Rating: 3/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 286

Amazon

Author

I received a free copy of this book from OfTomes Publishing specifically for review purposes. All opinons are my own.

Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame.

Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can't help but ignite. As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose--walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all. - Amazon.com

Okay, so I'm not one for mermaid tales. I could never make myself read one after I became utterly disappointed in learning that I was not a mermaid myself (still am actually, it's quite upsetting). But I thought I would give this one a go. Overall, I thought it was pretty good. The characters were interesting and the plot was as well. I thought the book was a really good dark mermaid tale and something that any undersea lover would like to pick up.

However, I did have a bit of trouble getting through this book. I thought the writing was a bit choppy and hard to read and understand at times. It felt like the book was going at one pace the but the writing was on a different one. The book was also slow at times and it felt a little dull. I also felt the Halen was a bit of a whinebag and personally it made it hard for me to like her.

Verdict: Overall, it was a good book and I'd like to see if the author improved on some of the areas I touched upon as problematic in the first book, but it was a hard book for me to get through. At times I did want to DNF it but I'm really proud I made it through the book. This book would be a good read for people who enjoy mermaid books and who like almost Bella like characters, but for me it was just an okay book.

Rating: 2/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 334

Amazon

Author

I received a free copy of this book from OfTomes Publishing specifically for review purposes. All opinons are my own.

As one of the only spirit users in her coven, Avah has been chosen to wield The Power, the ultimate weapon against the immortal vampire species witches have been at war with for centuries.

But on the night of her birth rite, Avah’s coven is attacked. Forced to seek refuge among the very beings she’s sworn to kill, Avah vows revenge on those who took her former life from her.

As Avah slowly transitions into a life of blood and war, she realizes everything she’s been told is a lie. - Amazon.com

Why are vampires always at war with some other magical creature? Can they just not get along with anyone? I always feel bad for them, they're always fighting something. Can't we all just get along? Anyways, about the book, which has a twilight/underworld type feel, I felt was an okay book. The writing was really well done and the plot was intriguing for the most part. I also felt the pacing was well done and that the world building was superb. However, those are the only things I liked about this book.

I couldn't connect with the characters and I found some of the things they did weird in my opinion. I got very confused throughout the book and I also felt the book was very cliche. I also had issue with not DNF-ing the book. The book constantly lost my attention.

Overall, this book wasn't my favorite, but if you really like twilight or underworld you would really like this book and series.

Rating: 4/5

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Pages: 374

Amazon

Author

I received a free copy of this book from Austin MaCauley Publishing company. All opinions are my own.

Amber, Vicky and Melanie are three young, fun-loving girls working on the reception desk at Lockards Construction Company in Bath. They're inseparable, both in and out of work. The wildest of the three, Melanie's life revolves around sex with casual partners. That is, until the owner of a popular local wine bar comes along. Vicky is single and happy to be so, while Amber's love life is turbulent—to say the least. After being engaged to her partner, Phil, for just one day, she discovers, at their engagement party, that he's been doing the dirty on her. She's heartbroken and decides that men are firmly off the agenda for a long time. That is until a series of mishaps bring her closer to her hunky new boss, Tom Tranter. Amber does everything in her power to deny their obviously mutual attraction, but her colleagues are determined to seal their fate. - Amazon.com

I'm not one for romance books, but sometimes I get in the mood for them. Like when I've had my wisdom teeth pulled and I need to finish this book. So I finished this book while I was down and out for surgery and I really did like the book. I thought the book had great character development and the plot was very intriguing. I also thought the pacing was done very well and for the most part the writing was phenomenal. The book managed to hold my interest and I didn't feel forced to read it.

The only flaw I felt the book had was that the book changed POV multiple times and sometimes in the middle of a chapter. I don't really like when books change POV suddenly as it makes it confusing for the reader to follow along. While I didn't have problems with the characters themselves and I felt they each had their own voice, I did get a little confused while reading the book and figuring out "who" I was at any moment.

Verdict: This is a really good romance read and girl power read, but the changing POV does make it very hard to follow along sometimes. Overall, a great read for any romance lover.

Rating: 4.5/5

Genre: General Fiction/Slight Romance

Pages: 404

Amazon

I recieved a free copy of this book courtesy of Austin Macauley Publishing Company. All opinions are my own.

