Killers of A Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn REVIEW

 Summary:

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.

When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses-paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they've been marked for death.

Now to get out alive, they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and one another to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They're about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman - and a killer - of a certain age.

My Thoughts:

I picked this up in a Barnes&Noble (thanks to a date), and immediately fell in love with this concept. Billie is the main character, and she's a loner outside of her friends. Mary Alice is married to Akiko, and the two of them have a cat named Kevin. Helen is mourning the loss of her husband, and Natalie has had many husbands. Most of the character development goes to Billie, Mary Alice, and Helen. I do wish Natalie had more development like they did.

The books goes back and forth in time, showing the present and the past of the women. This would often provide an insight into their past work, and sometimes it helps them currently. While I enjoyed the flashbacks, it just seemed that more thought was given to them than to the present storyline. I honestly think it would have been best to just make the book longer in order even it out.

The fighting scenes were nicely done, but I was expecting a lot more than just a handful. 

Despite all that, I really enjoyed reading this. It was a fun ride, and I'm glad I did end up picking this one up.

My Rating: 4 stars

Magic by Any Other Name by Alison Levy REVIEW

 Summary:

Ivy Nichols O'Reilly has grown up in a wealthy family full of magic, fantastical creatures, and emotional abuse - but when her narcissistic mother arranges an unwanted marriage for her, the young witch reaches her breaking point. She drops out of college, changes her name to Georgette, and flees across the country with her best friend, a Wood Nymph named Mei-Xing.

Georgette is determined to build a new identity and a new life. But her journey leads her to cross paths with a number of magical characters - a Werehyena searching for his kidnapped wife, a Vampire who runs a unique magical business, a curandero, a shamanistic practitioner of traditional medicine, and a Valkyrie who, along with her raven partner, wants to make a risky deal - who make it clear to her that the past is not so easily left behind. In order to grow into her new identity, help her new friends, and develop a healthy relationship with a man she's beginning to care for, Georgette will have to confront the privileges that have shielded her from the pain and ugliness of the magic community in which she was raised - and to find the strength to overcome the trauma of her childhood.

My Thoughts:

Starting off, toward the beginning of the book was not easy to get into. It had some interest, but it was kind of forgettable. However, it does get better.

Georgette is a great character. It takes a lot of strength to leave toxic situations. There are only really a couple of issues I have with her - first being that she leaves her younger sister behind with little thought for most of the book, until she suddenly remembers later on. While I understand that she might not have been able to safely take her on the journey, you would think that she would either give words of advice or think about her more. The second is how fast she falls in love with Neil and trusts him. I'm not saying that you can't fall in love that fast, but it seems unrealistic when you think about how Georgette has trust issues from her family. I wish that this was explored more in the novel.

Ishak also has trust issues, as he is searching for his wife, who was kidnapped and sold off. I absolutely love his character. You can tell that he cares so much; he doesn't just say it. While we don't really get a look at his backstory, his character is very well developed throughout the book. My only concern is that it seems like he got more development than Georgette, the main character.

The Valkyrie and her raven are barely in the book at all, and I am hoping that will change as the author writes the sequel (s). Mei-Xing was actually pretty well developed, though not as much as I'd like.

I do very much like the way that trauma is handled in this. Since it is a young adult novel, there are obvious things that may not be appropriately and accurately portrayed, but it is definitely enough to go on with younger audiences.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book, and it is definitely recommendable to a few of my friends.

My Rating: 4 stars

A Vengeful Realm by Tim Facciola REVIEW

Summary:

Peace bought by blood seldom lasts, for vengeance knows no end. The same is true for mortals and Gods alike. Decades, centuries, eras may pass, but the cycle remains. As war and revolution rise again, Zephyrus finds himself at the center of it all. Chosen by the Gods, hailed as a prophet of liberation, and forged as a weapon to break the kingdom and restore balance to the realm, hope rests squarely on his shoulders. If only he could remember.

