Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I think I’ve become rather spoiled by the amazing authors I’ve read lately because this wasn’t my typical read and gush review. I actually had to take a few days to think about what I wanted to say and how I honestly felt about this book. In the end, I found myself standing on the line – I liked the story, enjoyed the characters, and definitely found some originality in the pages. But some of the mechanics kind of distracted me, which was frustrating, and ultimately, it affected my review.
The Story:
This is one of those almost insta-love books. It’s not quite that, but the main characters, Ethan and Lena, definitely fall for each other rather quickly. Typical of teenage relationships. But there’s another element that I felt justified the quick transition from strangers to love struck teens: they shared the same dreams before they even met. Like experiencing some kind of supernatural déjà vu, they connect during their very first in-person meeting. But Ethan has no idea what he’s in for when he allows himself to fall for Lena. Certainly, he knows she’s strange, but he has no idea just how different she really is. And there’s more. During his relationship with Lena, Ethan learns that things aren’t quite what they seem in the sleepy town of Gaitlin. He also discovers the truth about Lena’s family and her impending birthday. They abandon the warning of their families, and for once, it’s the guy chasing the girl and helping her hold on to something worth fighting for.
The Characters:
Ethan is the main character of this story. I found it refreshing to read a romance book from a guy’s perspective. There aren’t a lot of those out there, and it’s really interesting to see the insight an author is able to give her male protagonist. Lena is your not-so-typical outcast who, despite the fact that things may soon change for her forever, loves Ethan, a boy she shouldn’t love. Other interesting characters worth mentioning include Link, the comedy relief and best friend; Amma, the superstitious hoo-doo-ish caretaker of Ethan; Macon, Lena’s uncle that is hiding more than you realize at first; and Ridley, the seductive dark cousin of Lena. These were the characters that stood out for me the most, and they were characters that I honestly connected with. There were others that played more minor parts, all of which were well put together (with the slight exception of Marian, the town librarian…she kind of talks in quotes and riddles a bit too much for my taste). Overall, believable, interesting characters that I enjoyed.
Book Distractions:
Unfortunately, there were some things I found very frustrating and distracting about this book. The first being the somewhat disjointed thought patterns throughout the book. I found myself confused sometimes, or bored because of redundancy. It felt like the thought-flow was just a bit mixed up at times.
The second issue I ran into had to do with the history. While I definitely felt like the history of Gaitlin and its characters needed to be shared, I also felt like there were some areas where the history overshadowed the story. There’d be whole sections of history that I’d end up skimming over because I felt like it’d just went on entirely too long.
Lastly, I felt like it took me forever to get into the book. It’s a slow read at first, and I had to fight to keep reading. I’d put it down several times, not really sure I even wanted to continue. Thankfully, the book did pick up pace nearly halfway through and I ended up being very glad that I’d continued. By the time I’d reached the last quarter of the book, I had a hard time putting it down.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, and I would recommend it. I’ve started the second book already, and though it’s a slow start just like the first one, I’m going to keep fighting for that page-turning section that I managed to find within book 1. Had there been fewer distractions, I definitely would have given Beautiful Creatures a higher rating because the story, and its characters, were that good.
October Snow by Jenna Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Really great books are hard to find, harder to put down, and impossible to forget,” – source unknown.
This quote made me think of October Snow, instantly. It is a book that will stick with me forever. The emotions, thoughts, and personal reflection that this book stirred in me are practically impossible to articulate, but I’m going to give it a try.
October Snow is an in-your-face look at the reality that so many women face each and every day. Centered around the topic of domestic violence, the book is an amazing way for victims to find a character they can fully identify with. It is this common thread of domestic violence that ties the three friends in this book together, but interestingly enough, they don’t even realize it until somewhere towards a quarter of the way into the book. But there is so much more to this book than that.
