Worldwielder by J.M. Vaughan

Worldwielder

4 Stars

Publisher: Aeternal Books

Date of publication: July 30th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Where you can find Worldwielder: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Melissa Mabrey isn’t like other sixteen-year-olds. From the time she was four, she’s been able to see the colors of people’s minds, colors that reveal to her their true feelings, desires, and fears. She’s only met one other person who’s like her—her best friend Kyle. But two years ago, Kyle mysteriously disappeared, and she hasn’t heard a word from him since.

Until today. In a book carried by a stranger, Melissa finds a desperate plea for help from Kyle. Following his clues, she’s hurtled from our world into the Gallery, a gateway to millions of worlds. Each world is entered through a painting, and each has a different “pull” on the minds of its occupants. There are pulls that make people grow calm in the face of peril, or flee from shadows in terror or kill each other or forget things forever.

But for Melissa, there’s nothing scarier than the unknown, and now she must traverse countless perilous worlds to find Kyle, fending off ruthless barbarians, the Gallery Guard, and her friend’s captors. Along the way, she’ll discover the truth about what she and Kyle are—a truth so terrifying her life will never be the same.

My review:

If you have read this blog for any amount of time, then you know how much I love fantasy and Young Adult. As much as I love those genre’s, I have found myself wanting when trying to find a combination of the two. Don’t get me wrong, I have read some awesome fantasy/YA books. But they are few and far between. So when the author approached me with a request to review Worldwielder, I almost declined. Then I read the blurb and my interest was caught. I thought to myself “Hmmm, this book could good.” And guess what, it was!!

Worldwielder is the story of Melissa. Melissa is different from other girls (and boys) her age. She has a special talent. From the age of 4, she has been able to see the colors of people’s minds. Through that, she is able to see their true feelings/desires/fears. When she was younger, she told her parents what she saw. That lead to years of doctors and therapy. But it eventually ended with her parents treating her like she was making everything up. The only bright thing in her life was her friend, Kyle, who shared the same abilities that she did. But Kyle disappeared 2 years ago. His disappearance and her actions afterward furthered the divide between herself and her parents. Things change when Melissa reads a message in a book from Kyle. A message that is pleading for her help. Melissa must overcome her self-doubts and rescue Kyle. She will also find out that her talent is not what she thought it was. That it was the tip of the iceberg. Can Melissa rescue Kyle?

I felt awful for Melissa. She had it tough at home and at school. She couldn’t get over Kyle leaving. She was so depressed at the beginning of the book that I wanted to reach through the book and hug her. Reading about her home life made me sad. No child should feel like that. I did think that she was obsessive about Kyle, though. But, if I were in her shoes, I probably have done the same thing at 14. I loved seeing her character blossom in this book. In the beginning, she was antisocial and tried to drive people (mainly Brock) away. But, towards the end of the book, she was able to rely on people for help and learned to accept the help offered. She also learned that sometimes her best friends were the ones that were sitting right under her nose the entire time.

I didn’t feel as connected to Kyle as I did to Melissa. But, I did think that it was a smart move on the author’s part that he slowly leaked information about Kyle. It was Melissa’s memories of Kyle that painted the picture of a boy who was kind and gentle. Which was the complete opposite of what I read later in the book.

Brock annoyed me as much as he annoyed Melissa in the first few chapters of the book. He didn’t know when to stop. He was too laid back too. I can’t believe I said that about a secondary character…lol. But, after she met up with him in the last half of the book, he grew on me. He showed that he was a true friend to Melissa by his actions.

The fantasy angle of the book was excellent. I loved the world building that went into the book. Each world had layers to it, which I enjoyed. I do wish that more time had spent on a couple of worlds. Other than that, I loved it. I also enjoyed how Melissa was able to get from world to world. Accessing them through a painting was a great idea.

Melissa’s talent was interesting too. I liked how she was able to tell the moods/feelings/desires from the color of people’s minds. But what I liked the most was that was only the tip of the iceberg with her. What she was able to do after meeting up with Ringo and getting that book was amazing. I also like that her power was connected to the “pull” of the planet. It made for some interesting scenes in the book.

The young adult angle of the book was great too. Melissa acted her age, which was refreshing. I have read books where there the main characters were supposed to be 16 and they acted 20. So to have a teenage character actually act like a teenager was refreshing to read.

The end of Worldwielder was good. I wasn’t expecting Kyle to be how he was. It was a bit of a letdown for me to read that. I also didn’t think that his mother would give up so easily. The storylines were all wrapped up and ended in a way that satisfied me as a reader. I do wonder if a book 2 is going to be in the works. Because there is so much that I need to know. Mainly about the Worldwielders. I also want to know about the other worlds that Melissa could sense.