Papua New Guinea has very recently achieved independence and Australia is helping to organise the transition. This includes the transfer of lands—viable plantations—back into the hands of Papua New Guinean clans. But this is a tricky task, especially given the fact that few, if any, tangible records of traditional ownership exist.
For relief journalist Nicola Jameson, fresh into Mount Hagen following a disastrous eight months in Port Moresby working for Papua Guinea’s only daily newspaper, covering this tension and the new administration’s handling of affairs is a God-given chance for her to revive her career.
But the more she gets into the intricacies of traditional custom and the politics of land transition, the more she loses sight of the necessary divide between journalism and participation—especially when she finds herself attracted to Kuria plantation owner Ian Hilder. - Amazon.com

Another book I finished while recovering from my surgery! This one was set in Papua New Guinea and it was a wonderful adventure. I thoguht the writing was extremely well done and the plot kept me entertained and engaged throughout the book. The pacing was also well done, not too fast or slow for the book. The characters were also very well developed and generally this would be the type of book I would expect to see on the New York Times Bestseller list. While I'm not a fan of this genre I really liked reading this book.

However, I did think that the book could be improved upon by adding some maps or more world building. New Guinea is not somewhere an average person in the USA or Europe would probably go, so adding a map or having more world building would help the reader to visualize where they are I believe.

Verdict: Beyond this minor issue I think this book was amazingly well done and one of my more surprising reads of 2017. Definitely check out this book if you're wanting to travel from the comfort of your bed.

Rating: 5/5

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 335

Amazon

Author

I received a free copy of this book from the author for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

In a magical tale of adventure, eight cousins sneak through forbidden treehouse doors only to find themselves separated from each other and lost in strange worlds. In their quests to return home, they must unravel mysteries, escape snares and villains, find one another, and search for the elusive Oracle. The Peacock Door is a rich story of camaraderie, courage, and determination with a bit of whimsy sprinkled throughout. - Amazon.com

I love reading middle grade novels because they make the world so much simpler. Same thing with this novel. This tale of eight cousins is so sweet and amazingly well done. The character development was very well done and you could tell that each character had their own voice. The plot and pacing were very well done as well and the story kept my interest throughout the whole book. The writing was also very well done and very age approrpriate for middle graders.

The only issue I could find with the book is that so many characters could overwhelm some readers. While the book is really well written and it's easy to tell when each character speaks or does something, it might still be slightly overwhelming for some readers to remember all of these seperate characters.

Verdict: Phenominal book and one that I'll keep for my kids. Definitely recommend if you have a young child who loves fantasy reads.

Rating: 5/5

Genre: YA Fantasy/Dystopian

Pages: 553

Amazon

Author

This book was a present from me to me, no disclaimer needed.

Secret Identities.
Extraordinary Powers.
She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies―humans with extraordinary abilities―who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice―and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to the villains who have the power to end them both. - Amazon.com

If you've not read a Marissa Meyer book then what are you waiting for?? This book was absolutely beautiful! Set after the victory of the Renegades from the "evil" Anarchists, you can't help but be on the side of the Renegades... but what if you're not getting the whole story? Told in duel narrative, you see both sides of the conflict, one from Nova who is our Anarchist nicknamed Nightmare with the ability to put people to sleep and not have to sleep herself, and our Renegade Adrian, nicknamed Sketch who can draw things to life and might have another secret he's not even sharing with his superhero parents. The thing that is usually done in superhero novels is that they have a clear evil villian and a clear superhero. While this book has some of those, you can't help but be conflicted on who's side you need to be on by the end of the novel. The best things about this book are that the characters not only have imaginative and creative abilities and superpowers, but even the least "on-screen" character has enough personality to carry a scene and not be the wallflower of the book. The plot is very well done as well and while it is a bit cliche it doesn't have that cliche feel and even feels fresh and new. The pacing is also very well done. It's fast paced, but the author does not skimp on the world building or sacrifice the story at any point to move along to the next scene. And to top it all off I think Meyer's writing is some of the best I've read this year. Her writing keeps your engaged and focused throughout the novel and it leaves you wanting more when you put the book down. Meyer also does really well in writing the romance in the book. There is no insta-love in the book and I think that's sadly a minority in today's YA world.

