NLSobon

When I read Destiny’s Fire last year, I instantly fell in love with the world that Trisha Wolfe created. So when I learned there would be a companion novel, I was ecstatic.

Now, I’m not usually a fan of historical stories, but Astarte's Wrath was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

The first line:

Whenever the sky bleeds, covering the once-blue pallet with crimson, I know the Narcolym Guardians are waging a battle.

From that very first line, readers will find themselves lost in the wonderful world that Wofle has created here.

The maps. The character descriptions. The glossary. It is clear that Wolfe put a lot of work into this story, and it shows. I’ve tried reading other books that involved Egyptian mythology in the past, but I soon lost interest after most of them seemed to lack true character development, having shelved that in order to provide more details than anything. That was never the case with Astarte's Wrath. This is a fictional read, and it is clear that Wolfe did her research, but unlike the other books I’ve come upon in this setting, she manages to remember that character development is just as vital as the details.

Star (Astarte) is a strong character full of wit. I loved her, and I loved reading from her POV. She was a lot different than Dez, but that isn’t a bad thing. She is a determined character, which only becomes more evident as the story progresses.

But while I enjoyed her character, I think my favorite part of Astarte's Wrath was the romance. Let me just put it this way: you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll smile, you’ll swoon, and most importantly, you’ll be satisfied. I can honestly say that the romance between Star and Xarion is genuinely beautiful.

At first, it may be difficult for some readers to understand what is taking place, but I urge you to keep reading. Wolfe has produced some of my favorite YA reads – both with terrific action and swoonworthy romances.

My favorite quote:
“Cocky little king. You assume you’re the only thing that gives me satisfaction?”
His smile widens as he lifts one of my arms and kisses the sensitive skin of my wrist. “If there is something in this world that can please you more than me,” he says, his warm breath caressing my skin, “then I’ll be extra diligent in my duties tonight, my queen. Indulge me with every sensation that gives you pleasure, and I will match it and more.”

First off, I would like to apologize to Spencer Hill Press for taking so long to post this review. I meant to post it two months ago; unfortunately, things have been a bit crazy on my end. Sorry!

I thought that Deity destroyed me. I was wrong. Apollyon nearly killed me.

What I love most about Jennifer’s books is that it really is easy to lose myself in the world she creates.

Apollyon was no different.

Oh. My. Gods. What a ride.

I’m going to try to make this a worthwhile review, while also making sure to skip over any spoilers (because this is not a book you want spoiled for you, at all).

If you read Elixir, which you really should before diving into Apollyon, you’ll have an idea of what to expect since it pretty much picks up where that novella leaves off.

Alex is still unstable, and Aiden is still doing his best to help her. He refuses to give up hope that she is still in there – that there is a way to break the connection to Seth. It’s an emotional way to open the story, but it definitely prepares readers for the tissue fest that lies ahead. (Don’t worry, there is still plenty of action, but there will be tears, people.)

This story focuses a lot on Alex’s growth as a character. She’s not the same snarky brat we first met back in Daimon. She’s a lot more mature, a lot more selfless, and a lot stronger. She has gone through so much, but it is nowhere near what she is forced to go through in this book. (Seriously, that ending? Gah. You’re killing me, Jenn!)

A few other things worth mentioning:

Aiden: The relationship between Aiden and Alex is perfect, especially with this installment. He is Alex’s rock, and even though she’s more than capable of taking care of herself for the most part, I don’t think that she would’ve been capable of the things that she did in Apollyon without him. He rooted her, gave her strength, and vice versa.

Death: There is one death in this book that really, really got to me. It wasn’t a character that I particularly cared for early on, but as the series progressed, I really came around to them. And the way the death was written, it was incredibly heartbreaking.

The final battle: When our mystery guest arrived, I had an idea of who it would be, and while I was right, I wasn’t expecting THAT. I was on the edge of my seat during that chapter.

Seth: My thoughts on Seth kept going back and forth. At times I hated him, and at times I felt for him. It isn’t easy to make readers feel sorry for the villain of the story, but Jennifer managed to make me care about him.

I wasn’t expecting the emotional punch that I received from this book. At all. And even though it hurt, I loved every second of it. It gives you an idea of what is coming with the final installment, Sentinel.