Enslaved as a gladiator and thrust into a prince's game of espionage, Zephyrus has only two clues to help unlock his shattered past: a prophecy foretelling destruction, and a letter to the enemy king, promising peace. Now Zephyrus must survive the dangers of the gladiatorial arena, the cunny fury of the prince's enemies, and the Gods' torment if he is to find the truth of his identity and fulfill his fate. But to have any hope of breaking the cycle, first he must secure his freedom - and not just from his slavers.

Within this vengeful realm, a queen protecting her kingdom, a prince defending his father, and a gladiator slave haunted by the prophecy each contend for their own brand of freedom. But the Gods have an agenda of their own and they'll use any vessel - patrician, plebian, or slave - to see it done. The scales must be balanced. By peace. Or by blood.

My Thoughts:

Zephyrus is exactly the main character you'd imagine for a story of gladiators and fighting for freedom. What stands out about him the most is that he knows that things aren't just black and white. There are some of his people who make him their enemy, and some of the higher class who sympathize and want the same things he does. Zephyrus constantly questions himself; he realizes that nothing in this world is perfect or totally evil.

The side characters are all extremely well developed. Even ones with little appearance in the novel are carefully crafted. Personally, I really like Nallia. She is the daughter of a king from a neighboring kingdom, who helps Zephyrus find his lost memories and aides him in his journey for freedom. She is almost like a reader-insert of sorts.

The fighting sequences throughout the novel were beautifully done; the imagery was almost surreal. 

While I have never gotten into the gladiator side of fantasy books, I can say that this is certainly the best from the few that I've read in the past.

I would definitely recommend reading this, and I would absolutely buy the sequel when it comes out.

My Rating: 5 stars 

Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel REVIEW

 Summary:

The last time Maeve saw her cousin was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in. For the past two decades, Maeve has worked hard to build a normal life in New York City, where she keeps everything—and everyone—at a safe distance.

When Andrea suddenly reappears, Maeve regains the only true friend she’s ever had. Soon she’s spending more time at Andrea’s remote Catskills estate than in her own cramped apartment. Maeve doesn’t even mind that her cousin’s wealthy work friends clearly disapprove of her single lifestyle. After all, Andrea has made her fortune in the fertility industry—baby fever comes with the territory.

The more Maeve immerses herself in Andrea’s world, the more disconnected she feels from her life back in the city; and the cousins’ increasing attachment triggers memories Maeve has fought hard to bury. But confronting the terrors of her childhood may be the only way for Maeve to transcend the nightmare still to come…

My Thoughts:

I fell in love with this book. Maeve was raised in a cult that revolved around motherhood with her cousin but was able to leave at a young age because of a police raid. She was raised by a couple who adopted her. But being raised in a cult has made her like a hermit, and she doesn't really have friends, until her cousin finds a way into her life again.

Despite being in her 30s now, Maeve is still very cautious and doesn't want to get close to anyone. I think that this makes her character very realistic. Trauma never really leaves.

Andrea, her cousin, has become a successful business woman, centering around children. She seems to have completely moved on from the trauma, but she recently suffered a loss of her own: her baby. Andrea invites Maeve to live with her for a while, and that's when things get weird. Andrea's co-workers act disgusted by the fact that Maeve does not want children, and a couple of Maeve's friends die suddenly.

It turns out that Andrea has brought back the cult and is now the leader. Since Andrea can no longer have children, and she forces Maeve to get pregnant for the sole purpose of stealing the baby. She is able to escape, but kept in protective custody. Maeve helps the police arrest Andrea, and gives her babies up for adoption. But at the end, the adoptive mother turned out to be part of the cult as well . . .

The writing is so perfect and very engaging. It's one of those books where you have to physically pry yourself away from it in order to stop reading it. I absolutely love the easter eggs throughout the novel, and the characters are extremely well developed and easy to care about, even some of the background characters. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes psychological horror.

My Rating: 5 stars

The Path of One by D. P. Behling REVIEW

Summary:

Joshua Elias Tanner is trying to fix his life and reconnect with his four-year-old daughter Sophie. In a bizarre twist, he gets pulled into the multidimensional world of the Immortals simply by being the last person on the elevator after lunch!

If Josh wants to find his way back to Sophie, he will be forced to rise through the levels of mortal cultivation to reach Transcendence with his fate-bonded brother, Senyak Marztanak.

