More Than A Slave by Anaelle Gadeyne

More Than A Slave

Title: More Than A Slave

Author: Anaelle Gadeyne

Publisher: Inkitt

Date of publication: March 8th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance

Number of pages: 460

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Alexander Anderson has a reputation that would strike fear into the heart of the devil himself. And now, Aria Starbird is his property.

Aria has spent only a few months as a lowly slave, but already her happy childhood memories were starting to fade under the weight of her brutal existence.
When she is sold to Lord Anderson at an auction, she cannot help but be afraid. Lord Anderson is known for his cruelty. He is fiendish and handsome and as wicked as he is wealthy.

However, as she gets to know her new master, she realizes there is more to him than meets the eye. Over time, she is able to penetrate his tough exterior and begins to understand the struggle of a man who believes love is a weakness, but whose heart is now yearning for something unknown.

As the two let down their walls and discover each other’s truths, will Aria be able to tame Alexander’s inner-beast?

My review:

Inkitt has been good to me over the last few months. I have reviewed many good books for them. Books that I enjoyed reading. So when I was asked to review More Than A Slave, I didn’t hesitate because of my history of getting good books from them. I was actually excited to read it. So, needless to say, I went into this book with high expectations and oh boy, did they get smashed.

This book takes place in America (around Marietta, Georgia if I am not mistaken)….pre-Civil War. Aria’s parents sold her into slavery because they all were starving and they needed the money. They sold her to a family friend with the stipulation that she would be treated well and off they went with their lives. 8 months later, Aria is being brought to auction to be sold because she was very disrespectful to her master.

Aria is dragging into town on a rope by her master and she catches the eye of Lord Alexander Anderson. Alexander is from England and has settled in Georgia with his sister and brothers to make a new life for himself. He quickly built a reputation for being a cruel slave owner. The slaves that go work at his manor are never released and never seen alive again. He is so casual about talking about killing slaves with his brother Oliver, it made me sick.

Aria is bought by Lord Alexander and brought to his manor along with another slave called Harriet. She keeps running into Alexander and he keeps treating her like she isn’t a slave. Except when he wants to make a point and then he gets mad and treats her like a slave if that makes sense. But he always feels bad and apologizes to her. Their relationship quickly escalates to her sharing his bed (not sleeping with him) and her getting very upset whenever he kills someone or threatens to kill someone. At one point in the book, she makes him promise not to kill someone when he gets mad. The book is put down but this time I went “Great, he’s a psychopath (because he enjoys killing)”.

He actually kills one slave after she got into a fight with Aria. That scene was gruesome and so unnecessary. He goes on to imprison her father (in his defense, he didn’t know it was her father at the time) and then tells him to never talk to Aria again, takes part in this hunt called “Little Red Riding Hood” (slave girls were put into red capes and set loose in woods for the lords to hunt down and kill), torture Harriet (Aria’s archnemesis) and Aria’s old master. Plus, when he gets mad, he beats on one of his siblings. But it’s ok that he does it because deep down he’s a good guy, he just had a hard life. Excuse me while I go puke. It sounds like every excuse that people make for an abuser.

The end of the book was a surprise too because of the turn around Aria does on certain subjects. To be honest, I was proud of myself for finishing this book without having a meltdown or DNF’ing.

How many stars will I give More Than A Slave: 1

Why: Awful storyline. Awful characters. I couldn’t wrap my head around the use of slavery during Colonial America as even being OK to use as a romantic plot line.

Will I reread: No

Will I recommend to family and friends: No

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence and sex

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Disenchanted: Not Your Typical Fairy Tale Romance by Susan Carroll

Disenchanted: Not Your Typical Fairy Tale Romance

Title: Disenchanted

Author: Susan Carroll

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: March 7th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 303

POV: 1st person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis: Goodreads:

An alluring love triangle and a daring caper unfold in this imaginative retelling of Cinderella, featuring an indomitable damsel who’s not so easily swept off her glass slippers.

At the tender age of seventeen, Ella Upton lost her innocence to a traveling minstrel, a youth with flaxen hair and a golden voice whose deep blue eyes concealed his true intentions—until it was too late. Seven years later, Ella’s stepsisters chatter about winning the affections of the dreamy Prince Florian at the royal ball, but Ella has no such illusions. Instead, her dashing best friend, Malcolm Hawkridge, persuades her with his reckless charm and wicked smile to use the occasion to steal back a magic orb from the corrupt king.

