Bought:
From the Library:
The Rose Society by Marie Lu
The Inventor's Secret by Andrea Cremer
What books did you add to your shelves this week?
Posted by: Pam
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Stacking the Shelves (117)
From the Library:
The Rose Society by Marie Lu
The Inventor's Secret by Andrea Cremer
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Book Review: First & Then by Emma Mills
First & ThenAuthor: Emma Mills
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co., 272 pages
Publication Date: October 13, 2015
From Goodreads:
Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.
Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself.
Review:
What I Liked: Football, Jane Austen references, romance, family dynamics, character growth, and a normal high school girl who doesn't know what she wants to do or where she fits in.
What I Didn't Like: There was a slight disconnect for me with this book, and I think in part it's because Devon, the main character, seems disconnected. I just couldn't get a handle on her. She's best friends with Cas, a popular football player, but then she doesn't have any other friends. Acquaintances, sure, but no real friends at all. And it's not like her and Cas spent that much time together. Also, there were just too many random, odd characters. Too much quirky. And characters who were in the book but didn't seem to serve much purpose, sort of popping in and out. Finally, Ezra had the potential to be an awesome book boyfriend, but I didn't feel like I got to know him and I was left with wanting more.
So while I really enjoyed this one, I didn't love it.
Posted by: Pam
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Book Review: Dark Heart of Magic by Jennifer Estep
Dark Heart of Magic (Black Blade #2)Author: Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Kensington, 368 pages
Publication Date: October 27, 2015
*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
From Goodreads:
As a thief, I stick to the shadows as much as possible. But when the head of the Sinclair Family picks me to compete in the Tournament of Blades, there's no escaping the spotlight—or the danger.
Even though he's my competition, Devon Sinclair thinks I have the best shot at winning what's supposed to be a friendly contest. But when the competitors start having mysterious "accidents," it looks like someone will do anything to win—no matter who they hurt.
As if I didn't have enough to worry about, mobster Victor Draconi is plotting against Devon and the rest of my friends, and someone's going around Cloudburst Falls murdering monsters. One thing's for sure. Sometimes, humans can be more monstrous than anything else…
Review:
It's rare that I like a sequel better, but I really enjoyed this entertaining and fun book. There's a magical competition, mystery (someone is murdering creatures and also sabotaging the tournament), a touch of romance, and the darkness is balanced by humor. This series reminds me a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it has that whimsical quality to it.
Loving the fact that there's no love triangle, and the author does a nice job of developing the characters. Even though it was obvious who the killer was, Dark Heart of Magic was a great followup and I can't wait for the next one!
Posted by: Pam
Monday, October 26, 2015
Book Review: Persuasion by Martina Boone
Persuasion (The Heirs of Watson Island #2)Author: Martina Boone
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 464 pages
Publication Date: October 27, 2015
*ARC received from publisher via Edelweiss
From Goodreads:
Grieving the death of her godfather and haunted by her cousin Cassie’s betrayal, Barrie returns from a trip to San Francisco to find the Watson plantation under siege. Ghost-hunters hope to glimpse the ancient spirit who sets the river on fire each night, and reporters chase rumors of a stolen shipment of Civil War gold that may be hidden at Colesworth Place. The chaos turns dangerous as Cassie hires a team of archeologists to excavate beneath the mansion ruins. Because more is buried there than treasure.
A stranger filled with magic arrives at Watson’s Landing claiming that the key to the Watson and Beaufort gifts—and the Colesworth curse—also lies beneath the mansion. With a mix of threats and promises, the man convinces Barrie and Cassie to cast a spell there at midnight. But what he conjures may have deadly consequences.
While Barrie struggles to make sense of the escalating peril and her growing and forbidden feelings for Eight Beaufort, it’s impossible to know whom to trust and what to fight for—Eight or herself. Millions of dollars and the fate of the founding families is at stake. Now Barrie must choose between what she feels deep in her heart and what will keep Watson’s Landing safe.
Review:
I enjoyed this sequel, but it did suffer from middle book syndrome.
What I liked: Curses, Southern gothic atmosphere, quirky characters, buried treasure, mysteries. The world created by Martina Boone is fascinating. I also love love love Eight. Awesome book boyfriend.
What didn't quite work: Barrie doesn't deserve Eight. She keeps secrets from him, he's willing to sacrifice everything for her, and she is just so selfish. I wanted to shake Barrie so many times during this book.
Although the first book told a complete story (main plot resolved) this one does not. A little irksome.
I'm still in love with the series, highly recommend, but this book was frustrating.
Posted by: Pam
Friday, October 23, 2015
Book Review: The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong
The Masked TruthAuthor: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Doubleday, 352 pages
Publication Date: October 13, 2015
From Goodreads:
Riley Vasquez is haunted by the brutal murder of the couple she was babysitting for.
