installment. Sadie is still over-emotional if you ask me. I caught myself rolling my eyes at her quite a few times, BUT she’s matured. She’s accepting her mistakes and owning up to them. Rather than blaming her family for the way they treat her (which is awful by the way), she is making a life for herself in the confines that Logan has laid out for her that is.
In addition to seeing Sadie’s growth, Jared and Haydn are a big part of the first half of the book. I absolutely loved seeing these two characters fleshed out more. Jared is Sadie’s friend, you could even make the argument that he is her best friend. He gets her involved deeper with the Rebels and always has her back. Haydn is Logan’s sworn bodyguard, but Logan has him protecting Sadie while he is gone. Haydn *sigh* has my heart after this book. I’m not sure how he managed it but he did.
And Logan….I didn’t care much for him either in the first book, again that’s changed. He is still overprotective and controlling in my opinion, but his reasoning is better explained. His duties to his people and his love for Sadie conflict and he has to make some hard decisions. I’m not sure how I feel about the direction he went. I hate the lying part (on his and Sadie’s side of things). But without the lying, we wouldn’t have an intriguing book now would we?
Deception can get you killed
As I already mentioned, lying is a big theme in this book. Lying to protect the ones you love, lying because you think you can fix things by yourself, lying by omission, lying because of duty. LYING! I hate lying. It ruins relationships, it becomes a crux and you don’t know where the lies end and the truth begins. It breaks trust and hearts, leaving the pieces of relationships in its wake. This is all true for Sadie in this book.
Sadie is working with the Rebels. This is no secret, she started doing this while in Thalassic City. Now her position in the Vice President’s office AND her relationship with Logan make her the Rebels most valuable agent. Sadie finds herself in over her head when the Rebels task her with something she never dreamed of. But it is some else’s betrayal that she didn’t see coming.
Must Read Sequel
Saven: Disclosure does not suffer second-book syndrome that is for sure! It’s fast-paced and addictive. I couldn’t set it down, finishing it in one day. Then re-reading it to be sure I got it all! I was impressed with the character growth in not just Sadie but the secondary characters as well. And then the plot with the foreshadowing!!! As a reader, the foreshadowing that Siobhan Davis throws in clues you in to what’s going on and what may happen in the future. In addition, it had me screaming at Sadie for the decisions she was making because I knew they’d come back to haunt her. If you like science fiction and a little young adult romance (though because of the language I would say 16+ for the YA), then grab a copy of this series and start reading!
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.
Hanna Peach never ceases to amaze me! Paper Dolls, her newest romantic suspense, left me speechless. It was perfectly heart-warming and gut-wrenching all at the same time. Aria Adams is in Mirage Falls looking for her twin sister who ran away 3 years earlier. She’s given up hope of finding her, it’s been weeks with no clues when Salem shows up at her door. Aria has to find a way to balance her life between Salem the prodigal sister and Clay her best friend and new boyfriend. She can’t have them both, a choice must be made. Who will she choose?
Aria is a character that I won’t soon forget. She’s 18 and has lived her life on the run. Something horrific happened in her past, something she has buried deep. She doesn’t stay anywhere for very long, constantly on the move, looking for her other half, her twin Salem. I liked Aria. Despite everything that has happened in her life she fights, she stands up to her sister and she loves fiercely.
Salem is the opposite of Aria. Where Aria is kind and sweet, a little on the innocent side, Salem is hard, bitter and crass. Did I also mention she’s a bit scary?! Girl has issues and she HATES Clay, hates that he has replaced her in Aria’s life. Salem was Aria’s protector growing up, she did everything Salem said. Salem is insecure, spiteful and downright mean. The question is why….
Overall Paper Dolls is a fantastic read. I devoured it, loved every word. The author takes you right into the story and immediately I was invested in the characters, the plot, and even the romance. While this is listed in New Adult Romantic Suspense, it is not your typical New Adult that borders on porn. No, in fact I would say there should be a warning for people with triggers (i.e. abuse, psychological disorders, rape, etc.) as this becomes a driving point in the plot. Hanna Peach does an amazing job of fleshing out the characters and truly making the disorders that are mentioned real and relatable. It’s heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, and perfect. If you enjoy romantic suspense or your just looking for a great read, this is it!
