Kiss of the Betrayer by Boone Brux (book 2 of the Bringer and Bane Series)

Synopsis: For fifteen years Luc Le Daun has blamed himself for the death of the woman he loved. His secret guilt has led him into a life of danger, risking all and committing to none.

Killing Luc Le Daun has been all Jade Kendell has thought about for years. But when her plan goes awry and she’s brought into the Bringers’ fold, her own dark secret threatens to be revealed. Desire for a better life wars with a promise made long before she understood the ramifications.

In a deadly mission, Jade and Luc embark on a journey into the Shadow World. As they attempt the impossible, ignoring the attraction growing between them becomes harder to deny. The slightest misstep could mean the loss of their souls and give the Demon King exactly what he needs to open the Abyss of Souls and annihilate the Bringers.

Get it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1P3k5AL

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15103450-kiss-of-the-betrayer

4 Stars

I found this book on my kindle, just scrolling through looking for a book.   The title is what caught my attention so I opened it.  Boy am I glad I did. This book was pretty good.  I thought it was gonna be a romance and while there was romance, this book was mostly fantasy.  There was demons and magic and some political intrigue  It reminded me of Dungeons and Dragons and Forgotten Realms; some of my favorite books.  

This is actually the second book in the series, I didn’t know because it wasn’t on the cover or in the title.  It can be read as a stand alone apparently.  There’s probably some back story that I missed with regards to the side characters but it wasn’t enough that left me confused.  

The beginning is cool because right away you see the good vs evil.  Jade is a human with a demon sister and they were united in a common goal but then the edges start to blur when Jade became a bringer. Jade never gave up on her sister though, even when she found out she had been deceived.  That’s some family loyalty right there.

Lucs was a man that carried a lot of guilt  from his past and he felt undeserving of the powers he received.  He didn’t wallow though, he made a concerted effort to redeem himself and that made me like him more. He believed in his cause and was determined to right his perceived wrongs.

The writing in the actions scenes were great, the pacing steady.  The characters were developed and the plot was solid.  It wasn’t too complex but the ending really shook me because it seems like the romantic subplot came into more play as the book progressed. The steamy scene at the end was WOW! It kinda overshadowed the main plot a bit.   

I need to go back and read the first one now.  

Wait for Me by Sarah Mayberry

Synopsis:
Book Three in The Outback Bachelor Ball Series

Sometimes it pays to wait for the things you want, even if it’s the hardest thing you ever do.

Beth Walker hasn’t just been burned by her philandering country music star ex, she’s been barbecued to a crisp. Coming home to Australia and into the arms of her best friends is exactly the balm she needs. Cocktails and laughter at an Outback Bachelor and Spinster Ball seem like the perfect distraction. Until she bumps into the last person she wants seeing her heartsick and pathetic — Jonah Masters, rising country music star and witness to the failure of her marriage. If only she’d met Jonah first. Now she’s broken and won’t ask him to wait until she heals.

Jonah can’t believe he and Beth are finally standing under the same stars. The connection they shared on the road years ago has haunted him but he wouldn’t pursue a married woman. Now she’s free, and Jonah can’t refuse the one night Beth impulsively offers. Can he convince the woman he’s always loved that he’ll wait — however long it takes — for her trust?

Wait For Me is Book 3 in The Outback Bachelor Ball Series. Don’t miss out on Book 1 – Win Me by Joan Kilby and Book 2 – Woo Me by Karina Bliss.

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26857500-wait-for-me
Order it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1HfFIG7

My Review:
4 stars — OK, this review is going to be short and unfulfilling, b/c my mind is just not staying attached to my body long enough to write coherent sentences.  I love Ms. Mayberry’s writing, and thoroughly enjoyed this book too.  I had a bit of a harder time getting my head wrapped around Beth and who she was, or it seemed to take longer than normal anyways.  This could have been just a me thing though.  Jonah, on the other hand, I enjoyed from the first moment we met him.  He was uber sweet and understanding and patient and in the words of Beth “too perfect”.  But it wasn’t too good to be true…like I believed that he could really be that good of a person.

As usual, the steamy scenes were delicious.  And the banter between them when they were having fun was great as well.  I even really enjoyed Bill and Judy, they made me laugh so hard.

So basically this was an easy one-click for me.  Even though I didn’t always connect with the one MC, it was still a solid read.