Senyak needs the unique mortal qualities of Josh if Sen is to reclaim his Immortality and sit on his family's ruling seat.

My Thoughts:

This was really interesting to read. I especially love the development of the characters throughout the novel, and the room made to develop them more in the sequel.

Josh is like a reader-insert of sorts. He, like us, are thrown into a reality of which we know nothing about. While I do like his character, Josh acts a lot more like a teenager than a father, which is really most of the novel. We get little glimpses into his life, but I found it kind of hard to believe that he is an adult.

Senyak is so interesting as a character. He originally was not the heir to his family, but his brouther failed his test and was unable to claim the right to be his family's heir. His character is astonishingly more believable than Josh's. Senyak is hundreds of years old, but time is different when you're an Immortal, and he comes off as a teenager who tries to be seen as an adult (except it doesn't work).

Sophie was mentioned a few times, but never in much detail for being such an important factor in the story.

In terms of reading, the novel was difficult at first due to the vocabulary being very scientific, but it catches on soon after. The book also jumped around from feeling like an adult novel and being a YA novel, which was kind of confusing.

A lot of these criticisms really come down to characterization in terms of plot, which could be solved in the sequel.

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't really my cup of tea. However, I would pick up the sequel whenever it comes out.

My Rating: 3 stars

Vaulting Through Time by Nancy McCabe REVIEW

 Summary:

Sixteen-year-old gymnast Elizabeth Arlington doesn't care that her mother is older than the other girls' moms or that she doesn't look anything like her parents. She has too much to worry about like her body changing and how all of a sudden the balance beam is not as easy as it used to be. But when she makes a discovery that throws her entire identity into question, she turns to her ex-best friend Zach, who suggests a way for her to find the answers her mother won't give her: a time machine they found in an abandoned house. As Elizabeth catapults through time, she encounters a mysterious abandoned child, an elite gymnast preparing for Olympic Trials, and an enigmatic woman who seems to know that she's revealing. Then when a thief makes off with an identical time machine, Elizabeth finds herself on a race to stop the thief before the world as she knows it - and her future - are destroyed.

My Thoughts:

Oh my god, I loved this. 

Elizabeth is in love with her ex-best friend, and despite trying to avoid him, he is there when she needs him the most: questioning her own heritage. When Zach brings up the time machine, she originally writes him off as crazy. But when she tries it out reluctantly, it works - taking her to the past. Time travelling takes out a lot of stress on her body, and it doesn't help that the watch will sometimes not go the way it is programmed. Elizabeth ends up meeting her family, and finds out that Abby/Gail, a relative, got stuck in the past. The thief turns out to be Mrs. Grundy, Abby's mother-in-law, who sneaks around and tries to change time.

I fell in love with the characters. Despite the shorter length of the novel, the characters are fleshed out and easy to care about. The writing style is easy to read, but not in a bad way. McCabe has done a wonderful job on her first young adult fiction novel, and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for her next book.

My Rating: 5 stars

Atlantia by Ally Condie REVIEW

 Summary:

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamed of the sand and sky Above - of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all Rio's hopes for the future are shattered when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected choice, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio's true self - and the powerful siren voice she has long silenced - she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother's death, her own destiny, and the corrupted system constructed to govern the Divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book way more than I thought I would.

Rio's mother, a minister, has died, leaving her and her sister Bay to live on their own. They are twins, and that is rare in the Below. When they reach a certain age, one can go Above but the other must stay behind. Bay has her promise to stay so that she wouldn't be alone, but then she goes Above, leaving Rio behind in shock. Through trying to find a way to follow her sister, Rio discovers more things about her mother, her aunt, her world, and herself, ultimately stopping her world from being destroyed in the process.

I don't know why I never picked up this book sooner. Rio may be your typical YA protagonist, but she's also more relatable (personality-wise). And I honestly liked this so much better than Matched. As soon as I started reading, it was nearly impossible to put down. The characters are strong and memorable, and Below is developed so well. While there are no mermaids (unfortunately), I got over the disappointment rather quickly.

