Every weekend...

Armentrout's first book of the Covenant series disappoints

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not too sure about this series. I absolutely LOVED the Lux series. So much that I think it just might be my favorite to date. I was leery of reading others by Armentrout because I didn't want to be disappointed. And I think I was with Half-Blood.

I liked the premise well enough (playing off the demi-god legends of greek mythology) and I liked the characters well enough...except for Alex. I really disliked her and I think that's why I was so disappointed. I just couldn't relate to her bitchiness. It seemed unwarranted and I don't think she deserved Aidan. At all.

I am still trying to decide if I should keep reading. I have so many other books waiting for me to pick up, I think I'll put this series on hold for now.

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Slightly Disappointing Book 4

Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One of the problems with a 5/6 book series is trying to tell the story through so many books. At some point, most authors end up with a book that is just filler to help get the story through to the end. Frozen Tides seems to be that book for the Falling Kingdoms Series.

The first three books were utterly magnificent. Every book was action pack, intrigue abounded, you never knew what was going to happen next. But Frozen Tides, to me, was full of predictability. There was no suspense, no adventure. I agree with others that it seemed most of the book was “teenage love angst” with very little plot development. The biggest surprise happened, literally, in the last sentence of the whole book. And even that was more of an “Oh geez. More teenage love angst.” moment for me.

Nevertheless, I will be awaiting book 5 with bated breath and I hope, HOPE that Rhodes brings her fierce writing abilities back for the conclusion of this amazing story.

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Munt makes a splash with The Marked Ones

The Marked Ones by S.K. Munt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ivyanne Court is next in line for the Mer throne. She's being pressured to marry to carry on the royal line. Feeling trapped, she runs off to the seaside resort of her youth to think things over. Should she marry the hottest merman alive, her closest friend or someone who seems to show no interest in her? They've all put their proposals in but she loves none of them. To complicate matters more the love of her life, Lincoln, is now the owner of the resort. The problem? He's human and off limits to Ivyanne. She's only allowed to marry a Marked One and Lincoln is not one of them. She must choose between the best man for her people or the best man for her heart.

This story grasped me from the start. I have yet to read a Mer story and Munt's plot is intricate and well thought out. Fantastic story of creation and history of the Mer people.

Munt has a way of making “to-die-for” men. Tristan is one of these. At first, you just want to kick him where it counts but halfway through you're wishing he'd come crashing through your bedroom door. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, though, so that part for me was a little trying but it was also the antagonist in the story so I got through it.

This is the 3rd book by Munt that I've read and I'm currently reading a 4th. She has written about so many different paranormal beings, I believe she can write a book about paint drying at this point and I'll still read it. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.


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A Great Thriller with Memorable Characters - Sparked by Sheea Snow

Sparked by Sheena Snow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.)

Deeply troubled Vienna Avery is highly disturbed her mother jumped on the household robot bandwagon. Sometimes she thinks it's watching her...but that's just impossible...right?

Snow does an imaginative job creating a world of robots. Sparked is equally thrilling and disturbing. Vienna's relationship with her family is authentic and sad. She is searching for her place in her family and the world. It is very easy to relate to both Vienna and her mother in this story.

The robots are fabulously done. At times, you forget they are robots and others you forget they are human. The plot is very fast-paced and the chemistry between the characters is superb. You find yourself falling for each one.

Snow does a great job with the world-building even though they move around quite a lot.

At first, I thought the ending was too easy...until I read the last pages. The HUGE cliffhanger leaves you dying for the next book. I hope Snow can keep up the pace and keep the story from feeling forced. If she can do, this will be an amazing series!

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Dystopian novel Life

Life by Rebecca Belliston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.)

This dystopian novel finds the USA in a state of ruin after a series of stock market crashes. It's a nice change from the usual alien invasion or world war 3 catalysts that we are used to reading. Although I believe the situation of stock market crashes would cause the mass chaos that ensued, I find it hard to believe that no major threat was issued from other countries. There's no mention of any military presence or of a force to protect the citizens - just the every day patrolling by local police whose main concern is arresting illegals.

The character building of the people living in the clan is wonderful. You get a great insight into how different personalities would react to the living circumstances.

Life is essentially a romance novel and the love blossoms realistically. No insta-loving, insta-infatuation or insta-attraction/lust.

Belliston does a fantastic job with the story and I look forward to the sequel Liberty.

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N.B. Roberts' Halton Cray (Shadows of the World #1)

Halton Cray by N.B. Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This book was unbelievable! How to describe it - thriller? ghost story? otherworldy? It was ALL these things!