The only issue I really had with the book is that I think the book focused too much on the superheroes and those with abilities. I would have liked some narrative from humans who tried to join the Renegades or the Anarchists or regular humans, because Meyer does make it a point to show that the regular humans have become lazy and depend on the Renegades for everything. I would like to see why from the perspective of a regular human. I would also like to say that because this is the first book in a new series there will be some slower moments in order for there to be adequate world building and character development. I think it was handled well and it didn't drag for me, but others might not see it like I do.

Verdict: If you're a fan of superhero novels, especially Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson, then you might enjoy this book. It definitely will make you question about morality and what is truly right and truly wrong and it is, in my opinion, the perfect read for someone who is transistioning from comic books to novels.

Rating: 3.5/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 223

Amazon

Author

I was provided a free copy of this book by the author! All opinions are my own.

Marley Craw is dead. Dead as a deadbolt DEAD. But death is only the beginning for our deceased heroine. When it comes to the afterlife, Marley’s fate is unclear. Having lived a good-but-not-GREAT, selfish-but-not-WICKED life, Marley’s landed herself on the UNDECLARED list. Now, this before-her-prime beauty will spend her nether-days under the watchful eye of two grim reapers.

And the reapers?

They’re hot as Hell.

Two sexy reapers, one unfortunate ghost, and enough heat to wake the dead. WHO will win Marley’s SOUL? - Amazon.com

I want to start this review by saying that this book was outside of my normal realm of reading. I have been burned by many angel/devil/afterlife tales like Hush Hush, The Lovely Bones, and Firstlife and so I was very hesitant to read this book. But Brindi Quinn wrote this book and she's one of my faves so I gave it a try. I will say that the first half of the book I was not feeling it. It focused a lot on the love triangle and ever since Firstlife by Gena Showalter I have hated love triangles. But I kept with it and it got a ton better in the second half of the book. Marley was not a lovestruck girl anymore, she had amazing character development in the second half of the novel and I felt for her. I can't really say anyone else had character development, but Marley... omg my heart broke for her. I felt the pacing of the book was also really good and the writing was excellent. While this book wasn't my favorite by Brindi I can't fault her on her writing. The book is wrote from the inner monologue of Marley and her writing is how a 17 year old girl would talk.

However, I did feel that while this book was good it could have been better. I think this book really could benefit from a prologue from the viewpoint of Pine and/or Minx to explain more about the rules of this universe and I think there could have been more of Beck in the novel as well. He seemed to just be a plot device and I don't really like plot device only characters lol. I only say that the book needed a prologue because I spent the whole first half of the novel very frustrated with the book. It felt like a typical love triangle book and I know Brindi does better than that. What saved the book was the explantion of the rules, Marley's backstory, etc. and I think that if we had that before the second half of the novel I would have liked it more.

Verdict: Overall, it's a decent story, I've just been burned by one too many love triangle books. If you like afterworld books this book is for you and it's a very sexy tale, but it didn't light up any fires for me unfortunately. Brindi has other amazing books if you don't think you'd be a fan of this one though that you should totally check out. Here's the review links for Zillow Stone and Lightborne to highlight the other two I've read and reviewed.

Rating: 5/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages:346

Amazon

Author Link

I was given a free copy of this book by the author. She is a sweet and wonderful person and writer and I thank her immensely for this book. All opinions are my own.

Tallis is learning how to deal with loss, and violence as she and her friends traverse the forests of Selkirk trying to find the reason behind the elven uprising. Not to mention why they keep hissing her name. But the further into the forests they go, Tallis is finding that the elves' depravity can still surprise her, and thoroughly test the bonds of friendship, family, and love.

Tallis's journey eventually leads to answers they're not prepared for. Now Tallis begins to wonder just who she really is, and if she's the evil that will end up destroying Selkirk. But she cannot stop to process these revelations, as an unforeseen betrayal lands those she loves at the feet of the very monster responsible for all the hurt and heartbreak.

