The Burning Sky // Sherry Thomas

The Burning Sky (★★★★☆)
By: Sherry Thomas
Series: Elemental Trilogy (1)
Genres: Fantasy ~ Sword & Sorcery
Pages: 485
Format: eBook

Atlantis has returned. Or perhaps they never left. They rule under a being called Bane, and hunt for Mages of exceptional power.

Iolanthe is just such a Mage, which she discovers in the most unfortunate of ways, attracting the attention of not only Atlantis, but of the local ruling prince - who attempts to come to her rescue when he sees an omen of his fate yet to come.

Upon escaping the initial reach of Atlantis, Iolanthe finds herself unceremoniously dumped in London - a non-mage territory, at the not-so tender mercy of an exiled Mage. Though the Prince's earlier attempts to rescue Iolanthe were unsuccessful, he this time manages to free her from the grip of the insane exile, and entrench her firmly into the ranks of Eaton seniors via way of a pre-fabricated story and much magic and manipulation.

The story doesn't progress quite as quickly from there, which I am thankful for as it was easier to enjoy the latter 2/3 of the book much more than the first part. Thomas does not seem to be a very "descriptive" writer, in terms that we don't get very much input on how to visualize these characters, but there is certainly no shortage of personality to aid our imaginations!

Some of the inconsistencies can be jarring.

It is made very clear that Iolanthe and Tidus exist in the 1800's. However, when we read entries supposedly made by Tidus' mother in a journal she had kept in Tidus' early years, they were only dated in the 1100's. At one point, when there is some portal-hopping going on, it almost seems to skip a step from Iolanthe's side to get to where Tidus is.

I do have a tendency to hold on to that kind of detail where others might not, so to others it may not be as big of a deal as it is to me. However, it did detract for me from a read that was otherwise by far more consistent than many others I have read.

Usually don't give YA fiction of any variety such a high rating.

In almost all cases - such as this one - I actually forget that the characters are so young. Their depth and strength and overall development seems far above that of your typical teenager/young adult would have. Granted, the circumstances are far different from what an ordinary YA would experience, but I struggle to think that young adults of this day and age would conduct themselves so well were they faced with the same conflicts Thomas' characters did.

On top of that, being a person interested in spiritual ideas, Thomas introduced some very interesting points for me to ponder. I would have loved to see some expansion (particularly on the "what has been seen should not be changed", as opposed to the pervading belief of fate/destiny that it cannot be changed), but I understand - 'twas not the point of the book!

But not without it's flaws...

And at that, there's really only two that made me cringe. Certain "devices" should be left to the screen - and even then, they have passed the point of being cliche and overdone. Iolanthe also seems to be suspiciously good at everything - she essentially has no faults - which makes the whole charade of her being at Eaton rather boring until nearing the end of the book. Yet even then, her wit and skill save the day - again, and again, and again. (The Prince must be getting a complex by now...)

The only other complaint that I could have, if you could consider it a complaint, is that by only 40% of the way through the book, I felt as if I should already be nearing the end for how quickly the story progressed. It took quite some time after the first arc of the story completed to feel engaged again.

Would I recommend this book?

Despite not giving it a full five star rating (for the issues mentioned above), the answer would be a resounding yes. There is romantic - not sexual - tension between Tidus and Iolanthe, which is both complicated and made amusing by the fact she is attending an all-boys school under false pretenses. There is drama, though quickly snuffed by Iolanthe's brilliance. But overall, there is a unique alternate-history fantasy where Mages are openly accepted and used by the ruling government, until they outlive their purpose. There are characters with more than enough personality to keep you interested, and a heroine who you will find yourself cheering for before you even notice it (because let's admit it - she starts out as kind of a snit...)

Tarot Interactions // Deborah Lipp

Tarot Interactions (★★☆☆☆)
By: Deborah Lipp
Genres: Non-Fiction, Tarot, Personal Development
Pages: 288
Format: Digital ARC

Unfortunately, the first thing that stood out to be were issues with her credibility.

I haven't read any of Lipp's works before this one, so I don't know if this is a normal thing for her, but I found the repeated mentions of having been married to Isaac Bonewits to be... banal. It was almost as if she was teaching to him to lend some kind of credence to the fact she was writing a book on the Tarot and veering away from her normal fare of books on ritual and Wicca. Having to rely so heavily on another immediately takes away from an author's ability to stand on their own - as is the case here.

There are also certain things that she took credit for, that have been floating around the Tarot community for a number of years. I understand she has been reading Tarot, and teaching it for quite some time but the fact remains that certain things have long lost any capability to be traced back to any specific time or person. Many elements she claims as her own are nothing new to the seasoned Psychic, and it seems highly pretentious of her to try and claim them.

The problems didn't stop there... Is her mind still in the years she was married to Bonewits?

