The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman REVIEW

Summary:

One June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The Scarlet Letter was written almost two hundred years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia's mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community - an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden. But how could Nathaniel Hawthorne have captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her?

As a girl, Mia fell in love with a book. Now a young woman, she falls in love with a brilliant writer as she makes her way back in time. But what if Nathaniel Hawthorne never wrote The Scarlet Letter? And what if Mia Jacob never found it on the day she planned to die?

My Thoughts:

This was a really interesting read. Ivy Jacob ran away from home after her parents planned to send her away when they find out that she's pregnant. The father of her child wants nothing to do with them, and Ivy wants to keep her baby. She ends up joining the Community, and marries the leader. But life with them isn't as great as it seemed. Books and art are forbidden there. When Mia joins her working a stand at the farmer's market, she is drawn to the library there. Now every time she is there, she sneaks over to the library to read, and smuggles books back home with her. When Ivy dies in a tragic accident, Mia decides to finally escape the Community that's been holding her back. With the help of Sarah, the librarian, she is able to transition into a regular life. One day, when Mia is visiting Nathaniel Hawthorne's grave, she finds herself transported back in time and meets him, and they fall in love. But this may change the course of history, and his books may never be written . . .

I was drawn in to the stories of Ivy and Mia. They are so much alike, and both are strong women. The writing was beautiful, and I found myself invested in their stories. However, the romance between Mia and Nathaniel seemed very out of place. The first half of the book is very much grounded in reality, and then all of a sudden, there is time travel, with no warnings or hints. This could have been fine, but their relationship was so underdeveloped that it just ruined the second half of the book for me. There's no chemistry between them, and it all felt so rushed. I think I would have rated this higher if the second half was more like the first half.

My Rating: 3 stars 

Gothikana by RuNyx REVIEW

Summary:

An outcast her entire life, Corvina Clemm is left adrift after losing her mother. When she receives the admission letter from the mysterious University of Verenmore, she accepts it as a sign from the universe. The last thing she expects, though, is an old, secluded castle on top of a mountain riddled with secrets, deceit, and death.

Vad Deverell is an enigma and enjoys being a closed book, but knows exactly everything that happens in the university. As a part-time professor working on his thesis, Vad has been around long enough to know the dangers the castle possesses. And he knows the moment his path crosses with Corvina that she's dangerous to everything that he is.

They shouldn't have caught each other's eye. They cannot be. But a chill-inducing, century-old mystery forces them to collide. People have disappeared every five years for more than a hundred years, Corvina is getting clues to unraveling it all, and Vad needs to keep an eye on her.

And so begins a tale of the mysterious, the morbid, the macabre, and a deep love that blossoms in the unlikeliest of places.

My Thoughts:

I found myself liking this way more than I thought that I would. Corvina's mother isn't dead, she is just in a mental health care facility when Corvina gets the letter and decides to go to the school. The old castle is scary, and it's said that the woods are not safe to go into, especially at night. She ends up rooming with Jade, a girl who had previously run away and knows more than she tells of the school's secrets.

The tension between Corvina and Vad is there from the very first meeting at the school. She feels drawn to him, and he to her, but relationships between students and staff members are forbidden. Corvina makes friends for the first time in her life, as she was previously homeschooled by her mother. As she learns more about the disappearances at the school, she feels more and more drawn to the woods and to Vad, who knows a lot more than he lets on.

The writing was spectacular and the prose was beautiful. The only issue with the writing that I had was the cringe dialogue during the sex scenes and the unnecessary repeating of the phrase "this is our madness". While a lot of the mysteries came to light at the end, there were a few that did not, which was a let down. The twist towards the end was intriguing,  but it was resolved way too fast with little to no development.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and would recommend reading it.

My Rating: 4 stars

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne REVIEW

Summary:

All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea while firelight drifts between the rafters. But Reyna works as one of the queen's private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn't so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she's thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility - all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra near dragon country and open the shop of their dreams.

What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm's biggest temper tantrum while these two women discover just what they mean to each other . . . and the world.