The plot was ingenious and I was continually surprised turn after turn. I love all the characters, even those you "love to hate". The moral of the story is a great one that needs to be reinforced more than it is.

Roberts has a distinctly British writing style that once adjusted to, was utterly fantastic.

I can't wait to delve into book two and get lost in Halton Cray again.

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Turned by Michelle Fox

Turned by Michelle Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Turned is a great 1-hour read. Need a quickie before bed, while waiting for your kids or at the doctor's office, then this is it.

There is no deep intricate plot, no underbelly backstory - just enough to keep you engrossed from start to finish.

I can see myself wanting to read more about, not only Dawn and Malachi but also the interesting world Fox has created where humans and vampires are living side by side.


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School of Deaths (The Scythe Wielder's Secret #1)

School of Deaths by Christopher Mannino
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(Free copy of novel in exchange for honest review)

Christopher Mannino does a fantastic job of creating a new sci-fi/fantasy series for young teen girls. He provides a great message for young girls about courage and perseverance in the face of bullies and personal struggle.

Suzie Sarnio is the first female Death in, like, a million years. She has one year to learn all she needs to know about being a Death to pass her test to go back home to her family. Little does she know that there are those plotting against her and there's more at stake than her ability to go home.

Mannino does a wonderful job building the world of the Deaths, Elementals and Dragons. The complicated backstory/history adds to the richness of the storyline and characters. There is an intricate plot that begins to be unveiled and I think it will be fully revealed in the sequel. I am looking forward to reading book two.

(view spoiler)[My only complaint is Suzie's ability to dismiss her family so easily at the end. Her family should be more important than what she's dealing with, honestly, and her comfort of not going back to her family was a little disturbing. I am still undecided on whether I would want my 13-year-old daughter reading this book based on this fact alone. There should have been some out, some way she passed the test and then was able to go back after reassuring her family she was okay. It really bugged me a lot, enough to give the book 3 stars instead of 4/5. (hide spoiler)]

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Boston's Quest (Holoquest #2) by Shanae Branham

Boston's Quest by Shanae Branham
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

(Free copy in exchange for review)

 Boston's Quest is perfect for YA gamers, which I'm not, so take that into consideration when reading my review. 

This sequel to DiSemblance takes a different direction than the first book. Branham takes a long, long time to get to the point which is that there is a book three. The ending was very abrupt and ended at an extremely annoying spot in the story.

Once again, the story is told in three points of view – Jason, Boston and new main character, Oliver. We end up knowing Oliver at a deeper level at the conclusion of this book than we do Boston and Jason over two books. The character development has not been mastered by now and I have little doubt that book three will be the same. We barely get below the surface on many, if not all, of the characters so that it is hard to even care about them. 

The book is named after Boston but ultimately this whole series is about Jason and Isaac. At least, that's how it appears to me. I was really hoping to see the end to this series but honestly, I think I'm done here.


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DiSemblance by Shanae Branham

DiSemblance by Shanae Branham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(free in exchange for review)

This story is extremely fast-paced. Told by 3 different points of view, it jumps around quite a lot but I found the differing points of view added to the story. Unfortunately, it also makes it harder to dig deeper into the main characters because you're spending so much time hearing from each one.

Jason and his brother are homeschooled by their father, who is secretly building a holographic machine. Boston lives across the street and finds Jason intriguing so decides to follow and photograph him. Their relationship begins from there and develops into something more when everything falls apart, for both of them.

Jason and Boston's relationship doesn't appear to be solid and maybe that's intentional. I found it hard to believe they would do some things without having more of a concrete relationship. But, like I said, the relationships weren't heavy due to the differing points of view.

I was expecting more of a sci-fi novel but it just touches on that. Overall, however, it was an enjoyable read with a nice conclusion. I will definitely check out the sequel.

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Christina Lauren's Sweet Filthy Boy (Wild Seasons #1)

Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

HOT! HOT! HOT! And REAL! Everything about this book was real – the people, the places, the situations, the sex! I couldn't stop reading it. The characters are so magnetic! I laughed, I cried, I got excited!

Mia and Ansel's relationship starts off the way you'd imagine a crazy, wild night in Vegas would, but the morning after is not what you would expect next. And then the next morning, and the next. And soon you're swept up into their lives. If someone told me this story was true, I would believe it. It has such depth of emotion to it that a lot of authors can't convey.

This is a book I would read again and again. I can't wait to read the next book! These amazing novels will definitely be a time-hog, but OH what a way to spend it!

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