The book reads very old. A lot of the notions and thought patterns that were mentioned aren't nearly as prevalent as Lipp would have us believe. Long past are the days of TV psychics, while intuitives and mediums have followers numbering in the millions. Ever heard of Theresa Caputo? Yeah, she has her own show called Long Island Medium. It's in it's 7th season, and her fans actually take her seriously!

I'm hoping some of the issues I encountered in continuity were due to the fact I was reading an ARC.

I really, really hope someone over at Llewellyn was paying attention before they put this book to print. There were quite a few areas where Lipp referenced something from "earlier" or "above" that just... wasn't there. Not to mention, when specific so-called facts are mentioned, there needs to be a cited source. I don't care if there's a bibliography. If there's no direct reference to where a date or number comes from, it completely invalidates the claim.

So, what did I enjoy, exactly?

Her approach to meditation was, I think, one of the best parts about the book. Due to some strange fluke, I've always had a hard time meditating, along with everything else that goes along with it. Blame my ADD, but as that has recently changed, I can truly appreciate the need to really be expansive in your search for a meditation practice that actually works for your specific physiology and psychology. Meditation is not a "one shoe fits all" practice, and Lipp clearly acknowledges this. Her approach makes it less scary and more accessible to people who may have struggled with it before, while giving them a unique approach to consider for themselves.

Lipp also makes some very good points regarding trust - both our trust in ourselves, and our clients trust in us. So often we allow our own instincts and intuition to be overridden by our clients reticence. The example she gives is if we were to tell her a name for her aunt she had previously been unaware of. To her, the "client", we would not be telling the truth, even while our intuition was telling us otherwise. I feel the point she was trying to make here is that, it is up to us to speak the truth, not just the truth the client thinks they want to hear. If we are conduits, we tell the client what they need. It is their job to take the information we give them and do something with it.

Would I recommend this book or not?

As I read further into the book, exploring the ways she gives to learn the cards, how they interact with each other, the spread, the environment, and just about everything else under the sun, I was reminded of a book I'm actually working through right now, written by a very highly acclaimed Tarot expert. Next to what I am already exploring, some of the exercises Lipp recommends seem... shallow.

Couple that with the fact Lipp is clear early on that she is mostly referencing her own experiences, and interpretation of books, that takes me back to the beginning issue I had with her credibility.

I fully believe in supporting authors when support is warranted. There is some good information in this book, if you can get past the banality of it's presentation. Having already gone through the book, if I were to receive it as a gift, I would likely return it in favor of something less contrived and written by someone who could stand on their own two feet without having to rely on anyone else's name but their own.

Two stars for having usable information, but the presentation was all wrong.

2016 Reading Challenges

Normally, I only ever take part in the Goodreads yearly challenge, dedicating myself to reading (and only reading) a certain number of books per year. I usually meet my goal, yet fail to actually update any reading progress on Goodreads. I'm aiming to make this year different.

I spent the first part of last year furiously reading and writing reviews, before life failed and I found myself without access to my desktop computer, my webhosting, and all of the content that I had written up until that point. I spent the remainder of the year trying to recover.

Now, I have a 3 year old laptop, and around 100 ebooks on my Kindle, with my hard copy books all in storage. With this set up, I can do what I do anywhere! So this is where I'm starting. Book challenges that encourage actual reviews.

First, an oldie but a goodie - the Goodreads yearly reading challenge:

2016 Reading Challenge

Kali has read 4 books toward her goal of 75 books.

hide

4 of 75 (5%)

view books

But of course, I can't stop there. I then went on to sign up for the Witches and Witchcraft Challenge over at Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf. I'm participating in that one over at The Inner Deep, my Witchy/Spiritual blog.

Now, we get to the fun stuff. The stuff to challenge me to go outside of my comfort zone. You see, I usually read fantasy, with the occasional romance/erotica thrown into the mix, along with my Witchy reads. Easy enough to fill a quota with those, right?

Pick Your Genre Reading Challenge
Level 1 (Sunbathing): 0/6 Biographies

2016 New to You Reading Challenge
Level 2 (Dipping Your Toes In): 1/12 New Authors

1. Deborah Lipp

Reading Bingo
0/2 Bingos

B

Listen to an Audiobook: 

A Book With a Number in the Title:
Read a Dystopian: Prodigy, Marie Lu

A Book with Star-Crossed Lovers:

A Book with More than 600 Pages:

I

An Author's Sophomore Book:

A Book with an Animal Sidekick: Murder of Crows, Anne Bishop

A Book that Made You Cry:

A Book with an Antihero:

Read a Book with a Cat:

N

A Book with Red on the Cover: Written in Red, Anne Bishop

An Author You've Never Read: Tarot Interactions, Deborah Lipp

Free:

A Book with A Sword or Dagger on the Cover: Nightblade - Garrett Robinson (Completed 1/19/2016)

A Book with a Steamy Romance:

G

Re-Read an Old Favorite:

A Book with a One-Word Title: Champion, Marie Liu

A Book with a Shifter:

A Book with a Male Protagonist:

Read a Middle Grade Book:

O

Read an Anthology:

A Book That's Been on Your TBR List for a Long Time: Tarot Interactions - Deborah Lipp

A Book from a Debut Author:

A Book from a Genre That's Outside Your Comfort Zone:

Read a Book You Own: 

Shelf Love Challenge
My Shelves and I Are Going Steady: 5/51 Books

2016 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Married With Children: 5/50 Books

Pervy Girl Reading Challenge
Level 6 (Let Your Freak Flag Fly!): 1/50 Books

Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge
Level 5 (Re-Reading Coma): 1/50 Books


Full House Challenge
1/20 for January-March

By Author You Wish Was Better Known:
Published in 2016:

Book from Series You Love:

Debut Novel:

Thought Provoking Book:

Had Laugh Out Loud Moments:

Book Club Worthy:

Color Word in Title:

Author's Surname Starts with Same Letter as Yours:

You Didn't Want to Put it Down:

Way Out of Comfort Zone:

Family Relationship Word in Title:

Book You Bought:

Setting Begins with B: Nightblade - Garrett Robinson (Completed 1/19/2016)

Author Outside Own Country:

Self Challenge:

Memoir:

First in a Series: 

You'd Like to Change the Cover:

A Dominant Color on Cover:

New Author to You: Tarot Interactions - Deborah Lipp

Would Make a Good Movie: The Burning Sky - Sherry Thomas (Completed 1/22/2016)

Library Book:

Published 2015:

Been on TBR "Forever":

Mount TBR Reading Challenge
Mt. Kilimanjaro: 5/60

2016 Nonfiction Reading Challenge

Master: 1/16

Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge

1/79 Books

2016 eBook Reading Challenge

Level 6 (Empty the Cloud): 8/100 Books

With all of that, I'm going to wrap things up with these four:

You Read How Many Books?

8/100 Books

2016 Pages Read
2,962/52,000 Pages

And finally...

Reading Challenge Addict

In Flight: 0/18 Challenges

Raven // Suzy Turner

Raven (★☆☆☆☆)
By: Suzy Turner
Series: The Raven Saga (1)
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 258
Format: eBook
Features: Shapeshiftrers

Lilly Taylor isn't really Lilly Taylor. In fact, after her parents mysteriously disappear from their London flat one day, she ends up living in Canada with family she didn't even know she had, learning secrets that would likely send even the most well-adjusted, real-life teenager off to wallow in, well, the stuff of parent's nightmares.

Not Lilly, though.  Nope, Lilly spends a night sleeping and all is good in the world. Of course she has questions - who wouldn't? But, this is a young adult novel and thus everything must come easy, right?

I confess, I'm not the target audience for this kind of book. Yet, I have read many young adult novels that have had a compelling story with characters I grow to care for. Characters who respond in a way a normal human being might, who suffer, live and breathe as we do. This is not something you find in Raven.

I gave the book one star, purely because despite all temptation to remove the book both off of my Kindle and delete it entirely from my Amazon order history, something kept me going.  Then again, there were plenty of things that kept me going only to have them succinctly and completely removed with no conflict or resolution. The only conflict we see in Raven is the hope that Lilly's father is still alive, and the confrontation with her father's wife.

Now, I won't spoil it for you, but expect that encounter to end well, very anticlimactically. In fact, if I were to compare this book to sex... lots of talk, very little follow-through. Though, I'll give the author another chance on account of it being her first time and all.

Innocence // Dean Koontz

Innocence (★★★★★)
By: Dean Koontz
Genres: Mystery, Suspense
Pages: 353
Format: eBook

I'm almost ashamed to admit I've never read Dean Koontz before. Almost. After reading Innocence, I've come to believe that was subconsciously intentional.

It sucked me in. Completely. From page one, it gripped me around the heart and hooked my brain. From the second I pick it up until the moment I put it down, there is nothing but the world Koontz has created, the characters and their story woven so expertly I come away from it each time wondering if there are here, too, people hiding in hidden tunnels for legitimate fear of their lives.

It's ethereal, mystical. It's a combination of the real and the fantastical, blended so smoothly one has a hard time figuring if this is meant to be fantasy or something else entirely. Until the end, that is. At the end, the striking potential of reality ripped my heart out of my chest and left my jaw scraping the floor, somehow elated.

Now, to explain all of that? I have a very, VERY difficult time really enjoying books that have no way to hook me emotionally, engage my imagination, or of making me THINK. Sometimes I'll get one, maybe two, but it is the rare gem that manages to capture all 3. Innocence is definitely one of those books that has managed to capture all 3, and it will be read often if only due to that fact alone. The powerful imagery and richly woven story line are the icing on the cake.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone // Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (★★★★☆)
By: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (1)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy ~ Urban
Pages: 420
Format: eBook
Features: Where to begin???