Most notable is the fact that there is useful information for victims and their families – information that could make the difference between successfully making it out and ending up being back in the clutches of an abuser. But what really snagged me and kept pulling me in was the emotional investment I had in each of the characters. I was able to identify with all of them in one way or another. I also found myself wonderfully bonded to them and their little circle, if for no other reason than they remind me so very much of the bonds that I have formed with other women in my own life. Their mannerisms, their reactions, their emotional scars, their attachment, all of what you see from these three women describe the reality of how domestic violence and trauma affect a person forever. That, above all else, makes October Snow nothing short of an addictive read. And as I continued to turn the pages late into the night, I found myself gripped with fear, sadness, happiness, and concern. I’m not a person that cries over books or movies, at least not easily. But I cried for at least three chapters while reading October Snow because of how deeply and profoundly the book touched some of the deepest parts of my soul and humanity.
I wanted, so desperately, to give October Snow a full five stars. The story definitely deserves it, but there were a couple of minor issues that kept me from doing so. The first was the fact that there were a few instances where I had a hard time following the story. This was particularly true for some of the dialogues; I couldn’t tell who was speaking sometimes and it threw me. But there were also a few scenes that I felt jumped too quickly for me. There were also a few scenes where I felt like the topic or conversation dragged; I just wanted to get back to the story. But please don’t let any of this deter you from reading October Snow because, in all honesty, it wasn’t so distracting or jarring that it took much from the overall story. I still enjoyed the experience of reading it more than I’ve enjoyed reading any book in a very long time. And I’d give it a solid 4.5 stars if there was a half-star option. =)
Jenna Brooks is definitely an author to watch for; I have a feeling she’s going to end up taking the literary world by storm! And, for the record, if there’s ever a book that needs to be made into a movie, this is it! Many thanks to the author for giving me a reading experience that will forever be a part of my life.
The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oh. my. WORD! Where to start? I could word vomit about this book for hours, but I’m going to try really, really hard to keep this a somewhat focused review. =)
First off, the story itself…How can you not fall in love with a story like this? I think most of us have had those times in our life where we look around and wonder, “How did I get here?” Camryn experiences this exact moment and then does what I so often wish I could do – she headed out on a road to nowhere. It’s on the road that she meets the amazingly sexy, free-spirited Andrew. But what I love most about this story is that they don’t fall in love instantly. Sure, there’s an attraction there, but the two of them are actually fighting any feelings of attraction they have. It takes until almost the end of the book for them to become an official couple, and I LOVED that. In my opinion, too many books nowadays have that insta-love kind of storyline. And then there’s the whole WAY they fall in love. *SWOON!*
As for the characters…who couldn’t fall in love with Camryn and Andrew? They are beautifully flawed and so wonderfully real. And there’s just something about the two of them, separately and while they are together, that made me fall in love with them. And even though the author took on writing two different characters, they each had their own voice, their own personality and their own hang-ups.
And then the end of the story – how it all comes together – oh. my! I won’t say much more because it would totally ruin the story for anyone reading it, but let me just say that I could NOT put this book down. I tried, desperately, to spread this book out because I knew, from page 5, that I was going to LOVE it. I wanted to indulge as long as possible, but by the time I hit halfway through the book, I couldn’t concentrate on anything else, and just kept picking it up to read “just a few more pages.” It’s been two days and I STILL have a book hangover…sigh.
I have no idea what book 2 is supposed to be about, but honestly, I cannot WAIT to read it. If I could actually survive without a book long until book 2 came out, I wouldn’t read anything else until then. Yeah. It was THAT good!
Textual Encounters by Morgan Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If I’d been shopping for a new book, I probably would have passed this one up. Generally, I stay away from novellas because I prefer longer stories. And if it were left up to me to classify Textual Encounters, I’d place it in the chick lit romance genre – definitely not my genre of choice. But I am so honored to have been one of the first people to ever read it.
Textual Encounters definitely has a lot of things going for it: it’s original, the characters are very likable and the writing style of the author is very enjoyable, which made the pages turned very quickly for me.
This story is told mostly through text messages between “fated” lovers, which made it unlike anything I’ve ever read. Plus, the fact that the author was able to take me through the highs and lows of Jake and Christine’s relationship with little more than text messages back and forth…well, that tells me Morgan’s got some serious writing talent.
I fell in love with the characters instantly. Christine has just enough snarkiness to make her witty but not so much that she’s rude or unlikable. Jake won me over quickly. He is the kind of guy that any girl would love to fall in love with. And Katie…well, Katie makes only a couple of appearances throughout the story but I already love her sense of humor.
