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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this book from Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Book 3 for the Alien Chronicles
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Aliens! Also slight queer moments with Pandora and her charm.
Publication Date: April 5, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (love, aliens, romance)
Publisher: Bennett Lane Press
Pages: 320
Amazon Link
Synopsis: One super intelligent, super hot alien Zoe can handle, after all she loves Rion. But two spells trouble, especially when it's Pandora. This sassy alien has one agenda, to have as much fun as she can before her people realise she's gone rogue and materialised in human form. Pandora charms students and teachers alike as she parties her way through the term, but still aces her studies. Even Rion is influenced by her as she challenges his beliefs, and he begins to question whether he is still more alien than human. He and Zoe are finally together, but Zoe wonders for how long. She has other worries too, especially about her mother's health. Everything is changing in this final year of high school. But even though Zoe is crazy about Rion, can their new relationship last not only the ups and downs of human problems, but alien ones too?
Review: I felt like this was a great addition to the series. The characters are back, they’re amazing and just as funny as the last book. The pacing is still fast, so it’s a breeze to read, and the writing gets better with each book.
However, I still feel like there was still too much focus on physical attractiveness and that made me uncomfortable. The POV also changes without warning and it’s really confusing at times.
Verdict: Aliens!
Book Series: Book 3 for the Alien Chronicles
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Aliens! Also slight queer moments with Pandora and her charm.
Publication Date: April 5, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (love, aliens, romance)
Publisher: Bennett Lane Press
Pages: 320
Amazon Link
Synopsis: One super intelligent, super hot alien Zoe can handle, after all she loves Rion. But two spells trouble, especially when it's Pandora. This sassy alien has one agenda, to have as much fun as she can before her people realise she's gone rogue and materialised in human form. Pandora charms students and teachers alike as she parties her way through the term, but still aces her studies. Even Rion is influenced by her as she challenges his beliefs, and he begins to question whether he is still more alien than human. He and Zoe are finally together, but Zoe wonders for how long. She has other worries too, especially about her mother's health. Everything is changing in this final year of high school. But even though Zoe is crazy about Rion, can their new relationship last not only the ups and downs of human problems, but alien ones too?
Review: I felt like this was a great addition to the series. The characters are back, they’re amazing and just as funny as the last book. The pacing is still fast, so it’s a breeze to read, and the writing gets better with each book.
However, I still feel like there was still too much focus on physical attractiveness and that made me uncomfortable. The POV also changes without warning and it’s really confusing at times.
Verdict: Aliens!
Disclaimer: I received this book in my Faecrate subscription. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Shadowfire Book 1
Rating: 2.5/5
Diversity: not any that I could remember but it has been a bit since I read it
Publication Date: October 30, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (mature love scenes and some violence)
Publisher: Boris Kos
Pages: 468
Amazon Link
Synopsis: A monster does not deserve the intimacy of a name
As if waking up in an unfamiliar world isn’t enough of a surprise, Ember gains a new title to her name. Savior.
Hunted by the Crescent Prince and his lethal shadows, she accepts a young Mage’s help to navigate the land of blood magic and its many illusions. But where Ada sees the good in her power, Ember discovers something else.
An icy darkness, designed to take lives, not save them.
The only thing worse than not being able to rely on her senses—or the reality she had once believed to be true—is knowing that she cannot trust her heart. Especially as it seems to draw her to the one person in whose hands she can never fall…
Will Ember escape the thrall of darkness or will she reign in it?
Review: Okay, so I feel like this can be a great book. The book is very well detailed and the writing is pretty good. You can tell this book is the set up for the later books in this series.
However, this book was a struggle to get through. The book is really slow paced and there is way too much information for this person to handle. I felt like I was reading a history book rather than a fantasy novel… and I like history! The characters are also so flat. They didn’t seem to have any rhyme or reason to their actions.
Verdict: Not my type of book but it might be for you!
Book Series: Shadowfire Book 1
Rating: 2.5/5
Diversity: not any that I could remember but it has been a bit since I read it
Publication Date: October 30, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (mature love scenes and some violence)
Publisher: Boris Kos
Pages: 468
Amazon Link
Synopsis: A monster does not deserve the intimacy of a name
As if waking up in an unfamiliar world isn’t enough of a surprise, Ember gains a new title to her name. Savior.