Well, now.

I like to read. A lot. Typically when I read a book by a new author, if I find I enjoy it, I'll set it aside and come back to it later, read it again, and think about whether or not I'll pursue additional works by the same author.

That is NOT the case here. Laini Taylor has captured my imagination with Daughter of Smoke and Bone. The end is merely alluded to in the title, not to be understood until you manage to make it all the way through to the end. And what an amazing end it was.

I had my doubts early on. Karou talking about her drawings of Brimstone and the others made me think of something more along the lines of comic book characters. When the narrative went into conversations she had with these creatures, I raised my eyebrow and wondered what I had gotten myself into. And, wishes? Simple, silly wishes based off of a bead?

Then we actually get to MEET Brimstone, and the entire dynamic changes. We hear more about the other kinds of wishes, and his job of collecting teeth, we see the relationship that Karou has with the chimaera inhabiting the shop. We start getting glimpses hear and there into Karou, her life, and her "job". The split life of someone who works for creatures who don't dare show their faces outside the shop on one side, and who attends an arts school who has friends and relationships on the other side.

Of the chimaera who are merely shopkeepers and caregivers in need of teeth to carry out some unknown purpose on one side, and highly valuable members of an entire race of beings on the other side.

The intricacies of these relationships are handled very well. I was pleased with the continuity, the flow of the story and of the writing. It moved at a very good pace to keep me engaged without being overwhelmed or bored.

Then the angel appeared. It was as if from that point on, the entire story became one gigantic whirlwind of "WTF?!" - which was appropriate considering, had this all been real, Karou's life probably would be about there as well.

The ending revelation wasn't as big of a surprise as I'd hoped, and it was there that I started feeling things got a little too drawn out - a little too... cookie-cutter. From that point on until the end, everything pretty much went as expected, which was a sad turn from earlier.

No matter how you look at it, though, Taylor spins a good story. My imagination was thoroughly engaged, visualizing these characters with all these different features, the remarkable dress of Karou's, the whole idea of... well, I won't spoil that for you. It's one of the biggest curiosities of Karou's throughout the book, and now I can certainly understand why. I thought it was pretty brilliant, myself.

If you're looking for the next great thing in fantasy set in modern times, this is a book you definitely need to add to your collection.

Mint Juleps and Justice // Nancy Naigle

Mint Juleps and Justice (★★★★☆)
By: Nancy Naigle
Series: Adams Grove (5)
Genres: Romance ~ Contemporary
Pages: 335
Format: eBook
Features: Suspense

Mike and Brooke have enough baggage between them to fill a fleet of jetliners. Between Brooke's nasty divorce and the murder of Mike's wife eight years ago, the odds are seemingly stacked against them from the start.

One thing I love about Mint Juleps and Justice is this - the characters are REAL. Brooke Justice has a real job where she interacts with real people, and has a real fun quirk of believing in good luck signs almost religiously. Mike is a former Marine who is trying to balance himself back into civilian life by running a small-town investigative firm, and giving a military pup its first year of training.

Brooke's job throws them together from day one, and in a small town, chance encounters are bound to happen on a frequent basis once you've met someone face to face. The "chance" encounters turn purposeful when Brooke's baggage forces her to seek the aid of Mike's investigative services.

However, just when things were finally getting settled for Brooke and she begins to gain confidence in her ability to have a relationship with Mike, Mike's world gets turned up-side-down when he finds out, two months after the fact, that the baggage he thought himself finally ready to let go of and move forward from has once again reared its ugly head.

Without going into too many details, the progression of the story - both the main story between Brooke and Mike, and the plots surrounding each of their individual baggage - is fluid and keeps the reader engaged. The only thing keeping me from giving this book a full 5-star review is this - I simply do not like being clued into certain things before the characters are, which is the case with Mike's baggage.

Overall, it's a nice, easy read. It's real people engaging in a real relationship with real problems that can only be overcome together. It's a story I can relate to, and that just makes it all the more engaging.

Her Highness, My Wife // Victoria Alexander

Her Highness, My Wife (☆☆☆☆☆)
By: Victoria Alexander
Series: Effingtons (5)
Genres: Romance ~ Historical
Pages: 384
Format: eBook

Um... okay. So far, everything of Victoria Alexander's that I've read, I've been able to finish. However, as I read more and more, they all start to read the same.

Her Highness, My Wife - it doesn't just read "the same"... it reads as dull. I'm a quarter of the way through the book, and nothing of substance has happened, except the revelation of some family heirloom she's searching for. No suspense, no realistic tension between the couple, no... nothing to keep me interested.

