Jennifer Lynn Barnes: The Naturals

In the first of a YA series, the FBI is determined to start it's profilers early with some teenagers who show a certain type of promise.

I have seen books by Barnes for a few years now and I thought the premise sounded really interesting, plus I grew up watching Criminal Minds and this had a similar air to it. And this totally has criminal mind vibes except with teens as the main characters. Each character really has a counterpart that you can point out from Criminal Minds. As the characters are Teens, they do act like teens with what they say and the decisions that they make. I did not find the "case" that they are part of in this book that interesting and found that this book was more character driven than plot driven as I was expecting it to me. I think this was part of the reason I was able to figure it out as the plot/murderer was not the main point for most of the book and it made me wish it was a bit more complicated.

Cassie is a good character, and you cannot fault her for wanting to join the team as she is looking for who murdered her mother. It was interesting to see Barnes Spin of what a profile would be and how one could be as young as Cassie and Dean. 

This book has the love triangle that I find seems to happen a lot in YA books especially ones that were written in the early 2010 and to be honest the love triangle is just not my thing whether it is YA or adult book. I probably wouldn't have picked this up knowing that it was there as it very much has the two guys playing against each other fairly constantly in the book. You can tell that there is going be one almost from the beginning when Cassie meets the main to MMC that are in the Naturals program.

I think better for a YA audience than an adult one, which is totally fine, that is who this is written for. I don't think that I will continue on in the series, as this was good, but I was hoping for more.

Enjoy!!!

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Sangu Mandanna: A Witch's Guide to Magical Inkeeping

Sangu Mandana takes readers on a whimsical journey of a witch trying to reclaim the powers she lost.

I was really excited to return to Mandanna and the cozy witchy reads that she has created and I really wanted to love this as much as the first book in this series but if just fell flat a few times and I think this was through the pacing of the book. 

I loved idea for this plot of this story of Sera loosing her power and having to live without it but always looking for a way to get it back. She is trying to survive in a world of magic and those who have magic around her and now she has very little of her own. Sera tries to put on a brave face to the world around her but she wants nothing more than getting her magic back and is willing to go to great lengths to achieve it. She has defined herself by the magic she has and lost and can’t seem to see that she is great and thriving without it.

Luke is amazing. Such a great example of a man, he puts other’s needs over his own, will go above and beyond for those he loves especially his sister.

I didn't really feel the romance. To me Sera and Luke relationship lacked a spark and their relationship felt more of one of friendship than anything else. Which I would have been fine with Mandanna having it stay that way, I don’t really see the found family changing much by not having them in a relationship.

I appreciated the ending of where the book end up but i don't think that it will be for everyone.

Overall, this book is a darling read and I did enjoy it I just preferred The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches more. I hope that Mandanna continues to write in this cozy witchy world as I will be there to read them.

 Enjoy!!!

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Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti: Never Keep

In the first in a new series Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti show the lengths that two women will go to in order to prove their worth:

Now this book may be set in the same world or type of world as Zodiac Academy but it is completely different in all ways except for the ability based system. This one has more of an us or them feel to them based upon one's Zodiac Sign and Powers than ZA does. This also has a cult like feel to it at times not just within the power signs but all the aspects that surround the Reapers.

This book did not have me hooked from the beginning, I found it slow and especially Everest's POV. However, once they enter Never Keep the plot and intrigue really pick up that I found things flipped I preferred Everest's POV. 

Everest is resourceful, cunning, naive at times with her main goal in life just wanting to get her father's attention, love praise. You really feel for her in the moments when she interacts with her father. Vesper is basically the complete opposite of Everest except in one aspect. Vesper is strong, confident in who she is and where she wants to go in life. She has immense power and is willing to do anything to get and keep this power. The one thing that Vesper is looking for is love, she has her friends, but she wants more than that, even if she tries to hide it.

The world in this book is interesting, borders on confusing at the beginning of the book. We are really rushed into the world with not a lot of explanation. Why are all the different factions at war? What is the true reason for Never Keep? (maybe this one is answered in the later books), why is this profecy that they all speak of? The plot of this book is really based around the world, so that is why it can be confusing at times. I think once you look past the world as a whole and just focus on Never Keep things around the world become more manageable.

