samantha_randolph's Reviews (1.59k)

I was fortunate enough to get this as an ebook in exchange for an honest review, and I'm honestly glad I read it! This is a story about time travel, mystery, and action, with a healthy level of romance that would appeal to readers of young adult books and more. The time travel aspects of the story puts intriguing thoughts of timelines and time ripples in mind, definitely enough to make your head hurt a bit- just like the characters say it does. The story is very well paced, fast, but not so quick that you lose track of what's going on. In the beginning, I was a bit confused about where the story might be headed, especially where the romance was concerned, but it weaves together beautifully as the story unravels. Fans of the books Ruby Red and Sapphire Blue, or if you just like the idea of time travel, should definitely give this book a try: it is well worth it. The character development is done very well, and all of the characters felt relatable. I did miss getting to know some of the characters better, but I have a feeling they will be more present on the next book, which I am eagerly anticipating! Great book, great read, 5 stars.

While I thought the story idea for this book was very unique and original, I was not a fan of the actually story. The beginning was excellent, and throughout the book, the author did have a distinctive voice, but the plot seemed a bit all over the place the more I read. The main character starts out very strong. She's a very independent woman, and besides having Death as a best friend, she's fairly normal seeming. However, as she goes through all these steps to change the list, I don't feel any real motivation from her. Yes, she is doing crazy things in order to live, but does she just want to live so she doesn't die? What is holding her to her life? What is she fighting for that she would risk so many people's lives? When she meets her romantic interest, I thought he was going to turn out to be a killer, and not the collector kind. Their 'love at first sight' romance did not seem to fit the main character's personality, and the man came on so strongly I very quickly suspected he was mentally unstable.
I did sense that the author has a lot of potential, and the writing was not bad at all. I just think a different plot line with a more focused main character would improve a lot.

Dragons Away is a story of a half ogre, an illusionist, monarchs, dragons, and many, many oppressed dwarves. I got an ebook version free for a review, and it was a very hilarious read. There is a lot of sarcasm and good natured humor throughout, so if you are someone who likes a laugh, or maybe even needs one, I would suggest this book.
The humor was something I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the plot in this story. The politics between the two kingdoms are very interesting and realistic. The characters are all unique, and I especially enjoyed the alternating focuses on certain characters.
The imagery in this book was extremely well done. No, it was not good in a poetic way because it's not that kind of book, but I really felt like I could clearly see each scene.
As for things I didn't like so much, there weren't many to be honest. I would have liked more knowledge on some of the characters as far as backgrounds go. Most of the humor was very funny, but every once and a while it would get a tad too cheesy.
All in all, it was a solid good story, and I'm excited to read more from these authors.

Victorian era, werewolves, love, intense plot, 5 stars.
That's the quick review for those who don't have time to read a whole one, but for those that do, I loved this book. I received a free ebook copy in exchange for a review, and I'm so glad I had a chance to read it. It tells the short story of a girl named Maddie, who at first is doomed to a vile marriage, but when she gets bitten by a mysterious but handsome stranger, what will happen? I loved the intense pace of the story, and I loved the characters. They didn't seem very "run of the mill". Even though the story was short, I still feel like I got to know them, and I would definitely enjoy reading more of them!
I really like stories set in the Victoria era, and I think the author did a great job of capturing the scenery and mood of that time. I felt a real connection with the time and people, and I thought the different focuses on the 3 big characters was a great bonus. The story was fast paced and short, so for those who may not have time to sit and read a novel, I would highly recommend this as a quick, amazing read. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

This second installment in The Dark Blood Brotherhood short stories was an equally great continuation of the first, picking up a few weeks after the first ended.
In this second story, we see the struggling, but ever in love, main characters Maddie and Ashtine both put in tempting positions while apart from each other. You get to see a possible good side to a previous not so good character.
Once again, I thought the imagery and plot were great. After reading the first book, I had expected the second to go a certain direction, but I was pleasantly surprised at the twists I discovered.
After this book, I feel a stronger connection with the characters, especially Maddie. Both her and Ashtine are not a 'love at first sight' couple. They are still getting to know each other a bit during this book, but you can see they have come a long way in only a few weeks. Even though their relationship is new, you can still tell that they genuinely care for each other which is good, because they will need that connection through this story.
While the first book ended on more of a cliff hanger, I did enjoy this ending as well. It wasn't as much cliff hanger, but I still get the unresolved issues that I hope will be uncovered in another installment.
Overall, another fast paced, intense read that will leave you wanting to read more and more of these characters and the world they live in.

Turn Me On is a book with a unique spin on Telepaths and what they can do. It follows a man named Troy and a woman named Rayna, two very powerful Delvers (a certain type of telepath), who struggle in their attempts to stop the Burn family, a power abusive people. Years and years ago, the Burn family killed Troy's parents, and he has been out for revenge ever since. I will leave Rayna's role in this a secret, so readers can find out the mystery for themselves.
I liked this book a lot. The romance was very real, and I didn't think it was over the top. The plot that went with it was progressed at a great speed, and I often found myself surprised at the twists that came about, especially in who is allied with whom.
The characters were nice. I loved getting to see what Rayna really felt about he situation. It was probably a feeling a lot of women would have in her position, and it wasn't sugarcoated; it was just her honest feelings. When Troy is the one being focused on (it switched between the two), I though the author did a great job of capturing how a man thinks, and just like Rayna, we are shown his not so admirable feelings as well as the surprising gentle ones.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a romance story with a good plot to back it up. Overall, I would give it a very solids 4 stars.