Love and Decay Volume 1 (Episodes 1-6) by Rachel Higginson

Throw back Thursday!!  I’m currently rereading the first season of L&D in hopes of finally catching up to all my friends, so thought I’d share my review for the first volume of this fabulous serial novella series (which is FREE!!).  I’m going to include the individual reviews for each episode at the bottom…  This is a great time to get involved in the series, b/c it’s complete, and each volume is currently on sale for 99 cents each!!

Synopsis:
Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after.

A vaccination gone oh so wrong and a huge portion of the world’s population was turned into Zombies. Reagan Willow is forced out of her home when her parents become casualties of the horrid Zombie Apocalypse. With the help of her best friend Haley, they’ve become somewhat of experts on surviving the dangers of a world thrust into chaos and decay.

Reagan and Haley are on a vague mission to find somewhere safe to live out the remainders of their terrifying life when they stumble upon the Parkers, a pack of brothers that seem to have the survival thing down in a much more efficient and successful way than Reagan could ever have imagined. They are also protecting their eight year old sister, Page, and will do anything to keep her safe.

The brothers decide that Reagan and Haley need help with being kept safe as well, and as a group they set off to find the Zombie-free utopia Reagan is dreaming of.

Zombies are a daily problem, constantly threatening the lives of their group, but they’re not the only peril on the journey ahead. Militia groups of power hungry men are also a constant concern. And settlements of paranoid, suspicious people turn out to be just as hazardous.

Danger looms over every inch of the way, but Reagan, Haley and the Parkers are determined to get to their goal and remain together. Soon the Parkers become more to Reagan than just traveling companions and more than friendship starts to develop between her and Hendrix, the second oldest brother.

But at the end of the world, nothing can be as simple as life and death. Now, Reagan is going to have to schedule falling in love between hunting and surviving. Hopefully she can last long enough to find out if true love can still exist when everything else has started to fall apart.

Love and Decay, Volume One, is a compilation of the first six episodes in a twelve episode season. It is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

This story takes place over multiple episodes, with a release date every two weeks. Each episode is approximately 20,000 words.

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19014025-love-and-decay-volume-one
Order it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GNo8yc

My Review:
5 stars — In the world of entertainment, I like television, but I will ALWAYS choose reading a book first. This set of serials gives me the best of both worlds. Each episode is action packed, full of humour, drama, and that touch of romance (or sexual tension). Honestly, they are so good and addicting, I just love the rollercoaster ride each episode takes you on. Reagan is a fabulous protagonist — spunky, sassy, strong. And the rest of the cast of characters just round things out nicely — each bringing something a bit different to the eclectic group. Reading through this volume 1 was actually my second time through each of these 6 episodes, and it was nice not to have to wait between each one (since they are so addicting). I also ended up enjoying the Haley episode in the middle MORE the second time through. The first time through I missed Reagan, but having all the episodes in one volume, I knew I would be getting more Reagan later, so it was nice to have a glimpse into Haley’s head, and into her own relationship.

If you have a problem with patience (like me), then I highly recommend waiting for these volumes. I LOVE the episodic nature of this series, but at the same time I prefer the Netflix-like binging that I get from reading 6 episodes in a row without waiting. Can’t WAIT to see where it goes!!

Episode 1:
4.5 stars – OMG, do you ever have that favourite author that you actually forget how much you love their writing style until you read them again?? Well, Ms. Higginson is one of those for me. The novella was fabulous. Just….fabulous. It begins and ends with great characters for me, and Reagan was spot on for this one. Just was that perfect mix of sassy and quirky with a bit of badass mixed in. And Haley is looking like the perfect sidekick for her. The boys?? Oh dear lord the boys. There’s so much I want to know about them!!! Like, well, everything. Even little Page was an adorable mix, and quite believable for the circumstances they were in (like, you know, she was actually terrified).

I’ve read a few novella series, and I actually don’t mind them (minus my lack of patience for the next one). One of the things I love about this one is knowing that I only have to wait 2 weeks for the next installment. Otherwise I would probably die. This is the first series that has actually seemed to fit the TV motif perfectly. It was one heck of an exciting pilot episode. And it had it’s own climax and little arc in itself….but I can see how much potential the story still has. I am HOOKED!

ps – The origin of the zombies??? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAA…..you kill me Ms. Higginson. Just kill me.

Episode 2:
5 stars — Received an advance copy from the author!