I would definitely recommend this one.

My Rating: 5 stars

Illusionarium by Heather Dixon REVIEW

Summary:

Far, far north, in the cold aerial city of Fata Morgana, apprentice scientist Jonathan is preparing to leave for university.

He doesn't know about fantillium, the newly discovered chemical that allows people to share hallucinations - to become an illusionist.

He doesn't know that fantillium can also open gateways to parallel worlds. Or that he will soon begin an epic journey, crossing cities and worlds, to save his family, his friends, and his very reality. 

He doesn't know any of that . . . yet.

And when he does, will his compass continue to point true north? Or will it break apart?

My Thoughts:

This book was hard to get into. The style of writing took a while for me to get used to, but I did end up enjoying it.

There is a sickness going around, and the queen is ill. Jonathan's father is the best scientist, so the king pays him a visit requesting him to find a cure as soon as possible. He wants him to work with Lady Florel, who only wants to use fantillium to find the cure. The father refuses, saying it is too dangerous, but Jonathan goes to help Lady Florel out of desperation since his mother, sister, and sister's friend fall victim to the sickness.

They travel to another world, where Jonathan finds out that she isn't who she says she is.

While I did enjoy reading this, it wasn't for me. Jonathan's family are not very developed at all, making it hard to care about what happens/will happen to them. The writing style isn't my favorite, and most of the characters are forgettable. 

My Rating: 2 stars 

The Prettiest Girl In the Grave by Kristopher Triana REVIEW

Summary:

When Bella, Celeste, and Rose meet with new friends at a graveyard in the woods, they soon realize they're unprepared for what's planned. At twenty, Aubrey is older than the high schoolers, and she knows of a secret game that's been played by local girls for decades.

It starts with personal questions, but quickly moves on to a test of courage as Aubrey guides them into an underground crypt. But even Aubrey doesn't know what they're really getting into. Bella's mother, Holly, may be the only one who does.

As a teen, Holly and her friends also played the game, and Holly barely survived. When she discovers her daughter has gone to the graveyard, she fears Bella will get lost in the mysterious catacombs just as she had . . . and face the same sinister forces.

As the girls search for a way out, Holly must return to the dreadful crypt she swore she'd never come back to, and finally face her own dark secrets. 

My Thoughts:

When I discovered this was getting published in May, I dropped everything to buy it. Girls, graveyards, and Triana? It sounded too good to be true.

Bella is the main character, and so is her mother, Holly. She and Rose had been friends since childhood, but their friendship was starting to strain when Bella started hanging out with goth girls. Rose is really only there because Bella asked her to be. For a novella, the characters are mostly super well developed. The only characters with not much are Rose's parents, Savannah, and Marnie.

While the book starts out a little slow, it hits you with a brick out of nowhere when Savannah and Marnie are mauled by black bears in the catacombs and reminds you just what author you are reading.

The game is intended to have only one survivor, and pits the friends against each other as they desperately try to find a way out of the graveyard. Ghosts of previous contestants appear as the audience for the current players. When Holly goes out to find her daughter, the ghosts are a grim reminder of her own survival and the price she had to pay to leave the graveyard.

My Rating: 4 stars

Faraway and Forever by Nancy Joie Wilkie REVIEW

Summary:

This collection of novelettes takes the reader from the not-too-distant future to a time when travel between worlds is a common occurrence. Each stop along mankind's journey outward to the stars is accompanied by a deeper look inward - from examining how extraterrestrial beings might use out own biology against us to whether a human consciousness can survive in a virtual environment to how wishes are really granted. Original and thought-provoking, these stories - which include an interstellar religious thriller involving a second coming of Christ - will stimulate the intellect and engage the imagination.

My Thoughts:

"Once Upon a Helix" is the first story. Gunther Trent heads a program to find extraterrestrial life, which is a field that is now looked down upon because humanity has given up. He is woken up in the middle of the night by his assistant who excitedly tells him that there appears to be a message from life beyond Earth. Catherine Arkette is a biologist who discovers a previously unknown nucleotide. They unexpectedly meet and find out that what they found is connected. This was a really good first story. Despite being short, Gunther and Catherine are believable characters with a surprising amount of depth. I would love to read a full-length novel version of this.