I think I finished book one in less than a day, and I enjoyed every minute of it! I can’t wait to get my hands on book two and find out what happens next! Morgan is definitely an author to look for in the future.
Love and Relativity by Rachael Wade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I laughed. I cried. I read until I needed toothpicks to keep my eyes open! In short, Love and Relativity made my very short “epic love story” list. But in more depth:
“My problem is, I can’t do this shit anymore, Emma. The girl I fucking love is sitting across from me, and I can’t have her. I can never have her because all I seem to do is hurt her, and it’s killing me, alright? Seeing you like that last week…it tore me open and ripped out my insides. It feels worse than the three years I couldn’t touch you combined. There’s nothing left of me, because you have it all. You were right. I am no good for you—not now, and not in the future. I’m done with this back and forth bullshit, so please, just say what you came to say and be done with it, because I can’t fucking take it anymore.”
That. Right there. And so much more is why Love and Relativity is currently my favorite Rachael Wade novel, and probably one of my favorite reads this year.
Jackson is totally bad-boy-with-a-good-heart yummy. He tries his damndest to stay away from Emma, to do what’s right by her. He wants more for her than him, but their love is fueled by sheer magnetism and Jackson isn’t the bad boy he thinks he is. He’s caged himself in, simply put up walls because of the things he’s been through, which really just makes him all the more desirable in the end.
Emma is struggling with her own issues: a jerk of an ex-boyfriend, her own walls and inhibitions, the grief and loss of her sister and the secret that binds her and Jackson together – the one thing that tells her that there’s more to Jackson than meets the eye. But figuring it all out is easier said than done.
Be prepared for some serious swooning and steamy scenes. And don’t be surprised if you spend half the book wanting to ring either Jackson’s or Emma’s necks because we, the readers, can see they are perfect for each other but one or the other seems to think that they’re better off sabotaging the entire thing.
My favorite character from Preservation also plays a pretty big role in Love and Relativity. I got to know him better and I got to see him happy, which I totally loved. He’s the sweet, pure hearted guy who most girls overlook because he lacks that bad boy edge. But to me, he’s beyond yummy and totally the kind of guy I would marry (and yes, I did marry the total sweetheart and I’ve never looked back! =)). So for me, Love and Relativity also righted and the wrongs I’d felt at the end of Preservation, making Love and Relativity all the more enjoyable.
First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
First Comes Love is one of those books that I’ll never forget. While I couldn’t give it five stars, there was so much I loved about this coming of age love story.
The book starts out with Gray, a loner who’s tired of all the “pretty people” around him, and Dylan, a free-spirited nomad that notices the guy (Gray) that no one else sees. Dylan tries to befriend Gray but Gray isn’t looking for a friend, especially not one like Dylan. The author, Katie Kacvinsky, then takes you to the next level, sharing why Gray and Dylan are who they are and how they got to where they are in life. Slowly but surely, Gray starts to open up. Eventually, Gray falls in love with the strange, free-spirited Dylan (whom I was already in love with from page one). But it’s not ahappy ending yet. Dylan’s free spirit pulls at her, which just so happens to be in the opposite direction of the amazing, blossoming young man that has allowed himself to fall in love with her.
This really is a sweet story. It reminded me of how sweet first loves can be and how complex and confusing life can be when disaster strikes at a young age. Gray and Dylan fit together like puzzle pieces, each one complementing the other. I related to Dylan’s free-spirited nature but also despised her for it. I empathized with Gray after learning about the loss of his twin sister and the havoc that loss wreaked on his family. I enjoyed the journey of healing that Dylan took him on and fell head over heels in love with him when he realized that he wanted to spend every day of the rest of his life with the girl he fell in love with.
Unfortunately, there were some things that kept me from giving First Comes Love five stars, none of which had to do with the amazing characters or the beautiful story held within the pages of this book. It actually had to do with some of my own Arizona experiences. I’ve lived in Arizona for a total of six years. To me, the state is more of a melting pot than a display of beautiful people. Plus, I’ve never seen a house in the Phoenix vicinity with a basement, which is where Gray stayed in his parent’s house. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any basements in the Phoenix area, they’re just very, very rare. Anyway, those are the weird insider things that kept me from giving the book a five star review, so don’t read it for the factual information, read it for the story.