Hunted by the Crescent Prince and his lethal shadows, she accepts a young Mage’s help to navigate the land of blood magic and its many illusions. But where Ada sees the good in her power, Ember discovers something else.
An icy darkness, designed to take lives, not save them.
The only thing worse than not being able to rely on her senses—or the reality she had once believed to be true—is knowing that she cannot trust her heart. Especially as it seems to draw her to the one person in whose hands she can never fall…
Will Ember escape the thrall of darkness or will she reign in it?
Review: Okay, so I feel like this can be a great book. The book is very well detailed and the writing is pretty good. You can tell this book is the set up for the later books in this series.
However, this book was a struggle to get through. The book is really slow paced and there is way too much information for this person to handle. I felt like I was reading a history book rather than a fantasy novel… and I like history! The characters are also so flat. They didn’t seem to have any rhyme or reason to their actions.
Verdict: Not my type of book but it might be for you!
Disclaimer: I received this book from KidLitExchange as a backlog copy to read and review. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: don’t know, DNF
Publication Date: February 1, 2016
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: can’t recommend due to DNF
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Jess Gordon is out for revenge. Last year the jocks from Knights College tried to shame her best friend. This year she and a hand-picked college girl gang are going to get even.
The lesson: don't mess with Unity girls.
The target: Blondie, a typical Knights stud, arrogant, cold . . . and smart enough to keep up with Jess.
A neo-riot grrl with a penchant for fanning the flames meets a rugby-playing sexist pig - sworn enemies or two people who happen to find each other when they're at their most vulnerable?
It's all Girl meets Boy, Girl steals from Boy, seduces Boy, ties Boy to a chair and burns Boy's stuff. Just your typical love story.
A searingly honest and achingly funny story about love and sex amid the hotbed of university colleges by the award-winning author of Raw Blue.
Review: This was a DNF for me at page 50. This book was so hard to get into. I’m lost and confused and frustrated with this book. I feel like the writing style isn’t for me and I’m at a loss as to what is even going on.
Verdict: This could be a good book for you if you can get into it.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: don’t know, DNF
Publication Date: February 1, 2016
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: can’t recommend due to DNF
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Jess Gordon is out for revenge. Last year the jocks from Knights College tried to shame her best friend. This year she and a hand-picked college girl gang are going to get even.
The lesson: don't mess with Unity girls.
The target: Blondie, a typical Knights stud, arrogant, cold . . . and smart enough to keep up with Jess.
A neo-riot grrl with a penchant for fanning the flames meets a rugby-playing sexist pig - sworn enemies or two people who happen to find each other when they're at their most vulnerable?
It's all Girl meets Boy, Girl steals from Boy, seduces Boy, ties Boy to a chair and burns Boy's stuff. Just your typical love story.
A searingly honest and achingly funny story about love and sex amid the hotbed of university colleges by the award-winning author of Raw Blue.
Review: This was a DNF for me at page 50. This book was so hard to get into. I’m lost and confused and frustrated with this book. I feel like the writing style isn’t for me and I’m at a loss as to what is even going on.
Verdict: This could be a good book for you if you can get into it.
Disclaimer: I received this copy from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Venators Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: not that I can remember
Publication Date: April 10, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (love, romance, violence)
Publisher: Brown Books Publishing Group
Pages: 416
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Six years ago, Grey Malteer was attacked by creatures he thought couldn’t possibly exist. They repeated a word, calling him a name he’d never heard before…Venator. Since then, his life has been a hellhole of secrecy—hiding old pain alongside strange new abilities.
Rune Jenkins has an itch, as she calls it, but it’s more than that. It's an anger that builds up like the inside of a boiler whenever she’s around anything remotely supernatural. The pressure is growing steadily worse and she can’t understand why. All she knows is—her control is slipping.
By order of an unknown council Grey and Rune are pulled through a portal in the St. Louis arch, landing them in an alternate dimension where creatures of myth and legend exist. A realm that calls them, Venators.
Made up of centuries old fae, vampires, werewolves, elves and succubi the council’s corrupt nature becomes obvious as they seek to wield the newly returned Venators as weapons. Wedged in an impossible position, Grey and Rune must decide their fate—do they go against the council’s wishes and help the innocents of this unforgiving land, or face the possibility of execution by the council.