Hanna Peach never ceases to amaze me! Paper Dolls, her newest romantic suspense, left me speechless. It was perfectly heart-warming and gut-wrenching all at the same time. Aria Adams is in Mirage Falls looking for her twin sister who ran away 3 years earlier. She’s given up hope of finding her, it’s been weeks with no clues when Salem shows up at her door. Aria has to find a way to balance her life between Salem the prodigal sister and Clay her best friend and new boyfriend. She can’t have them both, a choice must be made. Who will she choose?
Aria is a character that I won’t soon forget. She’s 18 and has lived her life on the run. Something horrific happened in her past, something she has buried deep. She doesn’t stay anywhere for very long, constantly on the move, looking for her other half, her twin Salem. I liked Aria. Despite everything that has happened in her life she fights, she stands up to her sister and she loves fiercely.
Salem is the opposite of Aria. Where Aria is kind and sweet, a little on the innocent side, Salem is hard, bitter and crass. Did I also mention she’s a bit scary?! Girl has issues and she HATES Clay, hates that he has replaced her in Aria’s life. Salem was Aria’s protector growing up, she did everything Salem said. Salem is insecure, spiteful and downright mean. The question is why….
Life starts in the deep end, angel. Don’t spend the rest of your existence just watching from the edge.Clay….oh my how I love this boy!!! Clay is the glue that is holding Aria together. He’s her supporter. He pushes her. Rather than enabling her, he builds her up so she can do it on her own. Despite how wonderful he truly is, he is hiding secrets. Aria needs to trust him, but she can’t do that if he’s hiding secrets. These secrets are the driving point of the story so I can’t say anything else about them without spoiling and who likes that?!
Clay, Salem and I – we were all just paper dolls in a paper chain, me in the middle, each end pulling tighter and tighter until something had to tear.This story starts with its ending as a prologue. The author giving you a glimpse of what is happening, letting you draw your own conclusion. Aria has a gun and she has to chose….Salem or Clay. Who will live? Then it backs up four weeks, giving you context and background that comes up to the final choice. I’ll admit reading the prologue I was tempted to skip straight to the end. I was DYING to know what was going to happen, who would Aria chose. It left me in suspense the entire book and yes, I did read it in one sitting and NO I did not know the outcome until like one sentence before it was revealed. Hanna Peach you’re a genius!
Who would I rip apart?
Overall Paper Dolls is a fantastic read. I devoured it, loved every word. The author takes you right into the story and immediately I was invested in the characters, the plot, and even the romance. While this is listed in New Adult Romantic Suspense, it is not your typical New Adult that borders on porn. No, in fact I would say there should be a warning for people with triggers (i.e. abuse, psychological disorders, rape, etc.) as this becomes a driving point in the plot. Hanna Peach does an amazing job of fleshing out the characters and truly making the disorders that are mentioned real and relatable. It’s heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, and perfect. If you enjoy romantic suspense or your just looking for a great read, this is it!
I received a free copy of this book from 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.
The Dragon Heart Keeper by L.L. Hunter is the prequel novella that started the series. When Ashley Brandon is framed for murder, his sentence is an unusual one. He must live for one year as a dragon. Ash never knew his heritage as a Dragon Heart, aka dragon shifter. Nor did he know that there was another realm parallel to this one that housed all the paranormal creatures from the story books.
Ash is an easy to like character. He’s kind, confused, and all-to-trusting. When he shifts the first time, he takes it all in stride. Then he meets his keeper, Eva, and sparks fly. Eva’s a year younger than Ash’s 18. She’s kind, the only one that can talk to him, she keeps him sane. Not to mention she’s a beautiful girl and even as a dragon Ash has teenage boy hormones!
The plot centers around Ash and his being the Dragon Heart. The question is why was he framed, who were the people that were killed, and why can’t Ash remember any of it. This is a short story, clocking in at just under 40 pages. There’s a lot packed into one small package. Because of the small package, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the world they lived in. It was very 2-dimensional without much depth. However if you enjoy paranormal romance and urban-esque fantasy, than you should definitely check it out!
The Dragon Heart Keeper by L.L. Hunter is the prequel novella that started the series. When Ashley Brandon is framed for murder, his sentence is an unusual one. He must live for one year as a dragon. Ash never knew his heritage as a Dragon Heart, aka dragon shifter. Nor did he know that there was another realm parallel to this one that housed all the paranormal creatures from the story books.