My Thoughts:

This was a really cute book. After saving the queen from yet another assassination attempt, Reyna overhears just how dispensable she is to the queen and decides to take Kianthe on the offer to run away together. They go to live in Tawney, where they open a bookstore with tea together. Suddenly, a group of dragons come to attack the village to find their missing eggs. Kianthe is able to stop them with the promise of finding the eggs, but Reyna is doomed when the queen's guards come to take her. She hatches a plan with Kianthe to pretend that she will go back to her post as a guard so that they can find a way to stop the queen from going forward with executing her for treason.

The book started out really slow, and it only got interesting around halfway through. When the action finally picked up, the book ended. The writing was pretty good though. I really wanted to love this book, but I almost put it down for good. While I'm glad I didn't, I'm not sure I will be picking up the next book in the series. 

My Rating: 3 stars

Serpentine Valentine by Giana Darling REVIEW

My Thoughts:

This book made me feel things. Lex Gorgon is a student at Acheron University who loves literature and women. When she starts a friendship with Professor Morgan, things go downhill. Luring her with the promise of an assistantship next semester, he drugs and assaults her in his office on Halloween night. Lex reports this, but her accusation is dismissed pretty much immediately. The president tries to kick her out, but she threatens to sue them because they have no reason to. Lex, it turns out, came back to campus for revenge. Practically no one believed her, and she vows to make Professor Morgan and the president pay. She gets close to Luna, the president's daughter, who she planned to use to get revenge. But Lex starts falling for Luna, who is also falling for Lex.

The characters are very believable, although the romance seems a bit rushed in the beginning. At the heart of this story is a retelling of Medusa, and the book deals heavily with the topic of sexual assault and the healing process. It hits you right in the heart. Luna helps Lex see that vigilante justice isn't always the right way to go, but she never outright stops her, instead letting her find that out for herself. The romance is also a huge part of the book, and deals with sexual exploration and homophobia. The steamy scenes are well written and captivating.

This novel makes you smile, cry, and laugh. It brings out all of the emotions very well. I would be lying if I didn't say this book changed my life. Very few books have actually made me cry. I definitely recommend this book, however please make sure you are comfortable reading about the subject matter before you do.

My Rating: 5 stars

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver REVIEW

Summary:

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something elusive - the friendship of two like-minded, pitch-black souls who just happen to enjoy killing other serial killers.

From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, and from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country.

But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love.

My Thoughts:

This was such a fun story. The book starts with Sloane being stuck in a cage after killing someone for three days, only to be rescued by Rowan, another serial killer looking to kill the already dead guy. She starts a reluctant friendship with him, that turns into them having a yearly game of who can kill the picked serial killer first. They know each other's darkest secrets and they text each other every day. Sloane and Rowan start catching feelings, and before they know it, they are dating.

I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, and the love story feels right and not at all rushed. Rowan catches feelings first, but waits until Sloane confesses so that their friendship doesn't become awkward or ruined. They are also believable as serial killers. The hunting scenes are fun and dark, and well descriptive. The characters do eventually have sex, and it is also descriptive.

Overall, this was very enjoyable to read, and I look forward to reading the next books.

My Rating: 4 stars 

The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry REVIEW

Summary:

Harry Adams has always loved horror moves, so it's not a total coincidence that she took a job cleaning house for movie director Javier Castillo. His forbidding greystone Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled from top to bottom with terrifying props and costumes as well as glittering awards from his career making films that thrilled audiences - until family tragedy and scandal forced him to vanish from the industry.

Javier values discretion, and Harry tries to clean the house immaculately, keep her head down, and keep her job safe - she needs the money to support her son. But then she starts hearing noises from behind a locked door. Noises that sound remarkably like a human voice calling for help, even though Javier lives alone and never has visitors. Harry knows that not asking questions is a vital part of working for Javier, but she soon finds that the sinister house may be home to secrets she can't ignore. 