What I liked about Worldwielder:

A. The plotline. It was original

B. The fantasy angle

C. Melissa

What I disliked about Worldwielder:

A. Melissa’s parents

B. I didn’t feel as connected to Kyle as I should have felt

C. How Kyle was in the last half of the book.

I gave Worldwielder a 4-star rating. This is a solid Young Adult/fantasy book. The storyline was interesting and engaging. The characters, I felt connected too (except for Kyle). This is a book that would be right for teenagers 16 and older.

I would give Worldwielder an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is no language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Worldwielder. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Worldwielder.

All opinions stated in this review of Worldwielder are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Foundryside (Founders: Book 1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Foundryside (Founders, #1)

4 Stars

Publisher: Crown Publishing

Date of publication: August 21st, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Steampunk

Series: Founders

Foundryside – Book 1

Where you can find Foundryside: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In a city that runs on industrialized magic, a secret war will be fought to overwrite reality itself–the first in a dazzling new fantasy series from City of Stairs author Robert Jackson Bennett.

Sancia Grado is a thief and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on Tevanne’s docks, is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle.

But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic–the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience–have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims.

Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them.

To have a chance at surviving—and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s underway—Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined.

My review:

This was my first time reading anything by Robert Jackson Bennett. I didn’t know what to expect from Foundryside. So wasn’t I surprised when I realized I was reading fantasy with steampunk elements in it. I don’t know if I had mentioned it on this blog before, but I am a huge steampunk fan. I love it. I rarely read it. Even more rarely do I review those books. So yeah, I was a pretty happy person.

What I also liked about Foundryside was the place that Tevanne was modeled after. Foundryside was set in a jungle on an unnamed continent. The book is set in the city. I say almost because Sanica’s memories take us back to the plantation that she was a slave at. That was on an island, which was owned by one of the Houses. Other than that, it was pretty much well contained. I liked it because I had to only remember the name of the city and the houses it was carved into. The houses in the city reminded me of Italian cities. Italian cities that have fallen onto bad times but the likeness was there.

Foundryside starts off slow. While it doesn’t creep like some books, it also doesn’t gain momentum until the middle of the book. I would be complaining about it but it worked in this case. In doing this, the author allowed me to get to know the main characters and the city. Everything was explained, which I liked too. In my experience with books this size, there are plotlines that are dropped or holes in the plot. Not in this case.

Going with what I said above, the characters were filled out. What I liked is that they weren’t all likable. That they all had their flaws and that the author didn’t try to hide those flaws. Instead, he took them and made those flaws a part of each character’s personality.

I also liked how the author explained scrivings. Scrivings are industrial made magic that is used in everything in this society. Foundations, carriages, wheels…etc, they were all scrived. The only thing that couldn’t scrived is humans. It was forbidden. Until Sanica. Sanica is the only scrived human in Tevanne. Or so she thought. There is another scrived human and it blew my mind because of who it was.

I want to get into what Clef was but it is almost too hard to explain. A key that talks only to Sanica don’t even begin to touch the surface with him. He was one of my favorite characters.

While Foundryside was a bloody mess in the 2nd half of the book. While I was expecting a little death, I wasn’t expecting how many people died. It did turn me off the book a bit. But I do think that the book couldn’t be written any other way. People had to die for Sanica to have her transformation. They also had to die to expose Estelle as the insane woman that she was.

I loved the end of Foundryside. I loved Orso giving Ofelia Dandolo what amounted to the middle finger. I also liked what Orso sprang on Sanica. But my favorite was the very ending of the book with the meeting between Ofelia and her prophet. It gave an interesting twist on things as well as opening things up for a 2nd book.

What I liked about Foundryside:

A) fantasy/steampunk combination

B) filled out characters

C) How the author explained what scrivings were.

What I disliked about Foundryside:

A) How slow the book was at first

B) How the book was a bloody mess during the 2nd half of the book

C) What happened to Sanica at the plantation

I gave Foundryside a 4-star rating. This was a well-written book with fleshed out characters. The book is slow to start and it does get bloody the 2nd half of the book. But I liked it. It was a good read.

I would give Foundryside an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is graphic violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Foundryside. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Crown Publishing for allowing me to read and review Foundryside.

All opinions stated in this review of Foundryside are mine.

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

Blood Cure (Blood Type: Book 3) by K.A. Linde

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: August 21st, 2018

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy

Series: Blood Type

Blood Type – Book 1 (review here)

Blood Match – Book 2 (review here)

Blood Cure – Book 3

Where you can find Blood Cure: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The stunning conclusion to the Blood Type series finds the world in chaos and turmoil with one final battle left to determine who will survive—humans or vampires.

She had the world on her shoulders. Now she has nothing.

Reyna Carpenter was twenty-one when she became a live-in blood escort for the ruthless and darkly handsome vampire Beckham Anderson. She thought this was just a small price to pay for feeding her brothers back home.