But before the clock strikes midnight, Ella finds herself pursued by more than one prince—not to mention Commander Horatio Crushington, who captures her with his piercing gaze from across the crowded ballroom. Dancing through the sudden swirl of suitors, Ella feels her cheeks burning—and not solely because of the orb hidden in her gown. Has the strapping Horatio awakened long-dormant desires or is Ella finally coming to grips with her feelings for Malcolm? Only the girl who thought she’d given up on love can decide.

My review:

Disenchanted is a fun twist on Cinderella. Take everything you know about Cinderella and forget it because Disenchanted doesn’t follow the fairy tale. What you get, instead, is a totally original story that incorporates parts of the fairy tale into the plot line.

I will admit, I laughed my butt off while reading this book. Ella was pure snark and I loved it. The way she dealt with her sister’s suitors, her stepsisters, her stepmother, her next-door neighbor, Mal, and even Prince Florian had me giggling. Even the situations she found herself in and her reactions to them made me laugh.

But, at the same time, I did feel bad for her. She had her heart-broken at 17 by a traveling bard named Harper. That same week, her father died and then she became the glue that held her family together. She made sure that they went without anything even if it meant sacrificing things that she might have wanted to do or have. Ella also had a great relationship with her stepmother and her two younger stepsisters…even though they drove her nuts.

Her friendship with Mal did kinda confuse me at times. It confused me because at the beginning, they were strictly friends and he was a shady apothecary. But, after the King announces the ball, he suddenly became interested in her in a romantic way? I actually reread the chapters that had him in to make sure I didn’t miss anything and reconfirmed the out of left field romantic angle. Which I didn’t. It didn’t bother me as much as it confused me.

What I did like about Ella’s friendship with Mal was that it was real and it was lasting. Which is why I think both Ella and myself were surprised when Mal asked her to steal the orb the night of the ball. When he told her that she wasn’t going because she couldn’t afford it, he got tickets for her, her stepmother and two stepsisters to go. Which kinda forced her into going and doing what he wanted.

I loved the romance between Ella and Horatio. There was no Instalove. Horatio and Ella got to know each other from seeing each other around the village. It was when he asked to come calling on her and continued to go after her even when she was rude, that the romance started. It was sweet to watch it unfold. I felt horrible for him when he admitted to Ella that he overheard her stepsister and stepmother commenting on him being a “foundling”. But, I do think that there is something else about his parentage that he doesn’t know about (read the book!!!)

Prince Charming (aka Prince Florian) in this book was not so charming. Well at least to Ella, he wasn’t. She didn’t like him and the more I read about him, I didn’t like him either. He came off as one of those extremely cocky jock types that think they are God’s gift to women. Plus, there is something off about him. How his brother reacted to him was not normal. And what is going on with the King? I thought it was very weird that he knew Ella’s mother and when he found out that she had her father’s eyes, he got all pissy and walked off.

I also loved the references to the original fairytale. Mal as the fairy godfather, the quip about the field mice hurting their paws if they were to sew a dress, the pumpkin carriages that are hazards and the best thing of all…..Ella refusing to wear the glass shoes because they hurt her feet. Loved it!!

The end of the book was perfect but it left me with more questions than anything. What was up with Ella’s father? Who was S? What about the young king, his wife and newborn son (before the present king took over) who were killed? The baby’s body was never found…so where is he? Why does the King create laws and fines about everything (the fainting one did crack me up, though)? Was he in love with Ella’s mother too? and so much more. Oh, so many questions that need to be answered. I do hope that there is a book 2!!

How many stars will I give Disenchanted: 4

Why: This was a very original and imaginative retelling of Cinderella. Normally I don’t like it when fairy tales are retold, something is always left out. Not here. This was a totally engrossing tale with characters that are unbelievably snarky and lovable at the same time. The references to the original fairy tale were woven into the story in such a way that you had to laugh.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Young Teen

Why: Some mild violence. Some kissing. Other than that, a very clean book.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Sentinel’s Kiss (Sentinels of Babylon: Book 2) by Jamie K. Schmidt

Sentinel's Kiss (Sentinels of Babylon) by [Schmidt, Jamie K.]

Title: Sentinel’s Kiss

Author: Jamie K. Schmidt

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: March 7th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 216

POV: 3rd person

Series: Sentinels of Babylon

Necessary Evil – Book 1 (review here)

Sentinel’s Kiss – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

A fiercely protective bad boy. An innocent reporter in serious trouble. They shouldn’t work, but after he throws her onto his bike, there’s no going back.