Ash is an easy to like character. He’s kind, confused, and all-to-trusting. When he shifts the first time, he takes it all in stride. Then he meets his keeper, Eva, and sparks fly. Eva’s a year younger than Ash’s 18. She’s kind, the only one that can talk to him, she keeps him sane. Not to mention she’s a beautiful girl and even as a dragon Ash has teenage boy hormones!
The plot centers around Ash and his being the Dragon Heart. The question is why was he framed, who were the people that were killed, and why can’t Ash remember any of it. This is a short story, clocking in at just under 40 pages. There’s a lot packed into one small package. Because of the small package, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the world they lived in. It was very 2-dimensional without much depth. However if you enjoy paranormal romance and urban-esque fantasy, than you should definitely check it out!
***Do NOT read this review unless you have read City of Bones***
I’m not really sure how I feel about City of Ashes. I mean I know I loved it! I devoured it in just over 24 hours with very little sleep. I love the plot, the world-building, every word….BUT I did take issue with the characters. Jace is a conundrum, Clary is weak, and Simon just gets on my nerves. More on that in a minute though.
City of Ashes pulled me in immediately with its creepy prologue, featuring a higher demon that feeds on the fear of others and of course Valentine. I knew after that the book would be fantastic and it didn’t disappoint. As Clary tries to come to terms with her heritage, her mother’s magical coma, and Simon, Jace is also dealing with some heavy stuff, like his father isn’t dead, his father is actually Valentine, making the girl he loves his sister *gag*
In addition to all of this, Mrs. Lightwood returns, fearful for her children and distrusting of the boy she took in all those years ago. She kicks Jace out, telling him to leave that the Clave will deal with him and make their decisions, but he could no longer stay with them, putting her children in more danger. I can see her point to an extent, but my heart broke for Jace and the lost little boy he tries to hide inside him.
Jace is perhaps my favorite character (aside from Luke, who I’ll get to soon). He puts on this persona that he is unaffected by those around him, he doesn’t need anyone but himself, and he is fearless. When in reality, he is none of those things. He loves the Lightwoods as if they were truly his family. They took him in and loved him after he witnessed, what he thought was, his father’s death. Now when his father comes back and is the guy that ruined their lives when Jace was still in diapers, they’ve abandoned him, leaving him to his own destructive nature. Jace feels unworthy of anyone’s love or friendship, like I said heartbreaking.
Clary is just as much a mess as Jace in this book. She’s angry with her mom for keeping secrets and guilty for feeling angry when all she really wants is for her mother to wake up. She’s confused about her feelings for Jace and she’s trying to puzzle out Simon, her best friend who wants more. She’s lost and as a result her character development in this book is nearly nonexistent.
Simon on the other hand was fleshed out better this book. In City of Bones, I found him annoying. He was whiny and all like “why don’t you love me” and there’s a little of that in this book, but it goes deeper. Simon finally puts all his feelings for Clary out there in the open, telling her flat out he loves her. It was brave, BUT I still take issue with him. He wants her to run from her Shadowhunter life. He doesn’t support her learning or going any deeper into the world. He’s terrified for her, but doesn’t try to understand how hard this is for her.
And then we have Luke, Clary’s “uncle” and her mother’s best friend. He is my favorite character. After a shaky start in City of Bones, Luke is the only person in the books that I feel is wholly honest with Clary. He loves her, wants to protect, but will not shelter her from the truth as her mother did, at least not now that she knows. I was impressed with his character and the other adults in this young adult series. Usually author omit parental characters or make them absentee characters (you know, mentioned but never present in the plot), Clare doesn’t do this which makes Luke a great character in my eyes!
Okay I can’t go any further without addressing the love triangle. Could you guys see my eyes rolling as I typed that?! You know I hate love triangles but this is a unique one. We have Clary and Jace who had an insta-love relationship that started in the first book. Then we have Clary and Simon with his unrequited love and their life-long friendship. I struggled with how I felt. I mean my ship is sunk. Clary and Jace are brother and sister which makes their feelings incest and breaks my heart because their chemistry is amazing. And I just feel so gross writing that!!!! But Simon is SO whiny and needy and not for Clary.
Overall I really loved the book! While I didn’t care for the relationship between Clary and Jace (face it, my ship has sunk), the character development of Jace and Simon was amazing. The plot was suspenseful, full of action and wholly unique, at least to me a first-time reader of the series. I cannot wait for more!