But nothing went as planned. Not even her tumultuous relationship with Beckham. And now she wonders if anything will ever be the same again.

As she finds herself in the midst of a losing rebellion, she and her trusted friends must flee from a city conquered by the vampire élite. With their plans blown to pieces and everything they knew and loved gone, their future hangs in the balance.

Despite all she has lost, Reyna must rise from the ashes, reclaim the life that was stolen—and complete her mission, once and for all.

K. A. Linde’s addictive Blood Type novels are best enjoyed in order:
BLOOD TYPE | BLOOD MATCH | BLOOD CURE

My Review:

OMG. What did I read? What happened in this book!! I can’t even!!! I was expecting Blood Cure to be good but I wasn’t expecting it to be THAT good. I couldn’t believe what I read. I couldn’t believe what was revealed. Kudos to the author for pulling off an ending that stunned me.

If the series lacked sex in the first two books, it was more than made up in Blood Cure. Reyna and Beckham went at it like rabbits. Also, the chemistry that they had been insane. I needed a fan after a couple of the sex scenes…they were that hot.

I liked that Beckham finally told Reyna about his past. I wasn’t too surprised by what he told her. I had a feeling that he wasn’t a nice guy back in the day. But the true scope of what he was and what he did made me shudder. What he did to his sister was awful and heartbreaking. Reyna didn’t even blink twice when he told her. It didn’t even bother her when he admitted what he did. He was remorseful but still.

Reyna was the star of this book. She was determined to beat Harrington at his game. She became the figurehead for Elle after Visage tried to take the group down. After finding out about her blood, she was willing to let the Dr study it. I couldn’t get enough of her in this book and was sad when it ended. Beckham was her only weakness.

What I said about Beckham aside, I liked him. He became fully fleshed out in this book. His worry for Reyna came across loud and clear. He was willing to risk his life so that Reyna could meet her goals. I did think that he should have seen Penny for who she was sooner. Also, I was creeped out about his past. Other than that, I loved him.

Harrington was truly an evil man. But, I felt bad for him. When his past was explained, I could understand why he was the way he was. But that doesn’t excuse the direction he pointed Visage in or what he did to Reyna when she was being held captive. I thought the end of his storyline was perfect!!!

I do have a small complaint about Jodie. I understood her need to find her cousin but man, really, a strip club? I was surprised at who she hooked up with at the end of the book. Very surprised.

I loved the storyline involving Reyna’s blood, soulmates, and Beckham. I was happy to see Beckham try to make right with his sister. I was happy to see that Reyna’s blood was able to pave the way. But it was sad. That poor woman.

All the storylines in the Blood Type series were ended in Blood Cure. The author did a fantastic job of wrapping them all up. I did have a question about Graves. Who or what the heck was he? It was never answered in the book. I was thinking some sort of incubus but I don’t know. All I know is that he was a combination of sex and danger.

The end of Blood Cure was as good as I expected it to be. Like I mentioned above, I enjoyed how Reyna beat Harrington at his game.

What I liked about Blood Cure:

A) Beckham finally coming clean to Reyna about his past

B) Reyna

C) The sex

What I disliked about Blood Cure:

A) Harrington

B) Jodie. She drove me nuts in this book

C) What Beckham did to his sister.

I would give Blood Cure an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is graphic violence. There is language. I would recommend no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Blood Cure. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Blood Cure.

All opinions stated in this review of Blood Cure are mine.

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

Strange Circumstances by Marshall J Stephens, Weston Kincaide, David Chrisley

Strange Circumstances

4 Stars

Publisher: Kincaide Publishing

Date of publication: January 29th, 2012

Genre: Fantasy

Where you can find Strange Circumstances: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

The future’s a gamble. Few people know what they really want, and those that reach it often find that it isn’t what they expected. Strange Circumstances is an anthology of stories exploring the predictability of fate and destiny… or rather their unpredictability. In the twelve twisted tales and fifteen flash-fiction pieces, Strange Circumstances explores the boundaries of our universe to see what lurks in the unknown, hidden within the mysteries of science, magic, extraterrestrials, religion and the paranormal. Amid celebrities who hit their peak and vanish, a tree that grows up from the floor of a moving train car, unspeakable conspiracy, monstrous espionage, and wicked sorcery, there is something within these pages for anyone who enjoys dark tales and twists of every sort.

My review:

I normally don’t review anthologies. I feel that it isn’t fair to the authors when I can’t do an in-depth review of their stories. So I stopped reviewing them. I didn’t stop reading them because, personally, I love them. I love the different writing styles displayed by different authors. When Weston asked me to review Strange Circumstances, I accepted. I have enjoyed reading this other books and figured that this one would be the same for me. Which it was.

I am going to keep this review short and sweet. This was a great book. The short stories were intriguing and in some cases, scary. The flash fiction at the end of the book was something I have never read before. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like them but they were great. Just a snippet of a story. Enough to get my imagination going. Loved it!!!