I’m going to be sad to see this series end later this year. I’ve come to really love these characters (with some exceptions) and it is going to suck to see their stories come to an end.

If you’ve been putting this series off, you’re crazy. This is a must read series!

I adored SKETCHY. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that it definitely earned a spot on my 2013 Favorites List (yes, already). It is an engrossing mystery with paranormal elements that will easily keep readers hooked until the very end.

Let’s start with the story first:
SKETCHY is the story of Bea. She has just finished rehab and is now attending a new high school after being expelled from her old private school. Life is hard enough on Bea, trying to adjust to a sober lifestyle, but that is only the beginning of her worries. When Bea sees Willa, a young girl that is trying to recover after surviving a gruesome rape, she finds herself determined to help her.

When Bea goes to talk to Willa about that night, about helping her, Bea literally draws the truth out of her. But Willa doesn’t want her help. She just wants Bea to leave her alone.

But what Willa doesn’t know is that this is much bigger than just helping Willa. The night at the Arb still haunts Bea's mind, and after losing her best friend, she is more determined than ever to catch the guy responsible for hurting Willa.

SKETCHY is definitely a story meant for the upper YA crowd as it does deal with drugs, rape, murder, and it does contain a fair amount of foul language (although, in Samms’ defense, she captures the teen voice quite well). It is a well crafted mystery that kept me glued to my Kindle until the final page, and I would easily recommend this read to readers that enjoy a good mystery.

Now onto the characters:
Bea: I adored Bea. Sure, she isn’t perfect, but she’s a tough heroine. At times, her behavior can be a bit extreme, but given that she is a recovering addict, that is understandable. She’s changing out one addiction (drugs/alcohol) for another (capturing Willa’s rapist), so I understood some of the choices she made. What I adored most about Bea was that she knew her faults, and she did her best to correct them.

Chris: I loved his character. He brings out the lighter side to Bea.

Samms did a fantastic job at developing her characters over the novel. All of them – especially Bea and Willa. If I had to pick a favorite character (other than Bea), I’d pick Sergeant Daniels. You’ll have to read to understand why.

To sum it up:
SKETCHY is a book that you really should add to your “to-read” shelf. I’ve already gone ahead and preordered a hardcover copy for my shelf because I can see myself returning to this book later down the road.

I can’t wait to see what Samms has in store for Bea next!

Ridley's story is over.
For those of you looking for a HEA, don't worry, there is one. :)

Here's a small teaser:

We were at the edge of a field behind the compound. “It reminds me of the moment that I realized I was in love with you,” he said, running his fingers through his hair nervously.
After everything that we had been through and after being sentenced for falling in love, I couldn’t help but to smile now. This, this moment here, with him beside me, the Council could never take this moment away from me.
“I wanted you to relive that moment.” I could feel the smile tugging at my lips, and the blush creeping into my cheeks as he moved in closer to me. “Because if everything were to end tomorrow, I would want you to know that you are my everything, Ridley.” He leaned down, his thumb rubbing against my cheek. “I love you.”

Real rating: 3 1/2 stars

I enjoyed What We Saw At Night. It was an enjoyable read, but really, there were a ton of issues with the story, things that pulled me out just as I was finally finding myself pulled in. Especially that ending. But we’ll get to that in a moment..

Here’s the thing, I went into What We Saw At Night expecting a standalone title. I was looking for a standalone YA thriller, and this book seemed like a great fit. The problem? What We Saw At Night is not a standalone. It ends on what is quite possibly the biggest cliffhanger that I have ever read, and honestly? I’m not sure that I want to even bother to read the next book, What We Lost in the Dark.

This could have been a fantastic thriller, but it wasn’t.

Jacquelyn Mitchard is a fantastic writer, really, and I did care about the characters that she created. They are likable and unique. (I mean really, when do you see characters in YA that have Xeroderma Pigmentosum?) She set up an exciting story here, it was just that, in the end, that story fell apart.

I can deal with a cliffhanger, but this one just felt as though the book ended out of the blue. It didn’t make me want to read more. That ending only frustrated me, to the point that I was willing to throw my Kindle across the room. I appreciate that they included a sneak peek at the sequel in the back of the digital ARC, but honestly, I’m not sure I am willing to continue this series. I needed answers. I didn’t mind that Mitchard didn’t tell us too much about Blondie, I actually found that intriguing. But the girls? Juliet? The body? The letter? There was just too much left unanswered for me.