Wow, just when you didn’t think it could get any better, it does. LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. It reminds me of a tv series so much…the pilot hooked you in, and the next episode (ie this one) just sinks those hooks in even further! The characters get a little more development and we learn a bit more about them…which just endears us to them further. The witty dialogue (even internal dialogue) is seriously a trademark of Ms. Higginson, and it really makes *anything* she writes just a pleasure to read. You’ll be laughing one moment, and then on the edge of your seat the next. This is not just some fluffy read, the action can be nailbiting at times! OMG I hated Gary and his band of merry men so much….it’s so bizarre to think of all the additional threats that would exist in a world where you’re already fighting for your lives against zombies.

Fell a bit more in love with Vaughan in this ep….still totally salivating over the chemistry between Hendrix and Reagan and feel they are the right match, but that just makes me want someone for Vaughan even more….even if it’s me. I’m sure my husband would be ok with a polygamous marriage…*cough cough*

Seriously though, who needs tv??? I just found my “must watch” of the year….

Episode 3:
5 stars — Oh dear lord, that was a wild ride. Pumped full of even more suspense, I wasn’t sure if my heart was gonna take it. And holy cow, the heat and tension between Reagan and Hendrix. It was so unbelievably satisfying, and yet left you wanting more all at the same time. Can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next, and I seriously hope Haley and Reagan get to have a talk, b/c I wanna know what’s going on with her and Nelson too!! It’s official, I’m addicted.

Episode 4:
4 stars (first time through) — I thoroughly enjoyed having another voice to read in Haley, but I must admit I was slow to get into her head. Course, I can’t figure out if that was me b/c I was still half asleep this morning, or if it was real. Now I just want to go back and try to catch some glimpses of what I now know of Haley from Reagan’s observations in the previous 3 episodes. I was used to the more smart-ass Hayley, and then she opened up into this whole mish-mash of strange qualities. I actually really enjoyed the unique layers that Ms. Higginson added to Haley. I really hadn’t given her character that much thought I guess, but she has SO MUCH going on beneath her surface! Now I just want more…more background, more of her. She may have started out slowly this ep, but wow did I love all the new things we learned about her by the end!

And OMG, major wish-fulfillment on the hot sweet romance department!! Nelson and Haley are really quite adorable together, and boy can they generate some steam.

On the action front, it was actually a more slow and introspective episode…not that things didn’t go on, but it was nice to have a bit of a breather after the edge of your seat 3rd episode. Course, that doesn’t mean they were free from struggles…just challenges of a different kind. And quite cruelly, Ms. Higginson decided we needed a cliffhanger ending…thank the baby jesus that we only have to wait 2 weeks for the next one, b/c otherwise I would be pouting big time.

On a side note — OMG I loved Harrison this episode!! Like seriously, that kid was HILARIOUS. Makes me want to see a bit more of him to come….he’s young, but he’s just right there at the edge of adulthood, you know??

Episode 5:
5 stars — AHHHHH!!!! OK, that was so good! Seriously, I was on the edge of my seat for most of it. I loved the little bits of interaction we got between Reagan and Vaughan….got to see a bit more into each of their personalities, and they got to clear some air. It was kind of a weird episode in that it was basically Reagan centric….so I definitely missed Haley and the Parkers, but I LOVED the plot movement, and yet another glimpse of bad bad humanity in the apocalypse that this offered…. I seriously just want to be Reagan’s friend….she is so bad ass!! And yet so human too….suffering through all the emotions that make sense. Eminently interested to see where the next ep takes us, and how these new characters fit in. And I have this horrible gut feeling that we haven’t seen the last of Kane….who left me as confused as Reagan. OK, thinking about it, maybe a 4.5 stars just b/c I couldn’t quite get all the willies she was getting from Kane, and it wasn’t quite as clear what his motivations were….sometimes it was a-ok, sometimes I was confused…but maybe I was supposed to be…just wasn’t spot on I guess….

Episode 6:
4 stars — Rats, Zombies and kisses oh my! Another solid episode. Not sure if it’s b/c my weekend left me with no time to read this one, so I had to split it up, but I wasn’t quite as enraptured with it as others. Which in no way detracts from it’s awesomeness, it just wasn’t my favourite. But holy wow, what an ending. Ms. Higginson knows how to write kissing scenes, that’s all I’m going to say.

Pieces by Janine Infante Bosco

Synopsis: Jake Lanza is one of Riverdale New York’s favorite sons. He owns a tattoo parlor in the small upstate town and prides himself on being a fun-loving, live by the seat of your pants type of guy. He has everything he wants in life, a thriving business, a great family and a best friend with whom he could never live without.

