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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this book from Instafreebie from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: September 18, 2014
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, violence, gore)
Pages: 376
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: A mermaid's supernatural beauty serves one purpose: to lure a sailor to his death.
The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid's allure.
Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that's haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.
For the first time, Eriana Kwai's Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people's freedom on the Pacific Ocean's deadliest battleground.
First of all I have to say this was the first lesbian mermaid romance I’ve ever read and it was good! So obviously this has some LGBT+ representation and I really enjoyed the story. I felt that the character development and world building were really well done. The plot was intense and it matched the tone of the novel perfectly. War was depicted so realistically in this novel and I felt that this could be a series I could get into.
However, I did feel that there were some issues with the pacing. The novel sometimes grinded to a complete halt and sometimes it ran away with the plot. There wasn’t really any happy medium.
Verdict: Mermaids have pride too!
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: September 18, 2014
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, violence, gore)
Pages: 376
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: A mermaid's supernatural beauty serves one purpose: to lure a sailor to his death.
The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid's allure.
Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that's haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.
For the first time, Eriana Kwai's Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people's freedom on the Pacific Ocean's deadliest battleground.
First of all I have to say this was the first lesbian mermaid romance I’ve ever read and it was good! So obviously this has some LGBT+ representation and I really enjoyed the story. I felt that the character development and world building were really well done. The plot was intense and it matched the tone of the novel perfectly. War was depicted so realistically in this novel and I felt that this could be a series I could get into.
However, I did feel that there were some issues with the pacing. The novel sometimes grinded to a complete halt and sometimes it ran away with the plot. There wasn’t really any happy medium.
Verdict: Mermaids have pride too!
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from Fae Crate. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: June 13, 2017
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (mature themes, violence)
Pages: 318
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Mia hopes to graduate from high school with honors and leave home for good. As a kidnapped survivor, graduation would let her escape a town where her faceless captor roams free. But a grim reaper has different plans.
When a hot new student arrives, Mia's thrust into a sinister world with her life and heart at risk. She must discover who kidnapped her and stop the reaper from killing her. If Mia can't face her past, she won't have a future.
Scythe of Darkness is book one in a series. If you like kick-ass heroines, sizzling chemistry, and mythical twists, you'll love Dawn Husted's urban fantasy romance.
For the most part I felt this book was really well done. The writing was solid and the plot was so interesting. I felt like this could be a really good series. I also feel that if you’re looking for something quick, this would be the book for you.
However, I do have some qualms about it. I didn’t like the instalove and I felt the story was very rushed overall. I don’t feel connected to the story because I don’t think I got to spend a lot of time with it. I also feel that the development of all of the characters were very rushed as well. I think that if this book was longer and if the author slowed down her pace, then the book would be a 5/5.
Verdict: Very rushed, but good.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: June 13, 2017
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (mature themes, violence)
Pages: 318
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Mia hopes to graduate from high school with honors and leave home for good. As a kidnapped survivor, graduation would let her escape a town where her faceless captor roams free. But a grim reaper has different plans.
When a hot new student arrives, Mia's thrust into a sinister world with her life and heart at risk. She must discover who kidnapped her and stop the reaper from killing her. If Mia can't face her past, she won't have a future.
Scythe of Darkness is book one in a series. If you like kick-ass heroines, sizzling chemistry, and mythical twists, you'll love Dawn Husted's urban fantasy romance.
For the most part I felt this book was really well done. The writing was solid and the plot was so interesting. I felt like this could be a really good series. I also feel that if you’re looking for something quick, this would be the book for you.
However, I do have some qualms about it. I didn’t like the instalove and I felt the story was very rushed overall. I don’t feel connected to the story because I don’t think I got to spend a lot of time with it. I also feel that the development of all of the characters were very rushed as well. I think that if this book was longer and if the author slowed down her pace, then the book would be a 5/5.