I’m not really sure how I feel about City of Ashes. I mean I know I loved it! I devoured it in just over 24 hours with very little sleep. I love the plot, the world-building, every word….BUT I did take issue with the characters. Jace is a conundrum, Clary is weak, and Simon just gets on my nerves. More on that in a minute though.
City of Ashes pulled me in immediately with its creepy prologue, featuring a higher demon that feeds on the fear of others and of course Valentine. I knew after that the book would be fantastic and it didn’t disappoint. As Clary tries to come to terms with her heritage, her mother’s magical coma, and Simon, Jace is also dealing with some heavy stuff, like his father isn’t dead, his father is actually Valentine, making the girl he loves his sister *gag*
In addition to all of this, Mrs. Lightwood returns, fearful for her children and distrusting of the boy she took in all those years ago. She kicks Jace out, telling him to leave that the Clave will deal with him and make their decisions, but he could no longer stay with them, putting her children in more danger. I can see her point to an extent, but my heart broke for Jace and the lost little boy he tries to hide inside him.
Jace is perhaps my favorite character (aside from Luke, who I’ll get to soon). He puts on this persona that he is unaffected by those around him, he doesn’t need anyone but himself, and he is fearless. When in reality, he is none of those things. He loves the Lightwoods as if they were truly his family. They took him in and loved him after he witnessed, what he thought was, his father’s death. Now when his father comes back and is the guy that ruined their lives when Jace was still in diapers, they’ve abandoned him, leaving him to his own destructive nature. Jace feels unworthy of anyone’s love or friendship, like I said heartbreaking.
Clary is just as much a mess as Jace in this book. She’s angry with her mom for keeping secrets and guilty for feeling angry when all she really wants is for her mother to wake up. She’s confused about her feelings for Jace and she’s trying to puzzle out Simon, her best friend who wants more. She’s lost and as a result her character development in this book is nearly nonexistent.
Simon on the other hand was fleshed out better this book. In City of Bones, I found him annoying. He was whiny and all like “why don’t you love me” and there’s a little of that in this book, but it goes deeper. Simon finally puts all his feelings for Clary out there in the open, telling her flat out he loves her. It was brave, BUT I still take issue with him. He wants her to run from her Shadowhunter life. He doesn’t support her learning or going any deeper into the world. He’s terrified for her, but doesn’t try to understand how hard this is for her.
And then we have Luke, Clary’s “uncle” and her mother’s best friend. He is my favorite character. After a shaky start in City of Bones, Luke is the only person in the books that I feel is wholly honest with Clary. He loves her, wants to protect, but will not shelter her from the truth as her mother did, at least not now that she knows. I was impressed with his character and the other adults in this young adult series. Usually author omit parental characters or make them absentee characters (you know, mentioned but never present in the plot), Clare doesn’t do this which makes Luke a great character in my eyes!
Okay I can’t go any further without addressing the love triangle. Could you guys see my eyes rolling as I typed that?! You know I hate love triangles but this is a unique one. We have Clary and Jace who had an insta-love relationship that started in the first book. Then we have Clary and Simon with his unrequited love and their life-long friendship. I struggled with how I felt. I mean my ship is sunk. Clary and Jace are brother and sister which makes their feelings incest and breaks my heart because their chemistry is amazing. And I just feel so gross writing that!!!! But Simon is SO whiny and needy and not for Clary.
Overall I really loved the book! While I didn’t care for the relationship between Clary and Jace (face it, my ship has sunk), the character development of Jace and Simon was amazing. The plot was suspenseful, full of action and wholly unique, at least to me a first-time reader of the series. I cannot wait for more!
I received an eARC of this book from 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.
I loved [b:Curse of the Sphinx|25905676|Curse of the Sphinx (Sphinx, #1)|Raye Wagner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1436848648s/25905676.jpg|25336272], so I had high expectations for its sequel. Demigods and Monsters by Raye Wagner exceeded all of them! Like the first book, this one starts with a prologue from Athan’s perspective. He’s looking for Hope, who ran after overhearing him and his father talking about her. He has no clue where she is but he wants to find her because he loves her despite that she’s a monster. Hope is back with Priska in Seattle. She is determined to break her curse, but in order to do this she has to find help in the most unlikely place, a conservatory for demigods.