I am not going to do a What I Liked/What I Disliked about Strange Circumstances.

I gave Strange Circumstances a 4-star rating. The short stories were well written. The flash fiction was something new and I l enjoyed reading them.

I would give Strange Circumstances an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is some mild language. There is some mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Strange Circumstances. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Weston Kincaide for allowing me to read and review Strange Circumstances.

All opinions stated in this review of Strange Circumstances are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Raging Ones (The Raging Ones: Book 1) by Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: August 14th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Series: The Raging Ones

The Raging Ones – Book 1

Where you can find The Raging Ones: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

From New York Times bestselling authors Krista and Becca Ritchie, comes The Raging Ones, an edge of your seat sci-fi romance with twists and turns that you will never see coming!

In a freezing world, where everyone knows the day they will die, three teens break all odds.

Franny Bluecastle, a tough city teen, dreams of dying in opulence, to see wealth she’s never known. Like the entire world, she believes it’s impossible to dodge a deathday.

Until the day she does.

Court Icecastle knows wealth. He also knows pain. Spending five years in Vorkter Prison, a fortress of ice and suffering, he dreams of life beyond the people who haunt him and the world that imprisoned him.

Mykal Kickfall fights for those he loves. The rugged Hinterlander shares a frustrating yet unbreakable connection with Court—which only grows more lawless and chaotic as their senses and emotions connect with Franny.

With the threat of people learning they’ve dodged their deathdays, they must flee their planet to survive. But to do so, all three will have to hide their shared bond as they vie for a highly sought-after spot in the newest mission to space. Against thousands of people far smarter, who’ll live longer, and never fear death the way that they do.

My review:

My interest in The Raging Ones was caught when I read the blurb. I could see the potential in a plotline based on a society that knew when they were going to die. Then I read the book and man, I can’t even begin to describe what it was like reading this book. The best way I can describe it is like unwrapping a Christmas gift. You don’t know what you are going to get and you are eager to get it open to see it. That is how I felt about The Raging Ones.

The Raging Ones follows 3 teenagers who have dodged their deathdays. In doing that, they have bonded with each other. Desperate to keep their secrets, the trio decides that their best bet is to enter a competition that will send them into space. A competition that will test their bonds and their alliances with each other. But what awaits them in space?

Franny is the first character that we are introduced to in the book. She is a brass, crass Fast Tracker. Fast Trackers are people who are destined to die in their teens/early adulthood. They are known for partying like it is the last day of their life…every single day. I felt bad for Franny because all she wanted was her money so she could die knowing what it would be like to be rich. I liked her. She was the more open of the trio. The more impulsive one. I liked her. She did get the short end of the stick with her new tattoos. That artist did not like her.

Mykal was introduced with Court. Mykal was a Babe. Babes are children whose death dates happen before the age of 8. When he didn’t die, he removed himself from his Hinterland village, supporting himself alone until he found Court half-frozen. While Mykal came across as a country bumpkin but he was anything but. I loved his character. He had a way of looking at things that were refreshing.

Court was the mysterious one. He was an Influential. Influentials are people whose deathdays happen far in the future. Court was very stingy in giving information about himself. That drove me nuts but also kept reading. Court cared about Franny and Mykal but didn’t want to get too close to them. He was also the driving force behind the 3 of them getting into the space program. I liked his character but came to love him.

The bond that Mykal and Court had were intense. As was their attraction to each other. But they didn’t act on it. You could cut the sexual tension with a knife, it was that heavy. I was surprised that nothing happened between them sooner in the book. I did think that there was going to be a love triangle with Franny but nothing ever came from it. Which I liked. A love triangle would have taken away from the storyline.

I do wish that more had been spent on explaining why death dates were needed and how they were discovered. It was explained very briefly but not in detail. I also wish that more time had been given to explained Mykal, Court and Franny’s connection. Why they had it and why they didn’t die.

I liked the science fiction aspect of the book but I did feel that it went on for a tad bit too long. It felt that there was some unneeded luggage with that plotline that could have been trimmed. Mainly the part of the storyline with the cheating. It added nothing to the storyline and bored me.

The end of the book was fantastic. The author had a huge plot twist that I didn’t see coming. There were no hints or anything leading up to it. I was shocked. The author ended the book on that note. Brilliant move on their part. Because now I have to read the next book to see what is going to happen. Also, the author didn’t wrap up the main storyline or any of the storylines added late in the book. So I am curious to see how they will be resolved in book 2.

What I liked about The Raging Ones:

A) How diverse the characters were

B) The bond that connected Mykal, Court, and Franny

C) No love triangle

What I disliked about The Raging Ones:

A) No explanation on why death dates were needed/discovered

B) No explanation about Franny, Court, and Mykal’s connection

C) Science fiction part of the book went on a little too long for my taste

I gave The Raging Ones a 4-star rating. I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed reading it. I do think that there was too little information given about death dates and Mykal, Franny, and Court’s connection. Other than that, I enjoyed the book.