Promise by Kristie Cook
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I had to wait several months before doing my review on this book, partly because I needed to see if it stuck with me. While I did enjoy much of it, there were things about it that simply didn’t make sense to me. While it started really strong I struggled so much with understanding the beginning of the book. Even now, after I’ve finished reading it, I’ve no idea what the relevance of it was to the rest of the book. I am guessing I might find that out as I progress through the rest of the series – at least, that’s what I hope will happen.
I know I desperately wanted to love this book. I kept turning the pages and I found myself interested in the story and the characters, but there was still a bit of a “meh” factor for me. I can’t really put my finger on why, exactly. I know I struggled with a lot of the motives, thinking and maturity of some of the characters. There were also times that I fought to make sense of what was happening to and around the characters.
On a more positive note, I do remember how wonderfully original Promise ended up being. I haven’t read anything quite like it and I know that, by the end, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen in the next book. I’ve refrained from reading the second book up to this point, however, because I was pretty upset by the way the first book ended. While I may be wrong about the ending, I have this horrible gut feeling that I’m right. I can’t really say much more than that without totally ruining the book for someone else, so I will just leave it at that.
I plan to start on the next book in this series next week. I’m hopeful that I’ll feel better about the series after reading book #2. Will keep everyone updated on my thoughts and whether or not I ended up falling in love with it as much as I wanted to love Promise.
The Tragedy of Knowledge by Rachael Wade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary:
Tragedy of Knowledge is the last book in The Resistance Trilogy. Gavin, Camille and the rest of the Resistance must discover the secret to defeating Gerard, the father of all vampires, before he defeats them. The Resistance has one thing in their favor – they’ve formed an alliance with Gerard’s queen and ruler of Amaranth, Samira. She wants revenge probably more than the Resistance, but she’s frightened of Gerard and his powers as well. Will they discover the secret before it’s too late? Can Gavin and Camille trust their alliance with Samira?
My Review:
I have to say, Tragedy of Knowledge was definitely my favorite out of the Resistance Trilogy. It’s probably my second favorite Rachael Wade book altogether (my favorite so far has yet to be released). There was so much I loved – Samira was humanized. We really gained a full understanding of who Samira is and why. Camille really comes into her powers, which ends up being crucial to the book’s outcome, and she shows a lot of growth throughout the entire series. Gavin screws up royally in this final book, but love prevails (a theme in Rachael’s books that I love).
As always, Ms. Wade’s writing kept me up way too late. I kept wishing for toothpicks to keep my eyes open! I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen. And my emotional investment in the characters was notably stronger with this final installment of the Resistance Trilogy. I still missed Joel, and so did the characters in the book. Rachael took us back to Joel and showed how the loss of a special person can often lead to healing in the relationships of those that loved them most.
I think I loved the ending most of all. It was inspiring, it came together in a way that was sad and beautiful all at the same time. It reminded me that while things may not work out the way you planned, the way they do work out is often so much more beautiful than anything you could have imagined.
The Burning Bush by Kenya Wright
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Over the last year, I’ve become a pretty big Kenya Wright fan. The Burning Bush was a prime example of why!
At the end of Fire Baptized, I remember wondering what in the world the author still had to write about: the murderer was behind bars, Lanore had finally decided that she was interested in Zulu…things seemed to be pretty much resolved, at least in my opinion.
Enter The Burning Bush, second book to The Habitat Series. Ms. Wright made it perfectly clear, from the very first page, that I had been wrong in my assumptions about whether or not there should be a second book – boy, had I been wrong!
Zulu, Lanore and MeShack now have a whole new killer to contend with. The only difference is that the killer isn’t after Lanore this time – but someone else is. That someone has found a way to integrate themselves in with the group closest to Lanore and Zulu. Oh, and as always, there’s some hot, steamy, sexy scenes in there. And staying true to her style, Ms. Wright’s characters are amazingly vivid; her description of experiences, locations and details are wonderfully realistic.