Verdict: Very rushed, but good.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Just Read Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: July 17, 2018
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Recommended Age: 16+ (alcohol use and abuse, rape trigger warning, vigilante justice, violence, romance)
Pages: 272
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The Darkwater Inn stands tall and proud in the French Quarter, the hub of New Orleans. Bourbon Street is bustling, and general manager Adelaide Fountaine has her hands full with a hotel at capacity. But she is shocked when a body is found: a hotel guest stabbed with a kitchen knife.
Detective Beau Savoie, Adelaide's childhood friend, is on the case. As Beau digs into the victim's past, he unearths a shocking connection between Adelaide and the murdered guest. Beau is hurt that his friend--the woman he's quietly loved for years--kept the truth from him. To make matters worse, the stress of the investigation has sent Adelaide right into the comforting arms of her coworker Dimitri. But Beau can't press Adelaide too hard . . . because he's keeping secrets of his own.
Can Adelaide and Beau afford to hide from the truth with a killer on the loose?
I felt that for the most part this was a pretty good mystery book. It could even be considered a cozy mystery novel. The character development was well done and the writing was really good. The world building is also amazing and the faith element is not overwhelming.
However, I feel that the mystery was too easy to figure out and I got it almost immediately. The mystery and book also wrapped up early in the book, which left the last halfish of the book to be slow and tedious. The book is also from three different POVs and I feel that there is some discombobulation between the pacing and the voice of the three. It just feels like something is off when it shifts between them.
Verdict: A cozy mystery with some serious themes.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: July 17, 2018
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Recommended Age: 16+ (alcohol use and abuse, rape trigger warning, vigilante justice, violence, romance)
Pages: 272
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The Darkwater Inn stands tall and proud in the French Quarter, the hub of New Orleans. Bourbon Street is bustling, and general manager Adelaide Fountaine has her hands full with a hotel at capacity. But she is shocked when a body is found: a hotel guest stabbed with a kitchen knife.
Detective Beau Savoie, Adelaide's childhood friend, is on the case. As Beau digs into the victim's past, he unearths a shocking connection between Adelaide and the murdered guest. Beau is hurt that his friend--the woman he's quietly loved for years--kept the truth from him. To make matters worse, the stress of the investigation has sent Adelaide right into the comforting arms of her coworker Dimitri. But Beau can't press Adelaide too hard . . . because he's keeping secrets of his own.
Can Adelaide and Beau afford to hide from the truth with a killer on the loose?
I felt that for the most part this was a pretty good mystery book. It could even be considered a cozy mystery novel. The character development was well done and the writing was really good. The world building is also amazing and the faith element is not overwhelming.
However, I feel that the mystery was too easy to figure out and I got it almost immediately. The mystery and book also wrapped up early in the book, which left the last halfish of the book to be slow and tedious. The book is also from three different POVs and I feel that there is some discombobulation between the pacing and the voice of the three. It just feels like something is off when it shifts between them.
Verdict: A cozy mystery with some serious themes.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Penguin Random House. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: August 28th, 2018
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 16+ (TRIGGER WARNINGS: rape, sexual assault, child rape, child molestation, child abduction, romance, suspense, language, drugs, death)
Pages: 368
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Ava's disappearance was the crack in the Rivers family glacier. I wish I could explain to you how we were before, but I can't, because the before is so filmy and shadowed with the after.
The after is all Vera remembers. When her twin sister, Ava, disappeared one Halloween night, her childhood became a blur of theories, tips, and leads, but never any answers. The case made headlines, shocked Vera's Northern California community, and turned her family into tragic celebrities.
Now, at eighteen, Vera is counting down the days until she starts her new life at college in Portland, Oregon, far away from the dark cloud she and family have lived under for twelve years. But all that changes when a girl shows up at the local hospital.
Her name is Ava Rivers and she wants to go home.
Ava's return begins to mend the fractures in the Rivers family. Vera and Ava's estranged older brother returns. Vera reconnects with Max, the sweet, artistic boy from her childhood. Their parents smile again. But the questions remain: Where was Ava all these years? And who is she now?