I would give The Raging Ones an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is mild violence. There is mild language. I would suggest that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Raging Ones. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Raging Ones.

All opinions stated in this review of The Raging Ones are mine.

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

The Ascending (Zola Flash: Book 3) by T. Marie Alexander

The Ascending (Zola Flash, #3)

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: August 13th, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Series: Zola Flash

Zola Flash – Book 1 (review here)

The Forgotten – Book 2 (review here)

The Ascending – Book 3

Where you can find The Ascending: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Escaping to Earth changed Zola’s life forever. She found happiness on a foreign planet. And she found truths from an unlikely ally.

Zola has never wanted to claim her throne…

Until now.

Because now, the people of her planet need her.

And she’s tired of running.

It won’t be easy taking on an old and controlling group of power-hungry dictators, though. And she’s going to need all the help she can get to claim her crown and prove the Court has been wrongly guiding the galaxy for centuries.

Zola was once an innocent marred by war.

This time, though, she’s not so innocent anymore.

My review:

I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I started reading The Ascending. I knew that big things were going to happen. It was the when and where that got me sucked into reading it. I couldn’t put this book down. I read it within 1 1/2 days. I couldn’t help but not care for Zola, Pin, Zin, and Florix. The author did a fantastic job of taking already fleshed out characters and adding more depth to them. She also did a great job of throwing in some small twists in the plot that took me by surprise.

The Ascending takes place shortly after the events of The Forgotten. Zola is getting ready to take her throne back from the Court, a group of dictators that have ruled Vitcian, and the galaxy, for centuries. But she is prepared to fight them. She is not the same girl who stumbled upon her destiny. She has seen war. She has killed people and she is willing to do whatever it takes for her people. But can she do it? Can she take on the Court and win? Or will she be another victim in the Court’s schemes?

Zola is one of my favorite characters in this book. While she didn’t want to be queen, she still did it because it was the right thing. She dealt with all the drama that surrounded her with amazing maturity. She became a woman who was ready to do what it took to free her people from a dictatorship. I was bothered by her lack of connection with Florix. But, looking back, I could understand why she kept her distance from her. I mean, Florix did try to kill her on Talan’s orders.

Pin drove me freaking nuts the entire book. He was still blowing hot and cold with Zola. There were scenes where I was ready to reach through my Kindle and shake him. Talk about frustrating. Other than that, I liked him. He was loyal to Zola and was willing to fight the Court to help her gain her throne.

Florix was a great addition to the book. The author did a great job at having me question her loyalty to Zola. I wish that more background was given about her younger years. Her training, how she met Talan, how she dealt when her bond was severed with Zola. I am hoping that the author considers writing a spin-off book about her. I know that I would be very interested.

I thought that the science fiction angle of the book was great. I do wish that more insight was given into the portals/ships/other lifeforms. But everything that the author did explain was fantastic!!! The fantasy angle was fantastic also.

The romance angle of the book was great, even though I wanted to punch Pin. I didn’t doubt that he loved her but man, he needed to show it more often. Like I said above, he blew hot and cold with Zola. One minute, he loved her. The next, he was back to being her protector and having walls up. It drove me crazy because that’s not how it was supposed to work.

The author did have a couple of twists in the plot that I didn’t see coming. Also, there are a couple of main characters that leave/get killed off. At least one of those I was surprised at.

I will say that this book can be bloody. The author didn’t hold back on the battle scenes. Which is awesome because you don’t see many YA books that embrace violence. Most of them are sunshine and rainbows. Not this one!!!

The end of The Ascending was great. The author wrapped up all the storylines in a way that satisfied me. The only one that wasn’t resolved was the storyline about Rhea. I am hoping that there is a book coming out of it because I want to know what is going to happen.

Now onto why I rated The Ascending 4 stars. I enjoyed the book. It was a fitting end for the series. I connected with the characters. Why it didn’t make 5 stars? Well, I didn’t like how Pin treated Zola for most of the book. The Rhea storyline was left unfinished. I felt that some of the battle scenes were a little too violent for a YA book. But, like I said at the beginning of this paragraph, I enjoyed the book.

What I liked about The Ascending:

A) I enjoyed the story

B) The book was a fitting end for the series

C) I connected with the characters

What I disliked about The Ascending:

A) How Pin treated Zola

B) The Rhea storyline being left unfinished

C) Some of the battle scenes were a little too violent for a YA book.

I would give The Ascending an Older Teen rating. There is sex (but it is not explicit). There is violence. There is no language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Ascending. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Ascending.

All opinions stated in this review of The Ascending are mine.