Cara Sloane weaved her way into Jake’s life when they were fifteen years old. After her life fell apart at such a young age, Jake helped her heal, and began to pick up the pieces of her fallen life. His unconventional ways slowly had him becoming the anchor in her life.

Now fourteen years later Jake begins to see Cara in a new light. The things he thought he never wanted, he suddenly began to yearn for. The only problem was they were both too frightened to lose the greatest love either of them has ever known. Can Jake convince Cara there is more for them than just a friendship? Is he willing to take that gamble himself?

Get it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GK8MKZ

Add it to your TBR list: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22522985-pieces

4 Stars

***There may be some spoilerish stuff in this review, you have been warned. I generally don’t like to do spoliers, but in this one I think I have no choice.***

This book is a sweet and steady romance laced with heartbreak.  I am an emotional reader but it takes a lot for me to cry in a book.  I’m not ashamed to say I cried when I read the end.  I was able to predict this ending with confidence, although I don’t think it was meant to be a secret.  The foreshadowing in this book did its job.  I must point out that there were so many commas throughout this book. Generally, I don’t rate on grammar because I’m lazy to be honest.  But this book has loads of them; beware if this is an issue for you.

These characters had a long and close history from the beginning.  Cara is sweet and saucy in her interactions with Jake.  They have a great banter between them.  Every heard the term love is blind.  There is a second part to that saying.  Love is blind, friendship closes its eyes.  You can see they love each other before they do. It’s like peeking in on a couple when they don’t think anyone is looking.  Super adorable.

A few scenes really stood out for me.  Cara’s birthday was one of them.  It really captured his honest love for her.  Also, the scene when his family found out about his illness.  I really felt his mothers helplessness.  The last page was the most prominent for me. Jake wrote Cara a letter.  I won’t say more than that.

If you like Contemporary Romance, this is a good book to read.

Coercion parts 1-3 (Montana Dragons) by Chloe Cole

Synopsis: When Willa Stone is cast aside by the alpha-wolf she’s been promised to since birth, she’s humiliated and angry, but also secretly relieved. Now, maybe she’ll have the chance to mate for love. If her power-crazed parents will just give her a little time, she’s sure to find the man of her dreams…

Dragon-shifter, Drake Blackbourne, has an itch to scratch and precious few options for an outlet. When the Stone family offers up their daughter’s hand in exchange for protection and political favors, he agrees to wed her, sight unseen. Drastic times call for drastic measures and, so long as she does her part and keeps out of his way the rest of the time, surely he can manage to bed her, no matter how plain she might be.

What he doesn’t expect is that captivating, defiant Willa will ignite a fire in him that will burn everything in its path, and turn both of their worlds upside down…

Get it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GJOBgf

Add it to your TBR list: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26126569-montana-dragons?ac=1

Average star rating, 2

The first book was okay, it did enough for me to want to read the next one.  It had some great action scenes and I liked how she was willful and brave.  Unfortunately, it went downhill from there.  It was like she had no control over her sex drive and just couldn’t resist his advances.  It reminded me of someone who has Stockholm Syndrome.

It was immature and inconsistent. They fell in love in a week.  It promoted the whole, “If he is mean to you he likes you” and I’m not in to that kind of thing.  It had some beauty and the beast tones to it. I like the idea of a re-telling with a dragon and wolf shifter though, that was pretty original to me.

It was more about the sexual attraction than the emotional or mental attraction and sometimes they are done tastefully but I felt this one came up short for me.

If you like that kind of stuff, this here is the book for you.  I love shifter stories but I just didn’t like this one.

Bright Side by Kim Holden

Synopsis: Secrets.
Everyone has one.
Some are bigger than others.
And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.

They both feel it. But they each have a reason to fight it. They each have a secret.
And when secrets are revealed, Some will heal you … And some will end you.

Get it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LAIVnU

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22669832-bright-side?ac=1

4 Stars

First off, let me say that I really like this cover. It’s simple and classy.  This was a book recommended to me by some friends, which means I can use it as a challenge book. Yeah for two birds with one stone!  The book started out slow, very slow and to be honest with you I almost didn’t finish it.  It took about halfway before anything really happened. Then, I was blindsided by Keller feelings because they seemed to grow fast throwing me for a loop because the pacing was so slow.   I don’t know if I was in a bad mood when I read it but it rubbed me wrong.