Review: I felt like this book was great! The characters were well developed, the pacing was very well done, and the writing was fantastic! The book was also well plotted out in my opinion.
I did feel that the world building could have been a bit better done. It really dragged down the book in the first half and the pacing was a bit off at the first part because of that.
Verdict: A great start to a new series.
Book Series: Venators Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: not that I can remember
Publication Date: April 10, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (love, romance, violence)
Publisher: Brown Books Publishing Group
Pages: 416
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Six years ago, Grey Malteer was attacked by creatures he thought couldn’t possibly exist. They repeated a word, calling him a name he’d never heard before…Venator. Since then, his life has been a hellhole of secrecy—hiding old pain alongside strange new abilities.
Rune Jenkins has an itch, as she calls it, but it’s more than that. It's an anger that builds up like the inside of a boiler whenever she’s around anything remotely supernatural. The pressure is growing steadily worse and she can’t understand why. All she knows is—her control is slipping.
By order of an unknown council Grey and Rune are pulled through a portal in the St. Louis arch, landing them in an alternate dimension where creatures of myth and legend exist. A realm that calls them, Venators.
Made up of centuries old fae, vampires, werewolves, elves and succubi the council’s corrupt nature becomes obvious as they seek to wield the newly returned Venators as weapons. Wedged in an impossible position, Grey and Rune must decide their fate—do they go against the council’s wishes and help the innocents of this unforgiving land, or face the possibility of execution by the council.
Review: I felt like this book was great! The characters were well developed, the pacing was very well done, and the writing was fantastic! The book was also well plotted out in my opinion.
I did feel that the world building could have been a bit better done. It really dragged down the book in the first half and the pacing was a bit off at the first part because of that.
Verdict: A great start to a new series.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Venators Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: not that I can remember but I read this a bit ago.
Publication Date: April 30, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (love, violence, slight gore, death, and romance)
Publisher: Brown Books Publishing Group
Pages: 428
Amazon Link
Synopsis: It has been mere days in the world of Eon, where Rune Jenkins, her twin brother Ryker, and their friend Grey have been trapped, fighting for their lives. After discovering the truth of their ancestry, the three are far from home, and far from anything resembling their mundane lives of the past.
While Ryker is still held captive by the eerily beautiful Zio and her goblins, Grey falls into the clutches of Feena, the Fae queen. She begins to drain his soul bit by bit to feed her dark underground garden, and Grey has no hope of escaping on his own.
It is now up to Rune to save Grey, as his precious time slips away inexorably. But the Council has denied her permission to embark on a rescue mission, until she can harness her Venator gifts and prove herself capable of venturing into the Fae queen's territory. As Rune discovers that promises in Eon are forged with life-or-death consequences, she realizes that she must act quickly, or else be swallowed and Grey along with her by the dangers of Eon.
Review: I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this book. On one hand I felt that the writing was very well done. The characters were very well flushed out and the pacing is spectacular. The book does well at drawing the reader in.
However, there are key elements to the backstory that I feel like I am missing out on. I don’t feel like I’m getting enough backstory for this plot point and any future ones. I really liked the book, but there were a lot of times in the book that frustrated me with the plot and such.
Verdict: An amazing second book!
Book Series: Venators Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: not that I can remember but I read this a bit ago.
Publication Date: April 30, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (love, violence, slight gore, death, and romance)
Publisher: Brown Books Publishing Group
Pages: 428
Amazon Link
Synopsis: It has been mere days in the world of Eon, where Rune Jenkins, her twin brother Ryker, and their friend Grey have been trapped, fighting for their lives. After discovering the truth of their ancestry, the three are far from home, and far from anything resembling their mundane lives of the past.
While Ryker is still held captive by the eerily beautiful Zio and her goblins, Grey falls into the clutches of Feena, the Fae queen. She begins to drain his soul bit by bit to feed her dark underground garden, and Grey has no hope of escaping on his own.
It is now up to Rune to save Grey, as his precious time slips away inexorably. But the Council has denied her permission to embark on a rescue mission, until she can harness her Venator gifts and prove herself capable of venturing into the Fae queen's territory. As Rune discovers that promises in Eon are forged with life-or-death consequences, she realizes that she must act quickly, or else be swallowed and Grey along with her by the dangers of Eon.
