K.L. Speer: Bones

 

In the first in a series, K.L. Speer shows the strength of a woman who is just trying to survive and maybe just maybe heal:

I read this book a few months ago and I am still thinking about it. I think that tells you how much I enjoyed this book. I did not know what to expect when I picked up this book, I was craving a dystopian book. This book deserves so much more hype that it has gotten, it had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish and going through all the feelings within this book. This book is also Dark, with little signs of hope along the way but mainly a dark. If you ever thought that healing powers could not be used for darkness, this book is going to change that perspective. 

Bones is such a strong character, where there are times you love her, hate her and just feel horrible for her and what she has experienced in her life starting as a child. You can understand why her mental health is not good and how she is just trying to protect herself, she is broken for most of the book. She does have a heart though when it comes to trying to protect children. In all, all Bones wants to do is survive and she does whatever she can to do that.

My one criticism is that there is a lack on world building, so if you need a book with strong world building you will want to skip this one. I am hoping more of the world is explained in book 2. I mean we don't even get an explanation as to why or how Bones has received the powers. This makes the book much more character driven.

I think this will be one of my top reads for this year. I love the Bones as a character and the darkness that Speer has throughout this book. I cant wait to read the second book in the series.

Enjoy!!!!

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Elise Kova: Prince of Swords

In the second book in her Arcana Academy series, Elise Kova show what it takes and the sacrifices that need to be made when you want to remake the world:

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, it was probably one of my favourite reads last year with the extremely unique magic system set around the tarot cards and how they are wielded. That said I felt like this book fell short for me. The beginning and the last 25% were very strong but the middle aspect is where Kova lost me.

This book lacked the political intrigue that i really enjoyed in the first book as well as the suspense with Clara not wanting to be found. Is there some of these aspects in this book yes, but they are very much at the beginning and end of the book and they fall to the background in the middle. The main aspect of this book is the relationship between Clara and Kaelis and while this is important, especially with the ending, I found it cause the book to drag a bit for me.

Clara’s resilience is tested multiple times within this book and her ability to adapt is her new reality and situations is astounding. As much as this book was about Clara’s and Kaelis' relationship. I still feel like I don’t know him as a characters I do wish we had some  POV from him.

I honestly adore the magic system in this book and I love that Kova has a glossary in the back of the book that explains which each card can do and what each set has an affinity for. I loved that we get even more cards in this book.

While this book did not meet my expectations, I will for sure be reading the next book in the series. I can’t wait to see how Kova will have the ending of this trilogy play out. I think there are some interesting aspect coming and I for one cannot wait to read them.

Enjoy!!!!

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Ana Huang: The Striker

 

The first in a series Ana Huang shows that the one you're not supposed to want may just be the best person for you:

This is the first book that I have read by Huang and I really enjoyed this story, and to make it better I read it during the World Cup, so it was just a fitting time to dive into it. This is a fun easy read, that had just the right amount of spice and while this book is on the longer side for a sports romance book (it's just shy of 600 pages), I did not really notice it's length until the very end.

For some reason I keep finding romance books where the FMC is a ballerina and for me other than Scarlet's injury, a lot of the women in this industry are portrayed the same and have very similar storylines. So while I enjoyed Scarlet as a character and her perseverance through all that has gone through, I felt like I had read her character before.

Asher was a surprise, I loved him as a character and he is so much more than the playboy that he is portrayed as. He is totally a golden retriever of a man and I loved every second of him. To top it off, he has such a huge personal journey in this book and you cant help but love him more. My one thing that I could deal without is the amount he calls Scarlet Darling, but that is just a me thing.

This book has some great tropes in it; Rival's sister, forced proximity, trainer and trainee, he falls first.

If you are looking for a sports romance, that is not hockey but still has similar flare of sports and MMC attitude then I recommend this book. I really enjoyed it and looking forward reading the next book in the series featuring Scarlet's brother.

Enjoy!!!

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Elliot Ray: Heist in Paradise

 

In the first in a new series Elliot Ray some thieves get more than the bargained for on an Island Heist:

The Premise of this book got me. I mean who wouldn't want to read a book about an unhinged merry Band of thieves, that are okay with doing some bad things but at the same time end up having some heart as well. I enjoyed how Ray brought Jax's team and Olivia together on the island, as i didn't expect that to be the set up that Ray went with. I also appreciated that Ray went for a darker subject manner a few times in the book which I was not expecting. I was also not expecting how Ray had the plot unfold there are a few surprises along the way.