If Josh Lehman learned one thing as a Green Beret, it’s patience. Josh founded the Sentinels of Babylon because he was sick and tired of watching scumbags cheat the system—scumbags like the man who murdered his sister. Of course, if Josh’s sniper rifle was linked to the death of his ex-brother-in-law, that might be a problem. The bigger problem is the nosy reporter who’s this close to exposing the club. Josh has to find a way to keep her hot mouth from talking . . . but he’ll be damned if he lets someone take her from him. Not on his watch.

Ashley Carver thought she’d do anything for a scoop. That was before her latest story leads to multiple attempts on her life. Ashley’s been investigating a homicide that has gone unsolved for five years when she uncovers evidence tying the vigilantes of the Sentinels of Babylon to a revenge killing. Now she’s in their crosshairs. But after Josh defies all notions of club loyalty to come to Ashley’s aid, soon they’re burning up the sheets—and taking on the world.

My review:

Sentinel’s Kiss is a wild book with action that takes place not only in between the sheets but out of them. This book continues the Sentinels of Babylon series which follows 4 friends who form a motorcycle club and who are vigilantes. They are the people who defend the innocent and make sure that justice is paid when the legal system fails the victims. Evil was a detective, Sentinel was a Green Beret, Warden was a correctional officer and Ryder was a CIA operative. On the top of their list….making sure that Sentinel’s sister’s killer, her husband, was killed.

Where do I start with Ashley? I was in awe of her sexual prowess and that she had next to no inhibitions. I mean, sex on the side of the road, in an elevator AND in a parking garage…..I was in awe of her. But, as I got into reading the story, the more I began to like her and the more I felt bad for her. She overcame so much to get where she was. I also felt that she was perfect for Josh. She was the ying to his yang. What I really liked about her was that she was a very determined reporter and she would go the distance for her story.

I loved Josh!!! He came across as such a bad boy but he was a softy at heart. I mean, he volunteered at the hospital and cuddled babies in the NICU as a tribute to his sister. And he did it shirtless (skin to skin), which made my ovaries melt. ((Swoon)). He was a ladies man too. Sentinel loved the ladies and they loved him back. But, once he got reinvolved with Ashley, there were no other ladies. I also liked that he was committed to bringing Stan to justice.

The sex between Josh and Ashley was over the top. The two of them were like bunnies, doing it everywhere and anywhere. The pages sizzled with their sex scenes. S-I-Z-Z-L-E-D. I had to fan myself a few times, that was how hot it got!!

The storyline with Stan (Josh’s sister’s husband) was wrapped up in what I thought a pretty satisfactory way. The only thing I didn’t like was that Ashley had to get hurt in order for it to go down. The other storylines were ended right around the same time Josh went to Massachusetts and there was only the Stan storyline.

I loved the end of the book. Talk about the ultimate HEA!!!

How many stars will I give Sentinel’s Kiss: 4

Why: This would make a great beach book and, to be honest, was a lot better than Necessary Evil. The plotline was more streamlined, the characters a lot more likable and the sex was through the roof hot. The vigilante theme wasn’t as in your face as it was in Necessary Evil but it was there.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, Language, and violence

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Ill Will by Dan Chaon

Ill Will

Title: Ill Will

Author: Dan Chaon

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine

Date of publication: March 7th, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, General Fiction

Number of pages: 481

POV: Alternating 1st person and 3rd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Two sensational unsolved crimes—one in the past, another in the present—are linked by one man’s memory and self-deception in this chilling novel of literary suspense from National Book Award finalist Dan Chaon.

“We are always telling a story to ourselves, about ourselves,” Dustin Tillman likes to say. It’s one of the little mantras he shares with his patients, and it’s meant to be reassuring. But what if that story is a lie?

A psychologist in suburban Cleveland, Dustin is drifting through his forties when he hears the news: His adopted brother, Rusty, is being released from prison. Thirty years ago, Rusty received a life sentence for the massacre of Dustin’s parents, aunt, and uncle. The trial came to symbolize the 1980s hysteria over Satanic cults; despite the lack of physical evidence, the jury believed the outlandish accusations Dustin and his cousin made against Rusty. Now, after DNA analysis has overturned the conviction, Dustin braces for a reckoning.