This book is Dark at times and let me say prepare yourself there are time when Peckham and Valenti do not pull their punches and I am here for it. The cliffhanger at the end of the book was amazing and will have you wanting to pick up the second book right away. 

This book exceeded my expectations and once I was able to get invested in both Characters and the plot picked up I did not want to put this book down. Peckham and Valenti truly know how to draw readers in and I look forward to seeing where they take this story and Everest and Vesper.

Enjoy!!!

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Juliette Cross: Firebird

In the first in a new series Juliette Cross, Where Dragon rule Rome and they are always looking for more power, more treasure, more riches:

This is the first book that I have read by Cross and I will 100% admit that I picked this book up due to the cover and then after reading the premise I thought it might be a good fit. This book was really hit and a partial miss for me. 

I'm a big fan of Dragons, though I will say I haven't read many Dragon Shifter books in the past, but I like that they had both their Human side and Dragon side to them. I enjoyed that there was different classes of Dragons, with each having a different ability and then there was just the humans who were seen as the lower class. I wish that there was more use of the Dragons within the book and that the battle scenes were drawn out more to create that action aspect.

I personally loved that this book took place during the Roman Empire and that those in charge are Dragons and the corruption that has occurred due to it. The political intrigue within this book had me. I wanted to know more about the rebellion that was being planned, how would it play out and would it resemble what happened in real like. I think that Cross did a good job of melding the harsher side of the Roman Empire and the fantasy aspect of the Dragons.

Now where I struggled with this book was the relationship between Malina and Julian. First i don't see this as a true enemies to loves book, more like slight hate to lovers and I just didn't feel the spark between them. It really just felt more like something of convenience than a full blown romance/relationship. The only time I think the Spark was felt was when Julian was in his dragon form.

I looking forward to seeing where Cross takes this series as it seem like the next book has a new FMC. I want to see how Cross is going to bring it all together, but so far I am totally here for the political intrigue more that the relationship.

 

Enjoy!!!!

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Tarryn Fisher: The Wrong Family

Tarryn Fisher takes you into a life of a family, where nothing is what it seems and perfect white fence isn't enough to keep secrets in:

This is the first book that I have read by Fisher it is a good domestic suspense book but it does take a little bit for the storyline to pick up but it is worth it. 

There were times when I thought I had this booked figured out Tarryn would throw in a twist I didn't see coming, but then at the same time some of the plot lines felt predictable. And wow there are quite a few plot lines that Fisher weaves throughout this book, that there are times that it feels like a bit too much, that I didn't really feel invested in Winnie story and really only focused on Juno's story, which is a shame as the the POV go back and fourth between the two of them.

I don't really think that I liked any of the characters in the book, but I don't think that you are supposed to especially when you start to know more and more about the main and secondary characters. I personally more invested in Juno's story, where she came from and what has lead her to living in Winnie's  home. You cannot help but feel for her especially in the present timeline, with what she is dealing with and you want to know what was lead her to live this life. 

The last 20% of this book are completely insane, like crazy insane, that I did not see it coming at all. I think the ending of the book is one you are either going to love or hat. I think from where this book started and where Fisher takes the book in the end, they feel almost like different books.

As this is the first book that I have read by Fisher, and I enjoyed that she was able to surprise me along the way. I look forward to reading more books by Fisher.

Enjoy!!!

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Deidra Duncan: Until I Die

Deidra Duncan shows what happens to a country when becomes so divided:

I'm a big dystopian lover, whether the book is in the midst of an apocalypse happening, going to happen or if things have already gone to Shit and we are in the dystopian future, I want to read it. There are several types of Dystopian out there but recently there seems to be a surge of them that are focusing on countries turning to more traditional values, especially for those who are elite and high up in the army. This can seem very pointed of the time of events and calls for returning to traditional values in the United States, which coincidently is where this book takes place.

First off I will say that I did enjoyed this book. It had me hooked from the beginning and I was invested in the characters, the world the plot and I felt that Duncan did a great job of pulling the reader. 