"The Goldfire Project" is the second story. It follows Edwards, a pancreatic cancer patient who wants to find a way to keep living despite the fact that he is untreatable. He tries a couple of clinical trials, the first of which does nothing. The second involves uploading his conscience into a computer. This works, and Edwards meets Goldfire, an old artificial intelligence who has since developed a conscience and wants to experience heaven. When Edwards learns of the loneliness of being stuck inside a computer, he makes the decision to reverse the treatment and promises to take Goldfire back with him. I would also very much like to read a full-length novel version because this concept is so intriguing to me.  

"Half the Sky" follows Madison Mills, who lived her whole life in an orphanage on another planet. She finds out that her parents are still alive, and wrestles with whether she should meet them or not. She ends up seeking out her mother, and is disappointed, having herself question whether she wants to meet her father. I didn't like this one as much as the other ones. Madison is not nearly as developed as the previous characters, and the story seemed empty compared to the others.

"The Wishbringer" is about how wishes are granted. Jonathan, a reporter, visits another world where a man grows and harvests people's wishes and learns all about the process. He decides to make a wish of his own, but it happens in an odd way, leading him to unwish it at the end. In my opinion, this story was better than the previous one. It was a really interesting concept to me, and was done so well. I think that this one was perfect for the short story form.

"The Last Sunday of Summer" is about a girl named Summer who has been given the mission to deliver a religious text to Vatican Prime by a murdered nun. The text is considered to be hearsay on Solus II. This is probably my favorite of all the stories. There is just something so captivating about people who are so willing to risk death for their religion.

Overall, I would definitely recommend giving this set of short stories a try.

My Rating: 4 stars

Might As Well Be Dead by Mark Goldblatt REVIEW

 Summary:

Thirteen-year-old David Salmon is getting over his mom's sudden decision to pick up and leave. He seems to be adjusting fairly well, but then a strange thing happens. He meets a middle-aged Englishman named Winston outside his house.

David suspects that Winston may not be real, but he seems harmless enough, as hallucinations go, and the two of them become friends. If nothing else, Winston is a welcome distraction from the mess at home; David's dad cannot seem to cope with his wife's moving out.

Winston also proves a valuable advisor in navigating the trials of middle school, best friend problems and a budding romance. Eventually, however, Winston confesses the real reason he showed up: he needs David to deliver a message.

It's a journey David desperately doesn't want to make because it takes him somewhere he desperately doesn't want to go.

My Thoughts:

Wow. I did not expect this book to be what it was, but in a good way.

David is suffering the loss of his mother leaving them, and sometimes has to look after his father during this time. He meets what seems to be a ghost: Winston. While they get off on the wrong foot (David is Jewish and Winston makes some comments about that), they become friends.

At school, David meets and starts dating a girl named Minnie. Later on, they break up because David is very not ready for a relationship. His best friend is Hector, who later comes out as being gay. David accepts him the way he is, and even punches someone who made a homophobic comment.

I love the characters; Mark Goldblatt did such a good job of making you care about them despite being a smaller novel.

As for the message he has to deliver, we don't find out the message or location until towards the end of the book. All throughout, we find out that his mother likes the Beatles and used to play them a lot when he was young.

*SPOILERS*

The message David needs to deliver is to the singer. When David delivers the message, he breaks down, and we find out that his mother didn't just leave; she took her own life. He finally agrees to go to therapy, and the book ends with him at his mother's grave.

I really liked how such a heavy topic was handled so well, and younger readers might be able to start to understand these subjects in a slower pace.

My Rating: 5 stars

Just to See Hell by Chandler Morrison REVIEW

 My Thoughts:

This book is a compilation of short stories written by Chandler Morrison (one of my favorite authors). Short stories are always hit or miss, and this one is no exception. Some of them are very forgettable ("Satisfaction", "April Showers", "Mechanical Patriots"), others not forgettable, and one that really stood out to me personally. "Coming Down" is that story. It depicts Jesus coming to modern-day Earth without his powers. It turns out that Lucifer bet God that Jesus would cave to him without his powers or something like that. It was just so intriguing and interesting to read, and it has stuck to me since I have read it.