My Thoughts:

The book starts off a bit slow, setting the scene of the mansion and how particular Javier is about how the cleaning is done. Harry is a single mom providing for her son who wishes she could make more money so that he can have a normal life. She came from a very conservative household and doesn't speak to her parents or any of her family, but she had loved sneaking horror books and magazines into her room as a child. Harry enjoys the quiet of her job - until she thinks she sees a prop move and starts hearing voices behind a door that is never opened for her to clean.

When a death occurs at the mansion after a dinner party, the circumstances change. Harry and her son get evicted from their apartment due to the building being sold, and Javier offers to let them stay until they can find a new place. But things in the mansion seem weirder and weirder, and Javier starts acting strange. Harry isn't the only one hearing and seeing things.

I really like Harry as a character. She is likeable and somewhat relatable with her love of horror. Javier starts off with very little development, but ends up being likeable as well as creepy. Toward the middle, things got really interesting, and it was so hard to put down. However, the ending feels extremely rushed. It feels like there was a chunk of the book missing before the ending sequence, which lowered the rating. Overall, I did like it though.

My Rating: 3 stars

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim REVIEW

 Summary:

Ji-won's life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her appa's extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying . . . yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George's, who is Umma's obnoxious new boyfriend. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescendingly toward Ji-won and her sister, as if he deserves all of Umma's fawning adoration. George doesn't deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won's hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.

My Thoughts:

I ate this book up in two days. It may be my favorite book of the year so far.

Eighteen-year-old Ji-won and her family are reeling from their father's departure from their lives. She has to comfort her mother, who swears that he'll come back, even though he won't. She has no friends at college, and her friends from high school abandoned her. During this time, Umma is obsessed with eating fish eyes, saying that it brings good luck, hoping that appa returns. He doesn't, but Umma gets a new boyfriend, George, who fetishizes Asian women and culture under the guise of appreciation.

Ji-won makes a couple friends at college, but her grades start spiraling due to her family problems and is put on academic probation. She and her sister despise George and want him out of their lives, but also care about their mother's happiness. When is is announced that they will be married, Ji-won spirals. Her nightmares seem more and more real, and her craving for blue eyes increases exponentially. Dreams blur with reality, and she starts acting erratic. 

I loved the slow burn of Ji-won's unravelling sanity and growing rage towards the men who ruined her family and those like them. It isn't sudden at all, and slowly creeps up on her. Despite knowing she's in the wrong for murder, the reader can't help but understand and feel sympathetic towards her. Everything is so believable due to the fantastic character development. This has got to be the best horror novel I have read this year, and it's the author's first one! I will definitely be looking out for Monika's future work.

My Rating: 5 stars

Katie by Michael McDowell REVIEW

Summary:

When Philo Drax receives a letter from her wealthy grandfather saying he fears for his life at the hands of the vicious Slape family, she rushes to the rescue. But too late! Katie Slape, a monstrous girl with psychic powers and a penchant for smashing skulls with her hammer, has already finished him off and gotten hold of his cash.

Determined to track down the murderers, Philo hunts Katie and her family through the streets of 1870s New York, where the Slapes' coffers are filling up with money as their cellar fills up with corpses. But going after the Slapes might be the worst decision of Philo's life, for no one escapes the bashing of Katie's hammer!

My Thoughts:

This book was a ride. Philo and her mother live in New Egypt, and are very poor. Her mother is a seamstress, and one day Philo discovers that her grandfather had written them a letter. We learn that he practically disowned her when she married a very poor man, and that they haven't spoken since. Despite this, Philo volunteers to go help him, and her mother holds on to the hope that he'll help them with their financial situation. He is already sick when Philo arrives, and not long after, he is killed by Katie. The Slape family rushes off, leaving Philo as the main suspect in the murder. When she finally returns home to her mother and goes looking for a job, Katie reappears to kill Philo's mother. Orphaned, she has no choice but to leave New Egypt and live elsewhere, hoping that she'll come across the Slape family again to stop them from killing for good.