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

Blood Match (Blood Type: Book 2) by K.A. Linde

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: July 26th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy

Series: Blood Type

Blood Type – Book 1, review here

Blood Match – Book 2

Blood Cure – Book 3, expected publication date August 21st, 2018

Where you can find Blood Match: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

As the provocative, sensual Blood Type series continues, the rare bond between Reyna and Beckham is threatened by betrayal, greed, and twisted secrets.

A desperate human. A powerful vampire. A world divided.

Reyna Carpenter was promised paradise. She was delivered into hell.

Giving up her body for money was supposed to be the hardest part of becoming a blood escort. She never expected to lose her heart to her dark, enigmatic boss, Beckham Anderson. After being taken by a depraved captor who plans to rule the world, Reyna will do anything to return to Beckham.

She just has to find the will to survive this game.

From the pawn, rises a queen.

Note: Reyna and Beckham’s story begins in Blood Type and continues in Blood Cure.

My review:

I was beyond thrilled when I saw that Blood Match was up for review on NetGalley. I had loved Blood Type and was waiting for Blood Match to come out. I had hyped this book up in my head. I am glad that it lived up to my internal hype because I would have been mad if it wasn’t good. Let me clarify, mad at myself. I try not to let myself get all hyped up over books. But in this case, because Blood Type was so good, I let myself do it.

Blood Match starts off 56 days after the ending events of Blood Type. Reyna has been kidnapped by William Harrington, the president and CEO of Visage. Reyna was kidnapped because of her very rare blood type, RH null negative. Harrington needed Reyna for her blood but he wasn’t above torturing her when she wouldn’t comply. One of those times, he left her alone with a deranged vampire that he called B. Reyna is soon broken out of Visage by Elle. Reyna soon learns that not everything is what it seemed. That enemies can be allies and allies can be terrible enemies. Can she overthrow Visage with the help of her friends or will she be forced to watch people that she loved die?

Blood Match was as dark and gritty as Blood Type. There was an undercurrent of violence that ran throughout the book. That is what made the book so good. You never knew when violence was going to explode. What I also liked, and what made this book dark, was that the “good guys” weren’t necessarily good guys. The author had those characters walk a thin line between good and evil. I loved it!!

The sex in this book was great. But, what I liked was that there wasn’t a ton of it. But, when Reyna and Beckham did bump uglies, it was explosive. Even Reyna’s dream sex was amazing!!!

The plotlines in Blood Match were not resolved. If anything, more depth was added to them. I cannot wait to read book 3 to see how this story ends.

The end of the book was insane. I didn’t expect what happened to happen. And it ended with a small cliffhanger. I was mentally yelling “NO” when I read it.

I rated Blood Match with a 4-star rating. Why did I do that? I liked the plotline. I liked the characters. The sex scenes were hot. Now, with the good, there is the bad. There were parts of the book that I didn’t like. I didn’t like William Harrington. I didn’t like what Visage was doing behind the scenes. I didn’t like the cliffhanger (as small as it was).

What I liked about Blood Match (to recap):

A) Plotline. Thought it was great.

B) Characters.

C) Sex scenes

What I disliked about Blood Match (to recap):

A) William Harrington

B) What Visage was doing behind the scenes

C) the cliffhanger

I would give Blood Match an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would suggest that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Blood Match. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Blood Match.

All opinions stated in this review of Blood Match are mine.

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

Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart

Grace and Fury

4 Star

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date of publication: July 31st, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Where you can find Grace and Fury: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace – someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir’s eye, it’s Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

My review

Grace and Fury is one of those books that caught me by surprise. I don’t get taken by surprise by books. I can usually see a plot twist coming a mile away. I can usually see when an author is foreshadowing. I can usually see who the bad guy is in the book. I can usually call who is going to die. But not in Grace and Fury. The author did a fantastic job keeping me in the dark about everything I stated above. And I loved it!!!

Grace and Fury start off with Serina being chosen to go to Bellaqua to compete with other girls to become a Grace. Serina has worked her entire life to become a Grace. That dream is shattered when Serina’s younger sister, Nomi, is chosen instead. It is further shattered when Serina takes the blame for what Nomi did. That something has Serina shipped off to a prison island. There she is forced to fight to the death for food. Back on the mainland, Nomi decides to embrace her role as a Grace. She does that with the hopes of getting Serina off the island and back with her. But Nomi is soon caught up in a dangerous plot. A plot that could end everything that she has worked so hard for.

I couldn’t believe the injustices that the women in that society endured. They weren’t allowed to go to school. They were dominated by the men in their lives. So, I loved it when Nomi bucked the rules. Learning to read was her way of thumbing her nose a the society that was keeping her down. Even as rebellious as she was, she was loyal to Serina. Using her position as a Grace, she did try to get her sister off that island. I was as surprised as she was when everything went down the way it did.