My Rating: 3 stars

Full Brutal by Kristopher Triana REVIEW

 Summary:

Kim White is a very popular cheerleader. She's pretty, healthy, and comes from a well-off family. She has everything a girl of sixteen is supposed to want. And she's sick to death of it.

In search of something to pull her out of her suicidal thoughts, she begrudgingly decides to lose her virginity, having heard it's a life-changing event. But Kim doesn't want to do it the same way her peers do. She seduces one of her teachers, hoping to ruin his life just for the fun of it. This starts Kim on a runaway train of sadism, and she makes every effort to destroy the lives of those around her. But soon simple backstabbing is not enough to keep her excited, and she nosedives into sabotage, violence, and even murder. 

When Kim finds out she's pregnant with her teacher's child, a new madness overtakes her, and she realizes there's only one thing that will satisfy her baby's hunger . . .

My Thoughts:

Wow. This was brutal (haha). Some parts I loved, some I didn't.

Kim is such an interesting character. We know from the jump that she has psychopathic traits, but it's just her thoughts. And then she dives further into madness. After she seduces the teacher, she makes a point to befriend his daughter, who she decided to teach for cheerleading tryouts. She finds herself discontent with just this, and Kim decides to ruin the daughter's life too.

Kim is able to get away with murder, but when she learns she's pregnant, the baby wants human meat on the menu.

I liked the added touch of the torture porn to murder pipeline. I found myself disliking the sex scenes though. Kim is unlikeable, and I love when authors pull it off by making you hate the character but needing to read more, and Triana does this so well.

The ending did feel a little rushed, but it was good regardless. 

My Rating: 4 stars

Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick by Jason Pargin REVIEW

 Summary:

In the futuristic city of Tabula Ra$a, Zoey Ashe is like a fish so far out of water that it has achieved orbit. After inheriting a criminal empire, the twenty-three-year-old finds herself under threat from all sides as a rogues' gallery of larger-than-life enemies thinks they smell weakness.

On the eve of the world's most lavish and ridiculous Halloween celebration, a steamer trunk-sized box arrives at Zoey's door, and she is shocked to find that it contains a disemboweled corpse. She is even more shocked when that corpse, controlled by an unknown party, rises and goes on a rampage through the house. Speaking in an electronic voice, it publicly accuses Zoey of being its murderer. This is the kind of thing that almost never happened at her old job.

The city was already a ticking time bomb of publicity-hungry vigilantes with superhuman enhancements, and Zoey knows this turn of events is unlikely to improve the situation. Now she and her team of high-tech tricksters have to solve this bizarre murder while simultaneously keeping Tabula Ra$a from descending into chaos.

My Thoughts:

So I picked up this book in a bookstore, looked at the description and the first page, and decided I needed it. Best. Decision. Ever. I mean, this is the first sentence: Zoey Ashe surveyed the carnage and said, "Sorry we're late, it was my cat's birthday." I did not realize this was a sequel, so keep that in mind.

Zoey is a scarily accurate depiction of a women in her early twenties. I can say that, since I am one myself. She hates large gatherings, and prefers to stay in her home.

I really like the setting. It is familiar enough to visualize, but not enough that it isn't futuristic.  Other than Zoey, my favorite character has got to be Echo.

The action scenes are very fun, and when Zoey is going after her cat's potential kidnapper, it very much reminded me of John Wick.

If you like sci-fi, comedy, and horror, definitely check this one out.

My Rating: 4 stars

Woom by Duncan Ralston REVIEW

Summary:

The lonely motel holds many dark secrets . . . and room 6 just might possess the worst of them all.

Angel knows all about pain. His mother died in this room. He's researched its history. Today he's come back to end it, no matter the cost, once and for all.

Shyla, a plus-sized prostitute, thinks that the stories Angel tells her can't be true. Secrets so vile, you won't want to let them inside you.

But the lonely motel doesn't forget. It doesn't forgive. And it always claims its victim.