I imagine the story about the family jewels (literally) could be enticing to some. However, when you've read a quarter of the book and there's really been nothing except banter between Sir Matthew and Princess Tatiana. The banter even is half-hearted at best, on both sides. In truth, if two people went back and forth like these two did, it would be IMPOSSIBLE for them to not notice how the other person truly feels. Yet, Matthew still has himself completely convinced Tatiana means nothing (and she believes him) and Tatiana still believes... well, I haven't figured that out yet. Regardless, she obviously wants Matthew, and yet he's completely and delusionally ignorant of this fact.

There's been very little of the subplot to move the story along, and the main plot between Tatiana and Matthew simply isn't enough. At this point, I'd rather turn my attention to a book I may actually finish, than try to dredge my way through the rest of this one.

Yes, I emphasize the fact that I'm a quarter of the way through the book a lot - but that's because in a book that's less than 400 pages, SOMETHING significant needs to have happened by this point. Or at least hinted at being significant. If the rest of the book is like the first part, I'd die of boredom.

The Coveted // Laura Thalassa

The Coveted (★★★★☆)
By: Laura Thalassa
Series: The Unearthly (2)
Genres: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 312
Format: Paperback
Features: Vampires, Witches, Fairies, Seers, Shifters

As required:
I received this book through one of the Goodreads giveaways.

Now, for the good stuff.

I haven’t read the first one. Haven’t even LOOKED at the first one. But after reading this, I want to. It’s next on my “to buy” list.

When the “vampire” aspect was brought in, I admit I rolled my eyes – I’m not a big vampire book fan. However, Laura Thalassa definitely put a spin on the whole world that made it an enjoyable read. Seers and Witches and Fairies and… shifters? Point being, it included different types of “supernaturals” or “mythologicals” than just the requisite vampires and shifters and other “baddies” you often find. I mean hey, if you’re going to go creative on one aspect of the supernatural, why not just assume they all exist as well and have as much fun as possible?

Now, while it’s apparent that the heroine could be considered a young adult, this doesn’t necessarily read like a YA novel, which was a VERY pleasant surprise. I find her closest friends to be a good balance for her and actually bring something to the story.

There’s not a lot I can criticize about this book. I wasn’t hopeful at first, but as I read I found myself engaged and unwilling to put the book down. I was worried about the relationship between Gab and Andre, but was pleasantly surprised with their interaction. For the situations they were in, the situation I picked up on them leaving just a few months ago, and for Gab’s headspace, it had just the right amount of tension without going overboard and shattering that element.

I am interested in following this story futher. I want to know why the Devil is after her – and I definitely want to know about this whole “vampire/siren” thing. And what’s up with the fates involvement? There are questions left unanswered that intrigue me, and I definitely want to find out more.

The Legacy of Shatara // Nick Marsden

The Legacy of Shatara (★★★☆☆)
By: Nick Marsden
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 258
Format: Paperback

First, as necessary:
I got this book as part of the Goodreads First Reads giveaways.

Wow. What a read.

Unfortunately, "wow" doesn't always have the most positive connotations. The book was well-written, from an English Language standpoint, and Marsden obviously has a very fertile imagination. However, I simply do not think that this book had enough time to really develop.

A few points to consider.

There are consistently a high number of characters "on stage" at the same time. At one point I believe there was 5-7 active "players" at once, and in some cases I'd spent so little time with them earlier in the book I had no clue who they really were or what their importance to Covan or the story was. Either that, or they were being called something different than what they had originally been referenced as (which I believe may have been the case in one instance, ASIDE from the intentional change pointed out in the book).

Things I think could have used more development are the explanations of how Rajal developed as a land, people and culture (the tidbits given prove it would be a fascinating story in and of itself, I believe), the Gazzin (plot device, perhaps?), and the relationship between Kayla and Minnah. ESPECIALLY the relationship (the REAL one) between Covan and Kayla.

It was also another slow read. For as long as it took me to finish reading, I expected a lot more action, and a lot more emotional connection with the characters. There wasn't a whole lot I could empathize with, because while the stories were there to gain sympathy, they didn't actually reflect in the characters themselves.

Despite all of this, I give the book a solid 3 stars, and here's why.

The implementation of the elemental powers was seamlessly done, in my opinion. In a lot of cases, the "magic" or "sorcery" element of a book like this is simply another plot device meant to move the story forward or give it an extra dimension and nothing more. However, the Mystics of The Legacy of Shatara were very human, and their abilities (particularly those in Spirit) had true potentially dire consequences. It didn't make them invincible, all-powerful, or superior in any way. They were simply people that had one extra layer to their being.

The overall manipulation of the characters involved was fascinating. Even when I thought I had it all figured out, I was still in for another surprise. This may be why a lot of the back story for Rajal was missing, as it might have tipped it off in the end.

The revelation of Thabath... I won't spoil that for anybody, but I was giggling like a mad woman when THAT occurred...

