Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen

Pub. Date: 26-Jul-2022
Rating: 4 Stars

Violet made of Thorns is full of suspense, dark prophecy, and court intrigue with a serving of enemies-to-lovers on the side. There is also plenty of magic in this story and prophesies that spell doom.  If you like your fairy tales on the darker side, this is the book for you.

Violet is a young Seer working for the King. She is one of only a few in the world and her talents are highly sought after.  However, she didn’t receive proper instruction on the use of her gifts and though the visions and dreams are easy enough, there are other things her magic is capable of that she has yet to discover. Of course, there are people who wish to exploit her youth and lack of knowledge.

The King being one of those that will use her for his own ends. He frequently asks Violet to lie about what she sees or does not see.  The latest lie is about Prince Cyrus’s upcoming engagement, even though he has yet to secure a bride.

Also, there is a dark prophecy surrounding Prince Cyrus. The prophecy Violet has, or says she has, could have dire consequences for both herself and the realm. Ultimately, the choices she and Cyrus make will determine the fate of everyone.

There was a lot of tension between Violet and Cyrus. I get the resentment that the Prince felt toward Violet. He cared about her but didn’t like her being a tool for his father to use as he desired. I felt that resentment was a little misplaced. However, it did allow for the tension between them and this enhanced the plot.

What I didn’t get was the hot to cold thing that was going on between the two. One minute they were making out and the next the claws were out. This part of the story felt like it needed further polish. In addition, I would have loved just a little more character development for Cyrus. His character was not as rounded as Violet.

The plot was interesting and it moved nicely along. Though, I was not a fan of the ending. It was a bit rushed and left too much unanswered for me. Yeah, I get that it is the first book in a series. Even taking this into account, the ending was not as organic as it could have been. In short, I wanted a bit more of an ending. One more chapter would have been nice.

Despite the few minor complains I had, I liked this story a lot. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing what will happen next. If you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, this book should be on your TBR list. 

I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

All I Want For Christmas Is the Girl Who Can’t Love

Pub. Date: 22-12-2021
Rating: 4 Stars

This book, though mostly not set during the holidays, still has the special magic that only the holiday season can bring. It is an imaginative coming-of-age story and will definitely warm your heart.

Savannah meets Jordan at the start of the semester when he offers to help her carry her mattress to her dorm room. In the days following move in, they keep running into each other and before long a friendship develops, but Jordan wants more. However, Savannah is convinced that true love does not exist. She thinks love is just a primitive response to mating. This is only reinforced by her mother and grandmother’s experiences.

Jordan is not without wanting to put off love because his career goals come first. However, as the semester progresses, Jordan and Savannah are drawn to each other. They just seem to click and Jordan becomes determined to prove to Savannah that true love does exist. When they find a collection of letters from the revolutionary war between a solider and the woman he loved, Jorden uses this as the opportunity to prove the existence of true love. The question is. will this be enough to prove to Savannah that true love exists?

The characters in this story were fabulous. They are genuine and the dialog was what I would expect from young adults. I liked how the author used Savannah’s challenges with empathy. Because Savannah is challenged, the author was able to highlight how strong and intelligent she is, with a fierceness about her that many her age don’t have.

I also loved that the tension slowly built in the story and there could not have been a better setting for this book. The historical element of the letters added a nice layer to the story and helped moved the plot along. I wanted to find out what happened to everyone and it had me rushing to finish.

This book was charming, and had a strong feel-good vibe. I highly recommend it to lovers of YA and romance. It is not only a great holiday read, but would make a great beach read because a lot of the book takes place outside of the holidays.   

I received a free copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

Pub. Date: 28-Nov-2021
Rating:5 Stars

Holey moley, this book has a cliffhanger of an ending and I loved it! The romance, the tension, the action all just so perfect in The Last Graduate, which is the second installment of the Scholomance series, by Naomi Novik. It was wickedly delicious and I gobbled it up!

The story picks up right were A Deadly Education leaves off. El and her fellow students at the Scholomance now have to prepare for graduation. It is a graduation ceremony like no other and few will survive it. Yet the school seems to be making things harder for EL, leaving her to wonder if she will even make it to graduation. She is spending all her hard earned mana (kind of like magical energy) in battling the maleficria (the magical creatures that eat young magicians). 

Then there is the note from her mother with the words,”Keep away from Orion Lake.” Yet, she is immensely attracted to him and maybe she will need his help if her plan to survive graduation is to work.

This book is just as good as the first and I was super excited to return to this world and cast of characters. El still has that biting personality with the soft underside, and though we don’t hear much about Orion at first, I was delighted to find him just as adorable as I remember and head over heels for El. Novik continues to grow the characters and add to the fabulous world building she laid out in book one.