I won’t say much more about the book or the story line itself; I wouldn’t want to ruin the experience for anyone else. But I will say this…I cannot WAIT for the next book! The Burning Bush kept me up, wanting to read just a little more. When I got to the end, it was like watching the season finale of your favorite television show – the producers let off at a place that will guarantee you’ll come back for more. That’s exactly what Ms. Wright accomplished with The Burning Bush. In fact, when I reached the end of the book, I didn’t know if I wanted to kiss her or scream at her.
Yes, it was just that good!
I received a free copy of the Burning Bush in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have received no other compensation for my review.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ever wondered how women end up in abusive relationships? Why it is they don’t just leave or how, exactly, they fall in love with an abusive person in the first place? Read Zeke by Wodke Hawkinson. I didn’t just read a story that had me on the edge of my seat; I read a story that so accurately the victim’s mental rewiring and abuser’s charming mental instability that I had to step back and remind myself that I was reading a fictional story.
It’s not often that I find a book that can evoke a strong emotional response from me; Zeke did. And it wasn’t just the brilliant writing: exceptional character building would be an understatement, engaging story fails to do this book justice, and to say that the story and characters were realistic couldn’t even come close to describing what I experience while reading Zeke. In fact, the story was so realistic that I felt as though I was simply reading another victim’s story.
As you may well know, I am an advocate for domestic violence victims. I am also a survivor of domestic violence, so Zeke really jumped off the page for me. He was a living, breathing, standing in my living room abuser for me. I had to take several breaks throughout the book, just to breathe and remind myself that I was safe. But there are women out there that are NOT safe. They are with real versions of Zeke. While not all of them are likely as mentally unstable as our male protagonist, they are all mentally unstable in one way or another. Anyone that has ever been in an abusive relationship could probably find a resemblance of their abuser in Zeke.
For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone. For those that are still healing from the trauma caused in an abusive relationship, Zeke may not be a suitable read. But I would recommend this book to anyone else that enjoys psychological, nail biting, edge of your seat books. I’d also highly recommend this book to any young woman who is just starting out in the dating world or to any woman that may be on the verge of entering an abusive relationship.
There are Zeke’s on every corner, ladies, and they don’t come with a sign. Instead, they are charming, handsome, sweet, and completely in “love” with you. But what you see on the surface is nothing more than an act; deep down, they only want to control you, and many of them, like Zeke, actually enjoy seeing you in pain.
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A Darkness Shattered by Bruce Clothier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A Darkness Shattered was another one of those books that really shocked me. I’m really not very into the zombie books…or at least I didn’t think I was. After reading A Darkness Shattered, I’m starting to wonder. =) (This is the second zombie book I’ve read that has made me think I might actually like the genre more than I had originally thought.)
There were so many strengths with this book: very descriptive writing, believable events, characters you either love or hate, and an engaging story line. And there was more to this book than just zombies: love, friendship, loyalty, survival, empathy, compassion and doing the right thing simply because it’s the right thing to do. I loved the depth and realism of each character. And I absolutely adored the little colony of people. I would have loved to have lived there any day of the week! But what I loved about this book most was that the gore wasn’t disruptive to my stomach. While it was very realistic, it wasn’t so over the top that I felt like I was going to lose my lunch.
There were some religious undertones, but none that I couldn’t ignore – a prayer, some “divine” knowledge, that sort of thing…but again, nothing that truly took away from the story for me. Also, the transition from one character’s thoughts, movements or actions to another was a little rough at times. But honestly, the disorientation during transitions was very slight, and once the transition was over, you were right back where you should have been – fully engrossed in the character.
So overall, definitely a good read, one that I would highly recommend. And needless to say, I’m really glad I gave this book a chance, even though it’s really not the kind of book I would normally read. Even more surprising is the fact that I’m also looking forward to the next book…or at least I hope there’s a next one or I’ll be rather disappointed. Bruce Clothier is definitely an author to watch for.
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Foretell by Belle Malory
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Foretell carries on where Wanderlove left off, for the most part, but the story is now told from a different perspective. Readers are now taken into the thoughts and experiences of The Oracle, otherwise known as Estelle.
Estelle first learned of her curse shortly after her father’s death. She’d always known her ability could be dangerous in the wrong hands. In fact, her own mother and sister have fully abused her abilities to obtain wealth and fame. But it wasn’t until meeting Lola, Rex and Gabe that Estelle realized just how much danger she and the world could be in because of her ability. She also learns that gypsies from all over the world are hunting for her, trying to find her so that they can use her abilities for their own gain.
