3.5 stars

I love Mythology. This mix of Greek Mythology with a Gladiator type vibe was intoxicating. A great mix of old world and new age. One aspect I really appreciated that I didn't see coming was the awesome feminist tone set throughout. The writing on that end was quite inspired. So many highlighted passages. It's pretty much what you'd expect from a story drenched in mythology, violence, glory, trials, alliances made and broken, tragedy, monsters in many forms, friendship, perseverance, heroes, with just a dash of romance.

The gods were pretty spot on for me. Their general aloofness, mercurial and otherworldly came shining through. Lore was a good leading lady, a solid reluctant hero. Castor, Van and even Miles had their moments too but she was clearly the star.

All in all this was a quality read but it did take me a little bit to truly get into it. It had all the right ingredients to draw me in but it really didn't fully grab me until about halfway through.

I received an arc of this book from Hyperion/Disney Publishing via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

This was a fabulous debut YA epic fantasy adventure! The worldbuilding was top notch, a vast fantastical world that we've only just been introduced to. I'm super curious and excited to see even more of the inner depths explored in coming novels.

The characters were compelling and mostly multifaceted. I would have loved to see more past the surface on a few of the side characters, but we got a good feel for quite a few of them and that was nice. I think the alternating POV chapters helped us get a good feel for the main characters. The 'inner phantom' dialogues could be a smidge confusing at first, discerning whether they were speaking to someone aloud or the phantom inside. After awhile it became pretty seemless though, which was kinda surprising and impressive to be honest. The phantoms in general were such a cool idea and I really enjoyed that element.

The journey was fraught with danger (and excitement!) from the very beginning and it pretty well kept it up till the end. Even the more down training type time had its perils. The tale ended in a good spot, even if it was a massive cliffhanger. I'll definitely be anxiously awaiting the sequel!

I received an arc of this book from Entangled: Teen via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

WOW!! This book. I don't even know where to start or what to say! Charlene over @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/985591024?book_show_action=false&page=1
really said it best. The Shadow of the Wind truly had a little something for everyone. It was dark and mysterious, haunting, spellbinding, hopeful, hopeless, twist after twist, and a great coming of age story. It was all that, and so much more, all wrapped up in some of the most beautiful writing I've ever read.

What a heart touching love story, and I'm not just talking about the characters, this was also a love between people and books. I might have loved that the most. Any bookworm knows intimately the feelings these characters felt when it came to their books. Whether you can relate with a young Daniel, having that love affair from the very beginning....

"I was raised among books, making invisible friends in pages that seemed cast from dust and whose smell I carry on my hands to this day."

Or maybe a Clara, whose love was awakened later on, and suddenly....

"Never before had I felt TRAPPED, SEDUCED, AND CAUGHT UP in a story," Clara explained, "the way I did with that book. Until then, reading was just a duty, a sort of fine one had to pay teachers and tutors without quite knowing why. I had never known the pleasure of reading, of exploring the recess of the soul, of letting myself be carried away by imagination, beauty, and the mystery of fiction and language. For me all those things were born with that novel."

It was this one book, The Shadow of the Wind, that brought together so many people, for better and for worse. Once Daniel picked this magical novel from the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, it was the beginning of a journey that would, unknowingly to him, shape his entire life.

"It might have been that notion, or just chance, or it's more flamboyant realitive, destiny, but at that precise moment I knew I had already chosen the book I was going to adopt, or that was going to adopt me."

"Perhaps the bewitching atmosphere of the place had got the better of me, but I felt sure that The Shadow of the Wind had been waiting for me there for years, probably since before I was born."

These characters all jumped off the pages and came to life. I fell in love with so many of them, Daniel, his father, Carax, and Fermin. Oh Fermin....you are one of my absolute favorites!

I was constantly left guessing at what would happen next in this enchanting tale. I was desperately trying to put the pieces of Carax's past together along with Daniel, while at the same time wondering what would happen with Daniel next in the present. It was masterfully done. You got to see some of the best in people, and some of the absolute worst too. It could go from filling your heart with warmth at the capacity of human kindness, to making you shudder in despair at the unmentionable things that the same species could be capable of. In between the best and the worst there were countless other little, or large, ripples cast from things as simple as a lie, or a lack of courage in a single moment. It showed the great and awful repercussions from these actions, or inactions.

I think my highlighting function on my kindle got one hell of a work out here. The writing was so gorgeous, I just couldn't help myself. I wouldn't dream of ruining even a second of the experience that is reading this book, so I refuse to go in to any more detail in the plot. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up. It was a journey that I won't soon be forgetting.

It's so hard to find the words to write this review. Heartwood ended up being my favorite book in the series. It wasn't at all what I was expecting, but that ended up being exactly why I thought it was so great!

After the more subdued, subtle conflict in Mollywood, Heartwood snuck in and hit like a battering ram to the heart. It held you close, whispered sweet nothings in your ear, and just when you felt completely at peace and comfortable in it's embrace, it gripped you by the heartstrings and tugged at each once until you didn't think you could bear a second more. And yet you couldn't turn away. I truly mean that. I was up until nearly 4am consuming this story. I had to finish every last word before I could even consider trying to actually get some sleep. Even though I was pretty freaking tired the next day, this story was worth every second of the exhaustion I suffered from it lol.