Max Cross is suffering under the shadow of a life-altering diagnosis he doesn’t dare reveal.
The last thing either of them wants is to spend a weekend away at a therapy camp alongside five other teens with “issues.” But that’s exactly where they are when three masked men burst in to take the group hostage.
The building has no windows. The exits are sealed shut. Their phones are gone. And their captors are on a killing spree.
Riley and Max know that if they can’t get out, they’ll be next—but they’re about to discover that even escape doesn’t equal freedom.
Review:
This book. INTENSE. I could not put it down. These characters. My heart broke for them.
Such an excellent combination of action and character development. And just when I thought I knew where it was going, it went somewhere else. In all honesty, some of the things that happened were pretty implausible but I just went with it.
Riley and Max…loved loved loved them together. Max was absolutely adorable and sarcastic and I just wanted to give him a hug. Reading from his POV was eye opening and made me really think.
The ending…quite perfect and after all of the death and violence, I really needed it.
Posted by: Pam
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Book Review: Through the Dark by Alexandra Bracken
Through the DarkAuthor: Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: Disney Hyperion, 400 pages
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
From Goodreads:
Don't miss this breathtaking collection of stories set in the world of the New York Times best-selling Darkest Minds trilogy. IN TIME: Gabe's life has been devastated in the wake of the economic crash. The only option left for someone like him to escape his tragic past is to leave his small town behind and to attempt to become a skiptracer. This already almost-impossible task is made all the more difficult by his first "score,"a young girl who won't speak, but who changes his life in ways he could never imagine. SPARKS RISE: Sam didn't think things could get worse at Thurmand rehabilitation camp. Then the Reds arrive. Everyone assumed the kids with firepower had been killed years ago. Instead they were taken away, brainwashed, and returned as terrifyingly effective guards. To her horror, Sam recognizes one of them: Lucas, the one spark of light in Sam's dark childhood. Lucas has a deadly secret--he beat the brutal training that turned his fellow Reds into mindless drones. When Sam defends herself against an attack by a vile PSF guard and faces a harrowing punishment, Lucas must risk everything to save her. BEYOND THE NIGHT: The government-run "rehabilitation camps" have been shut down, but kids with Psi powers are anything but free. Sam would rather be on her own than put in the care of a foster family and given the "cure"--a dangerous procedure that unclaimed kids across the country are being forced to undergo. But there's more at stake than just her own safety. Sam once made someone a promise, and the time has come to fulfill it. Now that she's out of her camp, Mia only has one thought in her head: finding Lucas, her beloved older brother.
Review:
I love this series so much and I was so happy to be back in this world. These characters are some of my favorite characters EVER. And I didn't think I could love anyone as much as Liam, Ruby, or Chubs, but oh Sam and Lucas…just thinking about you makes me tear up. LUCAS!!!! He's giving Liam a run for his money as top book boyfriend, I have to say. My heart broke for him.
If you are a fan of this series, this is a must read. And if you haven't read this series, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?????
The second and third novellas are the best. The second one tells the story of Sam and Lucas and what happened after Ruby left the camp. The third novella (it's around 200 pages, actually) tells us what happened after the end of the trilogy. The focus is on Sam and Mia, Lucas's sister, but we see old friends and get a better sense of what's happening in the world. And things are not perfect, which is realistic. Even though the camps are closed, the people with abilities are not trusted and there are now snatchers selling them on the black market, zones set up where they're supposed to live, etc. Well done. All of the small questions I had were answered.
How can I say goodbye? I guess it's truly over. "sobs" Alexandra Bracken knows how to write an incredible series and also knows how to end one. She's an auto buy author for me, no question.
Posted by: Pam
Monday, October 19, 2015
Book Review: Nameless by Jennifer Jenkins
Nameless (Nameless #1)Author: Jennifer Jenkins
Publisher: Month9Books
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
From Goodreads:
Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.
Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.
What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined.
Review:
This book was familiar, but in a good way. Think The Winner's Curse and An Ember in the Ashes. Brutal Ram clan, where they raise their children to be warriors. If you're not strong, you don't survive. I'm not entirely clear about the world (the other clans, the war, etc.) but I'm assuming more will be revealed in the next book.
I liked the slow romance building between Zo and Gryphon and how both of them are prejudiced against the other, have lived their whole lives believing the other is lesser, but how they both slowly realize they've been wrong. I always love those enemies into love romances.
While I did like the book, I couldn't get past one thing. Maybe it shouldn't have bothered me that much, but it just did. Apparently Zo, being a Wolf, physically looks like a member of that clan. So she wears mud over her face as a disguise (and also to hide her beauty from the men so she won't be raped). All the time. Two problems with this. First, if the Rams are so worried about the Wolf clan and with their members infiltrating, why would they allow her to wear mud all over her face so they can't tell? Second, she's a healer who wears mud all over her face when she's treating patients. How does that make sense?