After earning the trust of Estelle, Lola, Gabe and Rex take Estelle to safety, but that safety is soon compromised when Estelle decides to try and break the curse. This journey will lead her to love, heartbreak, and even to the brink of death. Will she break the curse or will she forever serve evil people?
Again, I am fully wowed by Belle Mallory’s story. Something about her writing just captivates me. It’s so real to me, as if the whole gypsy world, the curse of the Oracle and the reincarnation of gypsy souls truly does exist. I also find myself fully engrossed in her stories. The writing flows so easily, so beautifully. The characters wonderfully created. I love how they seem so much like real people.
All in all, I’m a little sad that there probably won’t be another book in the Wanderlove series. (Although who knows except Ms. Mallory.) Nothing has changed for me. I am a dedicated Belle Mallory fan and look forward to reading anything she writes in the future. A huge thank you to the author for creating a story that will forever stay with me. I am certain I will read both books again sometime in the future.
Vindicated by Keary Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Vindicated continues to follow Alex and Jessica in their quest for a normal, happy life together. Alex is still an angel, and the call from the other side is getting stronger. Jessica now knows that she can’t die, that she is more angel than human, but she’s still at a loss for how to use this fact to her advantage. Will the two of them beat death and find their happily ever after or will Jessica be forced to spend an eternity without Alex as he finishes his job on the other side of life?
WOW! Really, just wow. I loved how this series ended. I really felt like the characters really grew from the beginning of the series to the end. Jessica is so much stronger in this book. She is no longer the scared, neurotic girl she was in the first book. Alex has finally manned up and asked Jessica to marry him, which made me uber happy.
What I loved most though was Cole. I know, I know, he’s the bad guy. But even he’s grown from the first book. He’s shown that he has a heart and even a conscious. He even takes a huge risk for Jessica, which shows just how deeply he loves. I found myself almost willing to be the queen of hell with him, since Jessica passed up on the offer, lol.
Vindicated also ties up all the loose ends in this series. You find out why Jessica got sick as a child. You see some healed relationships, and one of my favorite characters, Emily, even finds some peace in her life. I also adored the very ending of the book. I loved how things just kind of fell into place.
There were, however, some things that I think could have been improved – the biggest being the stating of the obvious. As you’re going along in the book, Jessica points out her own personal observation of how she’s grown. That was a given. If you’ve followed the series, you know that Jessica has grown. There are still some noticeable typos and confusing paragraphs, but it’s not as bad as it was in the very first or second book. Keep in mind these are all still minor issues, but not enough to deter me from recommending the book or the series. I also felt that while all of the books in this trilogy had great characterization, I felt as if this one was the strongest in this area.
Overall, I enjoyed the series and felt it was well-thought out. I enjoyed the interesting journey that it took me on and fell in love with the characters, even the bad guy. I’d recommend the series to anyone interested in paranormal books but tired of vampires as well anyone interested in love stories with angels.
The Devil’s Game by S.L. Pierce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Excerpt:
Ambitious psychologist Dr. Gloria Pike thinks her new patient is the one she has been waiting for. The one that will bring her fame and fortune with her groundbreaking new therapy. Rachel Pendelton is on the verge of living her dream. She’s finally overcome the final hurdle to graduating and is waiting to hear about her dream job. But all of that is threatened when someone starts stalking her. Patient X is disturbed. That much is clear. But who is playing who and who is really stalking Rachel? Psychotic patients, stalkers, and an innocent college student are the tangled players in The Devil’s Game.
I have to say, it took me a couple of chapters to really catch my bearings in The Devil’s Game. While the first chapter definitely pulled me in, I wasn’t really sure what was happening or why. Thankfully, it didn’t last too long, and once it was over, I found myself on one hell of a ride!