Coming face to face with her foe, Tallis discovers all too late she has no idea how to deal with this level of pain, and death. One way or another, the monster's path ends here, and all Tallis can hope to do is bring those she loves safely out of the heart of the forest. - Amazon.com

I'm back in the world of Selkirk and when I started this book I was super afraid I would have forgotten everything that happened in Book 1 which occassionally happens with me. I have a weird memory and sometimes I remember everything in minute detail and sometimes I don't remember anything. The year my husband and I dated? I don't remember it. My coworker's Thanksgiving day? I remember EVERYTHING. Anyways, I was really excited when everything I had read came flooding back to me immediately! It was like I didn't miss anything and the story picks up really well from where it last left off. The characters were all, once again, engaging and very well developed. The story is still told in multiple POV but each character has a very distinct voice and action set so it's not out of character reading from their POV. The plot developed amazingly well. I didn't see the twists and turns as they came and I even cried at one point! The plot didn't get weird and while there were new objectives added throughout the book (it's an adventure tale! That's how they're written) none of them felt odd or combated with the tone of the book. It all flowed together very naturally and the pacing was never too slow or too fast.


The only ONLY issue I had with the book was that some characters that cause conflict were not present a lot in the book. There was still a lot of conflict in the book, but none from the characters I was expecting to see again. However, there is another book coming out and I think that one will play up those characters and I'm excited to see if Tallis does what was asked of her!

Verdict: This is the book you want to read if you can't stand to read the whole of LOTR or any Robin Hobb books. It's a perfect YA book for those who seek adventure, but not high fantasy. Read this book and Book 1 today!

Rating: 4/5

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 240

Amazon

I was provided a free copy of this book by the author. Thank you so much! All opinons are my own.

After having the same strange dream, siblings Rachel and Eric find themselves being transported to another world where Rachel's special powers come into play to help free the children that have been captured by the evil Dragwena. - Amazon.com

So to start this review off I do want to say that I do love books that have that Harry Potter/Narnia type feel to them and I felt this book fit that perfectly. The book was highly imaginative, the world building was fantastic, and the characters felt like real children instead of mini adults who know how to solve all the world's issues.

However, I did feel like the book didn't keep my interest. I'm not sure why but I could walk off from the book and not feel a need to go back to it. I blame my funky mood I've been in lately. I also felt that the plot was a bit similiar to other middle grade books I've read.

Verdict: If you're looking for a middle grade book that your child might love if they like magical books like Narnia then this book is for you! If you're an older reader this book might drag a bit for you.

Rating: 4/5

Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Dystopian

Pages: 230

Amazon

I was provided a free copy of this book by the author. Thank you so much! All opinions are my own.

Sasha is the youngest scientist of this new generation and has pioneered the way to a whole new level of genetic engineering… but little does she know, that’s going to spell trouble.

After countless years of hard work at Gentec Laboratories, she’s made an amazing breakthrough. Sasha has created her own strands of DNA, not just from current species, but ones that have been long extinct. Her specialty: predators.

Just as things are being finalized on her latest creation, she wakes up in a forest without any memory of arriving. It takes only seconds to realize she’s no longer on Earth, and even less to realize she must fight to survive.

While exploring, she meets a friend, and together, they agree to go on a journey to escape this planet. The only thing is, the further they travel, the more Sasha begins to realize what this place could be. Doubts seep into her mind as they travel deeper into this strange world. More than skill will be needed to escape this place; they’ll need luck and a lot of help. Some of that is found along the way, but with it comes secrets from the past and dire warnings of what lies ahead.

Can these two, a scientist and a hunter, make their way off this harrowing planet alive? An incredible, and terrifying, adventure lies ahead! - Amazon.com


This book was promoted to me as a dystopian, sci-fi, action adventure book and so going into it was was skeptical. Since I read a lot of dystopian I'm highly critical of world building, the science, and how far the book stretches reality to make it fit into these themes. But I was highly surprised when I actually liked this book. I thought this book was very well written and the characters really jumped out to me as highly developed and relatable.


However, I felt that the story had A LOT going on with it and sometimes it could be a bit confusing and exhausting to read this book. The pacing also was a bit too fast for my liking and I felt like I was running a marathon and there was no chance to stop and breathe. I liked the science element behind it as well but I did think that it did stretch a bit too far for me.

Verdict: If you're into sci-fis or dystopians or both then this book would be good for you! Especially if you're a Jurassic Park fan.