Overall, it definitely has its good points and it's bad. It was slow reading yet the story felt rushed somehow, something just a little bit out of balance that would have brought everything together and grown the book from another title on the shelf to a true Epic.

He's a Magic Man // Susan Squires

He’s a Magic Man (★★★☆☆)
By: Suzan Squires
Series: Children of Merlin (2)
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 258
Format: Paperback
Features: mythology, magic

I got this as a Goodreads Firstreads win, so I’m going to summarize a few points here while the book is still fresh in my mind since I don’t have time for a fully involved review:

1. Felt like it took too long to read.
Why? I’m a fast reader. I can get through the early books of the Wheel of Time in 3-5 days. This one, at (less than) half that, took me to the far end of that scale. The first half of the book kept my interest nice and fast, but the more I read, the less I caried about what happened to the people, or in general.

2. Been there, done that.
The descendants of Merlin, and people who get their power from Morgan La Fey. Athurian-era artifacts. Anybody remember Stargate SG-1/Atlantis?

3. The raging alcoholic.
Okay, score for throwing this in as a twist, and giving Drew the balls to do what she did. However… we’re talking, what, a week? Alcoholism doesn’t just go away in a week, no matter how thoroughly detoxed. Sure, throw the magic in and everything’s hunky-dory, but there is such a thing as relying TOO MUCH on the magic.

4. Drew’s got a pair.
This is one ballsy woman. After what we see her face early on in the book, she seems to have this bottomless pit of determination, while still maintaining a healthy dose of “what if”? (Not like she lets that stop her. Like I said, she’s got a pair.) I was cheering her on through the entire detox. That gave a REAL nice balance to the whiny high schooler she became any time her gift/power was involved (No, I’m not putting that bit down – considering her familial status and everything else, it almost makes more sense than just about anything else in the book).

All in all, it felt like the first half of the book is where Squires really took her time and thought out what she was writing. Maybe even first 2/3 – then its almost as if a reminder popped up on the calender and it became, “Oh, crap! Deadline!”

I do plan on reading other books in this series, so I can get a better feel for Squires as an author.

Timebound // Rysa Walker

Timebound (★★★★★)
By: Rysa Walker
Series: Timebound (1)
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Pages: 258
Format: eBook
Features: time travel

I got this book as a Kindle First pick.

Now, that being said, after my first Kindle First Pick, I wasn’t expecting much. Plus, I see a LOT of repeat in fiction being written these days.

The subject matter alone made me sit up and pay attention. Rysa Walker has managed to create a unique and memorable experience with this book that I haven’t encountered in a very long time.

I won’t say much more other than I could praise this book all day no matter how crazy it made me sound. I really just wish everybody who encounters this will give it a try. It’s not your typical romance, as it deals with a protagonist that’s still in high school.

One bad thing. Since I got this through the first reads program… I have to wait even LONGER for the second book!

Endless // Matt Bone

Endless (★★★☆☆)
By: Matt Bone
Series: Crescent (1)
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 329
Format: eBook
Features: Post-apocalypse

I’ll admit, I enjoyed the book. It had its moments of interest, and the premise was unique. However, I can’t bring myself to look into the next book, or go back and read again.

Yes, the premise was interesting – but so far, at the end of the first book, was nothing but a plot device. The “hero” ended up not really being the hero after all, and seemed more to just go along for the ride than anything else. I get that it might change later in the series, but when you get introduced to one and only one character so early on and then there ends up being nothing special about him throughout the entire thing, that’s a HUGE letdown.

That fact, and the unique premise are really the only things that I remember from reading this book. There are others I read earlier in the year than this one that I remember with much more clarity and were much more engaging.

I rather enjoy post-apocalyptic plot lines, when they’re done well. This one just… fell short.

Close Liasons // Anna Zaires

Close Liaisons (★★☆☆☆)
By: Anna Zaires
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Erotica, Paranormal
Pages: 258
Format: Paperback
Features: aliens, sex
** spoiler alert **

Mia is a college student living in New York. When we meet her, the only concern she has is a Sociology paper she’s supposed to be writing. That all changes quickly, however, when she catches the eye of a Krinar – a member of an alien race that appeared a number of years ago to “co-exist” with humans on earth.

Enter sexual tension. The Krinar (Korum) is domineering, and seems to take an almost unhealthy interest in the younger (read: a few thousand years younger), human woman. As far as he is concerned, she puts up a token amount of resistance before it turns into a matter of “I really have no choice.”

Move on to the subplot… where she also, apparently, “has no choice.” With her roommate being afraid of what’s happening to Mia’s life, she manages to get Mia involved the “resistance” against the aliens. They want to use her as a spy, as she is intimately involved with Korum (though to hear her rail against it in her head it is completely out of her control and she hates him but oh my god what an orgasm).

So now Mia has both her body supposedly working against her, as well as feeling a need to do something to protect her race against the invading alien race dead set on harvesting women as sex slaves and taking over completely.