Meanwhile, one of Dustin’s patients gets him deeply engaged in a string of drowning deaths involving drunk college boys. At first, Dustin dismisses talk of a serial killer as paranoid thinking, but as he gets wrapped up in their amateur investigation, Dustin starts to believe that there’s more to the deaths than coincidence. Soon he becomes obsessed, crossing all professional boundaries—and putting his own family in harm’s way.

From one of today’s most renowned practitioners of literary suspense, Ill Will is an intimate thriller about the failures of memory and the perils of self-deception. In Dan Chaon’s nimble, chilling prose, the past looms over the present, turning each into a haunted place.

My review:

Ill Will is not an easy story to read. Hopping between the early ’80s and between 2012-2014, the story follows Dustin Tillman as he slowly gets involved in a serial killer investigation and learns that Rusty, his adopted brother is getting out of prison after his prison sentence was overturned because a DNA analysis proved that he didn’t do it. Rusty was convicted of killing Dustin’s parents and his aunt and uncle. The story also follows Dustin’s son, Aaron, a strung-out junkie trying to cope with the loss of his mother and trying to figure out who killed his best friend, Rabbit.

*****************************

If you have triggers, I don’t recommend you read this review. There will be talk about child molestation and drug use.

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Like I said in the above paragraph, this is not an easy book to read. It deals with a wide spectrum of issues…..from child sexual abuse to mental illness to drug abuse, it’s there and it is not glossed over and made pretty. Which was one thing I liked about this book, it wasn’t pretty. It dealt with all these issues in a real-world sense. No one was mysteriously cured of their mental illness or drug use.

The Satanism cult angle was fascinating to read. I am old enough to remember the insanity over Satanic cults and the aftermath when it turned out that almost all of those memories were false. I really can’t comment anymore on that part of the book but I will say this. Read with a very open mind because not everything is what it seems.

I didn’t know what to feel for Rusty. I felt awful for him because of the abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother and her “boyfriends”. No child should go through that and the author did keep true to the abused child abusing other children. But, however, Rusty was a really screwed up dude as an adult. When the author wrote from his perspective, I got the chills and did wonder to myself “How long until he kills someone”. Even the fact that he had a mental kill list was scary.

Dustin was someone who truly scared me. He started off as a scatterbrained therapist and just morphed into someone else. I believe that his wife’s death along with Rusty being released from jail pushed him over the edge. To be honest, he had been on a slow slide into insanity since he was 11 and I think those two things pushed him over the edge. His obsession with the serial killer case that Aqil was working on him with even furthered the slide. It was sad to see it.

Aqil. Let’s talk about him and how he totally fooled me. Yeah, not happy about that and I think I groaned when it was revealed who and what he was. I was like “Why didn’t I see that coming!!!” Totally frustrating for me but very good on the author’s part.

Aaron was pretty dead on for a heroin junkie. Everything about him rang true. I did find it very sad that he slid into addiction after his mother died. I truly believe that it was a way to cope because his father was starting to flake out and his older brother was in college in a different state. But, even with his addiction, he still cared enough about what happened to his friend to go looking for the last person to see him alive. And oh boy, was he in for a surprise when he realized who it was.

There are a couple of twists in the story and I didn’t see two of them coming. The one with Aqil (which I already mentioned) and the one with what really happened that night and how Rusty went on trial. I will say this, I was disgusted and very surprised.

The ending was sad. NO HEA’s. Definitely no HEA’s. I do have a couple of questions about Aaron that I wish was answered. But with the way that the book was written, I don’t think that will happen….unless a book 2 happens.

How many stars will I give Ill Will: 3

Why: This was a really hard book for me to rate. I liked the storylines, they were pretty easy to follow. But my main complaint is with how the book was written. It would go from normal chapters to almost a split screen format with what looked like Dustin or Aaron’s running thoughts in them. There were a few chapters like it and it made it very confusing to read because I couldn’t follow the trains of thought. Maybe it would be better to read it in paperback instead of on my Kindle.

Will I reread: Maybe

Will I recommend to family and friends: Maybe

Age Range: Adult

Why: Sexual themes, language, violence. Pretty descriptive scenes of child molestation, of murder sites and of murdered bodies. Also very detailed scenes of drug use.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Book Review: The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch: Book 1) by Rin Chupeco

The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch, #1)

Title: The Bone Witch

Author: Rin Chupeco

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Date of publication: March 7th, 2017

Number of pages: 400

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult

Part of a series: The Bone Witch

The Bone Witch – Book 1

Standalone: Yes

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha — one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

Memoirs of a Geisha meets The Name of the Wind in this brilliant new fantasy series by Rin Chupeco!