The plot is well done and there was lots of tension, both with the action and the budding romance, leading up to the finale. The only skeleton in the closet is the cliffhanger, and as mentioned earlier, it is a monumental one. Normally not a big fan of these types of cliffhangers but the book is just so good and the ending so perfect I cannot complain too much. I just don’t know how I will make it until book three.

If fantasy is your genre this is a must read series. However, you really do need to read them in order.  If you haven’t started reading this series, I can’t imagine what you are waiting on. Go get a copy of book one, A Deadly Education, now.

I received a free copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer

Pub. Date: 26-Jan-2021
Rating: 3 Stars

A Vow So Bold and Deadly is the third book in The Cruse Breaker Series. While I adored the first two books, I was disappointed with this one. It is still a good story, and series, just not on the same level as the previous two books.

Book three brings together the prior two books and this book is about the fate of not only the kingdom of Emberfall but of Syhl Shallow too. There are several big questions the book will answer. First, will the two kingdoms really wage war on each other now that we know Grey is the true heir of Emberfall? Will Lia Mara be able to hold her throne? Finally, Will Rhen ever defeat Lilith?

The book is not badly written nor did it have big plot holes. No, nothing as damaging as that. I just lost interest in the story and the plot was very slow in the beginning. Then to top it off, there were unresolved issued. It left me wondering if there will be another book. I thought it was a three book series. Maybe I am wrong.

I enjoyed that we finally got to read about all four characters in one book and from their own POVs no less. However, I came to detest Lia Mara. I wanted to tell her to grow a pair. All the self-doubt and whining got old. I would have preferred to have seen more growth for her character. She was strong enough to kill her mother; therefore, at this point in the game, she should not be second guessing herself at every turn. We all wonder at times if we are doing the right thing or not; however, her fears left me with mammoth doubts about her capacity to rule. Ugh!

Lastly, the interaction between characters did not feel genuine. I never got this feeling in the previous two books. I think this is partly due to the pacing in the first half of the book. There was not much going on and all the talk and preparing for war got a bit tiresome. A good subplot would have made things more interesting and would have given the characters a chance to interact meaningfully.

The thing I liked most about the story was the ending. Even though I wish it had been a little meatier after spending so much time on the lead up to it. In truth, the ending felt almost anticlimactic. Yet it suited the story. Not everybody gets everything they want in life and the characters had to accept compromises and come to terms with them. That is the way life works and so was very appropriate.  

As I stated at the beginning, this book is not terrible. However, it is not on par with the previous two. I still loved the series and well gladly read other books by the author. If you like fantasy and retellings this is a good series to read. I encourage you to give it a try and sincerely hope you enjoy.  

The Girl From Far Away by Jennifer Austin

Pub. Date: 31-July-2020
Rating: 3.5 Stars

The Girl From Far Away by Jennifer Austin is a YA fantasy story that has elements of Science Fiction also. It was an interesting take on alternate worlds and has an XMen feel to it. An enjoyable read.

The story is told from two points of view. The first is Jess’s and she is from Earth. The other POV is Ella’s whom lives on an alternate earth, called Biack, which has more advanced technology. The two characters are linked somehow (there was never really a good answer on this and I’ll talk about this later) because they both experience the others life through their dreams.

Jess’s life has been difficult. She has lived with an abusive stepfather and a mother who appears to be an absentee parent. Also, it turns out her friends are not much of friends. Her brother is the only person she is really close to and he is no longer around after a run in with their stepfather. On the other hand, Ella has lived the life of privilege as the daughter of the King and she will one day become the Queen of Biack.  

 It has been foretold that Ella and others will be born with special abilities and they come in a time of great need for Biack. Jess discovers she has a special ability when the “falls” into Biack. She is disoriented but found and quickly befriended by Ella. Yet Jess does not trust easily and ends up in the hands of the Red Shirts an organization that is trying to start a coup. She will have to learn to trust before she can be saved.    

I liked the characters in this book. Not only did they feel real but the actions and dialogue were correct for the age. I especially enjoyed the character of Jess. The author did a great job of rounding out her character and I understood her. However, I wished we had gotten more character development for Ella and the some of the secondary characters. The roles they played warranted it and further development would have enhanced the story. I have a feeling that this was intentional because the ending was such that I can see a sequel in the future. If the author spilt all the beans now there would be nothing to look forward to.

The beginning, roughly 20 pages or so, was a little slow. Once you get a little deeper into the story there is a lot more action and the pace picks up a bit. I never got bored with the plot. There was enough meat there to keep me interested and the subplot worked nicely, though it didn’t really get resolved.

In addition, there were also things hinted at but never really explained. Like theories on how the kids’ special abilities were acquired. The story just says they were born with them. I wanted to know if it was a mutation maybe because of the radiation from the sun or if it was believed to be something else that caused it. Again, I have a feeling this is intentional for the reasons I have already mentioned. Intentional or not, I missed it and wished there had been a little bit more world building.