Oh boy, where do I begin? I was instantly drawn into this book and I felt an almost immediate connection. I read 265 pages in one day. One. Day. Holy crap. Anyways, I felt that the story was AMAZING and that the plot, the pacing, the writing… all very well done. The character development was also well done and I just want to read this book over again.
However, I do feel that there are some holes in the book that I can’t talk about because of spoilers. I feel that the book took a sharp left turn from where I was expecting it to go and I don’t think I like where it went. I also feel that some of the side characters were just left off at the end. Nothing felt complete or wrapped up… but maybe that’s how the book was supposed to feel? If you’ve read the book it does perfectly match the tone, but the realisticness of the book might feel very offputting to readers who might expect happy endings.
Verdict: A book you’ll think about for the rest of your life.
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: August 28th, 2018
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 16+ (TRIGGER WARNINGS: rape, sexual assault, child rape, child molestation, child abduction, romance, suspense, language, drugs, death)
Pages: 368
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Ava's disappearance was the crack in the Rivers family glacier. I wish I could explain to you how we were before, but I can't, because the before is so filmy and shadowed with the after.
The after is all Vera remembers. When her twin sister, Ava, disappeared one Halloween night, her childhood became a blur of theories, tips, and leads, but never any answers. The case made headlines, shocked Vera's Northern California community, and turned her family into tragic celebrities.
Now, at eighteen, Vera is counting down the days until she starts her new life at college in Portland, Oregon, far away from the dark cloud she and family have lived under for twelve years. But all that changes when a girl shows up at the local hospital.
Her name is Ava Rivers and she wants to go home.
Ava's return begins to mend the fractures in the Rivers family. Vera and Ava's estranged older brother returns. Vera reconnects with Max, the sweet, artistic boy from her childhood. Their parents smile again. But the questions remain: Where was Ava all these years? And who is she now?
Oh boy, where do I begin? I was instantly drawn into this book and I felt an almost immediate connection. I read 265 pages in one day. One. Day. Holy crap. Anyways, I felt that the story was AMAZING and that the plot, the pacing, the writing… all very well done. The character development was also well done and I just want to read this book over again.
However, I do feel that there are some holes in the book that I can’t talk about because of spoilers. I feel that the book took a sharp left turn from where I was expecting it to go and I don’t think I like where it went. I also feel that some of the side characters were just left off at the end. Nothing felt complete or wrapped up… but maybe that’s how the book was supposed to feel? If you’ve read the book it does perfectly match the tone, but the realisticness of the book might feel very offputting to readers who might expect happy endings.
Verdict: A book you’ll think about for the rest of your life.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the author and Crown Books for Young Readers. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4.5/5
Publication Date: February 26th, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (language, some mature scenes, suggested mature scenes, romance)
Pages: 400
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six.
But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder.
Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too.
As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous.
This was my first Jeff Zentner book and it honestly didn’t disappoint me! I loved this book and I thought the author did well portraying the real life issue of moving away for college from the perspective of these two girls. I thought he did well capturing the tone of the book and the voice of these two very different women. I thought their character development was amazing and the plot was well developed as well. I really felt for these two characters and I think it’s one of my favorite contemporaries.
However, I did think that the pacing towards the beginning of the book was a bit too slow, but that easily cleared up within 50 pages. I also felt that the world building wasn’t that well done and the side characters weren’t that well developed as well. I think there could have been improvements made, but for the most part this book was amazing.
Verdict: Amazing book about the spirit and friendship of two girls that makes this Tennessee girl proud.
Rating: 4.5/5
Publication Date: February 26th, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (language, some mature scenes, suggested mature scenes, romance)
Pages: 400
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six.
But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder.
Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too.
As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous.
This was my first Jeff Zentner book and it honestly didn’t disappoint me! I loved this book and I thought the author did well portraying the real life issue of moving away for college from the perspective of these two girls. I thought he did well capturing the tone of the book and the voice of these two very different women. I thought their character development was amazing and the plot was well developed as well. I really felt for these two characters and I think it’s one of my favorite contemporaries.