My Thoughts:

I honestly wish this was longer. I would love to have heard more stories than the ones included here.

In the beginning, we don't know much about Angel. All we know is that his mother died in the motel room that he is renting. He hires a prostitute, and I originally thought that he was going to kill her by the end. Instead of having regular sex, Angel uses toys on her while telling her three stories about this particular motel room. The stories seem random at first, but by the end, it is revealed that they are all connected to Angel in one way or another. This leads to him stuffing his head inside the prostitute to be "reborn".

I ended up really enjoying Angel's character, though that could be because he is really the only developed character here.

I read this very quickly. It is not for the faint of heart, but I would recommend this book to any fans of extreme horror.

My Rating: 5 stars

Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner REVIEW

Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner follows Princess Catrin, a young Celtic warrior. She has an unlikely bond with ravens, which allows her to use a raven as her eyes to see things from a distance. However, her parents have forbidden her from using these powers, believing that the power will be too much for her mortal body to handle. The former queen had cast a curse on the king’s future daughter, making them nervous about what may happen to Catrin. One day, the family’s banished son, Marrock, returns to the kingdom with Roman soldiers, whom he had tricked into changing a truce between them and the king that would recognize him as the rightful heir despite his disownment. While the king goes to meet with the Romans in a secret location to renegotiate the treaty, Marcellus, a Roman boy, is left with the Celtic royal family as a prisoner. Catrin finds herself drawn to the boy, and falls in love with him, leaving her torn between her love for Marcellus and her loyalty to her family.

I loved learning about Catrin’s kingdom, and the world of Ancient Britannia. The imagery that the author uses is so well done and gives the reader a good idea of what the locations in the novel are like: “The sheer chalk cliffs formed an impenetrable wall against the crashing waves (12).” 

Several characters, including Catrin, her mother, Mor, and Marcellus are very well developed. This is good, as the reader can connect with more than just the main character, Catrin, and care about what happens to them. Even the lesser developed characters are interesting to read about, such as the warriors at the feast after Marcellus agrees to stay as a prisoner, who are boisterous and blunt.

One thing about this novel that I am not a fan of is the repeated mentions of rape. While an important thing that is later revealed has to do with this subject, the other mentions are unnecessary and distasteful. Marcellus’s father is often found talking crudely about sex, but it is his flippant remarks about rape and encouraging his son to do so that is appalling. Marcellus is vocally against this, making him an even better character in my eyes. This is honestly probably the only barrier that would stop me from recommending this to my friends. These mentions are completely unneeded in terms of the storyline.

I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith REVIEW

 Summary:

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. Mrs. Quine thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days - as he has done before - and she wants Strike to bring him home.

But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives - meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.

And when Quine is found brutally murdered, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before.

My Thoughts:

I liked this so much more than I had initially thought that I would. The characters are beautifully developed, and the writing is full of imagery. I could see everything.

Owen, throughout the story, is found out to be very flawed, but also a normal human being. The way he was murdered was in the way he wrote in his manuscript. He had a mistress and a sort of honorary daughter, despite being married and having his own daughter. Owen wasn't very loved by his fellow authors, and notoriously had thinly veiled things about them in his novels.

Robin is Strike's assistant, but she isn't a forgettable character. She wants to be his investigative partner despite her fiancé's disproval and the small paychecks. 

Strike is a likeable character who is a war veteran and is still getting over his ex-fiancée, Charlotte. Most of his work as a private detective has to do with catching cheaters at the request of their partners, but he gets hired by Owen's wife to find him. Strike finds him - murdered in a grotesque display. The police's chief suspect is Mrs. Quine, but his gut says otherwise, so Strike does his best to find the murderer. The number of suspects is large, but the murderer is hiding in plain sight (it's Quine's editor). The confrontation at the end is done so well and it's hard to put it down.

This book was brilliantly written, and I definitely recommend it to fans of mysteries.

