The Devil She Knows by Alexandria Bellefleur REVIEW

Summary:

Samantha Cooper is having a day from hell. In less than twenty-four hours, her life has unraveled, leaving her single and with nowhere to live. Adding insult to injury, she's trapped in an elevator with a gorgeous woman who claims to be a demon.

Daphne is not at all what Samantha expected from someone insisting she's an evil supernatural entity. She's pretty, witty, dressed in pink, and smells nice. And she's here to offer Samantha a deal she can't refuse: six wishes in exchange for one tiny trade - Samantha's soul. There's a glaring loophole in their contract; one Samantha fully intends to exploit so she doesn't have to fork over her soul. After all, she only needs one wish to win her ex back.

Hell-bent to gather the last of the one thousand souls she needs so that she can be free of her own devilish deal, Daphne grants each of Samantha's wishes with a twist, so Samantha is forced to make more.

As Samantha's wishes dwindle and Daphne offers her glimpses into the life she thought she wanted, the unlikely pair grows close. Perhaps the girl of Samantha's dreams is actually the stuff of nightmares, but Samantha and Daphne will have to outsmart the devil himself if they want a chance at happily ever after. 

My Thoughts:

This was a fun and quick read. When Samantha proposes to her influencer girlfriend Hannah, she thinks they'll spend the rest of their lives together. After all, they had discussed getting married before. But Hannah rejects the proposal and dumps her, leaving Samantha barely any time to find a new place to live. Desperate to get her ex back, when Sam meets Daphne in the elevator, she decides to make a deal with her. After all, she only wants one thing - so she won't have to worry about spending all of her wishes. However, each wish comes with a twist, and Samantha slowly realizes that she may not want Hannah back after all - she might just want Daphne instead.

Daphne is such a fun and interesting character, and I loved learning about her past and how she became a demon. Sam, on the other hand, is extremely one-dimensional, which made it kind of difficult to feel for her, other than when the proposal went wrong. We barely know anything about her, other than the facts that she loves Hannah and is a chef. It's easy to see why and how Daphne falls for Sam, but since Sam has very little depth, it's hard to see how she falls for Daphne.

While the novel was a lot of fun to read, it is difficult to give this a high rating due to our main character being extremely surface level with little to no development.

My Rating: 2 stars

Their Monstrous Hearts by Yigit Turhan REVIEW

Summary:

A mysterious stranger shows up at Riccardo's apartment with some news: his grandmother Perihan has died, and Riccardo has inherited her villa in Milan along with her famed butterfly collection.

The struggling writer is out of options. He's hoping the change of scenery in Milan will inspire him, and maybe there will be some money to keep him afloat. But Perihan's house isn't as opulent as he remembers. The butterflies pinned in their glass cases seems more ominous than artful. Perihan's group of mysterious old friends is constantly lurking. And there's something wrong in the greenhouse.

As Riccardo explores the decrepit estate, he stumbles upon Perihan's diary, which might hold the key to her mysterious death. Or at least give him the inspiration he needs to finish his manuscript. But he might not survive long enough to write it.

My Thoughts:

What started out slow turned into a creepy, atmospheric horror. Riccardo is a writer who is struggling to pay his bills. When the electricity turns off in his apartment, he gets a visitor: Maurizio. An old friend of his grandmother, Maurizio brings him news of her death. Estranged from his family, Riccardo is unsure that he will attend the funeral. But with his editor breathing down his neck about his non-existent manuscript, he decides to go. Maybe he'll get part of the inheritance, or at least inspiration to have his big break. As Riccardo returns, he is greeted with Perihan's villa; an old and eerie shell of its past. Looking through his grandmother's room, he finds a journal addressed to him. Curious, he brings the book back to his room and starts to read. What begins as a journal turns into something almost fantasy-esque. Angels, butterflies, and the ability to come back after death. But the increasingly odd staff start acting more suspicious, even drugging him a few times to find a lost book for a ritual. The twist? Perihan isn't dead, she is waiting to put her soul into Riccardo's body to live longer and pick up where she left off in life.

I do really like the glimpses in the past of Riccardo growing up, and the explanation for why his mother abandoned him with his grandmother to never be seen again. It showed a different side to why he is the way he is. Perihan's manuscript is boring at first, but it turns the story into what it is. That is a double edged sword - it is useful, but it takes away from developing other characters and takes up most of the book. I am annoyed that Riccardo never even started writing his book or at least making ideas since he was clearly inspired by his grandmother's story, and to be honest that was the majority of his character - a struggling writer with an estranged family. That's his entire personality in this novel, which was also not great, since the only developed character was Perihan. The only reason she was developed at all is because her journal takes up the majority of the book. 