Honestly, I found her character to be immature and lackadaisical.  I didn’t have a bond with her at all. There was nothing for me to latch on to and identify with.  I cared more about what happens to her friends and how her illness affected those around her, not her herself, but the ripples of what happens to her friends because of the illness.

Now, you are probably wondering why I rated it so high if all I have to say are things I didn’t like. Well, allow me to clarify, I’m still ambivalent towards the MC but I think that is what the author’s intention was. To not make the focus about her but how cancer affects those around her.  And in that view, she nailed it. She nailed it so hard that I had to hash it out with my friends for a moment just to clear my head. I cried for a solid 30 minutes, on the BART train, in front of strangers. This author reached into my heart and gave it a purple nurple. I’m positive I have a book sized bruise there. And it won’t go away for a while.  I’ve never read a book before where the mc had no impact on me and yet I find myself liking this book. It’s so weird.

There, you see redemption.

So, if you have the patience to see this one through, you will not be disappointed.

Favorite quote:

I’m not saying you shouldn’t pursue dreams and goals. Just don’t forsake the present for the unknowns of the future.  A lot of happiness is bypassed, overlooked, postponed to a time years from now that may never come.  Don’t bide your time and miss out on this moment for a tomorrow with no guarantee.

Review Round Up

Photo courtesy of KissinBlueKaren

Welcome to Read This, a collection of book reviews and giveaways that were posted in the past week or so from around the web. This is a collection of book reviews & contests from real reviewers. If you want to be included in the next edition start with the guidelines, then use the submission form.

Want to read more reviews? Check out Read This for a list of the latest reviews and stellar reviewers. You can also follow on twitter for the latest round ups. Read This is now accepting photo submissions for each edition.

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CONTESTS

• Her Favorite Cowboy by Mary Leo (10/29)
• Regional Copy of Choice of A Halloween Scare at My House (10/29)
• Digital Copy of Super Freak (10/30)
• Fall Picture Book Collection (11/1)
• The Twisting by Laurel Wanrow (11/2)
• The Beat on Ruby’s Street by Jenna Zark (11/5)
• The Phoenix Year by David Blond (11/12)

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NON FICTION

-ADULT COLORING BOOK

• The Time Chamber: A Magical Story and Coloring Book by Daria Song ~Reading is Better With Cupcakes

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FICTION

• When Autumn Leaves by Amy S. Foster ~Heather @Based on a True Story
• Bradstreet Gate by Robin Kirman ~Spinning Jenny

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CHILDRENS

-ILLUSTRATED

• Honk, Honk! Hold Tight by Jessica Souhami ~Just Another Girl and Her Books
• A Halloween Scare at My House by Eric James ~Reading is Better With Cupcakes

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YOUNG ADULT

-PARANORMAL

• Igniting Spirit by Regan Claire ~Curly Carla @Celebrity Readers
• Super Freak by Vanessa Barger ~Reading is Better With Cupcakes

-MYSTERY

• We’ll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean ~KissinBlueKaren

-SCIENCE FICTION

• Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff ~KissinBlueKaren
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer ~Curly Carla @Celebrity Readers

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NEW ADULT

• Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills ~Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers

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ROMANCE

-LGBT

• A Hundred Thousand Words by Nyrae Dawn ~Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers

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SCIENCE FICTION

• The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey ~Spinning Jenny

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PARANORMAL

• Priceless by Shannon Meyer ~Curly Carla @Celebrity Readers

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HORROR

-ZOMBIES

• Infected: Slow Burn #2 by Bobby Adair ~Just Another Girl and Her Books

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THRILLER

• The Girl With No Past by Kathryn Croft ~KissinBlueKaren

-POLITICAL THRILLER

• The Phoenix Year by David Blond ~Courtney @The Moral Of Our Stories

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The Libby Garrett Intervention by Kelly Oram

Synopsis:
Libby Garrett is addicted to Owen Jackson’s hot lovin’. But the sexy, popular college basketball player doesn’t appreciate all of Libby’s awesomeness. He refuses to be exclusive or even admit to people that they’re dating. The relationship is ruining Libby and she’s the only one who can’t see it.

When Libby’s behavior spirals completely out of control, her best friend Avery Shaw and the rest of the Science Squad stage an intervention hoping to cure Libby of her harmful Owen addiction. They put her through her very own Twelve Step program—Owen’s Anonymous—and recruit the help of a sexy, broody, hard as nails coffee man to be her official sponsor.