I know it seems as though I’m bashing this book, but I’m not. The book is definitely a solid five stars until you near the end… then it goes down to a three and a half.

I’d still recommend checking it out.

Everyone has different tastes in books, and you may just enjoy it!

Some of my favorite quotes:
“Maybe it’s not possible to experience a broken heart when you’ve had a mutually exclusive relationship for less than thirty minutes. But that’s how it felt.”

“I let him talk. I just hoped there would be a next summer for the three of us. At the base of my mind was the solemn unspoken thought: tonight was our only tomorrow, and we would bet the limit on every hand.”

While I enjoyed "The Eslites", I can't say that I loved it.

I knew that it was a short story going in, which is exactly what I was looking for, but I was expecting it to be a bit more developed. See, "The Eslites" is only four chapters and chapter three starts with fast-forwarding seven months. It would have been alright as CM Doporto does have something awesome here, but there were way too many unanswered questions.

I know the ending of The Eslites said that it was the end "for now", so I'm not entirely sure if CM Doporto is planning to make this a short story series, or if she has intentions of turning it into a novel. I'd definitely like to see it in novel form as it would help to provide answers to the questions I have; it would also help to strength the world building.

Do not take this as a bad review, because it isn't. I easily tore through "The Eslites", I just wished that there was more. There was something missing. CM Doporto is an author to watch, and she shows promising potential. This one was just a bit underdeveloped for me.

Hayden is one of my favorite characters from this series (right alongside Colton), so I loved being able to write from his POV.

Going to have to give this one another go at a later date.

Metamorphosis is the perfect ending to the Hell Bent/Heaven Sent novelette series by Isobel Lucas.

I wasn't sure what Lucas had planned after I finished the fourth installment, Infliction, but it certainly wasn't this. (That's a good thing, by the way.) Lucas takes readers on a roller coaster ride from the beginning, all the way through to the end.

The pacing is fantastic. The character development is superb (especially with Raven, aka Mary). I devoured this installment, and while I loved how Lucas ended this series, I'm sad to see it come to an end. I really came to adore both Raven and Ian.

As with her work as Megg Jensen, I will eagerly be awaiting her next release!

This is a long overdue review:

Actual rating: 3.8/5 Stars

I didn’t love EVE & ADAM, mainly because I couldn’t connect with Eve, and the POV switches drove me up a wall. I don’t mind when a POV switches, but the voices should be different. For a while, I couldn’t tell Solo and Eve apart – their voices sounded too alike, and given that he’s an older male, and she is a sixteen-year-old female, that shouldn’t be the case. And I never quite understood the purpose of Aislin’s druggie boyfriend? Surely there could’ve been another way for Eve to escape the building with Solo? (If it was to show how broken Aislin was, they could've stuck with the parents constantly being gone route; showcasing how eager she was for attention. I don't think the boyfriend really provided anything of substance to the story.)

Even though EVE & ADAM isn’t perfect, it is still an enjoyable read.
The concept behind EVE & ADAM is amazing. The idea that someone could create a person using a computer program? It is certainly a fascinating concept, and was initially what pulled me to this book. In all honesty, I think the creation of Adam is my favorite part of the book. It’s an exciting process, and I feel as though Grant & Applegate did a fantastic job at pulling readers into the entire process. Reading from his POV also helped to provide readers with a better understanding of Eve’s mother and her business.

In the end, I actually enjoyed where Grant and Applegate took the story, and I’m eager to see what they have in store for the next book, ADAM & EVE.

I’m truly enjoying the Hell Bent/Heaven Sent series by Isobel Lucas. While Infliction wasn’t my favorite installment (that title still belongs to The Defiler's Throne), I found it to be an easy read that left me eager for more.

Infliction picks up where The Defiler's Throne leaves off. After losing her virginity to Ian, Raven finds herself on the receiving end of a sex talk from her father, which results in a visit to a nearby Walgreens, which then results in a zombie attack. In all honesty, I didn’t really care for Fred when he was introduced, mainly because I didn’t actually see what he brought to the story. And I kind of missed Triniti in this one, but there is still one installment left, and I will undoubtedly be purchasing that one the second it goes on-sale to see how Raven’s story ends.