My Rating: 5 stars

The Last Lion of Karkov by Dale Griffin REVIEW

Summary:

Raised in Karkov, a military, male-dominant kingdom, twins Natalia and Jillian know nothing but battle. When Jillian emerges as the dominant twin and apparent heir to the throne, Natalia, the softer and more diplomatic sister, ceases her military training. As Natalia prepares to marry the prince of her father's favored western ally, Jillian is set to become the first woman Lion of Karkov. But things don't go as planned when the older generation of warriors values her womb over her sword. Suddenly, the role Jillian has fought for all her life is slipping through her fingers . . . and she's not about to let it go without a fight.

At first, Jillian wants to destroy the young male warrior that the older generation favors. But soon, the two begin to fall for each other, and dark secrets behind Karkov's past come to light. Now Jillian finds herself in the unthinkable position of defending her former rival . . . and defying her father. Her defiance inspires a younger generation of warriors, who dub her the Lioness of Karkov.

Furious, her father ousts Jillian and the warriors who swore allegiance to her, setting in motion a chain of events that will disrupt everything he swore to protect. As innocent lands suffer invasion, greedy monarchies fall to revolution, and the wedding of the century threatens to live up to it's name, Jillian and Natalia must reckon with the consequences of love and war. When four nations converge on a battlefield, one sister must decide whether to embrace the life she always wanted - or stand up for the destiny that was never meant for her.

My Thoughts:

As soon as I got through the first few chapters, it was nearly impossible to put down. The events and places are beautifully described, and most of the characters fully develop, making me care about the characters. I honestly wish that this was split into a series, but I'll settle for it anyway.

Jillian is fierce and seemingly apathetic on the outside, but she cares so much for her sister and would do anything to protect her (which later leads to her downfall). Natalia is softer, and would much rather marry a prince and co-rule a country. Their father seems nice at first, but I grew to despise him the further that I read, especially when we learn the truth of what happened to their mother.

The enemies to lovers plot with Jillian and Odani is cute but the similar one with Natalia and Francis is not really developed enough as the former. I don't get the feeling that Francis would actually give up his crown, as his character was not as explored enough.

The battle scenes were some of my favorite parts to read. The imagery is so vivid and wonderfully done, making it feel like I was spectating. 

The only thing that I cannot wrap my head around is Karkov. We meet the royal family, military, and workers, but there's little to no mention of civilians.

I would DEFINITELY recommend this book. It is a longer one (596 pages), but definitely worth it.

My Rating: 5 stars 

SummerHome by Thomas R. Clark REVIEW

 Summary:

After Maureen Coleman is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, her children bring her to live at SummerHome. As her condition deteriorates, siblings Sean Spencer and Meghan Coleman are unsure if they have made the correct decision. They grow concerned when their mother claims to see the ghost of her dead husband, and a series of tragic, unexplained events impact the community.

Now, with the residents of SummerHome believing their complex is haunted, the world-famous Para-Hunters come in to investigate. The ghost hunters soon learn this isn't a typical haunting. Because slinking through the shadows is an evil, unleashed from underneath the Mound nearly 300 years ago, and it doesn't want to go back.

My Thoughts:

I loved this. I came across this novel when I attended a vender fair where the author was present, and left with a copy.

Sean is working at a furniture company, where there is an inside joke that the original owners haunt the building. He is kind of annoyed with his sister Meghan, as she tends to call him while he is at work about their mother. However, this time is slightly different, as their mother has supposedly seen the ghost of her dead husband.

The other characters that live in the assisted living home are so vibrant. Despite the fact that many of them were not big in the overall story, they are extremely memorable, and I absolutely love this.

Later on in the novel, we learn that Maureen is a host to spirits of the past, which is made possible by a demon cat? A lot of weird deaths occur at SummerHome, which brings the presence of ghost hunters. Sean and Meghan are originally against this, but later change their minds. When Maureen dies, the spirits enter Meghan against her will and start trying to go after her brother. The spirits need to kill Sean to finish a ritual.

The only thing that can stop them is at Sean's workplace. 

There was one scene towards the end that caught me completely off guard, where possessed Meghan is naked for some reason and sexualizes herself? It just came out of nowhere, and had nothing to do with the plot or the characters.

But other than that, I did thoroughly enjoy this book.

My Rating: 4 stars