My review:

I had a very hard time keeping my attention on this book. The beginning had no problem keeping my attention. I mean, not a lot of books deal with necromancy in an almost positive way. The only books that I can even begin to think that even comes close to that are the Anita Blake series (before the series took a walk down the smutty side). It was the middle to almost the end of the book that I couldn’t focus on.

Not that I didn’t like the book, I thought it was great. I just got really bored reading about Tea’s training (her dance lessons, her music lessons, her history/current events lessons, her dealings with the other asha’s). That took up a huge part of the book and to be very honest, I almost DNF’d the book. Stress almost.

Then things started to get interesting. Tea learned how to “blood” her familiar (her brother, Fox, who she raised from the dead at his funeral), battled a centuries-old demonic creature (did she or didn’t she defeat it???), got promoted to Asha (a witch that can control elemental powers) and oust a rebel from her House.

I also loved that there was a strong Asian theme running through the books. The asha’s are kinda sorta like geisha. The demons resemble demons from Asian Lore. The clothing (the hua) that the asha’s wear is also very reminiscent of the kimono’s that the geisha’s wore/wear.

There are two very distinct storylines running through the book. One with Tea at the age of 17, exiled and plotting revenge. The reasons she was exiled is unknown and it is left open to be continued in the next book. The other storyline, which I outlined above, is being told to the Bard as an explanation and warning as to why she is doing what she is doing (I know, really confusing but it works in the book). Both storylines are easily distinguished from the other. So no confusion there.

The ending of the book was kinda left up in the air….which makes sense if there is to be a second book. I am curious as to how the second book is going to be and will definitely be reading it once it is published.

How many stars will I give The Bone Witch? 3

Why: Great book that I felt went on for a little too long. Like I said above, I almost DNF’d it because I lost interest about halfway through and had to force myself to read it. But once I got over the boring part, the book turned really good.

Will I reread: Maybe. Can’t really say yes or no right now.

Will I recommend to family and friends? Again, maybe.

Age range: Teen

Why: Very clean. No sex, some violence (not a ton and not very descriptive). But the descriptions of some of the demons and of raising the dead might frighten younger readers.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance copy**

Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse

Seven Days of You by [Vinesse, Cecilia]

Title: Seven Days of You

Author: Cecilia Vinesse

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date of publication: March 7th, 2017

Genre: Young Adult

Number of pages: 337

POV: 1st person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Sophia has seven days left in Tokyo before she moves back to the States. Seven days to say goodbye to the electric city, her wild best friend, and the boy she’s harbored a semi-secret crush on for years. Seven perfect days…until Jamie Foster-Collins moves back to Japan and ruins everything.

Jamie and Sophia have a history of heartbreak, and the last thing Sophia wants is for him to steal her leaving thunder with his stupid arriving thunder. Yet as the week counts down, the relationships she thought were stable begin to explode around her. And Jamie is the one who helps her pick up the pieces. Sophia is forced to admit she may have misjudged Jamie, but can their seven short days of Tokyo adventures end in anything but goodbye?

My review:

Seven Days of You is a story about a teenager who is leaving behind friends and a city she loves to go back to the United States. This book centers around Sophia and her relationships with her sister, her best friends and the boy who broke her heart 4 years earlier. Everything in the book takes place 7 days before she is supposed to fly back to New Jersey.

I am going to come right out and say it, I couldn’t stand Sophia. While she was 17, she acted more like a child and it really grated on my nerves after the first couple of chapters. I mean, take it when she found out that Jamie was coming back…..her jealousy of his and Mika’s friendship almost consumed her. She was so focused on him becoming Mika’s best friend that it ruined those chapters of the book. To be honest, I skimmed those chapters because she annoyed me so much. The rest of the book really wasn’t any better with her. She refused to listen to reason (ie Allison) when it came to her moving to Paris.

Jamie was another one who annoyed me. He took Sophia’s crap when he came home and didn’t say a word in his defense (even to David who let it “slip” that Jamie was adopted). He just let it roll off of him. At one point, I wanted to say “Dude, what happened 4 years ago is in the past. Man up and stop letting them push you around.” The only reaction that I saw him have, in the entire book, was when Sophia kissed David on her last night in Tokyo.