I didn’t like Serina at first. She had trained to be a Grace since she was a child and had no clue how the real world was. Being a Grace meant that her family would never go hungry. She also loved her sister. My turning from not liking her to liking her happened when she took the fall for Nomi. She could have taken Nomi down with her. And when she got to the island. Instead of having a breakdown, she did what she had to do to survive.

There are several twists and turns in the plotline. I wasn’t ready for any of them. I thought this would be one of those typical YA fantasy books that would be heavy on romance and teen angst but would have no twists. Yeah, I was wrong. This book had more twists than a mountain road.

The fantasy angle of the book was fantastic. Set in an Italian-like country, the author did fantastic world-building. The world was 3D, as were the characters.

The YA angle I didn’t feel. Yes, Serina and Nomi were in their late teens, but it didn’t read like it. If I didn’t know their ages, I would have placed Serina in her mid 20’s and Nomi as the teenager. This book also didn’t have much angst as most YA books. Which was refreshing.

I do want to touch upon the amazing girl power vibe that was going on in this book. It was fantastic, and I loved it!!!

The end of Grace and Fury was insane. Everything happened at once. I was surprised at what happened with Nomi. Very surprised. I was surprised that I had to wake up BK and tell him about it. He wasn’t impressed…lol. I will say that the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. This means that I need to read book 2 when it comes out.

Onto why I gave Grace and Fury a 4-star rating. I loved how I was taken surprised time and again in the book. I liked Nomi and her rebellious ways. I loved the strong girl power vibe throughout the book. I didn’t like how the women were treated in the book. I didn’t like Serina at first. I also didn’t like the cliffhanger.

What I liked about Grace and Fury (to recap):

A) Being taken surprise by the different elements of the book

B) Nomi

C) Girl Power

What I disliked about Grace and Fury (to recap):

A) How the women were treated in the book

B) Serina, the first half of the book

C) The cliffhanger

I would give Grace and Fury an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is kissing (that’s about it). There is violence, sometimes graphic. There is no language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Grace and Fury. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for allowing me to read and review Grace and Fury.

All opinions stated in this review of Grace and Fury are mine.

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

Dark Alpha’s Hunger (Reaper: Book 6) by Donna Grant

Dark Alpha's Hunger (Reapers Book 6) by [Grant, Donna]

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperback

Date of publication: August 7th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Supernatural, Fantasy

Series: Reaper

Dark Alpha’s Claim

Dark Alpha’s Embrace

Dark Alpha’s Demand

Dark Alpha’s Love

Dark Alpha’s Night

Dark Alpha’s Hunger

Where you can find Dark Alpha’s Hunger: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Dark Alpha’s Hunger is the sixth paranormal romance novel in New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant’s Reapers series featuring a brotherhood of élite assassins who wage war on the Fae at Death’s behest–and the women who change their hearts.

There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an élite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I’m coming for you…

Where Death leads, I follow. Nothing will stop me from my duty – not even the darkness that claims me. It’s the music that leads me from the dark, returning me to my brethren and a new foe that has risen. Learning who hunts Thea could be the key to unraveling what we need to know to defeat our enemy. The Half-Fae’s music stirs a passion within me that I’ve never known. For her, I will break my vow of silence. For her…I will risk everything.

My review:

I had heard of the Reaper series but hadn’t gotten around to reading any of the books. So when the publisher approached me to review this series, I decided, why not? Even though it is the 6th book in the series, I figured I could follow the plot. Which I did, kinda. The author kept bringing up earlier characters and their relationships. At one point, I couldn’t keep everything straight in my head. Besides the few quibbles I had with characters, I enjoyed reading Dark Alpha’s Hunger.

I thought that Eoghan and Thea’s relationship started oddly and remained odd. It was almost stalkerish since Eoghan decided to follow Thea around until he revealed himself. The only connection that he had with her was through her music. When she played her violin, he could find her. I thought it was a little creepy. Once they were together, they had great chemistry that bled to fantastic sex.

Speaking of the sex scenes, these were hot. The chemistry between Eoghan and Thea was off the charts. I had to fan myself a few times. If it could, my Kindle would have steamed up.

I felt that Thea got the stick end of things during the book. First, she brings Eoghan back from the darkness. Then she is semi-stalked by him until he shows himself. Then her biological mother kidnaps her and lays a lot of crap on her. That girl needed a stiff drink and a hug by the end of the book. She had been put through the wringer. I did like that she was an accomplished violinist. I loved how music immediately pulled her from crippling depression and gave her purpose.

Eoghan’s backstory killed me to read. No wonder he chose to take a vow of silence. I would have, too, if I had been put through what he went through. I didn’t get why Death told him to rescind his vow of silence until the end of the book. Then it hit me in an “AHA” moment. I liked his relationships with the other Reapers. There was an instant bond between them.

The end of the book was interesting and laid a definite foundation for the next book.