Review: I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this book. On one hand I felt that the writing was very well done. The characters were very well flushed out and the pacing is spectacular. The book does well at drawing the reader in.
However, there are key elements to the backstory that I feel like I am missing out on. I don’t feel like I’m getting enough backstory for this plot point and any future ones. I really liked the book, but there were a lot of times in the book that frustrated me with the plot and such.
Verdict: An amazing second book!
Disclaimer: I won this book in a giveaway. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Circuit Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: PTSD-like moments from main
Publication Date: October 26, 2018
Genre: Romance/Sci-fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (PTSD, love, romance, death, some violence)
Publisher: Self - Published
Pages: 288
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Two years ago, I joined an organization that was so top secret not even the FBI could locate us.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As a hacker, I teetered on the edge of right and wrong every single day, breaking the law to make the world around me a better place.
I knew how dangerous my work at Circuit was. I knew I could get caught one day and wind up behind bars for the rest of my life.
I didn’t care.
And then the packages started to show up on my doorstep. One after another. Never the same gift twice. Never the same day.
I warned my team, tried to get them to prepare for a takedown. They didn't seem as concerned as I was to learn my identity as Specter had been compromised.
I prepared for everything.
And then Sage Maddison appeared with one of the packages, snow-white hair and eyes filled with fear.
I was not prepared for her.
Review: I felt that if you are in for a romance book then this is your book. The characters are engaging and the story flows well. The characters are developed and the story is pretty well fleshed out. The pacing is also very even throughout the book.
However, I feel there are a lot of cliché moments that I wasn’t a fan of and I felt that some of the terms used were a bit cringy.
Verdict: A great romance.
Book Series: Circuit Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: PTSD-like moments from main
Publication Date: October 26, 2018
Genre: Romance/Sci-fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (PTSD, love, romance, death, some violence)
Publisher: Self - Published
Pages: 288
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Two years ago, I joined an organization that was so top secret not even the FBI could locate us.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As a hacker, I teetered on the edge of right and wrong every single day, breaking the law to make the world around me a better place.
I knew how dangerous my work at Circuit was. I knew I could get caught one day and wind up behind bars for the rest of my life.
I didn’t care.
And then the packages started to show up on my doorstep. One after another. Never the same gift twice. Never the same day.
I warned my team, tried to get them to prepare for a takedown. They didn't seem as concerned as I was to learn my identity as Specter had been compromised.
I prepared for everything.
And then Sage Maddison appeared with one of the packages, snow-white hair and eyes filled with fear.
I was not prepared for her.
Review: I felt that if you are in for a romance book then this is your book. The characters are engaging and the story flows well. The characters are developed and the story is pretty well fleshed out. The pacing is also very even throughout the book.
However, I feel there are a lot of cliché moments that I wasn’t a fan of and I felt that some of the terms used were a bit cringy.
Verdict: A great romance.
Disclaimer: I received a finished copy from Penguin and ordered my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: June 11, 2019
Genre: YA Horror
Recommended Age: 15+ (science experimentation, dystopian feelings, immigration, race issues, TW PTSD, depression)
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 256
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Marisol has always dreamed of being American, learning what Americans and the US are like from television and Mrs. Rosen, an elderly expat who had employed Marisol’s mother as a maid. When she pictured an American life for herself, she dreamed of a life like Aimee and Amber’s, the title characters of her favorite American TV show. She never pictured fleeing her home in El Salvador under threat of death and stealing across the US border as “an illegal”, but after her brother is murdered and her younger sister, Gabi’s, life is also placed in equal jeopardy, she has no choice, especially because she knows everything is her fault. If she had never fallen for the charms of a beautiful girl named Liliana, Pablo might still be alive, her mother wouldn’t be in hiding and she and Gabi wouldn’t have been caught crossing the border.
But they have been caught and their asylum request will most certainly be denied. With truly no options remaining, Marisol jumps at an unusual opportunity to stay in the United States. She’s asked to become a grief keeper, taking the grief of another into her own body to save a life. It’s a risky, experimental study, but if it means Marisol can keep her sister safe, she will risk anything. She just never imagined one of the risks would be falling in love, a love that may even be powerful enough to finally help her face her own crushing grief.