This book is very much insta-lust between Jax and Olivia so if that is not your thing you will want to avoid this book. I will say that while you feel the tension between Jax and Olivia and at a later point Olivia and Madoc, the true tension is between Jax and Madoc. I personally wish that this was more of a Jax and Madoc story and just left Olivia out of it. Does she add to the story, yes her reasons for being there are solid, but I think that Ray could have had a similar plot without her. Now this book does end on cliffhanger, so I feel like the next book will explore this relationship more.

Madoc is by far my favourite character. He is the unhinged secondary MMC in the book, who has the darker side and knows how to get things done. Also to me it seemed like most of the banter in the book is associated with him or about him. Other than Madoc, I you don't really get to know the secondary characters, even though we get Jax's POV, the side characters are just there. I wish we got more information about who they are and how they ended up being in Jax's crew.

Overall, this was a fun quick read, that is fairly spicy and a bit of mystery throughout with a cliffhanger ending that will want you to pick up the next book.

Enjoy!!!!

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Stephen King: Mr. Mercedes

 

In the first in a series, Stephen King puts solving a mass murderer in the hands of a retired Detective:

This is the first book that I have read by King (shocking I know) so I had some expectations but more about the content than the actual writing. I thought that this book would be darker and more scary that it was but this was much more a police procedural/PI book than anything else. I appreciate the cat and mouse aspect of this book but it is underplayed at times as we get POV from Hodges and Brady.

I enjoyed that King decided to have the two main characters have the POV in this book. Through Hodges we get to see how even retired a police officer never really gives up the hunt for those who got away and the need to have a puzzle in their life. Through Brady we get an a look into the mind and life of the killer and the Why and High that he wants to get through the mass murder. We also get to see the depraved life that Brady had growing up (very much a nature vs nurture aspect). You can also tell that Brady needs to have someone know what he did and needs to have some attention on him. I also enjoyed the two side character of Jerome and Holly as they add more 21 century to the book, I think that Hodges would have been lost without them, especially Jerome.

I appreciate that King did not feel the need to keep adding up the bodies in the book. The first mass murder at the beginning is enough to set up the book and the motive for why Hodges wants to find Mr. Mercedes.

My one problem with the book is with Janey. Before we know Janey's age, I thought she was closer in age to Hodges and she is written as such from how she acts and the language that she uses.

For my first book by King I would say that it was a success. Though it was not dark or scary like it thought it would be, I enjoyed Hodges hunt for Brady and I look forward to continuing on with this series.

Enjoy!!!!

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Kate Alice Marshall: The Girls Before

 

Kate Alice Marshall shows how far a woman will go to find those who have been lost.

This is the fourth book that I have read by Marshall and once again she was very quicky able to draw me into the story that I did not want to put this book down. Even though this is the fourth book I have read by her, the books have not felt like they follow the same formula with the mystery. Yes, there are  similar aspects within them, but nothing that makes the plots/story feel the same.

I loved how Marshall decided to tell the plot in this book, with two POV and we are not really sure what the time frame is for the second POV. You don't know if the timelines are ever going to meet, and i appreciated the unpredictable nature of this. It really became a question of who Audrey is trying to save.

I have not read a book in a long time where the main character has a search and rescue background and I really enjoyed that aspect. I loved that Audrey was willing to shirk the law and go where she was not allowed because of where she thought a lost child may be. Does this make her Audrey reckless at times throughout the book, totally, but it makes her more interesting and serves her well throughout the book.

I think that would be my one complaint as I never felt any danger or suspense in the events surrounding Audrey. She is mainly left to her own devises in the investigations she decides to partake in, you'd think there would be someone who would do more to try and stop her (permanently), as she does not hide her intent at all.

Barry is the best and I will not hear otherwise.

Marshall was able to keep me on the edge of my seat with this one. I really enjoyed Stranger's POV, Stranger really is the highlight of this book and how Marshall had the story unfold. I look forward to reading more by Marshall.

Enjoy!!!!

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