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.

Cheers,

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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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