The Grief Keeper is a tender tale that explores the heartbreak and consequences of when both love and human beings are branded illegal.
Review: Holy crap guys this was AMAZING. I loved the dystopian/sci-fi esque feel of this book and I loved seeing Marisol develop. The science seems so real in this book it’s scary! The world building was amazing, I loved the queer romance in this book, and I loved the writing. It was absolutely amazing!
My only issue is that the pacing was a bit slow in places but other than that I absolutely guarantee this book.
Verdict: This could happen one day and it frightens me.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: June 11, 2019
Genre: YA Horror
Recommended Age: 15+ (science experimentation, dystopian feelings, immigration, race issues, TW PTSD, depression)
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 256
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Marisol has always dreamed of being American, learning what Americans and the US are like from television and Mrs. Rosen, an elderly expat who had employed Marisol’s mother as a maid. When she pictured an American life for herself, she dreamed of a life like Aimee and Amber’s, the title characters of her favorite American TV show. She never pictured fleeing her home in El Salvador under threat of death and stealing across the US border as “an illegal”, but after her brother is murdered and her younger sister, Gabi’s, life is also placed in equal jeopardy, she has no choice, especially because she knows everything is her fault. If she had never fallen for the charms of a beautiful girl named Liliana, Pablo might still be alive, her mother wouldn’t be in hiding and she and Gabi wouldn’t have been caught crossing the border.
But they have been caught and their asylum request will most certainly be denied. With truly no options remaining, Marisol jumps at an unusual opportunity to stay in the United States. She’s asked to become a grief keeper, taking the grief of another into her own body to save a life. It’s a risky, experimental study, but if it means Marisol can keep her sister safe, she will risk anything. She just never imagined one of the risks would be falling in love, a love that may even be powerful enough to finally help her face her own crushing grief.
The Grief Keeper is a tender tale that explores the heartbreak and consequences of when both love and human beings are branded illegal.
Review: Holy crap guys this was AMAZING. I loved the dystopian/sci-fi esque feel of this book and I loved seeing Marisol develop. The science seems so real in this book it’s scary! The world building was amazing, I loved the queer romance in this book, and I loved the writing. It was absolutely amazing!
My only issue is that the pacing was a bit slow in places but other than that I absolutely guarantee this book.
Verdict: This could happen one day and it frightens me.
Disclaimer: I bought this book on my own! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Legend Book 1
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: don’t know, DNFed
Publication Date: November 29, 2011
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 305
Amazon Link
Synopsis: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Review: Soooo I had to DNF this one at 36%. I KNOW I’M SORRY! I love Marie Lu’s Warcross series and I wanted so much to love this book series too but I just couldn’t. The book was really hard to get into and I just couldn’t feel for any of the characters. Maybe I’ll come back to it one day.
Verdict: A DNF, but a sad one.
Book Series: Legend Book 1
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: don’t know, DNFed
Publication Date: November 29, 2011
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 305
Amazon Link
Synopsis: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Review: Soooo I had to DNF this one at 36%. I KNOW I’M SORRY! I love Marie Lu’s Warcross series and I wanted so much to love this book series too but I just couldn’t. The book was really hard to get into and I just couldn’t feel for any of the characters. Maybe I’ll come back to it one day.
Verdict: A DNF, but a sad one.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Ash Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: not that I can remember off the bat, but I read this a bit ago
Publication Date: June 2018
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: 13+ (end of the world, slight gore, some violence)
Publisher: Worldsmith Press
Pages: 179
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The apocalypse comes on dark wings to Germania, land of dead fairy tales...
In the country once famous for Cinderella, the ground is dead and the few survivors are picked off by terrifying, winged monsters of their own making.
Ash has learned to hunt the hunter, but her real fight is keeping her delusional stepmother and frail sister from starving in the crumbling remains of her ancestral mansion. Each giant, black-winged shape she shoots down could be her last.
Then comes a mysterious missive, arriving by magic, and a stranger in the dark who knows all about Ash and holds keys to her past. Someone must cross the wasteland plains to get to the palace – a death sentence by the hands of either monster or mob. Because someone needs to save this country, and Ash’s innocent sister must go alone if she doesn’t sacrifice herself.