However, I did think that the pacing towards the beginning of the book was a bit too slow, but that easily cleared up within 50 pages. I also felt that the world building wasn’t that well done and the side characters weren’t that well developed as well. I think there could have been improvements made, but for the most part this book was amazing.
Verdict: Amazing book about the spirit and friendship of two girls that makes this Tennessee girl proud.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 1/5
Publication Date: April 10th, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t say, DNFed
Pages: 400
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar's oldest friend. Soon he will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, an expedition past the Strait of Cain and into uncharted waters. Nothing stands in his way...until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light, threatening all he holds dear.
The people of St. John del Mar have never recovered from the loss of their boy princes, kidnapped eighteen years ago, both presumed dead. But when two maps surface, each bearing the same hidden riddle, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias's father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king's beautiful cousin by his side—whether he wants her there or not—Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. He will have to use his wits and guard his back. Because some truths are better left buried...and an unknown enemy stalks his every turn.
And yet another book I had to DNF a bit ago. I tried to read this about 3 months before and I just couldn’t get past the first 50 pages. I thought the writing was really weird and the characters weren’t connecting with me. The pacing was also really slow for me and I just couldn’t connect well to this story.
Verdict: I couldn’t connect to this one.
Rating: 1/5
Publication Date: April 10th, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t say, DNFed
Pages: 400
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar's oldest friend. Soon he will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, an expedition past the Strait of Cain and into uncharted waters. Nothing stands in his way...until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light, threatening all he holds dear.
The people of St. John del Mar have never recovered from the loss of their boy princes, kidnapped eighteen years ago, both presumed dead. But when two maps surface, each bearing the same hidden riddle, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias's father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king's beautiful cousin by his side—whether he wants her there or not—Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. He will have to use his wits and guard his back. Because some truths are better left buried...and an unknown enemy stalks his every turn.
And yet another book I had to DNF a bit ago. I tried to read this about 3 months before and I just couldn’t get past the first 50 pages. I thought the writing was really weird and the characters weren’t connecting with me. The pacing was also really slow for me and I just couldn’t connect well to this story.
Verdict: I couldn’t connect to this one.
Disclaimer: I got this book on Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: July 26th, 2018
Genre: Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, some mature themes)
Pages: 252
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: After standing for over 7,000 years, Aleppo's ruin came overnight.
Separated from his family during the night the rebels attacked the city, thirteen-year-old Zaid Kadir is lost in the middle of a war zone. Alongside his friends, he is forced to survive the dangers of a civil war he does not even fully understand. Zaid witnesses the destruction of the brutal Syrian Civil War as it grows more deadly by the day and rips his city apart. However, as he braves this destruction, as he desperately tries to survive this catastrophe, he discovers something. Zaid realizes that it is in the darkest hours when humanity's spirit of hope burns brightest.
For the most part I thought this book was beautifully well written and I thought the message behind the book was really powerful and present throughout the book. I felt that the world building was really well done as well and that overall the plot was really well developed and entertaining.
However, I do feel like this book exhausted me? Like it felt too dramatic at times and I feel like I’ve run a marathon with how emotional this book was.
Verdict: Emotional to a fault?
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: July 26th, 2018
Genre: Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, some mature themes)
Pages: 252
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: After standing for over 7,000 years, Aleppo's ruin came overnight.
Separated from his family during the night the rebels attacked the city, thirteen-year-old Zaid Kadir is lost in the middle of a war zone. Alongside his friends, he is forced to survive the dangers of a civil war he does not even fully understand. Zaid witnesses the destruction of the brutal Syrian Civil War as it grows more deadly by the day and rips his city apart. However, as he braves this destruction, as he desperately tries to survive this catastrophe, he discovers something. Zaid realizes that it is in the darkest hours when humanity's spirit of hope burns brightest.
For the most part I thought this book was beautifully well written and I thought the message behind the book was really powerful and present throughout the book. I felt that the world building was really well done as well and that overall the plot was really well developed and entertaining.