The Devil’s Game is thoroughly twisted and insane. You have crazy Patient X whom seems to have some serious mental issues. Unfortunately, her psychologist isn’t much saner than her patients. Then there are the supplemental crazy side characters, so I wasn’t ever really quite sure who poor innocent Rachel’s stalker is. It definitely made for a lot of suspense and late night reading. =)
What I think I loved most about the book is that it lacked filler. This is a common problem in a lot of books today, IMO. With the Devil’s Game, I didn’t find myself constantly wondering why in the world the authors mentioned the type of shoes someone was wearing, and I didn’t have to go on any long side story plots that seemed to hold little to no relevance to the real story. Quite simply, The Devil’s Game contains straightforward, to the point writing.
I did feel like there were a few things missing from the story though. Some things I would have liked to have understood better or seen explained more:
1. Dr. Pike’s daddy issues. I felt like I kind of went from happy, serene, daddy pleasing Gloria Pike to drag daddy through the mud Gloria Pike. Very confusing
2. Maybe a more clarified beginning. I really did struggle with the first few chapters.
That’s really it. Not a lot to offer in the room of improvement. I stayed engaged, I enjoyed the story and I constantly second guessed myself when I thought I might know who the real players were. So, a well-deserved four stars for The Devil’s Game. I’ve also already downloaded another book by the same authors, Secrets, and am looking forward to reading it as well.
Incubus Hunter by Kenya Wright
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Incubus Hunter… WOW! So wow that I got to the last page on my Kindle, and flipped forward and thought “Nooo!!!! It CAN’T be over!!!” when I got to the end. I flipped back a page, checking to see if I somehow had skipped a whole chapter or something. And no, the book was over. Man! Talk about disappointed!
I have never really been into erotica, but something about Kenya’s writing made this book engaging and interesting, rather than cheesy or over the top. There was the guy that should be the bad guy who really wasn’t and a daughter to save and tons of great steamy scenes and a fictional world and characters that were so real, I never would have guessed that they weren’t.
I have been waiting patiently for Kenya to finish her second full-length book, which was what brought me to Incubus Hunter. I am in love with Kenya’s writing style and ability to create very real characters and situations, despite the fact that her books are about completely fictitious characters. And Incubus Hunter did not disappoint. It was written with the same style, same character and world development, the plot moved at just the right pace. She writes in a style that makes you forget that you’re reading. You just kind of lose yourself.
Kenya’s writing is also extremely imaginative, and Incubus Hunter was no different. The abilities she gave to her characters, the devices they use to hunt each other or take advantage of their prey. It’s all just amazingly original, like nothing I have ever read.
Kenya is an indie author to watch for, that’s for certain. I highly suggest you check out at least one of her books, especially if you’re into fantasy fiction (but still check it out if you just like fiction but not fantasy). Her stories are paving originality into the fantasy market that is currently oversaturated with vampires. She brings something totally new and wonderful to the table and writes the stories she always wanted to read. And they end up being stories that I LOVE to read! Thank you Kenya for creating such a fun, engaging, steamy (but not cheesy) erotic fantasy! I only complain because I wish there were more!!!!!
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wanderlove was one of those books that I seemed to have a hard time getting into, mostly because it just wasn’t what I had wanted to read at the moment. It really had nothing to do with the book itself; I just wasn’t interested in the kind of story it promised to tell at the time. So, it sat on my Kindle for months. Finally, I sunk my teeth into it.
At first, I was horribly frustrated. The Kindle app on my phone wouldn’t read the formatting completely. Words in the margins were cut off. And I kept thinking that it had something to do with the formatting of the book and it made me horribly mad because I really wanted to like this story. Then I got this crazy idea to try and read it on my regular Kindle. As soon as I moved over to my regular Kindle, the problem was resolved and I found a story that was both captivating and beautiful!
First off, I love the name Lola. It just sounds like a gypsy name: light, exotic, airy and beautiful. Then of course, there is the wandering spirit; I could so relate! So Wanderlove already had the potential to steal my heart, even before I opened the pages. I did find the beginning to be a little slower than I would have liked for a non-reflective piece, but that’s just personal preference. Once I got to the meat and potatoes though, oh how the pages turned!
Once I really dug in, I felt that Greg was a little too handsome for me. I don’t know what my deal is but I just can’t get into the all-too-perfectly built guys. I did, however, adore his character. Cam was another character that I fell in love with quickly. Secretly, I spent about half the book wishing that Cam would win Lo’s heart because he just seemed so intriguing to me, but then Greg finally won me over with his well-placed displays of testosterone.