While I wouldn't say that the Carved Hearts series has ever shied away from telling some of the harsher aspects of life, I was quite surprised at the level that was taken to in this addition. I thought it was a brave, and bold choice by the authors, and I appreciated the story that much more because of this. The direction taken here wasn't what I was expecting, but as it happens, that made everything better. I appreciated the other quieter times more because of it.


As always in this series Heartwood also deals with some of the more baser issues of a couple, and their struggles too. It's so great to see how far both Joe and Molly have come . Their character growth shines through in the way they deal with each other and with life in general, especially when it decides to throw them a curve ball.

I can't praise this book enough, but alas, I do not want to give anything away. I wouldn't dream about ruining this breathtaking journey. So I'll just end by saying Heartwood is a CAN'T MISS conclusion to an INCREDIBLE series. If you haven't had a chance to start this series yet, do yourself a favor and start now! Especially since all the books are out now, and you won't have to wait in agony for the next one to come out, like I did!

*** A very special thank you to L.G. and Michelle Pace for allowing me to take part in being some of the first people to read and review this series since the very first book. I fell in love with these characters and it's very bittersweet to say goodbye to them, but I couldn't have dreamed up a better ending for them than the one you guys gave us! Happy release day!


I received this ARC from the authors in exchange for an honest review

HUGE things are happening in the Reveler series in Delirium! The nightmares aren't confined to the Scrape any longer. We sort of got some peeks at this in the last book, with a few sightings of the nightmares harassing Revelers in the waking world. In Delirium all hell is breaking loose. The nightmares are running amuck everywhere! To the point that it's not only Revelers that are in danger, it's everyone.


There is already something so scary and sinister feeling to having your dreams become unsafe, sleeping is quite truly when people are most vulnerable. Not to mention that it's also ultimately unavoidable. You can go awhile without sleeping, but eventually, whether you like it or not, sleep will come for you. So now our group of favorite rebel revelers are starting to grasp the full scale of the upcoming attack from the nightmares, and no one is safe in the dream or waking world.


The initial attack was launched in this book, which was frightening enough, but we know that it's only the beginning, because the Sandman is coming and he is far worse than any nightmare. I'll admit that after book 5 and getting the first glimpses at the Sandman, I was really hoping to see more of him in this book. Unfortunately he is only mentioned in the sense that his time will be coming in the next addition to the series. So while I was a little disappointed that he wasn't in Delirium, at least his soldiers, so to say, were finally making their big moves.


I'm really curious about the addition of this cult following of people that the Sandman has, the Oneiros. They have become quite the nuisance in the past few books. Even more so because they are actually human and have infiltrated so many faucets of the world associated with the Revs and even the government. It makes it nearly impossible to trust anyone.


The last line of this book was kind of a killer! I am dying to know for sure the identity of the nightmare that snuck into Maze city! I can't wait to see what craziness happens next in Sandman!!



I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

4.5 Stars

Okay, so if you're anything like me, you read that title and went "What the hell?!". No BS, when I first saw it, before I read the blurb, I totally thought it was going to be some sort of erotica book lol. That is no where close to what this book really is. While their is some graphic, and honestly, hard to stomach subject matter in this book, I think it was BRILLIANT. I really respect Collins as a person, and a writer too, for telling this story.

As hard as it is to think about subjects like child abuse, rape, drug addiction, etc. these are things that NEED to be acknowledged. These are things that affect people. REAL PEOPLE. Maybe even someone YOU know, will meet one day, or maybe even you. I read this statistic not terribly long ago, I can't remember when exactly, or where, but I will never forget what it said...in college 1 in every 3 women are victims of sexual assault. 1 in 3!!! This was devastating to me, as a woman, a mother of a daughter, and a human being. And as soul crushing as hearing these things, or reading about the atrocities that happened in this story are, maybe this acknowledgement, this dialog, this story, just maybe it will help someone. It may not save anyone from having something awful happen to them, but at the very least it gives you a closer look at some of the warning signs to look for.

This was a story about 3 young girls that were assaulted early in their life, and the impacts that it had into their adult years. Three very different girls, with very different situations, and outcomes. Things get pretty real right away, there is no easing you into this tale, which I think was very well done. I was sympathetic to each of the girls right away, It worked well in forming that bond with the characters and had me desperately needing to know what happened with them next. At first I was kind of wondering why the Author decided to tell three different stories, but there was a very good reason for her doing so, and I was honestly surprised with how they seamlessly entertwined after awhile.The POV switches were PERFECTION. I just feel the need to glorify that tidbit after having struggled so much with that in some of my other recent reads.