What I liked about Dark Alpha’s Hunger:

A) The chemistry between Eoghan and Thea

B) Thea music interest

C) Eoghan’s relationship with his other Reapers

What I disliked about Dark Alpha’s Hunger:

A) Had an issue following the plot at first

B) The start of Eoghan and Thea’s relationship

C) Thea’s mother

I would give Dark Alpha’s Hunger an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dark Alpha’s Hunger. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Paperbacks, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Dark Alpha’s Hunger.

All opinions stated in Dark Alpha’s Hunger are mine.

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

Immortals’ Requiem by Vincent Bobbe

5 Stars

Publisher: Jump Start Publishing

Date of publication: June 29th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Horror

Where you can find Immortals’ Requiem: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

There are beings that live a shadow’s breadth from our reality. They are the dreams and nightmares of humanity, the ancient seeds of fairy-tale and superstition.

These are the Immortals, creatures of magic that should live forever… and they are fading.

When a horror two thousand years dead returns to contemporary England, creatures long thought lost to myth and legend collide in a scramble for survival that could tumble civilization back into the dark ages of blood and death.

If you like urban fantasy, ravening zombies, terrifying shapeshifters, scheming vampires, and vast supernatural worlds, you’ll love Immortals’ Requiem!

Content Advisory: This book is intended for mature audiences and contains graphic violence.

My review:

When I first read the blurb for Immortals’ Requiem, I thought this would be a run-of-the-mill fantasy. Since I like fantasy, I figured why not? The worst thing is that this book is cookie cutter vampire/shifter/zombie novel. Well, wasn’t I super wrong. Immortals’ Requiem was like nothing I had read before. Let’s put it this way; I loved this book. I loved how the author took everything that terrified people (vampires, shifters, zombies) and put his unique spin on them. I liked how his heroes were flawed. I loved that the author wasn’t afraid to kill off characters.

There were things I didn’t like about the book, but they were minor things that didn’t affect my review. I didn’t like how the zombies in the Tower of the Dawn came. More specifically, who was behind it. I wasn’t expecting that. I also didn’t like how the Barghest (Cú Roí’s children) came to be. When the birthing scene played out, all I could think of was the movie, Alien. The last thing that I didn’t care for was Mark. I didn’t like him <shrug>.

There are several plotlines that are in Immortals’ Requiem. There is Grimnir and Cú Roí’s. Grimnir was charged with killing Cú Roí over 2,000 years ago. So, when Cu Roi comes back to Earth, Grimnir is resurrected. Then there is Mark’s. He is obsessed with hunting down and killing supernatural beings. He is also obsessed with keeping the reincarnation of his late wife alive. Lastly, there is Cam. Cam is a dissatisfied Elf who has distanced himself from his heritage and family. He meets Grimnir in a pub, and the rest is history.

This is a long book, 552 pages. While I like long books, some people don’t. Personally, I think that longer books are great. There is more time for the author to do world and character building. Which is what the author did here. He built a complex world with complex characters. I loved it!!!

I liked that the heroes in Immortals’ Requiem were not “good” per se. They were grayer. Take Mark, for instance. He became Immortal after peeing on a stone that told Grimnir’s tale. It was a punishment for a cocky young Roman man. He was also forced to live watching his true love die before he could save her every 50 years. He cannot die, so that means he cannot kill himself. So, what does he do? He starts to hunt for the person responsible for his Immortality, the Maiden. He starts hunting down all supernatural beings and killing them. I consider him a “good” guy because he decided to help Rowan and his sister escape Cu Roi and then helped Grimnir and Cam when push came to shove.

There is a lot of violence in Immortals’ Requiem. Normally I wouldn’t touch it in my review, but I feel that I have to in this one. If you do not like violence, don’t read the book. Other than that, dive right in. This book is blood-soaked. No character is safe. Major characters are killed off without a thought. It was different, and I loved it. But I did get sad when a certain foul-mouthed Elf met his end. That was a death I was not expecting. But what a way to die!!!

The end of Immortals’ Requiem was awesome. There were some things that happened that I expected, some I did not. I love how the author chose to reveal what Immortals’ Requiem meant in the book. Loved it! Almost all the storylines were brought together and ended in a way that I was satisfied with. Notice that I said almost. There was one storyline that wasn’t ended. I am hoping that it leads to book 2!!

What I liked about Immortals’ Requiem:

A) A unique spin on vampire/shifters/zombies

B) Flawed heroes

C) The author not afraid to kill off characters

What I disliked about Immortals’ Requiem:

A) How the zombies were created and how was behind it

B) How the Barghest was birthed

C) Mark

I would give Immortals’ Requiem an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is explicit violence. I would suggest that no one under 21 read this book.

I would reread Immortals’ Requiem. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Immortals’ Requiem.

All opinions in this review of Immortals’ Requiem are mine.

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

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