…

Adam Koepp has watched Libby Garrett for years. How could he not notice the sassy girl with the purple skateboard and helmet plastered with cat stickers? But in all the years he’s crushed on her, Libby has failed to take notice of him. Why would she when he was just a nobody high school drop out who served her apple cider several times a week? Especially when she was hooking up with a guy like Owen Jackson—a guy with a college scholarship and more abs than Kyle Hamilton.

Adam finally gets the chance to meet Libby when his co-worker Avery Shaw recruits him to take Libby on the journey of a lifetime. With his ability to play Bad Cop and his experience with the Twelve Step program he’s the perfect candidate to be Libby’s sponsor. But will he be able to keep his personal feelings out of the matter and really help her the way she needs? And will Libby hate him when he forces her to take an honest look at herself?

This follow-up companion novel to The Avery Shaw Experiment can be read as a stand alone. (But where’s the fun in that?) 😉

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25715945-the-libby-garrett-intervention
Order it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1P1gDVK

My Review:
5 stars — Halfway through this book I told my husband this book was so good I was torn between wanting to gobble it up and wanting to stretch out the experience and make it last….  I tried to stretch it, I really did….but mostly I just gobbled.  🙂

This book wholeheartedly lived up to the expectations that I had for it, and even surpassed them.  I am a card carrying Avery Shaw Experiment mega-fan, and could not wait to see more from the world that Ms. Oram created.  And when I say I had expectations for this book, it was more just wanting Libby to have an epic story that stayed true to her character.  It was hard not to fall in love with her in the first book, she was so adorable in an insanely direct and over the top kind of way.  And this book just dived right into her character and gave her so much more depth and believability.  My heart broke for the girl she was turning into b/c of her own insecurities.  While I fell in love with how strong she appeared from the outside in ASE, I really enjoyed the twist of seeing how even she could be susceptible to her own inner demons….if that makes any sense.

There were many moments in this book that reminded me of Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend by Becca Ann.  Both books deal with outwardly strong and bright characters who are almost resigned to their lot in life as bigger girls.  It broke my heart while at the same time speaking to all those insecurities I feel in my own life.  And in the end both books left me feeling good about myself and hopeful about life.  And this is taking a strange philosophical turn….so….

ADAM!!!!!!  OMG!!!!!!  Seriously, I am a Grayson fan for life, but Adam gave him a run for his money.  The thing I love about Kelly Oram books is that the characters are so well developed and realistic.  This book wasn’t just about Libby and the struggles she dealt with in her own life, there was the whole world that surrounded Adam and his own personal demons.  And he was just so freaking adorable!!!  Every time he blushed I just wanted to scoop him up and carry him back to my woman cave.  We can do that right?  I wish I could articulate all the ways he made me feel for him.  He was such a brave and strong but damaged soul.  And it wasn’t like he was without his own faults — hello temper!  But he just seemed to be the perfect foil for our straight talking Libby.  And it doesn’t hurt that he was sexy as hell to boot.

My personal crack when it comes to books is characters….they will make or break a story for me, and this book not only had an amazing pair of main characters, but was RIFE with stellar secondary character performances.  Obviously the Science Squad was amazing — I loved learning even more about each and every one of them.  The intervention scene had me crying for the various characters and the hurts that they felt at the hands of Libby.  And it was so awesome to get glimpses of Avery and Grayson again.  But in addition to the characters I already felt some love for, Ms. Oram added in family characters that stole the show.  Adam’s relationship with his sister Kate was so integral to the story.  And I adored Libby’s unconventional parents.  Her father, Sean, had me laughing as many times as he had me tearing up with his love for Libby.

So I just need to say thank you Kelly Oram.  I don’t know how you write the stories that you do, but they always satisfy something deep inside of me and have me clamouring for more.  So please….GIVE ME MORE!  😉

Soul of Flame (Imdalind 4) by Rebecca Ethington

Synopsis: The Time for the final battle has come.Edmund’s armies have surrounded the Rioseco Abbey, trapping the few survivors inside. The sight that Ilyan was given a thousand years ago is about to come to pass.
If only Joclyn was able to fight.
Joclyn is tormented by the hallucinations that Cail’s mind has left her with, her magic an uncontrollable torrent that even Ilyan cannot control. Her moments of lucidity are broken by fears of dripping pipes and bleeding walls, and a desire to kill Ryland that she is having trouble trying to ignore.
The sight has shown her power, shown her success, but it has also shown her death – The end of her life something she is not quite willing to give up on yet.
Even past her death, the sight has shown her love, and that love may be the only key to her sanity, to her strength, and to Edmund’s death.
That love may stand in her way, and a single choice may tip the scales and secure their future, or destroy their fate.