I know that novelettes aren’t exactly popular given their short length (it is hard to tell a story in shorter installments), but Lucas has managed to craft an exciting series with Hell Bent/Heaven Sent.

I’m seriously dreading the wait for Metamorphosis because I seriously need to know what happens next.

Mini review this weekend.

I adore the Solid series by Shelley Workinger, so I’m naturally sad to see it end, but if that epilogue is any indicator, there’s still more to be told.

The Solid series has followed Clio Kaid, one of one-hundred children with super-abilities who have been called to a top-secret Army base for research. In Solid and Settling, Clio and her friends find themselves having to fight for their lives. This book is a bit different. Sure, there is a showdown of sorts, but this is more of an emotional journey of a book. Clio finally finds herself in Sound, and yes, she reconnects with Jack (they are actually a cute fictional couple so that made me happy).

There were times where I wanted to scream at Clio, but she had to learn from her mistakes. She has to grow and figure out who she is and who she wants to be, and Workinger develops Clio wonderfully throughout Sound.

Even though I loved Sound, I have to say that the epilogue killed me. I need to know where Workinger is planning on taking this series because holy crap.

I say this time and time again, but this series just doesn’t get enough love. It is a terrific self-published series that readers can easily devour within a day.

I started reading How to Marry an Alien while at work (thank you, Cloud Reader). Big mistake. It’s hard to focus on your work when all you want to do is read.

While I did have my issues with How to Marry an Alien, I do feel as though it was a satisfying conclusion to Alex and Ace’s story.

What I liked about How to Marry an Alien:

I really liked Lucy and Riley’s relationship in this book. Including a LGBT couple is amazing enough when it comes to a YA novel, but Vernon also highlighted the difficulties they face on a daily basis, managing to tie it in with Alex and Ace’s own relationship.

Monte. Seriously, Monte might be my favorite character from this series.

How Vernon leads up to Alex and Ace’s first time together. She didn’t rush into it. She built up to the moment, and it was rather sweet.

What I didn’t like about How to Marry an Alien:

This is only going to include one thing because I honestly did like this installment: the ending. My only issue with the ending was that I felt it was rushed. I would have loved to see the “fight” developed a bit more as I felt as though it ended too quickly. That was honestly my only issue with this book.

I know that some readers are hesitant to read self-published books, and that is understandable, but Vernon’s My Alien Romance series is an indie series worth taking a chance on.

Out of the three novelettes that have been released in this series so far, The Defiler's Throne is easily my favorite.

What I enjoyed most about The Defiler's Throne is that I never knew what to expect. No one is who you think they are; Raven's mother, Xavier, Triniti... they are all harboring their own secrets.

The Defiler's Throne picks up shortly after where Signs and Portents leaves off in Raven's mother's apartment. Raven confronts her mother after learning that she isn't being held against her will, but the woman Raven knew as her mother is long gone. It is obviously an emotional scene, and it helps to set up the rest of the story.

I'm not quite sure how to review this installment without giving anything away - seriously, I want to discuss Raven and Ian, and Raven and Xavier, but I can't without spoiling the story - so I'll just say this: if you haven't started this series yet, you're missing out.

Lisa was kind enough to send me both The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer and The Super Spies and the High School Bomber for review.
My first thoughts: While I did enjoy the first book more, I have to admit that I liked The Super Spies and the High School Bomber.
The Super Spies and the High School Bomber starts off with an explosion at the local high-school. That’s scary enough, but Sarah and Lacey’s uncle was at the high-school when the explosion went off. Eager to find their uncle, as well as the truth to what happened, Sarah and the rest of the Super Spies head off towards the high-school.
While searching for Uncle Walt, they find a fireman acting strangely. He had on wearing running shoes and running off towards the field instead of the high-school, which was enough to spark Sarah’s interest. But when she finds the uniform abandoned near the baseball team, Sarah becomes determined to find out who the person was and what they were up to.
My thoughts on The Super Spies and the High School Bomber:
I’d have to give this installment a 3.5/5 stars. I did enjoy reading more about these characters, but the dialogue felt a bit strange at times, which made it hard to stay focused on the story at times. That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t read The Super Spies and the High School Bomber, because you should. It is still an enjoyable read worth checking out.