This story is pretty fast paced, and 100% engaging. Once I was into it, I had a hard time putting it down! I also thought this author took a lot of care with this subject material, she didn't shy away from harsh truths, but she also didn't make it so graphic that it was a struggle to get through. It was just a fine balancing act that she nailed from start to finish. I am so surprised that this book does not have more reviews. It kind of hurts my heart a little. But considering the title had me initially shying away from it, I could see why it might not grab more people that way. I'm so glad I looked inside for more, because this was a GREAT book. I get that this story might not be for everyone, it's not all sunshine and puppy dogs, but it was brilliantly done and I'm thoroughly impressed by it. When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Prostitute gets a high recommendation from me.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

After seeing bits and pieces of Mac and Kelly’s relationship in the Carved Hearts series, I was so excited when I heard that Wood U was going to be telling their full story! And I am glad to say I was entertained from beginning to end.

 

Getting to better know both Mac and Kelly was great. I really couldn’t help but fall in love with Mac. I mean, I already knew I appreciated his smartass sense of humor from the other books. But I really loved getting to see another side to him in Wood U. The sweet, loving father just pulled on every single one of my heartstrings. It was devastating to see just how much he was going through with his Ex and his son. My heart broke for that little boy. I was especially interested in Kelly’s family relationships too. Her and her father, Francis, reconnecting was something I really liked seeing. Francis was someone I really loved from the other Carved Hearts books. So I loved seeing him be able to start a relationship with his daughter after so many years. And I will say that Kelly was just a super down to Earth character. Her mishaps and blunders really made her so much more likeable to me. I laughed out loud a few different times at some of the situations she got herself into.

 

I loved the alternating POVs. With the massive amounts of ongoing miscommunications between Mac and Kelly, seeing both their sides throughout everything made it really easy to understand just how important communication is in a relationship. It also made it pretty entertaining to watch them being so clueless and the mishaps that happened from such. Even though there were a few times towards the end where I wanted to physically shake the both of them for still not getting it! I also appreciated that this wasn’t just a repeat of the other Carved books, as much as I loved them, I was hoping for new stuff, and these Authors did this wonderfully! The time line started back with the other books, and while there were a few revisits to notable scenes, it was completely different this time around, and I couldn’t be happier with the way they accomplished this.

 

This was a book that you could read on it’s own, but the other Carved Hearts books were equally as awesome and I think you will appreciate this book that much more from reading them too.

 

   I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to get an early copy of this book! I quite enjoyed Freed by Him, and that ending had me desperate for this book, to see how it all turned out! This book was great! I have to give it some major props for actually making me shed a tear. I am not really a crier, but this story got me right in the feels!

Caught by Her started off surprising me. I was honestly pretty shocked that Nate started acting so standoffish about his and Lena's relationship. I mean, I understood his reasoning, to an extent, but I thought it was a jerk move, especially considering how he pushed Lena to get closer to him in the first place. I felt bad for Lena having to deal with his sudden emotional distance. I ended up being pretty darn impressed with Lena though. She had really grown as a character from the previous book. I truthfully thought that her vulnerability in this book made her stronger than ever, and I appreciated that.

While I was rooting for these crazy kids to figure things out, something spectacular started happening, some of the secondary characters really came to life. There was some really interesting things going down on the sidelines, it definitely made me want to see some of them step into the limelight next *cough* Marcus *cough* Just sayin. I thought Lena and Nate's story ended perfectly. I'm honestly REALLY HOPING that Chapple continues on with this set of characters! I'd love to read more about them.


I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So you may have noticed I've been on quite a fantasy and paranormal kick lately. It's been a bit since I have read a contemporary romance. As much as I thoroughly enjoy fantasy, I have to say that it was pretty nice to read this to shake things up a little. I almost forgot how nice a story like this can be. There is a glorious simplicity in a romance story that I really like. Without all the intricate world-building, there is a hard focus on the character's development. Romance is intimate in more ways than one. And Chapple did fabulously well with this set of characters!



With the warning of mature content on this and the blurb I thought this book would be a lot darker than it ended up being. I actually thought that Freed by Him was more focused on moving forward, and carrying on after something devastating happens. One thing I appreciated was how strong (inside and out) Lena was. I also loved the underlying messages about what strength means and truly is. Lena was tough and independent, and that was great, but the emphasis on the strength involved in being able to trust other people enough to let them in and accept a helping hand here and there was a welcome addition. I was also thankful for such a great leading man too! Nate was strong, kind, and a genuine good guy. They were a fabulous couple and you couldn't help rooting for them to figure their stuff out and make things work.



Another high point to bring up is that even the side characters were interesting. I always give high points to an author that doesn't use side characters as only a way to boost your feelings about the main ones. If you have them there, I want them to have a legitimate role to play. Maddie was a good friend to Lena and I enjoyed their fun and endearing relationship. I wouldn't mind getting a future book with her as a lead, just sayin'!!



This story line was equally as engaging as the characters, I honestly couldn't put it down. I devoured it in a day! There were a few different plot lines going on between Lena's past hurts and her subsequent current issues, and there was also some interesting things happening with Nate and his family, that I hope we figure out more about in the second book. It was riveting stuff and I look forward to seeing where things go from here. Of course there were a few really steamy parts in here too. The chemistry between Nate and Lena was spectacular! There was one hell of a cliffhanger at the end!! But this is just the first installment in Nate and Lena's story and the concluding part is yet to come. After that ending, especially, I am desperate to see how everything plays out!!



I an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review