All of these things made a great story, but what really stood out in this book compared to so many that I’ve read is that it really plays on gypsy history – or at least you would assume that by how well the author created the history. The author also used the reincarnation solely for gypsies, which I found very interesting.
The writing was beautifully descriptive. The castle in Romania really existed to me; the entire camp existed. Belle Malory really painted the pictures for me with her words. I found myself utterly lost and enveloped into the gypsy world. What I really enjoyed most though was that descriptive scenery wasn’t overused to the point that it interfered with the story. I’ve read a few of those lately, you know, the ones that make you want to scream, “I don’t CARE what the buildings look like on every street! I just want a story!” It wasn’t like that at all. She used description where it was needed and left it out when it wasn’t.
I do have to say, though, that for a book about gypsies, not a lot of traveling took place. I definitely would have liked to have seen more traveling in the book, which was, of course, one of the reasons that I knew the story would captivate me. But maybe it was exactly what I needed right now, being stuck in one place right now and myself. I fully sympathized with Lo when she was trapped in one place too long and knew, firsthand, that excitement of being on the move again.
All in all, definitely a read I loved. The second installment comes out in just two weeks(!), which I am very excited about because the ending of Wanderlove definitely left me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know more. I was worried it was a trick at first, because I didn’t KNOW if there was another book. I would have ranted for hours if there hadn’t been because the story isn’t complete. Although, there aren’t any “lose ends” that left me feeling unsatisfied; I had a knowledge with that ending that there’s more story to be told. I hate books, shows and movies that end with open ends. They always make me so stinking mad. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case with Wanderlove.
Okay, that’s it! I’m going to give away spoilers if I say anymore! I would recommend this read to anyone with a case of wanderlust, definitely, as well as anyone that simply enjoys a good story with reincarnations and interesting characters. Definitely a five star book for me and I am insanely excited for the upcoming release of the second installment – Foretell.
Forsaken by Keary Taylor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
In Forsaken, the second book of the Fall of Angels series, life is far from the perfection that Jessica’s life should be. Now free of the nightmares and dating the angel she loves, it would seem that life is as it should be. Only it isn’t. Alex refuses to marry her, now that he’s an angel. She’s certain Cole is still watching her from the shadows. And to top it all off, something very strange has happened to Jessica herself. Add in a best friend that is so insanely jealous of the relationship between Alex and Jessica, and you’ve got an amazing story premise.
The story, in and of itself, is just as original and captivating as the first book in the Fall of Angels series. Unfortunately, I’m also just as torn in loving this book as I was the first. I absolutely adore Alex, but his refusal to marry Jessica just seemed off to me. Considering his character, it just didn’t seem right.
I also ended up feeling something more for Cole in this book. The author definitely worked her magic at reminding us all that our choices never fully define who we are. That underneath bad choices, pain, anger, sorrow, hurt…there’s always something more, something beautiful, someone worth loving and capable of giving love. So thumbs up on that one!
My distraction in the second book was the same as my distraction in the first book, only I can better understand it now. I love the story. I love the characters, but it feels like the author is running in circles. A lot of repeated words, repeated phrases – sometimes worded differently, but still pretty much the same phrase. So really, it’s not the writing that bothers me, it seems, but more the need for maybe another copyeditor – just someone to say, “You’ve already said this,” or something along those lines.
I also noticed that the writing is often hard to get into initially. If you’re not familiar with Ms. Keary’s books or style, then it might take you until about a third to halfway through the book to really become engrossed. I’m not sure why exactly that is. I just found myself bored through portions of the story. It may just go back to the repeated phrases. You can only hear someone say something so many times before it becomes boring and annoying.
I just keep hoping that each Keary book I read improves a little more, and it seems that they might. I did notice that the typos weren’t quite as common in the second book as the first, so definitely some progress when compared to the first. That leaves me very hopeful for the next book in the series.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, enjoyed the author’s ability to create emotion in the story, the author’s voice and the story line. Her books are definitely enjoyable and I do recommend them. They’re not an absolute love, but I am looking forward to reading the third book in the series and can’t wait to see where the story takes me.