Hope is tired of hiding, she’s tired of lying, and she’s tired of her curse. She wants what everyone wants….freedom. Hope wants the freedom to live her life, choose who to love, and just be herself without the fear of death hanging over her shoulder. I liked Hope in the last book, but I loved her in this one. She is determined and nothing, not even her feelings, will stop her.
Athan….oh Athan! So while reading the first book, I thought he was just a little too charming but seemed sincere with Hope. With him MIA through the first half of the book, Hope finds out some disturbing information about him and his methods of bringing in new demigods. She feels used and rightfully so. BUT I do believe he is sincere where she is concerned. He’s promised that he never lied to her and I believe him….that’s my opinion anyways.
In order for Hope to enter a conservatory, she first has to be invited by and “discovered” as a demigod. Enter Xan. Xan is the demigod son of Ares. At first I didn’t know how to take him. He was a complete jerk (and that’s putting it nicely). He says what he thinks without a filter and makes no apologies for it. The good thing about this is you always know where you stand with him. When he finds Hope and brings her to the conservatory, I had a bit of eye rolling. I knew where it was going, the inevitable love triangle. BUT I’ll be the first to admit that it works well. Xan is a hard character to dislike and as things turn sour with Athan, he becomes Hope’s confidant and most importantly her friend. I have to admit I jumped ships! #TeamXan
The plot of this book really focuses on Hope’s curse and how to break it. I just thought there was a lot of world-building in the last one! This installment is packed full of mythology woven into the unique twists that Wagner writes. It’s seamless! The mythology is a big draw to the book for me and I love seeing it in this urban setting. Seriously the demigods have cell phones! Kind of made me snicker.
Overall I loved every word of this book! I was cheering Hope on and was on the edge of my seat afraid something was going to happen while she was surrounded by demigods. And that ending!!!! UGH!!! I cannot wait to see what will happen next. For fans of the series, you will not be disappointed with this book!
I loved [b:Curse of the Sphinx|25905676|Curse of the Sphinx (Sphinx, #1)|Raye Wagner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1436848648s/25905676.jpg|25336272], so I had high expectations for its sequel. Demigods and Monsters by Raye Wagner exceeded all of them! Like the first book, this one starts with a prologue from Athan’s perspective. He’s looking for Hope, who ran after overhearing him and his father talking about her. He has no clue where she is but he wants to find her because he loves her despite that she’s a monster. Hope is back with Priska in Seattle. She is determined to break her curse, but in order to do this she has to find help in the most unlikely place, a conservatory for demigods.
Hope is tired of hiding, she’s tired of lying, and she’s tired of her curse. She wants what everyone wants….freedom. Hope wants the freedom to live her life, choose who to love, and just be herself without the fear of death hanging over her shoulder. I liked Hope in the last book, but I loved her in this one. She is determined and nothing, not even her feelings, will stop her.
Athan….oh Athan! So while reading the first book, I thought he was just a little too charming but seemed sincere with Hope. With him MIA through the first half of the book, Hope finds out some disturbing information about him and his methods of bringing in new demigods. She feels used and rightfully so. BUT I do believe he is sincere where she is concerned. He’s promised that he never lied to her and I believe him….that’s my opinion anyways.
In order for Hope to enter a conservatory, she first has to be invited by and “discovered” as a demigod. Enter Xan. Xan is the demigod son of Ares. At first I didn’t know how to take him. He was a complete jerk (and that’s putting it nicely). He says what he thinks without a filter and makes no apologies for it. The good thing about this is you always know where you stand with him. When he finds Hope and brings her to the conservatory, I had a bit of eye rolling. I knew where it was going, the inevitable love triangle. BUT I’ll be the first to admit that it works well. Xan is a hard character to dislike and as things turn sour with Athan, he becomes Hope’s confidant and most importantly her friend. I have to admit I jumped ships! #TeamXan
The plot of this book really focuses on Hope’s curse and how to break it. I just thought there was a lot of world-building in the last one! This installment is packed full of mythology woven into the unique twists that Wagner writes. It’s seamless! The mythology is a big draw to the book for me and I love seeing it in this urban setting. Seriously the demigods have cell phones! Kind of made me snicker.
Overall I loved every word of this book! I was cheering Hope on and was on the edge of my seat afraid something was going to happen while she was surrounded by demigods. And that ending!!!! UGH!!! I cannot wait to see what will happen next. For fans of the series, you will not be disappointed with this book!