However, I do feel like this book exhausted me? Like it felt too dramatic at times and I feel like I’ve run a marathon with how emotional this book was.
Verdict: Emotional to a fault?
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: September 4th, 2018
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, slight gore, language, romance)
Pages: u/n
Author Website
Synopsis: Aaron Sheridan doesn’t want to live anymore. His entire family had just died in a shuttle crash and he’d been the one flying it. Unable to deal with the guilt, he signs up for the Fleet expecting a fatal deployment to the Rim War, but instead ends up at their most prestigious command school, Corinth Station.
Initially, he’s detached from the brutality of his instructors and the Machiavellian tactics of the other students there, but after he sticks up for his only friend he makes himself a target of the most feared cadet on the station, Caelus Erik. Unsure of whom to trust and worried that anything he does will make others on his flight team targets as well, Aaron retreats deeper and deeper inside himself. However, when he discovers that officer training is not the station’s only purpose, it becomes increasingly clear that risking everything is the safest thing he can do.
This is the first book in the Lakes of Mars series.
Contains: Strong language and some violence
Overall I liked this book. I felt the world building was really well done, story was well executed and it was plotted out well, and I felt like the ending was great!
However, I did feel like the characters were voiced older than they were stated to be and I felt like the pacing and the book was just kinda too slow. I also did not like the insta love and I feel like it didn’t make sense overall. I think the book could have done well without any romance at all.
Verdict: A sci-fi adventure that you’ll love to read!
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: September 4th, 2018
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, slight gore, language, romance)
Pages: u/n
Author Website
Synopsis: Aaron Sheridan doesn’t want to live anymore. His entire family had just died in a shuttle crash and he’d been the one flying it. Unable to deal with the guilt, he signs up for the Fleet expecting a fatal deployment to the Rim War, but instead ends up at their most prestigious command school, Corinth Station.
Initially, he’s detached from the brutality of his instructors and the Machiavellian tactics of the other students there, but after he sticks up for his only friend he makes himself a target of the most feared cadet on the station, Caelus Erik. Unsure of whom to trust and worried that anything he does will make others on his flight team targets as well, Aaron retreats deeper and deeper inside himself. However, when he discovers that officer training is not the station’s only purpose, it becomes increasingly clear that risking everything is the safest thing he can do.
This is the first book in the Lakes of Mars series.
Contains: Strong language and some violence
Overall I liked this book. I felt the world building was really well done, story was well executed and it was plotted out well, and I felt like the ending was great!
However, I did feel like the characters were voiced older than they were stated to be and I felt like the pacing and the book was just kinda too slow. I also did not like the insta love and I feel like it didn’t make sense overall. I think the book could have done well without any romance at all.
Verdict: A sci-fi adventure that you’ll love to read!
Disclaimer: I received this book courtesy of the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: May 28, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, kidnapping, slight violence)
Pages: 456
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: This is the tragic, beautiful tale of a girl without a soul. I am that girl and this is my story. Let’s start at the beginning . . .
I took a deep breath. “Light of virtue . . .” When I started the song again, I felt something spark between our hands. Energy? Then the spark grew into a surge that traveled into my body, fueling me with power. I could feel him; his warmth. That same warmth that had touched me those other times now pulsed through my veins. It was . . . incredible; like everything I’d ever craved, but intensified. I wanted more.
. . . . . . . .
Aura Rosh is able to command magic through song. But that isn’t what makes her special.
Cursed with silver hair that shines like moonlight, plagued with the disappearance of her twin sister, Aura just wants to make it through her coming of age ceremony without being noticed. But fate has other plans.
When kidnapped by an enigmatic, mossy-haired elf, Aura finds herself at the center of a war between two secret societies – where one believes her to be an evil destructress from legend, the other, a prophesied savior.
Before Aura can discover which she is, she’ll need to master her power . . . as well as gain control of the intoxicating sensation she feels whenever touching her elvish captor.
On a grand quest of self-discovery, epic magic, and captivating love, will Aura learn the purpose behind her moon-kissed hair?