This book is all about the relationship between Sophia and Lucas. You feel the pull between the two characters right from the first meeting even though things don’t go as either of them planned. You are in this story for them and that is about it, as there are not really any side characters that you get to know. I’m not sure what to think about Sophia, I liked her as a character but I felt like Duncan had her contradicting herself all the time and maybe that has something to do with the time shifts in the book but I just felt something off with the overall flow of her character.

My main problem with this book is that I feel like Duncan pulled too much from another resent release and that is Manacled/Alchemized by SinLinYu. And it begs the question of where does it become inspired by instead of plagiarism. When I first became aware of this book, in the premise it states that it is inspire by Alchemized as well as the Handmaids Tale, so the reader and I would think Duncan is aware that these similarities exist and may be called into question.

The similarities between these books and are quite vast that if you have read Manacled/Alchemized  you will recognize the scenes that Duncan has written in this book. They are not verbatim to fully suggest plagiarism but there is enough there at times where I would find myself thinking that I have read this scene before. Even from Sophia's curly unruly hair and her working as a medic in the resistance that you can draw the similarity to that of Hermonie/Helena. 

Now where I think that Duncan was a bit different from the books listed above is that I did find this book was darker at times and she takes the fights scenes to a little more extreme as she is not relying on magic. I think she could have pushed it a bit more at times, but I understand why she held back in certain places. Additionally Sophia's backstory is very different and we do get some glimpses of that, as well as her overall role within the resistance differs. I did find that the further you read into the book Duncan does move away from similarities to Manacled/Alchemized almost like she had found her footing in the story she wanted to create.

So Yes I enjoyed this book. I liked the tension that Duncan created in the book as well as the suspense, especially towards the end when you realize that no one is truly safe. I just struggle with the fact that I don't know where the line is for inspiration and when it crosses past that. Would I read another book by Duncan, I would but I, like many who read this book, may be scrutinizing it a bit more than I normally would. 

Enjoy!!!

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Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti: Dark Fae

 

In the first in a series, Peckham and Valenti show what a sister is willing to do to find out who murdered her brother:

I read the first three books in the Zodiac Academy and this book was the next recommended in reading as they take place in the same world and there is a bit of cross over into Zodiac Academy. I personally have preferred this book to the three I have read in Zodiac Academy. I find that the plot is better and it is not trying to be more than it is and it is a read that is more for the vibes and popcorn than the writing and content (and I am 100% okay with that).

I enjoyed that Elise is a Vampire and that she does not shy away from who she is and what she needs. Even though sometimes it takes her away from what she needs to do to find her brother’s killer. This makes her feel more real, and you know that she is not a detective or in law enforcement so yes it is going to take time for her to figure things out and get things right.

I actually enjoyed all the POV, as we get one from all of the men as well as Elise. We get to know all the characters and what drives each of them. Elise get the most chapters, as she should but I feel like the book was more well rounded by having the men’s POV. I like that each POV involved different events that were happening around each of the characters and it was not repetitive.

I enjoyed the gang aspect of the book and the rivalry that it created in the book and how it hinders and helps at time Elise get the information that she needs. I also like how it was playing out as it neared the end of the book.

I enjoyed this book, academy setting and getting to know the characters and I look forward to seeing where Peckham and Valenti takes this series.

Enjoy!!!

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Kelley Armstrong: First Sign of Danger

Kelly Armstrong is back with the next instalment for her Haven’s Rock series and their sanctuary is under the biggest threat yet: 

I guess I’ll just come out and say it but this one did not hit for me. I think I went in with too high expectations as the book before this one was one of my favourites in both the Rockton and Haven’s Rock.

I felt like this book lacked the suspense from the other book, the mystery was just okay and felt familiar like it had been done before in this series. This book just was lacking when I think of the other books in the series. I found I was not picking this book up and was reading others book I had on the go over this one.

I enjoyed seeing Casey and Duncan adjusting to the new life that they have in Haven's Rock and the additional responsibilities that they now have. I think of how great a life there sounds, even with all the dangers that lurk by and not just forest creatures. Casey and Duncan are for sure a power couple in my books.

I miss the side characters, the man ones from Rockton will have a sentence here and there but nothing like it was before. I felt having them more engrained in the story made you feel like you were in the town and interacting with them as well. I will say I like how April’s character has developed and she is the only secondary character who get some page time.