David, I couldn’t stand. He just oozed player from the first page and, to be honest, I wasn’t surprised when something major was revealed later in the book. And I hated his nicknames. Sofa? Really? When I heard that, I imagined a girl who just let people sit all over her. He was condescending and to be blunt, a jerk.

Mika was actually my favorite person in the book. She came across as true (as weird as that sounds) and she fought for Sophia’s friendship when that stuff with David went down. I wouldn’t say that I loved her but I enjoyed it when she appeared in the book.

My other favorite person was Allison, Sophia’s sister. She had her own issues, her girlfriend dumped her and she was hurting, but she looked out for Sophia the best way that she could. I mean, she even took her to that tower and out to lunch to try to find out what was wrong with Sophia. She cared and she didn’t want Sophia to get hurt by their father…who makes promises and then breaks them.

I did think the story was cute and loved that it was set in Tokyo. I think the author did a great job of capturing Tokyo through teenage eyes.

The end of the story was pretty standard with a hint of a HEA.

How many stars will I give Seven Days of You: 3

Why: While I liked the story and the location, the characters ruined the story for me. Sophia and David acted like toddlers, Jamie wouldn’t stick up for himself and Allison was an emotional mess and was absent for 90% of the story. The only person who I connected with was Mika and even she was a jerk at points in the book.

Will I reread: Maybe

Will I recommend to family and friends: Maybe

Age range: Older Teen

Why: Language. Also sexual situations and underage drinking

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Crossing in Time (Between Two Evils: Book 1) by D.L. Orton

Crossing in Time (Between Two Evils, #1)

Title: Crossing in Time

Author: D.L. Orton

Publisher: Rocky Mountain Press

Date of publication: May 1st, 2016

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Dystopia, Science Fiction

Number of pages: 558

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Between Two Evils

Crossing in Time – Book 1

Lost in Time – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Race against the clock through a dystopian nightmare. Climb naked into an untested time machine (carrying only a seashell and a promise). Wake up twenty years younger on a tropical beach, buck naked and mortally wounded, with your heart in your throat. 

This is a journey of love, loss, and redemption that will make your pulse gallop and your palms sweat, have you laughing out loud through your tears, and leave you flush with the sublime pleasure of falling in love.

My review:

Crossing in Time is a fast-paced dystopian/science fiction book that shows that love can cross time. The book alternates between Diego and Isabelle points of view and tells a love story that transcends time. It also tells the story of Harry, an unsuspecting college professor who is working on deciphering the mystery of a large metal ball that took out a hotel and its connection to an upcoming apocalyptic event. Fast-paced, Crossing in Time will keep you on the edge of your seat and wondering what is coming next while watching Diego and Isabelle’s love story unfold.

Isabelle was one of my favorite people in the book. She was so spunky and didn’t take anyone’s crap. From the beginning of the book, where she was buying the gun from the guy outside the burnt out Wal-Mart to dealing with her ex-husband (who I couldn’t stand) to her relationship with Diego…..she was strong. It was a hit with me because I love strong female characters. Even in situations which could be perceived weak, she was strong. A lot stronger than I could have been.

Diego, I liked too. You could see that he adored Isabelle. Everything he did in the book was for her……even in the later parts of the book. Even when he was separated from her, his thought was with her. Again, a big hit with me because this is a romance that will survive anything.

The romance between Diego and Isabelle took my breath away. The way it was written, the way it came across was beautiful!!!

The science fiction aspect of this book was interesting.  The clues left in the globe really didn’t make sense to me at first. But the more I read and the more that was revealed, they made perfect sense. This is also where Harry’s part of the story came into play. He was working on deciphering the clues when they are deciphered, it is found out to be the plans for a time machine. What I liked about this was that the author didn’t make it work right the first, second or third time. Heck, they weren’t even sure if it was going to work when they sent Isabelle through and didn’t know it worked until they figured out that the shell could be tracked. I loved it!!!

The end of the book was bittersweet. I was happy because of certain events that happened but also sad because of the unknown (if you want to know what I am talking about, read the book). The way the book ended definitely lead into book 2 and I can’t wait to read that one and see where Harry, Diego and Isabelle stories end up.