Philo is a very well-developed and likable character. She deeply cares for her family and is devastated when they are murdered. When she leaves for New York, Philo later is asked to be a secretary for Mrs. Maitland, the aunt of their snobby neighbor Jewel in New Egypt. Mrs. Maitland cares for Philo as if she was her own daughter and is a generous and kind woman. Her son, Henry, falls in love with Philo and they get married at the end of the book. John Slape is killed by hanging for his crimes, Hannah Slape dies from rabies, and Katie dies from running away from Philo.

This book started off slow, but was very enjoyable. The writing was well done, and the characters were believable. If you like murder mysteries, you would definitely like this book.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

The Others by Evette Davis REVIEW

Summary:

Much as she wishes otherwise, superstar political consultant Olivia Shepherd was born a powerful empath. It's a legacy she walked away from long ago - but when she wakes up one morning to find Elsa, a tenacious time-walker, standing in her kitchen, she realizes she can no longer ignore her gifts. She is quickly plunged into the hidden world of powerful "Others" and drafted to work for the Council, a shadowy organization that summons the fog to San Francisco to obscure their involvement in human affairs.

Complicating matters further is Olivia's new love interest, William. A centuries-old vampire, William is far too jaded to take an interest in human affairs - but Olivia no longer has the luxury of remaining impartial. As shocking details from her own past emerge and her role in the Council begins to take shape, will she rise to the challenge of her destiny?

My Thoughts:

I could barely put this down. 

Olivia is a successful career woman in politics who is experiencing some hardships against her rival. When Elsa appears in her life suddenly, she learns her rival has sold his soul to the devil, and that in order to keep being the best at her job, she must shape her abilities in order to stop the demon from interfering in her life. When she reluctantly decides to do so, she realizes just how many Others are in the world alongside humans, and what they do. Olivia accepts the offer of a job at the council, which would have her run the political campaign for Levi Barnes. She even meets and falls in love with a vampire named William. 

I really love the characters in this book. Even minor characters seem to be fully-fleshed out and are either likable or unlikeable. The author does a fantastic job building in how the Council and the Others fit into the world of humans. I enjoyed reading this novel so much that I was disappointed when I finished. I will definitely be checking out the rest of this series when it comes out, and also other books by this author.

My Rating: 5 stars

American Narcissus by Chandler Morrison REVIEW

Summary:

The American dream is dead, and Los Angeles is burning.

Stoned and porn-addicted Baxter Kent is terrified of women and anxious to make things work with a sex robot. Acid junkie Arden Coover has a useless philosophy degree and a doomed relationship he believes might save him. His younger sister Tess is considering, or resisting, a convenient but loveless marriage to a wealthy, narcissistic novelist. Richard Richter, an alcoholic insurance executive with too much money and too few scruples, is seeking toxic solace in the arms of a dangerously unhinged subordinate.

As wildfires rage, this lost and hopeless cast makes their way through the embers of Los Angeles and beyond in a desperate search for meaning and connection in a world without a future.

My Thoughts:

I really love Morrison's writing, so I jumped at the opportunity to get this book. I was not disappointed in his writing.

Baxter is probably the least developed character in this book, so I never really cared what happened to him. But the rest of the characters are more developed. The second least developed character is probably Arden, but I do care about him. He is in a sort of relationship with Rebecca, who begrudgingly tolerates his addiction, but often makes comments that if he keeps going, she won't stay. He keeps going, and she does leave, but Arden is a likeable character, so it feels crushing when it happens. Tess has a boyfriend, but she doesn't love him and considers leaving him to find actual love. However, when she finds out he cheated on her, and on top of that her mom cheated on her dad, Tess decides to end it all. Her brother is the one who finds her. Richard is a lonely guy with no friends but Lyssi, who he's sleeping with. His ex is extremely sick, and his family hates him for moving to LA and leaving her. Lyssi seems nice at first, but she's definitely not well mentally. After Richard finds his ex in the hospital with her name carved in her arm, he finds that she planted a camera in his house and ruined his car.

While most of the characters are unlikeable, Tess and Richard really stood out to me as the ones I cared the most about. No characters are perfect, and no characters are happy.

My Rating: 4 stars