I’m glad we get some closure in this book with a few aspects and so would have been fine with Armstrong ending the series here, but it looks like there will be one more book in this series. Of course I’ll read it, I want to see how Armstrong ends it all after this many book and storylines from both series.

This book was fine, but personally I don’t think it was up to par with her other books. Armstrong is one of my favourite authors so I’ll continue to read her books.

Cheers!!!

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Megan Crane: The Reveal

The first in a new series, Megan Crane shows that the future is held in the cards:

This is the first book that I have read by Crane so I was not sure of her writing style or anything like that going in. Alright to be totally honest, I thought that this book was going to have tarot card magic and I was wrong on that front. Crane was very nice when i had posted about reading this book on Instagram that the card were Oracle card and not Tarot Cards. I don't know much about Oracle cards but I think both have the ability to see the future but i think the oracle ones are more accurate. 

On the cards in general, I think this aspect took way to long to get there, it is in the latter half of the book and Tarot cards or not, this was the aspect that drew me into the book. I think the overall plot of the book took it's time to be known and there were times when i was bored while reading the book and then when it does happen I found it predictable.

I don't mind spice in book, but I want there to be a purpose for it and while in this book the purpose and attraction are explained (once again in the latter part of the book) at the time of reading it, it felt like Crane was just putting spice in as that was what readers want these days. I don't always want a slow burn book, but I think I am not one for just instant lust and hop into bed kind of reader.

Ariel is a tenacious character, who knows how to adapt to survive and I like that she has an acceptance of the Others but at the same sense knows that she is at the bottom of the food chain and needs to have a weapon on hand. Also her loyalty to her brother is commendable but you cant help but also feel hurt when she does with the life choices that he has made. Also the power of the cards aspect in this book was not fully developed for me, and really had me a bit confused especially in the battle at the end. 

I don't think that I will continue on in the series, I just didn't feel a connection to the characters at all and felt that the plot of the story was secondary to the spice.

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Simone St. James: The Broken Girls

In The Broken Girls Simon St. James show that the voices of the dead will not be silenced:

This is the second book that I have read by St. James and I really enjoyed this book. I thought that St. James did a great job of developing the storyline for both timelines and keeping the reader interested and entertained for both. I think this in part with the slight paranormal aspect of the book (ghost) as well as wondering haw St. James is going to bring the two timeline together.

I was completely engrossed while reading this book and mystery surrounding the murders in this book. This book is dealing with colder cases which are some of the hardest to figure out. In the 2014 timeline, the person who murdered Fiona's sister has gone to jail but how he was able to murder her sister has never sat right with her. There are aspects of it that don't work out and don't make sense that she wonders if they do have the right person. It all appears to be connected to the boarding school, that is now closed in her timeline.

I loved the setting for this book, small town, where everyone knows each other and for the 1950s timeline an all girls boarding school, where people send their problem girls. Each has this darker gray feeling to them that helps keep you on the edge of your seat.

Fiona is a fine character, and a great journalist that knows how to dig up information. I would just say that this book is not character driven but plot driven. We don't really get to know Fiona as a character, other than her obsession with her sister's murder, but I think that is the point. That is really the only thing that matters to her, especially when she get the opportunity to tell the story of the abandoned boarding school.

This book is all about setting and atmosphere and if this is something that you are looking for in a book, you need to check this book out. I can't wait to read more by St. James.

Enjoy!!!

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Emily Henry: People We Meet on Vacation

Emily Henry takes readers around the world and shows that just one more trip may just change everything:

This may be shocking but this is the first Henry book that I have read and it is easy to see why she is such a popular author. This book was a fun and easy breezy read that not only give your heart warm feelings but make you want to travel as well.

For me this book is very much a palate cleanser from the darker book I read as well as changing up the genres. I have found that by changing genres every few books makes reading as whole more enjoyable for me.

As what is typical with the romance genre you know how this book is going to end but it is really not the ending that matters but the journey the characters take to get there. Oh and what a journey Poppy and Alex go on, one that spans years and countries.