How many stars will I give Crossing in Time: 4

Why: I really enjoyed reading the book. The characters were memorable and the plot line was great. It did lag a bit in the middle but definitely recovered from it. The science fiction part of the story was original and well written too.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, language, violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Pixie and The Green Book Mystery by Coraline Grace, Illustrations by Encarna Dorado

Pixie and the Green Book Mystery - Grayscale Illustrations

Title: Pixie and The Green Book Mystery

Author:  Coraline Grace

Illustrator: Encarna Dorado

Publisher: Wonder Bay Publishing

Date of publication: November 19th, 2016

Genre: Children’s book, Fantasy

Number of pages: 97

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Pixie’s school day is an apple disaster, but a trip to the library changes everything. Fairy tales have come to life out of their books and danger is lurking. It’s up to our book-loving hero to get them out of the mysterious green book and back into their stories. But time is running out, Tick! Tock!

My review:

Pixie and The Green Book is a very cute children’s book that follows Pixie as she has an awful day in school and out. The only bright spot in the day was when her mother took her to the library. Pixie loves the library and was thrilled to go. But once she was there, she finds the usual librarian wasn’t there and her replacement was a mean older man who hushed her all the time. While Pixie is looking at the children’s section, she sees a glowing green book and what happens after she opens the book becomes an adventure to return fairytale characters to their books and to defeat the Book Guardian, who is trying to trap the fairy tales. Just what a girl who had a bad day needed!!!

This book was very easy to read with a simple plot line that was very easy to follow. Pixie definitely was very likable and I could see a child relating to her when reading the book. The Book Guardian was a bit scary (I read this out loud to my 3 and 9-year-old) but it wasn’t anything that would give kids nightmares. My 9-year-old actually said that he reminded him of his father…..lol (which made me crack up laughing).

The storyline with the fairy tales getting taken out of their books by the evil Book Guardian was very cute also. I liked the twist that the author put in as to where the fairy tales were going and I liked the paperback is better than electronic devices undercurrent.

The end of the book was a bit of a cliffhanger and I was left wondering about the pencils (read the book!!). Also, and this was my favorite part of the book was the glossary at the end of the books with words that kids who are reading it might not know. The author included very simple definitions and I thought it was great!!! Also, there were some questions if the book was being read in class (or if you were reading it to your child) that made the kids think about what they just read. As a mother with a child who has reading comprehension issues, this impressed me and I wish that all children’s books in this age/grade range would do that.

How many stars will I give Pixie and the Green book: 4

Why: This is a great read for anyone between the ages of 8-10 (or in grades 2-4). With a simple plotline, cute characters and a villain who was the right amount of scary, I can see children absolutely loving it. For the adults (and the children), a glossary of words that could be confusing and a question/answer section round the book out. Also, at 97 pages, this will keep a child’s attention.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Child

Why: Clean book with a very slightly scary villain.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Elysian Field by L.M. Fry

Elysian Field

Title: Elysian Field

Author: L.M. Fry

Publisher: ELEAH Enterprises

Date of Publication: March 1st, 2017

Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Number of pages: 327

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Elysia Feldon lives an idyllic teenage existence. Her biggest concern is whether her best friend, Rhys, is in love with her childhood nemesis. That is until an invading tyrant takes everything she holds dear. Her father and Rhys go off to war, her village is attacked by raiders, and her home is burned to the ground. Alone and afraid, she struggles to survive until she meets other refugees. Together, they create a hidden sanctuary in the mountains and make a stand against the invaders. Tales of their escapades spreads, and the legend of the Shadow is born.

My review:

Elysian Field is a dystopian YA fantasy that takes place just outside of Washington D.C. The book follows a 16-year-old girl as she goes from a carefree innocent girl to a hardened woman who is determined to avenge her village after raiders decimated it.

I thought Elysia was kinda a brat at the beginning of the book. All she cared about was hanging out with her best friend, Rhys, avoiding her childhood bully, Nicolette, and trying to learn the healing ways from her mother. She found love with Rhys but that was very short-lived. Everything changed when all the men between the ages of 16 to 60 are drafted to fight in a war against raiders from the north. Then Elysia was the person who took care of her mother and 2 younger brothers. When the Mayor of her village came home and tried to warn them about the raiders, he was ignored. Which made me go, really. The guy comes home, tries to warn everyone and he is ignored/written off as mad.

I felt awful for Elysia when the raiders came. The village was razed to the ground, people burned alive in their houses and the dead burned in the middle of the town. I wanted to cry when she found one of her brother’s charred body in her house and then realized that she lost everyone. Her father, her mother, her boyfriend/best friend, her brothers in a single night. She was the only person from her village who escaped the raiders. She was also injured and saved by twins, Malia and Sofia, who had been held captive by Rogar, the leader of the raiders. It was stumbling upon a group of raiders who have had captives that they came up with a plan to rescue the captives by poisoning the raiders.