I swear, I feel like I’m summarizing the plot to a D-rated 80’s porno sci-fi flick.

A number of events repeat themselves in annoying frequency.

1. The number of times Mia gives in and has sex with Korum no matter how mad, disgusted, pissed off, or otherwise absolutely SURE she won’t ever sleep with him again she is. Give him five seconds in her presence and she’s a goner.

2. While there are a number of sexual encounters insinuated but not detailed, the ones that are inevitably end with Mia berating herself, her self-control, willpower, etc. and reminding herself she’s only doing this because she has no control, has to pretend everything’s okay, yada, yada, yada.

3. How often can Mia puzzle over how completely up-side-down her life has turned? Granted, she’s a naïve junior at a university in New York. Yet we discover she’s got an internship lined up for the summer prior to her senior year, she’s going for a degree in Psychology and knows exactly what she wants to do with it. This is a woman of conviction and strength, yet you barely get to see it. You’d think, with a focus like that, she’d have better things to think about than sit around wondering how everything got so out of control. She’s a walking contradiction.

And then we get to the end. Korum knew all along Mia was betraying him, and did nothing about it. The whole time, Mia was afraid of Korum, afraid that he would kill her once he found out what she had been doing. Yet, for all of that fear, when everything hits the fan… he simply takes her hand, offers to take her to see her parents, and whisks her away to one of the Krinar compounds, steady as you please.

As a whole, the book left me completely unsatisfied. The intimate scenes were lacking, the emotion between Korum and Mia was barely thought out (at best), and every time there was a discussion with or about the resistance, I found myself rolling my eyes, skipping it, and realizing in the end – I didn’t miss a darn thing. I got this book off of Amazon for free, but I can’t convince myself spending the money on the next book to see if it gets any better will be worth it.

Rated two stars purely for the potential of the story, if the author just puts a smidge more thought into the story rather than the sex.

Hexed // Kevin Hearne

Hexed (☆☆☆☆☆)
By: Kevin Hearne
Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles (2)
Genres: Fantasy ~ Urban
Pages: 258
Format: eBook
Features: mythology

I tried. I really did. I was willing to give the series a chance after I was on the fence after reading the first book. However, my views on what fiction writing should and shouldn’t be prevented me from finishing the book.

I had personal issue with the first book due to the picture Hearne painted witches in, but I let that go as a product of creative license. However, I couldn’t continue to do that with this one. I like to think I have a pretty open mind when it comes to gods and goddesses, especially in regards to how they’re depicted in fiction, but again, I have certain views on what fiction writing should be, and having the writer’s personal bias shoved in your face is not something I consider acceptable.

I don’t think I was even a quarter of the way through the book when I had enough, and returned it to Amazon for a refund. A person can only see so much “the entire world hates Thor” or other such comments about other people or groups before one starts to wonder if the boundary of creative license has been crossed – and it was, for me. I will not be reading any more of these books, and likely nothing else from Mr. Hearne.

No Place for a Dame // Connie Brockway

No Place for a Dame (★★☆☆☆)
By: Connie Brockway
Series: Royal Agents (3)
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 291
Format: eBook

I got this book as a Kindle First pick. I love historical romances, and the synopsis provided made me hopeful that this book would have something that other historical romances didn’t.

It DID have a unique element (which is the ONLY reason it’s getting 2 stars instead of 1) – but that’s about all I can say it has going for it. It read just like any other historical romance with a “spy” sub plot to it that I’ve ever read, with the same characters.

A sharp, intelligent man masquerading as a dandy falling in love with someone he thinks he’s not worthy of or isn’t worthy of him or whatever self-pitying excuse they come up with. Which is his only fault.

A witty, intelligent female in love with a man she believes is either out of her league socially, or is too much of a rake. Which is HER only fault.

Truly, the most enjoyable parts of the book are when the heroine gets thrown into some situations that I believe any sheltered, non-society female at the time would find to be VERY awkward. And had absolutely nothing to do with the “romance” OR the sub plot of the book. I would have been quite content to read it without the romance, as it added absolutely nothing to the story.

Phantom // Terry Goodkind

Phantom (★★★★☆)
By: Terry Goodkind
Series: The Sword of Truth (10)
Genres: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 692
Format: eBook
** spoiler alert **

If you’re looking for something along the lines of Mages vs. Sorcerors, some big battles and lots of action… look elsewhere.

I’ve heard a lot of things said about Terry Goodkind since I first began reading the Sword of Truth novels back in high school, both bad and good. Because of where my interests lay in fantasy, I kept on, because there was definitely something ELSE in Terry Goodkind’s works that I couldn’t find in other fantasy books that I’d read.

The world he developed is extensive and astounding, filled with rich detail. It gives your imagination plenty of room to play whether provided with stereotypical battle action, or more subtle, thought-out, philosophical action.