This is a good solid debut YA story. I have no doubt that it will appeal to lovers of YA. I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Angel Warrior by John W. Wells III

Pub. Date: 5-10-2020
Rating: 4 Stars

After I finished reading this book I was thinking about what I liked about books when I was younger (a lot younger). The main thing was adventure. I loved stories that had magic and characters that I pulled for and got swept into their story. This is totally what happened to me when reading The Last Angel Warrior. Definitely a great adventure tale for young (and older) readers!

The story follows Kalib Andrews as he approaches his sixteenth birthday and discovers that there are, among other things, demons and magic in the world. A stranger tries to kill him one evening walking home from his job at the local diner. That same evening he sees a stranger with yellow eyes outside of his bedroom window. Then things get even creepier when a new teacher at school has the same symbol on a charm that they both wear and was a patron that asked too many questions when Kalib served him at the diner. This teacher seems just a little too interested in him. Then did I mention his parents tried to kill him just a couple of days later.

The world is not what Kalib thought it was. Then he finds out he is actually the last Angel Warrior. Whatever that is! Kalib will need to figure everything out soon because there is a prophecy that says he will be killed and his blood used to release a goddess from a prison of magic on his sixteenth birthday.

There was a lot of action in the book. Loved that! You know something big is going to happen from page one. Therefore, I was invested in the outcome from the very beginning. The action and mystery elements are the main star of the story. They are what made the book for me. The author was able to surprise me a couple of times with events I was not expecting. The unpredictability of the story was another plus.

There was not a great deal of character development which I missed a little. Yet I can’t fault the author because the type of development I like would bore a younger reader to dead. So taking into account the intended audience, I think there was enough to hold the story together. I also liked the various characters and how they interacted. The theme of true friendship was subtle but well done.

This story was described as young adult, but it read and felt more like a middle grade tale. Which was OK, since I read both. However, if you don’t care for stories geared toward the younger side of young adult this may not be the book for you. If that does not matter, then I recommend this to you. Lastly, there is no foul language or inappropriate scenes in this book making it suitable for readers as young as 8 provided they are not bothered by a story that is a little scary.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for me honest review.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. K. Klune

Pub. Date: 17-March-2020
Rating: 5 Stars

There is something extremely wonderful about this book that is hard to put into words because it is so many things all at once. The author has given the reader a great cast of characters to love and an outstanding plot to go along with it. It is just one of those stories that is sure to touch your heart.

Linus Baker has been a case worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY) for a long time. In his job, he investigates orphanages for magical children and makes recommendations as to whether they should remain open or be closed. He is meticulous in his reports and always follows the rules to the letter.

Linus in his off time, does nothing of note. He lives an uneventful and rather dreary life by himself with just his cat for company. Until one day when he is called to the offices of Extreme Upper Management and is assigned a case of utmost important and secrecy. He is to spend four weeks at an orphanage and while there he is to observe and provide a full report every week.

He is given a dossier on each child and not much else. There are six children in all at this particular orphanage, each one dangerous, but one child in particular is of greatest concern and who just happens to be the Antichrist. To say Linus is scared is an understatement; but, he sets aside his fears determined to do his job to the best of his ability. He becomes immersed in the day-to-day activities of the orphanage and even participates in outings. What he discovers is a very special sort of magic that has nothing, and yet everything, to do with the children.   

The central theme in this book is about differences and prejudices. It explores how these prejudices affect others and how just one person can start a change. The author uses the magical children’s characters to explore the differences between individuals and how prejudices can harm. The whole thing was handled so well and the quirky, magical children will make you smile. They are able to open Linus’s eyes and he starts to see things is a new and wonderful way.

The plot was imaginative and well-paced. The author uses this fantasy setting to teach life lessons in a subtle way and I appreciated that it was not an in your face story. I also liked how the children and Author give hope to Linus. In little subtle ways, the author is asking the reader to rethink their own prejudices.   

This is the first book I have read by this author and I know it will not be my last. I highly recommend this one to everybody, though I think it is more geared toward young adults. I also recommend this book to older middle grade readers who have reached this reading level because the characters will undoubtedly speak to them.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Pub. Date: 20-Sep-2016
Rating: 4 Stars

As suggested from the title, Stalking Jack the Ripper, is a YA horror/murder mystery book (very) loosely based on the real murders of young women in London during the 1880s. The author, Kerri Maniscalco, has presented the reader with a young protagonist who will capture your heart with her courage, defiance and tenacity as she works to solve the murders.