When Nicolette and Darius showed back up, I was waiting for the fur to start flying and for the other shoe to drop with her. Talk about a girl who was insecure…Nicolette was. She seriously annoyed the ever-living out of me when she was in the book. Now, it was mentioned that Rogar sent someone to spy on Elysia and it didn’t take me long to figure out who it was (want to find out who…read the book).

I was surprised when Elysia was kidnapped and given to Rogar. I shouldn’t say I was surprised that she was kidnapped, it was who did it and how it was done that surprised me. Who she met while she was in his palace (aka the White House) and what she sees sets the tone for the rest of the book.

I liked the romance between Rhys and Elysia. It was sweet and if things hadn’t happened the way that they did, then I do believe that it would have gone places. But the romance with Darius was the one that I think Elysia needed.

Now there is a huge twist in the story that took me by surprise and I kinda went “No way” when the book ended. I am interested to see where this twist is going to go in the next book.

The end of the story was pretty interesting and again, like I said in the sentence above, I am pretty interested in seeing where this is going to go in the next book.

How many stars will I give Elysian Field: 4

Why: I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked that you could see Elysia’s transformation from a teenager to a woman. I also liked that the author created a semi-love triangle. There are some aspects of the story that I am really interested in seeing where they go and who the new enemies will be. I inhaled this book, reading it in 1 day. Can’t wait to read book 2!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older Teen

Why: Violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Don’t Tell a Soul by M. William Phelps

Don't Tell a Soul

Title: Don’t Tell a Soul

Author: M. William Phelps

Publisher: Kensington Books

Date of Publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: True Crime, Adult Nonfiction

Number of pages: 496

POV: 2nd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Cherry Walker was a devoted, trusting, an uncommonly innocent young woman who loved caring for a neighbor’s little boy. But when she was asked to testify in court against his abusive mother, Cherry never got the chance. She couldn’t lie if her life depended on it–and it did. Cherry’s body was found on the side of a Texas road, after being doused with lighter fluid and set aflame.
Attractive, manipulative, and violent, mother of four Kim Cargill had a wealth of dirty secrets she’d do anything to keep hidden. This in-depth account by bestselling investigative journalist M. William Phelps takes you inside Cargill’s shocking trial–and into the mind of one of the most conniving female psychopaths in recent history–and on death row.

My review:

I used to read a lot of true crime when I was in my teens/early 20’s. I had books on Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, the Son of Sam and other lesser known killers. It was somewhat of an obsession of mine to read these types of books. I was obsessed with the psychological aspect. I wanted to know what made these killers do what they did and what was that breaking point where they resorted to killing. I stopped reading true crime when an ex-boyfriend of mine made a flip comment about my collection one day….which resulted in my donating all of my books (awful, I know :() But, my fascination continued. I watch ID and Snapped all the time. BK has made the comment that I probably know more than the police when it comes to this stuff.

So, when Kensington approached me to review Don’t Tell a Soul, I jumped at the chance….even though it was not the usual genre that I review.

This book gave me chills because KC was such an evil person. I mean, you would have to be to kill someone and then light them on fire, trying to hide their identity. Even before that, she was just a bad person. She abused and terrorized her children, abused and terrorized her husband and basically anyone that came within her radar and didn’t give her what she wanted. She manipulated people into doing things (like her friend who tampered with evidence). She had no sense of remorse for anything she did….including Cherry’s murder.

Like I said above, the psychological aspect of this book was fascinating for me to read. Could KC have turned out to be a better person if she got the psychological help that she needed? I don’t know. There are arguments about people like her. Some people say they are born that way (genetic) and others say that environment creates these monsters. My opinion is that it is a combination of both.

I am going to end this post saying that Cherry’s murder was a senseless one and that I hope her parents get some sort of closure when KC is put to death. While these types of reviews are supposed to be impartial, I connected with Cherry through what the author wrote about her. She was one of those rare innocent people whose light got extinguished well before her time.

How many stars will I give Don’t Tell a Soul: 4

Why: I couldn’t put this book down, even though KC scared me. This isn’t a book for those who have weak stomachs though. There are some pretty graphic descriptions of Cherry’s body and child/spousal abuse.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Late teen

Why: Violence and some pretty graphic scenes/pictures of dead bodies and child/spousal abuse (no pictures of that!!)

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**