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samantha_randolph's Reviews (1.59k)
"Prince Corin helps run a fairly happy kingdom, but one that is growing with superstitious disease. Things only get worse after the dragons select him to be the one to free them from the Emperor who enslaves them. Tam, a commoner with Powers she doesn't even know about, is staying at the Prince's castle for court. Once they met, they can't deny the chemistry between them. When war strikes, they have to band together in more than love to help free to dragons, save the kingdom, and hopefully still have their lives." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=44431
"Coe is one of less than five hundred people alive on the island of Tides. Every day, they must get in a formation and pray the water doesn't take them this time. For Coe, however, the tides aren't the only thing threatening her survival. With part of one of her arms missing and her small frame, she is seen as the weakest on the island, which is why Coe is shocked when she is summoned to the royal house to wait on Princess Star. Soon, secrets start piling up, and Coe will discover that everything she knows isn't what it seems." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=44491
"Always ignored and shushed, Lia has never really enjoyed being a princess or a First Daughter, especially when that means she should have the gift of sight, but she doesn't. When her arranged marriage to a man she hasn't met before draws closer, she runs away with her friend Pauline and starts work as a barmaid. There, she meets two men, Rafe and Kaden, who are full of mysterious allure and unknowing to her, one is an assassin out to kill her and one is the prince she jilted at the altar. Lia will have to see that though she has run away from court, her past will never let her go." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=44499
Short and Sweet:
Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. *takes deep breath* I absolutely loved this one, even more than the first. Juliet is so kick-butt and continues to have excellent character development, and it's just wonderful. I was pretty much like this gif after I read it.
To Elaborate...
Back in London, Juliet is trying to put the events of the island behind her, though she still experiments. When murders begin to occur around her involving only victims who are also people who have wronged her, Juliet fears that something or someone from the island has followed her back. And when two people she thought were gone from her life forever show back up, Juliet will have to face the rising darkness in her that her circumstances keep summoning.
After really enjoying the first book, I was so excited to read the second and get back to this gothic, dark world Shepherd has crafted. The Madman's Daughter focused on outward madness with an island full of beasts. This installment features story lines including both inward and outward, but excels on inner madness. For many of the characters, especially Juliet, this time around it is about finding that line (if there is one) that determines when sanity becomes insanity and what ends truly justify the means. The character development is just absolutely spectacular and sets it up perfectly for a conclusion in the next book. The writing is once again breathtaking and makes you feel right there with the characters going through their struggles.
While the love triangle bothered me a bit in the first book, I actually super enjoyed it in this one (I'm still shocked since this rarely happens for me), apart from the role that Lucy plays (though it was nice seeing more of her character). Juliet, while not the grandest in love, approaches both relationships with a refreshingly honest sort of logic. Though she is primarily logical, her emotions do play a large part in her romantic approach. However, she doesn't try to deceive herself about what she feels. Something happens with one of the men about a quarter, or so, of the way in and she's so wonderfully honest about how she feels about it! And I LOVE IT!
Also, for the first half of the book, I just keep thinking of the love triangle in Center Stage for whatever reason, particularly the final dance part if you've seen the movie.
Basically, I just love this series so much and I NEED the next book as soon as possible. There are already so many different ways the ending could go, and I want to know! So many hearts to these books!
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-her-dark-curiosity-by-megan.html
Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. *takes deep breath* I absolutely loved this one, even more than the first. Juliet is so kick-butt and continues to have excellent character development, and it's just wonderful. I was pretty much like this gif after I read it.
To Elaborate...
Back in London, Juliet is trying to put the events of the island behind her, though she still experiments. When murders begin to occur around her involving only victims who are also people who have wronged her, Juliet fears that something or someone from the island has followed her back. And when two people she thought were gone from her life forever show back up, Juliet will have to face the rising darkness in her that her circumstances keep summoning.
After really enjoying the first book, I was so excited to read the second and get back to this gothic, dark world Shepherd has crafted. The Madman's Daughter focused on outward madness with an island full of beasts. This installment features story lines including both inward and outward, but excels on inner madness. For many of the characters, especially Juliet, this time around it is about finding that line (if there is one) that determines when sanity becomes insanity and what ends truly justify the means. The character development is just absolutely spectacular and sets it up perfectly for a conclusion in the next book. The writing is once again breathtaking and makes you feel right there with the characters going through their struggles.