Audrey Rose Wadsworth is an educated young woman and daughter of a Lord. Ladies of her standing are expected to be prime and proper. Yet, she finds the society demands upon her restricting and she rebels against them. Even though her father has expressly forbidden it, she has been learning forensic science through her Uncle who is an expert in the field. So naturally she is thrilled to help her Uncle examine the first victim of Jack he Ripper.

Then when her Uncle of all people is arrested for the murders, she vows to find out the truth. For Audrey Rose this is the being of a very dangerous path. One that could lead even to her death.

I appreciated the fast pace of the book and it had plenty of twists to keep you guessing. The prose was also good and I liked the attention to detail given to the scenes. Pace will only take the reader so far and this book had a good mix of both.

I liked the characters in this book, especially Audrey Rose. In truth, I felt her character was a little bit of a stretch for the times but it worked so well in the story I can’t really find fault. Sometimes a little creative license is necessary for a good story. After all it is fiction meant to entertain. At the end the author does give you the facts of what happened in London during this time and shows how those facts were used to create the story.

 This book has been on my TBR list for almost a year. I wish I had read it sooner because if was entertaining and just what I needed as a distraction amid this virus lockdown. The book definitely has a Holmes and Watson vibe to it, albeit a younger male/female version. I highly recommend for those readers that like this type of book. Being a historical book with a light touch of romance I think there will be a wider audience that will enjoy it and recommend you give it a read.

 I received a free copy from the publisher, at BookExpo 2019, in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Human by Zack Jordan

Pub. Date: 24-Mar-2020
Rating: 3 Stars

The Last Human by Zack Jordan is a coming-of-age, space opera tale. It is the prefer book for fans of A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy.  

It is a quirky tale about Sarya the daughter, the last of her kind. Her kind being humans. She is raised by an adopted mother of another species. A mother who loves her and will give her life to protect her. Yet, she has a burning desire to know where she comes from and if there is possibly more of her kind still alive.  

How can Sarya find out any information about humans when humans are the most feared species in the galaxy? Since she was very young her mother has carefully kept her hidden. No one should know that she exists; especially, since the human race was eradicated over a thousand years ago. Sarya will find out this and much more when a bounty hunter tries to capture her and she is forced to change her view on all she has ever known.  

Unfortunately, I never connected with Sarya. I think it was because I found the story was just weird and not in a good way. I struggled to finish it. I put it down multiple times to go on to something more enjoyable. Each time I picked it back up I hoped it would improve. Finally, it got to the point I just wanted to be done.  

The writing was good and I liked that it was reflective towards the end. It made me think about humanity and what makes us different and what makes us the same. Also, I thought about race and inequality because these two things came up repeatedly throughout the story. Ultimately, this is what kept me reading even though I never connected to the MC.   

I think in hind sight I can say this one was just not my cup of tea. However, I think there are lots of fans out there of this type of story. I also think this would be a great book for a Sci-Fi book club. The story lends itself to a good discuss about cultural and political issues.

  I received a free copy, from the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmer

Pub. Date: 7-Jan-2020
Rating: 5 Stars

A Heart So Fierce and Broken is the second installment in the Cursebreakers series by Brigid Kemmerer. The author once again uses her amazing talent to continue the saga of Emberfall. A world where loyalty and friendships will come into question. This is a world you will want to visit again and again.

Grey is missing, and Rhen and Harper fear that upon killing Lilith he is stuck in our world. No one knows that he is in hiding and working as a stable boy. His job has always been to protect the king at all costs. Now he hides to protect the king because he fears what will happen if anyone finds out he can do magic. He is afraid to admit to himself that there is truth in the rumors about a true heir to Emberfall.

Grey believes that Rhen should be the heir to Emberfall. Now that Rhen has Harper by his side the kingdom should start to thrive again. Yet, there is still the threat of Karis Luran. Therefore, when the king’s men finally find Grey and through a strange turn of events he ends up of the wrong side of the fence. He will have to choose sides. Will he be loyal to Rhen or to Emberfall?

There is much to love in this story. First, I was so glad we finally learned more about the stoic Grey. His character was underdeveloped in the first book and now I have a true sense of who he is.  In addition, there were several new characters introduced in this book that helped round out the story. The author is particularly adept at adding those minor characters that enhance the story. Kudos to her for a job well done.

The plot was just as good at the first book and there were several surprises that I was not expecting. The pace of the book was relatively fast. There was only one spot I felt the story could have moved a little faster. However, I get that it had to happen in order for the character development to occur and it is so minor thing. In the end, I appreciated the characters more because of it and can easily call it was a willing sacrifice.

 A Heart So Fierce and Broken is such an imaginative, entertaining story I know you will fall in love with the characters and the world, just as I did. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of fantasy. If you have not done so already, I suggest you read the first book in the series, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, beforehand because you don’t want to miss out on anything in this delightful tale.   

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.