Echoes of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds combine with the action of Divergent with the literary beauty of The Road for fans of The Hunger Games and Cinder.
This is not a tale you know the ending of…
Review: I felt like the book was well written and evenly paced. The characters are very well developed and the world building was pretty amazing. The book does well to keep the book simplistic enough for children and adults to comprehend.
However, there were a few confusing moments in the book that made me reread what happened and I felt that the book had too many loose ends.
Verdict: A great book!
Book Series: Ash Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: not that I can remember off the bat, but I read this a bit ago
Publication Date: June 2018
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: 13+ (end of the world, slight gore, some violence)
Publisher: Worldsmith Press
Pages: 179
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The apocalypse comes on dark wings to Germania, land of dead fairy tales...
In the country once famous for Cinderella, the ground is dead and the few survivors are picked off by terrifying, winged monsters of their own making.
Ash has learned to hunt the hunter, but her real fight is keeping her delusional stepmother and frail sister from starving in the crumbling remains of her ancestral mansion. Each giant, black-winged shape she shoots down could be her last.
Then comes a mysterious missive, arriving by magic, and a stranger in the dark who knows all about Ash and holds keys to her past. Someone must cross the wasteland plains to get to the palace – a death sentence by the hands of either monster or mob. Because someone needs to save this country, and Ash’s innocent sister must go alone if she doesn’t sacrifice herself.
Echoes of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds combine with the action of Divergent with the literary beauty of The Road for fans of The Hunger Games and Cinder.
This is not a tale you know the ending of…
Review: I felt like the book was well written and evenly paced. The characters are very well developed and the world building was pretty amazing. The book does well to keep the book simplistic enough for children and adults to comprehend.
However, there were a few confusing moments in the book that made me reread what happened and I felt that the book had too many loose ends.
Verdict: A great book!
Disclaimer: I bought this book on my own. Support your authors!
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: can’t say, DNFed
Publication Date: May 9, 2017
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: 18+ (language, mature sexual scenes, mental illness, and other stuff but I DNFed this book)
Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 419
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Since We Fell follows Rachel Childs, a former journalist who, after an on-air mental breakdown, now lives as a virtual shut-in. In all other respects, however, she enjoys an ideal life with an ideal husband. Until a chance encounter on a rainy afternoon causes that ideal life to fray. As does Rachel’s marriage. As does Rachel herself. Sucked into a conspiracy thick with deception, violence, and possibly madness, Rachel must find the strength within herself to conquer unimaginable fears and mind-altering truths. By turns heart- breaking, suspenseful, romantic, and sophisticated, Since We Fell is a novel of profound psychological insight and tension. It is Dennis Lehane at his very best
Review: Again, another DNFed book. I tried to read this one and I thought I would like it, but I just couldn’t get into it. I DNFed it about 100 pages in. The book is very well detailed, but I can’t get over how the first part of the book focuses on the characters backstory and you won’t see the plot in the synopsis until about the middle of the book. This is way too much for me. I didn’t want an autobiography of the main character, I wanted to know about her mental illness.
Verdict: If you can get into it, it’s a great read.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: can’t say, DNFed
Publication Date: May 9, 2017
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: 18+ (language, mature sexual scenes, mental illness, and other stuff but I DNFed this book)
Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 419
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Since We Fell follows Rachel Childs, a former journalist who, after an on-air mental breakdown, now lives as a virtual shut-in. In all other respects, however, she enjoys an ideal life with an ideal husband. Until a chance encounter on a rainy afternoon causes that ideal life to fray. As does Rachel’s marriage. As does Rachel herself. Sucked into a conspiracy thick with deception, violence, and possibly madness, Rachel must find the strength within herself to conquer unimaginable fears and mind-altering truths. By turns heart- breaking, suspenseful, romantic, and sophisticated, Since We Fell is a novel of profound psychological insight and tension. It is Dennis Lehane at his very best
Review: Again, another DNFed book. I tried to read this one and I thought I would like it, but I just couldn’t get into it. I DNFed it about 100 pages in. The book is very well detailed, but I can’t get over how the first part of the book focuses on the characters backstory and you won’t see the plot in the synopsis until about the middle of the book. This is way too much for me. I didn’t want an autobiography of the main character, I wanted to know about her mental illness.
Verdict: If you can get into it, it’s a great read.