Posted by: Pam
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Stacking the Shelves (116)
Bought:
From the Library:
What books did you add to your shelves this week?
Posted by: Pam
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Stacking the Shelves (115)
Bought:
From NetGalley:
Dark Heart of Magic by Jennifer Estep
What books did you add to your shelves this week?
Posted by: Pam
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Book Review: These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly
These Shallow GravesAuthor: Jennifer Donnelly
Publisher: Random House Delacorte, 496 pages
Expected Publication Date: October 27, 2015
*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
From Goodreads:
Set in gilded age New York, These Shallow Graves follows the story of Josephine Montfort, an American aristocrat. Jo lives a life of old-money ease. Not much is expected of her other than to look good and marry well. But when her father dies due to an accidental gunshot, the gilding on Jo’s world starts to tarnish. With the help of a handsome and brash reporter, and a young medical student who moonlights in the city morgue, Jo uncovers the truth behind her father’s death and learns that if you’re going to bury the past, you’d better bury it deep.
Review:
I enjoyed this historical mystery/romance. Jo comes from old money, but she wants to be a reporter. She's feeling constricted by the life she's meant to live, her duty to marry well, and she comes to realize how important freedom is to her when she steps out of her comfort zone and begins investigating her father's death. She's thrown into a world that she's only ever read about. Jo's situation and her lack of knowledge about the world rang true. She's a great heroine (smart and determined) and the book is also filled with well fleshed out secondary characters, like Fay, Oscar, and Eddie. Even though the book is long, it's a fast read. If you're a fan of A Mad, Wicked Folly, you will like this one.
Two complaints. One, I wanted more from the romance. Two, every single plot line is tied up, which I like (although there were a few too many unbelievable coincidences), except one. There's hope, but come on. With an epilogue, I expected to know how certain things were going to turn out, but it's not resolved. Truly disappointed about that.
Posted by: Pam
Monday, October 5, 2015
Book Review: Menagerie by Rachel Vincent
Menagerie (Menagerie #1)Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: MIRA, 432 pages
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
From Goodreads:
When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.
But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.
Review:
Creative, weird, freaky, dark, twisted, and disturbing…Menagerie is really good. The author has created a fascinating yet messed up world, although I still have a lot of questions about the history and how and why things are the way they are. Instead of info-dumping, the author slowly reveals this world through actions, conversations, and snippets from news stories, which I enjoyed but at the same time I just wanted to KNOW.
This is one of those books that's difficult to review because I don't want to reveal too much and there are some shocking twists and turns. Delilah is a strong main character and she goes through some horrible things. All of the "creatures" do and it's so sad what's happening to them but at the same time, when you find out what happened in the past, it sort of makes sense.
Know that this is an "adult" book, with Delilah being twenty-five years old and most of the other characters older as well. And if you're sick of cliffhanger endings, this book doesn't have one.
Posted by: Pam
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Stacking the Shelves (114)
Bought:
From NetGalley:
The Banished of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler
What books did you add to your shelves this week?
Posted by: Pam
Friday, October 2, 2015
Book Review: Time's Divide by Rysa Walker
Time's Divide (The Chronos Files #3)Author: Rysa Walker
Publisher: Skyscape, 543 pages
Expected Publication Date: October 20, 2015
*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
From Goodreads:
The Cyrists are swiftly moving into position to begin the Culling, and Kate’s options are dwindling. With each jump to the past or the future, Kate may trigger a new timeline shift. Worse, the loyalties of those around her—including the allegiances of Kiernan and the Fifth Column, the shadowy group working with Kate—are increasingly unclear.
Kate will risk everything, including her life, to prevent the future her grandfather and the Cyrists have planned. But, when time runs out, it may take an even bigger sacrifice to protect the people she loves.
Review:
Great conclusion to an amazing series! I was really worried about how all of this was going to turn out, but the author tied everything up in a satisfying way. There was a ton of action and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
One thing I did not anticipate, at all, was how the love triangle would be resolved. This is one of the few series where I loved both guys and I just knew I would be heartbroken for one of them. And yes, it's a love triangle, but not really, because Kiernan is in love with Kate, but not this Kate, the other Kate from a different timeline. I mean, it's Kate but it's not Kate. If you read the books you'll understand. Anyway, the author surprised me with what happened and it was a clever way to resolve things.
I do have a couple of nitpicky things that bothered me. One, the time travel stuff started to get convoluted. It may just be that I was reading the book way too fast but I got a little confused, but that happens sometimes with time travel books. Two, what happened with Cyrus. Way too anticlimactic.
Time's Divide is one of my favorite time travel series, I highly recommend it! Action, history, romance, two swoony guys, an incredible heroine…I could go on and on. Just read it!
Posted by: Pam
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