Right from the beginning you want to know what happened two years ago to cause a rift between Poppy and Alex and you’re going to have to be patient to get there. As the reader you don’t really understand why they didn’t see what was right in front of them with each other.

Poppy and Alex are a fun friendship and I love how different they are from each other but it just works. Their inside jokes are cute and there are some funny moments along their journey. I just really enjoyed them and the friendship that they have with each other.

I think my main complaint about this book is that this books starts to feel long as you get to the end. I feel like their relationship with each other has been established and Henry did not have to go back so many years or have as many vacation trip to get to what happened.

This was a good read, that made me want to travel. I would read another book by Henry.

Enjoy!!!

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Vera Kurlan: Never Saw Me Coming

Vera Kurlan shows that you should never judge a book (person) by their cover, there may be a murderer lurking underneath:

This book pleasantly surprised me, I wasn't sure how Kurlan was going to portray Chloe as a character as writing of psychopaths can be unpredictable. This book is very much a psychopathic academic thriller book, that has two murderers going about their business at the same time. The first one you are aware of is Chloe's own personal revenge, from events that happened when she was a child and a secondary one (not secondary in plot though) with someone killing the psychopaths enrolled in the program there. This second one kept me guessing throughout as there were so many prospects as to who the stalker and killer could be. I guess this is a little be easier to have so many prospects when there are a proportionally higher amount of psychopaths at this university. 

I enjoyed reading about Chloe, her thought process and how she perceived the world and what she was willing to do to not only figure out who the Stalker/Killer is but for her own personal vendetta as well. Chloe is methodical but sometimes her needs to be spontaneous things when she wants to get things done. Chloe knows how to work her looks to her advantage and realizes what she needs to go to her looks to either blend in or stand out.

Although the premise seems centered around Chloe I was really happy that Kurlan expanded the POV that we get to have not just one psychopath's POV but three. I think this story needed it in order to feel more well rounded and to have a break from Chloe's self-centeredness. It was also interesting to see the different elements of psychopathy in each person that has POV.

You are either going to love or hate the ending i think. For me the ending was not for me. I wanted more, I wanted Kurlan to push things a bit and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It seemed like an odd place to end things to me.

I enjoyed this book and they way that Kurlan wrote each of the psychopaths in this book and the multiple plot points were interesting and well done. If you like psychopath books, and want a different POV in them, then i recommend checking this one out.

Enjoy!!!!

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Sable Sorensen: Dire Bound

In the first in a series Sable Sorensen show's how far a woman will go to save her sister:

This is Sorensen's debut novel and I applaud her for wanting to take on a book that is in the fantasy genre and leans more now into what people call Romantasy. I love that Sorensen decided to write a book with Dire wolves as the companion instead of dragons as I have not read a series (other than Game of Thrones) that featured Dire Wolves. This book was also darker that I thought it would be in not only content at times but the choices that the characters make.

It is hard to not like Meryn as a character. All of her decisions are not selfish they are to protect her family or to try and makes things better for her family. Even her relationship with Lee at the beginning features this as she would not be with him if he was not kind to those that she loves. I think the main problem I have with Meryn was more of Sorensen's portrayal of her at time. To begin with she is this rough and tough cage fighter but for some reason she looses this along the way in the book and I wish that Sorensen would have been consistent in this.

I think my other complaint about this book was that I found it predictable at times, that Sorensen did follow some tried and true formula within these genres. There was one twists I did not see coming but other than that I was able to predict how things were going to play out, even the ending. Don't get me wrong the book was good and the ending is quite a cliffhanger and well done, just I knew what was going to happen.

This book is brutal at times and I am here for it. I enjoyed that Sorensen did not shy away from what need to happen in a warrior training especially when there are Dire Wolves involves. I would have been fine if Sorensen pushed it even farther at times, really giving into the darkness.

I look forward to Meryn growing her bond with Anassa. I also want to know more about Anassa and for her to have more of a personality in the next book, maybe even a chapter with her POV, I feel like she has so much more to give than the time that she got in this book.

If you are looking for a bit of a change up in the Romantansy genre, a book that will keep you hooked and on the edge of your seat, I recommend this book. It is really well done especially for a debut.

Enjoy!!!

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