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this novel. I liked it, but there were a lot of flaws as well that stopped me from truly loving it.

My Rating: 3 stars

The Secret Crush Book Club by Karmen Lee REVIEW

Summary:

For Dani, life is a juggling act. As a single mom devoted to her son and family, she barely has a moment to herself. But when her sister announces she's moving out of the house, the ache of loneliness creeps in, and Dani can't help but wonder if there's something else she's been missing in her life . . .

Zoey came to Peach Blossom eager to start her new job as the town's librarian and to do a little research for her next book. Yet she never expected to find inspiration in fellow book club member Dani, whose captivating brown eyes tell a story of their own. Before they know it, lingering glances over their favorite fiction turn into first dates and sizzling nights.

As their connection deepens, the two women must decide if they should turn the page on what their lives used to look like, or if this thrilling plot twist is the happily-ever-after they've been chasing all along.

My Thoughts:

This was a cute read. Dani, a single mom who's dedicated to her son and family, finds herself needing to go out and do things for herself to help the burnout and loneliness she's feeling. When Zoey, the librarian who runs a video game club her son goes to, asks her to join a book club, Dani hesitantly agrees. They start to notice an attraction growing between them, but Dani is unsure whether to pursue it due to her duties as a mother and the fact that this is the first time she's been attracted to a woman.

The fact that Dani's sisters are gay and their father is totally accepting of them was a nice touch. Instead of being afraid to come out to her family, she is afraid because she is a late bloomer. This was a nice 180 from the usual LGBT storylines that are frankly overused in romance novels. However, it also uses the will-they-won't-they and third act breakup trope, which definitely knocked down my rating for this one. I did like the amount of time the book spent showing Dani caring for her family and standing up/being there for her son when he was having a crisis though.

My Rating: 3 stars 

R.A.T.S. by Claudia Daher REVIEW

Summary:

In 2040, 15-year-old David discovers he and his friends are Earth's final defense against an alien race determined to steal the planet's water. 

Guided by a mysterious alternate reality game created by his grandfather, R.A.T.S. - Revolutionary Army of Teens - David and allies from around the globe must unite, train, and rise against a looming extraterrestrial threat. As they prepare for battle, they uncover hidden truths about the universe, face environmental catastrophe, and embrace their destiny as the last hope for humanity.

My Thoughts:

This book had such a good premise, but it unfortunately fell short. David plays a video game where he and other players from around the world discover and implement ways to stop environmental problems and societal conflicts. When aliens threaten to steal the water from Earth, he and his friends must join in person and save the world from the aliens.

Starting with the good things about this book, I enjoyed reading about the story behind the alien species that drove them to want to steal from Earth. While some of their kind was selfish, others were kind and caring toward others and their planet. David and a few of his game friends were very well-written to be just like teenagers, and his grandfather is a likeable character who I wish was written more of.

Now with the negatives, some of the teenagers were written more like mature adults. While it is true that some teenagers are more mature than others, they were almost like adults in their 30s or 40s. The teenager that becomes a traitor was very obvious and stereotypical from the start, which was an odd choice for such a diverse cast of characters and seemed out of place. Most importantly, the battle scene was jarring. It was not believable that the characters would learn how to operate spaceships and utilize the weapons in such a short time-frame, and there aren't any training scenes or hint that they've been taught how to do any of that.

While the novel is a fast and somewhat interesting read, the negatives unfortunately weighed out the positives.

My Rating: 2 stars

Ava by Victoria Dillon REVIEW

Summary:

Ten years after Roe v. Wade is overturned, twenty-two-year-old biologist Larkin finds herself unexpectedly pregnant in a country where choice is no longer an option. Initially uncertain, she embraces motherhood - until a devastating diagnosis changes everything. Trapped by Tennessee's strict abortion laws, she is forced to carry her baby to term, only to endure the heartbreak of losing her hours after birth.

Years later, Larkin joins a radical scientific movement that could change everything: a groundbreaking technology that replaces gestation with incubation, allowing women true control over their reproduction. When she uses it to bring her second daughter, Ava, into the world, she believes she has finally reclaimed her autonomy. But as Ava grows and begins to question the very choice that created her, Larkin is challenged in ways she never imagined. 

My Thoughts:

I was thoroughly impressed with this book. The story envisions a possible world with women's choices becoming obsolete, and how science could help provide an alternative. Larkin becomes unexpectedly pregnant after getting married. Initially, she and her husband are elated with the news. But when they find out the baby has a condition in which the brain will not develop and will die shortly after birth, the couple is devastated. Unable to get an abortion, Larkin becomes increasingly aware of the rights that are slowly being taken away from women. When her boss, Dr. Davis, shows her his research on creating a way for humans to reproduce by incubation, Larkin dives in to help out, even volunteering as a test subject in order to have a baby without the concerns of the same devastating diagnosis her first child had. What follows is the birth - or hatching - of Ava. Growing up, Ava has to learn about herself differently than other kids, and even questions why her mother went to such extremes to have her.