I thought, as I do for all of Brindi’s works, that the world building and setting were completely unique and fantastical. The characters were well developed and the writing was well done as well. For the most part, the book is really well done and quite enjoyable.
However, I do feel that the pacing was really slow and I didn’t really feel connected to the characters at all. I also feel that the book relies a bit too much on romance and I’d rather enjoy it more if the book took a different approach to the plot.
Verdict: An enjoyable book as always.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: May 28, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, kidnapping, slight violence)
Pages: 456
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: This is the tragic, beautiful tale of a girl without a soul. I am that girl and this is my story. Let’s start at the beginning . . .
I took a deep breath. “Light of virtue . . .” When I started the song again, I felt something spark between our hands. Energy? Then the spark grew into a surge that traveled into my body, fueling me with power. I could feel him; his warmth. That same warmth that had touched me those other times now pulsed through my veins. It was . . . incredible; like everything I’d ever craved, but intensified. I wanted more.
. . . . . . . .
Aura Rosh is able to command magic through song. But that isn’t what makes her special.
Cursed with silver hair that shines like moonlight, plagued with the disappearance of her twin sister, Aura just wants to make it through her coming of age ceremony without being noticed. But fate has other plans.
When kidnapped by an enigmatic, mossy-haired elf, Aura finds herself at the center of a war between two secret societies – where one believes her to be an evil destructress from legend, the other, a prophesied savior.
Before Aura can discover which she is, she’ll need to master her power . . . as well as gain control of the intoxicating sensation she feels whenever touching her elvish captor.
On a grand quest of self-discovery, epic magic, and captivating love, will Aura learn the purpose behind her moon-kissed hair?
I thought, as I do for all of Brindi’s works, that the world building and setting were completely unique and fantastical. The characters were well developed and the writing was well done as well. For the most part, the book is really well done and quite enjoyable.
However, I do feel that the pacing was really slow and I didn’t really feel connected to the characters at all. I also feel that the book relies a bit too much on romance and I’d rather enjoy it more if the book took a different approach to the plot.
Verdict: An enjoyable book as always.
Disclaimer: I received a free book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: May 27, 2018
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (romance, forceful love)
Pages: 194
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: “Sil says I have a problem with authority. I say Sil’s a twit.”
Forced to live in the mortal world, tasked with an impossible mission, it is the end of the world for spoiled Prince Wayst. Exiled from the underworld, Wayst’s only hope of getting home is to make an affectionless girl fall for him.
If only he didn’t want to kill her so badly.
Love and hate have never been more deliciously cynical, in this dry-humored tale of lust, murder, and romance.
Again, I really love how Brindi can make up anything from the top of her mind. I love that she makes these very unique scenes and characters. I also really like how well developed all her characters are and how solid each story is.
However, I felt really uneasy reading this book. I don’t like the cliché of making someone fall in love with them and the act of making someone fall in love with someone else is really gross to me. I felt really sick by the storyline and it just made the book really repulsive to me. However, that’s a personal opinion and other than that I felt the story was pretty decent.
Verdict: Meh.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: May 27, 2018
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (romance, forceful love)
Pages: 194
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: “Sil says I have a problem with authority. I say Sil’s a twit.”
Forced to live in the mortal world, tasked with an impossible mission, it is the end of the world for spoiled Prince Wayst. Exiled from the underworld, Wayst’s only hope of getting home is to make an affectionless girl fall for him.
If only he didn’t want to kill her so badly.
Love and hate have never been more deliciously cynical, in this dry-humored tale of lust, murder, and romance.
Again, I really love how Brindi can make up anything from the top of her mind. I love that she makes these very unique scenes and characters. I also really like how well developed all her characters are and how solid each story is.
However, I felt really uneasy reading this book. I don’t like the cliché of making someone fall in love with them and the act of making someone fall in love with someone else is really gross to me. I felt really sick by the storyline and it just made the book really repulsive to me. However, that’s a personal opinion and other than that I felt the story was pretty decent.
Verdict: Meh.