While the love triangle bothered me a bit in the first book, I actually super enjoyed it in this one (I'm still shocked since this rarely happens for me), apart from the role that Lucy plays (though it was nice seeing more of her character). Juliet, while not the grandest in love, approaches both relationships with a refreshingly honest sort of logic. Though she is primarily logical, her emotions do play a large part in her romantic approach. However, she doesn't try to deceive herself about what she feels. Something happens with one of the men about a quarter, or so, of the way in and she's so wonderfully honest about how she feels about it! And I LOVE IT!
Also, for the first half of the book, I just keep thinking of the love triangle in Center Stage for whatever reason, particularly the final dance part if you've seen the movie.
Basically, I just love this series so much and I NEED the next book as soon as possible. There are already so many different ways the ending could go, and I want to know! So many hearts to these books!
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-her-dark-curiosity-by-megan.html
"After a terrible incident that left scars on Olivia's body and soul, she decides to go to a college in Charleston instead of her originally planned Columbia. At least there with all the beauty in the nature, people won't give her pitying looks. She hopes for some time to heal with the help of a new therapist and some family distance, but what she doesn't expect is a man named Preston, her roommate's best friend, to come into the picture. Their chemistry is electric, but neither is ready for a relationship...or so they say. The two will both have to overcome their past if they want any chance together now." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=44513
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"King Vargan has declared war with Jaron's kingdom, Carthya. To make matters worse, he has captured Imogen, the girl Jaron is desperately trying not to feel anything for with his betrothal already in place to someone else. In an effect to save her and his kingdom, Jaron tries to plan an attack on Vargan using all of his friends and allies. Even with all his effort, there is no telling who will finally end up with the crown." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=44522
"Anna has grown up in a family of superheroes. Her dad is a powerful telepath, her grandparents are infamous, and her mother is the city's most prestigious businesswoman. With all that legacy to live up to, Anna chooses not to tell them about her own power, tracking. Instead, her and her friends who have more defensive powers put on masks and try to take on the city's bad guys. Celia, Anna's mother, spends her time when she isn't doing business keeping tabs on all possible heroes, but thinks Anna is just a normal girl. When a powerful villain arises, mother and daughter will find they have a lot more to learn about each other than they know." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=44537
Imagine you are 20 years old, on the brink of starting college, and about to spend spring break in France. Sounds great? Maybe not after you throw in an emotionally abusive mother, uncaring step-father, oh and don't forget the vampires you never expected to exist.
I just received a free ebook version of this breathtaking novella a few hours ago in exchange for reviews, and while I meant to merely read a few pages tonight, I could not put my ereader down and read the whole novella. The main character, Lorine, is the perfect balance of a female lead: not whiny or weak that you hope some other character will distract you from her nor so independent that you think they will snatch the author's pen away from them, but a normal girl who has moments of both strength and weakness. Lorine is someone people can relate to and understand. The secondary characters if her brother, mother, and step-father are clear and believable. They are a family with issues that are better than some, but definitely worse than others. The mother specifically I felt was shown very well through her dialogue and movements.
Onto plot, it was fast paced and gripping. I felt I was in France with her, and when Honore spun her through the nightclub, I felt I was living the fairy tale with her. And, when the fairytale ended, my heart beat just as fast as hers did in uncertainty and shock.
As the first of a series of novellas, this was a great beginning. I had never heard of reader's participation publishing before, but I am definitely a huge fan now. So far, it's a great idea and brilliantly executed. When all the novellas are out and they become a book, if they continue successfully as I eagerly hope they do, I would say the author should even consider making a series of the book and doing the novellas for each. Either way, 5 stars to this great beginning.
I just received a free ebook version of this breathtaking novella a few hours ago in exchange for reviews, and while I meant to merely read a few pages tonight, I could not put my ereader down and read the whole novella. The main character, Lorine, is the perfect balance of a female lead: not whiny or weak that you hope some other character will distract you from her nor so independent that you think they will snatch the author's pen away from them, but a normal girl who has moments of both strength and weakness. Lorine is someone people can relate to and understand. The secondary characters if her brother, mother, and step-father are clear and believable. They are a family with issues that are better than some, but definitely worse than others. The mother specifically I felt was shown very well through her dialogue and movements.
Onto plot, it was fast paced and gripping. I felt I was in France with her, and when Honore spun her through the nightclub, I felt I was living the fairy tale with her. And, when the fairytale ended, my heart beat just as fast as hers did in uncertainty and shock.
As the first of a series of novellas, this was a great beginning. I had never heard of reader's participation publishing before, but I am definitely a huge fan now. So far, it's a great idea and brilliantly executed. When all the novellas are out and they become a book, if they continue successfully as I eagerly hope they do, I would say the author should even consider making a series of the book and doing the novellas for each. Either way, 5 stars to this great beginning.