Phantom is chalk full of the latter. Richard is a thinker. If you’ve paid attention at all throughout the series, you would know this. Battle doesn’t become him, and the actions he chooses in Phantom only enforce this. The last 3 books of the Sword of Truth are the epitome of Khalan’s and Richard’s personalities. Neither of them enjoy the fight – the do it only when they have to, when they feel there truly is no other option. It’s a tactical measure to be used only when it has some real benefit.

It’s been a long while since I read Chainfire, but I remember the general premise – which is what’s important here. The Chainfire spell is the central motivating aspect behind everything that takes place in the last 3 books. Without it, this becomes little more than a typical, unimaginative high-action epic fantasy, to pull from the books themselves… “steel vs. steel, magic against magic.”

Chainfire gives it something DIFFERENT.

I enjoy the almost philosophical twists and turns Goodkind uses to move the story forward. You may read through parts or introductions to people thinking, “Oh, another inconsequential brute” or “why does this even matter?” but Goodkind has thought ahead. He does not introduce events, people, or things without there being a Very. Good. Reason.

I’m going to reiterate here, because this is probably the most important part about whether or not you’ll enjoy Phantom or not. If you’re looking for a lot of in your face action, the last 3 books in the Sword of Truth are not for you. If you’re into the subtleties, the actual MAGIC, and don’t mind a plot being moved forward by getting an insight into characters minds, thoughts and deeds, then you’ll thoroughly enjoy the Chainfire trilogy.

Witchy, Witchy // Penelope King

Witchy, Witchy (★★★☆☆)
By: Penelope King
Series: Spellbound (1)
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pages: 329
Format: eBook
Features: Witches

I’ve heard a lot of fuss about these books, and I have to wonder why. Then again, I also have to wonder if I read too much or watch too many fantasy-type series on TV, because most of what I read these days reminds me of some other book or show or author. This one… just more of the same.

I had a number of moments where I flashed back to The Craft and The Secret Circle. Only difference is here (so far at least) there’s only 3 witches, but they’re still all teenage girls.

One thing I do like about Witchy, Witchy (though at the same time makes it too YA for my tastes) is these girls deal with normal, every day, teenage girl problems. Not all of their problems are magical, and they don’t try to use their magic to solve those problems, either. What a relief!

I think Penelope King has taken a much more realistic approach to the world of witchcraft in fiction than I’ve seen to date. Real people mean real problems, whereas magic has its own set of problems, and, occasionally, the two will overlap and, well, that’s when crap hits the fan.

I may continue to read on just because there are obviously a number of years ahead of these girls and I hope to see the books grow with them

Micah // Laurel K. Hamilton

Micah (★☆☆☆☆)
By: Laurell K. Hamilton
Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter (13)
Genres: Fantasy ~ Urban, Romance ~ Paranormal
Pages: 285
Format: eBook
Features: vampires, shifters

On one hand, I don’t remember what happens through most of the book. On the other hand, that says something about how utterly pointless this book was, given the way my imagination has been running away with the Anita Blake series so far. It was written almost as if Hamilton needed to put out SOMETHING, rather than a book actually relevant to the series.

I had considered every book by Hamilton I’d read up until this one (Merry Gentry included) to be, if not up to my usual “epic fantasy” standards, at least intriguing enough to get me to the end of the book.

The only thing that got me to the end of this book? It was short. Absolutely NOTHING about this book stood out to me. Not the interactions between Blake and Micah, none of the action, none of the metaphysical brouhaha did it for me. It was one of the dullest reads I’ve muddled through in a long while.

Hounded // Kevin Hearne

Hounded (★★★☆☆)
By: Kevin Hearne
Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles (1)
Genres: Fantasy ~ Urban
Pages: 303
Format: eBook
Features: Mythology, Witches

I’m used to reading things of the caliber of Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind and Jacqueline Carey for my fantasy fix. While after reading Hounded I would never put Kevin Hearne in this category, I have to give credit where credit is due. He took a pantheon/mythological race that’s been done before and put a interesting, if not wholly pleasing spin on it.

I had to tell myself within the first 20 pages something I often tell myself when confronted with arguments about how the ancient gods and goddesses are portrayed in pop culture – they are what they are, and we are not, thus simply by being human we have to put them in a “box” of sorts. This is where the interesting spin came from, as Hearne managed a fictional take that I would consider almost believable. There simply is no such thing as a perfect god or goddess.

I do have an issue with how he portrays the witches. Hearne demonstrated enough knowledge of witchcraft, of both the Wiccan and less “traditional” variety that it made me wonder if it was simple creative license or a personal… delusion that caused him to paint them as little more than monsters in human skins.

As to the overall story itself, taking the book as a whole, I simply can’t say it was remarkably good or bad. It had its moments of both. I can say that I will pick up the next book in this series and continue reading, but I will give it only one more book to win me over.