Get it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1krqHMA

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18186721-soul-of-flame

4 stars

This book was better than the third one.  In this one the book focuses on Joclyn and Ilyan’s relationship.  Not as much on Ryland though, I wish they would have focused a little bit more on him because he is still a favorite in my heart and Joclyns is still too insecure for my tastes.  She seems to be waffling back and forth with her trust issues.  I understand why but it’s starting to fray a little bit on my patience as a reader.

Ilyan plays a much bigger role in this book.  I’m starting to like Ilyan more at this point because he is so confident as her protector and in his role as king. Ovailia!!!!!!!! Why can’t she just die already? I can’t stand her.  I’m tired of reading about this breezy. I want that loose end to be tied up.  I think I may be impatient. 🙂

The ending dialogue was kinda scratchy, it didn’t flow as well. It seemed the author was foreshadowing more questions so we have even more loose ends to tie up. Like the issue Sain has with Joclyn. Dude, that’s your daughter first, not the savior! He is a shady character.

I‘m getting lost in all the side stories and losing my focus on the main plot.  Maybe that’s what’s wearing on me. It just keeps asking more questions and not answering the original ones. I’m still reading the next one though, I have to know what happens.

Scorched Treachery (Imdalind 3) by Rebecca Ethington

Synopsis: While Joclyn is trapped in the tormenting hell of Cail’s mind, the battle around her only continues to grow and spread.
*
Edmund has infiltrated the underground hallways of Prague, guiding the massacre that would end the lives of the last of the great magical race. In her attempts to stop him, Wynifred has been captured and her magic restrained. Chained up in the ancient dungeons of Prague, her fate is left in the hands of her father, who has tried to kill her before.
With Ryland’s screams and Sain’s fragmented sights as her only company, Wyn must rely on something that has been hidden deep inside of her for centuries to help them break free.
*
Ilyan’s whole life has been building up to one purpose. Protect the Silnỳ. He knows what he must do, and he has no doubt in his ability to do so.
But when his father’s magic removes Joclyn’s mind from her body, he is left protecting the shell of the one person he loves. Desperate to find a way to break her free of her prison, he makes a choice. And that one choice changes everything.
Now, Ilyan finds himself bound to Joclyn in a way that he never knew to be possible.
They say that blood is thicker than water, but Black Water burns, and Ilyan’s heart may not be strong enough to keep it pumping through his veins and give the girl he loves back into his brother’s care.
Even if he can, it may not be safe to do so.

Get it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1M1TMEq

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17874494-scorched-treachery

3 Stars

I gotta say right off the bat that I was disappointed and I feel like this book could have been a companion novella to the series and it wasn’t needed. I mean, most of it was a recap from the other characters POV’s.  Pretty much the whole book up until the last 15 percent so I was really upset about that honestly.  The second book left on such a cliffhanger that I was all ready to jump in and find out what happens. There are a few aspects in the book that we, as readers, needed to know but I don’t feel it required an entire book in this series.

I didn’t really like Wyn to be honest, she wasn’t a side character that I really bonded with and enjoyed.  Sometimes the side characters really make the story for me but I didn’t get her. This book did clear a little bit of back story up plus her magic is pretty kickass, so there’s that.

I think that I would have liked to have saw Talons’ role more prominent in the book or even Thomas’ role just to get a better understanding since it had alternate POV’s, it focused mainly on Wyn and Ilyan. Ilyan’s character was pretty deeply ingrained in the second book, I didn’t need the extra. I already had a really good understanding and a bond with him as a character. I feel like Thomas and Talons characters with regard to Wyn could have added more to make it a better rounded novel cause we don’t really see a lot of Joclyn in this like at all.

Favorite Quote:

Desperation, it was a feeling I had rarely felt in my long life.  I had never really been hopeless enough to feel it.  I was always the one in control, powerful and resilient.  I laughed at battle and found joy in an impending death.  With Joclyn’s injured body in my arms, though, I only felt desperation.