What's scary about the premise of this book is that some of the problems are actively occurring in America. Women being denied abortion even for ectopic pregnancies, and even dying as a result of their rights being taken away. The novel takes this a step further, imagining where birth control becomes illegal, and pregnancy tests are monitored and reported. Despite genuinely scaring me, I very much liked reading this. It was well-written, and you can tell that the author did her research when it comes to the scientific side of things. My only disappointment is that the ending felt rushed. Most of the novel is about Larkin, despite being named after her daughter. We barely get to know Ava, and despite her valid concerns about the way she was born, it feels like she moved on too quickly, especially for a teenager. I would still recommend giving this book a chance!

My Rating: 4 stars

Darth Plagueis by James Luceno REVIEW

Summary:

Darth Plagueis: one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived. Possessing power is all he desires; losing it is the only thing he fears. As an apprentice, he embraces the ruthless ways of the Sith. When the time is right, he destroys his Master - and vows never to suffer the same fate. For like no other disciple of the dark side, Darth Plagueis learns to command the ultimate power . . . over life and death.

Darth Sidious: Plagueis's chosen apprentice. Under the guidance of his Master, he secretly studies the ways of the Sith while publicly rising to power in the galactic government, first as Senator, then as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor.

Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious, Master and acolyte, target the galaxy for domination - and the Jedi Order for annihilation. But can they defy the merciless Sith tradition? Or will the desire of one to rule supreme, and the dream of the other to live forever, sow the seeds of their destruction?

My Thoughts:

Have you ever heard of the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise? This is it, as it follows his double life as a Sith and as a Magister of Damask Holdings, a bank and finance business. After killing his master, Darth Tenebrous, Plagueis embarks on a journey to master the Force in order to bring people back to life, and to extend his own. He takes a young Palpatine under his wing, and together they set the plans in motion to destroy the Jedi and rule the galaxy.

It was so interesting to know just how much of the plans Plagueis had were the ones that ended with Sidious destroying the Jedi and ruling the galaxy. I never thought that he was alive during the first two prequels, but he is! We get a lot of behind the scenes of the blockade planning, the plan to grow a clone army, and even to make Palpatine chancellor of the senate. We even see his first meeting with a young Anakin Skywalker. I would definitely give this book a read if you are a fan of Star Wars, especially since it is also very well written.

My Rating: 5 stars

Woodstake by Darin S. Cape REVIEW

My Thoughts:

The story starts off with Jack falling in love and marrying Lucy in 1927, only for her to be targeted by a vampire and turned. Van Hellsing kills her, but the other vampire is still at large. Many years later, Jack remarries, just for the same thing to happen again. Jonathan, a young man with a passion for music, attends a festival in the area. All hell breaks loose when vampires start attacking the attendees, and the sheriff is under the vampire's mind control. Jonathan must find a way to escape with his friends with the help of the son of Van Hellsing.

I think this was a very new and interesting vampire setting. I have never come across one where vampires attack a music festival. While I do think that the concept was great, the execution was not as well done. The only fleshed out character is Jack, who ends up dying partway through the graphic novel. The rest of the characters just seem surface-level and one-dimensional. While I do understand that it is more difficult to develop characters in graphic novel format, it is possible, as it was with Jack. That being said, I did enjoy the story and it was a fun, quick read.

My Rating: 2 stars

The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald REVIEW

My Thoughts:

The story follows Anthony Patch and Gloria. Anthony is the grandson of a wealthy man, and will most likely get his inheritance when he dies. Anthony does not have to work, nor does he choose to. He meets Gloria through Richard Caramel, a friend of his. He becomes infatuated with her, and eventually they become married. But their reckless spending on parties and travel leads to Anthony joining the army during World War I for a brief time. When he learns that his grandfather has passed and he did not receive any inheritance, Anthony takes it to court to win the money he believes he deserved. In the meantime, he can no longer stand being sober, and drinks every waking moment, causing another rift between him and Gloria. By the time he wins the inheritance back, Anthony regresses back to when he was a child.

I was not a fan of how the dialogue was written when there were more than a couple people. It was written as if it were a stage play, which did not flow well with the rest of the novel. That being said, I did like the book despite how long it took me to read it. The characters were all insufferable one way or the other at some point, which made it seem real.

My Rating: 3 stars